Larian Studios Forums General Chat anime

Hey,

I was wondering if some of you could give me some tips on anime. I saw some avatars with some familiar faces out of some cool anime's and I keep looking for some new seires or films that rock.

The ones I already have or know (no particular ordening)
Cowboy bebop, escaflowne, Trigun, outlaw star, evangelion, of course dragonbal, chevalier de zodiak(have ni clue to the english name), Read or die, I know key the metal idol (but haven't found it yet). Chichiro, Mononoke, neighbour totoro, Porko rosso, Aikira, ninja scroll, fist of the north star, perfect blue, grave of the fireflies, blood the last vampire,Battle angel (books better) some of the less good ones wicked city, guyver these are all the ones i racall so do you have some good tips on new ones?

xd

oh yah forgot samurai X (the new ones and the (better) old series (have 5 of them, this is where he gets his scar <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> too cool)

Berserk is great.

"chevalier de zodiak" donselaar

i think it's 'knights of the zodiac'. u can check out AnimeOnDVD site for more info on the latest anime releases.

series that i can recommend; Witchhunter robin (goth, noir, witches), Hellsing (goth, noir, vampires), Ghost in the shell (standalone complex).

as for movies; Nausicaa of the valley of the wind, Pom poko or the great raccoon battle, Castle in the sky, Kiki's delivery service (all four from the same studio that produce princess Mononoke & Spirited away), Ghost in the shell (innocence), Millenium actress, Metropolis, Steamboy (to be released in japanese cinemas this year), Tokyo godfathers.

other threads pertaining to anime; J-Pop , Started

I would advice Silent Möbius. I especially like the little stories behind all the main characters. Their weren't necessary for the plot of the serie but they make it in my eyes great . SM has also a high grade of herkijkbaarheid (rewatchability ? ).

Another one I can advice is Weiss Kreuz . A lot of action and a somehow intresting plot . Here the main chars have also their own background wich is integrated in the story what makes it for me more intresting .

Gravitation is also a lovely anime but this one is more for girls I gess. A very high sap-grade but also a few dark sides are included. The perfect anime to watch when I just want to sit down and relax.

nice to see u again, polgara. anyway, being a guy, i do watch 'girlish' anime. cardcaptor sakura is a nice watch as well. just that i cannot bear the horrendous malay language dubs. wish they show it in japanese language with english/malay subs.

sakura wars may look like a 'guys' anime but almost all the heros (or should i say heroines) are females.

@ Janggut where can I find those two titles you mentioned above?
thnx in advance.

Noir is a good series, if a little slow.

Appleseed is a good moive.

@ Luc -> here's a review of Sakura Wars in AnimeOnDvd website. u can also scroll down this list for more Sakura Wars releases; OVA, TV series, etc.

not to forget, Cardcaptor Sakura The Movie review, also from AnimeOnDvd. scroll down this list for more; movies, series, etc.

as for nutter, thanks for the suggestion. & welcome to the forum. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wave.gif" alt="" />

Janggut: I think you might be somewhat interested in CLAMP's other works, as well (CLAMP is the team of mangaka that did CCS), provided that you don't get freaked out easily by the less conventional themes. (Hey, CCS has blatant homosexuality and borderline pedophilia, after all.) Some of their works are X (also known as X/1999 -- now this one's heavy: homosexuality, blood and gore, necrophilia, some very interesting exploration of human psychology), Magic Knight Rayearth, RG Veda, Tokyo Babylon, Chobits, Angelic Layer, etc.

Oooo....... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ohh.gif" alt="" />

may check it out; IF i can find them. which i believe, according to your description, will be zero chance. better luck getting fansubs, which isn't legal. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/disagree.gif" alt="" />

btw, what's CCS? i know CSS. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

CCS -> Card Captor Sakura.

wow! i must be as dense* as hollow brick to not pick up that paedophilic connotations though i did notice the homosexuality bit.

* i must be lucky! not as dense as red brick! woohoo! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

what i like about CCS (thanks, winterfox) is the relationship between sakura & her family & friends (of past & present). yeah, very girlish.

One of Sakura's friends -- a girl, ten years old, just like she is -- is in a relationship with a teacher of theirs. (That's ten-years-old girl and a twenty-something man. They go on dates.) Kaho, formerly in a relationship with Sakura's big brother, is in a relationship with Eriol. (Sure, Eriol's Clow reincarnated, but he's also in the body of a ten-years-old. Kaho is over twenty, considering that she's a teacher.)

Homosexuality: Tomoyo likes Sakura; Yukito likes Touya; Yue is arguably in love with Clow (although, since Ruby Moon's gender is uncertain, Yue's probably is, as well. He appears male, though); Tomoyo's mother was very possessive of Nadeshiko. Cross-dressing: Ruby Moon... well, Ruby Moon's gender is questionable, but it acts like a girl and Spinel Sun asks at one point why it doesn't wear a boy's uniform to school. (Ruby Moon's response is along the line of "But the girl's uniform looks so much prettier and suits me so much more!") Oh, and Touya is apparently bisexual, since he used to like Kaho.

Get used to it; most, if not all, of CLAMP's works have weird elements like these. CCS is positively tame. (Hey, no necrophilia. No overtly suggestive sexuality.) CCS isn't my favourite, though -- it's way too fluffy. I prefer X and Tokyo Babylon so much more.

for anime lovers, u can check out details on AppleSeed the movie. looking good. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/up.gif" alt="" />

Trigun, Inuyasha, that is all

"Vampire hunter D: Bloodlust" is pretty good. Make sure it's Bloodlust you get though. The first movie was called "Vampire hunter D", and it wasn't nearly as good.

Berserk is excellent as well. Best series I've watched so far.

here is a review on Ghost In The Shell: Standalone Complex DVD series.

@ handefood -> i think u'll go bonkers over this. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/up.gif" alt="" />

Ah, GITS - SAC. I've watched all the 26 episodes of it, and am now watching the eleventh episode of the second season (2nd Gig).

Mmm. Long live fansubs!

once again, i have to ask a stupid question; what is fansub? do u take it with butter or is it already covered with frosted sugar? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

You mean you don't...? So you have only seen the first four episodes of GITS?

Fansub is a product of someone taking the "raw" anime and subtitle it in English; it reaps no profit, no money, and is done only for collective entertainment.

heck, winterfox, i've not even watch the dvd as it has yet to arrive on malaysian shores. unless it's pirated. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" /> thinking of yoko kanno's soundtrack included in the special edition makes me wanna .... . <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" /> it'll cost me an arm & a leg. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/sad.gif" alt="" />

Anime is some of the most overpriced products in the world, so I'll make do with the fansubs; the first GITS DVD, for instance, is hideously expensive, IMO. (The fansubs, incidentally, are high in quality -- both the video and the subtitles. As for the soundtracks, well, they're even easier to get your hand on.)

