Current anime/animation experiences

[amanuensis1]

I have given Fullmetal Alchemist (the original series) three episodes, and that's one more than I gave Bleach, and it doesn't have me, so, I'm stopping. I will give the new version of the series a try.

And I had thought 07 Ghost had me with the first episode--military-in-training BFF boys! Lost amnesiac royalty! He-killed-my-dad revelations!--but then episode two changed the setting and started inserting the supernatural stuff in handfuls, and that's a story I no longer care about so much.

Who was it who asked me to check out Soul Eater? I watched the first episode. It's cute and well-done! But it's not dark enough to hold me. (No, I can't explain why something needs to be "dark enough" and yet I can't get enough of Chi's Sweet Home/Chi's New Address. The rest of you are free to tell me why.)

Those of you gleeful that I'm watching Avatar, I've finished the first season and am squee-dancing as I wait for more discs to arrive. It's wonderful.

Back to mainlining Hikaru no Go. I've read the manga and am reliving the joy and tears all over again now that I'm watching the anime. (The manga's so huge I can't even remember how some of this s**t goes down and I'm on the edge of my seat every episode. That's a series.)

Comments

[noveltynovelist.livejournal.com]

I've never read nor watched Bleach but it terrifies me that something could have like, what, 300+ episodes of mostly fillers?

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Hee, I suppose when a series gets that big fillers have to be expected. Somewhere in my heart I'm sure the size of the series intimidates me.

[gnomeyhead.livejournal.com]

lol Sounds like Inuyasha.

[masakochan.livejournal.com]

The manga goes sooo much faster (and there's no filler :D), even though there's like... 362/363 chapters now.

[atalantapendrag.livejournal.com]

Chi isn't about dark. It doesn't have to be. It's about a kitten.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

There you have it, folks! Pure eloquence. :D

[gnomeyhead.livejournal.com]

Mmmmm my sister suggests watching a couple more episode of Fullmetal Alchemist before you stop. I haven't watched beyond the first episode as my school year has been busy but it's a series that my sister adores.

*gags at Soul Eater* They do have some nice animation and shiney goodness but it feels like the show "tries too hard" in my honest opinion. I watched it for awhile at my college's anime club and yea.....so overrated. Don't kill me fan girls and boys! lol

I have no opinion on the anime of Hikaru no Go....the anime of interesting enough.

You are looking for "dark" anime? Hellsing has been out awhile, you seen it? Hellsing:Ultimate is very good.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

I loved Hellsing! I've seen the first series and the first episode of Ultimate. Alucard makes me hot'n'bothered, the sexy bastard.

And maybe I'll give FmA...one more ep. Maybe. ^_^

[eskimosatan.livejournal.com]

I'm having the same problem getting my Husband to watch Full Metal Alchemist and I have to admit, the first few episodes aren't very interesting. The further you get into it, the better it gets. I actually started about halfway through, because I saw it on television and went back to watch the beginning.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

I have a hard time with "Oh, it doesn't get good until halfway through/the second season/etc." If it's not fantastic from the first, why should I bother when there's so much else out there that is fantastic from the first? But I might give FMA a little more time. I do like the premise, it's just that eps 2 and 3 started belaboring the things we already knew.

[naltariel.livejournal.com]

Awww... I really wish you'd like Bleach then maybe you'll write a Bleach darkfic for us! Aizen is a manipulative villain worthy of ten Lucius!
I admit the first episodes aren't interesting, but the plot twist in later chapters are just terrific.

[daiseechain.livejournal.com]

I don't know which order of magnitude of Lucius, but yes. Aizen's definitely the same sort of twisted, manipulative character who'd cheerfully take advantage of anyone.

I liked him a lot when he was supposed to be one of the good guys. Is it wrong of me that I like him even more now we know how cold and calculating and twisted he is?

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

People do say that, but there's so much media out there that I don't think it's unreasonable to ask something to grab me straight away. I won't write it off completely, though!

[reddwarfer.livejournal.com]

I think that you should give Fullmetal another episode or two. It was a bit slow in the beginning, but man does it grab you after a few.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

This! The beginning is really slow, then it grabs you, then there are a few bad eps here and there, but the story is really worth getting into!

*spams your comments this morning*

[neocloud9.livejournal.com]

It was hard for me to care about 07-Ghost, either. I think I quit around the third episode or something.

GUH, AVATAR IS AMAZING. <3

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

I really liked the first episode of 07 Ghost! "Oh, now he's an outlaw, and his BFF will have to fight for him from within the system, and, and..." And then suddenly we had this mystic church thing and I lost interest.

Avatar, man, I could go on for posts and posts about the characters. Oh, it's lovely.

[shiraz_wine]

I agree with some of the other comments, Bleach does get darker (and AWESOME) later on in the series. I do have to admit that I stopped watching once I hit the first series of filler episodes though, since all the awesome characters stopped appearing. I'm sure they come back though.

