retardation's periodic pleas for help

[mdauben]

Here's a few comments on some of what you listed. Take them for what they are worth.

Originally Posted by retardation

1. busou renkin

I watched the first couple of episodes of this, and it struck me as a very blatant copy of Bleach. A guy named Muto (Ichigo) meets a girl named Tsumura (Rukia) who hunts homunculus (hollows). She gives him a kakugane (Soul Reaper power) which allows him to manefest a really big sword or buso renkin (zahnpacto) with which he helps her fight homunculus (hollows). I didn't bother to watch the whole thing.

2. kanon 2006

I would ignore the whole "cousin/cousin thing" if I were you. Anime if full of it for the very good reason that in Japan (or most places except the US) its not considered the least bit weird or wrong for cousins to date or even get married. That said, Kanon 2006 is a very good series, with mystery, romance, tragedy, comedy, and a little action. It can be very emotional at times, however, so be prepared for that. I thought Kanon was much better than Air, with better characters and a less confusing plot. I would certainly recomend it.

3. kino's journey

I have not seen this yet, so I can't say anything other than it looks interesting and I do want to watch it myself.

4. tsubasa chronicle

Another one on my "watch some day" list, mainly becuase of the CCS connection as I have not watched or read xxxHolic yet.

5. jungle wa itsumo hale nochi

Don't know anything about this one.

6. gokusen

I though this was pretty good, not "top 10" good but definetly worth watching. It is a "teacher" show like GTO so it's going to share some common concepts, but its different in its own way. Besides, anything with yakuza has to be good, right?

i hear there's an annoying talking dog or something...

He does not really "talk" to the other characters, he just kind of provides a voice over comentary in some scenes. I admit he was probably the weak point of the whole show.

Hope that helps!

[Skyfall]

Originally Posted by retardation

yeah that worked out pretty well last time. you may see a few more of these types of threads out of me.

1. busou renkin

reading the short description for this series and looking at the poster, it looks something like bleach and fma but i dunno. i do like a good action series but i am going to be fairly turned off if it's just a regular high school action type affair. like i'd only want to look at if it's really good or there's something that sets it apart. every day japanese high school student and gets mysterious powers and fights some monsters type stories... i've had enough of them... well unless it's ultraviolent with blood and gore everywhere. if that's the case then sign me up.

It indeed has a Bleach-like feeling to it, and it is a somewhat "regular high school super power bit". That said, the series ended up quite enjoyable, and i would definitely rank it above Bleach. The story is quite good, and the romance part is satisfying and actually goes somewhere. While nothing spectacular, it is a pretty decent shounen piece.

2. kanon 2006

this seems rather popular on this board. i saw one episode of the original kanon only. i thought it was gonna be a cousin/cousin thing so i tried to drop it but someone informed me that that's not the case. anyway, i feel like i ought to watch this just because everyone has seen it. i did see air and thought it was just ok.

It is popular, and i would say for a very good reason. For the cousin/cousin thing (spoilers ahead)

Spoiler:

It won't happen

... not like there is anything wrong with it in the first place That aside- the story is good and solid, the artwork is beautiful and we have a decent male lead. You should definitely check this out - it is not a title to miss.

4. tsubasa chronicle

well i do like fantasy. i like it more if the characters are actually well developed. i've seen two other clamp series, angelic layer and xxxholic. i loved xxxholic and thought angelic layer was kinda weak (though i do find that main character to be adorable). i actually have this series too but i haven't been motivated to watch it since it's so long and stuff.

It is a decent show, but nothing beyond that. The second season is pretty much a failure near the end, and the story is not concluded by any stretch of imagination, and loads of questions are left unanswered. The music is quite excellent though. Consists of episodic stories, each story lasting ~ 3 episodes. (But they are different enough to be interesting). Worth a watch, but don't be in a rush - there is better stuff out there.

If you want a good fantasy/adventure/romance, i would say go for Erementar Gerad - good set of characters, interesting storyline and a good closure. Ranks quite highly on my list.

Haven't seen the rest.

