Forum - View topicThe Fall 2005 Anime Preview Guide
|
Goto page Previous 1, 2, 3, 4 Next Note: this is the discussion thread for this article |
| Author | Message | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Zac
ANN Executive Editor
 Posts: 7912 Location: Anime News Network Technodrome |
|
|||
Yeah, good point. I mean, I loved The Lion King. On the other hand those are all fairly light-hearted family films (with the exception of Twelve Kingdoms), as opposed to Weed, which takes itself far too seriously given the subject matter. |
||||
|
||||
|
Cloe
Moderator
 Posts: 2728 Location: Los Angeles, CA |
|
|||
I don't know if I'd classify Watership Down as a light-hearted family film, but I in no way disagree with your general asessment, Zac. I'd actually like to see Weed, even if it was only to compare it to The Plague Dogs, another (relatively obscure) serious animation about talking dogs. |
||||
|
||||
|
mangajunky
Company Representative
 Posts: 72 Location: New York City |
|
|||
NIMH is pretty heavy even though it has its cute moments. Watership Down is really dark! It's too bad about Weed...if it was handled differently it could've been cool. -Franky |
||||
|
||||
|
Maceart
Posts: 76 |
|
|||
|
Awww. Zach, you missed out To Heart 2, Gunparade Orchestra, Canvas 2, and Happy 7 <--- great new Trinet anime!!!
|
||||
|
||||
Wyvern
 Posts: 1555 |
|
|||
|
Maybe it's just me, but I just went through all the previous "anime preview guides" and I've reached the conclusion that nearly all anime sucks.
Okay, not really, but these articles would probably give newbies that impression-they tend to slap shows around quite a bit based soley on their first episodes. Anime, more so than other genres, tends to have a fondness for developing stories slowly; anime writers don't generally mind slowly laying things out for the viewer in a way that makes them go "huh?" for a few episodes before the plot and setting are fully explained. From the first episode of Eva, for example, it would be easy to infer that it was just another giant robot show; the really interesting cinematic tricks and character pieces don't really start to show up until the second and third episodes. I can count on one hand the number of anime premiere episodes I really enjoy on their own. Whenever I go into a new show, my mantra tends to be "first episodes always suck." It's usually a reliable motto. And if you think about what goes into creating a serial story, first episodes are incredibly difficult to write anyway-they have the biggest burden of any episode in the series, as they have to introduce the characters, setting, tone, conflicts, AND be entertaining enough to make people come back the following week. Following episodes still have to deal with some of those burdens (especially the last one) but never all of them at once. So I'm not saying you're not doing a good job or anything, I'm just saying I would give it four or five episodes before passing sentance on these shows. Yeah, I know you have that disclaimer there and all, but then you proceed with sweeping comments about the series in general, not just the episode; comments like "this show is about as ridiculous as they come," or (from previous guides) "the show is, on all accounts, unentertaining, unoriginal, and just plain not fun to watch," or "this series is a total misfire on almost every level" and it kind of contradicts and supersedes that disclaimer. This is something that's been bugging me ever since the time you said the entire Gundam franchise should die based soley on the first episode of Gundam Seed. So yeah, all I'm saying is, you should probably wait a few episodes before doing these guides, or, barring that, make it a true preview guide-leave the opinions out and just tell us what the show is about. That in itself would be a very handy service. Not trying to tell you how to do your job, just saying. The writing itself, and the way the guides are put together (and especially the captions) are still top-notch. I just think the basic idea needs some work. |
||||
|
||||
GoodLuckSaturday
 Posts: 567 Location: Indiana |
|
|||
Animal Yokocho surprised me. I didn't think I'd ever laugh at this show, but it's actually pretty funny when it wants to be, but I can see the formula getting old. I hope I'm wrong, because I want to keep enjoying it. If Canvas 2 is the worst show of the season, then this season could've been a LOT worse. Canvas 2 isn't exactly good, but I've seen much worse. Maybe I'm just trying to justify my intentions to watch the whole thing. I can't say I actually disagree with the Aria coverage though, even though I really like the anime so far. Of course, I loved the Aria manga, and I think the anime can capture it pretty well judging on the first episode, even if nothing happens or will ever happen in this series. |
||||
|
||||
hikaru004
 Posts: 2306 |
|
|||
|
Jiguko Shoujo has substance. Where else can you get an anime that merges Buddhist and Western ideas of hell? (found this out on another forum) I liked the first 3 episodes but hope they start giving us more info on Enma Ai.
