Poll: Anime List Comparison

[tobi the good boy]

-snip-

Both.

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Honestly that looks terrible, but it all depends on the dubs. I like Hellsing because it has good, appropriate dubs. And the fighting? Hell I watch it for the music alone.

Baccano's dubs are hailed as some of the best and it's musical score is amazing if you like the 1930's jazz scene.

*whispers* I prefer Hellsing Dub too, just don't incite the rage of the weeaboo's *whispers*

Ultimately your decision

 

[Xhoyl]

Snip

You should probably quit being condescending for a little bit and realise that people have different opinions and not everyone has to agree with you. Now, I also quite liked the ending to R2, but I hardly think it's the greatest ending in the history of storytelling. Most of your points can be attributed to the fact that it takes a lot of influence from The Revenge Tragedy genre of plays. It in particular takes a lot of the overarching plot from Hamlet but y'know, with robots. The whole theme throughout the second season is "The ends justify the means" which is ripped right from all things Machiavelli.

Lelouch as a character is pretty much a combination between Light Yagami and Batman, Suzaku is the stereotypical best friend character who doesn't agree with the main character. Euphemia is the innocent, naive, idealist who is destined to die.

Do you see what I'm getting at here? Yes it's good, it's executed well, but it's hard to call it the greatest ending of all time or anything like that when everything about it is ripped from the pages of far better works.

First of all, if you had read any of the later posts you would know I apologized for my condescending tone. I just got a little defensive. Second, if the only way something could be good is if it was original, then basically everything would be disappointing. Because there is nothing new under the sun. But people can improve on earlier works.

I also dislike the mentality that just because something came first or it's old and "classic" it's better. You know why most people can't read any older literature? Because it's often very slow, boring, poorly paced and filled with lots of unnecessary description and back story.

As a whole, writing has improved, and so has our way of delivering it. And I can almost promise you that if I went back and read those older works that Code Geass was possibly inspired on, I would not enjoy them nearly as much I enjoyed it.

One final thing, Lelouche is nothing like Light because he is not a complete and utter monster. I kind of despise Light if that wasn't clear, but I love Lelouche. That says something right there. Leouche is likable and redeemed himself, Light never did any such thing.

 

[Zenron]

Snip

I must have missed your later posts, apologies for that.

People can improve on earlier work, but I don't really think that Code Geass did. If you can look past the form of English they used at the time, Hamlet is pretty damn great. I'm not saying that all classical literature is great, of course it's not. But you can't just disregard hundreds of years of writing in a sweeping generalisation. Are Okouchi Ichiro and Taniguchi Goro as good at writing as William Shakespeare? Definitely not. Not in my opinion anyway.

The fact that these were written first is relevant, because it makes Code Geass generic. As part of my college work, I've read so many Revenge Tragedy plays that it's hard not to notice how stereotypical it is of the genre. It is executed well, but it's hard to call it the pinnacle of writing when it breaks no confines and does nothing for the genre other than add robots. It's like how I can't call Avatar a truly great film. It may be executed well, but it's a story that has been done so many times that no matter how well executed it is, it can't make up for the fact that it's generic. It's a flaw, no matter what perspective you're looking at this from.

As for Lelouch being like Light Yagami, he certainly shares some characteristics. An aloof, obnoxiously intelligent school kid who gains a supernatural power which he uses to try and take over the world. They both do some pretty awful things but ultimately succeed to some extent and die in the process, thereby achieving redemption of all the bad things they've done in the past. The only difference between the two is that Lelouch is less of a dick about it, but the actions are still the same, and in revenge tragedies, it's the actions, not the words, which define a character. I do agree that Lelouch is a more likable character, that much is obvious, Light is a crazy person, but they are similar.

 

[Xhoyl]

Snip

I must have missed your later posts, apologies for that.

