What makes anime Good to You?

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Jebadia
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Post by Jebadia » Tue Jul 08, 2003 9:28 pm

1: FLCL: By far the most amusing thing I've ever seen, between the twisted, zoned out plot, or the twisted, zoned out art, it is one of the best shows i've ever seen.

2: Comedy: By Studio 4C, and very hard to come by. It takes place in Ireland I believe, I don't know all of the dialect cause the version I saw was in french. But a hord a maraders are storming over the land, and a simple little village is caught in their path. Rumor of a great swordsman is said to be nearbye, so a little girl from the village sets out to find him, and does living it out in an abandoned castle. I guess she tries to convince him to help them out..and in fact...she doesn't leave him alone at all. It is a rather serious short, but the comical outlook is the relationship between the girl and the swordsman, for that she won't leave him alone. The fight scene at the end is just fantastic and expected from the animation studio, Studio 4C.

3: Noiseman: Sound Insect: This is another short. Done by Kaji Morimoto, who was involved in movies such as Memories, Akira, and Beyond in the Animatrix, along with several other shorts and music videos. A bizarre, but wonderful story about a scientist who creates "Noiseman" but the create goes crazy and gets loose, and starts building a massive machine that will turn normal people into these pint sized "sound insects". A group of punk kids who spend their time catching this harmonious insects, find themselves caught up in the mess the man character gets caught and is transformed. Him and his female friend set out to get him back to normal and stop Noiseman from running amuck.

By far one of the most well animated shorts I've ever seen mixing cell animations and computer animation together to create a dynamic alternate, and very colorful, world which seems to experment much on sounds. Containing a freakish set of melodies for a soundtrack, this animated short that was shown to a few film festivals, is rarely scene and hard to come buy in the states, but it definately a looker.

4: Spriggan: Yeah, yeah the story was lacking, but once again Studio 4C sets no limites to their animating abilities. This is by far one of the best pieces of eye candy made recently by the studio. Studio 4C boasted that they animated at 60fps, which is as far as you can go really in animation. Once again blending CGI and 2D animation in a practically flawless mix, this is by fare one of the best action movies I've seen with the animations skills to back it up.

5: Cowboy Bebop: Knocking on Heaven's Door: Needless to say I love this movie and will soon obtain it once I get the money. Dispite that some critics gave it rather biased and harsh reviews,"a colorful piece of shit", any fan of the series or anime in general would appreciate this more as a side story within the last few eps of the series. Bones none the less work off their skills on this movie and try to set higher standards each time they work on anything. This movie is one of the funnest and surreal action adventures I've seen in a long while, and gives a lot to look for after the series ended.

6:Escaflowne: The Movie: The movie adaptation that didn't hit it too well with the hardcore fans, but most anyone would say that they still enjoyed it. For me it was litterally an eye full. This movie had the best coloring work I've ever seen and was done by on of my favorite artists so all together this was a dream come true. My only problem is that it could of been a bit longer.

7:Shamanic Princess: A great show brought to you by Clamp. These folks bring yah a dark fantasy story that was so well animated that I could of almost forgotten what was going on. With the story told in reverse order..which actually makes more sense than if it was told in the correct order, this short ova is a favorite of mine.

8: Kenshin Seisouhen OVA: Yeah, a lot of kenshin fans were dissappointed with this, since it didn't follow the manga, which I've never read, but to ignore the work and the decent story put into it would be a shame just because it wasn't how it was supposed to be. Like the Escaflowne Movie, I loved the coloring and scenery shots that were put into the short lived OVA. Unlike the first OVA, the character designs look more like the ones from the series, but I still like it.

9: End of Evangelion: Unless Anna finally sits down and describes this movie detail by detail during an interview...people will always argue about everything and anything that was in this movie. In almost ever shot there's something to point out. I have yet to see the series, but knowing me, i'll prolly not be too disappointed with the tv ending since I don't get buggered by things that much.