Shakugan no Shana is another title that uses Buddhist terminology (found this out on another forum). It also raises question about "self" or personal identity. Heavy stuff in an anime in my opinion. I really like this series so far. Aria the Animation is seinen slice-of-life. Expecting action stuff just ain't gonna happen. It's a feel-good title in my opinion. I really liked the visuals, OP and ED songs. I really loved Black Cat!!! That music during Train's flashback was so eery. |
||||
|
||||
domino
 Posts: 373 |
|
|||
|
I'm STILL trying to understand why people enjoy watching Mai-HiME/Mai-OTOME -- but then again I find the "pretty girls that have special powers fighting other pretty girls" genre about as appealing as getting cholera.
Good article, though. I hadn't bothered to check what new stuff was coming out in Japan this fall after the god-awful set of releases so far this year. If I see another bishoujo-harem anime this year I'm going to throttle someone. |
||||
|
||||
championferret
 Posts: 765 |
|
|||
|
Too bad about Weed...personally, I 've loved what I've read of the manga. I thought it was an uplifting, light-hearted story, but the serious bits still went very well.
A bit skeptical about the whole 'barking with subtitles' thing, though, especially as I was really looking forward to this anime. |
||||
|
||||
|
purple_monkey
Posts: 48 |
|
|||
|
I agree with Yukimi-chan, Jigoku Shoujo isn't scary, and I don't think it's suppose to be. I think it's just going for the dark mood. In fact, except for the fact that Ai's got three followers that all seem to have interesting personalities (hopefully), Jigoku Shoujo looks a lot like Vampire Princess Miyu TV with its revenge of the week setup and probably one or two episode pauses to explore each character's background.
Well, I will throw in my two cents (probably worth more like two rubles) on the new shows I've seen in the order of the ones I like the most (so far). Jigoku Shoujo: I like, mainly for the atmosphere. I don't expect much of a story (like VPM). And I kinda wonder how many revenge stories there can be. But so far, I like the dark feel of the show. Shakugan no Shana: Again, I like the atmosphere. At first I thought it would be a typical shounen show, luckily it seems not. Actually it feels a lot like Melody of Oblivion. I didn't like that show, but was hooked early on mainly because of the mystery there and the kind of dark mood. Hopefully Shana won't disappoint. Blood+: Of course this is the most hyped up show. Hans Zimmer's doing the music! Wait, that's not the reason why people are watching this? . . .  Well, as you can see, dark animes galore in my favorites this season. Though I'm a bit disappointed as Blood+ is looking to be a simple Bleach-like show without the humor (can't think of a better example right now). I was hoping for a show to follow the movie (like the manga did) or one that better explained Saya's past (while still following the movie). But who knows, one episode doesn't say much. Still watching this.
Black Cat: King of Bandits Jing with less humor, Phantom the Animation with more humor, and for some reason something like Gad Guard for some reason IMO. Something like that. Looks interesting so far, but . . . We'll see. I don't care too much for assassins with superpowers (the way Train moves is close enough), but I'm still in (maybe because it's a bit dark? 
