TRSI Bandai Sale Recommendations [Archive]

sedorna

02-03-2006, 10:22 AM

I'm surprised a Bandai recommendations thread isn't up yet, what with the Right Stuf sale. (Either that, or I completely missed it. If that's the case, please feel free to lock this.)

So, any recommendations on Bandai shows? I'm especially interested in Fantastic Children, Mars Daybreak, Spirit of Wonder, and My-Hime. I will admit, I am a bit wary about My-Hime. It looks interesting, but is the characterization good? Or is it just a "look at these cute, sexy girls saving the day" type of show?

So, what are my recommendations? Well, I enjoyed Vision of Escaflowne, Jubei-chan, Gundam 0080 (that's my favorite Gundam, in part because I'm not a huge mecha fan and, if I'm not mistaken, 0080 is least mecha-y Gundam. The others are still good, though.) Also, I liked Plantes, Scrapped Princess, and Tsukikage Ran.

balthier2012

02-03-2006, 10:49 AM

I highly recommend Scrapped Princess for anyone who hasn't already checked it out.

Vicserr

02-03-2006, 10:55 AM

of course for the Mecha inclined: it's Mobile Suit Gundam All the Way!!!! /images/graemlins/sdsmiley.gif

The Creation

02-03-2006, 01:08 PM

i myself ordered blue submarine 6, crest of the stars anime legend complete, outlaw star complete, and stratos 4 complete. i think you will also like gundam 08th ms team because of the characters.

you see i always go for the boxsets. so series like scrapped princess or planetes have been on my wishlist for a long time, but i will only get them when the boxsets are out

by the way, avoid Arjuna. it's piece of junk that i don't think i will ever touch again. the characters are unlikeable and i hate the life action scenes to death (can't believe it's the same guy who created escaflowne.) damn i want my time and money back...

AbeChinchilla

02-03-2006, 01:17 PM

Witch Hunter Robin (hint: she sleeps in le nude!)

Outlaw Star just purely kicks major ass.

The Big O

Stay Away from:
Love Hina

Puppet Master

02-03-2006, 03:11 PM

[ QUOTE ]
AbeChinchilla said:

Stay Away from:
Love Hina

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree avoid Love Hina at all costs. Theres a lot better ways to spend your $.

BluWacky

02-03-2006, 03:14 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Sedorna said:
So, any recommendations on Bandai shows? I'm especially interested in Fantastic Children, Mars Daybreak, Spirit of Wonder, and My-Hime. I will admit, I am a bit wary about My-Hime. It looks interesting, but is the characterization good? Or is it just a "look at these cute, sexy girls saving the day" type of show?

[/ QUOTE ]

Fantastic Children- best show of 2004/5. Yes, better than My-Hime IMHO. It's a slow epic adventure with a rather old-school production (incredible background art but slightly simplistic (although generally well animated) character designs); its strengths are the labyrinthine plot and the characters. No-one's talking about it because very few people have seen it, but I recommend at least picking up the first disk.

Mars Daybreak - quite generic but good fun; it's a very ensemble-based show which is mostly just random pirate hijinks, but it's nicely done and occasionally excellent. The first disc doesn't really show the series off that well (aside from perhaps episode 4) so if you're not totally grabbed by then the second disc is worth a try too; the humour has a similar feel to Scrapped Princess (although it's nowhere near as dramatic).

My-Hime - it's very good, but massively over-hyped; the show is a big bundle of cheese and cliche with an absolutely top notch production behind it. The "cute, sexy girls" thing is quite inconsistently treated; the first episode seems to emphasise the fanservice and shounen cliches, and there's a couple of filler episodes which might make you roll your eyes, but for the most part the series is pretty fanservice-free. The characterisation is excellent, incidentally, and the plot has layers upon layers of intrigue (it's not as mysterious or fascinating as Fantastic Children by any means, but it's very well constructed). Definitely check out the start of the series.

Unfortunately, I've never seen Spirit of Wonder, so I can't tell you anything about that.

I would recommend Arjuna because I loved it, but it's one of those shows that tends to polarise viewers so I can't recommend it whole-heartedly; at its current price it's an absolute steal. Other Bandai shows I've really enjoyed would include Witch Hunter Robin and Wolf's Rain but I'm not sure if I'd recommend them based on the series you've mentioned.

chloes_fork

02-03-2006, 03:15 PM

[ QUOTE ]
The Creation said:
by the way, avoid Arjuna. it's piece of junk that i don't think i will ever touch again. the characters are unlikeable and i hate the life action scenes to death (can't believe it's the same guy who created escaflowne.) damn i want my time and money back...

[/ QUOTE ]
Ah, the ever-controversial Arjuna. Personally, I liked it a lot. The animation's beautiful, and the environmental message didn't bother me a bit. I mean, is there anybody actually opposed to saving the Earth?

Interestingly, though, it was the more mundane scenes and settings I liked best, rather than the big mystical-action setpieces. Some of the small moments and emotions were beautifully observed. I'd love to see the director tackle a straight romantic drama.

something

02-03-2006, 03:54 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Sedorna said:
I will admit, I am a bit wary about My-Hime. It looks interesting, but is the characterization good? Or is it just a "look at these cute, sexy girls saving the day" type of show?