For anime suggestions, I'll just list the series I've collected as I suggest them all to anyone <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />:
Sailor Moon (especially the movies)
Star Ocean EX
Final Fantasy: Unlimited
Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals
.hack//SIGN
Cowboy Bebop
Trigun
Love Hina / Love Hina Again
Witch Hunter Robin
Serial Experiments: Lain
Angelic Layer
Kiddy Grade
Cadidate for Goddess
Outlaw Star
Wild Arms
Blue Submarine No. 6
Rockman.EXE
Furi Kuri (FLCL. Known as Fooly Cooly in USA <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/sad.gif" alt="" />)

If you don't mind adult anime, also look up Buttobi CPU. Only 3 episodes long, but the funniest mild hentai I've ever seen.

On another note, if you have any sort of broadband, go fansubs all the way. You may find some damaged episodes (some purposfully damaged as of late, especially in Angelic Layer <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/memad.gif" alt="" />), but that's why DivFix is so awsome <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

this should be BIG NEWS for handefood as i know he's crazy about Ghost In The Shell.

the sequel will be shown in north america (damn! why not here?) on september 17th & here's a few screenshots for HEF. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I saw that! And it's been out in Japan since July. Very much looking forward to it. Now let's just hope that it actually reaches Australia.

Thanks for that! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Hey, don't forgot me - i'm a big fan of animes - like jang. Hehehehe....

hey no way will i forget u, shyon! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" /> we're all crazy anime fans here! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/delight.gif" alt="" />

in fact, for u, here's the link to the official site of AppleSeed the Movie which i think was released recently in japan.

IGN interviews Mamoru Oshii, the dude behind Ghost In The Shell saga.

here's the link!

it's available in IGN Filmforce.

Found another great anime series: AzuManga Dioah! This series will wake up the child... well, childishness in you.

Cooking is so fun!
     Cooking is so fun...

review on GITS2: Innocence

sequel to the first Ghost In The Shell (1995), which is said had influenced many film makers (Cameron, Tarantino, Warchowski brothers), this film is similar to the first in that it is loosely based on Shirow Masamune's manga of the same title. the director, Mamoru Oshii, was given freedom by Shirow Masamune to tell the story & though it doesn't follow the manga faithfully, the message remains to be the same; how relevant is humanity now in the world of technology?

storyline: though plots & storyline are taken from the manga, they are taken apart to be assembled in different chronology. one may have to read the manga & watch the films to appreciate the differences. both are delightful & intellectual; manga for having 'breaks' & funny moments between action & tension, film for being delightfully grim (which is a rarity). the film is dialogue-heavy, with many quotes from bible, descartes, milton, grimm, confucius. personally i believe this movie though visually & aurally cinematic, it's meant for repeated viewing, therefore DVD, as it is hard to absorb all the essence of the dialogues in one sitting. well i should speak for myself. & a warning to those who are used to be led on easy paths of storylines & plots(hollywood fare, that is), this film isn't for u.

visuals: simply amazing. production IG & the director worked on the film for 4 years & it shows how much detail is put into the film. many times the visuals speak volumes on what is going on in the film & not just being eye-candy, though i'm sure there are those who beg to differ. characters are very believable (speech, movement, facial expression). festival scene is especially breathtaking.

sound: this one takes the cake. the best aspect of the film is the incredible soundscape & even more incredible music. no longer music being part of the background, kenji kawai (the composer) re-created the music of the first film & made the once sparse haunting music into crescending movement. watch out for scenes of drive-bys(vehicle) & fly-bys(birds). attention paid to sound is incredible.

overall, this film is made in such a way that it isn't easily accessible & many who expect simplicity (due to the film being animated & based on manga, with distorted perspective on anime) will be disappointed & will criticise that the film (or the director) is trying to be smart & therefore pretensious. i have to say this is hardly an action film. it is a philosophical film that happens to have action scenes in it. it isn't a film that offers answers on humanity, rather throws questions at viewers; begging them to think what value does humanity have in today's world.

i admit that i'm being very partial in my views & therefore feeling great about it. i love this film & i hope u do too. enjoy!

What about some of the older Animes like the Streamline Movie version of
‘Fist of the North Star’? Sure the graphics are old, but it has marathon fight scenes in it like no other.
ADV has even got the rights to re-release ‘Neo-Tokyo’.
‘Devil Man’ has always been a favorite of mine.
‘Devil Lady’ was a bit slow but was okay.
‘Genocyber’ was okay, but #2 was the absolute best!
The first ‘Dominion Tank Police’ had me in tears laughing.
‘The Sword of Truth’ was great, but needs to be continued.

I know, I like the carnage Animes. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ROFL.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Another good older Anime that I enjoyed, although it was directed more towards guys due to it being slightly ecchi, was the Anime ‘Rei Rei’.

There were a couple of scenes that had me rolling in non-stop laughter! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ROFL.gif" alt="" />
I was surprised to see it actually had a pretty decent storyline.

Again, I know I'm strange, but mama raised me on
'Robo-Tech', 'Ultra Man', and 'Johnny Sako and His Flying Robot.'

Kyra_Ny <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/delight.gif" alt="" />

well, hey i was raised on ultraman as well! the 60's version, that is. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />

i have watched quite a few funny animes though sadly i watched only an episode here & there (no time & hard to get). ranma 1/2 is really hilarious.

there are many more older animes that i like but can't recall the name.

Uhmmmm....cough...cough...whistle....whistle.

Me too. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Also, if you are a LoTR fan, then you should love the Anime:
"Record of Lodoss War".

There is a movie version and a Tele version.
The Tele version follows the movie version.

I have only seen the movie version.

Take Care
Kyra_Ny <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/delight.gif" alt="" />

i've seen the movie version as well, kyra. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> love it! i was a Lodoss fan long before LOTR.

ah, speed racer ..... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/up.gif" alt="" />

& how about the ever cheeky (though it's for kids) doraemon? it's a classic as well being from the 60's, i think.

I missed out!!!
They didn’t show Doraemon on the Tele here in California at that time! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cry.gif" alt="" />

I did see all of the original Speed Racers...Loved Them!!!
The cliff hanger endings always had me on the edge of my seat.

I remember talking about all of these cartoons to my friends in school, who never saw any of them; because basically, I was the only one watching them, due to them only being shown on the UHF channels.
We didn’t know they were really called Anime here in America at that time.

I did; however, see other great 60’s Anime’s like
“Gigantor”, “8th Man”, “Astro Boy” and “Space Ace”! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

Take Care
Kyra_Ny <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/delight.gif" alt="" />

u know, there will be a(n) astro-boy movie this year though i'm not too sure if it will be released worldwide or not. i don't have the link to the pertaining site at the moment but i'll keep u posted soon enough.

i have seen quite a lot of 60's & 70's anime but i keep forgetting their names; can u recall Grandizer? & Battle of the Planets? ahh.... the bliss of boyhood. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

by the way, yesterday i bought 2 films that i have been hunting high & low for so long; Tokyo Godfathers & Millenium Actress. will write reviews for the two films soon. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/up.gif" alt="" /> so far i've watched a bit of Tokyo Godfathers & it's a beautiful & moving film.

