[Official] Anime/Manga Thread

[deletedxyz]

I just finished watching Mezzo Forte. Unlike Kite, Mezzo forte is a two episode anime OVA that gained a very controversial status for its explicit sexual content. It doesn't require any intelligence to watch and has absolutely no character depth. It cannot be considered a hentai since sex is not a theme the anime explores. It doesn't hold up to the slightly interesting anime OVA, Kite, which is also a very explicit, made by by the same production company (Green Bunny).

It can be summed up with the following terms: Irrelevant, unnecessary sex, comedy, detective agency, psychic girl, classic 90's animation.

5/10 (There's nothing original or interesting about this anime.)

http://myanimelist.net/anime/221/Mezzo_Forte

[Azusa]

So anyone else seen that dumb loli Beckii Cruel?

[RadishTM Veteran]

So anyone else seen that dumb loli Beckii Cruel?

I was hoping it wouldn't be brought up. So .... not your thing then? :rofl:

Finished Eve no Jikan yesterday, a sci-fi masterpiece :happy:

Radish?

[Azusa]

I was hoping it wouldn't be brought up. So .... not your thing then:rofl:l:

Finished Eve no Jikan yesterday, a sci-fi masterpiec:happy:y:

Radish?

She brings much shame upon the empire.

[sanctified Veteran]

I would also like to add Kimi ga Nozomu Eien into the mix.

I would like to get into an actual psychological debate with you about this series. Because honestly, not only your are over generalizing, you are misjudging one of the best animes ever made.

[deletedxyz]

I would like to get into an actual psychological debate with you about this series. Because honestly, not only your are over generalizing, you are misjudging one of the best animes ever made.

Fire away. In what way do you think that this anime has the qualities to be compared to masterpieces such as Cowboy Bebop, Ghost in the Shell and others? Are there original characters or plot that make it an outstanding anime? What are the philosophical issues that are controversial that makes this stand apart from the rest in the anime genre?

[RadishTM Veteran]

She brings much shame upon the empire.

No DVD purchase for you then :p

Radish?

[Azusa]

No DVD purchase for you the:p:p

Radish?

She has a DVD out now?

[RadishTM Veteran]

She has a DVD out now?

*Facepalm* :pinch:

Radish?

[Azusa]

*Facepalm*[/url:pinch:h:

Radish?

it seems to be worse that i originally thought.

[deletedxyz]

I tried to watch Ray The Animation today and had to drop it because of how absurd the anime is. I was interested in it because it is a spin-off of Black Jack (one of my favorite characters) but was quite shocked by how terrible the spin-off is.

http://myanimelist.net/anime/919/RAY_The_Animation

Terms to sum it up: Ecchi, Ecchi, Ecchi, Psychic doctor, medical mystery.

Here are two screencaps to sum up the anime:

Without mask:

With mask:

[sanctified Veteran]

Fire away. In what way do you think that this anime has the qualities to be compared to masterpieces such as Cowboy Bebop, Ghost in the Shell and others? Are there original characters or plot that make it an outstanding anime? What are the philosophical issues that are controversial that makes this stand apart from the rest in the anime genre?

First off. Cowboy Bebop a masterpiece? Ok, we can talk about that any other time.

About the anime. You said it was exaggerated, however the plot was written (Not only for the game) not only by script writers but also they were aided by psychologists in order to build a realistic scenario of PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder). The points you listed as negative about the main character, Narumi (His personality, his job, etc) are believable traits of someone with this condition. The result of this is that Kimi Ga... is sometimes used as a didactic tool in various psychology degrees around the world, including Tokyo, Germany, Mexico and Canada (Interesting enough in these countries Visual Anthropology also has expanded beyond its initial intention).

The character development is nothing short to amazing, with believable psyche traits and all of them are well resolved in the end. You could say this point it's purely subjective, however there are even philosophical guidelines used as a tool to evaluate a plot or a plot element development: Aristotele's Theory of Tragedy is a great example. There are really no plot holes found in Kimi Ga... every situation is well backed up, mainly by psychology however sometimes Kimi Ga... goes as far as implementing postmodernist ideas in the dialogue.

The plot for you could not be very original. However you are looking at it with occidental eyes. The plot questions the concept and value of memories and how they are handled in such oriental culture. Memories in a cultural level, is sacred for japanese, again, postmodernism (Something that Evangelion also does, in a more complex and deep way, however almost no one praise it for that). Have you heard the expression "Summer memories"? Do you know why those are son treasured by the japanese?

Of course, it seems that a paranormal, sci-fi, cyberpunk, mechas, you name it, anime will be always more popluar. And that is why I love animes such as Kimi Ga... or Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 so much. They avoid the easy and very well traveled path of classic anime and try to replicate reality. Not all of them success of course, Hideaki Anno's Karekano fails miserably in its attempt to question another one of the japanese sacred cultural elements (Success at all cost since the beginning of life). However I dont only think Kimi Ga.. success, but also is an overwhelming example of well written characters and believable plot. Watching the series with an open and alert mind will let you to enjoy it as it deserves.

Edited October 29, 2009 by sanctified

[sanctified Veteran]

BTW, Cowboy Bebop? Really? :p I will watch it again, in all honestly I disliked it a lot the first time I watched it but that was four years ago.

[deletedxyz]

...

