FMA is over...now what?

[[D]]

I might be ignorant, but does it seem like there aren't any new shows that capture the hype that FMA did? (OK maybe Bleach)

With FMA over it seems like there is this giant void and that we aren't going to get a great series like FMA for a while. I haven't heard of many new shows that will be as good as FMA, so I was wondering if any of you could enlighten me.

I might have to start watching older shows. I have to finish Paranoid Agent and Planetes. Plus I have to buy Twelve Kingdoms and Choro Crusade. So I still have some good series to watch, but after that...what?

[lostnomad84]

No I completely understand where you are coming from. FMA was very well done and I doubt I will see anything as great as that series for many years, however, if you want something newer to look into that is good, I can reconmend Mushishi and The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya as two places to start. For something older, I've been taking a look at Fighting Spirit and X as of late. Out of those two, Fighting Spirit is simply something I think you might enjoy if you liked FMA and I'm impaciently waiting for Rightstuf to ship my Fighting Spirit DVDs to watch more.

[J-Syxx]

FMA never captured my imagination at all. So over-rated. I'm sure something will take it's place very easily. FMA wouldn't have been as big as it was in the first place if it wasn't schedulued near Inuyasha, another over-rated fangirl magnet.

[golthin]

[ QUOTE ]
Dinco said:
FMA never captured my imagination at all. So over-rated. I'm sure something will take it's place very easily. FMA wouldn't have been as big as it was in the first place if it wasn't schedulued near Inuyasha, another over-rated fangirl magnet.

[/ QUOTE ]
I never thought much of FMA, it was an Ok series. It was so hyped because of its huge success in japan and people usually go, "wow if is big in Japan , I have to like it" /images/graemlins/happy.gif

[Fencedude]

Seeing as how I never thought FMA was all that great, I really don't see where you are coming from.

[Dagger]

You want hype? Watch Death Note.

[golthin]

[ QUOTE ]
Dagger said:
You want hype? Watch Death Note.

[/ QUOTE ]
Yeah, that show is too hyped, considering you won't see much action in the show. The show is an animation dream because you don't have to animate much, it has TONS of dialogue.

[Kevinroc]

[ QUOTE ]
Dagger said:
You want hype? Watch Death Note.

[/ QUOTE ]

No thanks. I've fallen out of that whole "Shonen Jump" thing.

[Isuzu Inugami]

[ QUOTE ]
[D] said:
So I still have some good series to watch, but after that...what?

[/ QUOTE ]

Nothing. There will be a tremendous emptiness in your life, and no matter how many people you kill, you will be unable to fill it.

But wait... isn't there a movie coming?



p.s. Seriously man, don't worry about it. Sooner or later you'll stumble on something that'll grab you in its jaws and won't let go. Something always comes along eventually.

[monkeylady]

I see where you are coming from. There was something about it that stuck out and its easily one of the more popular Anime series out there. Still, I'm sure it won't be long until something comes along that you love just as much. I know I always get so sad when one of my series ends, and then like a year later I'm already completely obsessed with something new.

[Fort Max]

D Gray Man seems to be it's next closest relative, watched one last night and if you just relpace Alchemists with Exorcists then that about sums it up.

[ucdawg12]

[ QUOTE ]
[D] said:
I might be ignorant, but does it seem like there aren't any new shows that capture the hype that FMA did? (OK maybe Bleach)

With FMA over it seems like there is this giant void and that we aren't going to get a great series like FMA for a while. I haven't heard of many new shows that will be as good as FMA, so I was wondering if any of you could enlighten me.

I might have to start watching older shows. I have to finish Paranoid Agent and Planetes. Plus I have to buy Twelve Kingdoms and Choro Crusade. So I still have some good series to watch, but after that...what?

[/ QUOTE ]

I didn't the FMA anime that much, but there is the manga (which I love XD) if you want more FMA, it is still on going. I think there was a lot of hype around Eureka 7 which was by the same studio as FMA, but I have never seen it.