People can improve on earlier work, but I don't really think that Code Geass did. If you can look past the form of English they used at the time, Hamlet is pretty damn great. I'm not saying that all classical literature is great, of course it's not. But you can't just disregard hundreds of years of writing in a sweeping generalisation. Are Okouchi Ichiro and Taniguchi Goro as good at writing as William Shakespeare? Definitely not. Not in my opinion anyway.

The fact that these were written first is relevant, because it makes Code Geass generic. As part of my college work, I've read so many Revenge Tragedy plays that it's hard not to notice how stereotypical it is of the genre. It is executed well, but it's hard to call it the pinnacle of writing when it breaks no confines and does nothing for the genre other than add robots. It's like how I can't call Avatar a truly great film. It may be executed well, but it's a story that has been done so many times that no matter how well executed it is, it can't make up for the fact that it's generic. It's a flaw, no matter what perspective you're looking at this from.

As for Lelouch being like Light Yagami, he certainly shares some characteristics. An aloof, obnoxiously intelligent school kid who gains a supernatural power which he uses to try and take over the world. They both do some pretty awful things but ultimately succeed to some extent and die in the process, thereby achieving redemption of all the bad things they've done in the past. The only difference between the two is that Lelouch is less of a dick about it, but the actions are still the same, and in revenge tragedies, it's the actions, not the words, which define a character. I do agree that Lelouch is a more likable character, that much is obvious, Light is a crazy person, but they are similar.

Okay, maybe saying it was the "best' was an overgeneralization. But as far as the stories that I have experienced in my lifetime go, it is still one of my favorites. You can get all scholarly and say that it was maybe based on something that is common in theatre (which I have experienced little of obviously) but that doesn't make it any less powerful to me. Maybe if I was well read on similar type productions like it, I would feel the way you do. But I don't. And I have a feeling most people are the same way.

I even understand your reasoning because I feel exactly the same way about Avatar. I could only watch it once, and while I enjoyed it, as a writer I knew so many more stories done better. But you know what? I think that sometimes perfect execution is enough. As previously mentioned, it's basically impossible to be original. But if I felt nothing I wrote would ever be as powerful in comparison to previous works, I would lose all hope.

All I know is I loved Code Geass, and even if something like it has been done before, I have not experienced it, and neither have a lot of people. At the very least it brings something less known, such a older theatre, and brings it to the masses. It makes it relevant and more current to our generation. The comparison to Avatar may have been partially correct, but it's not completely. Because I felt much more emotion and strength from Code Geass than Avatar even tried to achieve.

But honestly, when you come down to it, all fiction is debatable. No work of art or story or song has ever been universally liked, and if it has it's probably because it was watered down to the point where it had no real power or message to convey.

I do not have anything against older works, but in the words of Lelouche, (paraphrased of course) we do not want to go back to the past, and we do not even want the present, we should move towards the future. Which means that we need to keep trying to make our fiction better and better, instead of simply assuming that best of everything has already been done. I may not be as well read as I should be, but maybe that is also my strength. To not be bogged down by the works of yesteryear and instead look forward to where I think writing should be. You may see something formulaic and predictable, but all I see is a potential that was not wasted.

I don't know. Maybe it's just rose tinted glasses. But so many people I know also love Code Geass. People who are also smart, funny, well read individuals. So I know that I at least do not stand alone. And if there's one thing I've learned, you cannot watch everything with a critical eye. Sometimes you just have to enjoy the ride.

 

[OneBrokePony]

Here's how far I got before I felt I had burned out:

Spoiler: I figure the on-hold stuff is stuff I'll come back to.

