Forum - View topicShelf Life - The Gift Guru
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JohnnySake
 Posts: 582 Location: Auburn Hills, MI |
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Maybe the idea of the series end faltering refers to the original broadcast ending, which really wasn't the strongest. The additional episode included in the box set was a much more fulfilling ending, at least to me anyway. |
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zensunni
 Posts: 1293 |
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I agree, but there were a lot of people that didn't like the ending. I would have liked to see them stretch it out over a few more episodes so it wasn't quite so rushed, but I loved it so much I pre-ordered the DVD set back before it came out... |
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erinfinnegan
ANN Columnist
 Posts: 598 |
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It's a joke that Linux users tend to have neckbeards. Even my brother is among them... Once a friend in San Francisco said she had a lot of neckbeard friends, and I asked if they were Linux users. She was shocked I had guessed sight unseen.
I've noticed fans of one don't always like the other. I like both, so I think it's weird.
I didn't think the ending was as strong as it could've been, and I disliked the OVA episodes. Forum-goers seemed not to like the ending when I reviewed the box.
I think all the yuri fans have probably already seen it. College kids like artsy stuff anyway. And finally, everyone has seen (and loved FLCL) but I wouldn't recommend Utena to everyone. (There were some FLCL-haters in the forum when I reviewed the BDs, though.)
There are lots of food manga, and in English, too! I give an entire panel on culinary manga at cons.
Because I haven't seen Katanagatari  I never seem to get screeners from NIS, so I bought Arakawa blind. I figured I could re-sell it if it sucked.
I've only seen the first part of Toradora, but it has a lot of otaku-tropes, so I wouldn't give it to a guy until I'd been dating him for at least a year
Oh! Edo Rocket almost made this list, but those DVDs came out in 2010, so I skipped it.
I've learned to avoid the "m" word here.
Bamboo gave the longer reviews earlier, not me. I don't think they ditched the social commentary at all! |
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Otaking09
 Posts: 637 |
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*snaps fingers* ah, well... "College" kids kinda implies that you have to be "intellectually heightened" to have a chance of liking it. Just came off as being limiting to the average watcher. (but what you say makes sense)
But to create a category (aimed at anime, not manga)... I dunno. But I guess the titles are sparse anyway so might as well flag down when you can.
Fair enough, I just found that title too crazy... be labeled as "for 'Your Crush". It might as well go under the College label and Utena would please both genders..... and chances are that either or wouldn't wait for a year to enjoy! 
Beaten on a technicality; nice.
Cutesy works. Or even the term "KyoAni-inspired".
*facepalm* my bad. But you would agree that Eden of the East's biggest weakness would be its squandered potential right? At least enough to hamper experiencing the 1st series again (I know them Star Wars prequels damaged a lot of people... and ALL kinds of people). Saying that this'll work for ANY type of person pretty much guarantees that this might happen... but an anime fan is used to such things so they'll live... but the average Jane/Joe will slowly turn her/his head to you, pause, then shake their heads with contempt for the medium that you thought they could get into. ....yes, I'm talking from experience here... With Eva 2.0, you have it all; the style befitting anime (without being overkill since it's NGE), the depth... and the cliffhanger too!
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Youkai Warrior
 Posts: 505 Location: Sarayashiki |
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Out of all of those titles, Revolutionary Girl Utena is the one I want. I'm getting it with any Christmas money I get.
@maaya
I agree, this year was actually weak in my opinion. There are no new anime that interest me. The anime that I am interested in are the anime I've always liked, and anime that have been around awhile, (like Utena) I wouldn't give up on being anime fan just yet. While there might not be anything new that interests you, you can still like the ones that you have already gotten into. Even if it's anime from ten year ago, you're still a fan. I understand if you want to tread other waters, that's fine, but don't write off being a fan completely, just stick with the anime you know you like. 
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Otaking09
Posts: 637 |
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Tempted to listen to ANN Cast and relate to Zac's longing for those good 'ol days, eh?
