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octopodpie wrote:

While I personally enjoyed several of the Key works he adapted, I wouldn't classify high-budget moe style as visually striking. They all are pleasant to look at, similar to the how a previous poster mentioned Moribito, but they don't do anything unique artistically. It's actually a separate comment on the industry when the term "visually striking" is equated to "doesn't look cheap".

This I'll agree with. While I consider it one of the best-looking TV anime series ever made, Moribito is striking only in the sense of its production quality, not because it does anything visually inventive. And the latter seems to be more the focus of this list.

octopodpie wrote:

CrownKlown wrote:

Do I have to be the one to point out that, although I love the show, Bakemonogatari visually style is a copy of Sayonara Zetsubo Sensei. Its not a bad thing, I like it, but visually the shows seem really similar and Sensei came out first and probably looks better as well, although only by a bit.

And yes Gankatsuou should be near the top of this list.

It's a misnomer to call it a "copy" when they're made by the same person.

Quote:

So where's Tatsuya Ishihara on this list?

While I personally enjoyed several of the Key works he adapted, I wouldn't classify high-budget moe style as visually striking. They all are pleasant to look at, similar to the how a previous poster mentioned Moribito, but they don't do anything unique artistically. It's actually a separate comment on the industry when the term "visually striking" is equated to "doesn't look cheap".

lolol, my bad, I did not know that, although now that I know, it makes perfect sense since the style is just so similar

HEY I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I DISAGREE WITH EVERYTHING YOU WROTE AND EMAILED YOU MY OWN LIST THANKS

[EDIT: Don't use all caps in the future. If you're not aware, that counts as shouting. - Key]

Surrealism, ho!

They're not bad choices, but could use some variety.

I think some people are mixing up aesthetically beautiful with visually unique. They are two different things and I appreciate them both in different ways.

If we are talking the most beautiful looking series for me that would be Mushishi.

However as far as unique goes I think the list is very good (although yes Gankutsuou is an omission).

The first title to pop into my mind was Katanagatari, then Gankutsuou. I don't much care for the style of the latter, but there's no arguing that it's original, striking, and memorable. People either love it or hate it (or get physically ill from it. Smile

).

Katanagatari took me awhile to warm up to, but after a couple of episodes, I was sold.

One series that is visually striking if only because the style changes so dramatically over the course of the series is The Hakkenden, which had several different episode directors with very different styles, including the amazing Shinya Ohira.

Happy to see Kenji Nakamura on the list (was introduced to him in tsuritama and fell in love), sad to see Gankutsuou omitted (though understandable if you haven't seen it). Also glad to see the person behind SoulTaker mentioned - that was one series I checked out simply because I loved how unique and interesting the visuals were (saw them in an AMV), though admittedly nothing else about it managed to keep me interested, so I never got very far.

As for the survey, there were a few I was thinking about until I saw Balsa - no more thinking was needed.

Boy, that's a bit of a tough list for bodyguards. How can I pick between Saber, Hayate and Nyanko-sensei?

Last edited by tuxedocat on Sun Sep 09, 2012 2:53 am; edited 1 time in total

re. poll: Nyanko-sensei was a tempting choice for bodyguard, but he becomes unreliable when distracted by free food. There's also the drinking. Like others here, I had to go with Balsa.

As for this week's list. I first thought of Gankutsuou, then The House of Five Leaves, Katanagatari and Shiki. --oh, and Pretty Cure. For some reason, Pretty Cure stands out to me as visually striking, though I know people probably won't agree. --nice to see Mononoke included on the list.

THELISTCRITIC wrote:

HEY I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I DISAGREE WITH EVERYTHING YOU WROTE AND EMAILED YOU MY OWN LIST THANKS

Did you make sure to submit your list in ALL CAPS?!??? Rolling Eyes

troll.

I really have no objection to any of the titles included on it's list so I have no complaints about other stuff being excluded. I will however mention a few titles anyway as honourable mentions.

