AnimeSuki Forums

Sonhex · 2006-12-30, 06:26

Guess I can't grumble about being able to finally add the Kurau dvds to my collection. But I'm kind of curious how they'll market it, considering its over 2 years old and genre-busting anime at its best. I bet they try and market it as a GITS clone...

NoSanninWa · 2007-01-01, 02:00

Genre busting? How do you see this as breaking the bounds of any genres? It is pretty stock stuff to my eyes.

chrno · 2007-01-03, 10:47

YESSSSSSSS!!!! IT'S ABOUT F***ING TIME!!!!

Now I can finally toss my files and finally own it. I was SOOOOOOO waiting for this news!!! I even thought about it the start of this year. What were the odds of hearing this? I guess the time has finally come!

I know the series is 2 years old now. I hope it will still do ok here. But again that thought is to be expected as the concept of the show might not be able to hold up to the more popular and mainstream works. And I have no clue of how this show did in Japan. I don't think it did as well. But it might have been enough for a select few. But I think it will probably find a place among "shoujo-ai" fans. It will most likely rank up there with 'Figure 17'. A drama which revolves around sci-fi but will have elements that will fall into "such" genres. It wont be for everyone though. I liked it very much. And it does pull at the heartstrings when things start moving along. So now folks will finally get a chance to see it.

Now I can rest happily now.

darkchibi07 · 2007-03-26, 22:31

Check out the first episode dubbed here:

http://media.tv.ign.com/media/896/896082/vids_1.html

Wow, I'm starting to get interested in this. Hmm, maybe I should start collecting this.

NoSanninWa · 2007-03-26, 22:39

Yeah, I liked the first episode a lot also. Unfortunately the quality slowly dropped episode by episode after that... Characterization, plot, animation... I'd never have stayed with Kurau all to the last episode if I hadn't liked the first few episodes so much.

That's eight hours of my life that I'm never getting back.

Budweineken · 2007-03-28, 09:44

I myself loved Kurau Phantom Memory, and thought the soundtrack of the series was great (the scenes with "Lonely Freedom" are powerful).

Now, ADV waiting for almost 3 years after licensing to finally release the series, that's very irresponsible if you ask me.

chrno · 2007-03-28, 16:03

Got a chance to check out the dubbed version on IGN yesterday. I decided to since there's already a preview up on ANN's 'Shelf Life' section.

As much as I love this series I just couldn't handle it. If anything I bled and I laughed. But somehow I later found the VA for 'Kurau' (Rynax) wasn't too bad. Yet her doing "kiddie" 'Kurau' drove me crazy. It killed the mood. That's because trying to sound like a kid is always a pain. You either come off too loud, obnoxious or over rambunctious. It's like it has to have the right pitch. But the VA that does the father he pulled off some good moments especially the sad ones. But I'm not sure I like 'Kurau's voice as an adult. It's like she's got too much of an ego. Chances are it's probably the same VA trying to do all 3 roles.

April's issue of 'Newtype USA' has ep. 1 on the DVD. I guess for the preview, someone was able to get a full copy of vol. 1 earlier. It pays to be a reviewer.

Watching the first ep. again brought back those warm and fuzzy feelings that I experienced the first time around. There aren't many shows that can relax me like this one can. It's like "prozac". I have to admit picking 'S.E.N.S' for the score was a perfect choice. If you're curious to what piece I'm referring to it's during the sequence when the 'Rynax' after uniting with 'Kurau' experiences for the first time it's existence in a human host.

I really love this show.

It's not super spectacular but it's got a pretty solid foundation. It's pretty slow pace in the beginning but if you can stick with it you'll find it has a good story. And there are moments it picks up. So it's pretty well balanced. But I wouldn't recommend this for the action oriented. This is really more "slice-of-life" with a sci-fi element. But sci-fi all the way.

Hey, we all have to take our chances with a project good or bad. So give it another chance 'NoSanninWa'. Hell, I've seen worst things.