[lostnomad84]

[ QUOTE ]
ucdawg12 said:
[ QUOTE ]
[D] said:
I might be ignorant, but does it seem like there aren't any new shows that capture the hype that FMA did? (OK maybe Bleach)

With FMA over it seems like there is this giant void and that we aren't going to get a great series like FMA for a while. I haven't heard of many new shows that will be as good as FMA, so I was wondering if any of you could enlighten me.

I might have to start watching older shows. I have to finish Paranoid Agent and Planetes. Plus I have to buy Twelve Kingdoms and Choro Crusade. So I still have some good series to watch, but after that...what?

[/ QUOTE ]

I didn't the FMA anime that much, but there is the manga (which I love XD) if you want more FMA, it is still on going. I think there was a lot of hype around Eureka 7 which was by the same studio as FMA, but I have never seen it.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've been watching Eureka 7 on Cartoon Network. While I've enjoyed it, so far the series does not come close to the level of quality of FMA. Infact, FMA is the only Bones series I enjoyed on an A quality level. Everything else seemed above average in my book.

[[D]]

As far as what I'm watching right now, Fighting Spirit is it. I did post on the Top 10 thread, and I put it as my #2 series. It is fantastic; FMA only comes to #7 or 8. Can't remember. I really can't be that much into anime right now because school and work are just eating up my time. So sometimes I let reviews or hearsay lead me to something that I can enjoy.

As far as I was concerned, FMA was a great series. It wasn't without its faults (the alchemy usage doesn't always seem so grandious), but where it succeeded was in character interactions.

I still think Fighting Spirit and even Gungrave are better shows than FMA, but FMA was one that I wont forget for a while.

[ QUOTE ]
Kevinroc said:
[ QUOTE ]
Dagger said:
You want hype? Watch Death Note.

[/ QUOTE ]

No thanks. I've fallen out of that whole "Shonen Jump" thing.

[/ QUOTE ]

Death Note really isn't the same old "Shonen Jump thing", though.

[itsuka]

Well, I thought FMA was exceptionally good too. It's been a while since a new series entered my top 10, but this year I suddenly had two, replacing older favourites like Rurouni Kenshin and Wolf's Rain. Apart from FMA, Gankutsuou also made my top 10. You might want to check that one out if you haven't already. It's very strong on characterization and plot and has a gorgeous animation style.

Anyway, I'm confident something new will come along again and sweep me away, though it sometimes takes a few years.

[El Santos]

[ QUOTE ]
Dinco said:
FMA never captured my imagination at all. So over-rated. I'm sure something will take it's place very easily. FMA wouldn't have been as big as it was in the first place if it wasn't schedulued near Inuyasha, another over-rated fangirl magnet.

[/ QUOTE ]I think ur wrong on the fangirl because last time I check I had a penis. I really careless what the Japenesse hype, but this maybe the only show I agree with them.

[Tomcat]

[ QUOTE ]
ucdawg12 said:
I didn't the FMA anime that much, but there is the manga (which I love XD) if you want more FMA, it is still on going. I think there was a lot of hype around Eureka 7 which was by the same studio as FMA, but I have never seen it.

[/ QUOTE ]
I finished FMA anime over a year ago, and didn't really have a void, other than wanting the movie to hurry up and get over here. As far as the FMA manga goes... It's good, and all, but I have a feeling that they are going to needlessly kill off all the characters I care about, other than Ed and Al, so it's starting to bother me. The next volume may be my last.

Eureka 7 is ok, but from what I have seen so far, it's not in my top 50 anime.

If you want a replacement for watching FMA... There are some really good older series that I would highly recommend, but it depends on what you are looking for. FMA wasn't just Shonen, but had a lot of other stuff in there.

-TC

[DanielJr]

Start buying Eureka Seven!

[battle001]

FMA was just another just like anyother, well it's in the toptier anyway. after it's all over it's onlt 14 DVDs of my >= 1116 dvd collection

[loap]

I have been watching FMA on TV like a good anime fan should but I haven't noticed anything particularly appealing from that series so far. Should I watch it again to find out what I missed?

