How Much Anime Do You Watch?

[Heero]

BGC2040's biggest sin was that it was so bland compared to the original. It's not that 2040 is a bad show--in fact, one could argue that it's better scripted in some ways. But it has bland character designs, bland world design, bland mecha designs, bland color design. The animation, music and design work in the original leaps out at you. 2040 looks and feels like a run of the mill cyberpunk anime. Oh well, at least the opening theme is cool.

Call me an old-fogey, but altho I completely agree with how "generic"/bland BGC 2040 is in look compared to the original, I also HATE the 90s (pseudo-grunge?) music of 2040 compared to the awesomely 80s music of the original BGC. (in the interests of full disclosure, I'll admit I also HATED the American music of the mid 90s that I always assumed the 2040 music was inspired by)

[llj]

While I certainly think the music is a big part of BGC's popularity and stature--and I do find it nice to listen to--I actually prefer the music to a bunch of other 80s anime over BGC's. I don't find myself humming BGC's tunes very often. For me, it's more the coagulation of all the elements--design, animation, music, attitude--that impressed me most about BGC.

Agree about the "90s Pioneer anime" comment, Greg.

I don't know why 2040 looks so sterile. I think it was still mostly cel animated with a few sequences of CG, yet it looks a lot like those early digitally animated anime shows of the late 90s and early 2000s that have aged so poorly today.

[greg]

I'll admit I also HATED the American music of the mid 90s that I always assumed the 2040 music was inspired by)

Oh, I totally agree with you on that! I really don't remember the music to the 2040 show, since I only watched the first few episodes or so that were released on VHS at the time (plus it was only available to me dubbed from the comic book store I rented it from, which decreased my desire to watch the show).

Anyhow, in my opinion, grunge music was the death knell to American music in the '90s. I cannot stand that stuff, and it really came to a head when a band called Crash Test Dummies came out with a song brilliantly entitled, "Mmmm mmm mmmm mmm" or some crap like that. Finally about ten years ago, the music scene recovered. But man, those were some dark times for music.

[gaijinpunch]

I was always a black sheep amongst most of my anime geek friends: Always hated J-music... still do. I guess in some ways it's gotten a bit better, and there are always those odd balls. The Akira soundtrack is still, bar none, the best music to hit any mainstream production as far as I'm concerned. I've even gone to see the group perform it. Of course, Honneamise is great. I found just about everything in the 80's/90's to be amazingly predictable, music-wise.

Not to bash on everyone's tastes... I've just always been really picky with music, and still am for the most part.

[Ender424]

I agree with most of the comments made regarding original BBC/2040. The original lacks some of the story details that 2040 offers but I think the original still did a good job developing the characters despite the lack of background story. I think most fans could have probably imagined what the Knight Sabers were like given all the context the rest of the story provides.

But what I particularly prefer about the original over 2040 is the art, animation, and overall visual style. 2040 was one of those series when anime first started experimenting heavily with CG and looks somewhat jarring. (90's Pioneer style lol...so true)
In my opinion the style of the original captures the noir/cyberpunk feel better than 2040 did and lastly I feel the mechanical designs were far superior. The level of detail on some of the tech is insane and they still manage to animate it all by hand! The combat scenes must have been a hell of an endevour.

I enjoyed the voice acting and music in both equally though.

[greg]

I was always a black sheep amongst most of my anime geek friends: Always hated J-music... still do. I guess in some ways it's gotten a bit better, and there are always those odd balls. The Akira soundtrack is still, bar none, the best music to hit any mainstream production as far as I'm concerned. I've even gone to see the group perform it. Of course, Honneamise is great. I found just about everything in the 80's/90's to be amazingly predictable, music-wise.

Not to bash on everyone's tastes... I've just always been really picky with music, and still am for the most part.

Yeah, I'm with you, for the most part. I can't say I hate J-pop, since although it really lacks much substance, it isn't really obscene or terrible on the ears as, say, rap or hip-hop or even country music back home.

I do have a fondness for old stuff from singers like Yumi Matsutoya and Noriko Sakai. I prefer J-pop from the '80s and '90s. Not that it was very spectacular, but because the current pop music is just so much more generic. Plus, there is that nostalgic aspect to it. The stuff nowadays isn't really worth listening to, in my opinion. Plus, I am so sick of this "Oh, she's pretty--- Oh wait, that's a guy" bullcrap. There are some fantastic bands from Japan, but they are likely more popular overseas since stuff like shoegaze is certainly more of a British (and now American) music style than anything.

I have the Wings of Honneamise soundtrack as well as the Akira soundtrack. Ryuichi Sakamoto did the Honneamise music, and I really like his music. (He's a pinhead for going around telling everyone that Japan's economy should be powered by windmills after the events of last year, but he is a great composer.)

I do want to get the updated BGC complete vocal collection someday, though. I haven't been able to find it at any used music stores, so I will just buy it of Amazon someday.

[llj]

The nice thing about not being a huge music connoisseur is that no genre particularly offends me. I don't mind rap (though I find 1980s stuff, such as from Public Enemy, to have more urgency and soul than today's rap), I have no opinion on country music or generic pop.

Although since I have a soft spot for my nostalgia, all musical genres before 1990 just sound better to me.

[gaijinpunch]

Plus, I am so sick of this "Oh, she's pretty--- Oh wait, that's a guy" bullcrap.

Haha -- right. I think if you wanted to meet a young J-girl these days you'd have better luck by waxing your arms and taping your manhood back.

[greg]

There's some boy band in Japan called Jenny Junior or something like that. They're totally a bunch of girls. My wife says these types look gay and can't understand the allure. I don't get it. I mean, I think tomboys are cute, but not masculine women (women who make a point to look manly).

[Animusubi]

I try to watch...at least a new title and old title a week. And I always have it on in the background if I'm super familiar with it and just want some noise while I work. Like Ranma 1/2 or Tenchi Muyo, most likely something dubbed.