@lackingsaint: Gurren Lagann is one of my all-time favorites, but I wouldn't recommend it to a newcomer. I feel like it loses a lot of its impact if you have no context for the roles that giant robots tend to play in anime. Psycho-Pass, though... that's one that I've recommended to newcomers before. I actually love Psycho-Pass for some very specific reasons, but we don't need to get into that here~
In general, I agree with what @golguin is saying in that last post - there are certain shows that have proven to be popular with a general audience, particularly people who haven't seen much anime before. Attack on Titan isn't the cream of the anime crop (then again, nobody really agrees on what is in the first place), but it's DEFINITELY entertaining and interesting to a huge number of people. It also doesn't require any knowledge of foreign culture or particular types of humor or concepts like "moe" or anything along those lines to enjoy. This is probably its biggest selling point, in my opinion - and also a big part of why I think shows like FMA or Cowboy Bebop fulfilled a similar role a decade ago on Toonami and Adult Swim.
The one main takeaway I have after all of this is that I can't wait for Season 2 of Attack on Titan. Folks are going to be bummed.
@pyrodactyl Thinking about it, despite anime not making the same huge leaps video games have, it sort of a surprise there aren't more shows out there that are closer to western media that are more recent. Something like Terror in Resonance would sort of fit, shame that the story couldn't keep up.
Second edit: I guess I should start watching Psycho-Pass based on the amount of praise it got.
@recspec: Psycho-Pass is a good call, actually - probably closer to Western media than a lot of other shows in recent memory. I'm also bummed that Terror in Resonance didn't have the best story - personally I don't really care about plots and such (because I'm a pleb) and I loved the show's aesthetic and gorgeous soundtrack, but it makes sense to me that it wasn't as successful or interesting as most of Watanabe's other work.
... Now might be a good time to warn you that my plot-crazy friends were a bit unimpressed by Psycho-Pass, claiming it as "pulpy" and such. I still think it's worth a watch, but I wouldn't hype it up too much.
The one main takeaway I have after all of this is that I can't wait for Season 2 of Attack on Titan. Folks are going to be bummed.
I bet we will. I love the first season but they've written themselves into a Lost shaped corner. Anyway, don't spoil it. I look forward to putting it on my most disapointing list at the end of the year myself.
Besides that, Psycho pass is pretty good. Good characters, solid thematic framework, cyberpunk, good world building... did I mention cyberpunk? Not enough cyberpunk around these anime/video game parts.
@dochaus: I know it's fun to quote me in the opening post, but I'm not actually an admin in the MAL group. XD
I can still do admin crap for the steam one though! If anyone wants anything out of that I could probably do it. I just don't necessarily pay attention to it on my own time though.
Hajime no Ippo the old series is the only introduction to anime people need. Geez, it's like I'm working with amateurs here. Don't kill me
This is probably the right answer. Great characters, great fights, great love story, great dick jokes. Hajime no Ippo has everything, and one of the best OPs of all time.
Hajime no Ippo the old series is the only introduction to anime people need. Geez, it's like I'm working with amateurs here. Don't kill me
This is probably the right answer. Great characters, great fights, great love story, great dick jokes. Hajime no Ippo has everything, and one of the best OPs of all time.
The one main takeaway I have after all of this is that I can't wait for Season 2 of Attack on Titan. Folks are going to be bummed.
Reading the manga, I haven't exactly been disappointed, as a guy who liked that show a lot.
I don't read the manga for AoT but it feels like the consensus is that the 2nd season would be getting to the "good" parts of the series? I personally don't like AoT and think it's been overrated but I see the appeal.
Because this whole Gundam thing has gotten me back into trying to watch modern anime I found this "Boku dake ga Inai Machi" show to be pretty interesting. Only two episodes so far but the premise seems like something new. On top of that, Gundam Thunderbolt is of course amazing and I can't wait for that to continue.
@instantryan: I guess that if people are looking for it to "turn good" they will be disappointed, because it is largely more of the same. There have been many plot reveals, some I guessed long ago and some I did not, but they also lead to further questions. Besides that, there's been more giant flesh mecha/jetpack Spider-Man fights, and some characters have changed their personalities a little through hardships. Can't imagine someone who didn't like the first season would enjoy it.
I watched some more episodes of Lupin today. It's a stylish show! The characters are all a lot nicer than I was lead to believe when I heard they were nicer than normal in Castle of Cagliostro. Lupin will steal something, Jigen will shoot something or Fujiko will seduce someone, and it will always result in just what the good characters in that episode needed. I enjoy it, but it isn't as fun as episode 1 where everyone were jumping around a castle in disguise.
