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Manga that are better than anime and viceversa
- Thread starter Alastor3
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Riposte
Member
I like the manga art of Attack on Titan, at least of lately. While messy in many ways, it's really expressive. The anime has some nice tunes, but I hear the pacing is terrible (manga has no such issues).
Direction has nothing to do with nostalgia. '99 at it's best is like a bridge between OVA/movie and televised serial anime (although to be fair, it was OVA in parts), at least directly compared to the newer series; thinking aspects of anime movies of the past are better than what they show on TV today isn't nostalgia (funny how GitS has come up), so why not apply that to a similar comparison? When compared side by side, which some YouTube videos conveniently do for us, things like the difference in where the "camera" is put, the absence of various gestures, and the additional material (yes, filler that's good) sets them apart with it being in older adaptation's favor. I guess there's also music (direction), coloring, and character designs we could argue over in terms of aspects.
Direction has nothing to do with nostalgia. '99 at it's best is like a bridge between OVA/movie and televised serial anime (although to be fair, it was OVA in parts), at least directly compared to the newer series; thinking aspects of anime movies of the past are better than what they show on TV today isn't nostalgia (funny how GitS has come up), so why not apply that to a similar comparison? When compared side by side, which some YouTube videos conveniently do for us, things like the difference in where the "camera" is put, the absence of various gestures, and the additional material (yes, filler that's good) sets them apart with it being in older adaptation's favor. I guess there's also music (direction), coloring, and character designs we could argue over in terms of aspects.
Your Lie in April
Anime is much better than the manga, the animation is amazing and the show (obviously) benefits greatly from sound. Fantastic adaptation.
Bakuman manga > anime
This is true
Anime is much better than the manga, the animation is amazing and the show (obviously) benefits greatly from sound. Fantastic adaptation.
Bakuman manga > anime
This is true
SoldnerKei
Member
gotta dissagree, skipping Wild Hunt was one of the few good things the anime did, now the NightRaid vs Jaegers arc conclusion was way better on the manga and they changed it a lot on the anime, sure they used some parts on the
tatsumi's execution
Wave
Tatsumi
I agree, Kyoto arc is one of the best story lines I have seen in anime. that third amakakeru ryu no hirameki, still get that chill on the spine whenever I see it
my 2 cents, King of Thorns manga... I know there was no way in hell they could fit the whole story on the movie, but not even getting Zeus on the movie??? really?????
also dunno what I should consider better, Saint Seiya manga or anime, Manga has some pretty bad art, the armors looks gorgeus thou, but the story makes more sense and is consistent, the anime has better art, excellent music and one of the best fillers I have ever seen, Asgard arc was top quality
Barajas_201
Member
Elfen Lied anime is better IMO. It had a perfect cliffhanger ending and without the anime we wouldn't have had that God-tier opening song (NSFW).
The manga is very different and even more ridiculous, like in the manga
Granted, Elfen Lied is the only manga I've ever read and I'm pretty much an anime only guy.
The manga is very different and even more ridiculous, like in the manga
there is a character that uses diapers because she has some kind of problem and can't control her business... its too random because the manga never explores her character further, she's just hanging out with the gang all of the sudden. And in the ending, the government develops Vector tanks to fight 9's clone (oh yeah there are clones too) army. Then for some reason there is only one male Diclonius and he's sort of Lucy's brother(?!) It gets real weird by the end.
Granted, Elfen Lied is the only manga I've ever read and I'm pretty much an anime only guy.
The Technomancer
card-carrying scientician
Wait, what? That is one of the weirdest defenses of 1995 GitS that I've ever seen. GitS entire problem is that its nothing but exposition. Its entirely text, which drowns out what subtext its trying to have. It is one of the poster children for "characters talking at the camera". Its essentially trying to be three different types of films in one, and while I don't think thats an inherently flawed approach, I certainly don't think that the juxtaposition of those three films inside the overall work is masterful. Hell, I don't even think that an essay film is an inherently flawed approach.
Z..
Member
We must have watched two very different movies. oO
The Technomancer
card-carrying scientician
I really really want to like GitS 1995. But it just...doesn't engage with its material on more than a cursory level. Maybe you can argue that that's not the point, but then my question is: so what is the point? I mean it when I say its basically three types of movies in one: every scene in the film discretely falls into one of three buckets based on if its a "characters talking about concepts" scene, a "cyberpunk action thriller" scene or a "gorgeous silent and somewhat thematic scene" and there's very little connectivity between them other than the on-paper plot. You could make an argument that the connectivity is supposed to come from the juxtaposition but I've watched this movie multiple times trying to find that deeper purpose in that juxtaposition and I just don't see it.
