Revenge of the Simulwatch!

I've taken part in the Nadia and Outlaw simulwatches and enjoyed them both, so I'd be up for another. A series with some discussion encouraging themes would be preferrable, and Eden of the East certainly qualifies. I've seen EotE a few times already, but if it's chosen then I'd be happy to watch it again. It would be interesting to see everyone's opinion on it, especially the last episode. I do think that a simulwatch should include the movies though (which are not in the AL release), as they do continue and finish the story after all, watching only the series would leave the story incomplete.

I've been thinking about other options, Texhnolyze sounds interesting but I'd want to track down a DVD copy before starting. Baccano would be fine too, I still have the old Manga DVDs and haven't watched them for about five years now, so a rewatch is long overdue. As for Gunslinger Girl, it's a favourite of mine but I rewatched it last year so I don't know how much interest I'd have in seeing it again so soon. And I watched Gankutsuou only a few months ago so I'd be out if that is chosen. The only alternative I can suggest which hasn't been mentioned yet is Ping Pong, it is a well regarded anime and was released recently on BD so that might be worth consideration.
 
I haven't gotten around to watching Ping Pong just yet, so I'd be up for that. I don't think it's available streaming though (it's locked on Crunchyroll, unfortunately).

Is Space Brothers too long to suggest? It's only 99 episodes (and doesn't technically tell a complete story, though it does kind of have "arcs" and other stories within it). Maybe it's something to do in sections, you could probably start and stop between certain arcs.

I'd also be tempted to suggest Mushi-shi (I think the first season is on FunimationNow... now), although it adds up to quite a bit if you include the second season and OVA (48 episodes with two being double length, I think). Great show, though, and it also has some nice variety that could make for some interesting discussion.

Random thought for something a bit different: I still haven't watched Wandering Son / Hourou Musuko and it's still available streaming on Crunchyroll. It sounds like it could be fairly interesting and discussion worthy, as well as something fairly unique.

Possibly less serious suggestion: Squid Girl. It's certainly a great show that more people should watch but I'm not sure what kind of discussion it would lead to.
 
Smeelia said:
I haven't gotten around to watching Ping Pong just yet, so I'd be up for that. I don't think it's available streaming though (it's locked on Crunchyroll, unfortunately).
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Funimation holds UK rights, but unfortunately it's not on Funimation Now. It is however on Animax UK, and we could manage to cover it on their two-week free trial provided everyone is able to find a fortnight that works for them. Aside from that, the cheapest I can find the BD for is £33 from Zavvi, which would unfortunately exclude anyone who's already taken an Animax UK free trial and/or can't afford the DVD/BD release. However, if that's what people want to do, I'd just wait for the next one, and hopefully others would do.
 
I did watch the first season of Free a little while ago but it might be a fairly interesting one to have people try something a bit different to what they might usually watch. I'd say there is some potential for discussion too.

If we're really going for something less recent then it might not count (though Ping Pong is even more recent) but I don't think it's a suggestion to dismiss out of hand.

Buzz201 said:
Funimation holds UK rights, but unfortunately it's not on Funimation Now. It is however on Animax UK, and we could manage to cover it on their two-week free trial provided everyone is able to find a fortnight that works for them. Aside from that, the cheapest I can find the BD for is £33 from Zavvi, which would unfortunately exclude anyone who's already taken an Animax UK free trial and/or can't afford the DVD/BD release. However, if that's what people want to do, I'd just wait for the next one, and hopefully others would do.
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To be honest, I'd be inclined to favour a show that's more likely to encourage people who haven't done a simulwatch before to get involved. I suppose it'll depend on who wants to watch what but it'd be nice to get some variety in simulwatches.
 
Smeelia said:
Random thought for something a bit different: I still haven't watched Wandering Son / Hourou Musuko and it's still available streaming on Crunchyroll. It sounds like it could be fairly interesting and discussion worthy, as well as something fairly unique.
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I'd completely forgotten about that one, could be interesting.
Buzz201 said:
Aside from that, the cheapest I can find the BD for is £33 from Zavvi
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I know you hate them but you can still get it for £27(+£2.7) from UP1. Still the same ballpark though, I guess.
 
