A Pikachu mech shocked my Dragonballs: (Anime, Manga, and Japan's by-products)

[Captain Insano]

I haven't watched anime in, I'll say, 6 or 7 years,before last week when my cousin lent me Volume 1 of DeathNote which surprised me in how good it actually was. He sells old video games and gets anime in bulk, and had one that wasn't in the best condition to sell, and it led to my resurgent interest in these "cartoons." He asked me to check it out because he never watched the stuff in his life, I told him it was really good and the plot was well thought out. He's gonna' check it out soon.

So, I'm making this thread for anyone interested in this genre of films, shows, and style of comic books , etc.

Some recommendations I can make, from past memory are Cowboy Bebop, anything by Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli, DeathNote, Akira, and there's bound to be others I'm forgetting. It's been a while.
I think there are a lot out there that offer a lot of stories with depth whcih is probably the reason why I've shunned my TV set so often recently (my TV habits basically revolve around spurts of comedy, sports, science (Discovery etc.) and sometimes History and public television).

That's enough babbling from me.
Domo Arigato Mr. Roboto.

[bethany_m]

I'm knitting and watch Bleach on DVD right now.

[Black Amnesia of Heaven]

Death Note has no rewatch value whatsoever, but the first go-through is just insane.

[G.C.R]

I keep considering rewatching Paranoia Agent, and then remember how long it will take and how much other stuff I wont be watching during that time. But it keeps being there as a consideration, itching away at the back of my mind.

[Greg Nog]

Cowboy Bebop

Did you ever catch Samurai Champloo?  It's by the same people who made Bebop.  That was a good solid beer-and-anime-of-an-evening kind of show, just sit back and watch some ronin bicker for a half-hour.

[Thermofusion]

I've barely stuck my nose into any of Japan's by-products, but I did watch a half dozen episodes of Serial Experiments Lain back in college and it was really good. A few years later I fell asleep during Ghost in the Shell. Those are my experiences with anime.

[Andrew_TSKS]

"Akira" is the one I've always fallen asleep during. I've tried to watch it at least three times.

[bethany_m]

I think that both Akira and Ghost in the Shell are supremely boring.  There's lots more out there that's WAY more entertaining.

[Captain Insano]

Cowboy Bebop

Did you ever catch Samurai Champloo?  It's by the same people who made Bebop.  That was a good solid beer-and-anime-of-an-evening kind of show, just sit back and watch some ronin bicker for a half-hour.

No but I heard about it. Hopefully I'll catch it down the road.
Right now I'm working my way through 2 series:
Kino's Journey
and
Escaflowne

I'm enjoying both quite a bit. Both are both basically "fantasy" but touch on human conflicts, resolutions, celebration etc.

I've barely stuck my nose into any of Japan's by-products, but I did watch a half dozen episodes of Serial Experiments Lain back in college and it was really good. A few years later I fell asleep during Ghost in the Shell. Those are my experiences with anime.

Ah, can I recommend one movie to you?
Princess Mononoke
I don't think anyone would contend with me on how good it actually is. Don't be digressed from the fact that it's actually an anime, it's an incredible movie altogether. One of the few that I will watch over from time to time. I'm usually  a one and done type of guy when it comes to movies but I revisit this one occasionally and it still is great as ever.

[Thermofusion]

Yeah I don't dislike anime as a rule, I just haven't really attempted to get into it. None of my friends are of the Japanophile variety. I'll stick Mononoke on my Netflix queue, dogg

[Captain Insano]

You won't regret it. Let me know what you think too.

[On Reflection]

I briefly got into a couple of series a little while a go, they were Genshiken which is a basically about a group of teenage manga and anime nerds, and their interactions with one another, it was a funny sweet short thing. The other was Welcome To The NHK which was a manga and then adapted into anime (I've only seen the anime), it was about a hikikmori and was the first time I'd heard of the phenomenon, the series really got to me because I basically lead a hikikomori life. It was funny, and really crude because the lead character and his friend next door are both really into erotic RPGs on the computer (there's some sort of name for these things, but I can't be bothered to look it up), and it was quite intense at times too. I think I'm into what they call 'slice of life' anime, although as I say I haven't looked into anything other than those two series.