[/ QUOTE ]

Hahahaha XD Your fears are comlpetely unfounded, don't worry. My~HiME is heavy on characterization, and does it damn well even with a huge cast. And it'll put in your in a great position to enjoy My~Otome all the more when it comes out =D

My~HiME is not fluff, not by a long shot. It has cute girls, but that means nothing. You want HiME.

Edit: and for what it's worth, I completely and utterly disagree with BluWacky's charactization of HiME as cheese and fluff, as totally as is humanly possible. But that's just me =P Opinion is split (of course), but definitely in favor of it being great at charactization and story, in my experience.

sedorna

02-03-2006, 04:17 PM

[ QUOTE ]
BluWacky said:
[ QUOTE ]
Sedorna said:
Fantastic Children- best show of 2004/5. Yes, better than My-Hime IMHO. It's a slow epic adventure with a rather old-school production (incredible background art but slightly simplistic (although generally well animated) character designs); its strengths are the labyrinthine plot and the characters. No-one's talking about it because very few people have seen it, but I recommend at least picking up the first disk.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, that's another show on my to-order list. So, is it worth getting the special edition with the CD, or is the soundtrack not worth it at all?

DiGiKerot

02-03-2006, 04:18 PM

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
Edit: and for what it's worth, I completely and utterly disagree with BluWacky's charactization of HiME as cheese and fluff, as totally as is humanly possible. But that's just me =P Opinion is split (of course), but definitely in favor of it being great at charactization and story, in my experience.

[/ QUOTE ]

He didn't say "fluff" though, he said Cheese and Cliche. To be honest, the way it plays up genre cliches is kind of what a lot of HiME is about.

something

02-03-2006, 04:20 PM

[ QUOTE ]
DiGiKerot said:
He didn't say "fluff" though, he said Cheese and Cliche.

[/ QUOTE ]

Er, same thing in my eyes =P But I also disagree that it's as cliche as you say, really. I think people often see homage/parody type cliches in shows when... it just isn't there.

DiGiKerot

02-03-2006, 04:28 PM

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
[ QUOTE ]
DiGiKerot said:
He didn't say "fluff" though, he said Cheese and Cliche.

[/ QUOTE ]

Er, same thing in my eyes =P But I also disagree that it's as cliche as you say, really. I think people often see homage/parody type cliches in shows when... it just isn't there.

[/ QUOTE ]

Now, you see, I want to argue my point here, but I don't want to start talking spoilers, and its hard to talk about without giving specific examples /images/graemlins/sweat200.gif

something

02-03-2006, 04:36 PM

[ QUOTE ]
DiGiKerot said:
Now, you see, I want to argue my point here, but I don't want to start talking spoilers, and its hard to talk about without giving specific examples /images/graemlins/sweat200.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Except you don't even need to, because I've seen the whole show and know eveything that happened and I still disagree with you =P I'm sure I know most of the points you'd bring up anyway, as it's an old discussion that's been had before after all.

I mean, don't get me wrong though, you're absolutely entitled to your opinion and I know you clearly like the show (you know, what with posting in the HiME/Otome threads all the time and, uh, your avatar heh), but... I still totally disagree, and will let that be known any time a potential buyer asks about the show and expresses such reservations =P

DiGiKerot

02-03-2006, 05:22 PM

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
[ QUOTE ]
DiGiKerot said:
Now, you see, I want to argue my point here, but I don't want to start talking spoilers, and its hard to talk about without giving specific examples /images/graemlins/sweat200.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Except you don't even need to, because I've seen the whole show and know eveything that happened and I still disagree with you =P I'm sure I know most of the points you'd bring up anyway, as it's an old discussion that's been had before after all.

I mean, don't get me wrong though, you're absolutely entitled to your opinion and I know you clearly like the show (you know, what with posting in the HiME/Otome threads all the time and, uh, your avatar heh), but... I still totally disagree, and will let that be known any time a potential buyer asks about the show and expresses such reservations =P

[/ QUOTE ]

I know, but I can't help wanting to go over it again if I can be non-spoilerific, in the interest of full disclosure since its a recommendation thread. Actually, I still have most of the old HiME threads in my e-mail archives, and I've been flicking through some of my old posts from the end for something non-spoilerish to post. I quite liked this one -

[ QUOTE ]
I'm increasingly convinced that the entire series is an experiment in how much they can get fanboys really worked up over something which is, fundamentally, really, really stupid.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, there is that and lots of arguing whether the show is a farce (in the true dictionary definition rather than anything particularly negative) or not. Ultimately, the fact that the show is full of cliched concepts (and it is, its just that it has a lot of them from a whole much of different genres), and the show is full of cheese (see "Cake Wars" or "Parade") doesn't really matter - it doesn't detract from the fact that the writing and execution were excellent throughout, and the way they used the cliches the show was built on to confound and excite the audience at every turn was brilliant, its just that they clearly used just about every really popular anime cliche of the moment to work up an interested audience. What they did then was drip feed the viewer just enough information that, combined with what they thought they knew about genre anime, they could form a picture of what they thought was going to happen. Of course, they'd then completely confound the viewer to the point that every post was full of conspiracy theories (just like the ZHiME threads are at the moment).

