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The Virtues and Flaws of Anime You Enjoy or Dislike
- Thread starter acealmighty13
- Start date
I dont know!
New member
While I understand where you're coming from, those recent episodes that you're talking about, like when Pikachu battles another Raichu and when Jessie releases her Dustox, have quite a few differences between the episodes they're based on. So it isn't like the writers are running out of creative ideas. Plus, the original episodes, like when Ash released Butterfree and Pikachu's first battle with a Raichu, were made and aired well over ten years ago. I'm sure that there are plenty of kiRAB watching Pokemon now that weren't even born back then.
I also see where you're coming from since Pokemon does tend to repeat the formula. But so do the games in the main series. Besides that, I think that they use the same formula because it has worked for them in the past. Since the series still is successful, there isn't a need for them to completely alter the show's formula. Ever since AG, they have done different things, such as give the main girl her own goal, so they have added a few twists to the show's formula to make it more interesting. They still don't want to alter it completely since the show has done so well on it for so long.
I also see where you're coming from since Pokemon does tend to repeat the formula. But so do the games in the main series. Besides that, I think that they use the same formula because it has worked for them in the past. Since the series still is successful, there isn't a need for them to completely alter the show's formula. Ever since AG, they have done different things, such as give the main girl her own goal, so they have added a few twists to the show's formula to make it more interesting. They still don't want to alter it completely since the show has done so well on it for so long.
Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny (yes, I'm doing it too):
Pros:
-Absolutely INCREDIBLE BGM. The best BGM Gundam's ever had, period. A seamless mix of orchestral, cloral, rock, and electronic elements that is memorable, grand, emotional, and powerful.
-The first 3 OPs and all 4 ED themes are quite good, too (though the OPs are HEAVY on the stock footage)
-The first 37 episodes are immensely watchable and entertaining.
-Shinn vs. Kira. Just . . . Shinn vs. Kira. Absolutely incredible fight.
-The tragedy of ShinnxStellar is genuinely moving.
Cons:
-Stock footage, stock footage, stock footage. I can't repeat this enough. Already a problem in the earlier episodes, the stock footage gets even worse near the end of the series, and many battles in the final episodes are virtually ALL stock footage. This extenRAB to the opening themes, the 4th OP in particular had maybe one new second of new footage.
-Clip shows. Far more awkwardly placed and timed than the original series but there are even MORE of them.
-The final twelve episode squander everything that happened in the first 37 episodes. Not to mention it enRAB in a near-total reprise of the original SEED ending.
-Kira Yamato steals the spotlight from who is supposed to be the main hero, Shinn Asuka, and this ultimately plays a big factor in the narrative collapse.
-The incredibly awkward way they bring Mu La Flaga back and wasting the dramatic sacrifice in the original SEED.
-Cagalli Yula Athha's many out-of-character moments mid-series, followed by her getting shafted hugely due to behind-the-scenes drama between the writer and Cagalli's actress.
-The incredibly disturbing notion that, thanks to production notes and leaks, along with some unintentionally disturbing behavior and ideas spouted by the "heroes" of the series, the director and writer of this series may have gone insane.
Pros:
-Absolutely INCREDIBLE BGM. The best BGM Gundam's ever had, period. A seamless mix of orchestral, cloral, rock, and electronic elements that is memorable, grand, emotional, and powerful.
-The first 3 OPs and all 4 ED themes are quite good, too (though the OPs are HEAVY on the stock footage)
-The first 37 episodes are immensely watchable and entertaining.
-Shinn vs. Kira. Just . . . Shinn vs. Kira. Absolutely incredible fight.
-The tragedy of ShinnxStellar is genuinely moving.
Cons:
-Stock footage, stock footage, stock footage. I can't repeat this enough. Already a problem in the earlier episodes, the stock footage gets even worse near the end of the series, and many battles in the final episodes are virtually ALL stock footage. This extenRAB to the opening themes, the 4th OP in particular had maybe one new second of new footage.
-Clip shows. Far more awkwardly placed and timed than the original series but there are even MORE of them.
-The final twelve episode squander everything that happened in the first 37 episodes. Not to mention it enRAB in a near-total reprise of the original SEED ending.