The Big O. If you asked me to add just one show to the list it would be this. It has such a fantastic look. Lots of heavy shadows and angular lines. It looks really unique.

Akira. Not visually inventive on the level of some of these other shows but it still does some rather neat stuff (especially in that opening sequence) and it's definitely extremely striking.

House of Five Leaves. Does some pretty neat stuff (albeit mostly only in terms of character design).

I'll also second Redline and Mushishi which other people have already mentioned.

REDLINE?????? FLCL?????? HELLSING ULTIMATE????? WTH -___-
I give this list a C-

njprogfan wrote:

I hate to repeat whats been said before, but as soon as I saw the header for this column I immediately thought of Gankutsuou. Also, I'd like to add Noein to the list; that first episode blew my mind when I first saw it and pretty much the whole series is a mindblow. BTW, I'll take Balsa anyday to watch my back.

Ah! Noein! Now that's a suggestion that I heartily agree with now that you reminded me of it. The penciled look of the art style, with eyes visible through bangs, was very distinct. One look at the show's OP would show that it's fairly distinct. The art style is especially noticeable on characters from the future, Shangri-la(or is it Lacryma? My Noein lexicon has gotten fuzzy over time), where it can shine without having to do normal mundane realism.

I would agree on kaydub's mention of Eureka Seven on page 1, with its use of bright colors and very unique character designs. Everyone seems to agree it's one of the prettiest anime around. Though since it doesn't do an art style that is that far outside the norm, it may not count for the list. But I still call it pretty!

As for the poll, a lot of good characters. I couldn't decide between Balsa and Haji, so I voted both. Balsa has the edge in combat, but Haji has the edge in loyalty.

Funny though, 2 of the characters in the poll are voiced by Crispin Freeman(Haji and Shizuo).

dtm42 wrote:

Lynzee wrote:

I however, will be preparing for the nine months of rain Washington pours in every year like clockwork.

Assuming you're talking about Washington State, I have to say that you need to be more specific. The eastern parts of the state have very little rainfall. Meanwhile, Seattle - renowned for its rain - gets less rain and more sunshine hours than most parts of New Zealand (including my hometown), and I don't exactly live in a tropical rainforest. Seattle also gets less rain than New York City or Atlanta. The average amount of rain the state as a whole receives is actually pretty average compared to most places in the world that aren't deserts.

There, you've all just had your daily dose of a shattered preconception.

To be fair, from the last week of Sept till the last week of June is overcast 80% of the time in Seattle. Most of those days include a little bit of all day drizzle. Not really rain, but not really dry and definitely not sunny for long.

So, complaining about nine months of rain here isn't really out of line with the weather . . .

Shinbo has pretty much championed Gekidan Inu Curry since Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, and their 'Mystery Train' sequence in season 3 of SZS is one of the most 'different' sequences of animation I've ever seen in anime.

You have to applaud people who are not just following the crowd.

Sorry to everyone about this off-topic conversation, but I really feel strongly about it, so I'm gonna risk it.

NotintheMood wrote:

To be fair, from the last week of Sept till the last week of June is overcast 80% of the time in Seattle. Most of those days include a little bit of all day drizzle. Not really rain, but not really dry and definitely not sunny for long.

So, complaining about nine months of rain here isn't really out of line with the weather . . .

Seattle gets 10% more sunshine hours and 20% less rain than my hometown. It also has 14% fewer days with precipitation. To add insult to injury, the American definition of a precipitation day requires a rainfall only a quarter that of anywhere using the metric system. Many of Seattle's precipitation days wouldn't even count under our system, meaning that 14% difference is actually quite a bit bigger.

In other words, Seattle gets more sun, fewer rain days and less rainfall than my hometown. But do you see me go round boasting about it like this Lynzee person did? No, not until now. Because I know that where I live is hardly special climate-wise; there are plenty of cities in New Zealand (not to mention the rest of the world) that are wetter, or sunnier, or cloudier, or windier, or foggier. Seattle is decidedly average, no matter what its baseless reputation suggests.

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The List - 8 Most Visually Striking Anime Productions