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Hey, Answerman! - Pop-Tarts of Darkness


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Gilles Poitras



Joined: 05 Apr 2008
Posts: 476
Location: Oakland California
PostPosted: Fri Jul 27, 2012 2:25 pm Reply with quote
On Media Blasters:

By all means pre-order. It results in the distributor getting more sales as soon as the items is released. I keep a "for later" list in my Right Stuf account and when they have a sale for a particular company I order everything for that company on my list.

Also check out Media Blaster's live action stuff, some great films there. I especially recommend Crows Zero, Yakuza Like a Dragon and The Great Yokai War, all directed by Takashi Miike.

On Case Closed:

I tend to avoid super long series but this one is so tempting to keep getting.

However the comment on the slowness of Buena Vista's release of Ghibli titles is not quite true. They have yet to release Only Yesterday in the US, and they have had the rights since about 1995 for that title.
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walw6pK4Alo



Joined: 12 Mar 2008
Posts: 9322
PostPosted: Fri Jul 27, 2012 2:28 pm Reply with quote
Quote:
And I keep hearing mixed things about The Amazing Spider-Man. I'm with everyone else - I don't really want to see another God damn superhero origin story - but apparently the movie has enough of a different flavor and zeal compared to the Sam Raimi movies that it stands on its own? Ehh I'll wait for the matinee regardless.


As an origin film, it did that job really well. Perhaps it's not a mover and shaker in the comic book world like Avengers or the Nolan movies, but the tone, writing, and characters came off better and more genuine than the previous Spider-Man flicks. It's less "comic-booky", if you will, during the origin part half. The third act is less great, but saved by Dennis Leary. I would definitely watch more Spider-Man films produced by this team, and it's surprising such care went into what was supposed to just be a technicality in rights.
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Sewingrose



Joined: 11 Jan 2011
Posts: 579
PostPosted: Fri Jul 27, 2012 2:36 pm Reply with quote
When I watch anime, I'm a a marathoner, so I tend to argue in favour of it. A 13 or 26 episode series that has an overarching plot that advances episode to episode are good to watch so all the plot points stay fresh. Code Geass and Durarara are decent examples I think. Baccano is one that I think actually NEEDS to be watched in a marathon do keep track of all the time jumping arounds, but that's only 13 episodes so it's not that much of a slog. A Hetalia marathon should be avoided at all costs, to much repeating animation and silliness with no real plot, I love the series, but never again will I bring it to anime night.
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dandelion_rose



Joined: 12 May 2012
Posts: 657
Location: Kuala Lumpur
PostPosted: Fri Jul 27, 2012 2:50 pm Reply with quote
Puella Magi Madoka Magica is definitely a marathon show.
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RyanSaotome



Joined: 29 Mar 2011
Posts: 4210
Location: Towson, Maryland
PostPosted: Fri Jul 27, 2012 2:55 pm Reply with quote
Any long running shonen is good to marathon. My longest marathon of anime episodes in one day was One Piece, when I did 25 episodes of the Water 7 arc. It was really tough to pull myself away from it.
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TitanXL



Joined: 08 Jun 2010
Posts: 4036
PostPosted: Fri Jul 27, 2012 2:59 pm Reply with quote
There's no way Detective Conan was going to work in America. American censors are really uptight with the whole violence/blood/death/killing thing in kids shows, which is what Detective Conan is; my distant cousin first started watching it when she was 8 growing up in Japan. Especially if they portray the killer in a sympathetic light rather than Dr. Claw level of 'pure badness'. The fact they had to air on Adult Swim pretty much doomed it since it's not some adults only forbidden series (and let's face, the average Adult Swim viewer isn't going to care about 'thinking' shows, they want either crude toilet jokes or shounen action)

Which is a shame since Detective Conan's one of the best shows out there and a true classic. Though I suppose going by the fansites reactions to the dub, they don't miss the version we got here.


Last edited by TitanXL on Fri Jul 27, 2012 3:00 pm; edited 1 time in total
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neocloud9



Joined: 06 Oct 2008
Posts: 1178
Location: Atlanta, GA
PostPosted: Fri Jul 27, 2012 3:00 pm Reply with quote
I was about to contest the insinuation that Detective Conan was more popular than Lupin III in America - but then I realized that, content-wise, more Conan has made it over here than Lupin has. Can't argue with the math... For those curious, we've had roughly 4,800 minutes worth of Lupin content and roughly 5,340 minutes of Conan.