Basically my problems with the film are:
-Is it supposed to actually be a dive into those themes of machine intelligence and humanity and the idea of the soul? If so, why does it feel so disinterested in exploring them? It just raises them, and they're not even novel questions
-Is the film not particularly interested in diving in like that? This is what I buy more, except then I'm left wondering what it is interested in doing. I've tried to watch it with an eye to find out and all I get out of it is that its some fairly cool scenes set up next to each other
EYEL1NER
Member
GTO is way better in manga-form. I'll watch GTO; I don't hate it. The show just doesn't hold a candle to the manga though.
Something better as an anime than manga? I know a lot of people would argue that there isn't anything of value to either the anime or manga but Ikki Tousen is quite a bit better than Battle Vixens. When I read that the fighters in Ikki Tousen were possessed by the fighting spirit of Three Kingdoms warriors, I was in. I LOVE RoTK. That can't save the Battle Vixens/Ikki Tousen manga though. I bought a volume or two and couldn't get through the first book.
Something better as an anime than manga? I know a lot of people would argue that there isn't anything of value to either the anime or manga but Ikki Tousen is quite a bit better than Battle Vixens. When I read that the fighters in Ikki Tousen were possessed by the fighting spirit of Three Kingdoms warriors, I was in. I LOVE RoTK. That can't save the Battle Vixens/Ikki Tousen manga though. I bought a volume or two and couldn't get through the first book.
Werewolf Jones
Member
This single scene puts 2011 to shame ignoring the dub, of course.
HxH 2011 extremely cringy edits early in were awful too. Especially when comparing Killua vs Jones to 2011 and 1999. The music that accompanies the scene in 1999 catches on so good.
God I love the artstyle of those late 90's/early 00's anime. I can't quite put my fingers on it, but they just seem to have that much more soul, if you catch my drift. Another example would be the original Hellsing, while I enjoy Hellsing Ultimate in its entirety more than Hellsing, the limited methods available at that time seem to have meant the animators had ro get a lot more creative. For example:
Hellsing Ultimate vs Hellsing
While the animation is certainly much better in Ultimate (and more true to the manga), the composition of the scene is more interesting in "Hellsing" imo
The art alone makes it worth reading, but the story is a bit more interesting if I remember right, and it's got some really cool characters that never made it to the show.
In the US it was a series 5 book/collections long, I think.
Z..
Member
The bolded part is what it's supposed to be. The reason it feels disinterested in exploring them in a conventional sense is because they have no possible outcome and mostly because that's exactly the way Oshii's influences handled such a thing. What resolution could've been attained had they dissected these themes further? Tarkovsky understood better than anyone that no question worth asking has a definitive answer.
And this is what I meant when I said most on gaf aren't prepared for this kind of thing. This western mentality is absurd. Why is everyone addicted to this style of filmmaking where everything is explored for them? People REALLY need to watch more foreign films from a young age. Not only do we not care about different approaches, we manage to subvert them into something else... Take all the scenes where the major's nakedness is a complete non-issue to her for example, they are the pefect illustration of just distanced from the current physical human existence the major is (as would eventually be ultimately demonstrated in the final showdown), but of course, in the west, they were used as a selling point for the film by pervy otakus everywhere who completely missed the point that was being made. The exact same thing happened 2 years ago with Blue Is the Warmest Color.
The vast majority of film's exposition is completely silent, and the concepts the major so loosely express end up justifying her actions at every turn. The opening credits alone say so much without a single line of dialogue. You get to witness the major's body's nature as a product of industry and yet you see her/him cling to human ritual by laying in bed despite having no need for it. It opens on the question of wether ritual defines who we are as individuals or just prevents us from moving forward as a species and it delves into it's theme by choosing the ultimate protagonist for such and undertaking... a genderless cyborg whose consciousness and sense of self exists separetely from it's body. It chooses to address all it's observations through pathos by showing you this individual's life as well as the rituals it either clings to for comfort (as mentioned) or resorts to for inner peace (such as the diving scene). It thrives on symbolism and subtext, as much as you seem to disagree. The cyberpunk action punctuated setting is there both as a tool to appeal to a broader audience (much like Tarkovsky did with Stalker and it's chosen setting of post apocalyptic~ish sci-fi) and as a way of having a protagonist who would be even more detached from reality than the average citizen, due to her extreme daily routine.