The show's run is 24 ep. So that should be no more than 6 vols. Of course when we get to "thinpacks" they'll try to squeeze it down to 5. Just do what you did to 'Noir' and leave it vol. for vol. Why am I talking about this now? GAAH!!

I must be tired.

Watch it! Enjoy it! Snuggle up to it on dull day with ice cream! Love it!

Kaoru Chujo · 2007-03-28, 19:58

This is one of the 20 or so shows I have enjoyed most. Kawasumi Ayako does so well. The relationship with her ?sister? is played well. And the plot works. I never found that the story dragged, personally, and I have rewatched the first 2-3 episodes a couple of times. There's lots of real emotion here, for me. And the SF aspects and future look, at least in ep1, are well done, for me.

I don't know how to answer the question of whether it's "genre-busting" or not. Maybe the mix of shoujo-ai with the SF genre of person-with-special-powers-hunted-down makes it a genre-buster? If you think it's slice-of-life, too, then for sure it mixes genres, but I didn't see it that way. I often find people describing shows as slice-of-life when I feel there is a lot of action, but mainly interior emotional things going on.

And the OST is one I play pretty often.

EDIT: I just watched the dub of ep1, and although it was fairly awful, as far as I'm concerned, the show was still entertaining. If I didn't know any better, I guess it would be okay. Anything to get such a good story out to people. But I found the acting hackneyed and poor, formulaic in a way the Japanese isn't quite. Japanese anime acting does follow certain styles, but somehow gives more presence, to me. Maybe because it's a foreign language, I don't know. But the characters seemed to be Americanized into the kind of stereotypes you might only see and hear in bad TV movies. It seemed really like a cartoon, rather than an animated drama.

EDIT2: Oh, gosh. I just watched a couple of ep2 in Japanese, and it's like night and day. Kurau is like a totally different person in English, much grosser. The fine feelings of a kind of sad happiness that Kawasumi Ayako can project are just not there at all.

I don't watch dubs. Compared to other dubs, is this one bad, or just normal? I watched a couple of minutes of the Eureka7 dub that around and just gagged, but heard that it was not that good.

Prince of Chronics · 2007-03-28, 20:22

I remember the licensing announcement for this show happening just after (like the same day) the first episode got released via fansubs.. that's a pretty long time ago

Anyways.. like most people, I felt the first episode was pretty good and entertaining.. but as I saw more episodes, I started to find the show really dull and boring.. perhaps, I should have watched more than 9 episodes.. but yeah, that's my view on Kurau.

chrno · 2007-03-29, 10:48

Seems you understood how I felt too 'Kaoru Chujo'.

But you're right, in order to reach a wider audience "dub" is the way to go. I used to be one sided about that, but sort of accepted it. Only us "hardcore" won't except anything less. Hahaha! :lol:

But for me I just can't get into many dubs. I'm really not that biased, because I will watch some dubs when I have no choice. But I've spent many years watching anime "raw", fansubbed and subtitled. So I'm used to it. I guess because it's in a foreign language could be why. Being an English speaker anyway, I'm really not interested in hearing foreign features in English. I guess I'd prefer it that way. But then again this brings me back to those arguments about sub or dub. That it's just a feature. Like anything else the product itself is "universal" the only thing that changes is the track. But it always seem that when it comes to anime being dubbed you either like it or hate it. Or look at it as a big joke. But when it comes to regular shows made for an English speaking audience there's no problem. Ah who knows. But enough about that. That's a whole different "horse".

But yeah, I didn't like 'Kurau's voice. And I'm really afraid to hear the sister's voice. Considering that I've heard people complaining about her Japanese counterpart, because she sounded too squeaky or "shrill". I've heard worst.

I'm really glad that this series has FINALLY gotten released. Gee, took forever!

I'll forgive you this time 'ADVfilms'.

I guess the only reason I was thinking like "slice-of-life" because of the drama. But maybe that might not be right. But somehow someone will toss it in "shoujo-ai". The closest feature that this relates to is 'Figure 17'. They're not identical in story, but they have similar elements.

