Project Arms

[animeman]

I am now considering in adding Project Arms to my collection but not sure yet. Based on the final review of the last volume of the series, it may be what I'm looking for. My question is whether the story is pretty good throughout the series 52-episode series run split into two seasons and will be I'm be satisfied by the end of the series based on what the final volume review said that the end is satisfying. My what I gather is that the episodes in the series is pertty accurate when compared to the manga volumes. The concept of nanotechnolgy and the whole conspiracy story sounds very interesting to me. How's the character developement and animation. Is the profanity in the series only in important scenes without being excessive or just there without reason because that's what I had read online. Recommended? My old post is wiped clean.

[Chacranajxy]

All I have to say about Project Arms was that in 3 episodes, it became arguably the worst series I'd ever seen. Personally, I'd avoid it like the plague.

[Magic_Knight]

Well, for what it's worth I've seen the first 2 Project Arms DVD's (got them on sale) and it was pretty good from what I've seen so far. There is quite a bit of profanity in the dub, but not nearly as much in the sub.

[Captain Impulse]

Project Arms was a rocky ride for me. Overall I enjoyed it, but there were more than a few moments where I was shaking my fist at the screen. The animation quality varies from episode to episode, particularly noticable during action scenes (some are "meh", some are amazing). It has a sort of video-game feel at times, where it seems like the characters defeat one bad guy/group of baddies, only to be set upon nigh-immediately by another set of even tougher baddies.

The second season takes away the horror anime-style feel of the animation, and replaces it with softer character designs, which I felt was a mistake. Animation quality maintains its inconsistency (characters always LOOK good, but like I said, action scenes tend to vary). There's a big conspiracy that seems to link everyone in the damn world at times, but it's interesting...although the whole <span style='color:#dddddd;background:#dddddd'>"Alice in Wonderland"</span> theme felt really forced at times.

Not to mention Viz's TERRIBLE release format; season one end up on 9 discs (3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/2), whereas second season comes in at a slightly more respectable 7 (4/4/4/4/4/3/3). It's a bitch to collect (probably a lot moreso after the fact), but it was a show I really enjoyed watching as I collected it. Perhaps this viewing schedule helped to cover up some glaring plot holes I may have missed, but I still really liked it most of the time.

I highly doubt it'll ever see boxed-set release though, so pick it up while you can.

I also have a review of it on my MySpace anime group, but be warned, it's SPOILER-IFIC: Project Arms Review (second down on the page) (http://www.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=messageboard.viewThread&amp;group ID=100752873&amp;page=2&amp;EntryID=4090809&amp;CategoryID=0&amp;g et=1&amp;adTopicId=9&amp;lastpagesent=0&amp;Mytoken=88D480EE-6264-40E1-BE060299F1C0388D619153312)

[animeman]

Throughout the 52-episode Project Arms TV series, what is the level of swearing? The profanity is not excessive that it distracts from the story and not too often? One of the posters said that there is quite a bit of swearing but not as much as in the Japanese dub.

[Captain Impulse]

I think you've got it backwards. The English dub has a lot of profanity throughout the entire run (although it gets more, uh, creative, later on). The Japanese version has significantly less.

[animeman]

Even my dad said that as long as the story is good, he'll ignore the excessive swearing.

[Captain Impulse]

Personally I thought the profanity kinda fit the characters. If I were, say, an 18-year-old kid on the run from an overwhelmingly evil organization that's out to kill me, I might be encouraged to swear once in a while, too.

[animeman]

Thanks. I just bought the first 7 volumes and can't wait start watching them when I get them. I still have another 9 volume left to buy but I will in a week or so. I got to digest 21 episodes before I buy more volumes to finish off the series. I read all the reviews for this series on this site so the story sounded quite good since I need another sci-fi action series in my collection and this series fits the bill when the story centers around a huge conspiracy involving technology and cybernetics and other interesting aspects of the show. I'm aware of the uneven animation but is the animation more like cutting corners or does it really matter that much when the story is quite good?

[Captain Impulse]

[ QUOTE ]
blee said:
Thanks. I just bought the first 7 volumes and can't wait start watching them when I get them. I still have another 9 volume left to buy but I will in a week or so. I got to digest 21 episodes before I buy more volumes to finish off the series. I read all the reviews for this series on this site so the story sounded quite good since I need another sci-fi action series in my collection and this series fits the bill when the story centers around a huge conspiracy involving technology and cybernetics and other interesting aspects of the show. I'm aware of the uneven animation but is the animation more like cutting corners or does it really matter that much when the story is quite good?

[/ QUOTE ]

It's really strange actually...because it looks like they cut corners in a few places, but not all the time. Sometimes the animation is, well, badass. Othertimes, it's kinda "meh". Even in battles...awesome in one, mediocre the next. Overall I think they did really well with it, though. There were plenty of "Wow, that was cool moments" during the show...enough to make up for any lackluster moments. I really liked this show. I was thinking about cosplaying as Ryo Takatsugi, but I don't think I'd ever be able to make a good-looking replica of the ARMS.

[animeman]

I just compared the dub and the sub in terms of profanity and the original version had a lot less than the dub based on the first two volumes. Makes you wonder why the translator decided to add a lot swearing to the dialgoue. After 13 volumes, the story is still very good. I noticed myself that the dub for the 2nd Chapter Volume 1 to 4 had more of a profantiy level boast then the 1st season.