Grandizer seems, oh so familiar, but I don't remember if I have seen it or not.
I have however seen Battle of the Planets.
I've always considered the American cartoon from the 80's "Thunderhawks"
a slight imitation of "Battle of the Planets".

I also bought a new Anime movie called “Lady Death”.
At least they called it an Anime.
After watching it, it had more of an artistic style like that of the original Cartoon Movie “Heavy Metal”.
On the up side it had a decent story, but out of a four star rating I can only give it two stars.
I didn’t feel like I wasted my money, but I wasn’t to impressed neither.
So I pulled out and watched my old anime “Demon City Shinjuku” and I felt good after that.

The bliss of childhood.
While my sisters played with their dolls I was always out riding my bike. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

Eagerly awaiting your reviews.
Kyra_Ny <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/delight.gif" alt="" />

Review of Tokyo Godfathers

"... from the director of Millenium Actress & Perfect Blue!! ..."

Rightly so, Satoshi Kon, the said director is one of the prominent figures in anime world. In the case of Tokyo Godfathers, he is both the writer & director.

This film is about 3 homeless people; a drunkard, an ex-drag queen, & a runaway who found an abandoned baby among garbage & their journey to return the baby to her mother.

Storyline: it is simply moving, funny, clever & wonderfully heart warming. set on christmas eve, the journey of the three homeless people to return the baby is at the same time a journey to face their past & redemption. the three characters complement one another very well; the realist drunkard, the melodramatic ex-drag queen & the cynical teenager. voices are very well acted & believable. there are scenes which defy reality but strengthen the message & emotion, which is done uniquely & creatively. the premise of the story may sound dark but there is always light at the most unexpected moments.

Visuals: "... from the people who bring you X, Vampire Hunter D, & ..."
another well-used caption for the trailer. the animation studio, Mad House is amazing in bringing the film to life visually; from the top-down sweep of skyscraper to the hovels of the homeless, from animating real locations in parts of Tokyo to enhancing it with uniqueness, from the dark parts of the city to the brightest. just as the storyline, this film is with colours that dazzle & beautiful animations.

Sound: done quite nicely, it matches the hustle & bustle of the animated city, as well as ambience of a wedding reception, & the dark alley ways. the music, which the main theme is a variation of beethoven's. please forgive me for not recalling the actual title of beethoven's work, but almost all of the music is done on synth & in a playful manner. there is also a band that play part of the music, which is actually the composer's band. again, it fits with the film nicely.

overall this film is a Must-Watch-Therefore-Must-Own. i cannot praise enough how this film has made me smile & chuckle as it is delightful & therefore beautiful. what Miyazaki did for the younger generation, Satoshi Kon with mature audience.

hope u enjoy! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wave.gif" alt="" />
p/s: it's rated PG for (a bit of) violence & mild language. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />

My Review on Millennium Actress

Perfect Blue must have been a great film as it made the writer/director Satoshi Kon

prominent & greatly respected. If that was to be his only success, the term 'one trick pony' would be included in descriptions of the man. Fortunately that is not the case.

With superb following; Millennium Actress & Tokyo Godfathers, Satoshi Kon richly deserves praise for his refreshing story telling & beautiful characters.

Millennium Actress is about recollections of an actress who is interviewed by 2 men; one of them linked to her past.

Storyline: stories told within stories, adventures told within adventures; the life & love of the actress is told in her films & it is done beautifully. there are recurring themes but those do not undermine the whole film in any way, rather they reinforce underlying emotions.

there are many scenes that are surreal but very much essential in the story for the audience to understand what happened & more importantly, what the actress had gone through for her love.

Visuals: life told in movies & films. parts of life told in various scenes from various films, the colours are lush & beautiful as well as the characters are amazingly so human & real, this film is just beautiful.

Sound: very decent though one might expect the soundtrack to be more symphonic. but then it may be Satoshi Kon's preference to have synth instead of orchestra. voice is clear & it's easy to tell how the characters feel at the moment though the tracks are all in japanese.

Overall the film is highly recommended, even for those who are not into anime films. it's about romance, adventure, revelation & coming to terms with life. ending of the film though tinged with sadness is at the same time filled with optimism. Satoshi Kon is simply amazing.

enjoy!!

Both reviews have enticed me to want to buy them.

Janggut are you sure you're not a sales person? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

Kyra_Ny <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/delight.gif" alt="" />

ah, no.. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/delight.gif" alt="" /> just a fan of anime! an obsessed one! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/silly.gif" alt="" />

& here is the official site although it's in japanese.

there are quite a number of materials; articles, interviews, even mini-games.

Sony Pictures has an english page for the film. unfortunately the page is severely sparse.

I have recently bought the four part anime "Pet Shop of Horrors"

Have you seen it and would you like a review?
Don't let the title fool you.
All four parts are very touching and moving.

Kyra_Ny <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

please? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/kitty.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/kissyou.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/kitty.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

Okay, I'll work on it tonight.
I hope I'll have it done before Friday.
I want to give it janggut review justice. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />

Kyra_Ny <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

"Pet Shop of Horrors" Review.

Welcome to my Pet Shop. I am Count D, the current proprietor of this small Chinatown shop while my grandfather is away. Our motto is to sell love, dreams, and hope. We offer the rarest creatures on Earth - some which cannot be found anywhere else. Of course, this exposes our little shop to scrutiny. There is a wonderfully amusing homicide detective, Leon, on recommendation by his lovely coworker Jill, who kindly brings me sweets even as he tries to pin murder cases on me and my innocent pets. Anyone who purchases a pet here must sign a contract; absolving us of all liability should any rule stated in the contract be broken. There are always lessons to be learned, especially when taking care of a pet. You must always treat a pet with the proper love and respect due any creature, be it a rabbit or a Kirin. However, please remember, appearances can be deceiving, so be aware of what you are getting.
Let us not dwell on this aspect, dear patron. You have come to choose a new friend, no doubt.
I think we have something special just for you, dear patron. Please, come into the back room. What we have to offer cannot be displayed directly in the store.

Enigmatic and effeminate, Count D is the proprietor of a mysterious little pet shop located in the heart of Chinatown. But Count D doesn't just sell ordinary pets, for he can procure the rarest and most exotic species not even recorded in reference books. His clientele are usually people from high society -- wealthy businessmen, showbiz personalities, government officials, etc. But Count D's pets come with a three-term contract, and if you breach even one of the terms, his shop can't be held accountable for the consequences. A young detective named Joel is investigating Count D and his shop, because victims of the most bizarre deaths all have one thing in common -- they are all Count D's customers.

Four half-hour episodes comprise this collection:

"Daughter" - A rich couple had just lost their only daughter named Alice. Fortunately, Count D was able to acquire a very rare species of rabbit that looks exactly like Alice. The couple is overjoyed and immediately takes the rabbit home. But their love for Alice makes them breach one of the contract's terms.

