What Anime are you Currently Watching?/Anime Recommendations

[XxBroBuzzxX]

Well, I've finished Clannad and I'm working on the Visual Novel now because I couldn't get enough. Honestly, I think I'm going to stop here, or I'll become a moe freak. The characterization and interaction is the strongest I've ever seen in anime, though, as good as something like Trust and Betrayal. The dub is actually awesome and the animation is gorgeous. The way that everyone moves and acts is really expressive and I'm loving it. Found myself rooting for Tomoyo and that's really strange. I'm almost never concerned with shipping or romance or whatever in anime, but I was actually angry that she didn't get more screen time. I wanted to see more of her. That's just a testament to how well everything is written.

Well, Clannad is awesome either way. I don't think I'll ever forget my time watching it.

Just wondering, what was your opinion on the ending?

[Xeogred]

I'm following it now. I never followed the OVAs or manga, so Greed Island and beyond will all be new to me. I agree that the music is really meh. One other thing that bothers me about the new one is the coloring. This might sound strange, but I feel like a lot of the digital coloring in it comes off as... generic? I felt the same way about Slayers Revolution/Evolution R. Maybe that's just my nostalgia kicking in.

Isn't the Chimera arc pretty big though? I've heard it's like half the manga so far. If it's no good, that would indeed be a disappointment. Besides all that though, I'm pretty stoked for Heaven's Arena and Yorknew city.

Yeah, the Chimera arc was ~100 chapters, when the manga is only just a little over 300 now. So it was a 3rd of the series, unfortunately. I can definitely see my enjoyment of watching the anime dip quite a bit once that arc hits, it's just that bad and the series completely loses itself.

In comparison to other shounens right now, I think it looks best and sharpest next to One Piece. Madhouse is awesome, they should totally pickup more shounens to animate sometime. But that said I agree, the first series was one of the last cel drawn shows and had such a great dark "palate" to it that this new series lacks with the digital look. The coloring in the original gave the Ryodan arc so much character, it was amazing. The remake probably won't have that same feeling when it gets there.

I think Ippo was also one of the other last cel painted shows... man I can't wait to see that one.

[Valkyrie-Favor]

Well, I've finished Clannad and I'm working on the Visual Novel now because I couldn't get enough. Honestly, I think I'm going to stop here, or I'll become a moe freak. The characterization and interaction is the strongest I've ever seen in anime, though, as good as something like Trust and Betrayal. The dub is actually awesome and the animation is gorgeous. The way that everyone moves and acts is really expressive and I'm loving it. Found myself rooting for Tomoyo and that's really strange. I'm almost never concerned with shipping or romance or whatever in anime, but I was actually angry that she didn't get more screen time. I wanted to see more of her. That's just a testament to how well everything is written.

Well, Clannad is awesome either way. I don't think I'll ever forget my time watching it.

Just wondering, what was your opinion on the ending?

I thought it made no sense. I think the entire show and even the game would have been better off without the whole Illusionary World thing. I also thought it cheapened all the character development that Tomoya went through. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love the show! Just dropped the ball near the end.

Ushio's death was just pointless, too. Nagisa dies and Tomoya ends up spending years of his life as the thing he hates more than anything else. He finally starts being a father and then she dies for no reason. It's just shock value and really adds nothing to the story. Besides that, pulling the same thing twice makes the original, important death less powerful. I don't count the "happy end" when I'm talking about Clannad's story. If Nagisa lives, the entire second act is undone. The story is about him becoming a man despite losing the person he used to define himself. I think that ultimately, the things Nagisa had to offer were her father and mother. She's nice and I like her, but she doesn't have Kyou's passion, Miazawa's idealism, or any of Tomoyo's many strengths. She's really got nothing going for her except those who care for her, so we as the viewers haven't lost much while Tomoya lives in despair. We see ourselves and it's the conviction that makes us cry, not the loss.

Besides that, the metaphysical stuff. Why was it there? It's sort of clever for a VN to treat every choice as an alternate universe, but that still doesn't explain the existence of the Illusionary World. The light orbs grant wishes, but the Tomoya in different universes want different things. It doesn't make sense and it takes away from the story. Oh well.

Other thing about the ending is that the other characters we love so much are gone. Of course everyone wouldn't stay together after high school, and it's nice that some of them get together every few months. Just miss them is all.

The translation isn't done yet, but I recommend the Tomoyo After VN. There's also a manga, but it's better to wait for the original. No metaphysical junk in this one. Its story is a sequel to Tomoyo's route, so it's worth it for the extra characterization, but the story itself is disappointing for a number of reasons. She's my favorite character though and it's worth seeing another side of her.

Tomoyo After spoilers:

I hate pornography, but the H-scenes can be skipped and have no relevance to the story. So that's good. The story was disappointing for me because it was irrelevant to Clannad's main point, and I feel like the Tomoya/Tomoyo relationship wasn't really explored. The internal issues that make Tomoya feel inadequate for her are never resolved, but rather ignored as Tomoyo gives up her promising future for him. That's all very touching, but he's still a loser going nowhere, and he was supposed to have this drive to succeed for her. This is really sad considering the type of guy he is and how he was in high school. More character development and the exploration value of the family are made impossible by the actual story: Tomoya's recurring amnesia means he can't be developed or explored. It was a compassionate treatment of amnesia but Clannad is not about amnesia. The family relations and Tomo and all that are there, but not involved in the main conflict. It's good for what it is, but what's not just puzzles me.

[MrEco]

I finally got out of my anime slump and finished Kimi ni Todoke.

It was good overall and quite cute, but got a bit ridiculously over the top at times. Almost made me cry once though, so that's something.

Gah, I hate when that happens though. I sometimes just stop watching anime for a good long time and I have to force myself to get back into it. This happen to anyone else?

[Dylan]

Gah, I hate when that happens though. I sometimes just stop watching anime for a good long time and I have to force myself to get back into it. This happen to anyone else?

That accurately describes an issue I face with all of my interests.

[Valkyrie-Favor]

In between my crazy homework workload I've been watching You're Under Arrest! It's a load of fun.

[AppleQueso]

In between my crazy homework workload I've been watching You're Under Arrest! It's a load of fun.

I was looking at that show lately, thinking about giving it a shot.

I was kinda thinking it'd be "poor man's Gunsmith Cats" but after reading about it it's not really like that at all. Might even talk my girlfriend into watching it with me.

[Mephikun]

Mm.

Bleach, I got sucked into the early episodes

Wanting to rewatch Durarara,

and currently watching Clannad since it's only gonna be on Netflix until the 1st. So far I like it.

-coughSanae's bread is so much better in japanesecough-

[BoneSnapDeez]

As I mentioned in another thread, I'm gonna watch all my unwatched anime (my "backlog") before starting any new video games. On deck I have Magic Knight Rayearth II, Fullmetal Alchemist season 1, Ranma ½ season 1, and a small assortment of Final Fantasy: Unlimited and Last Exile episodes. Should be a good time.

[Mephikun]

As I mentioned in another thread, I'm gonna watch all my unwatched anime (my "backlog") before starting any new video games. On deck I have Magic Knight Rayearth II, Fullmetal Alchemist season 1, Ranma ½ season 1, and a small assortment of Final Fantasy: Unlimited and Last Exile episodes. Should be a good time.

FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST. -extremely gay sounding fangirl scream-

Sorry. FMA's awesome.