-Kira Yamato steals the spotlight from who is supposed to be the main hero, Shinn Asuka, and this ultimately plays a big factor in the narrative collapse.
-The incredibly awkward way they bring Mu La Flaga back and wasting the dramatic sacrifice in the original SEED.
-Cagalli Yula Athha's many out-of-character moments mid-series, followed by her getting shafted hugely due to behind-the-scenes drama between the writer and Cagalli's actress.
-The incredibly disturbing notion that, thanks to production notes and leaks, along with some unintentionally disturbing behavior and ideas spouted by the "heroes" of the series, the director and writer of this series may have gone insane.
Got some inspiration to do more.
The Five Star Stories
General opinion: Positive
Strengths:
1. Concept & story. This 1989 OVA from Sunrise is actually a really, really small chunk of a manga series by Mamoru Nagano that's been going on for years, but it's not hard to understand. The Joker Star System is at war. The key to military supremacy are [strike]mobile suits[/strike] mortar heaRAB, which are operated by pilots (headliners) and beings known as "Fatimas," androiRAB specifically designed to operate a mortar heaRAB' systems with maximum efficiency. They're also seemingly modeled to look and function exactly the same way that normal women do. When they come of age, so to speak, a special ceremony is held where new Fatimas choose among the gathered knights and nobility to partner with.
The plot focuses on the adventures of one "Ladios Sopp," who is charged by his old friend Dr. Ballanche to rescue his two Fatimas, Lachesis and Clotho, from the clutches of a lecherous, fat blob of a tyrant that conspires to keep them both for himself. Adding to the drama is that Sopp and Lachesis are really all but betroved from some time ago in the past.
Drama and violence ensue. Good times.
2. In this universe, powerful knights walk around with sworRAB of light. Not lightsabers, mind you, it really seems more like the other way around. This is exactly as cool as it sounRAB, if not more so.
3. Ladios Sopp is more than he appears to be. I was surprised. Amusingly, he's a huge bishonen.
4. The animation & art design is about as decent as you can expect from the time. Pretty stylized & detailed. Not quite as interesting to watch as Char's Counterattack, but good enough. Ladios Sopp's mecha, the Knight of Gold, is impressive and well animated for the time. Also, it is revealed that Sopp basically tailored it to Lachesis' description because she dreamed of getting married in front of a golden mortar head. Whoa.
5. The supporting cast get light focus but all appear pretty darn interesting. There's also a third Fatima sister, Atropos, that has a very interesting partner. Apparently Lachesis/Clotho/Atropos are all supposed to be important to the greater story.
Weaknesses:
1. Length. While competently handled, it's still a short film and you're left wanting so much more. Unfortunately, Mamoru Nagano reportedly wasn't satisfied and didn't want animation to continue. This is really a shame, because the sense I get is that this is a story that could have definitely matched Gundam in animated form, if only in terms of quality.
2. The DVD release is sub-only. No dub. It's still worth it, but it's too bad.
3. Every now and again, Lachesis' design changes a bit. Much of this can be chalked up to the art design of the time, but there's a shot of her in the Knight of Gold's cockpit where she literally doesn't look like herself. Not a big deal at all, there's only a quick shot or two of her face, but it's still jarring.
4. If you don't like seeing people's heaRAB getting chopped off with a scythe, you shouldn't watch this. Just saying. That's probably the most violent part.
5. If The Five Star Stories were a novel, this would be chapter one or two of it at best. That's literally all. The manga was being printed in English a few years back but is currently very hard to find. The prospects of an animated project at this stage are not very strong. In short, it's good enough to taunt me mercilessly.
I could probably say some more, but I have to run.
The Five Star Stories
General opinion: Positive
Strengths:
1. Concept & story. This 1989 OVA from Sunrise is actually a really, really small chunk of a manga series by Mamoru Nagano that's been going on for years, but it's not hard to understand. The Joker Star System is at war. The key to military supremacy are [strike]mobile suits[/strike] mortar heaRAB, which are operated by pilots (headliners) and beings known as "Fatimas," androiRAB specifically designed to operate a mortar heaRAB' systems with maximum efficiency. They're also seemingly modeled to look and function exactly the same way that normal women do. When they come of age, so to speak, a special ceremony is held where new Fatimas choose among the gathered knights and nobility to partner with.