Oh well. Can't wait to start picking this baby up.

DangerMouse · 2007-03-29, 16:42

I've been waiting for too long to own this. I can't wait to be able to pick up volume 1.

darkchibi07 · 2007-04-02, 12:19

You know what the kicker is? The Japanese producers actually CHOSE Monica Rial to play Kurau for the English dub.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/monica...s/message/8674

Of course there are rare moments where the Japanese does get involve with the English dub.

negativeone · 2007-04-07, 00:48

OMFG i can't believe is over *cries*

i just finished watching all 24 episodes and i loved every single one of them, i am just speechless the only thing i can say is WOW. it was the most heartwarming story. after watching each episode i felt like telling my family that i love them and that i want to protected them no matter what, and i felt this funny feeling in my stomach. this is an anime i would like to own for sure so i can show it to my children. this anime is just brilliant and wonderful and it changed the way i am, i have never been touched by anything like i was moved by this anime it was just an excelent series, i wonder if i would find something like this again...

serously i can believe im saying this things i guess i'm really emotional lol
i want to see more *cries*

cmage · 2007-04-11, 13:07

I got the first DVD yesterday and promptly watched all of it. It's wonderful! It made me feel warm inside~ Seems to me like this show is about the bonds between characters, with action thrown in to keep it interesting. I certainly hope it keeps this up, because so far I love it to pieces. It might be my favorite Bones show so far based on those four episodes, which is saying a lot.

I also love the music. I need to download the OST, but I've been listening to the OP and ED a lot. So calming...~

chrno · 2007-04-18, 13:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by negativeone

OMFG i can't believe is over *cries*

i just finished watching all 24 episodes and i loved every single one of them, i am just speechless the only thing i can say is WOW. it was the most heartwarming story.

Yep, actually do you feel satisfied with the ending? As there were many that had mixed feelings about how it ended. More than likely with viewers seeing it for the first time, I guess they'll decide when they complete it.

Fighter Volk · 2007-08-24, 21:40

I just finished the series (I've had it on fansub for ages) today, and it was kinda shocking to reach the end (following the comments on this thread from those who followed the raws) and see just two or three disparaging comments about the ending and that's it. Even Yebyosh didn't comment... poor unappreciated series! I loved it myself, and I was content with the ending - I guess I was enjoying the series for different reasons than everyone else, as I thought a lot of it was really good. Everyone agrees that the early episodes were heartwarming and quite beautiful - I feel the same - and though yes, there were moments that the story got too repetitive or dragged a bit, there were many more that I found totally awesome. One of my favorite episodes is still the early one in which Kurau goes to that factory and it starts raining as she realizes she's surrounded by GPO troops, then with her escape and return to Christmas... Then the moon base infilitartion part was stellar, too. I *really* got into it by the end, and couldn't stop watching once the Yvone arc started (I think I watched 14-24 all today). The ending was wonderful, too.

I honestly think BONES did a great job here (and I guess this is appropriate seeing as I was actually the one who started this thread!). Too bad so few people agree with me.

wao · 2007-08-25, 03:54

Well, after like 2 years or something I finally got around to watching this again, and currently I'm at episode 11. Is the rest worth watching? Does it get kinda draggy after this or am I already in the draggy part? I have to say that for me it's personally the Kurau-flying-around-and-being-cool bits that I like the most. I did like the feeling of the first few episodes but it's gotten kinda dragged down after that...

But I do want to see what happens in the end. So without spoiling me could anyone make some sort of guess as to whether someone like me could enjoy the final episodes? I kinda hope Christmas grows up a bit too. I don't know if I suck for liking Kurau more before Christmas came or what... but my favourite character now is probably Dag just because he's such a good guy.

