Anime

[ibanezmonster]

I have to say something about Yuyu Hakusho: the first few episodes are simply a must-watch. Some of the best storytelling ever. It goes from heartbreakingly sad to hilarious at a moment's notice, all done effectively.

Years ago, I had volume one of the manga which covered the first few episodes (with additional short stories) and I had also seen the last over 10 or so episodes of the show and a few random episodes throughout. It's also the rare anime that is great dubbed (subbed is actually hard to find online).

I know the quality of the beginning of the show doesn't last because it gets settled more into an action-oriented shounen. Regardless, I can tell this show is easily going to end up a 9/10 for me...

[ibanezmonster]

I have to share this scene from Yuyu Hakusho. This is just the most brutal, metal thing ever.

https://www.youtube.com/v/7cYTTC4YorM

[Sergeant Rock]

I have to share this scene from Yuyu Hakusho. This is just the most brutal, metal thing ever.

Nah, this scene from Girls und Panzer beats it in the heavy metal department 

https://www.youtube.com/v/yNtkIzNthb0


Sarge

[ibanezmonster]

Heavy... metal... well, literally. 

That's exactly the type of show my friend is baffled by. "That tank is sooooooo kawaii!"

[ibanezmonster]

Just finished episode 64 since now I'm totally addicted to this show and am staying up later than planned.

That fight between Yuusuke and Toguro is easily the most intense thing I've ever watched.

Here's a little image of Toguro at full power:

[ibanezmonster]

Finished all 112 episodes of Yu Yu Hakusho.

Well, let's just say that might actually be in my top 5 favorite anime now. Probably the only thing about the entire show that wasn't amazing was the last ten or so episodes.

All of the characters, villains, storylines, etc. are just so well done. Compare the characters of Yu Yu Hakusho to say, Fairy Tail, and there's just such a profound difference in depth. The whole cast and all of the villains are so unforgettable. There were two main villains, and the first one leaves you questioning whether he was even bad to begin with.

The English voice acting was completely superb for the main cast. I never even had to urge to seek out the original Japanese audio for the whole show since I couldn't imagine it being any better. So glad I chose to watch this show in its entirety from beginning to end, despite having seen so much already over a decade ago. Classic shows like these may show their age, but they'll never lose their greatness.

Sometime this year I'll watch Hunter x Hunter (2011), a supposedly even better adaption of Hunter x Hunter, which is Yoshihiro Togashi's other magnum opus besides YYH. (It's #3 on MAL). I saw the original and really liked it, though don't remember much of it since it's been like 6 years. Will wait a bit to watch it, since it's 148 episodes, and I'm exhausted after these 112 episodes...

[ibanezmonster]

Halfway through Dragonball. Loving it- absolutely hilarious and the world has such of a unique feel to it.

Going to continue to Dragonball Z, which will be the longest show I've ever watched, at 291 episodes.  I've only seen maybe 3 or so random episodes at friends' houses around 13 years ago. Gonna take forever...

[Corey]

God I love DBZ, though I'm usually making fun of it just as often as I am really into it whenever I watch it. I started watching Kai this summer and got to the Android saga but stopped there. I've never seen the entire Cell Saga or the Buu Saga so maybe I should start again.

Lately I've been watching a lot of classic anime that I missed out on when I was younger (or saw only in dubbed form): Sailor Moon (the original series, about 25 episodes in), Cowboy Bebop (a little over halfway through), Kill la Kill (about 6 eps in; super awesome!)

Last summer I watched all of Neon Genesis Evangelion, which I think might be my favorite anime (including the movies as part of the series). I watched all of Attack on Titan this past December and really loved it.

Series I want to watch next: Space Dandy, Gurren Lagaan, Sword Art Online, Revolutionary Girl Utena, Macross Plus, Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone complex... so many others. Always open for suggestions!

[ibanezmonster]

God I love DBZ, though I'm usually making fun of it just as often as I am really into it whenever I watch it. I started watching Kai this summer and got to the Android saga but stopped there. I've never seen the entire Cell Saga or the Buu Saga so maybe I should start again.

Lately I've been watching a lot of classic anime that I missed out on when I was younger (or saw only in dubbed form): Sailor Moon (the original series, about 25 episodes in), Cowboy Bebop (a little over halfway through), Kill la Kill (about 6 eps in; super awesome!)

Last summer I watched all of Neon Genesis Evangelion, which I think might be my favorite anime (including the movies as part of the series). I watched all of Attack on Titan this past December and really loved it.

