How about a new? (Anime thread)

[madhair60]

I want a Milky Holmes gif I can use as my avatar.  Have at it AnimeCaB.

[Consignia]

I had a go at creating some gifs, but the first image I thought of didn't make a good gif, the second was too long and didn't loop properly, so I ended up with one of the laugh scenes. Unfortunately, the placement of the characters is so bad, I couldn't frame all of them properly, especially Barton. So I'm afraid this is best I could do:



Soz, it's best I could do for the time being. At least they're laughing. Not sure they make the grade, but you are free to use them if you wish.

[Pedro_Bear]

I... don't... know. And I know everything.

TK Milky Holmes is almost... aaarrrghagahahagah... it's... the "elements" (do ho) are all here... Kokoro being the key to the whole thing of course, and she's more or less back to form... I just... it's not freely flowing, is the thing. They're trying to do this unnecessary balancing act between playing it straight-ish and things like, lampshading having a talking cat, which you then realize didn't talk anyway ... and so you're going "wait, was that clever? I think that may have been clever?" They don't seem to have the confidence to let go and let fly, is all.



Stuff like... the detectives turn up to the idol show where someone is stealing the voices of the performers, and they're carrying a pot of honey "just in case". This seems like a very S1 thing to do... it seems that S1 was heavily improvised both by the voice actors and the animators, punching up a terrible, awful, formulaic script. Yet... it's now pastiche. "I want to be... a beekeeper" is funny because Sheryl says it with so much in-the-moment conviction, and it's so wrong that she should secretly want to be a beekeeper and not a Detective in context of the statement. It's not random surrealism, she could have said anything as just a fleeting gag. Even using the honey as a brick joke doesn't really work, because it's not a brick joke in context.

The fourth wall stuff is back, with characters climbing or kicking through the idea that it's a tv show. And indeed, the genre mockery is present, albeit this has been somewhat done do death by actual Idol-based entire series now.



The tidal wave PR disaster that was the backlash to the nofun lolis usurping the spotlight, and the complete lack of content let alone comedy has been noted, and TK Milky Holmes is porting as many quick gag elements of the first two series into a continuation of Alternative as the linear format permits.

When it works, it works. When it doesn't, we can see the sticking plaster dangling off the cut'n'paste.

It's ... enjoyable. It's moved away from the dead-eyed cgi of NoFun back to the sloppily-animated-yet-endearing art style of the originals, but they flit between the two. Kokoro is off her anti-genki meds, Team Milky are edging back towards damedame even with their toys in working order no, wait they've apparently lost their toys again, and the nofun lolis are even catching some of it, too.

It reads like I'm making excuses, and I am. Sort of. We're just going to have to accept that S1 & S2 were inspired works of absurdity that cannot be recreated or extended. S2 ended beautifully with a shot of the flower growing again. It wasn't supposed to continue, not really. Yet there's enough to like about TKMK to make it worth watching, even though we're going to be acutely aware of the cracks in the facade.

Put it this way, if this was the first series ever, we'd like it.

The sequence where the Detectives make their reappearance is very Milky Holmes indeed. Basically, we're probably being too harsh on a silly show that has turned 180 to try to please us again. TK Milky Holmes TD is a funny gag comedy. C'mon, they even outright arrest the worst NoFun loli and chuck her in jail as an olive branch. We should take it. They defeat the evil Idol by coating themselves in honey and having wasps sting them. It's not God of Lard, but it's still Milky Holmes.



They know. They're really very sorry. They're trying to fix this. Something else is lampshaded in one of the scenes, something about a fight with their last manager, which may account for the odd direction and slapdash nature of NoFun era MH. They are, after all, idols themselves.

[Camp Tramp]

I'm very fond of Legends of the Galactic Heroes, a space opera from the late 80's which tells the tale of a war between Space Prussia and a Democratic government. The animation is a bit dated but the storyline is complex and involving, the characters are very well drawn.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legend_of_the_Galactic_Heroes

[Van Dammage]

Can anyone give a few good anime recommendations that aren't necessarily recent? All time favourites etc...I'm open to anything really. My two favourites are Serial Experiments Lain and GTO if that's anything to go by.