EDIT: Never mind, I watched it till the end anyway. Gee, I dunno what to think. It was not that bad really. It wasn't bad enough that I had to stop watching it or cringed or anything... but nothing about it really inspired me in any way. Except the character designs, I admit I really do love the way everyone's drawn, it reminds me of Wings of Rean and Planetes... Still. A lot of the characters seemed just like they were acting out what is written in a script and somehow didn't feel very close to my heart - but that might just be me, I dunno - still, while I can live with it with some other shows, for a show that revolves around the very feelings of being human and of loving and protecting others I have to admit I came off with a big "so what?" at the end of it. At one point of time I was just getting tired of everyone saying the same thing over and over again without coming off as convincing enough for me...
...but I'll repeat myself (ironically) - maybe it's just me.

Fighter Volk · 2007-08-25, 10:21

Perhaps I should put these musings in spoiler tags. I've been away from these forums so long that I forgot they existed.

Spoiler:

wao · 2007-08-25, 20:41

Oh yeah, I ahve to say that

Spoiler:

Proto · 2007-09-08, 21:17

Really?

Spoiler for personal opinions:

Overall I quite liked it. Maybe enough for it to slip somewhere in my Top 20

2007-01-01, 02:00	Link #182
NoSanninWa Weapon of Mass Discussion Fansubber Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: New York, USA	Genre busting? How do you see this as breaking the bounds of any genres? It is pretty stock stuff to my eyes. __________________ There's not that fine a line between willing suspension of disbelief and something just being stupid.

2007-01-03, 10:47	Link #183
chrno Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: NJ Age: 54	Whoo Hoo!!!! YESSSSSSSS!!!! IT'S ABOUT FING TIME!!!!* Now I can finally toss my files and finally own it. I was SOOOOOOO waiting for this news!!! I even thought about it the start of this year. What were the odds of hearing this? I guess the time has finally come! I know the series is 2 years old now. I hope it will still do ok here. But again that thought is to be expected as the concept of the show might not be able to hold up to the more popular and mainstream works. And I have no clue of how this show did in Japan. I don't think it did as well. But it might have been enough for a select few. But I think it will probably find a place among "shoujo-ai" fans. It will most likely rank up there with *'Figure 17'. A drama which revolves around sci-fi but will have elements that will fall into "such" genres. It wont be for everyone though. I liked it very much. And it does pull at the heartstrings when things start moving along. So now folks will finally get a chance to see it. Now I can rest happily now. __________________ Currently watching* - 'Kill la Kill' "I'm afraid 400 years won't cover me."

2007-03-26, 22:39	Link #185
NoSanninWa Weapon of Mass Discussion Fansubber Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: New York, USA	Yeah, I liked the first episode a lot also. Unfortunately the quality slowly dropped episode by episode after that... Characterization, plot, animation... I'd never have stayed with Kurau all to the last episode if I hadn't liked the first few episodes so much. That's eight hours of my life that I'm never getting back. __________________ There's not that fine a line between willing suspension of disbelief and something just being stupid.

2007-03-28, 09:44	Link #186
Budweineken Crap Join Date: May 2004 Age: 40	I myself loved Kurau Phantom Memory, and thought the soundtrack of the series was great (the scenes with "Lonely Freedom" are powerful). Now, ADV waiting for almost 3 years after licensing to finally release the series, that's very irresponsible if you ask me. __________________