BlackStrat said:
I know you hate them but you can still get it for £27(+£2.7) from UP1. Still the same ballpark though, I guess.
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I've used them before, I could do it again. It might take a while for it to be a viable option for me to buy the set though.

Ping-Pong is on my list, I will watch it at some point. (Mostly just to shut you up... :p)
 
So, unless I missed something:
Morbo said:
Texhnolyze
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Buzz201 said:
Rampo Kitan -Game of Laplace-
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DragonBlaze67 said:
Baccano
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Smeelia said:
Gankutsuou, Eden of the East or Gunslinger Girl
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Smeelia said:
Haibane Renmei and Kino's Journey
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BanzaiJedi said:
Ping Pong
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Smeelia said:
Space Brothers
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Smeelia said:
Mushi-shi
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Smeelia said:
Wandering Son / Hourou Musuko
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Smeelia said:
Squid Girl
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thedoctor2016 said:
Free!
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If you have anyhing to add, speak now or forever hold your peace...
 
Well since we can throw out anything, I'd like to put forward Chihayafuru and Servant X Service as my own suggestions rather than my pick of original choices.

Both are available on crunchyroll and I remember liking both of them.
 
Morbo said:
Well since we can throw out anything
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To be honest I listed everything that had been mentioned to avoid pointless drama but it would obviously be preferable for the show to lend itself to discussion.
Anyway, I'll create the poll on Friday so if anyone wants to suggest something else before then, be my guest.
 
I'd completely forgotten about it but From the New World gathered quite a few votes last time, so I decided to include it again. Anyway, here's the poll. I included everything that was brought up to be fair. It's a multiple choice poll so just check everything you'd actually simulwatch.

From the New World | Shin Sekai Yori
(CR)
Following a sudden outbreak of psychokinesis in 0.1% of the population, a rapid transformation swept the world. The godlike ability to manipulate matter remotely turned many power wielders to violence, inciting a long period of upheaval. Finally, after a chaotic era shaped by the rise and fall of oppressive regimes, the psychic humans were able to achieve a fragile peace by isolating their society, creating a new world bound by complex rules.

In the town of Kamisu 66, 12-year-old Saki Watanabe has just awakened to her powers and is relieved to rejoin her friends—the mischievous Satoru Asahina, the shy Mamoru Itou, the cheerful Maria Akizuki, and Shun Aonuma, a mysterious boy whom Saki admires—at Sage Academy, a special school for psychics. However, unease looms as Saki begins to question the fate of those unable to awaken to their powers, and the children begin to get involved with secretive matters such as the rumored Tainted Cats said to abduct children.

Shinsekai yori tells the unique coming-of-age story of Saki and her friends as they journey to grow into their roles in the supposed utopia. Accepting these roles, however, might not come easy when faced with the dark and shocking truths of society, and the impending havoc born from the new world.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Texhnolyze
(Funi's YouTube channel)
Texhnolyze takes place in the city of Lux, a man-made underground city that has crumbled after years of neglect and lack of repairs. Citizens of Lux have come to refer to their home as simply "The City" and treat it as though it has a mind and will of its own. Three major factions battle to control Lux: Organo, a group of "professionals" who collaborate with the criminal underworld that controls Texhnolyze (prosthetics), the Salvation Union, a populist group that seeks to disrupt Organo's business, and Racan, a collection of young individuals with Texhnolyzes that use their abilities for personal gain.

Ichise was once an orphan who has made a place for himself in Lux as a prize fighter. One day, a fight promoter grows angry with him and the altercation that follows results in Ichise losing an arm and a leg. Before death can take him, Ichise is found by the scientist Eriko Kamata, who uses him as a test subject for her newly designed Texhnolyze. With these powerful new limbs at his disposal, Ichise begins to work for Oonishi, the leader of Organo. He soon meets a mysterious young girl, Ran, who has the power to see possible futures. Together, they soon realize that Lux is on the brink of war and collapse, and that they may be the only ones who can save The City.

Rampo Kitan: Game of Laplace
(Funi)
After what appears to be just another ordinary day, middle school student Yoshio Kobayashi wakes up in his classroom to make a terrifying discovery: his teacher has been mutilated, and Yoshio happens to be holding the weapon used to commit the crime.

