Its time we make Anime look at itself in the mirror...

[spartan231490]

Could someone explain to me why everyone likes cowboy bebop so much? I'm honestly curious, because I watched the first 5 episodes and every minute was torture. The "plot", if you can call it that, was forced, and having watched scattered episodes from later in the series(parts from over a dozen episodes), i feel safe in saying that the episodes are almost completely unrelated to one another. I don't like anime like that because my favorite part of anime is the extended plot involving a book-series-like increase in power for the main character. Cowboy bebop feels stagnant from the 2nd episode to me. Am I the only one who feels this way? Can any of you prove me wrong? I am honestly curious why so many people like this anime.

Because not everyone objects to episodic TV shows, and the individual episodes themselves tend to be fantastically animated, set in an interesting setting with likable characters, and what episodes do deal with a continuous plot are very well told (including the show's very bittersweet ending, which was also the conclusion to Spike's arc that started in episode 5).

Thanks, I thought that was probably it, but I wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something. Thanks again!

 

[LeonLethality]

Anyone calling themselves otaku are really degrading themselves, I wonder if most people who call themselves that know what it means. It was funny to hear you degrade your 'otaku' friends

More on topic anime is fine. Some of it is complete shit while others (Seto no Hanayome, Ouran High School Host Club) are pure gold. Just like everything else in life.

Yes those two mentioned anime are my suggestions to you.

 

[NeutralDrow]

Could someone explain to me why everyone likes cowboy bebop so much? I'm honestly curious, because I watched the first 5 episodes and every minute was torture. The "plot", if you can call it that, was forced, and having watched scattered episodes from later in the series(parts from over a dozen episodes), i feel safe in saying that the episodes are almost completely unrelated to one another. I don't like anime like that because my favorite part of anime is the extended plot involving a book-series-like increase in power for the main character. Cowboy bebop feels stagnant from the 2nd episode to me. Am I the only one who feels this way? Can any of you prove me wrong? I am honestly curious why so many people like this anime.

Because not everyone objects to episodic TV shows, and the individual episodes themselves tend to be fantastically animated, set in an interesting setting with likable characters, and what episodes do deal with a continuous plot are very well told (including the show's very bittersweet ending, which was also the conclusion to Spike's arc that started in episode 5).

Thanks, I thought that was probably it, but I wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something. Thanks again!

Not at all. I love the show, and it's usually one of the first things I recommend to people, but I know nothing appeals to everyone.

And trust me, _>

 

[NeutralDrow]

Anyone calling themselves otaku are really degrading themselves, I wonder if most people who call themselves that know what it means. It was funny to hear you degrade your 'otaku' friends

Most of the people I know do know what that means in Japan. It just means something different outside Japan, much the term "anime" itself.

 

[RottingAwesome]

Death Note still blows my mind and goes down in my list of favourite things ever =|
not very original, i know but i just love it so freaking much it's just so amazing imo XD

 

[LeonLethality]

Anyone calling themselves otaku are really degrading themselves, I wonder if most people who call themselves that know what it means. It was funny to hear you degrade your 'otaku' friends

Most of the people I know do know what that means in Japan. It just means something different outside Japan, much the term "anime" itself.

I still prefer anime fan outside Japan. I just can't wrap my head around it having a different meaning as I learned what it meant in Japan before I learned what it meant in the rest of the world.

 

[A random person]

Trigun, Fooly Cooly, what I've seen of Gurren Lagann, what I've seen of Cowboy Bebop, and a few other assorted things that I don't remember the titles of have been the few anime shows that I have actually enjoyed watching.

As for new Anime, Naruto is the main reason that I no longer watch anime.

Actually, from that list you seem like an anime fan with taste (fun fact: a large chunk of anime fans hate Naruto and Bleach), you just don't know it.

On topic, while I'm not as knowledgeable on anime as I like to think I am, I recommend Darker than Black, Baccano, and Gurren Lagann as great newer anime. Also, as I mentioned Naruto and Bleach, don't let those turn you (the OP) off anime, there are plenty of far, far better series (like those that end, for starters).