"Delicious" - The popular idol singer Evangeline Blue and her manager Iason are about to be wed on a luxury ship when an "accident" throws her overboard. Eva disappears beneath the dark waters, and her body still hasn't been found. The heartbroken Iason goes to Count D's to pick up a pet that Eva had supposedly ordered. But to his surprise, the pet turns out to be a mermaid who looks exactly like Eva.

"Despair" - Actor Robin Hendrix is what one can refer to as a one-hit wonder. After the phenomenal success of his debut movie, Robin can't get any more acting jobs. It seems he's been stereotyped by the very role that made him famous. To top it off, his wife just left him. Robin loves keeping pet lizards, and so he goes to Count D's to pick up some more pets to cheer himself up. But Count D has something special for Robin this time... a very rare species of reptile known as Medusa. Medusa has the face and upper body of a beautiful woman, but the lower half of a large lizard. There is a condition though... Robin must never look into Medusa's eyes.

"Dual" - Robert Stanford comes from a long line of successful politicians. The problem is, he is considered the bad apple of the family due to his carefree and womanizing ways. But his faithful assistant Kelly Vincent is there to make sure Robert's political career is on the right track. Kelly is determined to make Robert the president of the United States, even if it means making a pact with the legendary animal called the Kirin, who grants the wish of its sovereign through the blood of others. Count D just happens to have one Kirin in stock.

Each story ends by teaching a valuable lesson in life and each story is very touching and moving.
Don’t let the title of this Anime fool you or the covers warnings.
This Anime is very tame, warm, and heart felt.
Only those without a soul wouldn’t be touched by it.


Kyra_Ny <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/kitty.gif" alt="" />

kyra, u just made me drool over this review. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/delight.gif" alt="" /> of course i love it! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/up.gif" alt="" /> thanks! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Hey, I have to be honest. I did plagiarize a little bit.
It was just too good and I couldn't say it better. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />
But I did use my comments too.
I'm glad you liked the review.
It really is a great Anime and the title fools everyone.

Kyra_Ny <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Try [color:"brown"]Record of Lodoss War [/color] It rocks....Elves and orcs and humans and dwarfs......Parn still can't handle a sword...let alone that female elf, Deedlit.....*Shakes her head*

[color:"brown"]Yugioh [/color] I am a big fan of it.....

[color:"brown"]Ghost in a Shell [/color] is awesome, especially Batou, the dude with machine eyes...he's muscular...Tee-Hee!

[color:"brown"]Yu Yu Hakusho [/color] is awesome with so many cute guys, and I am not thinking about Kurama or Hiei...Blah...

[color:"brown"]FAKE [/color] Not an anime, I think, but a great manga...that is of course if you are into [color:"yellow"] Yaoi [/color]


Cheese_Thief
((Supports Yaoi and Yuri))

@ Cheese_Thief =>

Yes, all are very good. Loved them.

Welcome

Kyra_Ny

record of lodoss war is one of my first anime as a young adult & i appreciate the film's handling of the story, characters & visuals.

as for others, i'm not so into guys. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

talk of manga, have u read Ghost In The Shell manga? it's really multi-dimensional; thought provoking, philosophical, action-packed, politically intriguing, funny, etc ... . i cannot make comparison between the manga & anime & which is better but i love both for what they are; awesome. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Kyra, i recall u like those destructive-oriented animes & i thought; maybe she'll like Samurai X (also called Rurouni Kenshin) the OVA. the series are fun but too 'lite'. the OVA (depicts the beginning of the hero/anti-hero)is visually beautiful with lush colours & the story is powerful & yet sad. it's action, political intrigue, romance, vengeance, self realisation - all wrapped into one. it's a must-see.

egads, i did it again. that salesman pitch. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

@ janggut =>

Have you ever thought about a career change?
Maybe a used car salesman, hummm? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/think.gif" alt="" />

Kyra_Ny <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/evilgrin1.gif" alt="" />

Thank you Kyra

I hardley ever read manga because of my parents who don't give money to me so I can buy them and I really need to get a job and my mom won't let me and it sucks.

Cheese_Thief

Focus on getting yourself a top notch college education now and everything else will fall into place.

Kyra_Ny

kyra's right on the money. get education then get work which leads to 'get fun'.

a little hardship is good for a person. trust me, if u don't have any, u won't appreciate life as much.

I think ghost in the shell is an awesome anime.....also try Gundam shows....actually....im good with any japanese anime shows. Well im a lil off topic but oh well, just want to speak my mind. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/offtopic.gif" alt="" />

I agree with the record of lodoss war being an awesome anime also.....really enjoyed it even though i watched in japanese first then english.


any anime is good

yeah, almost any anime is good except for the product-pushing (pokemon, digimon)as well as the pornographic (which affects most people's perception of anime as a medium on par or even superior to hollywood).

Anime News: Ghibli Studio together with Disney will be releasing 3 more anime titles previously available only in languages other than english, targetting american market. the titles are; Nausicaa Of The Valley Of The Wind, Porco Rosso & The Cat Returns. all these are classics.

Nausicaa is based on manga of the same name written by the famous Hayao Miyazaki who later on adapted it to film. Porco Rosso, if i'm not mistaken means Rosy Pig, which is actually the hero of that film. The Cat Returns is sort of a sequel to Whispers Of The Heart, another classic from Ghibli Studio.

these will be released in the US around february. details available in DVD IGN. u can also see the cover art if u follow the link.

note: films from Ghibli Studio are mostly targetted for all age, with emphasis on the kids. i personally have watched all these films (except Porco Rosso) in japanese with english subtitles & they're wonderful.

The sad thing about Hentai anime is some of them have real great story lines and they absolutely ruin the movie with hentai filler that never needed to be there.
One such anime is Demon Hunter Koji.
It broke my heart at the end of that movie to see that little boy’s heart broken due to his mom sleeping around like she did, and even sadder yet was the fact that the little boy’s father purposefully pushed her, the mom, into that world.
So he was basically growing up all alone with out the love of his father or his mother and in the end she told her little son about 7 years old that she despised him and wished he was never born right to his face.
That was a powerful script all on its own and the hentai filler wasn’t needed, but then it’s like janggut said…(see jangguts post above about anime porn).


Fafnir

I just bought Neo-Tokyo this weekend and all I can say is WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This anime was way ahead of it’s time visually speaking!!!

I always wanted to get the English version of Neo-Tokyo since 1992 when it was offered via Streamline Pictures in a Neo-Tokyo/Silent Mobius dual movie VHS, but never had the money to buy it.
Then Streamline Pictures went belly up and I was never able to find it except via EBay, but I’m sorry I’ll never pay those prices for it on EBay.

So, back in 1999, I talked with Urban Vision and ADV to hopefully sway some interest in getting the American rights open up again so it would be sold here in the USA.