But seriously, on the flipside, it's that much easier to pick out the standouts of the year: Only 3; M. Penguindrum, Bunny Drop, and, for those who've been praying for competence since its announcement, Persona 4. |
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Maidenoftheredhand
 Posts: 2633 |
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Just as a note I am another Baccano fan let down by Drrr!
I thought the first 13 episodes or so of Drrr were a lot of fun but I think it fell apart in the 2nd half. As for the releases highlighted in this entry I would love to get Utena. I am actually not even that big of a fan (I enjoyed the series but maybe not as much as its classic status) but those sets are just gorgeous looking. |
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Kosaka
Posts: 239 |
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The Adolescence of Utena movie is included in the Utena DVD Set 3 (Apocalypse Saga). I bought the set myself, and the movie is the 5th of 6 DVDs in the set. (The first 4 DVDs are the Apocalypse Saga, the 6th DVD is extras.) I remember when Right Stuf confirmed that they had the rights to the movie, but I don't remember them saying they would release the movie separately. Personally, if you're an anime fan who is not a busy film student, I'd recommend watching the movie last unless you plan on not watching the TV series, because the movie can be a spoiler for some elements of the TV series, and I don't think you would appreciate the movie as much if you haven't seen the TV series first. |
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enurtsol
 Posts: 14761 |
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A suggestion for those recommending to non-anime fans: just make sure it isn't too boring for them with a lot of talking.
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Ashen Phoenix
 Posts: 2910 |
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Gotta wait my turn for Durarara!!; that sticker shock just about killed me.
I only saw the first ep. of Eden thanks to the hype I'd heard/read of it, and while I enjoyed its set up and the dub performances I was turned off by the bizarre wang jokes. Never before in my life have I heard a man's joystick referred to as his "johnny." Further, how the policewoman "identified" him was just too wtf for me. I kept thinking, "wait-- what?! Is there a National Penis Registry I'm unaware of?" From the sound of things, though, I'll have to find a way to give it another try. Arakawa deterred me thanks to its generic-sounding premise, but again, that is likely one I'll revisit now. Only just started Night Raid and while it's confusing and a bit slow in parts, the setting is very intriguing and the characters/dub is handled well. |
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One-Eye
 Posts: 2261 |
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Yea, I've gotten that reaction from some friends too. They loved the bloody violence and psychotic characters of Baccano as well. But, well it just seems a little strange to me. Its like many people were upset that it wasn't Baccano 2 or something. I don't think it was supposed to be Baccano 2 instead Durarara is its own story that just doesn't happen to have the same levels of violence. I like Baccano for the same reasons you listed, but I think I might like DRRR a bit more for the characters. I guess that puts me in the minority of fans of Baccano. |
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Swandog
Posts: 2 |
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I don't read a lot of online anime forums, so forgive me if this is a stupid noob question, but:
In the column you twice abbreviate The Right Stuf International as TSRI as opposed to TRSI. Is that deliberate? Is there some reason for the reversal? |
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JacobC
ANN Contributor
 Posts: 3728 Location: SoCal |
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Okay. I've held off ranting on this as much as I could when I see Durarara discussed on the ANN forums, but I don't think I can hold back no longer, so here goes~!