[G.C.R]

In terms of a slice of life sorta thing, I watched whisper of the heart again recently. I was trying to finish writing a thing at the time, and it was a great thing to see then. There's a lot of nice stuff in this movie, if you can overlook the overuse of "take me home country roads".
What i particularly like, is when the girl meets a cat on the subway and decides to follow it, you expect this big magical studio Ghibli adventure to start- and it does, but it is a completely realistic adventure, the kind you sorta hope that your day will somehow turn into sometimes.

[On Reflection]

In terms of a slice of life sorta thing, I watched whisper of the heart again recently. I was trying to finish writing a thing at the time, and it was a great thing to see then. There's a lot of nice stuff in this movie, if you can overlook the overuse of "take me home country roads".
What i particularly like, is when the girl meets a cat on the subway and decides to follow it, you expect this big magical studio Ghibli adventure to start- and it does, but it is a completely realistic adventure, the kind you sorta hope that your day will somehow turn into sometimes.

Yes! I remember watching a part of this, about half an hour in the middle of it, and really loving it, but I haven't got round to seeing the whole thing yet.

[Andrew_TSKS]

That actually sounds like something I might enjoy. I'll look into it.

[Black Amnesia of Heaven]

Samurai Champloo features the same basic structure as Bebop but there's simply... less to it. I don't know. I didn't find it half as invigorating as Bebop.

Of course I am someone who is continually invigorated by Akira, though the comic's better, longer, etc.

[Captain Insano]

Bebop's intro song cannot be beat. I was hoping the manga I picked up would play it when I opened it, like one of those greeting cards. Nothing. But, the manga is good. Volume 1 Cowboy Bebop not bad, not bad at all. I'm almost done it though. I blazed through it. And it cost ten bucks. This manga thing looks like an expensive hobby. Maybe not for this series because I know there's only a few, but for others I'd need to pull off a heist on that prick Scrooge McDuck.

I saw the Akira comics at the store. I think they had them all but each one was about 15-20$ (maybe some were more, some were less) each.

[lastclearchance]

And it cost ten bucks. This manga thing looks like an expensive hobby. Maybe not for this series because I know there's only a few, but for others I'd need to pull off a heist on that prick Scrooge McDuck.

Yeah I hesitate to recommend Monster because good as it is, it's 18 volumes, and I don't like to remind myself how much I've spent on it.

[Little Sixes Little Nines]

school trip to japan in three weeks, what should i do y'all?

[Andrew_TSKS]

And it cost ten bucks. This manga thing looks like an expensive hobby. Maybe not for this series because I know there's only a few, but for others I'd need to pull off a heist on that prick Scrooge McDuck.

Yeah I hesitate to recommend Monster because good as it is, it's 18 volumes, and I don't like to remind myself how much I've spent on it.

It's funny, because I read comic books, which cost $3 or $4 a pop, but it doesn't seem like that much to spend per issue. On the other hand, when I do what you just did and imagine what I've spent on, say, Ultimate Spider-Man since starting to buy it... I mean, god, it's a LOT. $400?

[G.C.R]

Go to the studio Ghibli museum!

x post to L6L9

[dieblucasdie]

I think that both Akira and Ghost in the Shell are supremely boring.  There's lots more out there that's WAY more entertaining.

bethany is my hero in this thread.  Ghost in the Shell ain't some high-sci-fi masterpiece, it's like watching some nerds play a bad Shadowrun campaign.

And yeah, Bleach is totally awesome.  As is Full Metal Alchemist.  Especially Full Metal Alchemist, though saying so reflects my horrid Western Sensibilities.

Stay far, far away from Naruto, no matter what anyone tells you.  Samurai 7 has some seriously jaw-dropping artwork, just turn the sound down.

[G.C.R]

Spent a long time in the video store last night trying to decide between Grave of the Fireflies and Paprika. Finally, though I haven't watched it yet, I got Grave of the fireflies. Good choice y/n?

[dieblucasdie]

Absolutely.  Just prepare to be depressed.

[G.C.R]

I'm so steeled to be depressed that it cannot possibly hurt me. BRING IT ON WAR ORPHANS