2007-03-28, 16:03	Link #187
chrno Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: NJ Age: 54	Got a chance to check out the dubbed version on IGN yesterday. I decided to since there's already a preview up on ANN's 'Shelf Life' section. As much as I love this series I just couldn't handle it. If anything I bled and I laughed. But somehow I later found the VA for 'Kurau' (Rynax) wasn't too bad. Yet her doing "kiddie" 'Kurau' drove me crazy. It killed the mood. That's because trying to sound like a kid is always a pain. You either come off too loud, obnoxious or over rambunctious. It's like it has to have the right pitch. But the VA that does the father he pulled off some good moments especially the sad ones. But I'm not sure I like 'Kurau's voice as an adult. It's like she's got too much of an ego. Chances are it's probably the same VA trying to do all 3 roles. April's issue of 'Newtype USA' has ep. 1 on the DVD. I guess for the preview, someone was able to get a full copy of vol. 1 earlier. It pays to be a reviewer. Watching the first ep. again brought back those warm and fuzzy feelings that I experienced the first time around. There aren't many shows that can relax me like this one can. It's like "prozac". I have to admit picking 'S.E.N.S' for the score was a perfect choice. If you're curious to what piece I'm referring to it's during the sequence when the 'Rynax' after uniting with 'Kurau' experiences for the first time it's existence in a human host. I really love this show. It's not super spectacular but it's got a pretty solid foundation. It's pretty slow pace in the beginning but if you can stick with it you'll find it has a good story. And there are moments it picks up. So it's pretty well balanced. But I wouldn't recommend this for the action oriented. This is really more "slice-of-life" with a sci-fi element. But sci-fi all the way. Hey, we all have to take our chances with a project good or bad. So give it another chance 'NoSanninWa'. Hell, I've seen worst things. The show's run is 24 ep. So that should be no more than 6 vols. Of course when we get to "thinpacks" they'll try to squeeze it down to 5. Just do what you did to 'Noir' and leave it vol. for vol. Why am I talking about this now? GAAH!! I must be tired. Watch it! Enjoy it! Snuggle up to it on dull day with ice cream! Love it! __________________ Currently watching - 'Kill la Kill' "I'm afraid 400 years won't cover me." Last edited by chrno; 2007-03-29 at 07:48.

2006-12-30, 06:26	Link #181
Sonhex Not dead. Yet. Graphic Designer Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: UK	Guess I can't grumble about being able to finally add the Kurau dvds to my collection. But I'm kind of curious how they'll market it, considering its over 2 years old and genre-busting anime at its best. I bet they try and market it as a GITS clone...

2007-03-26, 22:31	Link #184
darkchibi07 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Age: 39	Check out the first episode dubbed here: http://media.tv.ign.com/media/896/896082/vids_1.html Wow, I'm starting to get interested in this. Hmm, maybe I should start collecting this.

2007-03-28, 19:58	Link #188
Kaoru Chujo Yuuki Aoi Join Date: Jul 2004	This is one of the 20 or so shows I have enjoyed most. Kawasumi Ayako does so well. The relationship with her ?sister? is played well. And the plot works. I never found that the story dragged, personally, and I have rewatched the first 2-3 episodes a couple of times. There's lots of real emotion here, for me. And the SF aspects and future look, at least in ep1, are well done, for me. I don't know how to answer the question of whether it's "genre-busting" or not. Maybe the mix of shoujo-ai with the SF genre of person-with-special-powers-hunted-down makes it a genre-buster? If you think it's slice-of-life, too, then for sure it mixes genres, but I didn't see it that way. I often find people describing shows as slice-of-life when I feel there is a lot of action, but mainly interior emotional things going on. And the OST is one I play pretty often. EDIT: I just watched the dub of ep1, and although it was fairly awful, as far as I'm concerned, the show was still entertaining. If I didn't know any better, I guess it would be okay. Anything to get such a good story out to people. But I found the acting hackneyed and poor, formulaic in a way the Japanese isn't quite. Japanese anime acting does follow certain styles, but somehow gives more presence, to me. Maybe because it's a foreign language, I don't know. But the characters seemed to be Americanized into the kind of stereotypes you might only see and hear in bad TV movies. It seemed really like a cartoon, rather than an animated drama. EDIT2: Oh, gosh. I just watched a couple of ep2 in Japanese, and it's like night and day. Kurau is like a totally different person in English, much grosser. The fine feelings of a kind of sad happiness that Kawasumi Ayako can project are just not there at all. I don't watch dubs. Compared to other dubs, is this one bad, or just normal? I watched a couple of minutes of the Eureka7 dub that around and just gagged, but heard that it was not that good. __________________ YUUKI Aoi 悠木碧. b92.03.27 (age 29). 2008 Kurenai (Murasaki). 2009 Yumeiro Pâtissière (Ichigo), Kiruminzuu (Riko), Yutori-chan (Yutori-chan). 2010 Vampire Bund (Mina Tepeş), Shiki (Sunako), Samurai Girls (Juubee), Pokémon: Black and White (Iris). 2011 Madoka Magica (Madoka), Gosick (Victorique), A-Channel (Tooru). 2012 Symphogear (Hibiki). 2014 Pilot's Love Song (Claire/Nina), Nanatsu no Taizai (Diane). 2015 Owari no Seraph (Krul Tepes), Rokka no Yuusha (Fremy). 2016 Boku no Hero Academia (Tsuyu, Froppy). 2017 Kino no Tabi (Kino). 2021 Kumo desu ga (watashi), Kaizoku Oujo (Karin), Heike Monogatari (Biwa), etc., etc. Total of 513 roles in anime and games. Last edited by Kaoru Chujo; 2007-03-28 at 21:41.