The way it draws parallels to contemporary existence is also beautiful, such as the scene where the major encounters someone else wearing the same body as she/he does. In a 2 second scene the movie asks you what the point of individuality in a world where we constantly strive for cultural homogenization really is, and it pulls it off with absolute finesse.
I especially love that the way the major and the puppet master talk gets flack for sounding emotionless. They say exactly what they need to say to get their point across and not a single word more precisely because they are beyond the need for any sort of emotional clutch to embelish their lives. They're not soulless robots, they are Oshii's vision of the Übermensch. But yet again, all this high concept stuff is wasted on an audience that mostly misses the entire point. It's actually overpacked with meaning, considering how short the film is.
As for the juxtaposition, that's something I cannot adress, as I've never perceived the film to be disjointed in the slightest... I've always found the whole thing to gel perfectly together.
My one complaint about it is the elevator scene at the beginning as there is too much exposition crammed into a teeny tiny scene... it's very hard to follow the whole thing on your first go.
Pegosaurus
Banned
the overall animation, character design and voice acting is much better in the 2011 version.
it may not be fair considering the chimera ant arc wasn't in the 1999 version due to not being finished ( i don't even know if he started it by then...), but that really seals the deal for me as well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3A_ivAGOXY
this scene is amazing
Werewolf Jones
Member
I don't really agree. A lot of the 2011 fights really just shadow or imitate the majority from 1999. It's not until Chimera Ant does 2011 start to get me to take it seriously but even then nothing really stands out as exceptionally well animated. I think 2011 really was just made to cover the material the original never did which is why it's pretty much rushed early on.
Hmm IDK depends on the person, really.
Well MADHOUSE are using a lot of really popular VAs, the only VAs I know of from 1999 who are really still around now is Gon and Hisoka's VA.
It was a work in progress but no where near done.
If the OVAs got around to it from 1999 they probably would have shown Pokkle's brain like in the manga. :>
Nappuccino
Member
I'm of the opinion that almost (almost) every manga is better than the anime. Largely because I get to control how fast it goes by. Partly because there is not extra filler etc.
not psycho
Member
Here's my take, I think it is very similar to what Z.. said.
I see it as the movie giving us an impression of the Major's experience, even asking us to put ourselves in her place at times, not as trying to explain concepts to us.
When the Major or the Puppet Master talk, they are talking for their own reasons, because it is a thing they want to do, giving insight into their characters... not merely to explain concepts to the audience. The way they talk, and what they talk about, also serve to show us their psychological similarity (that between a presumed human cyborg and an AI).
We are shown the creation of the major's body. We see her own vision when she dives and looks up through the water (despite the danger of her artificial body sinking). We hear what kinds of things she thinks about. We see her quickly notice someone else with her identical body. And near the end, we see her body become grotesquely artificial as she hulks out and literally rips her own body apart trying to open the tank.
The connection that you missed is the Major herself (using "herself" for convenience, since the scene near the end forcefully makes us question what gender would mean here). Unlike the tv series, she is both the main character and the key element of the movie; it's easy to miss this especially if you are thinking of the mostly invulnerable tv character. Although they do talk about the concepts, the real aim is for us to experience them ourselves through the Major's subjective experience of that world.
The Technomancer
card-carrying scientician
I'm not asking for an outcome. But I'd like it to be doing something. "Can a machine intelligence be 'as real" as a human intelligence" and all of the metaphysical repercussions of that is not a novel question. It just isn't. We've been asking that since the 30s. Hell, you can argue we've been asking that since the greeks. The movie doesn't do anything with that question. It doesn't really explore it, it doesn't really refute it, it doesn't use it as a tool or a metaphor to explore something else Ex Machina style.
You can argue that the movie is trying not to have an opinion on anything, which is fine and a valid approach and what it is trying to do in a lot of the nonverbal sequences, as I'll touch on below, but I think the movie winds up fighting with itself, and the side that always wins in terms of what I walk away from a viewing with is the side that just wants to talk about questions.
Fully agree here
These are all very interesting things you can say about what you think the movie is presenting...
but, see I think you are reading a very specific interpretation into that scene that you can't back up to that level of fidelity just by citing the text, I think you have to bring some of your external belief into that sequence to arrive at that reading. Now I don't have a problem with a movie that is purposefully sketched broad in order to invite the viewer to project their own perspective onto it, hell, a lot of really great films do that, but if we really get into it...