Though, the chief difference is that Lupin stuff is still getting licensed, whereas things have been rather quiet on the Conan front for some time now.

EDIT: I am a filthy liar. (No, actually my math was just off.) We have gotten more Lupin content. 4,800 minutes compared to Conan's 4,440. But that's close enough for this discussion to be mostly superfluous.


Last edited by neocloud9 on Fri Jul 27, 2012 3:12 pm; edited 5 times in total
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RyanSaotome



Joined: 29 Mar 2011
Posts: 4210
Location: Towson, Maryland
PostPosted: Fri Jul 27, 2012 3:03 pm Reply with quote
neocloud9 wrote:
Though, the chief difference is that Lupin stuff is still getting licensed, whereas things have been rather quiet on the Conan front for some time now.


The most annoying part of this is that Funi still sends out cease and desist letters to people doing fansubs of Conan, even though they seem to have no intent to ever do subs of their own. They just want to kill any interest for the series over here.
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machetecat



Joined: 06 Jan 2010
Posts: 396
PostPosted: Fri Jul 27, 2012 3:11 pm Reply with quote
While I don't think releasing the rest of the 600+ episode show here would be that great of an idea (but Oooooooooh we were so close to the "Conan gets shot" ep and the original bomb case that I'd love nothing more than to throw money at whoever could just get up to those episodes over here), I'd love to see the rest of the movies come over. I thought at one point FUNi said that the movies were doing much better than the show, which is why they licensed more of those. Unfortunately they seemed to have stopped at movie 6.

While I'm disappointed in no more of the show, I'm content with that so long as I can still collect the manga. But the movies, ovas, Kaito KID specials, and other crossover specials are things I'd LOVE to see come to the U.S., since they're cool little side stories and they're not something I can get from reading the manga.
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angieness



Joined: 08 Aug 2004
Posts: 162
Location: Columbus, OH
PostPosted: Fri Jul 27, 2012 3:16 pm Reply with quote
Code Geass is a good marathon show because they like to stick something horrible at the end of each episode so you have to continue. Breaking Bad works like that too. Madoka, Beck, FMA, and Monster are some of my go to marathon shows as well. Utena is one of my all time favorite series, but I have a tough time marathoning it because the duels can make it feel repetitive. 12 Kingdoms and Chihayafuru were both series I marathoned as well that I would recommend.
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Snomaster1
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Joined: 31 Aug 2011
Posts: 2793
PostPosted: Fri Jul 27, 2012 3:22 pm Reply with quote
I've read a lot about "Case Closed" and if this is what they consider family entertainment,I'd hate to see what isn't. I doubt that this show is going to be returning to Adult Swim anytime soon. I'm sorry but people getting murdered isn't something I want kids to see.
From the episodes I did see,there were some elements that were inspired by "Scooby-Doo" but to me,the show is too gruesome to show in any other time slot but at night. I don't blame Cartoon Network for getting rid of "Case Closed." This is the type of show that isn't easy to place in a particular time slot. I don't think they knew what to do with it. It had a kids show feel to it but also there were a lot of gruesome murders taking place on that show. Not exactly the type of show that could be shown during the daytime. This show would be under protest by parents for it's subject matter if it had been shown in the daytime hours.

Again,I don't blame Cartoon Network for getting rid of this show. If I were in charge,I'd wouldn't know where to place it either. I'd have done the same thing.


Last edited by Snomaster1 on Fri Jul 27, 2012 5:56 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Teriyaki Terrier



Joined: 26 Mar 2008
Posts: 5689
PostPosted: Fri Jul 27, 2012 3:31 pm Reply with quote
When Case Closed first premiered on AS years and years ago, I watched the first episode not knowing anything about the series. Back then I only been an anime fan for about 3 or so years and instantly feel in love with the series. The show really made me think several times and actually convinced a friend of one who was a staunch CSI and Law and Order fan only to watch Case Closed. This was also a person who "refused" to watch "silly cartoons" as well.

That person actually sat down with me and watched several episodes with me. This person even said Case Closed was a tremendously better mystery and crime show than CSI and Law And Order combined. I couldn't agree more. As once you've seen Horatio Caine one liners the first time and drama on Law and Order as well, it tends to become just another show.