[Perfect_Cell]

[ QUOTE ]
lostnomad84 said:
[ QUOTE ]
ucdawg12 said:
[ QUOTE ]
[D] said:
I might be ignorant, but does it seem like there aren't any new shows that capture the hype that FMA did? (OK maybe Bleach)

With FMA over it seems like there is this giant void and that we aren't going to get a great series like FMA for a while. I haven't heard of many new shows that will be as good as FMA, so I was wondering if any of you could enlighten me.

I might have to start watching older shows. I have to finish Paranoid Agent and Planetes. Plus I have to buy Twelve Kingdoms and Choro Crusade. So I still have some good series to watch, but after that...what?

[/ QUOTE ]

I didn't the FMA anime that much, but there is the manga (which I love XD) if you want more FMA, it is still on going. I think there was a lot of hype around Eureka 7 which was by the same studio as FMA, but I have never seen it.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've been watching Eureka 7 on Cartoon Network. While I've enjoyed it, so far the series does not come close to the level of quality of FMA. Infact, FMA is the only Bones series I enjoyed on an A quality level. Everything else seemed above average in my book.

[/ QUOTE ]

I can agree that E7 may never capture what other big titles have like FMA did. I love it for all its worth, one of my personal favorites thus far. A shame, though I kinda would find it weird if people would be walking around in E7 shirts also creating bizzare amounts of merchandise plus having tons of people spoil it online. Ughh.....

[cheezisgoooood]

[ QUOTE ]
golthin said:
[ QUOTE ]
Dinco said:
FMA never captured my imagination at all. So over-rated. I'm sure something will take it's place very easily. FMA wouldn't have been as big as it was in the first place if it wasn't schedulued near Inuyasha, another over-rated fangirl magnet.

[/ QUOTE ]
I never thought much of FMA, it was an Ok series. It was so hyped because of its huge success in japan and people usually go, "wow if is big in Japan , I have to like it" /images/graemlins/happy.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

That's not what I think at all. I watch shows with no pretext whatsoever on how big they were in Japan, and I don't care either. If I like an anime then I like it, I don't know the sales numbers, ratings, or success in Japan, all I know is that I like it, whatever it maybe, be it Trigun, Neon Genesis Evangelion, FullMetal Alchemist, Cowboy Bebop, Ghost in the Shell and Hayao Miyazaki films, all those shows you snooty guys seem to hate so damn much because they're apparently "too mainstream and overrated" and I'm sick of people sticking a label on the majority of casual anime viewers for liking this stuff.

Anime fandom is the most irritating thing to be a part of sometimes, and it almost takes away the joy of watching anime in the first place. Keyword being almost.

As for finding something new to follow up FMA, if you're done with FMA, you're done with it, don't start looking for a series to "replace" it. You have to just go and find something new that you may have never tried watching before, try a new genre or something. Seeing as how you didn't leave a list or anything of stuff you like or stuff that you've seen I can't really recommend anything specific though.

[Kikaroo]

[ QUOTE ]
Zei said:
... A shame, though I kinda would find it weird if people would be walking around in E7 shirts also creating bizzare amounts of merchandise plus having tons of people spoil it online. Ughh.....

[/ QUOTE ]

Which is kinda funny, since every other volume seems to come with a shirt if you get the SE ^_~ ( For what it's worth, I also am loving Eureka Seven and yes I do wear the shirts ^_^; )

[geraldr]

God man, give it like, three seconds and another show will come along to take over FMA. Geez, it's already happened. FMA was a very good show at making you think it was a better show than it was. It created and surronded you with a fandom and was designed as the "big, popular" show, even though there were far better things on at the time.

Every moment in anime fandom there's always another new "in" show and trust me, in two years, FMA will be but a distant memory only remembered by the hardest of hardcore FMA fans.

[Dave_Evans]

As others have said another series will come along and while it won't replace FMA it will find a place in your favorites.

Feel free to take a month or two off from buying any anime and explore other hobbies. This way you won't be trying to find a replacement to FMA as this would only cause burn-out and be unfair to the new series.

