Makoto Shinkai English Fan Forum and Site

Fiction · Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2009 5:49 am Post subject: Anime Down The Dumps

Have you ever watched an anime, hoping that it'd be good. If you have and found out that it wasn't all that good, have you watched more of it in hopes that it'd get better but it won't? Have you finished a series in that same hopes that maybe it might redeem itself but it didn't?

In my case, I wish I could turn back the time and say no to buying Knight Hunters. I bought it without reading what it was and that the price was nice at only $50. Man, that's one series I'd throw down the dumps. My friend and I watched it, each episode felt like it wouldn't end. The animation quality was just terrible, and the dub was equally horrible. The plot was as thinner than a crepe but less tasty.

But I must admit, it does have its uses. If I find someone who says that (insert anime) has a terrible dub/animation quality/etc. Then all I have to do is show five minutes of Knight Hunters. As it's no real spoiler if it's less than five minutes in the story, this is exactly what happens.

Boy drops by a girl and talks about having to leave. Girl says her goodbyes, boy leaves on his motorcycle. Up on a bridge, a van that's driving is suddenly attacked by people with axes and other bladed weapons. Van drives through the barrier of the bridge and squishes said boy. The burning rubble looks like scribbles and the flame is a two tone three frame animation (this is roughly the first minute or two of the very first episode).

Then it proceeds to people walking to a flower shop where by this time I counted around 14-18 missed mouth flaps (about three to five seconds a character even moves her mouth but nothing comes out). By this point of the episode, roughly 3 minutes and 45 seconds have gone by since the very start.

My friend and I unfortunately watched the whole series hoping that just maybe, just maybe it'll get better.

Have you had any similar experiences with anime?

zitch · Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2009 7:26 am Post subject:

This is why I Netflix for licensed series; so I'm not just throwing money away at a series I might not like.

Though in truth, it's not often I am disappointed by an anime at the start and I keep watching to see if it improves. Because I have so many other things I can watch through either fansubs or Netflix rentals, if an anime didn't have any hook at the start for me or, the series repels me for some reason or another, I'll just stop watching. If it was a Netflix DVD, I might finish the DVD before sending it back, but I wouldn't continue if there wasn't something in it I liked.

For example, I had actually watched the first episode of Knight Hunters on fansub around when it was first coming out (it was titled Weiß Kreuz or Weiss Kreuz at the time), but didn't go any further because of probably the same reasons.

One rare case I did get burned by hoping a series got better was when I bought Those Who Hunt Elves. I wanted to like the premise, but I should have stopped watching after the first disc as the execution was just poor (hell, they could have given us fanservice. I'm not a complicated guy... but nooo they don't even give us that.). Fortunately, my roommate wanted it (I don't know why) and bought it off my hands for me (even after I let him borrow and watch it!). What can I say? Different tastes and all.

Strangely, that wasn't the last time I basically bought a series blind, and almost everything else I bought with no or very little research before hand had been very good to me (which includes Infinite Ryvius, the Utena series, and, of course, the Shinkai: Collection box).

IsUa · Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2009 9:34 am Post subject:

I believe, that years...give experience...so...I'm getting old, one can say: getting experience Very Happy

...I only buy something...(Anime, Film, cd, bd), that I know I like (that's why I use torrents, and sites where you can watch Anime).

Long are the years, that I couldn't wait for something...patience, I believe, is one of my qualities Very Happy

...

And I also think...nowadays with internet (almost everybody have access to a computer with internet), it's very easy to know things before you buy...

...My next buy...hmmm...Clannad and Clannad AS (BD only), Metallica (live, BD), and PS3 games (that's were I spend more money)...but in this case I'm lucky, my brother does consulting in a portuguese game distributor...and sometimes they have the game I want with 75% discount Very Happy

(and they are becoming nº1 portuguese gaming distributor).

...and being playful, with 2 kids, wife (house, vacations, school, gifts)...I'm suddenly feeling dizzy... Rolling Eyes

... I have to know very well where my money is going Sad

...I'm talking, about spending 50 to 80 euros by month (recreation stuff)... that's not so much... but by the end of the year... Shocked

So, answering to your question...I say No...I never bought something and find later that I don't like it... Wink

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gleowine · Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2009 6:04 pm Post subject:

In terms of anime, nothing that I've bought has really disappointed me. Now, manga? That's a different story, but since this is about anime, I'll resist the urge to rant.

When I was renting DVDs from AnimeTakeout, there seemed to be more misses than hits. His and Her Circumstances had a lot of promise, but after the umpteenth recap episode, I gave up. Sadly, I gave up on Welcome to the NHK too soon, mainly because the "off-line meeting" episodes were getting very depressing. I may have to give that one another chance.

IsUa · Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2009 7:00 pm Post subject:

Laz · Laz Joined: 09 Jan 2008 Posts: 1166

IsUa,

I loved Azumanga Daioh ... Osaka is one of my fav characters and the episode with Chiyo-chan in the penguin suit could make you die from cuteness.

Laz
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Fiction · Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2009 3:34 pm Post subject:

Junpei · Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2009 8:01 pm Post subject:

I don't think there is an anime I've watched that I did not enjoy at all. Well I can't remember any that's for sure, save for one particular anime whose ending caused most viewers to strongly criticise it, including me. If you have seen School Days, then you know what I'm talking about. I don't want to give out any spoilers so all I will say is that from the second half of the anime to the ending, all I felt was anger and frustration not only to a certain character, but even to the creator himself. (though I shouldn't really blame him)

If you want anger and contempt as I and many others did, then I advise you to watch it. This anime is a wicked, wicked piece of work.

gleowine · Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2009 8:07 pm Post subject:

I liked all the AzuDaioh characters, except Tomo sometimes. She's just too much. In the dub, Osaka was given a Southern USA accent, which really endeared her to me, having been born and raised "way down yonder." What the heck? Get it together, gleowine.

The one thing about rentals I didn't like was that, after waiting a couple of weeks and getting a bunch of misses in the mail, I had to wait another a couple of weeks for the next set. It could get discouraging at times.

davus0 · Tracer Joined: 19 Jan 2009 Posts: 22

School Days