But there was more to Case Closed then the characters and the main plot. Several episodes had incidents that really made me think what I would do if I were the victim or the main character Jimmy Kudo.

But alas, sadly most people who watch AS don't want to watch an intelligent and thought provoking show, they much rather watch shows laden in crass language or senseless violence.

I personally really enjoyed the English dub and the dubbed theme songs. The first season's opening theme song remains to be one my favorite anime theme songs of 2004. Whoever voiced Conan's Engish dub voice was a terrific and talented actor in my opinion.

Nice to know that there is still people who are fans of that show, especially in US.
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Mohawk52



Joined: 16 Oct 2003
Posts: 8202
Location: England, UK
PostPosted: Fri Jul 27, 2012 4:19 pm Reply with quote
Snomaster1 wrote:
I've read a lot about "Case Closed" and if this is what they consider family entertainment,I'd hate to see what isn't. I doubt that this show is going to be returning to Adult Swim anytime soon. I'm sorry but people getting murdered isn't something I want kids to see.
From the episodes I did see,there were some elements that were inspired by "Scooby-Doo" but to me,the show is too gruesome to show in any other time slot but at night. I don't blame Cartoon Network for getting rid of "Case Closed." This is the type of show that isn't easy to place in a particular time slot. I don't think they knew what to do with it. It had a kids show feel to it but also there were a lot of gruesome murders taking place on that show. Not exactly the type of show that could be shown during the daytime. This show would be under protest by parents for it's subject matter if it had been shown in the daytime hours.

Again,I don't blame Cartoon Network for getting rid of this show. If I were in charge,I'd would know where to place it either. I'd have done the same thing.
And this says it all for western animation. "Thou shalt not have bloody graphic murder in a kid's cartoon". Hard to fight against that hard core bias especially after recent events in the US. Yet how many kids in the US have open unlimited access to the internet and extremely graphic violent video games? Hypocrisy. Rolling Eyes

On the topic of "the fear of business failure." If a business wants my money , they simple have to have what I want to buy in stock and in completion, and they will get it . If they can not, at the very least provide that, then they are already out of business as far as I'm concerned. I've been burned twice by "supporting the industry". It'll never happen again. It's their job to sell me something, but it's not my job to buy it.
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TitanXL



Joined: 08 Jun 2010
Posts: 4036
PostPosted: Fri Jul 27, 2012 4:41 pm Reply with quote
Keep in mind a big theme with Conan is a lot of the time they take a stance on how there is never justification for killing someone in cold blood, there's always alternative ways to resolve your problems.

Of course, they also deconstruct this logic a lot of the time as well, pointing out loopholes and flaws in the legal system and how the killer killing the victim was the only way they could think of to get revenge or bring justice to them. My favorite is one of the earlier episodes "A Stalker's Murder Case", where spoiler[a woman poisons a man's drink and kills him. Then after Conan finds the evidence and points her as the culprit, she breaks down and says she did it because he was always following her and stalking her and she feared for her safety. Once he found out she reported him to the police, he began threatening her. Since the police wouldn't help her, she decided to kill him first before any of his threats could come true. The episode points out the flaws with the legal process like how police can't actually do anything until a crime has been committed and the police express their regret that they couldn't prevent this murder because of that. When they search the victim's room, they find pictures he took of her in secret plastered all over his room, and plans and tools in a bag which says he was going to kidnap her then sexually torture and rape until she died. They say what she did can not be ruled as self defense, but the court will give her a much more lenient sentence due to the circumstances and situation. Conan points out if she didn't do it, he would have definitely killed her instead, and criticizes the law.]

All in all, just because it's gritty and brutal doesn't mean it's just a pure gore fest. There's a lot of powerful messages kids can learn; and the importance of life and regret is a big one kids should learn at an early age I feel. There's also a lot of complex messages with no real determinable answer, and it's up to the viewer to decide how they feel about a subject.
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Myaow



Joined: 20 Dec 2007
Posts: 1068
PostPosted: Fri Jul 27, 2012 6:02 pm Reply with quote
All things being equal, I never thought Conan was that gory or bloody. You see a lot of dead bodies but not a lot of wounds or disfigurements at all. My 7-year-old sister was fine watching it and ended up being pretty obsessed!
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