What are you Watching?

[Char Aznable]

I've been re-watching a number of Yasuomi Umetsu films lately (Kite, Kite Liberator, Mezzo Forte). Visually impressive films, though I feel Mezzo Forte is the strongest of the bunch. While I did enjoy Kite Liberator, the lack of an ending severely hurt it. I always wondered if a continuation was planned...?

[DKop]

I've been going through my recorded tapes of Sci-Fi Ani-Monday block when I recorded Street Fighter II V, MD Geist, Highlander: Search for Vengence, and Star Blazers. I got some Macross Plus mixed around on one tape, and most of Gundam 00 in my VHS box. I've just been ripping them for myself on my computer and people on a file sharing community that are about recorded tv programs.

[cosmosamurai]

Minky Momo - the connoisseur's choice in ancient magical girl shows. Still neglected in fansub, after all this time only a handful of eps are subbed in English. Ben Ettinger's old Momo page remains it's most extensive treatment, preserved at: https://web.archive.org/web/20030210193 ... /momo.html

Additionally, I got a kick out of this circa 1996 (!) Japanese fan page in English that lives on 20+ years later: http://hp.vector.co.jp/authors/VA008023/momo/maine.htm
That Japanese Momo fans little manga, drawn back in the day, is a strangely affecting little tale about his favourite show:
http://hp.vector.co.jp/authors/VA008023 ... rloche.htm

[karageko]

Minky Momo - the connoisseur's choice in ancient magical girl shows. Still neglected in fansub, after all this time only a handful of eps are subbed in English. Ben Ettinger's old Momo page remains it's most extensive treatment, preserved at: https://web.archive.org/web/20030210193 ... /momo.html

I was actually making my way through that a couple months back but took a break and forgot to pick it back up. I should probably pick up where I left off (episode 22). Despite being the original creator and screenwriter for The Time Etranger, Takeshi Shudo's other stuff he wrote (what I've seen of it anyway) really impresses upon me that he was a man who predominantly gravitated towards bizarre, comedic scenarios.

[Drew_Sutton]

Minky Momo - the connoisseur's choice in ancient magical girl shows. Still neglected in fansub, after all this time only a handful of eps are subbed in English. Ben Ettinger's old Momo page remains it's most extensive treatment, preserved at: https://web.archive.org/web/20030210193 ... /momo.html

I was actually making my way through that a couple months back but took a break and forgot to pick it back up. I should probably pick up where I left off (episode 22). Despite being the original creator and screenwriter for The Time Etranger, Takeshi Shudo's other stuff he wrote (what I've seen of it anyway) really impresses upon me that he was a man who predominantly gravitated towards bizarre, comedic scenarios.

Would those bizarre, comedic scenarios be like ... the end of Minky Momo? (Thanks to Ed Hill showing me that the first time)

So, I've recently gone back and tried to get back into ACCA. I think, animation-wise, it's a bit above the board. I'm digging the designs and aesthetics. But plot - oh jeez... I think there are some great, rough ideas of a story and the setting but the constant diversions of "OMG FOOD" is really grating. I have zero qualms in a cartoon about food - liked Mr. Ajikko a lot, Yakitate Ja-Pan was good, loved Bartender - but cuisine was up front and center with all of those shows. This is supposed to be, based on the other plot line, like a noir thriller, so watching the office staff fuck off from their jobs to be all "wai~ cake~!" is an unpleasant distraction. This show seems like something I'm just better writing a fanfiction about, authorial intent be damned.

Because I am super behind on everything, I started Osomatsu-san. I have zero familiarity of Osomatsu-kun (other than it being a popular show at the time) so despite thinking the show is fun and good, I am afraid I'm still missing something. Otherwise, it's a cool fun show I'm probably just going to stop in and visit for an hour or so a week.

Breaking records of watching not-1980s-cartoons, I also started Darling In The Franxx, too. I - I'm just not sure yet. It's a robot cartoon and I want to like it because it's a robot cartoon. But so far, it's headed to Hug Pillow Land and I just can't deal with it. I'm only two episodes in so there's plenty of time to turn this around but, ugh. This could wind up being a slog.

I don't know if this deserves it's own thread or not but I am on the look out for Galaxy Express 999: Claire of Glass. My research says this was a TV special released in March of 1980 that was a re-cut of an episode from the TV series. It's something that I've mentioned in passing relating to a couple of panels I've run at various anime conventions but I don't have any scenes or clips from that special specifically. Anyone know if this was released at all or just a tape-trading days relic?

[Char Aznable]

Finally watched Devilman Crybaby. it took me about a full episode to get into the animation style but, overall, I really liked the show. The art style grew on me, the music was fantastic, and it was a great re-imagining of Go Nagai's story. I did feel the last two episodes were rushed, and that hurt the show a bit--but, with that said, the ending itself was perfect. It definitely got me excited to see what they do with the upcoming Cutey Honey series.

Since Netflix has so many new anime shows on streaming I also dived into Kakegurui. I rarely, if ever, binge watch stuff...but this was a series I went through incredibly fast. It always amazes me how anime can take nearly anything and turn it into an interesting show (bento boxes in Ben-To, cooking in Food Wars, and now gambling with Kakegurui).

And lastly, I picked up the Speed Racer complete series on bluray and have been watching those. I think the entire set came out to be cheaper than a single VidAmerica VHS tape back in the early '90s--which would usually only have one Speed Racer episode (some may have had two).

[davemerrill]

Finished Devilman Crybaby, am now watching Yuru Camp which is about as far away from Devilman Crybaby as an animated show can get and yet still be "anime". Also Attack No. 1 and they started fansubbing Stop! Hibari-Kun again, so I'm watching that too.

Drew, the "Crystal Clair" 999 film was a short film released for Toei's Manga Matsuri film series in March of 1980. Like the Harlock film "Secret Of The Arcadia", it's a retelling of a TV episode, and I don't know how much of the film is new animation, though I know some of it must be, due to the differing aspect ratios. I think I have it on a VHS still somewhere.

[usamimi]

oh dang there's finally more Hibari-kun to watch?? I might have to jump back into that

[Drew_Sutton]

Drew, the "Crystal Clair" 999 film was a short film released for Toei's Manga Matsuri film series in March of 1980. Like the Harlock film "Secret Of The Arcadia", it's a retelling of a TV episode, and I don't know how much of the film is new animation, though I know some of it must be, due to the differing aspect ratios. I think I have it on a VHS still somewhere.

Oh great, thanks for the info, Dave! I never knew about the Secret of the Arcadia, either. I'll try hunting around with some terms from Toei Manga Matsuri and see if that turns anything else up online.

Or else I might send you a blank tape, SASE and a very polite request letter

[llj]

Finished Terror in Resonance. Not bad, I actually think it was still a little long even at 11 episodes. The art style is your typical modern Watanabe seinen-style. Lots of CGI for car scenes and your typical grey-blue lighting in many talking scenes. The setup of the series takes a long time to get going, and the characterizations weren't sharp enough for that slow start. It was mainly a plot driven series. It picked up around episode 7 and was a decent thriller to the end. Would recommend to rent, but don't buy. A lesser Shinichiro Watanabe effort.