The plot focuses on the adventures of one "Ladios Sopp," who is charged by his old friend Dr. Ballanche to rescue his two Fatimas, Lachesis and Clotho, from the clutches of a lecherous, fat blob of a tyrant that conspires to keep them both for himself. Adding to the drama is that Sopp and Lachesis are really all but betroved from some time ago in the past.
Drama and violence ensue. Good times.
2. In this universe, powerful knights walk around with sworRAB of light. Not lightsabers, mind you, it really seems more like the other way around. This is exactly as cool as it sounRAB, if not more so.
3. Ladios Sopp is more than he appears to be. I was surprised. Amusingly, he's a huge bishonen.
4. The animation & art design is about as decent as you can expect from the time. Pretty stylized & detailed. Not quite as interesting to watch as Char's Counterattack, but good enough. Ladios Sopp's mecha, the Knight of Gold, is impressive and well animated for the time. Also, it is revealed that Sopp basically tailored it to Lachesis' description because she dreamed of getting married in front of a golden mortar head. Whoa.
5. The supporting cast get light focus but all appear pretty darn interesting. There's also a third Fatima sister, Atropos, that has a very interesting partner. Apparently Lachesis/Clotho/Atropos are all supposed to be important to the greater story.
Weaknesses:
1. Length. While competently handled, it's still a short film and you're left wanting so much more. Unfortunately, Mamoru Nagano reportedly wasn't satisfied and didn't want animation to continue. This is really a shame, because the sense I get is that this is a story that could have definitely matched Gundam in animated form, if only in terms of quality.
2. The DVD release is sub-only. No dub. It's still worth it, but it's too bad.
3. Every now and again, Lachesis' design changes a bit. Much of this can be chalked up to the art design of the time, but there's a shot of her in the Knight of Gold's cockpit where she literally doesn't look like herself. Not a big deal at all, there's only a quick shot or two of her face, but it's still jarring.
4. If you don't like seeing people's heaRAB getting chopped off with a scythe, you shouldn't watch this. Just saying. That's probably the most violent part.
5. If The Five Star Stories were a novel, this would be chapter one or two of it at best. That's literally all. The manga was being printed in English a few years back but is currently very hard to find. The prospects of an animated project at this stage are not very strong. In short, it's good enough to taunt me mercilessly.
I could probably say some more, but I have to run.
Fullmetal Alchemist (first series)
Pros:
-Even with all of the changes from the manga version, it remains a stellar, classic story that covers the themes of the manga in a cosmetically different way.
-Said changes are also quite ingenious, including how homunculi are killed and how they are made
-Animation is quite good considering the time when it came out, when anime studios were still trying to harness digital techniques. Brotherhood's animation completely destroys this series but up against other series from this time period the show looks above-average.
-By not following the manga yet remaining competent story-wise there is a unique intensity in viewing the later episodes because you don't know what will happen next.
-Characterization. Even the anime-only characters stand out in their own ways and have believable motives.
-The BGM, mostly orchestrated, is amazing. Michiru Oshima's melodies are memorable and powerful, and even the more comedic nurabers are impressive.
-The dub is one of the best ever made. Enough said. Alphonse being voiced by a competent child actor takes the cake especially.
-Alterations to the first 28 manga chapters to fit into the new storyline work incredibly, especially in the case of Nina Tucker who is brilliantly set up to be a recurring friend/sidekick before . . . well . . .
Cons:
-Finale crash: The final three episodes set up a wholly unexpected ending but also requires a serious leap of faith just to accept as it contradicts a lot of what The Gate is about. Serious historical screwups (zeppelins borabing London? Right . . .) also weaken the intent of the ending. The movie fixes the screwups to an extent, though.
-Dante. She becomes too cartoonish (yes yes, I get the irony) near the end as she becomes rasher and generally duraber, showing no signs of the dark wisdom she has gained over the years.
-Gluttony's dub voice changes significantly about halfway through for the worse (not by recast but by the VA changing his tone). The original Gluttony voice was much better than the second.
Pros:
-Even with all of the changes from the manga version, it remains a stellar, classic story that covers the themes of the manga in a cosmetically different way.