[Phil]

[ QUOTE ]
golthin said:

I never thought much of FMA, it was an Ok series. It was so hyped because of its huge success in japan and people usually go, "wow if is big in Japan , I have to like it" /images/graemlins/happy.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Of course the oppisote is sometimes true. Wasn't Cowboy Beebop a bomb in Japan?

Agree with you on FMA btw.

You want overhyped though, look no further than Naruto.

[nakimushi]

[ QUOTE ]
Severance Darkseed said:
Geez, it's already happened. FMA was a very good show at making you think it was a better show than it was. It created and surronded you with a fandom and was designed as the "big, popular" show, even though there were far better things on at the time.



[/ QUOTE ]

I really think FMA is excellent - great characters, good action, interesting and not predictable plot, excellent seiyuu work, very good music, good animation, and emotionally powerful without being bathetic or whiny. It's one of my top 10 series (granted everyone's tastes are different).

However, you said, "there were far better things on at the time" (I'm figuring you mean when it aired in Japan - but I could be wrong).

I'm not being sarcastic here, I'm genuinely interested in knowing which shows you thought were that much better, because I would like to check them out.

[J-Syxx]

[ QUOTE ]
DanielJr said:
Start buying Eureka Seven!

[/ QUOTE ]
This is another one. Did anyone even talk about this before it was on CN? Just seems like another rehashed mecha series to me. Just insert the most cliched arche-type of all time, young boy mecha pilot going through puberty and add in the pathetic moe love interest. Add ontop of that a pseudo-trendy, glossy coating to convince people its different some how.

[Sweeped]

[ QUOTE ]
Dinco said:
[ QUOTE ]
DanielJr said:
Start buying Eureka Seven!

[/ QUOTE ]
This is another one. Did anyone even talk about this before it was on CN? Just seems like another rehashed mecha series to me. Just insert the most cliched arche-type of all time, young boy mecha pilot going through puberty and add in the pathetic moe love interest. Add ontop of that a pseudo-trendy, glossy coating to convince people its different some how.

[/ QUOTE ]
Pathetic moe? hahaha...pretty funny, ahem. Anyways, it's not really supposed to be a re-invention of the mecha genre, but more a renewal, since it does what it sets out to pretty much better than any other series of it's ilk since the late 90s. If you want a mecha series with fantastic direction, a strong plot with multidimensional characters terrific animation, huge emotional involvement and capped off with a magnificent ending then...yeah this is it. It didnt sweep the TAF awards this year for no reason.

[Tomcat]

[ QUOTE ]
Sweep said:
It didnt sweep the TAF awards this year for no reason.

[/ QUOTE ]
The reason it swept the TAF awards (whatever those might be) are of no concern to me. I tend to disagree with all of the "professional"-type people on their opinions anyways. I'll either like a show, or I won't. Most of the time I'll find something to like about a show.

I personally don't like "shock value", or "cool mecha", or when shows kill everyone off for no good reason. Or even a good reason, for that matter. I do like great visuals, a good plot, deep character development, and excellent voice acting and direction.

If a show won awards, or has a huge fan base, then good for it. Maybe I'll be able to buy a anime figure or two from the series, but honestly, I don't care what other people think about a series.

There is so many excellent anime series out there... much more than anyone can actually watch.

-TC

[J-Syxx]

[ QUOTE ]
Sweep said:
[ QUOTE ]
Dinco said:
[ QUOTE ]
DanielJr said:
Start buying Eureka Seven!

[/ QUOTE ]
This is another one. Did anyone even talk about this before it was on CN? Just seems like another rehashed mecha series to me. Just insert the most cliched arche-type of all time, young boy mecha pilot going through puberty and add in the pathetic moe love interest. Add ontop of that a pseudo-trendy, glossy coating to convince people its different some how.

