Maze - Abenobashi - Infinite Ryvius

[The Creation]

what do you guys think about these three? the prices are reasonable and all three have boxsets. are the characters likeable? animation quality? how about replay value? that's the most important factor imo. i don't wanna buy stuff just to watch it once. thank you very much for answering.

[rubyeye]

MAZE - I liked it and the ending theme is infectiously goovy, but as for replay value...that depends on whether you really like fantasy comedies such as Slayers, Rune Soldiers, Gokudo, and the like. Animation is average but I like the dub. It's just one of those shows that you kind of have to find something to like about. I sold my set years ago but if it's really cheap, might be worth it.


ABENOBASHI - Typical GAINAX parody show. Not as unique as FLCL so I found it a hilarious, only once. No replay value - at least for me. YOU might like it though.


INFINITE RYVIUS - Sorry, I've never seen it. I heard it's kind of like "Lord of The Flies" in Space. You know, a bunch of kids stranded, all fighting for survival and loosing all sense of civility, humanity, and common sense in the process. (I could be wrong though). You'd be best to read up on reviews for this one.

[AbeChinchilla]

You may rewatch Abenobashi, to make sure you caught all the visual gags.

[balthier2012]

Infinite Ryvius has a replay value of absolute zero. I am positive on this. While it has alot of emotions going on with nearly 500 teenagers controlling the ship it is repetetive. Teenagers are dumb and conceited, each of them wants a shot at leading the whole crew. It's merely one overthrow of leadership after another until the end, which happens relatively fast. The entire show is about the kids when you're thinking more is gonna happen. It's all drama IMO.

It has some interesting themes but it is just not rewatchable at all IMO. I haven't gotten many other opinions about replay value for this so I can't speak for the general. Although you can call it a good show if you're looking for drama and how the mental state of a teenager would react to survival conditions, and all that. Lord of the Flies it written ALL OVER IT.

Abenobashi - Has a little bit of replay value for me. It's a calmed down FLCL or Excel Saga. I like it, but there's plenty of shows out there I would rewatch before getting back to this.

Maze - There are many shows of the same genre that have much better replay value. However, this show has something a little unique <span style='color:#dddddd;background:#dddddd'> the main female lead is also the main male lead </span> which seperates it from the other fantasy/comedy shows like Slayers, Rune Soldier, Gokudo (although Gokudo <span style='color:#dddddd;background:#dddddd'> switches bodies with the main female char for a few eps. </span> Out of those I like to rewatch Slayers the most followed by Gokudo and Rune Soldier. Maze is still a good show just the other appeal to me more.

[Rhodes]

in order...
infinite ryvius

human drama is always good, how teens cope with being stuck and alone in space and hunted... how folks change as their situation changes. great insight into possible human behavior in all its glory and ugliness. Always a peasure to watch and love both the opening and ending songs.

then abenobashi

The setting is always changing but the key folks stay the same... funny and silly with alot of gags and puns and parodies.

then maze.

very straight forward action comedy show, sort of a slayers mix with ranma 1/2. kick but song... junky boy /images/graemlins/happy.gif

[lilgumba]

I haven't seen Maze so I can't comment on that.

InfRyv...I couldn't even get a full first viewing to even give that one a chance. It came to the point where I didn't care what happend to any of those kids. The show was a bit slow for my tastes too. As a consolation prize it did have a nice opening...song.

Abenobashi was good for replay value for me. I watched it the first time and aborbed all the insanity. I waited a bit before I re-watched it enough to remember the general plot but kind of forgot the details. I was still entertained and ended up understanding the show better. I will watch it again too just for enjoyment value. As far as the characters, I really got attached to them. Even though the world was kind of whacky I'd still believe they would do what they did. I'd get that one first.

[Magic_Knight]

Abenobashi gets a big recommendation from me. I thought it was very entertaining the whole way through. It's hilarious and the leads are enjoyable. I think it has good replay value.

[chotto]

On Abenobashi, you should be aware that the thinpak collection does not contain the popup balloons extra that explains some of the jokes. I don't know whether it is worth tracking the singles down for though since I got the thinpak, but considering this is a parody show I imagine it would not only give a reason to watch it again, but you would be able to enjoy it on a slightly deeper level.