I mean, just because something is cliched doesn't necessarily make it bad. Hell, just because something is pulpy and fluff (though I'm not saying HiME is fluff - its too cleverly constructed for that, though it is pretty pulpy) doesn't mean it can't be brilliant either.

Really, though, I love the show an ungodly amount, though I also think that ZHiME blows it away. Now excuse me whilst I go play with my stuffed Mikoto /images/graemlins/catgirl0.gif

something

02-03-2006, 06:01 PM

[ QUOTE ]
DiGiKerot said:
I mean, just because something is cliched doesn't necessarily make it bad. Hell, just because something is pulpy and fluff (though I'm not saying HiME is fluff - its too cleverly constructed for that, though it is pretty pulpy) doesn't mean it can't be brilliant either.

[/ QUOTE ]

I wanted to quote you from the paragraph previous to this but couldn't find a good short breaking off point that summed it up, so this will do well.

Anyways, I suppose I disagree *less* now that you've put it that way. I still totally disagree with phrasing like "fundamentally, really, really stupid" because that's just too value-laden to me whether intentionally or not, but when I hear cliche/fluff/cheese I assign negative emotions to them, because that's usually how they're meant. At best, they're commonly meant to imply the show is shallow and is best enjoyed with your brain circuitry in sleep mode which is toooootally false in the case of HiME.

Saying something is cliche just as a general comment without value-laden implications isn't as common because, really, what isn't cliche via that definition? In a very sterile sense, cliche is pretty much necessary nowadays. Shows will always share characteristics with other shows, will always have to include a dash of surface characteristics that will help the product sell, etc and so forth. These reveal little or nothing about the true nature of the show.

So if that's how you meant it, then it becomes a descriptor with very low discrimination value because it describes pretty much anything. I would assume that in the vast majority of cases where a show is described as fluff, cheese, cliche or stupid, the individual who solicited the recommendation would internalize such description as implying that "the show is bad" or "what he is describing is a negative aspect of the show and should count as a mark against it". That's not true with a sterile meaning of cliche, but it is true with the commonly intended meaning. I just don't want people to get that impression unless it's coming from someone who actually does view the show negatively.

But in the end, all that matters is I love HiME, you love HiME, a shitload of us love HiME, and everyone should buy HiME ::nods::

DiGiKerot

02-03-2006, 06:52 PM

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
Saying something is cliche just as a general comment without value-laden implications isn't as common because, really, what isn't cliche via that definition? In a very sterile sense, cliche is pretty much necessary nowadays. Shows will always share characteristics with other shows, will always have to include a dash of surface characteristics that will help the product sell, etc and so forth. These reveal little or nothing about the true nature of the show.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thats very true. The main difference with HiME (and, to a lesser extent, Kannazuki no Miko) is that the staff were quite aware of the number of cliched elements included in the shows premise and actively encouraged it (and is goes beyond surface characteristics comparing, urrr, certain shows which aired the same season and certain plotlines in HiME). The fact that the production staff then proceeded to have craploads of fun with it is one of the things which seperates HiME from all those shows which are cliched but still try to things with a straight(-ish) face anyway (I'm looking at the vast majority of bishojou game adapations here). I mean, Natsuki is a pretty standard anime stereotype - the cool, beautiful and often very blunt character who is, actually, pretty nice - and Natsuki herself practically realises this and tries to play the part, but its essentially turned into a running joke with the whole Natsuki Crisis thing going on. The execution of the character is superb - it smacks of brilliant character writing, and the whole show is pretty much like it - it embraces the cliched and has fun with it, whilst at the same being a pretty damn awesome show with a few unique twist of its own.

Oh, and I loved the way that the original promo video promised service galore with large numbers of fanservice shows and the like, when the actual show what aired had, what, a couple of changing room scenes and some swimsuits at the most, and not a single up-skirt panty shot, and went as far as practically teasing the viewer of the latter point.

I think thats about enough said on the subject of HiME, though. Its worth checking out the first volume at tht very least, anyway.

Iridium

02-03-2006, 06:54 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Sedorna said:
I'm surprised a Bandai recommendations thread isn't up yet, what with the Right Stuf sale. (Either that, or I completely missed it. If that's the case, please feel free to lock this.)

[/ QUOTE ]
Thanks for starting the thread! (Sorry about the delay, I have been extremely busy with work this week.)

02-04-2006, 12:17 AM

I recommend Gundam Seed. It was my first Gundam show, and I thought it was pretty interesting to watch.

I also recommend Please Teacher and Please Twins for those looking for a romantic comedy. Love Hina is also a romantic comedy/harem that I thought was okay. It's overhyped by many before, but it definitely isn't the worst show in its genre. It does have some fun moments.

For the kids, I recommend Junkers Come Here. It's quite an underrated show with some pretty good, heart warming moments.

I'll also recommend Escaflowne and Scrapped Princess for the fantasy fans.

And lastly, for a new show, I highly recommend My-Hime. Its first few episodes were just okay, but the last three-quarters of the show are great. The ending was a little flat, but overall, it's a good show.

scorsesefan

02-04-2006, 01:59 AM

[ QUOTE ]
chloes_fork said:I mean, is there anybody actually opposed to saving the Earth?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes...I want to see it destroyed.

