Anime/Manga Thread!

[Wolfwood]

I'm pretty sure you're gonna like it. It has some spots I think could be better but it's generelly really good. It's good so far, and I'm liking Revy's character. The whole thing seems reminiscent of Cowboy Beebop.... which is a good thing.

[Beefer]

In the middle of soul eater. It is really good like some mentioned here ^^. Shinigami Chop XD .

[Burke]

Speaking of which I'm currently watching Cowboy Bebop because for some reason I never did . Currently on episode 7 and it's pretty good so far though it jumps around more than I would like instead of following a main story. That's the main reason I prefer anime over american cartoons, anime follows a story whereas cartoons just have a little plot each episode

[SnowyCat]

Cowboy Bebop is the worldly incarnation of God. I'm totally buying a Welsh Corgi.

[Burke]

Cowboy Bebop is the worldly incarnation of God. I'm totally buying a Welsh Corgi. I'm still torn between who my favorite character, Spike for his calm yet deadly demeanor and fighting style whose is much like mine in my lucids, or the dog because he's just awesome

[HeavySleeper]

I finished watching the Death Note anime last night after starting the series a few days ago. I totally loved it. It blew me away, especially the ending. I don't often watch anime, but after seeing almost all of the Studio Ghibli films and viewing a few series, I think I've fallen in love with it. I suspect it may become a new hobby. Spoiler for Death Note ending: That ending really got me. I totally get what Erii said earlier in the thread about feeling depressed afterwards. I was rooting for Light all the way through. It's so weird, because I actually disagree with his philosophy and there were so many times he showed himself to be ruthlessly cruel and merciless. In some scenes it was like he was the very epitome of evil. A cold and heartless killer who toyed with his victims and manipulated people to suit his needs, using peoples' affection for him as a tool to get what he wants. He showed no love or compassion for anyone. His friends, his devoted followers, even his own father were all expendable. If such a man did come to rule the world, I can't imagine what kind of hell it would be like to live under him. But after all of the intricate planning, the expert manoeuvring, the sheer determination, I couldn't help but feel that he deserved to win. I guess that's why I was so shocked to see him go the way he did. I really thought that if he was going to die, it would be with dignity. But it turned out he was to meet a very different end. The way they portrayed it was unbelievable. The desperation that took over him when he knew he'd been beaten. The hopeless attempts to save himself. It was all so intense. It was such a masterful depiction of what it's like to be utterly defeated. Everything he'd worked for had fallen apart. He had lost everything. All he could do as he limped off, gasping and whimpering, was think to himself "How could it come to this?" To witness such a stoic character being brought down to that was quite an overwhelming experience. It was a humiliating end for Light, and such a powerful ending to the story. So yeah, that was cool.

[Beefer]

I finished watching the Death Note anime last night after starting the series a few days ago. I totally loved it. It blew me away, especially the ending. I don't often watch anime, but after seeing almost all of the Studio Ghibli films and viewing a few series, I think I've fallen in love with it. I suspect it may become a new hobby. Spoiler for Death Note ending: That ending really got me. I totally get what Erii said earlier in the thread about feeling depressed afterwards. I was rooting for Light all the way through. It's so weird, because I actually disagree with his philosophy and there were so many times he showed himself to be ruthlessly cruel and merciless. In some scenes it was like he was the very epitome of evil. A cold and heartless killer who toyed with his victims and manipulated people to suit his needs, using peoples' affection for him as a tool to get what he wants. He showed no love or compassion for anyone. His friends, his devoted followers, even his own father were all expendable. If such a man did come to rule the world, I can't imagine what kind of hell it would be like to live under him. But after all of the intricate planning, the expert manoeuvring, the sheer determination, I couldn't help but feel that he deserved to win. I guess that's why I was so shocked to see him go the way he did. I really thought that if he was going to die, it would be with dignity. But it turned out he was to meet a very different end. The way they portrayed it was unbelievable. The desperation that took over him when he knew he'd been beaten. The hopeless attempts to save himself. It was all so intense. It was such a masterful depiction of what it's like to be utterly defeated. Everything he'd worked for had fallen apart. He had lost everything. All he could do as he limped off, gasping and whimpering, was think to himself "How could it come to this?" To witness such a stoic character being brought down to that was quite an overwhelming experience. It was a humiliating end for Light, and such a powerful ending to the story. So yeah, that was cool. Psychological animes are the best XD. Leaving you with a total mind fuck.