Completed:
.hack//Legend of the Twilight
Abenobashi Mahou Shoutengai
Ai Yori Aoshi
Azumanga Daioh
Big O
Blue Gender
Castle in the Sky
Cat Girl Nuku Nuku
Cowboy Bebop
Cowboy Bebop: Tengoku no Tobira
Death Note
Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone
FLCL
Fullmetal Alchemist
Gake no Ue no Ponyo
Ghost in the Shell
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Solid State Society
Howl's Moving Castle
InuYasha: Kagami no Naka no Mugenjo
InuYasha: Tenka Hadou no Ken
Kiki's Delivery Service
Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro
Millennium Actress
Misutenaide Daisy
My Neighbor Totoro
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Outlaw Star
Paranoia Agent
Pom Poko
Porco Rosso
Princess Mononoke
R.O.D OVA
R.O.D the TV
Rozen Maiden
Rurouni Kenshin
Seikai no Monshou
Shingetsutan Tsukihime
Sonic the Hedgehog
Soul Hunter
Spirited Away
Tenamonya Voyagers
Whisper of the Heart
Wolf's Rain
Yu Yu Hakusho

On-Hold:
Excel Saga
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd GIG
Kaleido Star
Maison Ikkoku
Nadia, the Secret of Blue Water
Princess Princess
Sakura Taisen
Shinryaku! Ika Musume
Dropped:
Hayate no Gotoku!
InuYasha
Love Hina
Lupin III: Part II

Plan to Watch:
Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance
Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo
Evangelion: 4.0
Nadia: The Motion Picture
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion
Paprika

 

[keve4433]

GURREN LAGANN. WATCH IT NOW. TURN OFF THE ESCAPIST AND GO WATCH IT.



You still here? GO WATCH NOW! DONT WASTE YOUR TIME WITH NARUTO: SHIPPUUDEN ILL SPOIL IT FOR YOU: ITS NOT VERY GOOD!

When I watch Gurren Lagann I can't help but scream "BIIIIIIIIIGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!!!" every couple of seconds, and that is why I love it so very, very much.

To the OP:
I will have to agree that Death Note and Code Geass aren't amazing, but they are by no means terrible, there is definitely much better stuff out there though. I say you are knowledgeable enough, I would definitely take some of your fellow escapist's recommendations though, They know their shit.

Though I do suspect this was all a devious plot to show off your anime list. ;P

Edit:

Snip.

You sir are a gentleman and a scholar, and I approve of your....anime..ness!

 

[Zenron]

snip

Well of course, if you haven't experienced other similiar works then it won't be generic to you. I guess that's where our knowledge makes our opinions differ. Although, works like Hamlet are pretty well known, and I would assume a lot of people would at least know the story. I implore you to go watch the Kenneth Branagh film adaptation(not the David Tennant one, it's boring and meh). Again I think we differ when I don't think execution is enough, because new things are being created all the time. Well at least things that appear fresh and new. Media is constantly adapting and evolving and I don't think it is as hard to be original as you think.

I've never said that all the works from the past are better. Some are going to be, of course, but not all. I agree with you that we should always be looking towards the future, to make our fiction better. But to make things better, you can't simply copy what has come before you, you need to change, adapt and improve. I disagree however, with being less read as being an advantage. I've read so much of past works that I can recognise the mistakes of the past and learn not to fall into the same traps myself. It's because I can look back that we can improve instead of starting completely from scratch.

Just seems like a cop out really. As if you don't have to innovate at all just because there have been a lot of other stories in the past.

 

[xXGeckoXx]

Wait wait wait.


...

There's GOOD anime? I mean, other than Hellsing?

Also go watch Hellsing.

So I was having an argument with someone earlier today about anime. It was over Death Note and Code Geauss - I don't really like either of them and don't think they're terribly good anime. The person I was talking to damn near exploded, and thinks I'm some sort of anime peasant, and that I simply haven't seen enough good anime to be a judge of it. I think he is full of shit.

But lets let the Internet decide, shall we? I to MyAnimeList.net and made as complete a list of the anime I've read/watched that I can remember off the top of my head. And now we'll let the Internet decide.

Am I an anime peasant as he claims? Anime noble? Or perhaps Lord of all Anime?