And is Scrapped Princess really that good??

something

02-04-2006, 03:50 AM

[ QUOTE ]
SkullLeaderOne said:
And is Scrapped Princess really that good??

[/ QUOTE ]

YES.

It's my favorite show, period. I predict I will orgasm an average of 37 times an episode when discs 5-6 arrive and I can marathon rewatch it all.

Anyways, ifyou like fantasy with a twist, good animation and awesome characters, get Scrapped Princess ::nods::

Don't feel like going too in depth though, as there have been other threads you might be able to find with search (or maybe not)

Njr Scrawl

02-04-2006, 04:20 AM

[ QUOTE ]
chloes_fork said:
[ QUOTE ]
The Creation said:
by the way, avoid Arjuna. it's piece of junk that i don't think i will ever touch again. the characters are unlikeable and i hate the life action scenes to death (can't believe it's the same guy who created escaflowne.) damn i want my time and money back...

[/ QUOTE ]
Ah, the ever-controversial Arjuna. Personally, I liked it a lot. The animation's beautiful, and the environmental message didn't bother me a bit. I mean, is there anybody actually opposed to saving the Earth?

Interestingly, though, it was the more mundane scenes and settings I liked best, rather than the big mystical-action setpieces. Some of the small moments and emotions were beautifully observed. I'd love to see the director tackle a straight romantic drama.

[/ QUOTE ]

You've summed up my feelings for it too. /images/graemlins/happy.gif

The Japanese voice actress who does Arjuna is especially good, she sounds like someone speaking naturally (though clearly), rather than acting.

scorsesefan

02-04-2006, 06:17 AM

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
[ QUOTE ]
SkullLeaderOne said:
And is Scrapped Princess really that good??

[/ QUOTE ]

YES.

It's my favorite show, period. I predict I will orgasm an average of 37 times an episode when discs 5-6 arrive and I can marathon rewatch it all.

Anyways, ifyou like fantasy with a twist, good animation and awesome characters, get Scrapped Princess ::nods::

Don't feel like going too in depth though, as there have been other threads you might be able to find with search (or maybe not)

[/ QUOTE ]

Well then allow me to do some research, because you've definitely gotten me interested in it now.

Vicserr

02-04-2006, 06:52 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Vicserr said:
of course for the Mecha inclined: it's Mobile Suit Gundam All the Way!!!! /images/graemlins/sdsmiley.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

and lets not forget Overman King Gainer, Mars Daybreak, Z-Mind, Panda Z(soo cute!)

other titles: Scrapped Princess, Onegai Teacher/Twins, Stratos 4, Outlaw Star, Planetes, Cowboy Bebop, Escaflowne, Ronin Warriors/Samurai Troopers

scorsesefan

02-04-2006, 07:21 AM

Mars Daybreak...now there's a show I'm getting more and more interested in...

Is it good enough to start investing in now, or should I wait for the invevitable boxed set someways down the road??

machineger4

02-04-2006, 08:25 AM

I recommend Crest and Banner of the Stars, some very engaging sci-fi shows. It's one of my favorites. I would try to detail some of its high points, but I don't think I could do it justice, the reviews here do a good job of that.

vegeta11

02-04-2006, 08:50 AM

Scrapped Princess, S-Cry-Ed, Mars Daybreak and preorder My-HiME & Escaflowne is a classic if not yet owned.

Shsway

02-04-2006, 08:54 AM

[ QUOTE ]
SuzakuSeikun said:
I'll also recommend Escaflowne and Scrapped Princess for the fantasy fans.

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh man. If I don't tend to like fantasy/sword and sorecery anime at all, will I still like this? I purchased Fushigi Yugi not too long ago, and the character situations, attempts at some serious drama and overreaching plot endeded up pulling me in by the second disc (if that helps).

I would also recommend Banner/Crest of the Stars to anyone who hasn't seen it yet. Simply a wonderful, smart, unique series with very likable characters and excellent acting/casting on the Japanese track. The Crest dub is subpar, but acceptable, though the quality of the acting, such as it is, goes down in the next two seasons, IMO. Nice soundtrack on this one too, though the J-pop numbers, save for the last, are kinda stale-sounding. Great science fiction and drama, with a dash of romantic elements for good measure.

Blue Submarine No. 6 is also a good one. If you can, get the LE double-disc version of it, as it comes with some nice interview extras. This was directed by Maeda Mahiro and worked on by GONZO, so the visuals are tasty. The soundtrack is great, and even the English version is pretty good. With some additional sociopolitical commentary on a post-apocalyptic setting (one of my favorite of thoughtful subjects), and a brief bit of gene manipulation stuff in the plot, the show was enough of a pleasant surprise for me. It's even action-y, and with plenty of interesting mechanical designs.

OK, I should attach a request for advice here. I'm thinking of starting in on the Gundam franchise. How does everyone here recommend that I do that? Please, don't give me the titles of your favorite parts of the franchise, but an opinion of a good place to start, and go forward in an logical manner.

Or should I just avoid the attempt altogether?

02-04-2006, 10:02 AM

[ QUOTE ]
SkullLeaderOne said:
And is Scrapped Princess really that good??

