What Anime Are You Watching?

Use this thread to talk in general terms about the anime you are currently watching - new or old. If you want, or it looks like a show will become something we will talk about in detail, start a separate thread for it with a spoiler warning in the title.

I thought I might say a few other words about the Spring lineup. There's a lot of good ones this spring after all the fan service junk they've been shoveling out lately. Right now, many have me looking forward to new episodes. They consist of:

K-ON is about a school club consisting of four girls who form a band without knowing how to play any instruments. Sounds lame but it isn't bad.

Basquash! has the same style and feel of Gurren Lagann and is about a future where the rich live on the Moon and everyone on the Earth wants to go there. Our poor Earthbound hero seems to spend most of his time smashing public television displays for some part that he sells. He passionately hates Big Foot Basketball (BFB) which has replaced the old fashioned variety. BFB is played using twenty foot tall mechs which he claims are slow and clumsy. So he does his tv bashing spectacularly during broadcasts of BFB while dribbling a basketball on a skateboard and adroitly evading the police big foots, thus earning the name Dunk Mask. Until one day, a BFB game is scheduled to play in his home town...

The one I'm really geeked about is Eden of the East. Directed by the same guy who did GITS and Moribito. Here's the trailer. Saki Morimi is on her graduation trip to NYC but she wanted to see Washington DC so has made a side trip on her own. She didn't expect to end up running from the law with a naked terrorist. Then she learns that Tokyo has been hit with a missile attack.

Shangra-la looks awesome even if you have to suspend disbelief of the whole global warming scam to follow it.

Grin,

Heheh. The only one I've been geeked over as you've put has been..."Eden of the East," and everything else looks like trash, but I'm rather picky with my anime needless to say. Granted, this season does look better than this past year or two, tho. Maybe I'll check out Shangria - La the art direction and colours look very nice. But I'm waitin' to see a few more summary's before I jump on that band wagon.

BTW, nice thread idea, overall.


Hasta,
Ali

Hi!
I'm watching "Blade of the Immortal", "Skip Beat" and "Earl and Fairy" now! I finished "Vampire Knight" some weeks ago!

Hmmm, I'm watching quite a few things but some stuff I've started recently are Baccano and Lucky Star. I love the crazy narrative style of Baccano (not to mention Isaac and Miria's insanely funny antics) and Lucky Star is made of awesome.

Ponyo to Open on 800 U.S. Screens, Blood on at Least 11
(Why would anyone want to watch a children's movie with blood on the screen? That will just make the picture look blotchy and probably smell bad, too.)

Ponyo to get Miyazaki’s biggest U.S. opening; Blood to open on July 10

Frank Marshall, one of the producers for the North American release of Hayao Miyazaki’s latest film Ponyo, has revealed on his personal Twitter account that the film “will be opening on 800 screens in August, by far the biggest opening for a Miyazaki film….” He had previously revealed that the American Ponyo trailer will premiere during the July 4th weekend. The film itself will open on August 14 after advance screenings in Los Angeles and Berkeley, California.

Samuel Goldwyn Films revealed 11 of the theaters where Chris Nohan’s live-action film adaptation of Production I.G’s Blood: The Last Vampire anime will open on July 10. The film will play in the American cities of Berkeley, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Chicago, Cambridge, Dallas, Seattle, and Washington, D.C.

I tend to think Ponyo (bloody screen or no ) is going to be Miyazaki's biggest US success. It's a truly great children's film (more so than most of his others) that has enough grit for an older audience. And obviously, it looks fantastic.

Heya,

Hmmm. Yes, I wanna see Ponyo, but I know what have the luck to see it so I'll have to download it, along with Blood (I love Production I. G.) so we shall see about that, tho. Not expecting it to be fantastic, but see what they do with it, Blood that is.

Other wise.... Yeah.


Ali

I think you're right, Enzo, this will be Miyazaki's biggest. Spirited Away currently holds the box office record for any anime movie over here (sad but true). Disney seems to be putting more money and bigger names into this one so I think it will do better.

I think that eventually Americans will have to acknowledge Miyazaki the same way they have Kurosawa even though he only does children's animations. He doesn't treat children like idiots the way our animators mostly do. Therefore his films are enjoyable to everyone. Can you think of any animation that talks down to children that is worth seeing?

GrinfilledCelt wrote:I think you're right, Enzo, this will be Miyazaki's biggest. Spirited Away currently holds the box office record for any anime movie over here (sad but true). Disney seems to be putting more money and bigger names into this one so I think it will do better.

I think that eventually Americans will have to acknowledge Miyazaki the same way they have Kurosawa even though he only does children's animations. He doesn't treat children like idiots the way our animators mostly do. Therefore his films are enjoyable to everyone. Can you think of any animation that talks down to children that is worth seeing?

Well, that's the secret of Pixar's success right there in your last question, IMO.

If you see Miyazaki's work on a continuum with Princess Mononoke being at the one end (dark and more intellectual) and, say, Kiki's Delivery Service at the other, Ponyo falls much closer to the latter. Not all Miyazaki's films are expressly children's films as much as Ponyo is, but it's deligthfully thoughtful and very funny. As such, I think it has a chance to capture a bigger audience than even Spirited Away. It's not quite on a par with Mononoke IMO, but it's magic the way only Miyazaki can weave it and I'd place it solidly in the upper half of his works.