2007-03-28, 20:22	Link #189
Prince of Chronics One Piece fan Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Toronto, Canada	I remember the licensing announcement for this show happening just after (like the same day) the first episode got released via fansubs.. that's a pretty long time ago Anyways.. like most people, I felt the first episode was pretty good and entertaining.. but as I saw more episodes, I started to find the show really dull and boring.. perhaps, I should have watched more than 9 episodes.. but yeah, that's my view on Kurau. __________________ MyAnimeList page

2007-03-29, 10:48	Link #190
chrno Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: NJ Age: 54	Seems you understood how I felt too 'Kaoru Chujo'. But you're right, in order to reach a wider audience "dub" is the way to go. I used to be one sided about that, but sort of accepted it. Only us "hardcore" won't except anything less. Hahaha! :lol: But for me I just can't get into many dubs. I'm really not that biased, because I will watch some dubs when I have no choice. But I've spent many years watching anime "raw", fansubbed and subtitled. So I'm used to it. I guess because it's in a foreign language could be why. Being an English speaker anyway, I'm really not interested in hearing foreign features in English. I guess I'd prefer it that way. But then again this brings me back to those arguments about sub or dub. That it's just a feature. Like anything else the product itself is "universal" the only thing that changes is the track. But it always seem that when it comes to anime being dubbed you either like it or hate it. Or look at it as a big joke. But when it comes to regular shows made for an English speaking audience there's no problem. Ah who knows. But enough about that. That's a whole different "horse". But yeah, I didn't like 'Kurau's voice. And I'm really afraid to hear the sister's voice. Considering that I've heard people complaining about her Japanese counterpart, because she sounded too squeaky or "shrill". I've heard worst. I'm really glad that this series has FINALLY gotten released. Gee, took forever! I'll forgive you this time 'ADVfilms'. I guess the only reason I was thinking like "slice-of-life" because of the drama. But maybe that might not be right. But somehow someone will toss it in "shoujo-ai". The closest feature that this relates to is *'Figure 17'. They're not identical in story, but they have similar elements. Oh well. Can't wait to start picking this baby up. __________________ Currently watching* - 'Kill la Kill' "I'm afraid 400 years won't cover me."

2007-03-29, 16:42	Link #191
DangerMouse Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006	I've been waiting for too long to own this. I can't wait to be able to pick up volume 1.

2007-04-02, 12:19	Link #192
darkchibi07 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Age: 39	You know what the kicker is? The Japanese producers actually CHOSE Monica Rial to play Kurau for the English dub. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/monica...s/message/8674 Of course there are rare moments where the Japanese does get involve with the English dub.

