What Anime and Animation are you currently watching?

[HareBrain]

I watched the first four episodes of Dragon Prince S5. Much like S4, this feels tired and padded, with quite a few short scenes that add absolutely nothing except run-time.

Finished the season. I think maybe they changed writers (though I can't be bothered to look it up) because it feels so much weaker than S1-3. There were perhaps two episodes-worth of decent stuff here, which provided occasional flashes of what could have been; the rest was pointless. And as for the """""""""comedy""""""""", ugh. I maybe half-smiled once.

Also watched E1-2 of Synduality: Noir, another anime being released weekly on Disney+. Nothing unique about it whatsoever, but it passed the time amiably enough and I'll probably stick with it at least for a few more episodes.

I'm also feeling a hankering for a rewatch of Fullmetal Alchemist 2003.

 

[alexvss]

FINALLY a good Junji Ito anime. His manga is so good I don't blame the other anime for disappointing. Now, they're trying something new: it's black-and-white, and the motions kinda reminded me of rotoscope animation. The man is indeed a legend: his manga is change the anime industry.

 

[alexvss]

I'm also feeling a hankering for a rewatch of Fullmetal Alchemist 2003.

I never really understood why this version of FMA has so many fans. I believe the 2009 version is the best anime ever anime (not my favorite, but I acknowledge it as the best), and I rewatch it every other year; but, apart from the iconic openings and endings, I never got what the appeal of the classic version was.

 

[HareBrain]

I never really understood why this version of FMA has so many fans.

I think most FMA fans think Brotherhood (2009) is the best, maybe because it's more faithful to the manga. Personally I think 03 is better than the manga, so that doesn't matter so much to me. Where Brotherhood scores I think is its grand conspiracy plot, which is certainly more coherent and makes more sense than the weird ending of 03 (though I actually like the 03 ending). However, I think 03 does almost everything else better, for my tastes. The characters are deeper, the origin of the homonculi is thematically more interesting and they are much more tragic, it gets much more deeply emotional, it takes its time with stuff at the beginning that Brotherhood rushes (Hughes, Nina), and the OST is much better (I even bought it on CD). Most of all, the comedy in Brotherhood almost never lands, especially the really irritating chibi style nonsense, which it depends of way too much. There is some of this in 03, but much less and it works better. But that's all just my opinion/taste. I'd be interested in your take on the comparison.

 

[alexvss]

I think most FMA fans think Brotherhood (2009) is the best, maybe because it's more faithful to the manga. Personally I think 03 is better than the manga, so that doesn't matter so much to me. Where Brotherhood scores I think is its grand conspiracy plot, which is certainly more coherent and makes more sense than the weird ending of 03 (though I actually like the 03 ending). However, I think 03 does almost everything else better, for my tastes. The characters are deeper, the origin of the homonculi is thematically more interesting and they are much more tragic, it gets much more deeply emotional, it takes its time with stuff at the beginning that Brotherhood rushes (Hughes, Nina), and the OST is much better (I even bought it on CD). Most of all, the comedy in Brotherhood almost never lands, especially the really irritating chibi style nonsense, which it depends of way too much. There is some of this in 03, but much less and it works better. But that's all just my opinion/taste. I'd be interested in your take on the comparison.

Funny thing is that I’ve never watched a single episode of FMA 2003. I’ve only seen the OPs/EDs, as well as some scenes. Partly because I don’t like filler arcs or “unfaithful” adaptations; and partly (maybe mostly) because of the timing: Brotherhood got released when I started to become interested in FMA, so I’ve instantly discarded the original at the time. I think it’s too late to watch it now. I’m not as carefree as I was when I was a teen.

But, based on your report, I can safely say I like Brotherhood the best. The comedy lands for me, and I’m OK with its flaws (e.g. the homunculi). Also, I watched a YouTube comparison between the magic system of the adaptations. FMA 2003 treated alchemy as soft magic, whereas Brotherhood viewed it as hard magic. I think the latter is more realistic for alchemy.

 

[alexvss]

@HareBrain I liked this review on Heavenly Delusion:

 

[HareBrain]

@HareBrain I liked this review on Heavenly Delusion:

Yes, I saw that one earlier. It's good that it seems to be getting a decent amount of notice at last.

 

[alexvss]

Helck. A human goes to the demon world to fight the tournament that chooses the new demon lord, and he does that after killing the demon lord in his world.

A fantasy anime that mimics Western fantasy tropes and feels like an isekai. I decided to watch the first episode because many people on the internet have been putting it as one of the best of the season, and that’s a bold statement. So I gave it a go… and I found it to be kinda meh.

It’s *a little* funny: I didn’t laugh but I certainly noted how high-spirited it is. Nothing special about the animation/direction/voice action.

This season is stacked, so I won’t be watching this, but kudos for trying… I guess.

 

[Cthulhu.Science]

From looking at Black Lagoon's website.. it was a 12 ep OVA series. Guess depending on how well it does.. if they'll make more.