All I can say is I got super lucky by getting in touch with Frank at ADV, Customer Service MGR. He is one of the coolest people I have ever talked to.
He listened to me and now ADV has acquired the Rights to sell “Crying Freeman” and “Neo-Tokyo”!

Neo-Tokyo is fantastic and is 3 anime shorts.
1-Labyrinth (aka) Manie Manie
2-Running Man
3-The Order to Stop Construction

Most everyone knows about Running Man since it has been shown on MTV quite a few times, but to me the best one is Labyrinth (aka) Manie Manie.
I just can’t get over how well the cell artists used and placed the color Red.
The striking visual effect a simple single color can produce amazed and blew me away.

If you love anime for artistic talent then buy Neo-Tokyo.
It is well worth the money!


Fafnir <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Man you're so fan as i'm an - i have some names for you.
Chevalier de zodiak(Cavaleiros do Zodiaco - for me) nice a lot, they published the last movie Tenkai Hen Josho Overture(the final of everything) - very good movie. Porko Rosso, Mononoke and Totoro are very good movies too.
Try these titles: I my me! Strawberry Eggs!, Golden Boy(Very Good), Video Girl Ai, Spriggun, Vampire Hunter, X, Agent Aika, Iketery Futari, Saikano, Onegai Teacher, Happy Lesson, .Hack Twilight Bracelet Legend, Street Fighter Alpha movie, Mahoutsukaitai(nice a lot), Hellsing, Love Hina, Magic Kinights of Reyarth, Sakura card Captors, Naruto. I have more but i don't remember all names now.
Fansubs are nice a lot - well i like. High quality animes videos.

i have been keeping this one back for whatever reason i don't know. anyway, here it is;

Review of Cowboy Bebop series

Go ahead & accuse me of being such an avid fanboy, or anime freak, or just plain emotional. Cowboy Bebop is one of the few series that has a look of casualness which is deeply set with emotions, especially melancholic ones.

Characters: Spike, Jet, Faye, Ed & Ein. These 5 are the bounty hunters aboard a refurbished trawler named Bebop.

Premise: Mars, Earth, as well as immediate vicinities. Hey, it's the future!

Story: Adventures of the five; funny, introspective, happy, thought provoking, melancholic, explosive, noir, fun, love, betrayal, cute, endearing etc. Storytelling is one of the most powerful element of the series as it develops & deepens the characters` personalities as the series progresses.

Visual: for a 1998 production, it is still impressive with hand-drawn graphics though there are some scenes (hyperspace gates) which are obviously CG. For series which obviously made for TV, it doesn't come with cinematic quality.

Sound: Maybe it's because i bought VCD version & not DVD as how i would prefer it (the price will warrant IMF help package) as the sound is a bit diminished. This is very very sad as the music of the series is one of the best soundtracks ever.

Music: Usually i would lump this with sound but the fact that the music is simply sublime, thanks mainly to composer/musician Yoko Kanno (Escaflowne, Ghost In The Shell series, Wolf's Rain, Please Save My Earth, Memories etc), who i feel single-handedly lifted the series from 'very nice' to beautiful with her incredible music. There's jazz(acid, lounge), bebop, mid-east, ballads, classical pieces - all wrapped up into something uniquely & eclectically wonderful. In fact, if the series is not your cup of tea (or coffee), the music somehow will captivate.

Overall, the series is a wonderful experience. I laughed, cried, cheered & feared for the crews of Bebop & i wished their adventures would continue forever. Alas 26 episodes are all that is Cowboy Bebop, with the movie which supposedly takes place between episodes 22 & 23.

The visual's great. The story's wonderful. The characters are believable & lovable. The music sublime. I love them all!

note: there is a new DVD version of Cowboy Bebop series which has 5.1 audio channel.

Note: somehow i feel that this thread can & should be expanded from purely anime films/movies & series to soundtracks & maybe even product reviews (e.g. Box Set versus Single Disc version versus Special Edition etc) in the future. this is one little way, i hope, in helping some forum members in deciding what anime stuff is suitable for themselves or others should it be gift ideas.

For those who are interested in writing reviews, please take note that the reviews must be objective. that means you cannot just say "hey this OST rocks! ch..ch..check it out!" <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

later on i'll write a simple guideline on review writing. please remember that i'm no professional writer so that's why i call it guideline, not LAW. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />

anyway ...... on to the review ....


Soundtrack Review: Wolf's Rain OST 1

Background info: Wolf's Rain is an anime series set in the bleak future where human civilisation is on the decline & nobilities rule over ordinary people. Wolves are known to have extinct for 200 years though a few suspect & even fewer knew about the wolves' existence, much less the legend that the wolves are somehow related to Rakuen, paradise. It is a story of four wolves' searching for it.

The series is produced by Bones Studio, the same that made Cowboy Bebop the movie & all music are composed & arranged by the ever genius Yoko Kanno, whose works are in Cowboy Bebop series & movie, Escaflowne series & movie, Macross Plus, Arjuna series, Ghost In The Shell series, etc.

The songlist

1. Stray (sung by steve conte)
2. Rakuen
3. Coracao Selvagem (sung by joyce)
4. Renga
5. Pilgrim Snow
6. Leaving on red hill
7. Shiro
8. Dogs & Angels
9. Strangers (sung by raj ramayya)
10. Sleeping Wolves
11. Tiptoe waltz
12. My little flower
13. Could You bite the hand (sung by steve conte)
14. Valse de la lune (sung by ilaria graziano)
15. Hotdog wolf
16. Silver river
17. Sold your soul
18. Visions of a flame
19. Run, wolf warrior, run (sung by joyce)
20. Gravity (sung by mayaa sakamoto)
21. Paradiso

Even without watching the series or be an anime film, the music in this album is pure delight & at the same time heart-wrenchingly beautiful. The music is mostly soft with quite a number of them having latin styled guitar & horn plays. Being typically herself, Yoko Kanno makes music without thought of genre & the music, most of them that actually, can't be pinned down as pop or folk or anything.

For the sake of the review, i shall try to pin down the genre, or at least what seemingly to be it.

Pop-ish or Folk-ish?
Tracks 1, 9, 13, 20

The first track is purely pop but nice & sung in english, just like almost all songs with vocals in this album. It is featured as the intro track for the series. The 9th has a very beautiful intro with trumpet playing latin style & i feel this is my favourite vocal track in the album. eveything works beautifully; trumpet solo, soft vocals of raj ramayya, orchestral backing. the beat reminds me of PetShopBoys's Domino Dancing. the 13th track is very stark in the sense that it's only vocal & acoustic guitar but richly layered with mix of strums & plucks. the vocal in the chorus though wonderful may have some people sneer as it's very john meyer though steve conte has been in the music scene longer. Track 20 is straight pop ballad but it's too gorgeous to be called that. Piano, orchestral backing with Mayaa Sakamoto singing, this piece is very moving (or is it just me?) & used in the ending credits.