Aria: I like Yokohama Shopping Log. For some reason I don't really like this. Yokohama was like watching the sunset, just enjoying the view. Nothing needs to happen. It's just one of those moments when you just let your mind go. Aria doesn't do that for me. I can't put my finger on it, but I just don't really like this show very much. I'm gonna give a one or two more episodes, but as of now it doesn't look promising. Mai-Otome: There's one reason I'm watching this. Yuki Kaijiura. IMO, the Mai Hime OST is second only to Madlax's. I've been caught watching shows only for a good OP or OST (like Kono Minikuku . . . . . . Sekai, Tsukuyomi Moon Phase, and others). I already don't really like the show (at lest there seems to be less fanservice, so far). Mai Hime's first episode sold itself as an action show with really good music, Mai Otome seems to already proclaim school life anime with stupid ditzy girl with amazing abilities for saving the world and yet still can't walk five steps without falling. Doesn't quite sell it for me. Mebbe I'll check out: Ginban Kaleidoscope because it's got Kaleido in its name and I like Kaleidostar for reasons I can't explain and don't understand myself. Anyways, that was long. Anyways, those are my opinions, however wrong they may be. |
||||
|
||||
Sabakyuu
 Posts: 47 Location: Canada |
|
|||
|
The only recent anime series I enjoyed happened to be Mai HiME and Air. I love the soundtrack from Mai HiME and I admit that's a part of the reason why I continued to watch it...but either way the second half of this series is simply the most amazing twist i've ever seen in my opinion anyway. It actually made this one of my favourite anime series, besides fullmetal alchemist and well i'm glad Mai Otome adds a new twist to the franchise. I'd comment on the other series mentioned but I really don't like to review something, without watching it all first...
|
||||
|
||||
|
jsevakis
Former ANN Editor in Chief
 Posts: 1684 Location: Los Angeles, CA |
|
|||
Whatchu talkin' 'bout, Willis!? Zac gave at least lukewarm reviews to the majority of the shows this time around. Let's face it, with as many shows as Japan puts out every season, many of them are going to suck. (Did you enjoy EVERY SINGLE SHOW last season? I sure didn't.) And from a critical standpoint, even most of the enjoyable ones don't stand up to scrutiny. Yeah, some shows do take a while to find their groove, but I've turned off more anime in the first episode than I care to count. One of the benefits of being an American otaku is that the few shows that get a domestic release tend to be the better stuff. (Often, but not always. Sorta like being a Mac gamer.) |
||||
|
||||
|
Trell
Posts: 10 |
|
|||
|
No offense, but these reviews seem hackneyed at best. I went through the archives too. Dismissing Gundam Seed out of hand for being a Gundam, thinking that the pretty boy masked man started in Wing of all shows.
And then proclaiming the virtues of Naruto.... Which is at least as cliche riddled as Seed could ever want to be. Seriously, you just can't review a show after one episode. It makes no sense. I don't really get what's to be confused about in regards to Otome. It's a fairly basic setup. Oh, and what made HiME popular was while it had a fairly basic setup it added in quite a good deal of fairly well put together drama for the whole ride unlike most shows like it which just stay fanservice filled fluff for the whole show. The problem here seems to be simply that you have one guy going through anime from many different genres. Genre's he may not like. You can't have one person reviewing a show he probably won't like because he doesn't like the genre as a whole. |
||||
|
||||
nefadol
 Posts: 25 |
|
|||
|
I'm just going to note that Sven in Black Cat is not a detective, he's a bounty hunter. spoiler[Although he used to be a police investigator of sorts, so that could be a reason as to why he looks like one.] ^_^
So long as Black Cat doesn't follow the manga directly and is just based upon it, I don't think it should turn into a long running shounen. But, that's just my take. |
||||
|
||||
|
Patachu
Past ANN Contributor
 Posts: 1325 Location: San Diego |
|
|||
|
Osamu Kobayashi going all European-style on the chibis in Paradise Kiss, now THAT's what I call an unprecedented mix of East and West. His ending animation deserves just as much fanfare as the ending song, if not more.
|
||||
|
||||
 |
All times are GMT - 5 Hours |
|
|
|
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group