Does anyone have any thoughts on the newly announced Vampire Hunter D CGI series? The isn't a lot information on it at the moment but I'm pretty much on board with more VHD as a rule.
It has a really charming, likable, and relatable cast. Relaxing slice of life show with a little comedy that never misses the mark. It's just all around really, really likable. Plus, it has a pug:
It has a really charming, likable, and relatable cast. Relaxing slice of life show with a little comedy that never misses the mark. It's just all around really, really likable. Plus, it has a pug:
Okay I've had Space Brothers on my queue for the longest time and this needs to be corrected. I JUST NEED TO FINISH ALL THIS OTHER ANIME grrrrrraaaaaagghhhh!
Hajime no Ippo the old series is the only introduction to anime people need. Geez, it's like I'm working with amateurs here. Don't kill me
This is probably the right answer. Great characters, great fights, great love story, great dick jokes. Hajime no Ippo has everything, and one of the best OPs of all time.
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DEMPUSHY LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL
Probably my favorite anime intro ever. Speaking of which, we need a new season though as we all know by now new seasons of Ippo will always be 3-4 years apart. ;_;
@jiggajoe14: 3 episodes in, characters seems quite likable, I just need some adjusting to the overall look after watching GATE and Dan Machi. It's not a looker.
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This ending is really simple but somehow effective. It felt like the anime is close to finishing. Also when the song kicks in during title match last or second to last episode it was somehow special. Crap, I just got the urge to rewatch ippo.
I always like when ending songs finish anime seasons in the last episode without the usual ending.
Showa Episode 2: Wherein the show has a boring storytelling scene where the point is to convey a boring storytelling scene. I had a moment of, "huh, maybe I should do something else" before realizing THAT WAS ENTIRELY THE POINT. This is exactly the type of artsy-fartsy stuff that I lurves. 10/10, Showa the Season. Seriously, though, I know a lot of people find it boring, but it's been FAR more interesting to me than anything else this season.
Finally finished screening a bunch of the rest, too - is it just me, or are there more "fantasy game" settings than usual this season? I know they've been popular for a few years now, but it's starting to get a little ridiculous... at least Konosuba had some good humor about some of it, I guess. I'll give it another ep for the rainbow vomit, but I'm withholding judgment on the whole batch for now since I know how bad these settings can get over time (LOOKIN' AT YOU, SAO). Grimgar also had an interesting aesthetic, but good lord did the second half of that first episode leave a horrendously rancid taste in my mouth. Classic "anime was a mistake" moments there. As for Style awards this season, it's looking like Dimension W will win effortlessly. Well, not counting Sekko Boys, of course.
Holy shit Grimgar. This is what I want to see from a "trapped in another world" show. There was a little bit of it in the first episode but I want to see them struggle from the get go, espeically since they're kids. They probably have no combat experience, never killed before, and they're in an unknown world, scared.
This seems like it's just going to get darker and darker and I really like the art style/music.
@instantryan: It really all depends on the pacing/ how many chapters they plan to cover. Because the start of that season should be pretty awesome, but then the series takes a weird as hell turn that a lot of people didn't like. For what it's worth, the manga is on fire right now (in a good way), so if their plan is to get to where the manga is right now, it's fine.
@gaspower If they do another season they probably cover my favorite fight in the manga (Sawamura vs Mashiba). I really hope they make another one.
@gaspower: Man, I was a bit bummed out with the new seasons. While they looked great, there was a bit too much shine and cleanliness. I liked the grit and how messy fights were in the old season. And that soundtrack with amazing guitar riffs gave such a personality.
@recspec: You're talking about Attack on Titan and not Grimgar, right? I presume the part you're talking about is the civil war/Krista's family arc? I don't keep ut with any kind of larger anime community besides this thread and my friends, so I don't know what the consensus is, but I enjoyed that part. Didn't feel like it came out of nowhere or anything. But if they end it at the end of that arc, I can only assume they're gonna anime the hell out of the concluding fight just like they did with Eren VS Female Titan, because that wasn't much of a conclusion fight-wise, although it was a massive lore-dump.
re-watching some of Satoshi Kon's stuff. Right now watching Millennium Actress which I haven't watched in a few years. Also jarring the way the stories and transition edits go in his films.
Dimension W: Much better this week. Mostly because the pacing was spot on. Things were fairly easy to follow and it kept moving at a good trot. Also Loser was fun to watch. Something about that character's flamboyance, design and attitude felt nostalgic to me. Sort of like a gentleman thief mixed with Izanagi from P4.
Grimgar: Great sense of place. I like how patient this anime is with its pacing. It's not afraid to take time and breath in one location with key visuals. And man, those purty backgrounds sure help. Also the OP was really nice.