[/ QUOTE ]

IMO, no. I've been renting the series through Netflix and I thought it was a decent, enjoyable show until the Big Plot Twistâ„¢ that I believe was at the end of disc 3. That pretty much robbed me of any enthusiasm I had towards the show and I couldn't even make it all the way through disc 4. Also be aware that the video quality on some of the episodes is very poor, if that type of thing bothers you.

02-04-2006, 10:04 AM

[ QUOTE ]
SkullLeaderOne said:
Mars Daybreak...now there's a show I'm getting more and more interested in...

Is it good enough to start investing in now, or should I wait for the invevitable boxed set someways down the road??

[/ QUOTE ]

Mars Daybreak has been a very fun and entertaining show through the first two discs, so I'll be picking up the rest that are available during this sale.

something

02-04-2006, 12:41 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Shsway said:
[ QUOTE ]
SuzakuSeikun said:
I'll also recommend Escaflowne and Scrapped Princess for the fantasy fans.

[/ QUOTE ]
Oh man. If I don't tend to like fantasy/sword and sorecery anime at all, will I still like this? I purchased Fushigi Yugi not too long ago, and the character situations, attempts at some serious drama and overreaching plot endeded up pulling me in by the second disc (if that helps).

[/ QUOTE ]

Both Escaflowne and Scrapped Princess have all three things that pulled you into FY, and then some. Whether or not that means you'll like them I have no idea, but they're two of my favorite shows.

BluWacky

02-04-2006, 01:35 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Sedorna said:Well, that's another show on my to-order list. So, is it worth getting the special edition with the CD, or is the soundtrack not worth it at all?

[/ QUOTE ]

Kinda hard to say, really. The soundtrack has a few excellent tracks on, but a lot of the music isn't really "listenable"; the action sequences tend to have rather dischordant string tracks which don't work that well out of context, but then there's some lovely themes on cello and piano in particular (the theme for Befort's Children in particular is fantastic). The show's also blessed with an incredible ED from Origa - but it's only the Russian TV size version on the CD, unfortunately.

HOWEVER! If you visit Victor Entertainment's webpage (http://www.jvcmusic.co.jp/m-serve/-/Discography/-/VICL-61525.html) for the album there are some RealAudio samples for a few songs from the OST; if you can listen to them you can form your own opinion. The OP and ED have clips available on their pages too; click "Discography" on the left and you'll get a list of all the CDs for the series. You can make up your own mind from them probably!

mattsh

02-04-2006, 02:49 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Shsway said:
OK, I should attach a request for advice here. I'm thinking of starting in on the Gundam franchise. How does everyone here recommend that I do that? Please, don't give me the titles of your favorite parts of the franchise, but an opinion of a good place to start, and go forward in an logical manner.

Or should I just avoid the attempt altogether?

[/ QUOTE ]

Mobile Suit Gundam movie trilogy
Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam (get the singles, they apparently have fixed, more accurate subtitles)
Char's Counterattack

Period. The main story line of the main universe (Universal Century) of the Gundam franchise, straight through. Excellent starting point; don't concern yourself with the alternate universe series yet.

Technically, ZZ Gundam goes between Zeta and Char's Counterattack, but it does not have a US release date and is basically irrelevant to understanding Char's Counterattack.

perigee

02-04-2006, 03:12 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Sedorna said:
I'm especially interested in Fantastic Children, Mars Daybreak, Spirit of Wonder, and My-Hime.

[/ QUOTE ]
I'm picking up Spirit of Wonder, mainly because of what I've read in the reviews. Chris said The Scientific Boys Club was a great story and ended beautifully as well as bringing to mind the kind of 'science fact' of the 50's that permeated science fiction novels in a nostalgic way. This, coupled with what he said about the previous release The general concepts tossed around, while completely loopy, are quaint in that sort of 30's and 40's science fiction kind of way.

I've always been a fan of classic scifi, as opposed to more recent military lock-and-load-type stories [Ã* la Starship Troopers]. AnimEigo long ago declared the original title OOP, so the new release is probably as close as we'll get to that older genre.

balthier2012

02-04-2006, 03:45 PM

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
[ QUOTE ]
Shsway said:
[ QUOTE ]
SuzakuSeikun said:
I'll also recommend Escaflowne and Scrapped Princess for the fantasy fans.

[/ QUOTE ]
Oh man. If I don't tend to like fantasy/sword and sorecery anime at all, will I still like this? I purchased Fushigi Yugi not too long ago, and the character situations, attempts at some serious drama and overreaching plot endeded up pulling me in by the second disc (if that helps).

[/ QUOTE ]

Both Escaflowne and Scrapped Princess have all three things that pulled you into FY, and then some. Whether or not that means you'll like them I have no idea, but they're two of my favorite shows.

[/ QUOTE ]

I prefer Fushigi Yugi and Scrapped Princess over Escaflowne, maybe by 20 titles (which isn't much for me). Although, all three are worth the price.

Nuriko

02-04-2006, 07:37 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Shsway said:

OK, I should attach a request for advice here. I'm thinking of starting in on the Gundam franchise. How does everyone here recommend that I do that? Please, don't give me the titles of your favorite parts of the franchise, but an opinion of a good place to start, and go forward in an logical manner.

Or should I just avoid the attempt altogether?

