Ah! My Goddess

[A-miller]

Are they still putting out seasons of that show in Japan and what do most people think about it? I just started watching it and think its pretty damn addicting. Are the original dvd's of OH! My Goddess still available?

[jendt]

Well not seasons at the moment but there was an Ah! My Goddess two part special last month called Ah! My Goddess: Fighting Wings.

Yes, Oh! My Goddess the OVA is still available on DVD in two forms; the original two DVD release and the new collector's edition release.

I personally really enjoyed the OVAs but I haven't watched the TV series yet. I own the first season box set but it's in my giant backlog at the moment.

[Soufriere]

I need to add that AnimEigo's 10th anniversary release of the original OAV series has considerably cleaned up video from what they released in 2001.

You probably won't find it in video stores since it's been out for a while, but you can easily buy it at TRSI or pretty much anywhere online.

What do people think about it? Well it's been consistently popular for over a decade here in the States and for nearly twenty years in Japan. It's not Evangelion or Naruto. It's not supposed to be. I happen to love the series, but of course there are some who don't. I think all of it (except Mini-Goddess) is a great series and deserves to be bought.

But if you decide to pick up the comic, you'll be committing to a very long haul.

[A-miller]

Thanks, I think I'm going to have to order the original OVA. Its pretty funny stuff.

[Zero Kyori]

Ah! My Goddess is easily on my top 5 list. The tv series is very faithful to the manga, which is a huge plus (Peorth FTW!). The AMG movie is one of the most beautiful well animated film I've seen. The OVA has a amazing story that's worth owning.

[SinnerChrono]

I own the first season box set but it's in my giant backlog at the moment.

Hop to it! :D

But yeah, I'm looking forward to the new OVA's hopefully coming stateside soon after the completion of the second season. ^_^

[Mazinkaizer]

I recall reading an interview with Kousuke Fujishima (the original creator) before the release of the 1st season that he wanted to make as much as possible from the manga into anime.

My guess is with the success of the 1st 2 seasons, there is a very good chance that we might get another season(s) within this year. Of course, if 1 of the R1 companies that released the shows (ADV or MB) co-produced it then it could be released sooner ! :smile:

I can't wait to get my hands on S2's vol 5&6 so that i can finally watch the two seasons back to back :noodle:

[The Great Bear]

I like this show a lot. The TV series may not be fast paced, but every now and then, it's nice to be able to relax with some light comedy and not have to think or work at being entertained.

[Njr Scrawl]

I'm going to watch all 12 volumes, & the movie again afterwards.

There are 3 YUA series, even if the 3rd is half-size, so I'm hopeful. YUA series 2 needs licensing, even if its in 2 sets.

[jendt]

I own the first season box set but it's in my giant backlog at the moment.

Hop to it! :D
So very much anime to watch and so little time. I think I've got like 300 DVDs in my backlog. :(

But yeah, I'm looking forward to the new OVA's hopefully coming stateside soon after the completion of the second season. ^_^
I hope someone will pick it up as well. Considering AMG's long history here it's pretty likely we'll see it get a release here some day.

[AstroNerdBoy]

I recall reading an interview with Kousuke Fujishima (the original creator) before the release of the 1st season that he wanted to make as much as possible from the manga into anime.

My guess is with the success of the 1st 2 seasons, there is a very good chance that we might get another season(s) within this year. Of course, if 1 of the R1 companies that released the shows (ADV or MB) co-produced it then it could be released sooner ! :smile:

I very much doubt that, only because the Japanese are very tetchy about things and aren't going to be dictated to by some gaijin company. Yes, there have been some American co-sponsored anime titles, but those were arranged ahead of time and not later. ADV long tried to get another Bubblegum Crisis made and failed. FUNimation has long tried to get another Fruits Basket made and failed (http://astronerdboy.blogspot.com/2007/01/why-no-fruits-basket-2.html) .

There's also fan dissatisfaction in Japan over the two AMG series from the anecdotal stuff I've seen. There was tolerance for the first TV series and the changes made, but a lot of people began to complain about "Baka Bell" and the changes made to the story. You get the sense at the end of the 2nd series that the attitude of the writers was, "OK, lets just get this over with, shall we?"

Still, the 2 OVA episodes included with the 2nd series DVD releases appeared to be well received as they closely followed manga stories. They didn't bother with making them a continuation of the TV series as the first episode covers chapter 48 of the manga and the 2nd leaps forward to the story from chapter 193, with Peorth's being on Earth not even explained.

I haven't seen both episodes of the recent TV special, but I know that episode 1 followed the manga story pretty tightly (didn't like the re-designed Angel Eater though) and assuming episode 2 did as well, we might start seeing TV specials done that follow the manga stories closely rather than do another TV series where the writers go off the deep end and irritate fans.

[Njr Scrawl]

Short story OVAs or movies seems to be as much the trend as half-length series. For AMG maybe its better that way as most characters are familiar now.

How/why is Bell seeming more "baka"? How is she different/better in the manga? Is the Japanese i.e untranslated Bell, made sharper than Dark Horse have made/translated-adapted her as?

[AstroNerdBoy]

Discounting Fujishima-sensei's tendency to do "whatever" with his characters or stories regardless of continuity, Belldandy is done as a somewhat naive character but not a dumb one. For example, Belldandy wouldn't just blindly use her powers in public even after being told not to. In a dire emergency, yes. In the manga, she always uses her magic subtlety when in public. In the anime, she just blatantly uses it left and right for almost any reason and with no regard for the consequences.

In the anime, Belldandy is so stupid, a fake phone call from Mara has Belldandy talking to no one for ages with stupid lines like, "Maybe you are tired and that's why you aren't talking" while Mara is out doing whatever she wants to Keiichi. In the manga, the one thing that Belldandy is very observant over is Keiichi and isn't going to be so stupid as to talk to an empty phone line for 5-minutes (or however long it was).

Still, I've just seen the 2nd episode of the new TV special and outside of the changed design of the Angel Eater, the adaptation rocks.

[Njr Scrawl]

Hmm...important differences IMO. Perhaps the TV is going for more obvious/sitcom scenarios aimed at a more general or younger audience (though shown subtlety can be equally or even more effective).

But its probably more lack of imagination, & too much focus on effect, on the writers' part.

[Dicrel Seijin]

Discounting Fujishima-sensei's tendency to do "whatever" with his characters or stories regardless of continuity, Belldandy is done as a somewhat naive character but not a dumb one. For example, Belldandy wouldn't just blindly use her powers in public even after being told not to. In a dire emergency, yes. In the manga, she always uses her magic subtlety when in public. In the anime, she just blatantly uses it left and right for almost any reason and with no regard for the consequences.

Don't forget the weather phenomena when she got angry. The way she's depicted I believed that she seemed oblivious to the fact that she was calling down lightning and deluges.

In the anime, Belldandy is so stupid, a fake phone call from Mara has Belldandy talking to no one for ages with stupid lines like, "Maybe you are tired and that's why you aren't talking" while Mara is out doing whatever she wants to Keiichi.

This did throw me off. The anime seemed to be going for the obvious and blatant rather than subtle and subdued.

Overall though, I was satisfied with the first season. I'm optimistic about the second season (I already have the first three discs).

[AstroNerdBoy]

I'm not sure if ADV licensed the OVA episodes for the 2nd series or not, but those were done well, as was the recent 2-episode TV special. Of course, these all have been blessed with having followed the manga story rather than try to make up their own story.