[retardation]

i'm quite aware that cousin romances are normal in japan and a lot of other places but i still don't want to look at them. i don't think there's anything wrong with it for the people involved but that kind of thing as a central plot element does not appeal to me. i'm just not interested in watching a cousin/cousin romance the same way i'm not interested in watching a gay romance.

if something like cousin relationships or gay relationships are in a show as some side plot i can still watch them (i really like elfen lied for example) but just watching a show where the main focus is an incest or gay relationship is not something i care to see.

[mdauben]

Originally Posted by retardation

just watching a show where the main focus is an incest or gay relationship is not something i care to see.

Well, all I can say is you better avoid Koi Kaze and Boku wa Imōto ni Koi o Suru, then!

But seriously, its not a "main focus" of Kanon by any means.

[SeijiSensei]

I'd venture to say Jungle wa Itsumo Hale noche Guu is one of the funniest things I've ever watched. Hale (age 10) lives with his dissolute mother Weda in a small jungle village populated by some very strange people. (The village chief is especially hilarious.) One day Weda discovers a girl named Guu who's about Hale's age and adopts her. Turns out Guu is not really just your ordinary cute, nice girl. Guu's voice actress, Watanabe Naoko, gives one of the finest comic performances I've ever heard. All you really need to know about Guu is this:



Watch the first three or four episodes. You'll know by then if you want to watch any more.

[andromeda0201]

1. busou renkin
Am currently watching it but did not see the extreme blood and gore you were anticipating


4. tsubasa chronicle

hmmm....I did think xxxholic was far superior to this, but thats because theres something a bit wrong with the pacing in the whole anime itself. The fantasy elements are pretty good but overall, the series is slow, worse of all was that it was toned down to bloodless, so you won't expect the impact it is supposed to give......you still might want to give it a try though


5. jungle wa itsumo hale nochi

No its hilarious, some of the most out-of-the world jokes can be found inside, don't skip this


6. gokusen

Not really a ripoff, the only thing in common is that it is a yakuza teacher in charge of a class of delinquents. Its a fun watch though

[xxanimefan4_ever]

only one I've seen is jungle wa itsumo hale nochi guu and I didn't like love hina either BTW (it's dumb)

that anime is hilarious, I guess it'll take maybe first 5 eps or so till you know you like it but it gets much funnier from there. this anime is just very crazy and twisted, it's very interesting and funny.

Oh and you should watch the opening on youtube or somewhere.

[capture]

Originally Posted by retardation

2. kanon 2006

this seems rather popular on this board. i saw one episode of the original kanon only. i thought it was gonna be a cousin/cousin thing so i tried to drop it but someone informed me that that's not the case. anyway, i feel like i ought to watch this just because everyone has seen it. i did see air and thought it was just ok.

..... they've almost said what I will say...

a good story w/ a nice char.development + some eye candy backgrounds and artworks and also some cute girls is a must IMO.....

Originally Posted by retardation

3. kino's journey

people recommended this to me. it seems episodic though... that means it'll have to be real good before i start liking it. i really don't know what it's about or anything. seems to revolve around some kid on a motorcycle according to the picture.

A very nice and good travelling anime w/ solid storyline I also recommended it...

Originally Posted by retardation

4. tsubasa chronicle

well i do like fantasy. i like it more if the characters are actually well developed. i've seen two other clamp series, angelic layer and xxxholic. i loved xxxholic and thought angelic layer was kinda weak (though i do find that main character to be adorable). i actually have this series too but i haven't been motivated to watch it since it's so long and stuff.

When I actually watch the 1st episode... I said hell this one so nice.... but as several episodes goes on.... just as Inujun said it became slow....

decent anime IMO....

[jedinat]

Originally Posted by retardation

1. busou renkin

I watched a few episodes, and while there wasn't really anything horribly wrong with it I just lost interest.

Originally Posted by retardation

2. kanon 2006

A nice anime. I couldn't stand the first Kanon which I dropped halfway through.

Originally Posted by retardation

3. kino's journey

One of my favorites.