The List [http://myanimelist.net/animelist/ParagonFury]

FLCL, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Cowboy bebop, Samurai Champloo, Planetes, Darker than Black, Tenga Toppen Gurren Lagann (if you liked FLCL), Great Teacher Onizuka (a bit shonen but good comedy), Ghost in the Shell (truly excellent, surprisingly philosophical about the ethics of body modification), ALL THE STUDIO GHIBLI FILMS.

These are all GOOD anime, they explore themes have high quality animations/soundtracks. Anime is subjective, there are some of these that some people won't like but between them all there is a lot of good content.

http://www.fanboy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/list-of-worthwhile-anime.jpg

Is a more comprehensive list, I found that some of the anime on it are a bit debatable but most of the anime on my list are on it so...

Edit for the OP: I checked you're list, it's very good, I now know your watching habits and I recommend studio ghibli films and black lagoon, gurren lagann and Great Teacher Onizuka to you.

Edit 2: WATCH PLANETES

Edit 3: I can't believe someone else watched Blue Submarine No.6, It was ok.

Final edit: Code Geass and Death note are both GOOD anime, they are just blown out of the water by things like GitS which means they are not the BEST anime. Cowboy bebop (and it's spiritual successor Samurai Champloo) as well as almost all the anime I lister run at a higher quality than those two.

 

[weker]

The list is fine if anything, a bit too much of the normal stuff like bleach.
As for not liking Death Note, I am not surprised. Good start and just curved and dived into bad nonsensical plot.

 

[Elate]

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Both.

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Honestly that looks terrible, but it all depends on the dubs. I like Hellsing because it has good, appropriate dubs. And the fighting? Hell I watch it for the music alone.

Baccano's dubs are hailed as some of the best and it's musical score is amazing if you like the 1930's jazz scene.

*whispers* I prefer Hellsing Dub too, just don't incite the rage of the weeaboo's *whispers*

Ultimately your decision

I DO love 1930s jazz, I may have to give it a look then if the dubs aren't that bad. Thank you good sir!

 

[Et3rnalLegend64]

I haven't watched either. Kinda planning to, but might not get to it any time soon. He's automatically incorrect for shooting down a personal opinion of something. It's like all that crap about being a "true gamer" and whatnot as far as I'm concerned.

Peasant? I'll give you points for Haruhi, Gundam (08th MS Team is part of my favorites), Cowboy Bebop, Gurren Lagann, and FLCL.
I was watching CardCaptor Sakura and got 3 episodes in, then I watched Madoka Magica. Whiplash for the win! I'll get back to CCS eventually. Always wanted to watch it in its original glory.

Don't let anyone tell you you're a "peasant". You like what you like. Anyone who belittles you for that is a fuckwit.

Well said. Two thumbs up.

 

[MammothBlade]

You've seen the second Ghost in The Shell movie, but not the first? This must be rectified.

Overall, most of your list isn't my sort of thing but that's why it's your list, not mine.

Might as well post my anime-planet.

http://www.anime-planet.com/users/Waterwalker

 

[Paragon Fury]

I think my big problem with Code Geauss was that it didn't do enough to earn suspension of disbelief, so when it tried to get going it slammed into the "WTF?!" wall.

It does a terrible job of trying to ease us into it's world, and it give no sign that its just trying to be for fun or that its not taking itself seriously, so it just hits you and you're like "I have no idea WTF is going on here and I don't think I care".

That I find LeLouch a massively unlikable character. I don't see how anyone gets through a conversation with him without at least one attempted strangling each time. I don't care that people with the Geauss ability are supposedly immortal - "immortal" to me is just a lame excuse for "bitches not tryin' hard enough".

 

[Paragon Fury]

You've seen the second Ghost in The Shell movie, but not the first? This must be rectified.

Overall, most of your list isn't my sort of thing but that's why it's your list, not mine.

Might as well post my anime-planet.

http://www.anime-planet.com/users/Waterwalker

I had heard the first one wasn't that spectacular, so I skipped it.

The only reason I saw Innocence is because I saw it for 50% off in Best Buy a few years back.