2007-04-07, 00:48	Link #193
negativeone Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: GTA Canada Age: 32	OMFG i can't believe is over cries i just finished watching all 24 episodes and i loved every single one of them, i am just speechless the only thing i can say is WOW. it was the most heartwarming story. after watching each episode i felt like telling my family that i love them and that i want to protected them no matter what, and i felt this funny feeling in my stomach. this is an anime i would like to own for sure so i can show it to my children. this anime is just brilliant and wonderful and it changed the way i am, i have never been touched by anything like i was moved by this anime it was just an excelent series, i wonder if i would find something like this again... serously i can believe im saying this things i guess i'm really emotional lol i want to see more cries

2007-04-11, 13:07	Link #194
cmage Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Kansas Age: 36	I got the first DVD yesterday and promptly watched all of it. It's wonderful! It made me feel warm inside~ Seems to me like this show is about the bonds between characters, with action thrown in to keep it interesting. I certainly hope it keeps this up, because so far I love it to pieces. It might be my favorite Bones show so far based on those four episodes, which is saying a lot. I also love the music. I need to download the OST, but I've been listening to the OP and ED a lot. So calming...~

2007-08-24, 21:40	Link #196
Fighter Volk Thanks sakurabatou @ LJ Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: NYC	I just finished the series (I've had it on fansub for ages) today, and it was kinda shocking to reach the end (following the comments on this thread from those who followed the raws) and see just two or three disparaging comments about the ending and that's it. Even Yebyosh didn't comment... poor unappreciated series! I loved it myself, and I was content with the ending - I guess I was enjoying the series for different reasons than everyone else, as I thought a lot of it was really good. Everyone agrees that the early episodes were heartwarming and quite beautiful - I feel the same - and though yes, there were moments that the story got too repetitive or dragged a bit, there were many more that I found totally awesome. One of my favorite episodes is still the early one in which Kurau goes to that factory and it starts raining as she realizes she's surrounded by GPO troops, then with her escape and return to Christmas... Then the moon base infilitartion part was stellar, too. I really got into it by the end, and couldn't stop watching once the Yvone arc started (I think I watched 14-24 all today). The ending was wonderful, too. I honestly think BONES did a great job here (and I guess this is appropriate seeing as I was actually the one who started this thread!). Too bad so few people agree with me.

2007-08-25, 03:54	Link #197
wao OK. Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: The Fields of High Attus Age: 34	Well, after like 2 years or something I finally got around to watching this again, and currently I'm at episode 11. Is the rest worth watching? Does it get kinda draggy after this or am I already in the draggy part? I have to say that for me it's personally the Kurau-flying-around-and-being-cool bits that I like the most. I did like the feeling of the first few episodes but it's gotten kinda dragged down after that... But I do want to see what happens in the end. So without spoiling me could anyone make some sort of guess as to whether someone like me could enjoy the final episodes? I kinda hope Christmas grows up a bit too. I don't know if I suck for liking Kurau more before Christmas came or what... but my favourite character now is probably Dag just because he's such a good guy. EDIT: Never mind, I watched it till the end anyway. Gee, I dunno what to think. It was not that bad really. It wasn't bad enough that I had to stop watching it or cringed or anything... but nothing about it really inspired me in any way. Except the character designs, I admit I really do love the way everyone's drawn, it reminds me of Wings of Rean and Planetes... Still. A lot of the characters seemed just like they were acting out what is written in a script and somehow didn't feel very close to my heart - but that might just be me, I dunno - still, while I can live with it with some other shows, for a show that revolves around the very feelings of being human and of loving and protecting others I have to admit I came off with a big "so what?" at the end of it. At one point of time I was just getting tired of everyone saying the same thing over and over again without coming off as convincing enough for me... ...but I'll repeat myself (ironically) - maybe it's just me. __________________ Thanks for the fish Last edited by wao; 2007-08-25 at 09:32.