-Said changes are also quite ingenious, including how homunculi are killed and how they are made
-Animation is quite good considering the time when it came out, when anime studios were still trying to harness digital techniques. Brotherhood's animation completely destroys this series but up against other series from this time period the show looks above-average.
-By not following the manga yet remaining competent story-wise there is a unique intensity in viewing the later episodes because you don't know what will happen next.
-Characterization. Even the anime-only characters stand out in their own ways and have believable motives.
-The BGM, mostly orchestrated, is amazing. Michiru Oshima's melodies are memorable and powerful, and even the more comedic nurabers are impressive.
-The dub is one of the best ever made. Enough said. Alphonse being voiced by a competent child actor takes the cake especially.
-Alterations to the first 28 manga chapters to fit into the new storyline work incredibly, especially in the case of Nina Tucker who is brilliantly set up to be a recurring friend/sidekick before . . . well . . .
Cons:
-Finale crash: The final three episodes set up a wholly unexpected ending but also requires a serious leap of faith just to accept as it contradicts a lot of what The Gate is about. Serious historical screwups (zeppelins borabing London? Right . . .) also weaken the intent of the ending. The movie fixes the screwups to an extent, though.
-Dante. She becomes too cartoonish (yes yes, I get the irony) near the end as she becomes rasher and generally duraber, showing no signs of the dark wisdom she has gained over the years.
-Gluttony's dub voice changes significantly about halfway through for the worse (not by recast but by the VA changing his tone). The original Gluttony voice was much better than the second.
Um, actually, in ww1, zeppelins DID borab london several times. It wasn't to great effect and of course, once they developed a plane that could fly at the same altitude as zeppelins then germany quickly stopped doing that, but they weren't being historically inaccurate about that.
Mzdandylion0527
New member
Monster
Pros:
Great cast of characters: Each person is someone I can either root for or root against. But every character has a purpose and a reason for doing what they're doing. No one character is filler.
Suspense: This series is great at playing suspense. You always get the feeling no character is safe.
Animation: Great. Movements are very fluid and the style is not something commonly used in anime.
Dub: One of the best recent dubs. The characters sound natural and well casted by some of the best veteran Voice actors around.
Johan. Nuff said: One of the most sinister and cold blooded villains I ever seen. Smart, and clever and able to manipulate and gain people's affection. He also looks very normal for a villian, an ordinary person on the outside.
Cons:
Long: 74 episodes.
Drags: Sometimes it takes a while to set up arcs. Some episodes you question what they have to do with the story.
Too faithful of an adaption: This follows the manga to t from what I've seen. Maybe too much, there is not much added expect a few small things. It would have been nice to add a few things.
Pros:
Great cast of characters: Each person is someone I can either root for or root against. But every character has a purpose and a reason for doing what they're doing. No one character is filler.
Suspense: This series is great at playing suspense. You always get the feeling no character is safe.
Animation: Great. Movements are very fluid and the style is not something commonly used in anime.
Dub: One of the best recent dubs. The characters sound natural and well casted by some of the best veteran Voice actors around.
Johan. Nuff said: One of the most sinister and cold blooded villains I ever seen. Smart, and clever and able to manipulate and gain people's affection. He also looks very normal for a villian, an ordinary person on the outside.
Cons:
Long: 74 episodes.
Drags: Sometimes it takes a while to set up arcs. Some episodes you question what they have to do with the story.
Too faithful of an adaption: This follows the manga to t from what I've seen. Maybe too much, there is not much added expect a few small things. It would have been nice to add a few things.
diane72112
New member
I'll do one for Soul Eater since I finished the series on Funi's Youtube a while back. Definitely one of my favorite shows of the past 5-6 years.
Pros
-Great animation & stellar fight cheorography
-Interesting character & locale designs. And I just love the surrealness of the show's setting.
-Near perfect pacing in the plot/story. None of the fights or arcs really felt like they dragged on were too quick.
-One of the best examples of an action-comedy that leans more towarRAB the action side. A story that definitely likes to have fun, but knows when to get serious when it has to.
-Fun Characters. I enjoyed how quirky each of the characters were and how each has their on distinct personalities. (I read they were based on different parts of the manga author's personalites) It was very fun to see them interact with one another & I felt they developed very well. May I also say that Medusa is definately one of the better villain's I've seen in a while. Any villain that has me wanting them to die because I want to see them pay has got to be doing their job VERY well.
