Anime

Post by **Hachimitsu** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 6:22 am

OK after hiding from my RL anime pushers since middle school,

thanks to Pips, Sid and Dawn I have gotten into Bleach. I was never really an anime fan but I would watch some Myasaki movies (OK my RL anime pushers were a little successful). Now since I find Bleach quite good and since I have been sucked into attending Anime North

next year, I have been getting a few recomendations.

I wanted to know what the good people of HOF think when it comes to anime? What is your favourite? Any type of style you prefer? Are there any good things you could reccomend?

So far I have had recomended to me Nana, Fruits basket, Azumanga Daioh and Gundam something ( I found I didn't like the Gundam stuff). Any good movies? TV series? Manga?

Any newbies to anime please chime in I would love to hear your thoughts.

(I admit, I used to be afraid of anime fans

).

Oh and did anyone hear that there was a deal for 10 Farscape webisodes?

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 7:22 am

I did hear that, Wilma! I hope they're interesting.

(Great to see you!)

Anime—I wonder if I'm just too old. There are some Miyazaki films I really do intend to see (I remember watching Kiki's Delivery Service with my daughter years ago and finding it weird but delightful), but beyond that it all gets confusing and is so stylized I don't feel the characters. Part of it is the style of drawing, which for me is hopelessly associated with the awful Gigantor cartoons of my childhood—and I see so many kid artists slavishly drawing in that style when they could be inventing their own styles.

I would be happy to be pointed toward something that would persuade me I'm wrong.

Post by **JewelSong** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 1:33 pm

Primula Baggins wrote: Part of it is the style of drawing, which for me is hopelessly associated with the awful Gigantor cartoons of my childhood

Oh, man. I remember those! And the theme song!

Gigantor! Gigantor! Gigaaaaaaantor!
Gigantor's the space-age robot!
He's at your command!
Gigantor's the space-age robot!
His power is....in your hand!

And what about Speed Racer?

Here he comes, here comes Speed Racer!
He's a demon on wheels!

(Weirdest thing about Speed Racer? That chick Trixie that hung out with him, and got jealous of other girls was his sister!)

And my fave - Astro Boy! The first real anime series! I LOVED him!

And they are making a feature film in 2009, according to this! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astro_boy

There you go Astro Boy.
On your flight into space.
Rocket high, through the sky
What adventures soon you will make.

Astro Boy bombs away
On your mission today
Here's the countdown, and a blast off
Everything is GO Astro boy.

Astro Boy as you fly,
Strange new worlds you will find
Atom sound jet propelled,
Fighting monsters high in the sky.

Astro Boy there you go
Will you fight friend or foe?
Cosmic ranger, life of danger,
Everything is GO Astro Boy.

Friends will cheer you
You're our hero
As you go go GO Astro Boy.

Post by **Crucifer** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 3:40 pm

Hayo Miyazaki made the following films:

Howls moving castle.
Laputa, castle in the sky.
Spirited away.
Nausicaa of the valley of winds.
Kikis Delivery Service.
Porco Rosso.

6 must have movies for everyone.

Post by **JewelSong** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 3:42 pm

I loved Howl's Moving Castle and Spirited Away.

Haven't seen the others. Do you recommend subtitles or dubbed versions?

Post by **Hachimitsu** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 4:05 pm

What about Princess Mononoke?
Kiki's delivery service is really good. I have only seen dubbed versions of those movies but there are people who swear by subtitled versions.

Post by **JewelSong** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 4:10 pm

Oh, yes...Princess Mononoke! I forgot about that one! That was awesome, too!

Post by **Crucifer** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 6:48 pm

Drat. Nausicaa is by someone else.

Yes, Mononoke is another must have.

I recommend dubbed versions, as it tends to be really good, and the Japanese sounds really screechy most of the time.

Post by **Faramond** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 7:12 pm

What?

Nausicaa is certainly by Hayao Miyazaki! Not only did he write the movie, but he wrote the manga too. We even have a member here whose name comes from a character in the manga.