Folk or Remotely Similar
Tracks 3, 4, 15, 16, 18, 19

Track 3 is very latin-styled with lyrics in language that i cannot identify (i dare not assume) & it's just very light, lively but not loud & very catchy. The guitar works are beautiful. Track 4 is also very catchy, lively but soft with amazing guitar work. 15th track is very folkish with cello & guitar accompanying each other beautifully. very lively yet soft & very uplifting. 16th track has that urgency feel to it though it's still light with percussions coming in later on with sparseness that makes the whole track a delight. very latin-feel. track 18 is all percussion & it's very tribal. think red indian. 19th track sounds a lot like a folk song with vocals & choral backing with guitar, flute & light percussion accompanying. listening to the lyrics paints very vivid picture of the wolves' dreams. very calming & nice.

Orchestral & Whatever in Between (These Are Few Of My Favourite Things - Julie Andrews)

Tracks 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 14, 17, 21

Track 2 starts quietly with melancholic piano then orchestra flowed in beautifully. sad yet hopeful. 5th track has oboe, clarinet playing wonderfully together with flutes with orchestra adorning the background. the guitar, accompanied by the orchestra is simply beautiful. very classical. the wind instruments come in later on & make the track richer. urgency feel comes in later with light percussion & lifts up the feeling of anticipation. incredible. the 7th is quite sad with violins, violas & cellos weeping with wind instruments hovering lightly above. Shiro means white in japanese. 8th track has light vocals that actually accompanies the piano rather than vice versa. orchestra comes in later, lifting up the track. it stops for a while then the vocal continues with guitar then the orchestra follows softly. track 10 has ethnic flute solo which is very haunting but oh-so beautiful. the kind of music u should listen to on misty morning or late evening as the sun sets when all alone. 11th track has that chinese orchestra feel to it; light & playful. violins & flute play with one another almost like butterflies among flowers. the 12th track is soft, calming which later on lifts up to a beautiful melody. too wonderful for words. track 14 is weird in the sense that i have no idea what genre it should sit in other than the fact that it's very wonderful in its own way. sung in french & though i am tempted to just dump it in pop dept, its beautiful orchestral backing with incredible 1st violin are too classy for that. track 17 has the orchestra lumbers gloomily then the guitar weeps. those who love beautiful melancholic music will definitely adore this. 21st track has saxophone solo that plays about the same melody as track 2 but it's beautiful in its quiet little way. it feels like holding a secret sadness within that nobody can appreciate. the sax feels like the lilting heart while the piano feels like sad feet stumbling.

Side Dish

The soundtrack is recorded in various parts of the world; japan (my best guess will be the group of people Yoko Kanno worked with for Cowboy Bebop soundtracks), usa (english songs), italy(french song sung by italian, backed by orchestra di roma), brazil (extremely talented folk musicians), poland (warsaw philharmonic orchestra). Yoko Kanno is certainly the most adventurous of all japanese composers & it shows how she travels around to get the kind of sound she wants for her music. & it's no wonder i love every piece of music she made.

Summary

This album is recommended to music lovers who appreciate incredible music, sound & effort. Every song is momentous, lovingly & masterfully crafted & it's a shame for them to be unheard, therefore unappreciated.

Enjoy!

note about the reviewer: once a headbanger (though some call it grunge) who had pop/electronica music as first love then moved to specific classical music (tchaikovsky) that led him to soundtracks. also was a fan of John Williams (Star Wars) & Howard Shore (LOTR) till he heard the music of Joe Hisaishi (Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away). now Yoko Kanno is number 1.

I am half through the 2004's "Appleseed" (Appurushîdo).
My father watched it and said that the story feels like deja-vu. I don't entirely agree with him but we both agree in that the animations are spectacular. The movie is done entirely in 3d, but unlike Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, the characters are rendered in the "Ink & Paint" style. They look just like in a hand-drawn anime yet they move with incredible fluidity and are equipped with lip-synch. I will write a review after I have finished watching it.

Alright, I have just finished watched Appleseed, picked up my jaw from the floor, read the negative reviews on IMDB, cursed the clueless, extremist manga fanboys under my breath and ready to write a review.

Although the story of this movie is indeed full of cliches, visually the movie looks simply amazing. The backgrounds look almost photo-realistic but the models are cell-shaded. Personally I think they look no different than the usual anime style. Unlike other anime movies, however, the creators of Appleseed push CGI technology to it's limit. They use motion-capture, lip-synch bloom, blur... When I saw Olympus 5 for the first time, I could not believe they would model an entire city in 3d! There are often cases of misusing of mo-cap but in Appleseed every character's movement speaks of the character itself. The poses and facial expressions are varied: the mouth isn't limited to open/closed animations thanks to lip-synch. I eventually found the story above average. Not fantastic, but it's better than most Hollywood movies, for example. I'd reccomend Appleseed to everyone, even people who do not like manga or anime. This the third anime I liked in my whole life (Puss in Boots does not count: it's a classic <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />) and that, coming from someone who usually has a high dislike of manga/anime is a praise <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />.

great one & thanks, death ol' boy! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/up.gif" alt="" /> but what about the sound? or music? i have listened to the OST but it's not as nice as i hoped. too 'hollywood'.

since Steamboy is coming out in theatres in north america soon, i hope u'll catch it. it's from ...... The Director Of Akira .... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

took Katsuhiro Otomo 10 years(!) to finish but i read from the japanese review it's worth the effort & will be a classic (just like Metropolis?).

another big anticipation is from Studio Ghibli; Howl's Moving Castle.

I just watched Appleseed and all I can say is... wow! The animation is awesome, this cel-shaded 3D is perfect. The story is pretty good, and not as cliché as I thought it would be.

There are some things that aren't developed enough though, like the first "bad guys" we see, they're only at the beginning and have no particular reason to exist (well maybe they do but I don't think it's mentioned in the movie).

Very good movie, and I recommend it to everyone <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

Sorry, Jaggut: I neither care about movies' OST nor I like Akira.

don't be sorry, dude o' death. u have all the right to like or dislike what u prefer.

i'm no big fan of Akira as well, just that Katsuhiro Otomo is one of those responsible in making Metropolis (which is one of my fav) & Kenji Kawai makes very haunting yet cool music.

have u watch Spriggan? compared to Appleseed (not visually of course), just how good is it, if u have watch it? the reason i ask is because of some reviews that say Spriggan is almost all action with almost no plot. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/disagree.gif" alt="" /> & i almost bought the dvd.

I haven't watched a lot of anime movies, Jaggut. I have no wish to offend anyone here, but I do not like anime for A) often it's exaggeration (giant mounths/breasts/swords/eyes, for example, or the 'speed-lines' shown when someone runs at high speed) and very crude animation and repeating frames. I sure do not watch something only because it looks good, but often I prefer a graphic novel to an anime.