[/ QUOTE ]
Pathetic moe? hahaha...pretty funny, ahem. Anyways, it's not really supposed to be a re-invention of the mecha genre, but more a renewal, since it does what it sets out to pretty much better than any other series of it's ilk since the late 90s. If you want a mecha series with fantastic direction, a strong plot with multidimensional characters terrific animation, huge emotional involvement and capped off with a magnificent ending then...yeah this is it. It didnt sweep the TAF awards this year for no reason.

[/ QUOTE ]

Why would you make something if its not a reinvention? If all it amounts to is a renewal, I'll just go watch Tomino's old mecha shows instead, not the derivative offspring. That guy should be a billionaire by now if he got real compensation from all the people leeching off of his stories. Why don't they try something different, like say have a female be the main pilot of a mecha space opera? But who am I kidding, that would be too much of a blow to the Japanese male ego.

[cheezisgoooood]

[ QUOTE ]
Dinco said:
[ QUOTE ]
Sweep said:
[ QUOTE ]
Dinco said:
[ QUOTE ]
DanielJr said:
Start buying Eureka Seven!

[/ QUOTE ]
This is another one. Did anyone even talk about this before it was on CN? Just seems like another rehashed mecha series to me. Just insert the most cliched arche-type of all time, young boy mecha pilot going through puberty and add in the pathetic moe love interest. Add ontop of that a pseudo-trendy, glossy coating to convince people its different some how.

[/ QUOTE ]
Pathetic moe? hahaha...pretty funny, ahem. Anyways, it's not really supposed to be a re-invention of the mecha genre, but more a renewal, since it does what it sets out to pretty much better than any other series of it's ilk since the late 90s. If you want a mecha series with fantastic direction, a strong plot with multidimensional characters terrific animation, huge emotional involvement and capped off with a magnificent ending then...yeah this is it. It didnt sweep the TAF awards this year for no reason.

[/ QUOTE ]

Why would you make something if its not a reinvention? If all it amounts to is a renewal, I'll just go watch Tomino's old mecha shows instead, not the derivative offspring. That guy should be a billionaire by now if he got real compensation from all the people leeching off of his stories. Why don't they try something different, like say have a female be the main pilot of a mecha space opera? But who am I kidding, that would be too much of a blow to the Japanese male ego.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't like Eureka 7 that much but that seems like a pretty poor reason to pass up an anime. Every new anime that comes out is at least somewhat derivative of one before it, so if you only like new ideas, have fun watching an average of maybe one new anime every two years. Some shows I find to be a whole lot more about characters and execution than actual original ideas.

[J-Syxx]

[ QUOTE ]

I don't like Eureka 7 that much but that seems like a pretty poor reason to pass up an anime. Every new anime that comes out is at least somewhat derivative of one before it, so if you only like new ideas, have fun watching an average of maybe one new anime every two years. Some shows I find to be a whole lot more about characters and execution than actual original ideas.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm fine with having influences, and even being parody, but after a certain point you are just beating a dead horse. The blue-print that the main character of Eureka 7 is molded from is one of those things that just needs to stop in mecha anime. Harem anime is another example of something that also needs to stop. I've just had enough. If the creators of those shows can't come up with something more original than following the biggest cliches in their respective genres, I'll just watch something else. I'm not one of those people who have to buy every new show that comes out and have a back-log of 300 DVDs, I can pass up on most stuff extremely easily.

And afer watching a few episodes of this show, I'm pretty positive I'm not missing anything anyways.

[Lumberjack]

I'm about 25 or so episodes into Eureka 7 and I still haven't figured out if I really like the series or not. I like the visuals and the plot, but I couldn't care less about most of the characters. I mean, the Gekko could get destroyed in the next episode I watch and I wouldn't care less.

[Fort Max]

As time goes on and more people become familiar with it Eureka Seven is going to prove to be a show that well and truly divides anime fans.

Those who have seen it (and I mean all of it) will gladly rave about it for hours if you let them (me), the other group are the people who tried it and for one reason or another hated it

Neither group will ever understand the others love/hate with both camps pitying the other. /images/graemlins/cry00000.gif

[chotto]

[ QUOTE ]
Lumberjack said:
I'm about 25 or so episodes into Eureka 7 and I still haven't figured out if I really like the series or not. I like the visuals and the plot, but I couldn't care less about most of the characters. I mean, the Gekko could get destroyed in the next episode I watch and I wouldn't care less.