 

[Lunar Templar]

Have you seen Bleach?
It's in the post DBZ/ DBGT era and I have to say it wasn't that bad. I watched the first 70 episodes or so online, until the end of the 2nd season, but then it started to have too many filler episodes and I got bored. A pretty good show though, it has a lot of fighting similar to DBZ.

only fights don't take the 20+ eps to finish, and every one has a different skill set, hated that about DBZ. fillers suck though, especially when they last as long as normal season :/

but OT, and spoiler free
Gurren Laggann : was just win, like-able characters, that grow on you more then you think, an yeah, i cried at ep 8 ( if you seen it you know what i'm talking about ))

Cowboy Bebop : dood .. need i really say more, no? didn't think so

Fate Stay/Night : i liked it, little meh in places, an the love interest bit felt forced, but fun over all

WitchBlade : picked it up out of curiosity, and was surprised with a pretty decent show, not the best I've seen, but good enough that i ended up caring about the characters, ( an i cried at the end of this one to )

Tekkaman Blade : it was so different from anything else I'd seen at the time, it was just awesome, granted, at the time i didn't know what anime was, an now its not to special but it still holds a place on my list

Guyver : any of them, though the newer new dose a better job with telling the story then the older one

Angelic Layer : >.>;; shut up, i liked it, good fun anime

Ah My Goddess : >.>;; again, shut it, i'm not sure what it is about this one, an its not just the cute girls, those are every where, but this one has a special place on my list as well

there are, naturally other shows, i just brought those up cause they ether A) poped into my head first or B) am reading it right now ( WitchBlade, not any of the manga, the original version)

quick Eva note : i ended up hating eva, plot was to stuck on it self, unlikeable characters, ( cept Misato, think that was her name, the drunk one XD, liked her) Shinji bitching about his daddy issue got old by ep 2, an Auska ugh, ***** for no reason, Rei was boring,( seirusly, WHAT is the big deal with her, an the ***** to -.- ) i could go on, but won't. mostly cause i don't remember to much of it at this point.

 

[ResiEvalJohn]

Have you seen Bleach?
It's in the post DBZ/ DBGT era and I have to say it wasn't that bad. I watched the first 70 episodes or so online, until the end of the 2nd season, but then it started to have too many filler episodes and I got bored. A pretty good show though, it has a lot of fighting similar to DBZ.

only fights don't take the 20+ eps to finish, and every one has a different skill set, hated that about DBZ. fillers suck though, especially when they last as long as normal season :/

but OT, and spoiler free
Gurren Laggann : was just win, like-able characters, that grow on you more then you think, an yeah, i cried at ep 8 ( if you seen it you know what i'm talking about ))

Cowboy Bebop : dood .. need i really say more, no? didn't think so

Fate Stay/Night : i liked it, little meh in places, an the love interest bit felt forced, but fun over all

WitchBlade : picked it up out of curiosity, and was surprised with a pretty decent show, not the best I've seen, but good enough that i ended up caring about the characters, ( an i cried at the end of this one to )

Tekkaman Blade : it was so different from anything else I'd seen at the time, it was just awesome, granted, at the time i didn't know what anime was, an now its not to special but it still holds a place on my list

Guyver : any of them, though the newer new dose a better job with telling the story then the older one

Angelic Layer : >.>;; shut up, i liked it, good fun anime

Ah My Goddess : >.>;; again, shut it, i'm not sure what it is about this one, an its not just the cute girls, those are every where, but this one has a special place on my list as well

there are, naturally other shows, i just brought those up cause they ether A) poped into my head first or B) am reading it right now ( WitchBlade, not any of the manga, the original version)

quick Eva note : i ended up hating eva, plot was to stuck on it self, unlikeable characters, ( cept Misato, think that was her name, the drunk one XD, liked her) Shinji bitching about his daddy issue got old by ep 2, an Auska ugh, ***** for no reason, Rei was boring,( seirusly, WHAT is the big deal with her, an the ***** to -.- ) i could go on, but won't. mostly cause i don't remember to much of it at this point.

Cowboy Beebop is my Fav! Nothing can touch that series, it doesn't even seem "Japanese-y" or reflect Japan at all, it just does its own thing ya know.

 

[Billion Backs]

Put said mirror to a lot of things, and you'll see rather similar results.

Common science fiction and fantasy novels? There's so much shitstorm in there I'm afraid to even touch it.

Common action, science fiction, and pseudohistory/fantasy movies? Very much the same as previous.

Personal preferences aside, I can't think of any medium that isn't more then 50% shit.