Post by **Holbytla** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 9:30 pm

wonders if Speed Racer and Kimba the White Lion would be considered anime

I have seen some. Some I like and some I don't.
I think Prim is too old though.

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 10:04 pm

Whippersnapper!

I've also been told I must see Grave of the Fireflies. Though I've also heard from more than one source that it's the most heartbreaking film ever made.

Post by **elfshadow** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 11:31 pm

I watched Pokemon as a kid. Does that count?

Post by **JewelSong** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 11:58 pm

Holbytla wrote:wonders if Speed Racer and Kimba the White Lion would be considered anime

Don't know about Kimba, but "Speed Racer" most definitely!!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_Racer

Post by **Hachimitsu** » Sat Jul 21, 2007 7:01 am

Well my introduction to anime was though my friends convincing me to watch Sailor Moon. So I guess Pokemon counts. Also we would have anime parties where one of them would bring a couple of DVDs and the rest of us were forced to watch. A friend has lent me fruits basket and a couple of other titles. I'll see how that goes.

I think Anime movies and Anime TV series are different when it comes to subs and dubs. With a movie they usually get high quality actors to do the dubs. (Claire Danes and Christian Bale (mini swoon) did Princess Mononoke and Howl's moving castle and Kirsten Dunst did Kiki's Delivery Service). For TV series sometimes the dubs can be pretty bad as the voice of the actor does not capture the charater well. (If anyone watches the English dub of Bleach in the begining the voice actor for Renji really got on my nerves, he gets better though.) Also they change around the story for the North American audience (In Sailor Moon there were 2 "cousins" that were actually lovers in the Japanese version) So sometimes it helps to watch the subtitles since even though you don't get the language the intonation of the charaters while they are speaking helps alot. Sometimes you can really change the way a charater comes across just by the intonation of a small amout of dialogue. When voice work is one for anime in Japan, all the actors get together and record in the same room and play off each like a radio play. In North America when dubs are done the actors are isolated in a booth and only have the director to give them any inkling on how the say the diologue. I can really notice the difference especially when it comes to comic timing. Usually I try to watch both a dubbed version and subtitled version.

I find for some people they have gotten into anime by accident as their parents were looking for some innocent cartoon and they picked up anime by accident thinking it's a cartoon so it's OK for kids (Noooooooooo!!!! I am very fortunate I have friends who sensor stuff for me so I don't accidentally get traumatized. There are so many times I have done this

).

Post by **Crucifer** » Sun Jul 22, 2007 3:32 pm

I actually used to enjoy cardcatchers somewhat.

And of course Nausicaa is by Hayo. It's Porco Rosso that's by someone else... I think.

Post by **Rowanberry** » Sun Jul 22, 2007 5:48 pm

All that Crucifer mentioned were made by Miyazaki, and in addition to those, at least My Neighbor Totoro is very well known internationally (and, it's one of his "feel-good" movies).

Here's the man's complete filmography, if someone is interested.

Post by **Hachimitsu** » Sun Jul 22, 2007 7:33 pm

It seems he was involved with Porco Rosso too.

Cardcaptors? I watched that a little bit. With watching bleach I am realizing that at times anime can make fun of itself. Bleach has a charater that I am sure was created to poke fun at Kirobearos from Cardcaptors.

Post by **Crucifer** » Sun Jul 22, 2007 10:14 pm

I thought he only made 6 films. My mistake.

Post by **Hachimitsu** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 5:03 am

Primula Baggins wrote:I did hear that, Wilma! I hope they're interesting.

(Great to see you!)

Anime—I wonder if I'm just too old. There are some Miyazaki films I really do intend to see (I remember watching Kiki's Delivery Service with my daughter years ago and finding it weird but delightful),

What was weird about Kiki's delivery service?

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 7:55 am

As I remember, it was the sense of geographical displacement. A lot of the esthetic was Japanese, the setting was a sort of fairy-tale Europe, and the voices were American. The overall effect was unearthly.

But the movie was entertaining and imaginative. My daughter and I both liked it.