10: Ah! My Goddess: The Movie: Another movie to rape your eyes with splended animation. I actually like this movie just for the animation work than the actual plot itself, though its good, the art outshines it greatly
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Hm, tough one

Post by Inept Guard#1 » Tue Jul 08, 2003 9:35 pm

This is tough. What makes a good anime in my opinion is three basic things. Number one and the absolute most important thing is Plot. Lets face it, were not going to watch it unless theres a good story line (except for Excel Saga I just love that one but can't find much plot there) Number two is Character devolpement. Just as in real life, anime characters should be very different from each other, having there own personalities, hopes and dreams and fear, making you want to get to know them. The third is Art. All I can say about this is bad art is the reason I don't watch Popeye! As for my top ten list, that is hard because I like so many anime series that its hard for me to pick just ten but here goes:

Princess Nine
The Slayers
Noir
Evangelion
Escaflone
All Purpose Cultrual Cat Girl Nuku Nuku
Excel Saga
Kenshin
Lain
Kodomo No Omocha
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MAS PRODUCTIONS
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Post by MAS PRODUCTIONS » Tue Jul 08, 2003 11:39 pm

I really see no reason to post my top ten, since the list is always changing. But I will list what makes a good anime to me.

1. Solid, coherent Story - This is a must for any anime I watch. The story development and progression of characters throughout the series is what keeps me watching. Originallity to the story is also a key element to this factor.

2. Character Devlopment - Characters can not be shallow. Each character must have his or her own personallity and problems in there lives. When these personallities clash it gives way to conflict and resolution that makes each character stronger.

3. A good mix of genre - For the most part I do not watch just one genre. I prefer a good mix of comedy, action, drama, and romance. When these are blended in the right way it makes the story that much stronger.

4. Music - Although many people over look this factor, I find it to be a character upon itself. Music can set and change the mood of a situation. My perfect example of music would be this: if there were no sounds from the character nor the scene they were in, I should be able to get a feel for what is happening from the music. If the music doesn't match the scene, it can ruin a scene. The music doesn't need to be the greatest composure either, just as long as it goes along with the scenes.

5. Voice actors - Whether or not it is dub or import, I find that a good voice actor shapes the characters. The voice actor must have a good feel for the character in order to make it seem that the words he / or she speaks matches something that character would say. The feelings portrayed by the voice actor adds depth to the character even more so than the words spoken.

6. Realism - By realism, I mean something that can be comprehended within reason. Although many animes are based on other worlds or ideals, the themes as well as surroundings should be reasonable within that animes world. This item on my list is what upsets me the most with some animes. For example - invisiblity is next to impossible within logic. To make a object loose its visibilty is just silly and unrealistic. The only way this could be possible is through the bending of light and no anime I have seen has had the technology to back this theory up.

7. Endings - This is a debatable topic since, many animes have different endings than that planned by the creator. I really dont mind if the ending is open ended or not just as long as it is good. I really cant explain my definition of good in this case because it varies depending on the anime. I can give some examples to give you an idea of what I find as good endings:
  • 1. Evangelion (tv series) - This was a very good ending because it showed the resolve of Shinji's mental torture. Throughout his life, he was plagued by many things, which ultimately made him unsure of himself. But by the end of series, through talking with others he was able to resolve his issues and find new confidence in himself.

    2. Vandread - With everything with the earth settled, things were changed for the better between the men and women. Also Hibiki finally made clear his feelings for Dita.

    3. El Hazard (OAV) - This has to be one of the most beatiful endings in anime. I still get goosebumps every time I watch this ending. The look of happiness in both the eyes of Ifurita and Makato, and the proof of his undying love for her just makes you fell good inside.
Well I believe that summarizes what I look for in an anime for it to be good. Hope it is helpful.
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Post by Garylisk » Wed Jul 09, 2003 1:37 am

Here's my top ten list and reasons I like them...

1. Tenchi Muyo (OAV)
Many people would agree that this show is good, but to me, it's more than good, it's great. I think a lot of what I love about this show is it's deep well thought-out universe. It's not appearent just by watching the 13 OVA episodes once through, but there's a lot more to Tenchi Muyo than meets the eye. After watching it several times, you start picking up on the subtle things in the show. The hints, the intricacies, the way it all works. It's brilliant. Then if you take it a step further and read the three prequel novels that were written by Masaki Kajishima, you get a complete history of the universe, Jurai, and more. The depth of everything is just immense. Apart from the size of it and the complexity of it, I love the characters. Ryoko and her lecherous outer shell, and timid inside. Aeka and her insecurities. Washu and her downright crude moments. Mihoshi and her lovable baka-genius moments. Sasami, the ever loving "little sister". Tenchi, the all-around nice guy. They're all awesome characters, and get a surprising amount of background story despite how short the series is.
And since we're gonna be getting 6 more episodes soon, we'll learn even more! And of course, if you wanna learn even more about the Tenchi OVA world, you watch...