Right again, I'd forgotten about Princess Mononoke (and Nausea, Thurston Howell III's Moving Castle and Asshole in the Sky etc. (silly me)), and there is also Whispers of the Heart which is more of a chic flick. I'd say Ponyo is much closer to My Neighbor Totoro than Kiki's. It's really is intended for the small ones.

Heya,

Yeah, I do agree with that, and I think your right. It's the secret to success, even like Pixar that it doesn't degrade (I hate Toy Story with a FREAKING PASSION), but why a lot of Japanese Animation is so much better, and smarter for all ages can enjoy it and don't down talk to anyone!

I think it's like that with HBO, Showtime, and stuff like that as well, to a lesser degree. Granted, it's more adult oriented, obviously, but still. A lot of the writing like "Oz" and such that it isn't dumb down so to say, and the plots stay complex. Battlestar was like that, until they got ahead of themselves, IMO. Then it got watered down, but overall, still ahead of the crowd.

In the end, I think this is why smart TV Shows, like, "Life, Atlantis (Before they switched writers and Cast)" and so forth get canned early. The Exes see that they can cater to the masses, for it's simpler, but that's not always the smartest. They should always try go for "All Ages." That's what smart writers do, IMO. Don't talk down to their fans.

Hasta,
Ali

IF doesn't make sense, don't blame me right now...I'm tired as could be and can barely read the screen. Hahaha.

Another article at ANN about Ponyo. That's two days in a row.

NY Int'l Children's Film Fest to Play Ponyo Excerpts
Anyone here in New York?

The New York International Children's Film Festival (NYICFF) has announced that it will screen exclusive excerpts from director Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli's latest film, Ponyo, at screenings of two of their previous films: Kiki's Delivery Service (Majo no Takkyūbin) and Castle in the Sky (Tenkū no Shiro Laputa). According to NYICFF, these will be the first times that these excerpts have been played in the United States (outside of a studio test screening). Kiki's will play on 35mm film at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday and again on June 14. Castle in the Sky will also play on 35mm at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday and again on June 15.

The story of Ponyo follows an ordinary boy named Sosuke (Frankie Jonas) and his friendship with Ponyo (Noah Cyrus), a goldfish who wishes to be human. The other castmembers include Cate Blanchett, Matt Damon, Tina Fey, Cloris Leachman, Liam Neeson, Lily Tomlin, and Betty White. Walt Disney Pictures will open the film on 800 screens on August 14 after advance screenings in Los Angeles and Berkeley, California. The American Ponyo trailer will premiere during the July 4th weekend.

Ponyo's English Trailer

It's a bit misleading. Liam Neeson's character is the only one who is the least bit concerned about "saving the planet". This makes it sound like Ponyo was created for that purpose. I pray that Disney hasn't messed with the script that much.

I'm still geeked. Mark August 14th on your colander. That way you'll be reminded every time you drain pasta.

Writer Peter Craig Speaks on Cowboy Bebop Flick

As I see it, there's still a slim chance that this movie won't be a steaming pile. This guy seems to be genuinely as into the show as any of us ever were and Watanabe is still very much involved. What really got my attention was this line:

Fox sent me every episode of "Cowboy Bebop," including a few that had never aired in the U.S.

What? I don't think so.

I am currently watching Naruto Shippuuden on youtube. So far, this series is on its 122nd episode. The storyline is still good, many twists and amazing battle scenes. While waiting for the next episode, I'm planning to watch Bleach or Death Note. Many of people are recommending this to me to watch because these two animes are good too. So, I'll better see it for myself! If it's really better than to what I am expecting, so be it!

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dressupgames | dress up games girls | dress up games | dress up

Those are all good anime, calex, with stories you are unlikely to hear from the West. You should be watching Naruto at Anime News Network. The quality is much better and they stream many other good shows.

I noticed that Moribito isn't on your list. How come? Have you already seen it?

BTW, Welcome!

Calex,

Greetings! Yes, I'm curious why you posted on a SoM board, and no love for it, or are you starting as what the topic said, and what YOUR currently watching? Hehe.

Grin,

I guess we all beg to differ, tho. -)

Anyways,

I haven't been to much of a anime streak as of late, nothing has caught my interest. Despite, I should check up what the new season is shoveling out. More drivel as usual, or something that actually catches my attention. Produced shows on networks have been little bit better, tho. I guess I'm to picky, or something. Not quiet sure, despite I have a half a 500 Gig drive full of shows I should watch to see if any good.

Hasta,
Ali

In honor of International Talk Like A Pirate Day, I present this fine rendition of Barnacle Bill featuring Betty Boop's sister, Berenice.

Conan O'Brian and Andy Richter do dubs for Ghost In The Shell and Blood: The Last Vampire.

Howdy,

That's kinda cool, despite Blood kinda sucked as a movie, the intentions are good, but fell flat, IMO. Lucky I got it through other means, tho. =D Not worth it. *laughs*

Oh, well. Thanks for the heads up, and that's kinda cool, Grin. =)


Ali

When I picked up Blood: TLV I had not heard of it before. After I watched it I guessed (correctly) that there was something that came before that I should have seen first. If I had already seen the tv series, Blood+, the movie would have made a lot more sense.

Grin,

Did you get the Live Action of Blood, or the anime version of it? I think the anime version is ALOT better, but a totally different Saya far as I'm concerned.

Ali

I had to check. I've already burned the live action version. I don't think I watched it, because of the lousy reviews it got. If I did, it sure isn't memorable.

Grin,

Save yourself the pain. =P


Ali

Hee hee! Okay. Even the anime for that didn't do much for me.