For me personally, it had nothing to do with the high levels of gore or frenetic pace compared to DRRR's tamer content and meandering pace. (As for psychotic characters? They both had heaps of those, NO difference there! )
No no no no no, that was a non-issue. The problem with Durarara is that is has a terrific premise, wonderful characters, is arguably MUCH more mature and insightful than Baccano and then it just gives up...COMPLETELY, not peters out or dwindles a little, but flat-out becomes a morass of "*Why* are we focusing on this?" right after the series high point, which is halfway through it, with only a few very good episodes after it that lead into an absolutely f***ing terrible ending. I have to use the expletive there, because that's how much of a copout the last third is. If you don't think so, go back and watch episodes 11, 12, 16 and 17 and then watch that ending again. Everything they promised, everything the series was leading up to: completely shredded in favor of a "well life sure is lifey and it's great to be young in Ikebukuro!" nothing conclusion. It's not just because I ~love~ Baccano, either, because I do. Example: my boyfriend watched both series with me. He's not an anime fan, but we watch anime now and again, if it's something I think he'll enjoy. He found Baccano! entertaining and well-produced, he thought it was *good,* but he didn't connect to it the same way that I did. Durarara, though? I can count on one hand the number of anime he's been like "We HAVE to finish this, I REALLY love this," and that was one of them. He did reeeeeeeally connect to Durarara, I think moreso than me, and the ending left him really disappointed because yeah...it fails to deliver on anything that was important in the series, period. We get to see more of those zany characters doin' their silly things, and I think that's the big defense people make for this series, but plot-wise, and yes, the plot in DRRR *does* matter because 80% of the show is foreshadowing and buildup: the ending is f***ing depressingly bad. Don't give me that "there are more novels to adapt!" nonsense. That was true of Baccano! as well, and it had an ending so good that the OVAs added on later felt less appropriate as an ending *even when they resolved more plot points.* That's also true of Spice and Wolf, which *never* resolves its main story thread in two seasons' worth of material, but still has not one but two conclusive season finales. They end in a way that leaves me wanting more, but don't make everything that came prior an unresolved disappointment like Durarara did. I'm already sick of the recent prevalence of cliffhanger "I hope we get a season 2!" endings in anime. This feels like a recent plague to me. Even if it was a bad ending, weren't older anime series more *conclusive* in the past than they are now? I don't like this new trend one bit, it's why I don't follow American TV drama. (Comedies heck yes! Dramas? No, they're always gonna jump the shark, so I stay wary until they end.)
To the point...personally? I *would* suggest Durarara to lots of people but I would tell them to *stop* after episode 17, if not sooner, but...definitely after episode 17. And hey! That's right where boxset #2 ends, so it works! Stop there, and don't watch the rest unless a season 2 happens for the series, because otherwise you may have those prior 2/3 ruined for you. Now yes, best case scenario you're sorta kinda okay with that last third, but me personally and some other people I talked to? It was so off-center, such a letdown, such a hand-wavingly awful "ending" that it retroactively *ruined* Durarara for me, and with that as a possibility? Not worth the risk, I'd say. |
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Charred Knight
 Posts: 3085 |
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I wouldn't call "I hope we get a second season" something that came up recently. I mean shonen used to go on until they either finished it (Dragonball Z) or most likely simply cancelled it (Ranma 1/2 is an obvious example). With those series often times the series simply stops. You used to get series that either came off like advertisements for the manga (The berserk ending is setup in such a way that you feel compelled to read the manga) or is flat out an advertisement for the manga (the Angel sanctuary ova was created solely to hype the much longer manga).
Right now the popular thing to do seems to be to simply animate the first major arc (Negima, Kenichi, Kekkaishi, and Fairy Tail was intended to end at episode 48 but the popularity of the series meant that it got a lot more episodes). That way you get a self contained story but with no real resolution. Things like Trigun and FMA (the first series) self contained stories that change the ending in a satisfactory way (okay the Trigun anime at least had a good ending) was always a minority. For a series ending to be so bad that it ruins the series, you have to have an ending that flat out makes the actions of the previous episodes meaningless. A good example of this is My-Hime which basically tells you to ignore the actions of most of the cast. A nun is raped? She ends up with the rapist, and the anime basically ignores why she's pregnant. Several of the characters are revealed to be psychotic? This is pushed under the rug in a scene that was meant to be comedic. Any negative action taken by the cast is simply ignored in the ending. You are basically supposed to pretend that you where watching a comedy the whole time. |
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Generic #757858
 Posts: 1354 |
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You missed one, Erin.
The Metal/Mecha Fan(atic): MAZINKAISER SKL! A heartwarming tale of badass robots, bloodthirsty heroes, glorious violence and chicks with big tits. |
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