[Original Poster]

Yeah DN did a good job at making you feel empathetic for a total psychopath. It also contains one of my favorite scenes from any anime I've ever seen, one you have to watch the series to understand and even though most of my friends didn't like it. But I thought it spoke to so many levels of the human struggle, it made me speechless. Spoiler for L and Light rain scene:

[acatalephobic]

As much as I was addicted to Death Note, I am shocked when I read things like this: Yeah DN did a good job at making you feel empathetic for a total psychopath. To each their own of course, but Light Yagami is one of my most despised characters of all time. As the series progressed I found myself unable to get through an episode without yelling angry obscenities at him through the screen. I watched it in a bubble...rapidly, and alone with no one to talk to about it. Once I finished, I started reading reactions to online...and I simply could not believe how many Light fans existed out there. I understood that an ethical slippery slope was a main element of the story, and knew in a way I was supposed to feel compassionate towards this guy...but I just couldn't. The more he unraveled, the more I hated him...which in a way felt unsatisfying. I wanted some reason, some event wherein he could redeem himself, even just a little. I wanted to not hate him but he just made it too easy. And just when I thought I couldn't hate him more, he proved me wrong. But overall I loved the series because I had such a strong reaction to it. It made me laugh, cry, pull my hair out, the whole nine. To me the story is like Reservoir Dogs...it's a train wreck you can't help but be mesmerized by. A cautionary tale more than anything. It made me wary though, because it's just another example of how the characters I enjoy the most seem to be a magnet for unfortunate events.

[Wolfwood]

Can anyone recommend an anime that has a sense of 'chess-like' moves.....? Death Note, One Outs (surprisingly good), Akagi, and Code Geass shared the element I'm trying to refer to. And please don't recommend Monster. >.<

[SnowyCat]

Can anyone recommend an anime that has a sense of 'chess-like' moves.....? Death Note, One Outs (surprisingly good), Akagi, and Code Geass shared the element I'm trying to refer to. And please don't recommend Monster. >.< "Hikaru No Go" is about a game called "Go", which is similar to chess... or do I misunderstand?

[Wolfwood]

"Hikaru No Go" is about a game called "Go", which is similar to chess... or do I misunderstand? Cheers...Mmm, just depends.... does it play out in a mature sense (seinen) or immature sense (shounen)?

[SnowyCat]

Cheers...Mmm, just depends.... does it play out in a mature sense (seinen) or immature sense (shounen)? well, kinda both... the main character is 12, but the spirit possessing him is very very old, so they're maturities are respective to their age.

[Original Poster]

Yu Gi Oh! JK, JK. I always thought of Rurouni Kenshin like chess style sword play, if only because Kenshin will spend 10 minutes explaining every single strike. But that's not really as cool as Death Note, strategically speaking. Naruto did pretty much the same thing, and actually whenever the story focuses on Shikamaru there's some interesting strategy. Still not quite on par with death note because well... it's Naruto.

[Wolfwood]

whenever the story focuses on Shikamaru there's some interesting strategy. Still not quite on par with death note because well... it's Naruto. Shikamaru's my kind of character. Lazy, but strategic. There must be some anime out there like Death Note in its cleverness. Did you watch the live action version too?

[Original Poster]

Ed

[Taffy]

Think I should finish soul eater, I got halfway through a few months ago, then just forgot about it.