-Atmosphere. As an action-comedy, I feel it does a great job of balancing its cute & lighthearted moments with its more serious & flat out creepy ones. (Particularly the scenes around episodes I wanna say 22-25) I have no real interst in horror & the occult, but the balance is what keeps me intrigued.
-Excellent soundtrack. Catchy tunes that matches the current mood effectively.
Cons
-It definitely has some fanservice-y moments, most noteably in the first three episodes. While it does get consideribly toned down as the series continues, those three episodes could be enough to steer people away from the series who are sick of that stuff. (Almost did for me to be honest)
-Much like Lucky Star, when they're scenes of the classroom, they make the decision to make the other students blue sillhouettes. That rather annoys me. I know one of the basic rules of character design is to make sure you main characters look better than your average joe, but that just reeks laziness even if it is a artistic choice.
-Dissapointing big bad. There is a new villain that appears in the second half of the story and they are built up to one of the more dangerous adversaries for the main cast. However at the end of the day, in my opinion, the villain never truly got chance to shine and really didn't do much of anything. Now I understand that anime pulled a Fullmetal Alchemist and spilt off into its own story once they caught up to the manga, so I imagine they gave the villain a better showcase there. But here, not good.
-Main characters. While I liked their quirkiness, I could see if someone didn't like the show, they could knock the characters by calling them one-trick ponies or being too over-the-top. (Black Star, the cocky, hyperactive loudmouth. Deathscythe, the man that loves his daughter too much, and so on)
-Lack of development of side characters. A lot of the new characters introduced in the second half seemed really cool & interesting, but unfortunately some got less screen time than others and thus we were unable to learn more about them before the series was over.
Pros
-Great animation & stellar fight cheorography
-Interesting character & locale designs. And I just love the surrealness of the show's setting.
-Near perfect pacing in the plot/story. None of the fights or arcs really felt like they dragged on were too quick.
-One of the best examples of an action-comedy that leans more towarRAB the action side. A story that definitely likes to have fun, but knows when to get serious when it has to.
-Fun Characters. I enjoyed how quirky each of the characters were and how each has their on distinct personalities. (I read they were based on different parts of the manga author's personalites) It was very fun to see them interact with one another & I felt they developed very well. May I also say that Medusa is definately one of the better villain's I've seen in a while. Any villain that has me wanting them to die because I want to see them pay has got to be doing their job VERY well.
-Atmosphere. As an action-comedy, I feel it does a great job of balancing its cute & lighthearted moments with its more serious & flat out creepy ones. (Particularly the scenes around episodes I wanna say 22-25) I have no real interst in horror & the occult, but the balance is what keeps me intrigued.
-Excellent soundtrack. Catchy tunes that matches the current mood effectively.
Cons
-It definitely has some fanservice-y moments, most noteably in the first three episodes. While it does get consideribly toned down as the series continues, those three episodes could be enough to steer people away from the series who are sick of that stuff. (Almost did for me to be honest)
-Much like Lucky Star, when they're scenes of the classroom, they make the decision to make the other students blue sillhouettes. That rather annoys me. I know one of the basic rules of character design is to make sure you main characters look better than your average joe, but that just reeks laziness even if it is a artistic choice.
-Dissapointing big bad. There is a new villain that appears in the second half of the story and they are built up to one of the more dangerous adversaries for the main cast. However at the end of the day, in my opinion, the villain never truly got chance to shine and really didn't do much of anything. Now I understand that anime pulled a Fullmetal Alchemist and spilt off into its own story once they caught up to the manga, so I imagine they gave the villain a better showcase there. But here, not good.