Melody of Oblivion was great, though the very end could have been alittle better.
Peacemaker was ok..I really wish I had skip'd all the gap filler eps.

Black Lagoon had 24 episodes and then 5 additional episodes titled - Black lagoon: Roberta's Blood Trail

A story from the perspective of the Office Drone everyman is pretty great.
The teen angst at the center of the bulk of anime is very tiresome for me.

 

[Cthulhu.Science]

Really sucked that Haruhi was only 13 eps and they aired them out of order.
Started watching recently

D.gray-man
S-Strain < loli's with mecha
Busou Renkin
Death Note < really messed up show
Code Geass - Lelouch of the Rebellion < what britians dominated the world
Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto

Noticed they started playing Bleach on cartoon network, Wow alot of the voices they choose for the characters suck.

If you think you must collect a fallen Death Note be reassured that they are available on Amazon

Amazon.com: Death Note Notebook with rules: Death Note With Rules - Death Note Notebook inspired from the Death Note movie: 9782123499015: Note, Death: Books

Amazon.com: Death Note Notebook with rules: Death Note With Rules - Death Note Notebook inspired from the Death Note movie: 9782123499015: Note, Death: Books

www.amazon.com

 

[Jeffbert]

I just started watching​

I Got a Cheat Skill in Another World and Became Unrivaled in The Real World, Too​

which is about a short, fat, ugly HS student loser, who inherits his grandfather's home, and finds a door to another world. A comedy that I find very entertaining. All these info boards pop up, indicating stats, etc. Seems there are quite a few of those, these days. Anyway, after returning to the real world, he finds he is tall, thin, handsome, and physically awesome. A total loser has become a total winner. Nobody even recognizes him, & he must convince them he is himself. Girls who would have ignored him are now swooning over him.



On NF, Captain Fall is about another loser, who, ends up captain of a fancy cruise ship, only because he is the worst captain of all. He signs documents without bothering to read them, and will take the blame for everything evil, which is the point.

 

[Jeffbert]

3, count 'em, three new ONE PIECE films. Watched 'em all; RED was weird, though.

 

[Starbeast]

Fantastic Four 1967

 

[alexvss]

FLCL: Grunge. A boy working at a sushi bar joins forces with a stripper to fight Yakuzas and corrupt politicians.

It’s part of the FLCL franchise, where people are afflicted by a disease that makes literal robots grow inside of them. There’s a factory near town that contaminates the river and makes people like that. This anime seems to be a spin-off, but I’m not sure.

Also, I’ve only seen the first installment, so some things are confusing (like the guys who look just like Fantastic Four’s The Thing).

The biggest problem with FLCL:Grunge though, and the main reason why I’m not sticking with it, is that it feels like an American Cartoon. Actually, depending on how you look at it, it is (the producer is from Adult Swim, but the studio is Japanese). I’m looking for anime’s distinct vibes right now, or at least, a cartoon that resembles it (like The Legend of Vox machina or Invincible).

 

[Berlyn]

It's definitely not anime, but it is animation. I have been watching The Dragon Prince. I have just started season 2. I'm really enjoying it, it's something fun to watch after I binged Avatar The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra.

 

[Mgellis]

I just watched Absolute Duo. It was...not very good. Yet another series in which young people attend a special academy and learn to use psychic battle powers because...well...it's not entirely clear why they're supposed to do this except I guess it's kind of useful to have psychic battle powers. Naturally, there are cute girls crushing on the kind but clueless main character, flashbacks to old traumas, dark conspiracies, etc.

I will say that when you have Covid and you're spending three days with a 100-degree fever, this might be a good series to watch because it relies on so many well- and overdone tropes that you can follow the story without too much trouble even if you are feverish.

 

[Swank]

Recently reviewed the bonkers '80s anime satire Project A-Ko. I saw it in college and it remains hilariously absurd, yet really well done. It doesn't go as far lampooning anime as One Punch Man, but it is similar.

 

[Rodders]

I just ordered Babylon 5: The Road Home.

 

[alexvss]

Frieren: beyond journey’s end. After defeating the Demon King in a ten-year quest, the elf Frieren travels the world while her friends go old.

It’s a fantasy story set in a Tolkien-like world, but it’s focused on the melancholy and sorrow of not getting old while everyone around you dies. It’s not focused on combat, but the few action scenes are well-animated. The friendship between the party of heroes is good enough, considering we don’t get to see their past. And that’s all Frieren is about: the quest is done, the book has ended, the movie credits are rolling, the TV show will not have another season… and we get to see what happens beyond that.

While it is no masterpiece (yet. I’ve only seen the first episode), I’d still say it’s definitely a breath of fresh air to the fantasy genre.

Recommended.

 

[Daysman]

2nd watching of Stein's Gate: timey-wimey and very funny, iff you get long with the MC, who's shouty 'mad scientist' shtick (Cosplay? Counter-masking?) and theatrical delusions (talks with a secret contact on a broken flip-phone) serve to highlight the actual warping of reality he causes. Epic.