Anime and Manga disscussion

[LegendZilla]

Very unsettling news regarding the author of Rurouni Kenshin : https://kotaku.com/rurouni-kenshin-crea ... 1820633519

First Bulma's voice passes and now this?!

[Gerdzerl]

Very unsettling news regarding the author of Rurouni Kenshin : https://kotaku.com/rurouni-kenshin-crea ... 1820633519

First Bulma's voice passes and now this?!

Oh my god, that's incredibly fucking horrifying. I hope he rots in hell for this shit.

[SUPERTOHOREMIX]

Well... Consider my interest in that series dashed :/.


Anywho -

I HAVE A MIGHTY NEED.

[Rody]

^Hmmm, might be a good time for me to get into this franchise. I'm not familiar with most of Go Nagai's work yet, but I have seen and liked some other stuff by this director.

With Blood Blockade Battlefront & Beyond currently airing, I decided to revisit the first season, as well as Kyousougiga, another show by the same director. Both titles are still loads of fun, exploding with energy and heart. Neither show slows down much, so following everything about the plot can be hard the first time through; but it's worth it for the sheer ride both shows are.
Now to catch up on Beyond...

In other catch-up news, I've started Girls' Last Tour and The Ancient Magus' Bride from this season, and am working my way up to current episodes. Girls' Last Tour is a curious title: a post-apocalyptic road tale that's surprisingly cute (if somewhat melancholy) and pleasantly reflective. It's a good program to relax to, for the most part. The Ancient Magus' Bride is shaping up to be pretty heartwarming, too, but not without its moments of intensity. This is a curious take on a "beauty and the beast" setup, with tons of world-building and an intriguing main cast. It's quite good so far and I'm looking forward to seeing were it goes.
I still need to start Mr. Osomatsu season 2 and Kino's Journey.

I just finished Gatchaman Crowds Insight, the sequel to Gatchaman Crowds, which I was watching earlier this year. The first season was a good show, overall, with some interesting commentary on heroes and current societal trends; but Insight takes all the elements and does them even better, with an even more poignant message about society. Much like the first season, there's a bait-and-switch method to the antagonist(s) of the story, which gets even more twisted here when the real enemy is one harder to "defeat" than any other before. Hajime is as lovable and insightful (ha,ha) as ever; and joining the Gatchamen is newcomer Tsubasa, who contrasts Hajime remarkably. Where Hajime can appear appear ridiculously upbeat and savvy, Tsubasa can be shockingly naive and impulsive. Watching her character over the course of the show is equal parts frustrating and rewarding - but ultimately rewarding.
I thought Gatchaman Crowds was a good show worth watching after the first season; after Insight, I believe it is a great show that should be watched. I'm seriously impressed with this one, and would recommend it highly.

I'm also finishing up season two of Sound! Euphonium, and finally, finally watching two other major Kyoto Animation titles: K-On! and Hyouka. Euphonium isn't quite as strong as the first season, but it's still a very good show overall. The voice acting is especially good in this show, amidst the consistently excellent art & animation. K-On! is pretty cute and silly so far, and Hyouka is quite intriguing in an oddly pleasant way. I must say, it's interesting watching these three titles concurrently. All three have impressive production values (as expected of KyoAni), and are unmistakably products of the studio with their iconic moe-ish designs; yet each show looks and feels quite different from the other. It's neat to see how KyoAni continues to shape their style for each new show, polishing their products and modifying where appropriate to fit the story best. KyoAni is just a great studio.

[JAGzilla]

^ Agreed on the quality of Sound!'s voice acting. I mean, I obviously can't understand most of what's being said, but it still sounds noticeably more convincing than a lot of shows.

[Inferno Rodan]

The Ancient Magus' Bride is shaping up to be pretty heartwarming, too, but not without its moments of intensity. This is a curious take on a "beauty and the beast" setup, with tons of world-building and an intriguing main cast. It's quite good so far and I'm looking forward to seeing were it goes.

It really is a great show.

[Rody]

One downside I've discovered in watching K-On! is I can't get into the music. The intro, the outro, and the insert performances just don't appeal to me, which is regrettable since it's an important aspect of the show, but it's just not a music style I enjoy. (also, the outro in general doesn't mesh well with the show's overall aesthetic, imo). It's been a good watch otherwise, so far; as has been Hyouka, which is even more laid-back than I had anticipated. It's a neat sort of incredibly low key character drama, with all the emphasis on subtle details and the occasional elaborate fantasy segment.

Magus Bride is still going strongly, but the real star of the season for me is Blood Blockade Battlefront & Beyond. Even with the shift in staff, the show has maintained the all the madcap antics, tender heart, and wild world-building of the first season nearly perfectly; and without a major overarching plot this time, there has been a lot more focus on individual characters, which makes them all the more endearing and entertaining. There's also Girls' Last Tour, which might be a sleeper hit of this season. The last few episodes have been particular poignant, but never lacking in humor, maintaining an ultimately optimistic view in a depressing world.

[JAGzilla]

^ Yeah, I was never a huge fan of K-ON!'s music, either, with the exceptions of the intro songs. Those all grew on me a lot, and still get stuck in my head from time to time. How far into the show are you, by the way?

[Rody]

I finished season 1 of K-On! yesterday. It was actually more plot driven than I expected, though that is hardly a negative. It was a charming show overall, with a cast of characters that were multifaceted and distinct from each other. It's not as polished as KyoAni's later shows, but it's still a very nicely produced show. I look forward to season 2.