[/ QUOTE ]

IMO, Gundam is recommended. Where to start is a different issue. If you are ok with old animation, then start from the original Trilogy to get a taste. That should not be a huge investment and can give you a better idea if you want to pursue the sequel which is Gundam Zeta.

However, if old animation is not acceptable, then go with Gundam Seed which is very good in its own right as well. Although prior knowledge of Gundam is not necessary, there are many subtle hints of the tradational series.

I always recommend watching from the beginning. I wasn't all that hooked with the Trilogy but the sequel Gundam Zeta actually changed my opinion. Now I'm a fan as well and eagerly waiting with the rest for Gundam ZZ and Gundam Seed Destiny!

Shsway

02-04-2006, 07:43 PM

Thank you, mattsh and Nuriko. I have no problem with older animation whatsoever, so I'll most likely do as the two of you have suggested. /images/graemlins/happy.gif

DanielJr

02-04-2006, 07:44 PM

Everybody please PLEASE take a look at Planetes! It's the best damn series nobody's buying!

It's a very character driven show built around a hard-science setting: it's futuristic, but very grounded to reality. The main driving force of Planetes is the drama, but it's got plenty of comedy, suspense, and even a little romance. It's one of those shows that if you're at all into characters, you can't help but like. It really is one of the best series coming out right now, and it's a shame that not many aren't buying it.

And what better opportunity than 40% off the retail price. Eh! /images/graemlins/happy.gif

I'm currently working on a webpage for this series (http://www.kenoki.com/planetes/layout2.html), it's not complete yet, but you can check out the image gallery at the bottom of the page to get a better sense of the series.

something

02-04-2006, 07:48 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Nuriko said:
IMO, Gundam is recommended. Where to start is a different issue. If you are ok with old animation, then start from the original Trilogy to get a taste. That should not be a huge investment and can give you a better idea if you want to pursue the sequel which is Gundam Zeta.

[/ QUOTE ]

Since both of you have said this now, quick question: Why is it considered preferable to skip the original Gundam series and go for the movies instead? I'm pretty much totally unfamiliar with Gundam outside of Wing (never got into the giant robots thing) so I'm merely asking to satisfy pure curiosity. Is it because it's a monolingual release, because it's not good, because the movies tell the same story but even better, or...?

mifuneral2

02-04-2006, 08:11 PM

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
because the movies tell the same story but even better, or...?

[/ QUOTE ]

I think that's it.

mattsh

02-04-2006, 08:28 PM

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
[ QUOTE ]
Nuriko said:
IMO, Gundam is recommended. Where to start is a different issue. If you are ok with old animation, then start from the original Trilogy to get a taste. That should not be a huge investment and can give you a better idea if you want to pursue the sequel which is Gundam Zeta.

[/ QUOTE ]

Since both of you have said this now, quick question: Why is it considered preferable to skip the original Gundam series and go for the movies instead? I'm pretty much totally unfamiliar with Gundam outside of Wing (never got into the giant robots thing) so I'm merely asking to satisfy pure curiosity. Is it because it's a monolingual release, because it's not good, because the movies tell the same story but even better, or...?

[/ QUOTE ]

It's a combination of my complete aversion to dub-only releases and because I prefer the movie version personally that I always recommend the movie trilogy. Re: the dub only release of the tv show, IIRC, the Gundam TV series dvds have no Japanese track because the audio has basically deteriorated beyond use, which is why there is no R2 Gundam TV release, and the movies had their sound and dialogue re-recorded from scratch (that's what is on the R1 and R2 movie releases).

Aside from my personal sub over dub preference (and keep in mind I do not actively dislike dubs), I find the Gundam TV dub mediocre at best. The Japanese voice cast is legendary, and deservingly.

For the TV series vs. Movie matter, the movies are basically the 42 episodes chopped down to fit 3 2.5-hour movies. They did an extremely good job of this, changing very little (and pretty much all of it for the better IMO). Plus, what they left out was mostly pointless weekly episodic battles that had nothing to do with the overarching plot anyway. Some people prefer the TV series because more screen time = more character development, but the side characters aren't the most highly developed anyway (it's a 70's robot anime, remember...), and Amuro and Char, the important ones, still get the majority of the movie screen time.

Not a make-or-break thing, but the sequels (Zeta, Char's Counterattack, etc) use the movie version of events as canon. The movie version makes slight changes to some big events (if that makes sense).

So I always give the recommendation for the subbed movie set. Highly superior Japanese voice cast, tighter presentation, the "official" version of the story, cheaper, it's basically good on all fronts.

Shsway

02-04-2006, 09:04 PM

Sounds good, and preferable to me. As much a I love dubs, I can't stand releases that lack the Japanese track. It's important to me, and I have yet to own such a release.

macross011a

02-04-2006, 11:33 PM

[ QUOTE ]
mattsh said:
Re: the dub only release of the tv show, IIRC, the Gundam TV series dvds have no Japanese track because the audio has basically deteriorated beyond use, which is why there is no R2 Gundam TV release, and the movies had their sound and dialogue re-recorded from scratch (that's what is on the R1 and R2 movie releases).