Tell me, Shyon, does the original Japanese version of Metropolis ended with "I can't stop loving you"?
The anime I liked so far were:
- Puss in Boots (a movie from the 60's)
- Metropolis
- Princess Mononoke
- Spirited Away
- Appleseed

hey death, japanese version of Metropolis does have Ray Charles's song in it; part & parcel of the film. i have the japanese version (with english sub).

& as for your reasons of dislike;

[color:"pink"] often it's exaggeration (giant mounths/breasts/swords/eyes, for example, or the 'speed-lines' shown when someone runs at high speed) [/color]

it's mostly style carried from the legendary Osamu Tezuka (japanese equivalent of Disney) & the 'speedlines' are translated right from manga.

[color:"pink"] very crude animation and repeating frames. [/color]

this i find common for anime series, especially budget-constrained ones. frame repetition is an animation technique or rather trick cleverly employed by japanese back in the early days as they couldn't afford to draw multiple frames which are closely similar as how Disney did (which Disney had to finance out of his own pocket most of the time). another biggest trick done by japanese animators is camera panning; they painted only one cel & then using camera to pan and/or zoom for animation effect. that way they saved both time & effort to paint as well as money.

My father loved the integration of the Ray Charles song. I agree, it was most well fitting! I loved Metropolis.

There's one anime where I think the exaggeration isn't a problem: Ranma 1/2. I haven't seen enough episodes to pass judgement, but I liked the two episodes I saw.
Now I thought of it, another thing I do not like in anime (but also in Disney) is the sterotypes. Hitomi in Appleseed, for example is a stereotype present in too many movies. The "innocent little cheerful sister" has been overused. Also, the heroes tend to be wooden and lifeless. It's the reason I love Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke and Metropolis so much: in those movies the heroes are always changing. The stereotyping is even worse for Disney, though.

After eventually saying what I dislike in anime, I feel I should say what I like:
I like the philosophy. In many of the movies I've seen, the fronteer between good and evil is blurred. In Princess Mononoke, for example, there is no evil as such. In Appleseed, the evil is not divided into sides but rather into characters (The military isn't ALL bad as well as the Seven Elders aren't that good). This philosophy is very scarcely used in the western movies.

I like the variety of styles and plots in anime. Discarding 'Mech series, there still are many unique storylines without the sickingly familiar "boy-meet-girl". Even the familiar stories may get an unexpected twist, such is the case of Puss in Boots. The movie is hilarious. Everyone knows the story from their birth, but the anime is given a new dimention with all the humour, setting it miles above Disney.

Have you seen Blood: The Last Vampire, Jaggut?

sadly not yet, dear ol' death. i've watched Vampire Hunter D though. sadly again not Bloodlust, meaning i watched the older film which is er... obviously old visually (kind of Battle Of The Planets old).

yes, the philosophy in japanese animation is different than that of american. one of the biggest difference is that japanese animation (which actually inherited from manga) is character-centric as opposed to western plot-centric.

another difference is the target audience. japanese anime range from family-friendly (Spirited Away) to teenage/young adult (Naruto series) to adult (Jin-Roh). american animation are mainly family-oriented.

subject matter is another world of difference; almost all american animation are about good triumph over evil with generous helpings of entertainment values. japanese animation are more than just that; u have the typical good vs evil (Castle In The Sky), love & understanding in relationships (Metropolis), political thriller (Jin-Roh), redemption & forgiveness of self (Tokyo Godfathers), action (Ninja Scroll), irony (Rurouni Kenshin OVA), tragic consequences (Grave of the Fireflies) etc.

with such differences, it's no wonder why i am no longer inclined to watch western films, unless they're incredibly unique & creative. sadly i cannot think of any right now. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> but that is another topic, i guess.

Review: Wolf's Rain Original Soundtrack 2

Background

This is the second soundtrack album of the anime series Wolf's Rain, made by animation house Bones (Cowboy Bebop, Escaflowne) & Keiko Nobumoto (story & screenplay).

The range of songs are almost as diverse as the first soundtrack in terms of genre, or to be more exact; genre doesn't seem to matter at all. Yoko Kanno once again amazes me with incredibly beautiful music.

Songlist

1. Heaven's Not Enough (sung by Steve Conte)
2. Shiro, Long Tail's
3. Cycle (cung by Gabriela Robin)
4. Beyond Me
5. Mouth On Fire
6. Hounds
7. Rain Of Blossoms
8. Separated
9. Escape
10. Face On
11. Tsume's Sand
12. Flying To You (sung by Ilaria Graziano)
13. Night Owl
14. Forest Of Death
15. Indiana
16. Amore Amaro (sung by Franco Sansalone)
17. Friends
18. Tell Me What The Rain Knows (sung by Maaya Sakamoto)
19. Float
20. Trace
21. Sad Moon
22. Cloud 9 (sung by Maaya Sakamoto)
23. To Paradise (hidden track)

As usual, all songs are composed & arranged by Yoko Kanno while lyrics are written by Tim Jensen(1), Gabriela Robin(3), Ilaria Graziano(12), Franco Sansalone(16), Chris Mosdell(18) & Yuuho Iwasato(22).

Once again, to make it easier to digest the review (for readers) as well as writing it (for myself), i shall endeavour to categorise the tracks according to genre/style.

Pop/Ballad/Vocals

- Tracks 1, 3, 12, 16, 18, 22
- The first track is a straight-up pop track though not cheesy as most anime J-pop tracks. There is a variation of it in the anime however, with female vocals. 3rd track is has soft vocal which sings in non-existent language (typical of Yoko Kanno/Gabriela Robin) with music that is may be categorised as pop though it's too weird & wonderful for such shallow categorisation. Track 12 is also another genre defying song which sung in french & has that classical feel to it. 16th track is sung (if i'm not mistaken) in italian by Franco Sansalone, whose low & husky voice lends that romantic feel to the song. A sad but wonderful love song. 18th track is a ballad; soft, floating, sweet, beautiful. Track 22 is a feel-good pop track that's wonderful to listen to.

Synth & Electric Guitar & Orchestral

- Tracks 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 17, 19, 20, 21, 23
- Although there are tracks with synthesizer & electric guitar as accompaniment, they are still mainly orchestral with the majority classical/folkish.
- Track 2 is very moving with violins playing a sad melody in unison which towards the middle of the track turns more dramatic & urgent. Track 4 starts with acoustic guitar playing gently, setting the tone for the whole track which is beautiful. Track 5 is one of my personal favourite. The percussion in the intro is masterfully creative & lively which brought the track to ethnic style music (brazillian?). 6th track is laidback with guitar, light percussion & flute. the kind of song to listen to wind down after a hard day's work. One of the livelier & happier track is the 7th, with orchestra then quiets down to a beautiful end.