I don't particularly mind that they're emotionless, I mind that much of what they say could be much more effectively demonstrated in ways that aren't just polemics to the audience. It feels in direct contradiction to the ambiguity of the scenes above. In those sequences you're invited to ask your own questions, and it sounds like you have. The characters don't come off as efficient, they come off as verbose, the Puppet Master especially
You can say "but the point is that as we blur these lines between the mechanical and the human our method of interaction would become colder and more machine like", but then how does that work with all of the non-verbal stuff throughout the rest of the movie? The viewer is jolted from material like what we discussed above to almost literally being asked "what is the definition of life?"
Every time I've watched GitS I've been struck by how schizophrenic it feels. Its always seemed disjointed to me, jumping back and forth between how it wants to express itself. And, because this is sort of a theme with me, I absolutely believe that that can be pulled off in an effective way. But I don't think it is here. I don't get a read for why it goes from The Puppet Master giving a painfully on the nose speech about AI to these subtly beautiful nonverbal sequences. There are scenes where it invites you to ask your own questions but there are also lots of scenes where it goes "THIS IS WHAT YOU SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT. THE SOUL. INTELLIGENCE."
I think I'm one of the few who enjoys anime more. For instance, even though I really liked reading through Berserk, I still wished I was watching it instead (I really liked the anime but it doesn't adapt most of the manga). Still hoping I'll see a proper adaptation of the rest of the manga at some point.
Though I admit I've read very little manga compared to how much anime I've watched. But I just really like seeing action happen in motion, and Japanese voice acting is always very expressive and convincing to me (even though I don't understand what they're saying).
Though I admit I've read very little manga compared to how much anime I've watched. But I just really like seeing action happen in motion, and Japanese voice acting is always very expressive and convincing to me (even though I don't understand what they're saying).
You know, I've never really seen the 1999 version before, that looks great, minus the dub. This makes me want to watch the older version and see the differences.
Sequence Six
Member
I think part of what's needed to bring into the film is a knowledge of Oshii's presentation style. He's not the type to want to waste motion on a throwaway scene. I've also personally thought that the speech patterns of the Major and the Puppet Master are meant more as a way to see and understand their characters rather than as plot fountains. Yes, there's exposition there, but I think it's more about what those characters are going through. I don't think the question is necessarily "What is a soul?", I think it's "What would you consider a soul to be if you were in a situation this far developed?"
It's why I dislike the detachment here, because we're being asked to follow and understand these constructs using philosophical questions that they don't have answers for. Not having answers is fine; having the frame of reference be two steps removed makes it difficult for me to feel the question goes to a place where a lot of digging can be done.
I'm not big on transhumanism in general, though, so this movie was never going to be in my wheelhouse.
The Read or Die OVA is way better than the manga. Yomiko's a really weak-willed and frustrating character in the manga. However, for somewhat related reasons, the Read or Dream manga is better than the ROD TV anime, since it's a fun little chill, character-based comedy manga with some bits of action as opposed to the flawed and frustrating plot in the anime.
It sucks it's like this because Nenene is my favorite character despite appearing in the two series I didn't like.
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Martian Successor Nadesico is a good case of the anime being superior to the manga. The manga doesn't even attempt being a parody, instead playing the story mostly straight, turning Gai into a total dick, killing off characters for little purpose and turning Akito into the Terminator like would happen in Prince of Darkness, but earlier. Akito
was pretty cool in its own way and the new mechanical designs weren't bad though.
It sucks it's like this because Nenene is my favorite character despite appearing in the two series I didn't like.
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Martian Successor Nadesico is a good case of the anime being superior to the manga. The manga doesn't even attempt being a parody, instead playing the story mostly straight, turning Gai into a total dick, killing off characters for little purpose and turning Akito into the Terminator like would happen in Prince of Darkness, but earlier. Akito
fighting a giant solar energy dragon with a gigantic Aestivalis-held stone sword
The Usagi Drop manga scarred me for life. The anime is so great yet it's also so evil for hooking me into reading the manga.
Rafa=FedKilla
Banned
Hunter x Hunter 99 is better than 2011 or whatever fuck the remake came out. Ohayou was incredible OP, as well as the instrumental throughout the series, so endearing. Plus you can't trivialize Kite like the update did.
words
This entire post is hilarious.
Skiptastic
Member
True. I have the whole manga and it is amazing.
Y'all are crazy.
The manga was way better but the anime was still fun, and the voice casting was spot on.
Most manga is going to be better than the anime. Anime generally skips over stuff or changes some stuff for the worse.
Kuroko no Basketball the anime is better than the manga. Manga doesn't bring to life stuff like DA ZONE like the anime did. Plus the anime had a kick ass soundtrack. I also found some of the matches really plodding in the manga but they went by quicker in the anime.