 

[Gigaguy64]

Could someone explain to me why everyone likes cowboy bebop so much? I'm honestly curious, because I watched the first 5 episodes and every minute was torture. The "plot", if you can call it that, was forced, and having watched scattered episodes from later in the series(parts from over a dozen episodes), i feel safe in saying that the episodes are almost completely unrelated to one another. I don't like anime like that because my favorite part of anime is the extended plot involving a book-series-like increase in power for the main character. Cowboy bebop feels stagnant from the 2nd episode to me. Am I the only one who feels this way? Can any of you prove me wrong? I am honestly curious why so many people like this anime.

Because not everyone objects to episodic TV shows, and the individual episodes themselves tend to be fantastically animated, set in an interesting setting with likable characters, and what episodes do deal with a continuous plot are very well told (including the show's very bittersweet ending, which was also the conclusion to Spike's arc that started in episode 5).

Thanks, I thought that was probably it, but I wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something. Thanks again!

Not at all. I love the show, and it's usually one of the first things I recommend to people, but I know nothing appeals to everyone.

And trust me, _>

Not resting until everyone reads that review i see.

[sup]It was a great review btw.[/sup]

 

[NeutralDrow]

Could someone explain to me why everyone likes cowboy bebop so much? I'm honestly curious, because I watched the first 5 episodes and every minute was torture. The "plot", if you can call it that, was forced, and having watched scattered episodes from later in the series(parts from over a dozen episodes), i feel safe in saying that the episodes are almost completely unrelated to one another. I don't like anime like that because my favorite part of anime is the extended plot involving a book-series-like increase in power for the main character. Cowboy bebop feels stagnant from the 2nd episode to me. Am I the only one who feels this way? Can any of you prove me wrong? I am honestly curious why so many people like this anime.

Because not everyone objects to episodic TV shows, and the individual episodes themselves tend to be fantastically animated, set in an interesting setting with likable characters, and what episodes do deal with a continuous plot are very well told (including the show's very bittersweet ending, which was also the conclusion to Spike's arc that started in episode 5).

Thanks, I thought that was probably it, but I wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something. Thanks again!

Not at all. I love the show, and it's usually one of the first things I recommend to people, but I know nothing appeals to everyone.

And trust me, _>

Not resting until everyone reads that review i see.

[sup]It was a great review btw.[/sup]

I'm sorry, it slipped! ;_;

Thanks. It's been more successful than I ever hoped, and I'm hoping even if people don't play it, the review will at least dispel some misconceptions.

 

[Gigaguy64]

I'm sorry, it slipped! ;_;

Thanks. It's been more successful than I ever hoped, and I'm hoping even if people don't play it, the review will at least dispel some misconceptions.

It did for me.
I can say with a fare amount of certainty i will never play it but, the story sounds really good and touching.
It goes into some pretty dark areas and touches on some ugly things.
It also shows some really good and happy things.

And just from reading the story it has also given me a character that is worth of rage beyond all rage.
This little She-Devil right here [http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/7867/ymk4.jpg]
I looked up some of the endings and i must say i loved the one where you strangle her to death

 

[NeutralDrow]

I'm sorry, it slipped! ;_;

Thanks. It's been more successful than I ever hoped, and I'm hoping even if people don't play it, the review will at least dispel some misconceptions.

It did for me.
I can say with a fare amount of certainty i will never play it but, the story sounds really good and touching.
It goes into some pretty dark areas and touches on some ugly things.
It also shows some really good and happy things.

And just from reading the story it has also given me a character that is worth of rage beyond all rage.
This little She-Devil right here [http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/7867/ymk4.jpg]
I looked up some of the endings and i must say i loved the one where you strangle her to death

Actually...<color=white>she doesn't die. It's a near thing, though, near enough that she passes out from oxygen deprivation and...loses control of certain bodily functions (which is why they stopped, in disgust). Worked great for "leave us alone" blackmail photos.

But yes, that was still extraordinarily satisfying. Especially considering that the prior events of that scene made it so I can't listen to <url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpssFaJtS0Y>Lock On without feeling that surge of helpless, undiluted hatred. Much like I can't listen to <url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whTJVxWtGms&feature=related>On the Moonlit Rooftop without remembering every emotion I felt during that scene (panic, confusion, fear, empathy, rage, and love, at minimum).

...yeah, I'm gonna keep pushing that review as long as I'm here. If that's not my favorite game ever, it's at least tied with <url=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.128851-TYPE-MOON-reviews-Tsukihime>Tsukihime.