[The Creation]

Thanks a lot guys. it seems that most of you don't care about infinite ryvius so i will skip that one. i love comedies so maybe i will just go with the other two choices. i read Chris Beveridge's reviews on abenobashi and they made the show look bad. whatever i will trust you guys on this one. Maze worries me though since it looks like a low budget show, even though it's cheap.

so gokudo is another good show? i wonder where i can find the boxset cheap. thanks again everyone.

[SnowfairyX]

Abenobashi is definitely a hit or miss series and based on the first 3 or 4 episodes, it was definitely a miss for me. A lot of the humor just didn't click with me, mostly being the perverted kind that try to evoke cheap laughs just by being perverted (Goldenboy is an example of an ecchi comedy that I actually found to be funny). I nearly fell asleep watching these episodes and would only recommend it if you really like random humor anime such as Excel Saga, which I think is actually much more watchable from the first 6 or 7 episodes I've seen so far.

[indigo0086]

I loved abenobashi more than I did Excel Saga or FLCL, I truly thought the show was up there (and out there) and did exactly what it intended and more. In excel saga the jokes were just too long and re-used, eveyr episode of Abenobashi was different and it actually had feeling behind it.

[balthier2012]

[ QUOTE ]
The Creation said:
Thanks a lot guys. it seems that most of you don't care about infinite ryvius so i will skip that one. i love comedies so maybe i will just go with the other two choices. i read Chris Beveridge's reviews on abenobashi and they made the show look bad. whatever i will trust you guys on this one. Maze worries me though since it looks like a low budget show, even though it's cheap.

so gokudo is another good show? i wonder where i can find the boxset cheap. thanks again everyone.

[/ QUOTE ]

Gokudo is $42 from DeepDiscountDvd.com and well worth it IMO. If you like the idea of the fate of the world resting on the shoulders of a thief who hates old people, kids, and animals. And abandones his sidekicks to face off the demon king at the sight of treasure.

[Speedy Boris]

I watched Abenobashi Vol. 1 when it first came out and I was left very indifferent. I liked the premise, but the humor seemed forced and it resorted to low brow humor a little too much in the first four episodes. It seemed like it was trying too hard to be raucous most of the time.

I didn't buy another volume for a good six months, but I'm glad I did, because my opinion of the show improved a lot with episodes 5-7. My opinion went lower with episodes 8-10, and jumped back up again with episodes 11-13.

So it was a rollercoaster of enjoyment with this series. I will say that if you like Gainax's crazy spastic animation and wild takes, and if you enjoy constantly changing backdrops for the action, you'll enjoy the art style for the show. It certainly took a lot of effort to make a new world for each episode, and I give Gainax props for that.

[yumy]

yeah i would get Maze, theres a 6 ep series and a full 26 series called Maze Megaburst. I think Milli is adorable.

[GanChan]

[ QUOTE ]
Gokudo is $42 from DeepDiscountDvd.com and well worth it IMO. If you like the idea of the fate of the world resting on the shoulders of a thief who hates old people, kids, and animals. And abandones his sidekicks to face off the demon king at the sight of treasure.

[/ QUOTE ]

I paid full price for Gokudo when it first came out in individual volumes. And I'd do it again.

[The Creation]

omg i have the worst luck ever. two days ago i was looking around this site when i found the animeonestop link. they have gokudo complete for about the same price ($47 including shipping.) anyway i promptly ordered it thinking i got a pretty good deal. then starting from yesterday rightstuf has it for $40.

i could easily combine that with the bandai sale order i made to get free shipping. i tried to cancel it immediately by calling but then the phone number on that website was invalid! what's up with that? then i emailed to animeonestop about the cancellation but the order was shipped after that. frankly i trust rightstuf a whole lot more than animeonestop (digitaleyes.) very inefficient, do you guys know about this website? is it reliable? thanks in advance.

[chloes_fork]

I've only used Digital Eyes once, but the order went off without a hitch.

