General anime thoughts/discussion thread.

I think it probably depends what kind of sci-fi you’re most into. There’s harder, drier sci-fi, fantasy with sci-fi trappings and stuff that leans more towards cyberpunk. GitS hits a very nice sweet spot for me personally in all its incarnations - Shirow’s clearly very interested in future possibilities and technology but also has a good sense of fun and the bizarre. Oshii’s a bit more on the dry side and concerned with philosophy. SaC seems like it strikes a balance between the two.
 
Finally, Your Lie in April is starting to get better for me. The first 11 episodes were so heavy on shounen tropes and cliches that I got so bored. Episode 12 amps the feels up a little by throwing a lot of foreshadowing on what's to come, and what the "lie" actually was.

Honestly, watching this having the ending spoiled for me created a kind of interesting experience that those who haven't been spoiled wouldn't have. I think it almost makes all the foreshadowing harder to watch because it creates a lot more emotional impact.
 
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Started watching Gundam Unicorn on netflix last night. I had actually completely forgotten I'd watched (I think) most of it years ago (I think on a simulwatch here?), but I can almost remember nothing but vague impressions and I'm pretty sure I got distracted and never actually finished it back then. But it's a bit good, isn't it. The animation and look of it is so slick, and really highlights how much something like SAC 2045 (as much as I did perversely like the CG at times) really just looks like an old computer game. Think I'll finish it this time, really enjoyed the first two eps a lot. I'm loving how instantly obsessed and in love Banagher is with the princess girl, "you'll always be Audrey to me!!" haha the sweet kid

Has anything of this kind of quality actually been made in the last few years, in any genre? After a google I've heard of Gundam Origins, which looks good, but I take it I can't stream it legally anywhere?
 
Vashdaman said:
After a google I've heard of Gundam Origins, which looks good, but I take it I can't stream it legally anywhere?
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According to the Legal Streaming thread:
NormanicGrav said:
Mobile Suit Gundam the Origin | All4 [Dub only]
Mobile Suit Gundam the Origin: Advent of the Red Comet | Crunchyroll
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It's under M here:
forums.animeuknews.net

Legal Streaming: Every Anime Available for the UK & Ireland Online

Welcome to the official Legal Streaming list where every title is available to stream for the UK & Ireland. This thread is dedicated to offering the UK & Ireland anime fans a list of every available movie and series online, whether its for free or part of a subscription service. In...
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If it helps clarify that, Origins was originally produced as an OVA series (hence the really nice production values) and the version on CR is the same but edited into half-hour segments for TV.

Would also cautiously recommend Gundam Thunderbolt, which is occasionally streaming on Bandai's official Gundam youtube channel, but be aware that the first film is pretty grim.
 
What!? It's on 4onDemand?? I never would have checked there (I suppose I should have checked that streaming thread though, I didn't know we had that!), but that's great!! I'll take the OVA as I love those hour long eps!! Thunderbolt sounds great too, thanks people :)
 
Vashdaman said:
What!? It's on 4onDemand?? I never would have checked there (I suppose I should have checked that streaming thread though, I didn't know we had that!), but that's great!! I'll take the OVA as I love those hour long eps!! Thunderbolt sounds great too, thanks people :)
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AL made an agreement with 4oD and a few of their shows have been put up on it. Unfortunately it's not the easiest thing to search for anime on buts theres a few gems on there including a few shows that havent had their physical releases yet like cardcaptor sakura
 
Professor Irony said:
Would also cautiously recommend Gundam Thunderbolt, which is occasionally streaming on Bandai's official Gundam youtube channel, but be aware that the first film is pretty grim.
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WMD said:
That first Thunderbolt film is by far my favourite Gundam that I've seen (the AL released stuff). Such a great film. But yeah it's dark.
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Dark and Grim is good... 👍

Thunderbolt is definitely my favorite Gundam, of what few gundam I've seen. I picked up both JP LE box sets of Thunderbolt, but still have yet to watch Bandit Flower. Oh, the shame!

gthunder9.jpg
 
Happy to see you enjoying some Gundam @Vashdaman , Unicorn and Origin are both very solid modern OVA series. Would really like to hear your thoughts on Origin, if you want to start fillIng in the gaps afterwards it’d definitely be worth watching the original MSG movies next. Obviously the older stuff is going to seem more dated in style and tone, but I imagine anyone watching Origin before the original TV shows would be interested to know where Char’s story goes from there.
 
That sounds great, I definitely do intend to do that, thanks for the suggestion :) I've watched 5 and a half eps of Unicorn so far and have loved it, a great show, it has everything one could want! And the Gundam lore is so rich.

Just curious, what's the peak of this kind of robot anime in your opinion, @ayase, or rather what's your personal favourite? I can remember you mentioning Bubblegum Crises and Full Metal Panic being worth a watch too, right? I watched Evangelion not too long ago, and really liked it a lot.
 
Vashdaman said:
Just curious, what's the peak of this kind of robot anime in your opinion, @ayase, or rather what's your personal favourite? I can remember you mentioning Bubblegum Crises and Full Metal Panic being worth a watch too, right? I watched Evangelion not too long ago, and really liked it a lot.
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I'd have to go with Patlabor. Its grounding in a very recognisable and believable near-future setting (more a combination of near-future AND retro now, I suppose) and a wonderful cast of characters set it apart. The world and the characters are just so well realised, it’s really a joy to watch. Eva, while a bit of a different beast in how meta it is, is certainly top-tier as well though. It's a very long time since I watched FMP, I should really watch the damn blu-rays I bought a couple of years now, I remember enjoying it well enough the first time around but I can't say it left a very lasting impression.

Bubblegum Crisis I wouldn't really classify as mecha any more than I would say, Ghost in the Shell, because while it does incorporate the use of mechs/mech suits it's not as central to the show; it's definitely more of a cyberpunk thriller than a mech show. It is however one of my favourite shows ever, it’s a real shame you weren't around for the recent simulwatch of BGC.
 
I’ll second Patlabor, watched all of it recently and very much enjoyed the experience.
 
This 12 min video essay on music and sound in Ghibli films is excellent and insightful and I recommend everyone watch it!

 
Just chiming in here with these quality quotes. 🙂
RadFemHedonist said:
I have the old US Geneon DVD singles of Samurai Champloo with box (I even have the bandana somewhere!)
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Haa, that's brilliant. 😆
I've got the MVM version of that set, a second-hand copy in excellent condition. I actually already had the DVD fatpack version, but I couldn't resist double-dipping for it when I saw all the artwork on the seven slimline cases. It's a lovely thing.

It was only when the CEX staffer was putting the discs in that I learned about the bandana. It's still in the box, still waiting on being worn.

It'll be waiting a long time. 😅

RadFemHedonist said:
I just bought Cyber City Oedo 808. I'm not sure I've mentioned it on this forum much but I do actually quite like some of these sorts of old Kawajiri OVAs and the like...
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Kawajiri is an artist, as far as I'm concerned. I love Ninja Scroll, Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust and his Animatrix short film "Program" especially.

I jumped on that same pre-order for Cyber City as well, because, you know...

😛
 
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