Despite the initial shock of finding himself in this predicament, the curious and detached Yoshio can't help but be secretly thrilled about this attempt to frame him. His put-upon friend Souji Hashiba is turned into a willing accomplice, and together, they are determined to prove Yoshio's innocence. Additionally, Kogorou Akechi, a genius high school detective, has come to the scene of the crime in order investigate the case and when Kogorou meets the young man found guilty, an intense mutual interest sparks between the two of them. Kobayashi wishes to enter Akechi's world of crime solving as his assistant, and Akechi is determined to see if the enthusiastic boy is up to the challenge.

Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace is a surreal mystery and horror anime that contains brutal and bizarre crimes, loosely based on stories written by Ranpo Edogawa, who is famous for his influence on Japanese fiction.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Baccano!
(no stream available)
During the early 1930s in Chicago, the transcontinental train, Flying Pussyfoot, is starting its legendary journey that will leave a trail of blood all over the country. At the same time in New York, the ambitious scientist Szilard and his unwilling aide Ennis are looking for missing bottles of the immortality elixir. In addition, a war between the mafia groups is getting worse. On board the Advena Avis, in 1711, alchemists are about to learn the price of immortality.

Based on the award-winning light novels of the same name, Baccano! follows several events that initially seem unrelated, both in time and place, but are part of a much bigger story—one of alchemy, survival and immortality. Merging these events together are the kindhearted would-be thieves, Isaac and Miria, connecting various people, all of them with their own hidden ambitions and agendas, and creating lifelong bonds and consequences for everyone involved.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo
(Viewster)
Gankutsuou is an anime loosely based on the novel The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. It tells the story of Albert Morcerf, a young aristocrat who happens to befriend a wealthy nobleman, The Count of Monte Cristo, through a series of bizarre events. Fascinated by the Count's charm, Albert invites him to meet his friends and family, all of whom happen to be part of the upper class society of Paris, France. Unfortunately, little does Albert realize that the Count has ulterior motives in mind.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Eden of the East | Higashi no Eden
(Funi)
On November 22, 2010, Japan was hit by missile strikes, a terrorist act that fortunately did not harm anyone, becoming known as "Careless Monday." Quickly forgotten, society goes on about their lives as normal.

During her graduation trip to America three months later, friendly college student Saki Morimi's life is forever changed when she finds herself saved from unexpected trouble by Akira Takizawa. Takizawa is cheerful, but odd in many ways—he is stark naked and suffers from amnesia, believing himself to be a terrorist. In addition, he possesses a strange cell phone loaded with 8.2 billion yen in digital cash.

Despite Takizawa's suspicious traits, Saki quickly befriends the enigmatic young man. However, unbeknownst to her, this is the beginning of a thrilling death game involving money, cell phones, and the salvation of the world. Higashi no Eden chronicles Saki's struggle to unravel the mysteries behind her savior, while Takizawa himself battles other individuals armed with similar cell phones and returning memories which reveal his possible connection to the event from months ago.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Gunslinger Girl
(Funimation - Netflix - Viewster)
In the heart of Italy, the Social Welfare Agency rescues young girls from hospital beds and gives them a second chance at life using the latest in cybernetic advancements. With their artificially enhanced bodies, the girls are brainwashed and trained as assassins to carry out the dirty work of the Italian Government. Despite all the modifications, they are still just children at heart, struggling for recognition from those they love, even knowing the love they feel is manufactured. This tragic tale unfolds as these girls grapple with their emotions in an agency that treats them as nothing but ruthless killers.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Haibane Renmei
(no stream available)
All Rakka remembers before emerging from her cocoon is the sensation of falling. Confused, she is welcomed into this new world as one of the Haibane, a group of youth with small gray wings and bright halos. Together, they live in the Old Home on the outskirts of Grie, a quiet town where wingless, halo-less people live.

There are many rules governing the world of Haibane Renmei: the most important one being that Haibane cannot go near or touch the massive walls that surround the town. Only beings known as Toga may come and go as they please.

Although her daily life is quiet, there is much Rakka and the other Haibane do not know, or are not allowed to know. Rakka will work through her own doubts and questions as she figures out what she is doing in this world, while working towards the goal of each Haibane: to get beyond the walls on their Day of Flight. But this is not a light task: failure means being branded as one who is Sin-bound.