Series I want to watch next: Space Dandy, Gurren Lagaan, Sword Art Online, Revolutionary Girl Utena, Macross Plus, Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone complex... so many others. Always open for suggestions!

Space Dandy is a really fun, imaginative show that's not serious at all. SAO I liked the first half, but thought the second half was unnecessary and haven't watched the sequel. Kill la Kill I can't wait to watch. Attack on Titan is one of my favorites. Interesting to see someone with Evangelion as their favorite anime!

[Jaakko Keskinen]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHyzxD9yzvk

no. 1 is poppycock. I like Pokemon's english dub opening just fine but original japanese blows it out of water:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbrbpqs11gw

Btw, top3 just happened to be from shows that I watch And I love intros of those 3. Although, as I said, japanese pokemon beats english.

[ibanezmonster]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHyzxD9yzvk

no. 1 is poppycock. I like Pokemon's english dub opening just fine but original japanese blows it out of water:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbrbpqs11gw

Btw, top3 just happened to be from shows that I watch And I love intros of those 3. Although, as I said, japanese pokemon beats english.

Lol. Well... the only ones I liked were the Pokemon (English), Digimon, and Yuyu Hakusho themes. Checked out the DBZ theme and not bad for something so minimal. In general, I don't even give anime themes a first chance and skip over them since IMO 90% of them are stupid. I guess when it comes to the Pokemon theme, it brings back strong feelings about it being the thing I'd look forward to all week and seeing it was so exciting every time.

[Corey]

Just finished Serial Experiments: Lain -- like the end of Evangelion, left with more questions than answers. Such a beautiful and haunting show.

[ibanezmonster]

Ah... okay...

"kitsune"- I think I might know who you are now... 

Not sure how it took you several years to finish Lain, but whatever. 

Finishing Dragonball tonight- 4 episodes left (seemingly all filler), and will transition on to Dragonball Z. I definitely like Dragonball, though it isn't quite as good as the true king of the shounen genre, Yu Yu Hakusho. What I like about Dragonball is something that I probably won't find in DBZ: the comedy. Goku had me laughing uncontrollably at times as a kid, being so naive and for example, unable to distinguish the difference between males and females. In DBZ, I expect to see intense battles, though not sure what else to expect besides that.

I almost bought this at the mall today:

[ibanezmonster]

Just finished Serial Experiments: Lain -- like the end of Evangelion, left with more questions than answers. Such a beautiful and haunting show.

Did I ever mention "From the New World" (Shinsekai Yori) to you? It's an anime I watched sometime last year, 3rd favorite of all time, and seems like something you'd really like.

[Corey]

I don't think so, but will definitely look it up!

[Corey]

Jojo's Bizarre Adventure (2012)

The first season -- this show is so dumb but I can't stop watching for some reason. There's a character named R.E.O. Speedwagon and the ending theme is "Roundabout" by Yes.

This fight is pretty hilarious and awesome:

https://www.youtube.com/v/kt2O_bAVuoA

[Corey]

14 episodes into Steins;Gate -- wasn't sure about this series at first, the limited setting and repetitious nature was reminding me too much of Death Note and Okabe/Hououin's Mad Professor grandstanding was starting to wear thing, but the last episode was such a shock in terms of the shift in tone -- wow, did not expect that at all (I assume the only person reading this, Greg, knows what I mean).

An aside: why does Daru sound like he is actually mentally handicapped? Is it just a cartoonish exaggeration of the otaku-type (which get a lot of shit from Japanese media in general) or are there people who actually talk like that? (NB I am watching with the Japanese audio and English subs(

[Corey]

I promise eventually I will get to shows that have ended within the last year, there's just so much for me to catch up on and the anime world (apart from the big obvious series) is still relatively new to me.

[Moonfish]

I have been watching Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic with my kids and we definitely had a great time doing so!   
Great anime with an interesting and immersive storyline! [Available on Netflix]
We are moving on to Magi: The Kingdom of Magic!

[Corey]

I have been watching Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic with my kids and we definitely had a great time doing so!   
Great anime with an interesting and immersive storyline! [Available on Netflix]
We are moving on to Magi: The Kingdom of Magic!

That's awesome that you get to do that with your kids. I'm biased of course, but honestly almost no American shows aimed at children (except for Adventure Time and a few others) airing now have anywhere near the level of imagination and willingness to take risks that so many anime do. I think that children raised on anime (and maybe eventually manga) would exhibit less of the ADD tendencies and non-literacy that you see in younger kids nowadays (although certain anime might make it worse, haha).