[JackProton]

I've used DigitalEyes quite a bit. I have only had a very small number of problems with them, mostly with receiving the wrong order but have always been able to get it taken care of promptly. They usually answer email within a day or two. The only problem I could never iron out with them was getting them to accept the return of a DVD they sent me a addressed to and paid for by someone else.

[JackProton]

Let's see..

Infinite Ryvius is your basic school-kids-stranded-in-space- civilization-crumbles melodrama with a plot consisting of wonky science fiction, cockeyed conspiracy and backstabbing students. The nominal hero's main skill seems to be getting punched out regularly -- Charlie Brown meets Lord of the Flies? Except Snoopy is a ferret here. Not very rewatchable. The football of a plot is pulled away at the very last moment leaving the viewer to contemplate the vastness of the universe above. Argh!

Abenobashi was something of a hoot skewering lots of different films and genre conventions as the characters hop from one wacky parallel universe to another. Great off-the-wall fun.

[balthier2012]

[ QUOTE ]
The Creation said:
omg i have the worst luck ever. two days ago i was looking around this site when i found the animeonestop link. they have gokudo complete for about the same price ($47 including shipping.) anyway i promptly ordered it thinking i got a pretty good deal. then starting from yesterday rightstuf has it for $40.

i could easily combine that with the bandai sale order i made to get free shipping. i tried to cancel it immediately by calling but then the phone number on that website was invalid! what's up with that? then i emailed to animeonestop about the cancellation but the order was shipped after that. frankly i trust rightstuf a whole lot more than animeonestop (digitaleyes.) very inefficient, do you guys know about this website? is it reliable? thanks in advance.

[/ QUOTE ]

Don't worry about that. I've spent $120 on singles with thinpak collection at $40 to be announced only 2 days after I recieved them in the mail. I've done that atleast a dozen times and spent $120 on each Slayers box now they are around $25.

With time you will learn anime saving techniques. Every newbie gets ripped off, count yourself lucky at only $7. Try dvdpricesearch.com before each purchase to make sure the one you're ordering is the cheapest.

[rainstar2k]

Maze is $16 bux for the whole series from Deepdiscountdvd.com It is a pretty good show, some whacky comedy and very comparable to Slayers as others have pointed out. The OVA is dirt cheap too ($5.99) and both are well worth these prices.

Magical Arcade Abenobashi was a series I was very wary of. The hype was incredible (kinda like Excel Saga - which I HATED) but when the thinpak hit I had to check it out, and was glad that I did. Several genuine laugh-out-loud moments and an ending that I actually enjoyed. The characters stay the same but they skip between all sorts of different worlds that parody various genres of films and anime. The Hollywood episode was hilarious too, probably my favorite. Very satisfying show and well worth your money. Will you watch it again? Maybe... hard to say. It's the kind of thing you might want to check out again every year or so.

[Redcoffin]

MAZE - meh.

ABENOBASHI - goes downhill rapidly after episode 1.

INFINITE RYVIUS - one of the best undiscovered hidden jewels of anime TV, despite its rambling narrative structure which put many people off. A sustained meditation on the question of what makes a good leader. Thoughtful, not "fun."

[Dragon_Shiryu]

I really liked Infinite Ryvius. It was engaging for me. Though I must say the main character sucked.

Abenobashi was utterly boring to me. I think it's a hit or miss series.

Haven't seen Maze.

[Captain Impulse]

I started off liking Infinite Ryvius, but around the half-way mark, I think I hated every single character in the show (except "Charlie"). The end sorta saved it, but not really.

Abenobashi - I can't believe more people didn't enjoy this series. Sure it's random and full of crude jokes, but I still think an episodic comedy has a lot more replay value than the drudgery that was the latter stages of Ryvius.

Maze - On a scale of 1-10, rates about a 7 overall. Definitely some humorous moments, and for the price, you shouldn't pass it up. You'll get your money's worth.

So I guess my order would be:
1) Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi
2) Maze
3) ...something else
4) ...something else
5) ...something else (repeat ad nauseum)
XX) Infinite Ryvius