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Shelf Life - Cutting Through Red Tape


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Unholy_Nny



Joined: 22 Jun 2005
Posts: 622
PostPosted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 12:00 am Reply with quote
Bamboo totally shredded into Magikano as the singles were coming out, she received a lot of flak for that, so I'm assuming those readers are totally going to dig you.

But, yeah, really is "rental" quality.
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Dargonxtc



Joined: 13 Apr 2006
Posts: 4463
Location: Nc5xd7+ スターダストの海洋
PostPosted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 12:12 am Reply with quote
Quote:
Twelve Kingdoms has more fantasy elements, and Fushigi Yûgi has more romance. Saiunkoku has more politics, and no demons or magic as of this season.

I assume you are talking about the first 39 episodes here. While I agree with the overall contrasts you were getting at between The Twelve Kingdoms and Fushigi Yûgi, this statement just isn't true. I don't know how to dispel it without given away major spoilers, so if you haven't seen it don't even think about reading on. spoiler[But think about all the spiritualism that took place between the three old men that were sort of like the overseers (forgot their names), and all the meddling that they did throughout the show. Some of it could be explained away, but others were clearly "magical" in nature.]

Unless by magic, you mean transformation sequences and crotch shots under the veil of brilliantly colored sparkling lights. In that case then you are spot on. Wink

I recommend this series even if you are not into "totally hot dudes".

Quote:
Season one is 39 episodes and comes in one box set. Season two is another 39 episodes. If you like really long, historically based soap operas, this is totally for you.

I am not sure how you wanted this to sound, but it totally sounds like you mean the second season is licensed. But to my knowledge it has not. Hope it does though. Smile
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vashfanatic



Joined: 16 Jun 2005
Posts: 3495
Location: Back stateside
PostPosted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 12:15 am Reply with quote
Quote:
If shojo depends on the strength of the female lead, Fushigi Yûgi and Twelve Kingdoms lose out to Saiunkoku.


So I take it you quit after the first DVD or two of Twelve Kingdoms? Because Yoko evolves into one of the best female leads in anime. Her crowning moment of awesome at the end of episode 39 had me literally cheering.

Also, first season of Saiunkoku > second season. They had nowhere near enough material to fill out 39 episodes. I'm probably going to give the first season a rent because I really did like it, but the second was sooooo slow. Also hoping that one day the light novels might get translated.

And lastly, thank you for calling out D.Gray-man as the chimeric blend of other, better shounen series. I really enjoyed the art style of the manga, but really, stick with FMA. I can't believe the anime is any better than the manga was.
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Megiddo



Joined: 24 Aug 2005
Posts: 8360
Location: IL
PostPosted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 12:44 am Reply with quote
vashfanatic wrote:
Quote:
If shojo depends on the strength of the female lead, Fushigi Yûgi and Twelve Kingdoms lose out to Saiunkoku.


So I take it you quit after the first DVD or two of Twelve Kingdoms? Because Yoko evolves into one of the best female leads in anime. Her crowning moment of awesome at the end of episode 39 had me literally cheering.

Ah... I was beaten to it. Personally, I haven't seen Saiunkoku mainly because it's not one I'm interested in, but I found Yoko to be quite a fascinating female lead. Her transformation from silent mocking perfect student to bewildered and betrayed newcomer to spoiler[Queen] had me cheering for her all the time.
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Big Hed



Joined: 04 May 2006
Posts: 1607
Location: Melbourne, Australia
PostPosted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 1:18 am Reply with quote
Erin wrote:
(There's a recipe for red bean buns on Funimation's website, which is good, because after 39 episodes of this, you're really going to want to eat one.)


No, just... stay away from red beans. Oh man are they nasty.

As for D. Gray Man, I think the filler in the anime really kills it. I disagree with vash's assessment of it as an inferior shounen chimera in both forms though, particularly with reference to the manga. Yes it does share themes relating to death and grief with FMA, but DGM's character dynamics are markedly different (Allen has no brother, and most of his key relationships are with friends/peers his age), as is the world that said characters inhabit (this is largely a product of the art, but also the weight of casualties sustained by the Black Order has always struck me as meaningful compared to other series -- it feels like they are actually being worn down).

The DGM manga also has a lower humor quotient than its FMA counterpart does, I think, which is a credit, and again the story flows much better without filler. I'd encourage you to give it a shot.

Oh, and DGM is just plain better than Bleach. I'm a fan of both to be sure, but I know which one I'd toss to the fire first to keep warm Razz
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dtm42



Joined: 05 Feb 2008
Posts: 14084
Location: currently stalking my waifu
PostPosted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 1:37 am Reply with quote
Wow, such long entries for each Anime. Which is really good, don't get me wrong. Very well-written and informative too.

And thanks for reminding me about both Story of Saiunkoku and Twelve Kingdoms. I've put both on my List of Anime to Watch.
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swienke



Joined: 18 May 2009
Posts: 245
PostPosted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 1:43 am Reply with quote
Quote:
As for D. Gray Man, I think the filler in the anime really kills it.