Originally Posted by retardation

4. tsubasa chronicle

Couldn't get through the first episode

Originally Posted by retardation

5. jungle wa itsumo hale nochi

A great, absolutely hilarious must-see anime.

Originally Posted by retardation

6. gokusen

Skip the anime and read the manga.

[retardation]

whats you guys' view on sola?

my man skyfall says that that kanon (which i'm still in the process of obtaining) has a good male lead... and i was in that harem thread in gen chat seeing somebody saying he's better than your typical harem lead dude (which i'm excited about)... is this the case with sola as well? i hear sola and kanon have the same author.

[Theowne]

my man skyfall says that that kanon (which i'm still in the process of obtaining) has a good male lead

I suppose, there's some good humour to be had in some of his quips, and so he's a little more entertaining then some of the other harem anime.

Kind of moot since I think you're already decided on it, but I never really liked Kanon. I prefer romance anime where you can relate to both characters (or more if they are present) and they are both fully developed, with realistic thoughts, goals, reactions, etc. Kanon felt like a guy talking down to small children, and I just didn't find that compelling, I guess. Even in a series like Nodame Cantabile, I never got that kind of impression even though the female lead there also sometimes acts childish. Maybe I have to watch past the second half of Kanon for it to kick in.

[retardation]

well i don't tend to like hung up on a guy/one dimensional type characters that a lot of harem-ish series tend to have. i just assumed kyoto animation studio would have some more class than to put out characters like that.

if the girls are just subordinate in behavior though, i dunno. i don't have that much of a problem with that. i feel terrible saying that.

[Skyfall]

Originally Posted by retardation

whats you guys' view on sola?

my man skyfall says that that kanon (which i'm still in the process of obtaining) has a good male lead... and i was in that harem thread in gen chat seeing somebody saying he's better than your typical harem lead dude (which i'm excited about)... is this the case with sola as well? i hear sola and kanon have the same author.

Yuuichi is definitely above the vast majority of harem leads. (And calling Kanon harem is kinda stretching the term, but w/e ). For once you are not left scratching your head, wondering why the heck girls like the guy. Sarcasm is heavy in him, so it might seem like he is a bit mean, but overall i can guarantee he won't be similar to any "traditional" male lead.

As for Sola (which is a very weird love triangle at best )... the male lead there is more typical, but don't let that stop you. Sola is my no1 pick of this season. This show just doesn't cease to throw surprises at you. It isn't predictable by any means either - it has been a while since i have felt the excitement of not being able to predict what is going to happen. (Goes for the majority of other people as well). There are a total of 13 episodes, we are at 12 and i still have little idea what to expect from the ending... aside from the fact that i will be sad because the series is over

[retardation]

please give your opinions on the following:

1. eremanter gerade - seems like people bring this series up here. it seems like your standard shounen. is there anything about it that makes it stand out? i'm generally pretty easy on shounen series but i'd like there to be something different or special about it since it seems like a difficult acquisition. anything to make the series different will do, fight sequences, animation, plot that deviates from the norm, really unique characters...

2. noein - did i ask about this before? somebody told me to watch this. i know nothing about it. pretty much the same shounen issues apply with this. i just don't want to see the same ol. want something i can get into.

3. darker than black - i don't usually mess with current series but this looked kinda interesting to me but that just has me wondering why it's not getting more love on this site.

4. saiunkoku monogatari - is this the same kinda thing as 12 kingdoms or fushigi yugi? is this more of a statecraft thing or more of a personal thing? i imagine it's something like those chinese period soaps that i see on the multicultural channel. is there fighting in this? i don't need fighting or anything but i'm just curious? sex?

5. otogi zoshi - dunno where i'll find this anyway but the box cover does look pretty badass and the only two other production ig series i saw, blood + and xxxholic were very good.

6. pani poni dash - i'm looking for something fun for real but i dunno if i share the same tastes as a lot of you guys. i did like that jungle wa whatever show. that was good. good looks on that to the ppl who recommended it to me. i also dig school rumble and azumanga. however, lemme tell you guys, i cannot get with lucky star which seems to be the current comedy rage. this pani poni business seems like it's along the same lines.

i'll leave it that for now.