[/ QUOTE ]

I feel the same way, but it's at least good enough for $13.50 a disc. I've watched the 1st 3 volumes and just got the 4th in. I liked the 2nd discs episodes a little better than the third. I'm still enjoying it and not really considering dropping it as of yet.

[Tomcat]

[ QUOTE ]
chotto said:
I feel the same way, but it's at least good enough for $13.50 a disc. I've watched the 1st 3 volumes and just got the 4th in. I liked the 2nd discs episodes a little better than the third. I'm still enjoying it and not really considering dropping it as of yet.

[/ QUOTE ]
How many episodes on a disc at that price?

It is an interesting enough show. I'll probably wait to pick it up in a discount release pack, but it's not one of my favorites. I mean... I sort of expect Renton to tell himself that he shouldn't run away, for Eureka to be clasping a pair of Holland's glasses, who wears while gloves... Except that the characters would all pale compared to their counterparts.

Actually, I started buying the manga before I saw the anime on CN, which I am recording.

-TC

[kamillebidan]

I have only read through volume 10, but I can say with all certainty that Bleach is much better than Fullmetal Alchemist.

[chotto]

Vol 1 - 5 eps
Vol 2 - 5 eps
Vol 3 - 4 eps
Vol 4 - 4 eps

[Tomcat]

[ QUOTE ]
Kamille Bidan said:
I have only read through volume 10, but I can say with all certainty that Bleach is much better than Fullmetal Alchemist.

[/ QUOTE ]
I'm definitely interested in Bleach, but doesn't it kind of strike you as a rehash of Yu Yu Hakusho? At least it seems somewhat inspired by it. The difference is that Yusuke is a spirit detective, where Ichigo is basically a shinigami.

-TC

[meryl]

[ QUOTE ]
Tomcat said:
[ QUOTE ]
Kamille Bidan said:
I have only read through volume 10, but I can say with all certainty that Bleach is much better than Fullmetal Alchemist.

[/ QUOTE ]
I'm definitely interested in Bleach, but doesn't it kind of strike you as a rehash of Yu Yu Hakusho? At least it seems somewhat inspired by it. The difference is that Yusuke is a spirit detective, where Ichigo is basically a shinigami.

-TC

[/ QUOTE ]

I like both Bleach and YYH, but they have a different feel to them. Yusuke is cocky. Even when the fights are over serious purposes, he's always more interested in the fun of a good throwdown. In contrast, Ichigo takes his fights more seriously. Once he becomes a soul reaper, his focus is the mission, and the fights are the way to carry out the mission. YYH is more about the thrill of the battle than the goal, while Bleach is more about what is accomplished as a result of the battle.

(Much as I enjoy Bleach, I don't think it's better than FMA, though once it gets in to the Soul Society, I think it starts to get interesting in similar ways. But FMA has more interesting ideas to explore.)

[Lumberjack]

[ QUOTE ]
Tomcat said:
[ QUOTE ]
Kamille Bidan said:
I have only read through volume 10, but I can say with all certainty that Bleach is much better than Fullmetal Alchemist.

[/ QUOTE ]
I'm definitely interested in Bleach, but doesn't it kind of strike you as a rehash of Yu Yu Hakusho? At least it seems somewhat inspired by it. The difference is that Yusuke is a spirit detective, where Ichigo is basically a shinigami.

-TC

[/ QUOTE ]

I went into watching Bleach with the preconceived notion that I wouldn't like it. I guess that's because I'm always skeptical of shows that have a lot of hype behind them...that and I saw the Kon character which I thought looked rather lame. But, I've been pleasantly surprised by the show thus far. I'm intrigued by where the story is going to progress to now that we seem to be over most of the character introduction episodes. I even liked how they introduced Kon.

I'm probably going to pass on the Bleach dvds for now, but I'm thinking about picking up the manga series.