2. Tenchi Muyo: GXP
This show, at first, could be passed off as just another fanservice show in space with a harem surrounding a guy. But to true Tenchi fans, it's so much more. It's a glimpse into the amazing world of the Galaxy Police and their battle against spatial super villains and pirates. Furthermore, we have the pleasure of meeting some great new characters. Seina, one of Tenchi's friends, who has horrible bad luck, which spreads to those around him. Amane, who at first seems to be just a lech, but ends up being such a great person. Kiriko, a friend of Seina's from Earth who has connections to the stars. Mitoto, Mihoshi's forgetful mother, who will clean any ship she finds herself on. Neeju, who has the guise of a child, but looks are decieving. Airi, Yosho's former(?) lover. Seto, the Demon Princess of Jurai, and Aeka and Sasami's greandma. Tarant, the most evil bastard since Kagato. And of course, the pink haired obnoxious Seiryo! If you can't tell by now, I often get hooked into anime because of characters. ;)

3. Fruits Basket
Great art, cool concept, and soem really awesome characters. Plus, some of the highest rated "Warm fuzzy feelings" I've ever had! :)

4. Mahoromatic
Another Gainax show, and this time they do the robotic maid thing. It's been done before, but never like this! Mahoro's character is sincere, caring, and remorseful of her past. Despite it's short length, the show features quite a lot of character development and story, much like Tenchi did in it's small amount of time. And then there's a second season of even more great stuff. Just a great show, I dunno what else to say.

5. Ranma 1/2
No need to explain this too much since you can already see that I often enjoy romance and deep characters with twists. This show is funny, and yet has enough of EVERYTHING ELSE to keep it so addictive it hurts.

6. Love Hina
I don't know why I love Love Hina so much, but I think it must be the characters. Again, I'm so shallow... I love good characters.

7. Azumanga Daioh
This show is unique in the world of anime. It's like a slice of life.. the characters seem realistic school kids. There's no super powers or special action or fighting... just a great show about 3 years of high school life. Again, the characters are the best part :)

8. Kodomo no Omocha (Child's Toy)
OK, at first I didn't know what to think of Kodocha, really. But then I saw the first 6 episodes, and I got hooked. It's so cool how at first she starts trying to change Hayama so that he won't bully the teachers. Then she wants to fix Hayama's family problems. I love Sana-chan like a sister.. She may be hyperactive and annoying sometimes, but inside she's a great person. The romantic aspect of this show gets pretty interesting, and the humor is off the walls! :)

9. Full Moon Wo Sagashite
This show reminds me of Kodocha in some ways, and in other ways it's rather unique. It's like a Magical Girl anime, but instead of fighting bad guys, she sings! :) The Shinigamis are cool, the problems she faces are interesting, and the romantic aspect is... ahem.. very interesting, especially towards the end :P

10. Sailor Moon
This was the first anime I was crazy over. It has some good story and good characters, but I think the part I like most about it is the emotional parts. The parts that make you wanna just start full out chest heaving crying. I like it, and I dunno why.
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Milliardo
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Re: What makes anime Good to You?

Post by Milliardo » Wed Jul 09, 2003 12:26 pm

OmniStrata wrote:Good ending: I can't stress this more in the anime I watch. I DO mind open ended endings where no closure is brought about. [Berserk *cough] And the only reason Bastard is up there is cause Kazushi Hagiwara draws the best art to date in my book. [though I must say, Hiroaki Gohda's works are simple and JUST AS SINFULLY CURVY/SEXY] If I end an anime, am I "satisfied" that I sat through it? When Eva ended, I was just: "WTF WAS ALL THE STORY FOR?! DID THE DIRECTOR JUST SAY FOOK U TO MY FACE?!" [and according to some of you, that's exactly what he did] Good directing is one thing, but if the director is GREAT, the ending will have you say: 'I'm SOOO glad I watched it' Saber Marionette comes to mind. Though they stretched the shit out of it and its budget dropped quite a few notches, its ending was nothing short of... [aaaaawwwwwwwwwwww how cuuuuuute!!]
I agree. .Hack//Sign was such a great anime all the way up until the last 20 seconds, and then... I was like "NO!!! Don't do this to me! You stupid piece of..." I can't stand cliffhangers, especially if there's no sign of a sequal. Oh, and there's no way I'm gonna play all those games in hopes that tthey might finish the story. Saikano also had a fairly disapointing ending, but it at least matched the feel of the rest of the show. Cowboy Bebop on the other hand, was a show with a great ending.