Kino's Journey | Kino no Tabi
(no stream available)
Based on a hit light novel series by Keiichi Sigsawa, the philosophical Kino's Journey employs the time-honored motif of the road trip as a vehicle for self-discovery and universal truth. Deeply meditative and cooler than zero, the series follows the existential adventures of the apt marksman Kino along with talking motorcycle Hermes as they travel the world and learn much about themselves in the process. Imaginative, thought-provoking, and sometimes disturbing, Kino's journey is documented in an episodic style with an emphasis on atmosphere rather than action or plot, though still prevalent.

Ping Pong the Animation
(Animax)
"The hero comes. The hero comes. The hero comes. Chant these words in your mind, and I'll surely come to you..." This mantra is what Makoto Tsukimoto repeats as a source of motivation when he fights through the stress of not only grueling ping pong matches, but also in situations of his life. Makoto doesn't fight alone; he and his friend, Yukata Hoshino, nicknamed Smile and Peco respectively, are two boys who have grown up playing ping pong together nearly every day. Peco, brimming with confidence, aims to be the best table tennis player in the world; Smile, on the other hand, shows little ambition. Nevertheless, the two have always stuck together, with a bond built upon their mutual love for this sport.

Every year, students from all across Japan gather for the inter-high table tennis competition to achieve national and international stardom. Through intense training and competition, only the very best persevere.

From the avant-garde director of Tatami Galaxy, Masaaki Yuasa, Ping Pong The Animation serves a tale of ambition with its fair share of bumps along the way. Whatever the odds, Peco and Smile will face them together.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Space Brothers | Uchuu Kyoudai
(CR)
On a fateful summer night in 2006, Mutta Nanba and his younger brother Hibito witness what they believe to be a UFO flying toward the Moon. This impressing and unusual phenomenon leads both siblings vowing to become astronauts, with Hibito aiming for the Moon and Mutta, convinced that the eldest brother has to be one step ahead, for Mars.

Now an adult, life hasn't turned out how Mutta had pictured it: he is diligently working in an automotive company, whereas Hibito is on his way to be the very first Japanese man to step on the Moon. However, after losing his job, Mutta is presented with an unexpected opportunity to catch up to his younger brother when the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency, commonly known as JAXA, accepts his application to participate in the next astronaut selection. Despite self-doubts about his prospects, Mutta is unwilling to waste this chance of a lifetime, and thus embarks on an ambitious journey to fulfill the promise made 19 years ago.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Mushishi
(Funi)
"Mushi": the most basic forms of life in the world. They exist without any goals or purposes aside from simply "being." They are beyond the shackles of the words "good" and "evil." Mushi can exist in countless forms and are capable of mimicking things from the natural world such as plants, diseases, and even phenomena like rainbows.

This is, however, just a vague definition of these entities that inhabit the vibrant world of Mushishi, as to even call them a form of life would be an oversimplification. Detailed information on Mushi is scarce because the majority of humans are unaware of their existence.

So what are Mushi and why do they exist? This is the question that a "Mushi-shi," Ginko, ponders constantly. Mushi-shi are those who research Mushi in hopes of understanding their place in the world's hierarchy of life.

Ginko chases rumors of occurrences that could be tied to Mushi, all for the sake of finding an answer.

It could, after all, lead to the meaning of life itself.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Wandering Son | Hourou Musuko
(CR)
Effeminate fifth grader Shuuichi Nitori is considered by most to be one of the prettiest girls in school, but much to her dismay, she is actually biologically male. Fortunately, Shuuichi has a childhood friend who has similar feelings of discomfort related to gender identity: the lanky tomboy Yoshino Takatsuki, who, though biologically female, does not identify as a girl. These two friends share a similar secret and find solace in one another; however, their lives become even more complicated when they must tread the unfamiliar waters of a new school, attempt to make new friends, and struggle to maintain old ones. Faced with nearly insurmountable odds, they must learn to deal with the harsh realities of growing up, transexuality, relationships, and acceptance.

Lauded as a decidedly serious take on gender identity and LGBT struggles, Takako Shimura's Hourou Musuko is about Shuuichi and Yoshino's attempts to discover their true selves as they enter puberty, make friends, fall in love, and face some very real and difficult choices.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Squid Girl | Shinryaku! Ika Musume
(CR)
From the depth of the seas rises an evil monster, bent on taking over the human world: Ika Musume. She's ruthless. She's menacing. She's... an adorably non-threatening little girl who makes an awesome squid-ink spaghetti?