Kuroko no Basketball the anime is better than the manga. Manga doesn't bring to life stuff like DA ZONE like the anime did. Plus the anime had a kick ass soundtrack. I also found some of the matches really plodding in the manga but they went by quicker in the anime.
No. Just no. If anything it's the opposite.
Yup, nail on the head! I'm not sure how many here knows the show since it's more of a niche now (not that it was ever HUGE, though), and it's my staple anime > manga comparison. The manga was good, but a bit too short and ended abruptly. The anime took its time to dramatize things more, give more depth to the characters, and Shuuko's story in the anime as
a character with a nervous disorder, giving a reason to the Angelic Layer program itself
she's just... shy? She wouldn't see her daughter because she's SHY?! WUT???
Inoue's art is outSTANDING. There's something so crisp and clean about it, especially in the last 11 volumes. It feels like im reading a manga in HD.
Anyway, his art for the manga hasnt age a bit (aside from the 90's fashion's captured in the manga throughout, and even then that adds to the cool)
The anime looks so dated, not bad, but compared to Inoue's art its very bleh. The one character that i feel looks the least like her manga counterpart is Haruko. Do not like the way she's depicted in the anime. Everyone else in general looks off from their manga counterparts.
Inertia Creeps
Banned
Lol
I would disagree. Baring a few exceptions I prefer 1999's art and character design much much more compared to 2011's. On the topic of this thread I'd take both over the manga.
Riposte
Member
Pakunoda is probably one of the best examples. In '99 she's a slightly ugly woman, while in '11 she's kind of a mutant. The former expressed emotions better (and I would say was even was truer to the manga). And her extra scene/filler was really good.
dragonlife
Member
Death Note manga > anime
Riposte
Member
Death Note ost is so good though, so worth watching some YouTube clips at the very least. The weird yaoi foot massage scene was ridiculous though. Not to mention POTATO CHIP and etc.
SolVanderlyn
Thanos acquires the fully powered Infinity Gauntlet in The Avengers: Infinity War, but loses when all the superheroes team up together to stop him.
I actually much prefer JoJo's anime adaptation to its manga counterpart. Part 1 was kind of a flop because the first two story arcs had less budget and were basically animated manga panels, but Part 2's voice acting and music was great. Part 3 is animated very well and is just an absolute blast to watch, and the animation, direction, and music seem to be getting better with each episode.
That said, its overly verbose exposition doesn't always translate well to an animated format.
One Piece is a hit or miss for me. The voice acting and music is GREAT in that series, but the art and pacing can be off. The manga art is always on point and the pacing is much, much better.
Iggy vs. Petshop was the most intense fight I've seen in a long time.
One Piece is a hit or miss for me. The voice acting and music is GREAT in that series, but the art and pacing can be off. The manga art is always on point and the pacing is much, much better.
dragonlife
Member
I don't remember the OVA and manga being the same. From what I recall, the manga takes place before the OVA. It's been a long time, though.
The OST is pretty good, you're right. The anime's not bad, really; the manga's just that much better, I feel.
Ooh, good answer.
My answer is Shugurui: Death Frenzy is a way better anime than a manga.
Also, I really want to say Chihayafuru but it doesn't have an ending!
Is that so? I've never been a fan of anime adaptations but I really really enjoy the Aku no Hana manga. Might want to check it out.
thefatness16
Banned
I honestly don't think any animation studio can live to Murada's art in a tv anime. Madhouse is excellent, and I expect enjoy their adaption but I just can see me enjoying it more than the manga.
I enjoyed the anime version of Orange Road, Maison Ikkoku, Saint Seiya better mostly because of the art and the good ost, there are some differences that people might prefer with the original but overall I prefer the animes.
Same goes to Attack on Titan, but for that it was mostly for the action sequences/music.
Same goes to Attack on Titan, but for that it was mostly for the action sequences/music.
theSlacker
Member
You act as if the manga has an ending. :3
The art of the manga is imposable to beat, but the pacing of the anime, along with the extra time to get to know the characters made me more attached to them. That added time also gave the "ending" more of an impact. It is the only time that I can think of off the top of my head that things added for filler ended up making the overall product better. I will always suggest to people wanting to get into Berserk to watch the old anime series before reading the manga. It is defiantly a better primer to the series but you will still have to go to the manga to get a
still not totally
It doesn't help that many people may just mistake the movie as only being a small part of the manga with stuff cut out so it can fit into movie format instead of noticing the extra changes to the mode of storytelling and plot. Effectively becoming a different story with a different point then the manga while still using some of the set pieces.
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