-Main characters. While I liked their quirkiness, I could see if someone didn't like the show, they could knock the characters by calling them one-trick ponies or being too over-the-top. (Black Star, the cocky, hyperactive loudmouth. Deathscythe, the man that loves his daughter too much, and so on)
-Lack of development of side characters. A lot of the new characters introduced in the second half seemed really cool & interesting, but unfortunately some got less screen time than others and thus we were unable to learn more about them before the series was over.
zenmaster4
New member
Yu Yu Hakusho (why not)
Pros
Characterization - If there's one thing I think everyone can agree on, if nothing else is that the characters mesh well together. Being introduced to DBZ first, YYH is the first series that actually made me give a #### for the characters. It was also the first series that made me feel like I can relate to the some of the characters. (Mixture of Hiei and Yusuke, back in 2004, long story)
Art/Animation - It's a good and bad thing here to me. I thought it started out fairly horrible (artwork was great, but animation just felt sluggish in quite a few areas), but as the series progressed in and got better, so did the fights/animation. I will always be a fan of the fast pace and intense fights, and none of that really hit me until the Chapter Black story. I think everything really hit home during the Three Kings story in terms of the art/animation department.
Length/Pace - For a shonen series, I felt it didn't overstay it's welcome at all. I think it was 112 episodes (correct me if I'm wrong there). No specific fight felt like it was too long. Everything just felt like it flowed smoothly from beginning to end.
Cons
Kuwabara - Not the worst character by a long shot, but he was pretty annoying. I'll put it this way. Manly, loudmouths, underdogs are the worst type of characters when it comes to male characters to me. I cannot stand that "macho" boasting, or that "dying together" stuff. It just irritates me. One thing I'll admit that Kuwabara is that other characters of the same type are not is that he's actually funny. The bickering between him and Hiei are always nice to see. And then we get to his fights... I actually can't stand to see him fight. I like that his fights show how much he grows, but I'm never entertained by his fights. Because he's an underdog, and don't move like the other characters I just fight his fights boring. That might be unfair, but hey, that's the way I am. I like what I like.
Color - This is probably the weakest point of this series, and while it's not really a big deal, I do find myself losing that interest I once had in this series. I'm not an old school person at all, and I definately prefer to see some flashiness in a lot of my anime these days. The coloring in YYH just comes off as bland. I'd actually like to see this redone with some better coloring... (I'm into the flash lol)
With all that being said, I still think this is one of the better shonen series out there, and the only other series that I think actually stacks up to it despite not being finished is Rurouni Kenshin.
Pros
Characterization - If there's one thing I think everyone can agree on, if nothing else is that the characters mesh well together. Being introduced to DBZ first, YYH is the first series that actually made me give a #### for the characters. It was also the first series that made me feel like I can relate to the some of the characters. (Mixture of Hiei and Yusuke, back in 2004, long story)
Art/Animation - It's a good and bad thing here to me. I thought it started out fairly horrible (artwork was great, but animation just felt sluggish in quite a few areas), but as the series progressed in and got better, so did the fights/animation. I will always be a fan of the fast pace and intense fights, and none of that really hit me until the Chapter Black story. I think everything really hit home during the Three Kings story in terms of the art/animation department.
Length/Pace - For a shonen series, I felt it didn't overstay it's welcome at all. I think it was 112 episodes (correct me if I'm wrong there). No specific fight felt like it was too long. Everything just felt like it flowed smoothly from beginning to end.
Cons
Kuwabara - Not the worst character by a long shot, but he was pretty annoying. I'll put it this way. Manly, loudmouths, underdogs are the worst type of characters when it comes to male characters to me. I cannot stand that "macho" boasting, or that "dying together" stuff. It just irritates me. One thing I'll admit that Kuwabara is that other characters of the same type are not is that he's actually funny. The bickering between him and Hiei are always nice to see. And then we get to his fights... I actually can't stand to see him fight. I like that his fights show how much he grows, but I'm never entertained by his fights. Because he's an underdog, and don't move like the other characters I just fight his fights boring. That might be unfair, but hey, that's the way I am. I like what I like.
Color - This is probably the weakest point of this series, and while it's not really a big deal, I do find myself losing that interest I once had in this series. I'm not an old school person at all, and I definately prefer to see some flashiness in a lot of my anime these days. The coloring in YYH just comes off as bland. I'd actually like to see this redone with some better coloring... (I'm into the flash lol)
With all that being said, I still think this is one of the better shonen series out there, and the only other series that I think actually stacks up to it despite not being finished is Rurouni Kenshin.
mr.awesome
New member
I hate filler. The japanese could stop being so stiff on budgets too.