Ika Musume has come out of her home in the ocean on a quest to punish humanity for polluting her waters. With squid tentacles for hair and some pretty useful ink-spitting skills, Ika Musume is sure she'll have no trouble invading Earth. What she didn't account for were the Aizawa sisters, rough and tumble Eiko and deceptively mellow Chizuru, who immediately bully her into working as a waitress in their seafood restaurant by the shore.

Ika Musume decides to take this chance to learn more about the human world, having silly adventures, meeting lots of strange characters, and never once letting world domination out of her sights. Will Ika Musume be able to exact her revenge on the human race that had wronged her? Or will she learn to enjoy the company of these foolish air-breathers and let bygones be bygones?

Free!
(CR)
Haruka Nanase has a love for water and a passion for swimming. In elementary school, he competed in and won a relay race with his three friends Rin Matsuoka, Nagisa Hazuki, and Makoto Tachibana. After claiming victory at the tournament, the four friends went their separate ways. Years later, they reunite as high school students; however, Rin couldn't care less about returning to the way things used to be. Not only does he attend a different school, but the sole thing important to him is proving that he is a better swimmer than Haruka.

After the bitter reunion, Haruka, Nagisa, and Makoto decide to form the Iwatobi High School Swim Club, but they will need a fourth member if they hope to take part in the upcoming tournament. Enter Rei Ryuugazaki, a former member of the track team whom Nagisa recruits. As the time to compete draws near, the four develop a close bond while training intensely to come out on top and settle things between Haruka and Rin once and for all.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Chihayafuru
(CR)
Chihaya Ayase, a strong-willed and tomboyish girl, grows up under the shadow of her older sister. With no dreams of her own, she is contented with her share in life till she meets Arata Wataya. The quiet transfer student in her elementary class introduces her to competitive karuta, a physically and mentally demanding card game inspired by the classic Japanese anthology of Hundred Poets. Captivated by Arata's passion for the game and inspired by the possibility of becoming the best in Japan, Chihaya quickly falls in love with the world of karuta. Along with the prodigy Arata and her haughty but hard-working friend Taichi Mashima, she joins the local Shiranami Society. The trio spends their idyllic childhood days playing together, until circumstances split them up.

Now in high school, Chihaya has grown into a karuta freak. She aims to establish the Municipal Mizusawa High Competitive Karuta Club, setting her sights on the national championship at Omi Jingu. Reunited with the now indifferent Taichi, Chihaya's dream of establishing a karuta team is only one step away from becoming true: she must bring together members with a passion for the game that matches her own.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Servant x Service
(CR)
Imagine if three people suddenly found themselves as civil servants of the city Mitsuba. What sort of personalities and drives would they have to push them to seek out such careers? Lucy Yamagami, a serious young woman assigned to the Welfare Administrative Section, intends to use the job as a means of settling a vendetta against another civil servant. Yutaka Hasebe, a flirtatious young man assigned to the First Section of the Welfare Department, intends to slack off whenever he can and have a good time. And Saya Miyoshi, a college graduate assigned to the Second Section of the Welfare Department, intends to simply get through the first job she's had in her life as best she can.

Servant x Service follows these three newcomers starting their jobs as government employees under their supervisor, Taishi Ichimiya, who is utterly clueless about how to direct them—despite having worked there for the last eight years. Nevertheless, he welcomes them as fellow civil servants and encourages them to work themselves like dogs for the sake of the citizens. We follow their day-to-day lives as they experience the rigors of government employment, including dealing with regulations, office romances, paperwork, and being the nearest punching bags when citizens need something to complain about.
 
Ping Pong The Animation
Language: English
:mad:

The Japanese audio track in this show is incredible. Wenge speaks fluent mandarin, the attention to detail is crazy.

I was thinking of watching From the New World but I'll do so on my own accord down the road. Hope y'all enjoy whatever wins!
 
I've put my votes in for five of those choices, but I'm quietly hoping that either Ping Pong or Chihayafuru will win. It's a great list in any case so whatever wins will be a good watch.
 
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