8th track is a slow, gentle & slightly melancholic song with guitar plucking in the foreground, backed by orchestra. Track 9 has an urgent feel with fast-paced light percussion & quick guitar pickings as well as orchestral backing. quite a delight. Track 10 starts with synth ambient sounds then electric guitar & drums. once the violins come in with the rest of the orchestra, you know you will be in for a musical treat. Quiet somewhere in the middle of the track just to come back with a beautiful melody, this track is a mix of melancholy & daring to hope. Track 11 starts with electric guitar setting a layer of background rhythm which later on percussion, synth makes it full fleshed. Though it seems like a filler track, it is still quite nice. The 13th track is a quiet, haunting, creepy song that seems to come from a horror film. The wonderful part comes at the later half, bringing dark & moody melody. 14th track is a full-blown 'here comes the enemy' number though it also feels like 'let us get out of here'. For the frantic moments, this is it. Track 15 is a quiet, fleeting song, the kind of song to listen on quiet misty mornings or late evenings, with flute playing solo & accompaniement comes only towards the end.

Track 17 has a piano playing sadly but beautifully. the orchestra comes in later with flute responding to the piano. a heart-melting song. 19th track is orchestral with flute floating above teasingly. another beautiful one. 20th track is dark & sad yet wonderful, played by the orchestra. 21st starts with crescendo to a majestic & wonderful melody then quiets down for wind instrument then violins for closure. 23rd, a hidden track, is almost the same as the second track in the first album, but longer & with ambient sounds. The crescendo towards the end is majestic, triumphant, which quiets down for closure. Beautiful end to the album.

Overall

Most tracks may not stand out as much as the first soundtrack but they are still very very wonderful & among one of the best soundtracks i have listened to. The emotions conveyed in the songs show that Yoko Kanno is just one of the best composers around. If you are a fan of good music, this album is worth its price & more. & you don't have to watch the anime nor learn of the story to appreciate this masterfully crafted album. ENJOY!!

I finally got to watch Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence. I thought it wasn't particularly good. The scenes were amazing, the sound and music beautiful, and it had a very interesting philisophical point, but it was lacking for story line and character development.

***** SPOILERS FOLLOW *****

There was little in the way of tracking down the culprit. It was like they knew exactly where to look. Some of the settings just seemed to appear out of nowhere, like the forgotten city and the castle. There was also next to no action in the movie. While this isn't a prerequisite, it helped Ghost in the Shell and GitS: Stand Alone Complex by giving us emotional bonds with the characters. There was so little emotion in the movie that I just didn't care by the end of it. I understand that it was part of the story, but versus an audience, it doesn't really work.

***** NO MORE SPOILERS *****

Unfortunately, I felt this was more of a lecture (albiet a very interesting and beautiful one), than a movie.

Title: Haibanei Renmei
Created by: Yoshitoshi Abe
Genre: Drama Series
Episode: 13 (complete)



Imagine being born from a coccoon that fell from the sky. Imagine that soon after, one grows wings. Imagine having a halo on one's head. imagine that one is not alone, & that there are others. Others that also have wings & halo. The Haibanei.

Haibane, literally translated, means ash wing. Renmei literally means federation or league. Therefore the official english translation for Haibane Renmei is Charcoal Feathers Federation.


note: this picture is not a screenshot of the anime as it originates from one of the artbooks by Yoshitoshi Abe.

This story is created by Yoshitoshi Abe, one who drew the character art for Serial Experiment Lain. & unlike Lain, this story is entirely written by Abe.

After watching the whole 13 episodes in the span of 4 days, which is something i always avoid doing (watching a series in such short timespan, that is), this series is definitely one of the best i've watched. It is gorgeous, it is moving, the music is wonderful - nothing short which makes Haibanei Renmei one of the most memorable anime for me.



It may also be slow moving, but this series is filled with a lot of dialogues & interactions between characters which help a lot in identifying with them & fleshing them out. From the start till finish, the story doesn't bog down & although the end of episode 13 makes me thirst for more stories about the Haibanei, it is a good ending that has a sense of closure.

More than the mysteries of the premise itself, the series emphasises on the characters as well as the subject of redemption & salvation. I can't help but feel warm all over when i watch this series.



Visual
Since it is made for TV, like most anime series, the art is not too detailed yet not too sparse at the same time. It is bright most of the time with few dark scenes, which the contrasts are quite well balanced. Unlike most anime which incorporate very striking colours, Abe used more soft colours. According to Abe in an interview, he felt that the right choice of colours, & that doesn't mean striking colours, are more effective in achieving the right impact. The characters are very well drawn & the art is also very interesting, especially when it comes to certain cultures regarding the Haibanei. An example would be the bells tied to the wings whenever they visit the Haibane Renmei, a federation of some kind that takes care of the Haibane in this totally walled up town.



Audio
The dialogues are well done with the voices done convincingly (as far as i can tell though i don't know japanese). The character voices, though some are cutesy, are not too cutesy to the point of annoyance. It works wonderfully well here. there are english audio too for this series but the set that i have only comes with japanese audio.

The music though quiet & seemingly sparse, is beautiful especially the intro music, which is going to be one of my personal favourite. The ending credit music is not the typical J-pop & it has this new age feel to it, so it is refreshing indeed. I feel that the soundtrack of this series is definitely worth checking out.

Animation
Though there are few noticable quirky animation (again, walking animation is one of the trickiest especially with traditional animation as evidenced in this series), overall all are done well & smooth. Other things about the characters however are very well animated. Often the little things such as the young Haibane (also called Young Feathers) practise fluttering their wings, a new Haibane trying to put on a dress with slits at the back meant for the wings, can be very realistic & insightful on how the Haibane live their daily lives.



This series is safe to watch with the kids though they may not understand what is going on as some parts of the stories (typical of animes, really) were left unexplained thus giving the audience freedom to interpret. This is not a bad thing as the author (according to an interview) wanted the audience to think for themselves on what is going on & why.

This is a quiet little series with a lot to offer - a big heart & most of all, the feel good factor. enjoy! :-/



check out the official site for more details including prices. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Four pages and someone only mentioned Gundam once in passing! Give respect to the second greatest space opera.

Watch the movie version of the first series, then the the OVAs: War in the Pocket, and The 08th MS Team, if you're still on board, Zeta Gundam is next, but you'll want to pace yourself through that one.

If you liked the original series or any of the OVAs you can check-out the new ones they did, Unicorn, Hathaway and Origin, which is a prequel.

This is all Universal Century, to help you look it up.
There are a lot of Gundam shows that operate in different 'universes' but they all share themes, tropes, and giant robots. So depending on your tastes there's probably one might like.

Here is my short list that I can recommend:

Series:
Captain Tsubasa (1983) --> better than Ganbare! Kickers, but Ganbare! Kickers had the better Opening Soundtrack (just in German, the jap. Original was lame in comparison)
The Guardian Of The Spirit (2007)
Violet Evergarden (2017) --> there are also one or two movies...

Movies:
Sword Of A Stranger (2007)
The Garden Of Words (2013)
Your Name (2016)
I want to eat your pancreas (2018) --> I bought it but haven't found time to check it out yet... Shame on me ^_^