Gundam 00
General Opinion: One of my favorite mecha series
Pros
The story is very gripping from part-way through the first season through the end of the second. There are many twists and turns and heartbreaking events throughout. The events of the first season greatly effect the second season after a moderate time gap. As per usual with Gundam the perspectives of those involved in fighting on all "sides" along with those not involved allow the story to grow at several angles as their relationships interact and clash with eachother. Though unlike many Gundam series it's pretty clear who you should be rooting for which is welcome change in some ways.
The atmosphere set by the great animation and excellent score do well to enhance the dramatic tension throughout the series.
Pretty cool mech designs even for Gundam standard.
Cons
Many characters are completely wasted potential. One of the better characters is killed off and that character's replacement isn't bad but it feels like a mis-step. Two of the main pilots don't really develop or do anything particularly significant. Many of the side characters don't develop either despite being there for the entirety of the series while other possibly better characters are too rushed in development before you never see them again. I think overall it just had too many characters to manage properly.
General Opinion: One of my favorite mecha series
Pros
The story is very gripping from part-way through the first season through the end of the second. There are many twists and turns and heartbreaking events throughout. The events of the first season greatly effect the second season after a moderate time gap. As per usual with Gundam the perspectives of those involved in fighting on all "sides" along with those not involved allow the story to grow at several angles as their relationships interact and clash with eachother. Though unlike many Gundam series it's pretty clear who you should be rooting for which is welcome change in some ways.
The atmosphere set by the great animation and excellent score do well to enhance the dramatic tension throughout the series.
Pretty cool mech designs even for Gundam standard.
Cons
Many characters are completely wasted potential. One of the better characters is killed off and that character's replacement isn't bad but it feels like a mis-step. Two of the main pilots don't really develop or do anything particularly significant. Many of the side characters don't develop either despite being there for the entirety of the series while other possibly better characters are too rushed in development before you never see them again. I think overall it just had too many characters to manage properly.
Jobbernowl
New member
FLCL
Pros:
- The energy. FLCL just never stops to take a breather. Every moment of the show has the characters doing something, even the non-action moments when they're talking.
- Music. Probably one of the best OST's of any series I've ever watched, rivaled only by Samurai Champloo. The ED especially got caught in my head the first time I heard it.
- Characters. They're just so over the top and fun to watch. Just about everyone seems to have some loose screws, and when all hell breaks loose, they immediately run around like decapitated chickens.
- Humor. I can't think of a single moment where I wasn't laughing. All kinRAB of humor are present in this series. Non-sequiters, random, pretentious deep thoughts, ham, whatever your taste is, you'll find it here.
Cons:
- A serious case of WTF is present. The entire series is bound to confuse any newcomer, especially if you choose to let them see a random episode. This series is best viewed all the way.
- Did I really have to see certain things like the uncle stuffed in a closet with cockroaches crawling all over his face?
- It can go from hushed conversations to obnoxiously loud in mere seconRAB. Totally bad when watching late at night like I did.
- I've only seen it once during a marathon and the original DVD releases are expensive. Luckily Funi's releasing the series on Blu-Ray soon so this will soon be irrelevant.
Pros:
- The energy. FLCL just never stops to take a breather. Every moment of the show has the characters doing something, even the non-action moments when they're talking.
- Music. Probably one of the best OST's of any series I've ever watched, rivaled only by Samurai Champloo. The ED especially got caught in my head the first time I heard it.
- Characters. They're just so over the top and fun to watch. Just about everyone seems to have some loose screws, and when all hell breaks loose, they immediately run around like decapitated chickens.
- Humor. I can't think of a single moment where I wasn't laughing. All kinRAB of humor are present in this series. Non-sequiters, random, pretentious deep thoughts, ham, whatever your taste is, you'll find it here.
Cons:
- A serious case of WTF is present. The entire series is bound to confuse any newcomer, especially if you choose to let them see a random episode. This series is best viewed all the way.
- Did I really have to see certain things like the uncle stuffed in a closet with cockroaches crawling all over his face?
- It can go from hushed conversations to obnoxiously loud in mere seconRAB. Totally bad when watching late at night like I did.
- I've only seen it once during a marathon and the original DVD releases are expensive. Luckily Funi's releasing the series on Blu-Ray soon so this will soon be irrelevant.