Don't get personal. Summer memories aren't exclusively Japanese. Nothing in that anime series is exclusively Japanese.

The boy is actually more frustrating to follow than Shinji in the last few episodes of NGE. All he does is mope around and cry and try fill in his insecurities while contributing nothing to society. I find it hard to believe that I should take a second look at this anime because it had actual PTSD research. I might as well say that Gundam SEED and NGE is a good basis for psychological case studies then considering how much crying and psychological issues the protagonists have. :p

KGNE is a soap in my eyes; nothing more, nothing less. It concentrates on romantic relationships and useless character introspection when there was absolutely close to no exploration of the characters' past (childhood, high school backgrounds) to speak off. It fast forwarded several years in a span of a few episodes without even setting up an intimate relationship between the two girls and one guy. If this was a case study of PTSD, wouldn't the producers have thought to show all of the character's traits from high school all the way up to his late 20's in the span of fourteen episodes?

When I think about it deeply, I most probably detest this show because I'm actually better than the protagonist. I feel more confident, more emotionally and physically stable than this guy. To see a popular high school student lock himself and fail out because he simply thinks he's the cause of an accident is the funniest thing since it completed failed to suspend my disbelief.

I'm not rating this anime low because of my simple dislike of harem. It's my dislike of how the producers executed the whole series. If they wanted to focus on Takayuki, then they should have followed him all the through by showing his disconnection from friends, family and society rather than just jump around and play silly dances with hints of sex and romance. Its failure to do so and the producers' final product makes it no better than a soap opera pandering for the audience's sympathy and tears. It's a sad thing when art is reduced to become an onion so that the person handling it cries without being able to stop.

What's worse is that the producers then decided to milk this cow by offering an alternate ending to pander to the "other side" of their audience... X_X

Note: I consider Cowboy Bebop a masterpiece because of the artwork and style and its easy accessibility, not for its plot. It's a fantastic example to show off anime even to people who don't find the genre of anime appealing. Who doesn't like a James Bond character?

[RadishTM Veteran]

Kimi ni Todoke ep. 4 was a little sad. :(

Yeah, I hope everyone gets back together :(

Radish?

[sanctified Veteran]

Don't get personal. Summer memories aren't exclusively Japanese. Nothing in that anime series is exclusively Japanese.

No they are not, but the way the japanese addresses these cultural elements are unique.

The boy is actually more frustrating to follow than Shinji in the last few episodes of NGE. All he does is mope around and cry and try fill in his insecurities while contributing nothing to society.

That's quite a moral way to judge a character. In fact that is not objective at all.

When I think about it deeply, I most probably detest this show because I'm actually better than the protagonist. I feel more confident, more emotionally and physically stable than this guy.

So you only have aesthetics experiences than reflect yourself? :unsure:

Who doesn't like a James Bond character?

I don't :p honestly

Seems we can agree to disagree pal, I think we will just do circles from here hehe :)

BTW: Kimi Ga... is everything but harem anime.

Another BTW: You will really hate the Evangelion manga ending then... and the supposed new ending for the rebuilds.

[Azusa]

So is the next discussion topic going to be Bible Black or Buko no Pico?

[jonhapimp]

Another BTW: You will really hate the Evangelion manga ending then... and the supposed new ending for the rebuilds.

isn't the same exact ending of the end of evangelion

[sanctified Veteran]

So is the next discussion topic going to be Bible Black or Buko no Pico?

I didn't know about Boku no Pico so I googled about it... now I regret I did :no:

isn't the same exact ending of the end of evangelion

Nah, not at all, specially on Gendo's part.

[Azusa]

I didn't know about Boku no Pico so I googled about it... now I regret I did :no:

Nah, not at all, specially on Gendo's part.

:rofl: but it was a fun little show with philosophy in strange places.

[sanctified Veteran]

:rofl: but it was a fun little show with philosophy in strange places.

What intrigues me is... how did you know about that series? :huh: :blink:

[Azusa]

What intrigues me is... how did you know about that series? :huh: :blink:

i found out about it from a few threads on a certain channel.

[sanctified Veteran]

i found out about it from a few threads on a certain channel.

Certain channel with a 4 in its name?

[deletedxyz]

I like Neon Genesis Evangelion except the random Christianity-in-your-face parts and complete drug trip of a final episode.

@Sanctified

I just made inflammatory comments about KGNE being a harem because it just infuriates me that I spent my time watching 14 episodes of a guy whine. That's all. It was one of the first psychological romance anime series I watched. It felt like I was swallowing bitter antibiotics. It's really an arduous task for me to bear watching emotionally weak characters.

Yes, I find it very irritating when a male protagonist is not better than me. For example, Shinji (NGE) is an extremely messed up kid with mental issues but he was emotionally strong (in one way) to become the pilot of the strongest EVA. I also dislike anime that have extremely metrosexual guys such as Code Geass and Gundam SEED. They are so feminine that I cannot stand seeing them pose in awkward hip-to-the-side stances while proclaiming to defeat their enemies.

Note: I dodnt find any problem relating to the cultural themes in KGNE (which is also depicted in a billion other anime with crickets chirping). Don't assume that I'm a complete gaijin. ;)

Edited October 29, 2009 by maskedforever

[Azusa]

and a "not" before the "four" also look up Pigeon Blood.