2007-08-25, 10:21	Link #198
Fighter Volk Thanks sakurabatou @ LJ Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: NYC	Perhaps I should put these musings in spoiler tags. I've been away from these forums so long that I forgot they existed. Spoiler: I agree that repetitiveness (is that a word?) is the worst thing about the series. It's also true, unfortunately, that Christmas never grows up as a character. Furthermore, I can't help agreeing that even in the end the show never quite drops the "peaceful situation --> Kurau+Christmas encounter enemy ---> there are a few explosions --> Kurau+Christmas save the day" formula, but especially at the end I really felt there was so much more to keep me going. I loved Ayaka's and especially Wong's betrayal of the GPO, and indeed the way the GPO story was concluded, with Bindt geting his merciless revenge just after Saitou was subdued by Wong. Actually, I just really really liked the twins :P And though the series also never figured out how much of an action series it was versus a family drama one, that didn't bother me from being really content with the ending. The only thing I was angry about is that it wasn't Doug who Ayaka married. And the conversation between Wong and Ayaka was pathetically emotionless, but that's okay too as I think the culmination of their relationship was when Wong invited Ayaka to hear his story before he freed Kurau anyway. Wao is right in saying that it is a show that "revolves around the very feelings of being human and loving and protecting others," so I guess the reason I ended up liking it so much is because I really liked the side-characters and got really engaged in the final plot conflicts. It was hard to bring myself to care about Kurau and Christmas's 102,814th separation and reunion in episode 23, but even so, but 24 did make me really sad at times - and subsequently happy at the end. Maybe I'm just at a stage in life in which it's really easy for me to be moved emotionally, or something. Who knows, haha...

2007-08-25, 20:41	Link #199
wao OK. Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: The Fields of High Attus Age: 34	Oh yeah, I ahve to say that Spoiler: the plotline with Wong, Ayaka and the GPO was something I sort of liked. Okay, so what if Ayaka seems like the usual overly-zealous female elite who learns the shocking truth and begins mellowing - I think it was done well enough here. And although I really would have liked to see more of Wong's feelings and stuff, I guess it's possible he is your extremely regular guy who just happens to be on the right side and knows how to do what he should... I like how he really did seem like a bad guy by hiding everything but it was really a (decent) decision so that he could get what needed to be done asap. I do think they could have done a bit more on Saitou too, because he seemed generally kinda flat to me, but you have no idea how glad I was when he finally kicked the bucket. I was pretty much cheering Bindt on and saying "screw Ayaka and Wong - just DO IT already!". Uh, yeah. Yeah, so wth, I like all the side-characters more than the main ones. I do wish it was Doug and Ayaka who got married too, though! I suppose it's a case where they've gone through that much that they'd rather keep it the way it is than change the balance by going further. And it's not even Wong and Ayaka... but I guess that would've been "worse". __________________ Thanks for the fish

2007-09-08, 21:17	Link #200
Proto Knowledge is the solution Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: St. Louis, MO Age: 39	Really? Spoiler for personal opinions: Personally, while the characters design weren't that great by themselves, their inter-relationships were quite well portrayed, and while Kurau's and Christmas characters by themselves were static for the most part of the show, the chemistry they showed throughtout the show among themselves and with the rest of the cast was pretty well portrayed. It's a curious combination, I think one of the firsts I've seen, with bad character development yet good character relationships. Overall the story was pretty entertaining tome, even if it was a little repetitive, possibliy because of the charecters themselves. Again, their chemistry was quite good To be thrutful, the ending was a bit of a schocker to me as well, since it is the first ending I've ever seen where I can't decide wheter to hate or love it. True, it has Bone's masterful touch of screwing every ending they touch (FMA, RahXephon, Wolf's Rain, Scrapped Princess...), however, the continious theme of longing for an identity, for a complement, for exploring still managed to touch me. Not to the level that Figure 17, my 2nd favorite show managed to do, but nonetheless it is a good simile I don't want to say it is a bad ending though. I think the main problem was the buildup to it, as the last episodes were a little rushed compared to the rest of the series. And for me to keep pondering about it means that it is a good, non forgetable ending. Possibly one of the very few BONES managed to not totally screw up. Overall I quite liked it. Maybe enough for it to slip somewhere in my Top 20