[queenrosie]

One of my fave animes is Kimi no Todoke, Naruto, Lucky Star( the first anime I ever watched), 07 Ghost, Special A, Ouran High School Host Club, Zero no Tsukaima, Vampire Knight, skip beat and so so many more ^____^

[SnowyCat]

Just finished "Broken Blade" (also called "Break Blade")... and it's... fuckin'... like... I mean... YES. Just YES.

[Burke]

Just finished Serial Experiments Lain and I've got to say... actually I don't know what to say. This picture sums it up best: Spoiler for Big: It's quite philosophical and leaves you with tons of questions and answers about 2. If you actually try and think while you watch it the show's actually quite good and probes such thoughts as which reality is the true reality, what role do memories serve, and how the internet slowly becomes more and more intertwined with our reality and minds. I'd highly recommend it to anyone who is more on the thoughtful side and who enjoy answering questions in their own way.

[Mzzkc]

Fuck, picking a top 3 is hard. Alright, in no particular order, limiting myself to series since movies would require a separate list entirely: Top 3: Bebop - A cinematic masterpiece in every sense. So good even my anime-hating friends rave about it. Baccano! - Takes character driven storytelling to new levels. Amazingly funny and witty despite the gore and noir themes. Hard to stop watching once you start an episode. Darker Than Black - Went through this series recently and found myself enjoying it immensely. All the characters are likable and well developed. The atmosphere and world are rich and mysterious without going over the top. And the themes and conflicts are surprisingly mature. Honorable Mentions: FLCL - 'Cause FLCL is FLCL, amirite? Code Geass - Definitely a favorite of mine, but it lacks lasting depth upon completion of the series; same deal with Death Note. Elfen Lied - Good anime, but it doesn't play off the comic relief/gore/nudity dynamic as well as Baccano! does. Puella Magi Madoka Magica - I think it was around episode 3 that my jaw dropped and I exclaimed to my screen: "The fuck..? That just happened." Guilty Pleasures: High School of the Dead - Would be a brilliant series, if not for the unnecessary fan-service and pantyshots. =/ Angel Beats! - Evry tiem. ಥ_ಥ Digimon (Season 3) - Because Neon Genesis Evangelion + Digimon = Childhood Mindfuck Tsubasa Chornicles - lol, jk. The anime adaptation was almost un-watchable, but I pushed through it 'cause apparently it enhanced xxxHOLiC a bit. Riiight. Currently Watching: Sword Art Online - Currently airing, seems pretty promising. Think reality-grounded .hack// meets Battle Royale. I know, right? Edit: Also, Ghost Hound was pretty cool. It explored lucid dreaming phenomena and stuff; scary shit at times.

[JacobWAd]

Just finished Serial Experiments Lain and I've got to say... actually I don't know what to say. This picture sums it up best: Spoiler for Big: It's quite philosophical and leaves you with tons of questions and answers about 2. If you actually try and think while you watch it the show's actually quite good and probes such thoughts as which reality is the true reality, what role do memories serve, and how the internet slowly becomes more and more intertwined with our reality and minds. I'd highly recommend it to anyone who is more on the thoughtful side and who enjoy answering questions in their own way. Eh, a little late, but Serial Experiments Lain is amazing. Even to the people who don't understand it, I still think it's a must see for the dreamers who appreciate strange, surrealistic shows.

[Wolfwood]

Black Lagoon was great -- had a similar spirit found in Cowboy Beebop. Revy in some way is like Faye.

[LifeDreamer]

I'm trying to watch all the episodes of Code Geass right now. Also I'd like to give some older manga recommends. The first one was my first manga ever which is; Imadoki by Yu watase. It is a shojo with romance but I liked it a lot at the time. The next one is really weird and mostly unheard of which is Alien Nine by Hitoshi Tomizawa. There is a anime OVA for this too. I've known about this one for seven years.

[Beefer]

I am currently watching Lucky Star after finishing soul eater (well or at least I got to where the manga is at). I really love all the references in Lucky Star to other animes and it is quite funny.