Aside from my personal sub over dub preference (and keep in mind I do not actively dislike dubs), I find the Gundam TV dub mediocre at best. The Japanese voice cast is legendary, and deservingly.

[/ QUOTE ]

Another reason is that one of the seiyuu, You Inoue, who voiced Sayla Mass, passed away a few years after the movies were re-recorded. So, a plan to re-record the TV series was out.

That doesn't stop the remaining voice cast to reprise their roles in the Zeta Gundam movies released just now.

Nuriko

02-04-2006, 11:37 PM

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
[ QUOTE ]
Nuriko said:
IMO, Gundam is recommended. Where to start is a different issue. If you are ok with old animation, then start from the original Trilogy to get a taste. That should not be a huge investment and can give you a better idea if you want to pursue the sequel which is Gundam Zeta.

[/ QUOTE ]

Since both of you have said this now, quick question: Why is it considered preferable to skip the original Gundam series and go for the movies instead? I'm pretty much totally unfamiliar with Gundam outside of Wing (never got into the giant robots thing) so I'm merely asking to satisfy pure curiosity. Is it because it's a monolingual release, because it's not good, because the movies tell the same story but even better, or...?

[/ QUOTE ]

It's simple in my case, I'm a sub fan /images/graemlins/sdsmiley.gif Now that I think about it, if I couldn't stomach the old animation, it would be a very painful experience watching the series instead of the shorter version, lol. At the same time, I didn't appreciate the Trilogy the first time as much as I should have until AFTER I saw Zeta. I'm not sure if it was because it was condensed or if I would of gotten a better experience watching the series. I will admit that the animation took some time getting used to it which definitely affected my experience the first time around.

A good comparision of a sub only release around the same time would be Votoms. I loved it more and more as I watched and since the series stretched across 52 episodes, the story and characters are more fleshed out. As you can see, I really don't have a good point for recommending one over the other, since I never saw the dub only series. I just think a classic series like this should be watched in its own language considering that the dub quality back in those days are questionable.

Being too short can affect the experience. Having a bad dub can misrepresent the story as well, so I say, pick the one where you feel you would be more comfortable. If you are exactly 50/50 and like both, you are SOL, just get both of them since they are available, heahaehaehae

macross011a

02-04-2006, 11:54 PM

Here's my takes on some of Bandai's titles:

Angel Links and Outlaw Star: Gene Starwind and the OS cast is one side of the coin (bounty hunters), with Meifon Li and the AL cast on another (mercenary/hired gun organization). I like the atmoshpere of AL, which reminds of the old privateers of the Age of Sail, hired by governments and corparations to disrupt the competition via a third party.

If you like bounty hunters out in action, OS is a mix of ragtag teamwork and no-nonsense attitude.

It's been a long time since I seen them, but there was the time when both casts meet IIRC.

Galaxy Angel, Galaxy Angel Z and Galaxy Angel A: This is a comedy series full of standalone situations akin to The Adventures of the Mini-Goddess. Unlike the video game/manga it's based on, there's little continuity (you need to watch GA episode 01-03, GAA episodes 01-02 and GAX episodes 01-02).

Stratos 4: Created by Studio Fantasia (who created Agent Aika and Najica Blitz Tactics), it focusses on young female pilots who wanted to be astronauts.

Aside from the shoujo-esce and fanservice (not overloaded), there's a subplot akin to the X-Files and Lone Gunmen. I can't spoil it but if you're a fan of alien cover-up stories, check it out.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed the accuracy of real-life avaition used in the anime, like Studio Fantasia's other works. The plane I liked was the British TSR-2, a supersonic fighter that never been in service in real life (a lot of the British must watch it to see the TSR-2 in action). Also were the Yak-20 fighter, the Soyuz spacecraft and a few more.

something

02-05-2006, 12:02 AM

[ QUOTE ]
mattsh said:
For the TV series vs. Movie matter, the movies are basically the 42 episodes chopped down to fit 3 2.5-hour movies. They did an extremely good job of this, changing very little (and pretty much all of it for the better IMO).

[/ QUOTE ]

Wow, I didn't think the movies were so long. That's 7.5 hours right there, which is more content than a 13 episode TV series. I can see that being a viable alternative, especially if the regular TV series had a lot of episodes not necessarily focused on the main story.

Njr Scrawl

02-05-2006, 06:00 AM

If you're going UC Gundam, have you got MS08th? Forgetting the "Miller's Report" movie (which is clips linked with new animation), its a neat little adventure in its own right set in the One Year War.

Kikuno Inoue is the seiyuu for one of the main characters. Good to see/hear her in a serious role. <span style='color:#dddddd;background:#dddddd'>This story has a happy-ish ending, for a UC show. </span>

Vicserr

02-05-2006, 07:23 AM

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
[ QUOTE ]
mattsh said:
For the TV series vs. Movie matter, the movies are basically the 42 episodes chopped down to fit 3 2.5-hour movies. They did an extremely good job of this, changing very little (and pretty much all of it for the better IMO).

[/ QUOTE ]

Wow, I didn't think the movies were so long. That's 7.5 hours right there, which is more content than a 13 episode TV series. I can see that being a viable alternative, especially if the regular TV series had a lot of episodes not necessarily focused on the main story.