[jedinat]

Originally Posted by retardation

1. eremanter gerade - seems like people bring this series up here. it seems like your standard shounen. is there anything about it that makes it stand out? i'm generally pretty easy on shounen series but i'd like there to be something different or special about it since it seems like a difficult acquisition. anything to make the series different will do, fight sequences, animation, plot that deviates from the norm, really unique characters...

I thought it was rather mediocre, and even just skimmed through the last couple episodes.

Originally Posted by retardation

2. noein - did i ask about this before? somebody told me to watch this. i know nothing about it. pretty much the same shounen issues apply with this. i just don't want to see the same ol. want something i can get into.

I saw eight or so episodes but the story didn't really interest me (I don't like time travel, etc.)

Originally Posted by retardation

3. darker than black - i don't usually mess with current series but this looked kinda interesting to me but that just has me wondering why it's not getting more love on this site.

Only saw a couple eps, but I dunno, I just haven't gotten around to watching more.

Originally Posted by retardation

4. saiunkoku monogatari - is this the same kinda thing as 12 kingdoms or fushigi yugi? is this more of a statecraft thing or more of a personal thing? i imagine it's something like those chinese period soaps that i see on the multicultural channel. is there fighting in this? i don't need fighting or anything but i'm just curious? sex?

It's a little episodic, and centers around palace politics, etc... it's not a bad show, but I was a bit disappointed that there isn't much romance. I thought it was going to be one of those stories where the girl suddenly becomes queen, etc... but it wasn't. When I stopped watching the main focus of the show was the protagonist being the first woman to take the exams to become a state official (or w/e they're called)

Originally Posted by retardation

5. otogi zoshi - dunno where i'll find this anyway but the box cover does look pretty badass and the only two other production ig series i saw, blood + and xxxholic were very good.

The first half wasn't bad, but I stopped watching when the show switches to present day... didn't look interesting to me.

Originally Posted by retardation

6. pani poni dash - i'm looking for something fun for real but i dunno if i share the same tastes as a lot of you guys. i did like that jungle wa whatever show. that was good. good looks on that to the ppl who recommended it to me. i also dig school rumble and azumanga. however, lemme tell you guys, i cannot get with lucky star which seems to be the current comedy rage. this pani poni business seems like it's along the same lines.

I didn't think it was very funny and dropped it.

[Robotnik]

Originally Posted by retardation

6. pani poni dash - i'm looking for something fun for real but i dunno if i share the same tastes as a lot of you guys. i did like that jungle wa whatever show. that was good. good looks on that to the ppl who recommended it to me. i also dig school rumble and azumanga. however, lemme tell you guys, i cannot get with lucky star which seems to be the current comedy rage. this pani poni business seems like it's along the same lines.

No way. Paniponi Dash isn't like Lucky Star at all. PPD's humor is less otaku-centric and more random and fast-paced, filled with sight gags and outrageous situations, making it more like a *good* American funny cartoon, like the old Tex Avery ones or one of the early Ren & Stimpy episodes.

[mdauben]

Originally Posted by retardation

1. eremanter gerade - seems like people bring this series up here.

I see this title come up a lot in recomendations threads, and can never understand why. I thought that even for a shounen fighting series, it's was at best only average.

2. noein - did i ask about this before? somebody told me to watch this. i know nothing about it. pretty much the same shounen issues apply with this.

I've only seen the first couple episodes that the Scifi channel has shown, but it looks like it's got a lot more depth and a more interesting story that a "typical" shounen anime.

6. pani poni dash - i'm looking for something fun for real but i dunno if i share the same tastes as a lot of you guys.

I think there are a lot of genuinly funny bits in here, but there are also a lot of hard-core otaku in-jokes that even with the subbers side notes I didn't really "get". I also had to watch this one with my finger on the pause button, as I had to keep stopping it to read those notes in an attempt to understand what some bizzare shot was referencing. In comparision, I found Azmanga much more accessable and enjoyable, but if it does not bother you that you will not understand about half the joke, it's probably worth watching.