Other things that are a must, a great storyline that flows well (one of my biggest problems with DBZ, but I still like it). This is actually a little rare in the ones I've seen. Noir was good, and GW had a nice continuity to it as well.

I also like for there to be some meaning to an anime. Comedy is good, but it's not enough to keep me interested in a show. Hence, I've only seen a few episodes of Ranma. NGE and Trigun are probably the best examples of a show with an underlying meaning.

Character development is very important. That's what I like least about soime American cartoons. They stay the same all the way through, never changing, never learning, never growing. I like an anime were all the characters are unique and seem to have a purpose of their own other than to make the main hero look good. Cowboy Bebop is also an anime with great characters, each with their own past and each with their own goals.

Oh yeah, my list in no particular order:
NGE
Cowboy Bebop
Trigun
Noir
.Hack//Sign

I haven't seen enough anime to have 10 favorites.

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Post by OmniStrata » Wed Jul 09, 2003 11:45 pm

Whoa, people like good endings!!

W00T!!!

8)
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Shun
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Post by Shun » Thu Jul 10, 2003 1:14 am

Top er uh 5 anime would be...

1.Rurouni Kenshin
2.Trigun
3.Cowboy bebop(including knocking on heavens door) :)
4.Hellsing
5.Outlawstar

I could only go to 5, well because, i dont think i have even seen 10 animes :D :(

Anyway, what makes an anime good for me is...

1.)An orignial concepts, possibly based somewhat on a historical event or reference to one.(One of the many reasons i enjoyed RK so much)

2.)Art style. I dont know but i tend to lean tword anime that has detailed and fun artwork.

3.)Original characters, i dont want to see the same shoot em up characters that are in so many animes.

Thats all i can really think of, I give each anime i watch about 10 episode before i decided if its worth watching the whole thing or not ( this didnt apply to hellsing seeing how hellsing was close to 10 eps itself :D )

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Garylisk
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Post by Garylisk » Thu Jul 10, 2003 1:22 am

Oh yeah, and I might as wlel mention that all my anime I listed have good endings :) (With the exception of Tenchi and Kodocha. Tenchi was left at a cliffhanger so they could make more episodes.. ten years later, and now they are. Kodocha's last episode is "Kodocha: To Be Continued, or Bust!" -Well, appearently the people who make the show picked "Bust", because they didn't make a 4th season. :P )
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Post by Propyro » Fri Jul 11, 2003 5:10 pm

hmmm top ten animes ... ok in no particular order ...

FLCL
Evangelion
Escaflowne (not the movie though)
Love Hina
Hellsing
Ah! My goddess
Cowboy bebop
RahXepheon
Akira
Princess Mononoke

yea i relise that these are prettymuch on the top of everyones lists and are more or less as mainstream as you can get ... but i'm still relitivly new to anime ... this is still my first year of being seriously into it.

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Post by Anlushac11 » Fri Jul 11, 2003 5:45 pm

8)

1) Narue no Sekai - Currently tied as my favorite. Good characters that you care about, has some very touching moments, and brwonie points for the cosplay episode.

2) VanDread Stage 1 and 2 - Tied as favorite, Mecha, good characters, good story, romance, and some very emotional scenes.

3) Love Hina - Naru's atomic punches aside has lots of good comedy, romance, IMHO excellent characters, and some very emotional episodes

4) Chobits - I am only 1/2 way through the series but i like the way the story has progressed, and I like the characters, and some of the scenes are hilarious (Hideki hentai!, Hideki hentai!)

5) Slayers - I like fantasy stories, has excellent characters, and the comedy in slayers is excellent.

6) Tenchi Muyo - Good but not great stories but made up for with excellent characters and interactions, excellent comedy, and some very touching and emotional scenes

7) Cowboy Bebop - excellent characters, excellent stories, excellent music, and some very good comedy.

8) Outlaw Star - Good story, excellent characters, excellent comedy, and has a catgirl, Aisha Clan Clan

9) Oh, My Goddess - Unique and good story, excellent characters(mmm...Urd), good comedy, some very touching scenes.

10) FLCL - Crazy off the wall story, excellent characters, excellent comedy, excellent music

Honorable Mentions: Those that got edged out after careful deliberation

Gunbusters
Robotech
Big-O(I know, some hate this series but I very much like it)
Scrapped Princess
Sol Bianca

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