The same with Full Metal Alchemist, actually. (I don't remember if I was watching the old or new series though.) I had a nightmare because of one of the episodes I saw; a scientist starts experimenting to create a chimera, around the same time his wife disappears. That's all I'm going to say.

Are you going to go see the live-action Avatar? It's going to be so insanely horrible, but I have to go see it anyway.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Are you going to go see the live-action Avatar? It's going to be so insanely horrible, but I have to go see it anyway.

Have you seen the trailer that's out now? From what little there is to see (the movie is a year away), it actually has my hopes up.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Those of you gleeful that I'm watching Avatar, I've finished the first season and am squee-dancing as I wait for more discs to arrive. It's wonderful.

Eee, yay! And it just keeps getting better and better! *bounces for you*

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

My love for the characters grows and grows.

OMIGOD YOUR ICON HAS ZUKO WITH HAIR. Don't tell me anything else! :D

[mtranc3.livejournal.com]

Yay for Hikaru No Go!!! It's the most lovable, sweet, positive anime ever!

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

It's freaking fantastic. I walk around retelling myself the summary over and over and making myself choke up and cry, big fat tears, every time I get to certain parts. From MY OWN NARRATIVE.

[walksbyherself]

I feel like Soul Eater definitely gets darker as it progresses; the first three eps are a little light, since they're mostly stand alones that introduce the main characters. If you can get through those, you might find more to like.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

I do think it's well-done! It's funny and the art is great. I think I have too much on my plate to be sure I'll see more, though.

[masakochan.livejournal.com]

Ehh... I tried the anime for Full Metal Alchemist, but I only got about 3 episodes in and decided to stick to the manga.

OMG YAY YOU FINISHED THE FIRST SEASON OF AVATAR. NOW THERE WILL TOOOOPH. XD

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Totally going in for the second season. WHERE'S MY NEXT DISC, DARNIT.

(and yes I know where to see it online, but I'm choosing to do this one on disc because, well, a buncha reasons.)

[o-deanna.livejournal.com]

Have you seen any Le Chevalier D'Eon? I'm watching that at the moment and really enjoying it. Cross dressing hero? Mercury-filled zombies? It's a sure fire winner :D!

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Darnit, I had that page open at one point and did not get to it! Thank you for reminding me that I want to check that one out!

*sporfles over your icon*

Anime

[godiva2111.livejournal.com]

One of the few things I actually consider myself somewhat knowledgable in (even though I can't spell). I liked Full Metal Alchemist, I thought it was plenty dark and angsty, but not til somewhat later in the series (been a long time since I watched it though).
07 Ghost has been ok, I'm somewhat behind in my anime watching, but it's definilty not the best, I agree.
Hikaru no Go has got to be one of my FAVORITE series. I can honestly say I've read and watched the anime at least 3 times each. I would KILL to have good Sai/Hikaru/Akira pairings and such. Complicated love triangles...hmm....makes me wish I had even the slightest talent in writing!

Re: Anime

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

I just finished watching HnG and I haven't stopped crying. Multiple times a day I think about Hikaru's sweet little voice calling, "Sai...Sai! or watch one of the last episodes again or those gorgeous final end credits and I've got tears clogging my throat all over again. It's a perfect series.

I need an HnG icon!

[gossymer.livejournal.com]

It was at episode 7 or so that I fell in love with the original FMA - it gets darker and yowza. And generally, the first anime is slower and more angsty than the second.

Soul Eater on the other hand is quirky and its art makes it so that even if someone is getting ripped up...it doesn't really look as scary ^^

When I think of dark, I think of the Hell Girl anime (which is rather episodic in nature though), Gantz and Red Garden. XXXholic has moments of darkness but it's not really dark dark IMO. Hyakkiyakou Shou is similar to it but more eerie and creepy in a way...

Season 2 of Avatar - I await your opinions on Toph in season two XD The developers initially thought that they'd have Aang learn earth bending from a buff, strong dude and then the concept for Toph started as a joke but...stuck XD

Toph is now one of my top three females (along with Yukino from the Kare Kano anime which is smart and hillarious but...not dark ^^)

On the fascinating side of things (ala Baccano!) is Mushishi which is unusual...but beautiful :)

There's one manga that's rather eerie and unusual but I can't remember the name D:

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

*does not look at Avatar paragraphs so as not to know a thing!* I have the next two discs now, that is, discs one and two of the second series. Eager eager!

I may give FMA a few more episodes, just to see. But I expect things to grab me quickly, since so many good series do that!

[dancing-moon.livejournal.com]

Have you seen the Monster (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=3750) anime? A more serious thriller which is very, very good. And Johann, the child that grows up to become the title's monster, is a beautiful creepy bastard while Dr Tenma is a very compelling protagonist. Good throughout, but not too sweet and fluffy

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Oh! You're the second person who's recommended this to me, strongly. I should go check out the first episode at least!