Sorry, I have not seen the other titles you mentioned.

[SeijiSensei]

Both Noein and Saiunkoku Monogatari are in my signature, so you can guess I'd be endorsing both shows.

I often agree with Jedinat's recommendations, but not in the case of Noein. It's one of my favorites because (1) many of the animated sequences are truly remarkable, especially for a television series; (2) the children seem pretty realistic for 12-year-olds, neither too sophisticated nor too naive; (3) there is an effort to create a scientific justification for the conflict between "timespaces" based on quantum theory (there are some excellent discussions of the science in the Noein thread, BTW); (4) the juxtaposition of ordinary life and sci-fi fantasy is really well done.

If you like science fiction and haven't watched Planetes, I'd recommend that as well. While the animation is more pedestrian than Noein's, the characters are well-developed, and the plot has a number of touching moments. If I had been programming the SciFi channel and asked to pick between these, I'd probably have given the nod to Planetes because it's more episodic, and thus more compatible with watching over the course of a TV season. Noein's story extends over the entire course of the show, so you need to commit to it.

As for SaiMono, it doesn't really resemble Junni Kokki except superficially in that they both concern a fantasy Asian land and have a female protagonist. Shurrei is strong-minded and willful from the outset, unlike Youko who grows into her character over the course of the show. I like many of the characters and enjoyed the portrayal of court politics. I'd say it's probably not quite as compelling as Junni Kokki, or possibly Seirei no Moribito with which it might also be compared. It has more romance than either of these shows, and a smaller dose of fantasy than either of them as well.

[retardation]

yeah i saw planetes already. that's gotta be in my top 3.

[4Tran]

Originally Posted by retardation

4. saiunkoku monogatari - is this the same kinda thing as 12 kingdoms or fushigi yugi? is this more of a statecraft thing or more of a personal thing? i imagine it's something like those chinese period soaps that i see on the multicultural channel. is there fighting in this? i don't need fighting or anything but i'm just curious? sex?

It's pretty much like those Chinese shows. Saiunkoku Monogatari is mostly concerned with palace politics in a China-that-never-was; while it does bear some resemblence to Twelve Kingdoms, the focus and tone are quite a bit different. In particular, the setting is nowhere nearly as ambitious. According to my recollection, it has a small amount of fights, but no sex. By the way, the music composer also composed the music for Twelve Kingdoms.

Originally Posted by retardation

5. otogi zoshi - dunno where i'll find this anyway but the box cover does look pretty badass and the only two other production ig series i saw, blood + and xxxholic were very good.

It's a decent show, but it's also quite different from Blood+ and Xxxholic. It's a show with two disparate halves. The first half is based on the same legend that Production IG's earlier Kai Doh Maru was based on - Minamoto no Raikou (even though they changed the genders for some of the characters). It's a pretty decent look at some classical Japanese stories. The second half is a thematic continuation of the first, but it now takes place in modern Tokyo. I think that it plays better to anyone who's been to Tokyo - just about all visitors would have taken the Yamanote line, and both it, and its stops play a major role in the story.

Originally Posted by retardation

6. pani poni dash - i'm looking for something fun for real but i dunno if i share the same tastes as a lot of you guys. i did like that jungle wa whatever show. that was good. good looks on that to the ppl who recommended it to me. i also dig school rumble and azumanga. however, lemme tell you guys, i cannot get with lucky star which seems to be the current comedy rage. this pani poni business seems like it's along the same lines.

while Pani Poni Dash and Lucky Star are somewhat different, their gags function pretty much the same way, and a fan of one is very likely to be the a of the other. Both shows are overly reliant on parodies and in-jokes for their humour, and I find the effect to be much less funny than they could be otherwise. Moreover, Pani Poni Dash also suffers somewhat from the Xanth syndrome. As mdauben said, both School Rumble and Azumanga Daioh are much more accessible than it.