What are you Watching?

[llj]

Lily CAT. Actually one of the odder releases from Discotek; usually they use the Japanese master as the source, but in this case the Streamline version was used as the source material. The Japanese credits are included only as extras. Were the original masters destroyed? Another oddity is the aspect ratio, which is 1.33:1. Was this actually a theatrical release? Anyone know? If it was, then it must have been screened at least at 1.85:1. Like most anime fans, I had assumed this was an OVA, which would explain the 4:3 framing of the film, but I have also seen it suggested that it ran in theatres, thus my curiosity.

[yusaku]

Breakfast at Tiffany's starring Audrey Hepburn to be followed by Fruits Baskets. I think it is quite a combination.
^__^

[llj]

Attack On Titan, first 12 episodes.

Despite the gore and general grimness, it does still feel like a YA sort of story, or in otaku terms, a fairly standard Shonen style structure. Like most shonen manga/anime, it places specific emphasis on team dynamics and "being the very best" , which in this story is basically being one of the best Titan killers. The main character (a teen, of course) lacks natural ability but is gifted with a special power and an unyielding drive. He is accompanied by supporting characters of various standard types to help, hinder or encourage him. It really doesn't feel "adult", though... the same way Harry Potter and The Hunger Games never ever feel "adult" despite being fairly violent and "dark" in tone. This is not a criticism, but more an observation of what type of story structure we are dealing with here.

Still, there is something to be said about its general appeal. It's very easy for anyone to grasp and get into, and it features almost zero otaku eccentricities associated with most anime, aside from some off-key comic relief characters.

[ParaParaJMo]

Almost finish with the first season of Jojo. I really love Joseph's voice. His voice is exactly how I imagined and same with Speedwagon.

[usamimi]

Almost finish with the first season of Jojo. I really love Joseph's voice. His voice is exactly how I imagined and same with Speedwagon.

Ah just wait until Season 2! I think that's where it starts getting really great. Jonathan's casting was excellent, as well as Caesar's, imo.

[Drew_Sutton]

While doing Christmas shopping last weekend, I ended up checking out the first couple of episodes of Sailormoon Crystal (because I apparently cannot finish anything I start) on CrunchyRoll. It's not bad but I think whatever magic was there to capture me 20 years ago when I was first exposed to the original series is gone. I do like some of the more manga-styled artwork of the show but I'm pretty blah on the entire package. Also, I am not a fan at all of the opening theme - it took me literally years to get tired of Moonlight Densetsu but Crystal's leaves a real sour taste in my mouth. Though, it is the first few episodes and they are re-introducing characters, so maybe I shouldn't be so glib about it; give it a little bit longer to hit a stride and come back to it.

While I was finishing a model kit, I popped in the first two Sohryuden tapes I got from our own AnimeSennin. I think I am starting to notice a pattern - anime based on Tanaka Yoshiki's other work usually isn't anywhere as engaging as Legend of Galactic Heroes. I could never get that far into Tytania and I thought it was just the subject matter. But while I like Sohryuden more than I liked Tytania, I have a feeling the next couple tapes are just going to get watched so I can complete it and they'll go back on a shelf.

[_D_]

For anime, nothing. For other shows: Black Dynamite, The Flash (the mid season finale was WOW! Good...), Marvel's Agents of SHIELD (mid season finale also WOW!), Sleepy Hollow, The 100, Constantine, Halo Nightfall, The Legend of Korra Book Four, Adventure Time, Mike Tyson Mysteries, Arrow, several documentaries including two BBC continuing ones on scifi fandom and scifi in general. New stuff upcoming: Marco Polo, Ascension, Agent Carter, Black Sails season 2, Sherlock (BBC), Dr. Who vs. Santa Claus (BBC on Christmas Day) as well as other continuing and returning series. Too much stuff really...

[Char Aznable]

Started a few episodes of Samurai Girls. Not the best show and the tropes are very cliche (type of anime where you know the plot points three episodes before they happen). I'll probably start watching Gundam Unicorn this week.

Oh, and I just watched one of the worst modern anime titles I've ever seen. Diabolik Lovers. So incredibly terrible, I can't even begin to describe everything wrong with this show. No plot whatsoever, low-grade animation, atrociously repetitive dialogue, and I challenge anyone to find more dubious, annoying characters in any anime title out there. The reviewer in Otaku USA who actually liked this dreck either never watched it or was paid off by Sentai.

[SteveH]

For anime, nothing. For other shows: Black Dynamite, The Flash (the mid season finale was WOW! Good...), Marvel's Agents of SHIELD (mid season finale also WOW!), Sleepy Hollow, The 100, Constantine, Halo Nightfall, The Legend of Korra Book Four, Adventure Time, Mike Tyson Mysteries, Arrow, several documentaries including two BBC continuing ones on scifi fandom and scifi in general. New stuff upcoming: Marco Polo, Ascension, Agent Carter, Black Sails season 2, Sherlock (BBC), Dr. Who vs. Santa Claus (BBC on Christmas Day) as well as other continuing and returning series. Too much stuff really...

I'm on board with several of these shows.

What I'm waiting on is finding out if BBC is doing a second season of The Musketeers and when NBC/Universal/Comcast is releasing the 'third season' (UK seasons 5 and 6) of Law and Order UK to DVD in the U.S.

ETA: YAY! There IS a second series of The Musketeers and it starts in Feb. 2015! (BBC America that is)

[greg]

So Merry Christmas, everyone. On Christmas Eve, I took my daughter to the theater to see the new Youkai Watch movie. That's the only anime I've seen recently. It involves time travel. Keita wakes up one morning and his youkai watch is missing (it enables him to see the ghosts), and he has no recollection of what he'd been up to all along. There was some ripple in the time continuum, and it took a ghost cat to remind him of what has been going on. He time slips into the past to meet hs grandfather as a young boy, to learn that his grandfather is the one who'd first invented the youkai watch. So blahblablah, stuff n things happen, and it turns out that Kumamon, the bear mascot of Kumamoto-ken (I happen to be wearing a Kumamon sweatshirt at the moment, even) is a youkai (spirit) himself, and helps the gang out (sort of). There's also a big spoof on Star Wars contained in the movie, and features a ghost cat named Master Nyanda (a Yoda spoof). Pretty funny.

Tomorrow we're driving up to the in-laws' place to spend a week for New Years. I intend to finish up Nadesico and start on a new series. Maybe an episode of BGC while I'm at it.