 

[lapan]

The biggest problem of anime is the massive character stereotyping. Still, at least 1-2 animes out of ten are pretty good, you just have to look harder. Out of the newer animes i can recommend:

Baccano (can't be mentioned enough, great anime)
Higashi no Eden (while there ARE a few stereotyped characters, the good story makes up for it)

Haven't watched much of 2010's animes yet though.

 

[Cody211282]

You should watch some Code Geass, I got the first season of it and thought "I'll watch a couple of episodes before I go out". I then cancelled all my plans for the rest of the day, sacked off my firends birthday party and just diligently watched it all, brilliant show on the whole.

Now searching high unt low for the R2 season.

NO DON'T

the second season was horrible, I mean like really really bad, you remember everything good about the first? Yea well it's gone and replaced with mind dulling moments of retardation.

 

[Gigaguy64]

I'm sorry, it slipped! ;_;

Thanks. It's been more successful than I ever hoped, and I'm hoping even if people don't play it, the review will at least dispel some misconceptions.

It did for me.
I can say with a fare amount of certainty i will never play it but, the story sounds really good and touching.
It goes into some pretty dark areas and touches on some ugly things.
It also shows some really good and happy things.

And just from reading the story it has also given me a character that is worth of rage beyond all rage.
This little She-Devil right here [http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/7867/ymk4.jpg]
I looked up some of the endings and i must say i loved the one where you strangle her to death

Actually...<color=white>she doesn't die. It's a near thing, though, near enough that she passes out from oxygen deprivation and...loses control of certain bodily functions (which is why they stopped, in disgust). Worked great for "leave us alone" blackmail photos.

But yes, that was still extraordinarily satisfying. Especially considering that the prior events of that scene made it so I can't listen to <url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpssFaJtS0Y>Lock On without feeling that surge of helpless, undiluted hatred. Much like I can't listen to <url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whTJVxWtGms&feature=related>On the Moonlit Rooftop without remembering every emotion I felt during that scene (panic, confusion, fear, empathy, rage, and love, at minimum).

...yeah, I'm gonna keep pushing that review as long as I'm here. If that's not my favorite game ever, it's at least tied with <url=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.128851-TYPE-MOON-reviews-Tsukihime>Tsukihime.

She doesn't Die?
Bummer, but i guess what does happen is satisfying enough.

And that music Really makes you feel that way?
Wow, those were beautiful pieces of music...but i can understand.
Just reading about some of the things that happened to Aeka made me want to go out into my front yard and rip trees from the ground.

 

[Gigaguy64]

Snip

And Another one.

Oh yes. I remember that **** well. I prayed for an an option to throw her off the roof.

As for review pushing - its a god damn good review, if you ask me, so push on. The more people read it - the better.

PREACH!

I haven't even played the VN and i already hate her in ways i cant describe.

 

[Diddy_King]

The main anime I watch anymore are One Piece and Katekyo Hitman Reborn.
One Piece-One Piece is on of the longest running animes I know of, the only other I can think of longer off the top of my head is Detective Conan. It's currently at something like episode 450. But on the bright side it is one of the few anime's that does "fillers" right. The characters are quirky and fun, the Devil Fruit Powers are a joy to watch and see develop. The story and characters are such stereotypes but surprisingly deep. In my opinion it is my #1 anime for character development.

Katekyo Hitman REBORN!-If you don't like filler this one will tick you off. The first 20 episodes or so feel like "filler." It feels like they started the anime with the intention of making a cracked out random anime, but about 15 episodes in decided to get all serious with it and make a bad-ass anime. The idea is based around the current day mafia, of which the main character learns he is next in line to become boss of the strongest mafia family in the world. Problem is he's kind of a loser. So they send over a home tutor, Reborn (who happens to be a baby), to teach him by shooting him in the head...repeatedly...It's strange, quirky, and fun as all heck. If you can make it through the filler, it's well worth the watch, and is in my opinion #2 in character development.

Besides that I don't watch much. I've watched a bit of Fairy Tale, and it's pretty cool (definitely feel some Naruto vibes out of it). For instance there is a guy with tied back black hair who fights with shadows, the main character cups his fist to his mouth to shoot out fire, elaborate hand signs to use magic, etc. But so far it hasn't hit the whole wall of filler that made me hate Naruto.

EDIT

And as for Bleach, it was a great anime at first. If it had ended after Season 1 it would have been one of the best animes I've watched in several years. The problem is it got popular and they started milking it, oh well...