I've also reached the halfway point in Hyouka, and MAN, this show is getting GOOD. I mean, it was already good, but it was this last arc that officially hooked me. Hyouka has taken its time to establish the cast and develop Oreki as a main character; in the movie plot mystery, everything Oreki has been building is challenged, and the story introduces who could be a genuine antagonistic force for the protagonists. It's a delicious dramatic monkey wrench in what had preciously been a very modest show, and I am genuinely excited to see what the second half of the show has in store.

The first cour of Magus Bride is over, and it's been a good watch too - although, now reading the manga, I suspect the anime would really benefit from a little more embellishment and polishing. I'd say it's a highly adequate, but not truly great, adaptation.

Blood Blockade Battlefront & Beyond was a blast, though - arguably equal to the first season. BBB&B is engrossing for me like few shows have been, with a wildly creative world, a fun cast of diverse characters, plenty of heart alongside action and comedy, and a kick-butt soundtrack. It's not a perfect show, but I really do love this series.

Still making my through Lupin the IIIrd pt 2....

[Ivo-goji]

Finished Seikon no Qwaser. Managed to have a surprisingly touching and thematically consistent finale, for all it's extraordinary quirkiness. This is my first 100+ chapter manga I've read all the way through, and man, what a journey. I'm actually pretty sad that this is the end. I wasn't expecting a whole lot out of a fanservice series like this, but the ending, that shockingly poignant ending, really elevates the work above similar fair like Highschool DxD. It became a story with a genuine message beneath all of the blood and boobs. Dare I say it, the blood and boobs made it better- Kill la Kill fans will understand. I had a personal fondness for the manga from the start but now I can say without reservation that it is something close to a masterpiece. A masterpiece of fetishism perhaps, but all the same...

Now to move on to Shinju no Nectar!

[MechaGoji Bro7503]

Unexpectedly, one of my friends showed me the first episode of Assassination Classroom . I thought it was pretty, pretty good.

[Rody]

^Assassination Classroom is pretty good. I kind of lost investment as it went on (though I did finish it), but overall it's a neat, quirky story with a strong cast of characters. Kind of average animation quality, though.

[JAGzilla]

Just got done with Your Name. It's visually glorious, and generally a fun, emotional ride. I'd say it deserves the success.

[Inferno Rodan]

Finished Seikon no Qwaser. Managed to have a surprisingly touching and thematically consistent finale, for all it's extraordinary quirkiness. This is my first 100+ chapter manga I've read all the way through, and man, what a journey. I'm actually pretty sad that this is the end. I wasn't expecting a whole lot out of a fanservice series like this, but the ending, that shockingly poignant ending, really elevates the work above similar fair like Highschool DxD. It became a story with a genuine message beneath all of the blood and boobs. Dare I say it, the blood and boobs made it better- Kill la Kill fans will understand. I had a personal fondness for the manga from the start but now I can say without reservation that it is something close to a masterpiece. A masterpiece of fetishism perhaps, but all the same...

No comment on the manga since I haven't read it, but I actually just watched the anime for the first time a little over a month ago. It was a hell of a ride, that's for sure. None of the depth you got from the manga, but I enjoyed it immensely regardless.

[SickleFeather]

Has anyone here watched Seraph of the End? And if so, what’s your opinion on it?, is it any good?

[Inferno Rodan]

Has anyone here watched Seraph of the End? And if so, what’s your opinion on it?, is it any good?

Worth it for Shinoa alone. And it's a pretty good series in general, so yeah.

The first OP is god-tier, too:

[Demon Lord Gira]

Has anyone here watched Seraph of the End? And if so, what’s your opinion on it?, is it any good?

Worth it for Shinoa alone. And it's a pretty good series in general, so yeah.

The first OP is god-tier, too:
*Insert youtube link here*

It's also worth watching because of the Universal opening logo once you get a few episodes in. Seeing ANY anime with that greeting you lets you know you're in for a treat... and Seraph of the End is a fun, if somewhat generic in characters aside from smug-chan, romp.

[LSD Jellyfish]

Devilman Crybaby is awesome, great adaptation of one of my favorite mangas. Kinda a nice update and stylization.

[Rody]

Just got done with Your Name. It's visually glorious, and generally a fun, emotional ride. I'd say it deserves the success.

I fully agree here - although, for 2016 anime movies, I was even more enamored with A Silent Voice (though the two aren't really similar anyway).


I finally reached the thirdway point in Lupin the IIIrd Part 2, and hit the first two-parter in the show - not a big deal, in a way, but a modest surprise from a long, episodic series. I still have a ways to go!

I started Tsukigarei from this past spring, and it's fairly cute so far, albeit pretty awkward; I guess this is what young teen romance looks like. It's a nice-looking show, I'll give it that.
I'm also starting catch-up on Mr. Osomatsu season 2, since I enjoyed the first. MAN, though, this show's sense of humor can be brutal. If you want an episodic comedy program as violent and and vulgar as America's Rick and Morty (but less depressing and somehow even more absurd), Osomatsu should fit the bill.

I see Magus Bride has started up again, so I'd better pick back up on that soon. And I REALLY hope Netflix announces a bloody US release date for Violet Evergarden soon.

[Ivo-goji]

Currently watching Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water. The animation is so skreeonking pretty, every frame looks feature film quality. I love the gorgeous historical setting and retro machine designs to bits. This is a work worthy of the esteem it has garnered.