For the most part I'd agree. Most of the fillers are only alright, but there are a few that actually add to the series significantly, such as the episodes introducing Daisya Berry and General Yeegar, which spoiler[make their eventual deaths much more horrifying and meaningful at the same time.] Some of the fillers towards the end of the series are pretty funny as well.

The first half of the series is fairly good, but the second half totally kicks ass, and is certainly better than Bleach is right now (I still think the Soul Society arc in Bleach is slightly better than the 2nd half of D. Gray man, but not by much). As for the comparisons to FMA, I'll freely admit that I kind of had to force myself to watch the first three-quarters of it (it just didn't grab me for whatever reason), but D. Gray man got me instantly hooked. I think it may have to do with the fact that I found the setting and the characters in DGM to be more interesting, but I'm sure a lot of people disagree.
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John Casey



Joined: 31 May 2009
Posts: 1853
Location: In My Angry Center
PostPosted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 1:43 am Reply with quote
Not to be a mincer, but I noticed a looooot of bootlegs in that shelf life collection. Laughing

It's all good though. The Viper and Centurion action figure completely make up for it, though!
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JELEINEN



Joined: 03 Jan 2002
Posts: 253
Location: Iowa
PostPosted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 1:55 am Reply with quote
John Casey wrote:
Not to be a mincer, but I noticed a looooot of bootlegs in that shelf life collection. :lol:

It's all good though. The Viper and Centurion action figure completely make up for it, though!


The Star Bird he has makes me intensely jealous. That was one of my favorite toys as a kid. I played with it until there was nothing left.
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Big Hed



Joined: 04 May 2006
Posts: 1607
Location: Melbourne, Australia
PostPosted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 1:57 am Reply with quote
swienke wrote:
I think it may have to do with the fact that I found the setting and the characters in DGM to be more interesting, but I'm sure a lot of people disagree.


I'd say I found them equally interesting. As I said though, very different from one another, so I can easily see how one would be hooked by DGM and not FMA.
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SXAniMedia



Joined: 15 May 2009
Posts: 139
PostPosted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 2:12 am Reply with quote
Erin Finnegan wrote:
maybe I'd watch the part with the talking cat panties again.


I say this a lot, but Rob Mungle is frigging awesome. He probably will be forever typecast for cat roles (this and Ghost Stories) though via ADV related productions. Laughing

Saiunkoku is the only one in this batch that I haven't seen at all, though I have heard/read a great deal about it. What you've written has further established that I need to get check this series out sooner than later - It sounds like it's totally up my alley.

Enjoyed your first one per our prior tweet - this is another very entertaining read. Keep up the good work.
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doctordoom85



Joined: 12 Jun 2008
Posts: 2093
PostPosted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 2:26 am Reply with quote
John Casey wrote:
Not to be a mincer, but I noticed a looooot of bootlegs in that shelf life collection. Laughing

It's all good though. The Viper and Centurion action figure completely make up for it, though!


Even more distressing are the DVDs in the first picture stacked on top of one another. Please get a shelf and arrange them normally, since it's been said DVDs will stop working over-time if they're left stacked on top of one another. Sad

Anyway, another good week. Smile I enjoyed S1P1 of D. Gray-man but not enough to continue until a FUNi sale on Rightstuf happens, SOS is on my wish-list, and Magikano doesn't interest me.
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B-503_MIA



Joined: 15 Dec 2008
Posts: 149
Location: Green Bay, WI
PostPosted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 3:07 am Reply with quote
Holy 70's/80's toy markout!!!! Billy, looks like we had a lot of the same toys - original BSG, Micronauts (also probably the only comic book series I own the entire run of), Star Wars etc.

Hornetroid!!!! OMG, how badly I wanted one of those... I also had the Hydra, Baron Karza, Andromeda, the same color of Acroyear & the Antron. Yup, the Micronauts(Micromen) were just awesome toys & they were interchangeable Wink

My brother's 8 yo son came across one of his old M.A.S.K. toys & is totally hooked, until I saw your shelves I never realized how many they made. He's been trying to track down more of the toys on the 'bay but the end of auctions are always out of control.
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Dahling



Joined: 19 Aug 2008
Posts: 49
PostPosted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 3:37 am Reply with quote
I already like this reviewer. Very Happy And I feel special cause I'm in from the start this time. ^-^

I'd like to agree on the 12 Kingdoms points made already... But otherwise I just want to say real red bean paste is DELICIOUS!! Well, as long as you don't mind sweet things... But seriously. Yum.
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Levitz9



Joined: 06 Feb 2007
Posts: 1022
Location: Puerto Rico
PostPosted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 5:17 am Reply with quote
Good column this week!

I really like how you mentioned how D. Grey Man is an amalgam of various other shonen series, because, let's be honest: that's what everything is. JoJo has elements of Hokuto no Ken, for example, and the outrageousness of Dragon Ball. A lot of people don't seem to like acknowledging intertextuality--heck, as I type this, Firefox's spell-checker can't even recognize it as a word!

Despite that, good column. I expect more good things from you!
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