@gaspower: Man, I was a bit bummed out with the new seasons. While they looked great, there was a bit too much shine and cleanliness. I liked the grit and how messy fights were in the old season. And that soundtrack with amazing guitar riffs gave such a personality.
I think the move to digital tools for animation may have something to do with that but that is just speculation on my part.
Took my winter break to watch Nozaki-kun and the first season of Psycho Pass (and rewatch Baccano bc why not) and realized I haven't watched anything new since the summer before last when I first got into Love Live.
I can't tell if now I want to go deeper into the idol hole with Aikatsu or pick up a bigger variety of genres.
@metalsnakezero: I know, but I'm a sucker for cute clothes and cute songs. Some of the costume designs have really gotten me interested. I'm also still a little skeptical about Sunshine since the designs of the girls themselves aren't wowing me, but I'm excited to see how it goes!
@daveyo520: Considering I want every single thing in all of those pictures, I think it's safe to say idol hell already has me. (Who am I kidding, I spend two days this week learning the No Brand Girls dance with 8 other people for a cosplay group in March. There's no saving me.) I have a lot of friends that like Idolm@ster and I know some of the popular songs, but I just never got into idol stuff much until I started playing LLSIF last year. It's definitely on my to-do list, though!
@vocalcannibal: I have way too much Honoka stuff. So I like Love Live more (I like it way too much) but I think Idolm@ster is a better show. Does that make sense? It is for sure worth watching.
That is super cool that you learned the dance. I love watching videos of cosplayers do the songs, it is always cool.
@peregrin38:Yeah that scene in Shouwa was incredible. As soon as they showed the drop of sweat falling from his head onto the cushion as he sat on it, I knew what was coming, and yet I was still waiting to see if he might recover the performance (due to knowing how great he eventually becomes). Then the music kicks in and ugh, it was really well done. The directing in this show is so on-point.
@vocalcannibal: I think you might like Ore Monogatari since you seem to like cute things (me too but I'm trying to avoid idol hell as best as I can), and it's straying outside of the idol genre but not too far. A happy medium. I kinda just want more people to gush about it because it's so adorable that I would save new episodes of it for when I really needed cheering up.
@seinenfeld: I've heard about it, but I didn't really know anyone that was into it. I'll keep it in mind when I finish up Psycho Pass 2, thanks!
@daveyo520: That makes total sense, haha. I acknowledge that Love Live isn't a masterpiece or anything, but that doesn't mean I can't love it way too much anyway. If I decide idol hell is the path I'm going down for now, it's definitely about time I gave Idolm@ster a shot.
@vocalcannibal: Best and favorite don't mean the same thing after all. Ore Monogatari is pretty good. Though if you are not in for a romance then it is not for you. Also PP2 was good but I did not like it as much as the first season. The movie was pretty good though.
@vocalcannibal: Aikatsu is a whole lot of fun. It is simpler, but I think that adds to its charm. Idolm@ster is really great though and probably technically the best idol thing out there. The games are also pretty good.
Sekkō Boys is kinda amazing. The concept really lets them allocate a lot of what would usually be the animation budget to hiring big name VAs, and they sure put that money to good use.
Shōwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjū, on the other hand, must be swimming in money. Famous seiyuu, narrators, actors, and the notoriously expensive Ishida Akira in a majorrole, all in one package. Sure, it's a series of OVAs so one would expect a heftier budget, but man, they really went all out with this one and it shows.
@metalsnakezero: @daveyo520: @vocalcannibal: Wasn't there an actual AKB48 anime where future space AKB48 fights the intergalactic fun police to reclaim humanity's right to party? Or did I do too much drugs and imagined the whole thing?
Since I'm on a real Lupin kick because of the current series, I finally went back and watched Daisuke Jigen's Gravestone. I really liked the Fujiko spin-off series and how different it was compared to the regular series, so getting a story in that world that focused on Lupin and Jigen was a lot of fun. I also forgot how fucking weird that show was. I love the current Lupin run so I can't really complain that they didn't keep going with this series, but maybe somewhere down the line they'll pick this up again.
@zomgfruitbunnies: yes that was the AKB0048 anime. Even had two seasons. On a semi-related note, the first iM@S anime was also some weird sci-fi thing that involved idols in giant space robots for some reason.
I saw the first two episodes of Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash and it looks very promising. The pacing is very deliberate and making the protagonist group very weak is a very nice twist on the formula. I'd also like to point out that it looks like the characters are in their late teens or early 20's if we go by what happened in the 2nd episode.
Erased seems interesting and the little kids weren't as annoying as I thought they'd be.
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