[/ QUOTE ]

and way more successful than the Gundam Seed movies in that, even with the shortcomings of the movie version(3-90 mins movies are not enough to properly distill a Gundam series as the Seed movies were) and I think the Zeta Gundam movies will suffer from that too /images/graemlins/shy10000.gif

chloes_fork

02-05-2006, 09:18 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Scourge said:
Stratos 4: Created by Studio Fantasia (who created Agent Aika and Najica Blitz Tactics), it focusses on young female pilots who wanted to be astronauts.

[/ QUOTE ]
I picked up the first volume of this on the cheap when Media Play was closing down. I honestly didn't expect much, but I found it surprisingly enjoyable. I'm planning to preorder the complete series set (mysteriously listed at only 225 minutes, but I'm assuming that's a mistake) during the Bandai sale.

touma

02-05-2006, 09:59 AM

[ QUOTE ]
chloes_fork said:
[ QUOTE ]
Scourge said:
Stratos 4: Created by Studio Fantasia (who created Agent Aika and Najica Blitz Tactics), it focusses on young female pilots who wanted to be astronauts.

[/ QUOTE ]
I picked up the first volume of this on the cheap when Media Play was closing down. I honestly didn't expect much, but I found it surprisingly enjoyable. I'm planning to preorder the complete series set (mysteriously listed at only 225 minutes, but I'm assuming that's a mistake) during the Bandai sale.

[/ QUOTE ]
That has to be a typo, since the total time for the series is 325 minutes. Assuming that they did not include the OVA, which is 65 minutes, in this collection.

macross011a

02-05-2006, 10:18 AM

[ QUOTE ]
chloes_fork said: I picked up the first volume of this on the cheap when Media Play was closing down. I honestly didn't expect much, but I found it surprisingly enjoyable. I'm planning to preorder the complete series set (mysteriously listed at only 225 minutes, but I'm assuming that's a mistake) during the Bandai sale.

[/ QUOTE ]

What sealed my enjoyment for Stratos 4 was the amount of accuracy put into the anime. The extras included has technical commentary from an aviation expert about the aircraft and a travelogue showing the actual locations set in Shimoji Island in the Okinawa Prefecture. The first volume shows about the technical details of the TSR-2 (the strike fighter used in the series) and part 1 of 4 of the travelogue, starring the voice cast and production team.

Wikipedia's entry of the TSR-2, which never went into service in real life (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TSR-2)

The funny thing about the commentary of the TSR-2 is <span style='color:#dddddd;background:#dddddd'>the use of "high horse" type seat instead of a standard one, in order to allow more resistance to G-forces while leaning. Yet, the commentor said it's an excuse for fanservice, by allowing the viewers to view the bikini outlines of the flight suits.</span>

railohio

02-05-2006, 11:18 AM

I've seen a few mentioned previously in the thread, but I thought it best to ask this as a directed question. What Bandai collections are recommended? I'm already itching for Escaflowne and taking a good look at Galaxy Angel A and Stratos 4 as well. Anything else? There isn't really a genre of anime that I'm adverse to; I'm open to any suggestion!

chloes_fork

02-05-2006, 11:27 AM

Well, as I posted uptopic (here (http://forums.animeondvd.com/showthreaded.php?Cat=&Number=1268230&page=0&view=c ollapsed&sb=5&o=&vc=1)), I really liked Arjuna. It seems to be a polarizing show, though, for whatever reason. Some other recommendations would include Wolf's Rain, Witch Hunter Robin, and the Crest/Banner of the Stars series.

Shsway

02-05-2006, 12:46 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Wrath of the Njr said:
If you're going UC Gundam, have you got MS08th? Forgetting the "Miller's Report" movie (which is clips linked with new animation), its a neat little adventure in its own right set in the One Year War.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'll make a note of it, but really, I'm starting from scratch and with no previous experience with the franchise. So I've got zip, zero, nada of it in my shelves, at present.

Bullfrog

02-08-2006, 10:18 PM

First and foremost I recommend Gundam in all its shapes and forms.

Cowboy Bebop - A++
Esacaflowne - A+
Big O - B+
Crest / Banner of the Stars A
Outlaw Star & Angel Links B+
.Hack B+
Arjuna - I enjoyed it, your mileage may vary.
Blue Submarine No. 6 A-
Infinite Ryvius A-
Jubei Chan - B+
Jin Roh - A
Melty Lancer - B
Please Teacher - A
Please Twins - B
Saber Marrionette J - B+
Witch Hunter Robin - A-
Yukikaze - A+

Have decided to pick up

Stratos 4

Purchased, but not yet viewed

Tsukikage Ran

Bullfrog

02-08-2006, 10:22 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Shsway said:
[ QUOTE ]
Wrath of the Njr said:
If you're going UC Gundam, have you got MS08th? Forgetting the "Miller's Report" movie (which is clips linked with new animation), its a neat little adventure in its own right set in the One Year War.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'll make a note of it, but really, I'm starting from scratch and with no previous experience with the franchise. So I've got zip, zero, nada of it in my shelves, at present.

[/ QUOTE ]

Always good to start at the beginning - I liked both the TV series and the movies. If you just want to sample, then the movies are probably the best starting point, given that the variations to the story line made here are taken as "canon" for the rest of the shows.