[Consignia]

Can anyone give a few good anime recommendations that aren't necessarily recent? All time favourites etc...I'm open to anything really. My two favourites are Serial Experiments Lain and GTO if that's anything to go by.

Those two titles are quite unique, so it's difficult to recommend anything that's much like either of them, but I'll try to rack my brains for things that have similar tone. Let me know if you've seen any of these and what you think of them.

The Bubblegum Crisis series have quite a cyber punky tone. They come in a bunch of series that have almost zero actual connection between them. The original series and AD Police are probably the most 80's.

Boogiepop Phantom is a nice little urban horror. It comes from a light novel series with a much larger mythos, so it maybe some what incomprehensible in places, but it's still nicely self-contained.

Haibane Renmai is slow existential piece about a strange after life. It has the same character designer as Lain.

Kino's Journery (or Kino no Tabi) is a like a travelogue of a bizarre post apocalyptic world were every town has a different "thing". Quite slow paced, but full of great moments.

Monster a brill thriller about a Doctor who makes an ethical choice between saving the right patient which leads to him have to track a serial killer he created. I never finished it, but I loved what I saw/read of it.

Paranoia Agent a TV series by the late great Satoshi Kon. Each episode is a different character study into the lives of a barely functioning modern society centered around a bizarre criminal.

Revolutionary Girl Utena or Shoujo Kakumei Utena. A really surreal series probably sums it up. Stick with it until the end were it just gets bananas with symbolism, then check out the even crazier movie.

Dai-Guard is an out there one for these suggestions, the closest I could get to GTO in tone by memory and even then not that close. It's a work place comedy about what would happen if you got a typical Japanese private company to actually run one of those Giant Robots you see.

[Van Dammage]

Ta very much, I will look into some of these when I get a chance, Monster has been on my radar for a while and I quite like the sound of Revolutionary Girl Utena so I'll probably check them first.

Out of those suggestions the only one I've seen is Paranoia Agent, it was one of the first I came across while looking for something a bit out there like Lain. Really enjoyed it and loved how it concentrated on the different characters.

[Consignia]

Yeah, I did enjoy Utena quite a bit. It takes quite a while to get into, so stick with it, and forget to check the movie afterwards. If you enjoy it, I'd suggest checking the director's more contemporary works, Mawaru Penguindrum and Yuri Kuma Arashi.

Also, if you liked Paranoia Agent, I would strongly suggest some of the director's, Satoshi Kon, films. They are among my favourite things ever, especially Perfect Blue, but Tokyo Godfathers, Millenium Actress and Paprika are also brill.

[Van Dammage]

I ended up finally watching Death Note instead (had it downloaded from a while ago and had no space monster) and I am really really enjoying it. I'm nearly finished it now and its remarkably consistent, I feel anyway. Also, am I going mad or is there constant remixes of Aphex Twin songs popping up in the background in a lot of episodes? As well as something that sounds a lot like the Excorcist theme tune.

[wooders1978]

I'm not overly into anime. (I'm a Ghibli & the manga big three guy and that's about it - however I've started watching "Tokyo Ghoul" on netflix and I am enjoying it - are you all going to laugh and point?

[Van Dammage]

I'm not overly into anime. (I'm a Ghibli & the manga big three guy and that's about it - however I've started watching "Tokyo Ghoul" on netflix and I am enjoying it - are you all going to laugh and point?

I didn't hear of that until you mentioned it there...but it sounds pretty good, might stick it on the watchlist.

[Consignia]

I'm not overly into anime. (I'm a Ghibli & the manga big three guy and that's about it - however I've started watching "Tokyo Ghoul" on netflix and I am enjoying it - are you all going to laugh and point?

I plan on watching Tokyo Ghoul at some point. I was planning on watching it as it aired, but lost it in the triage of that season. It's been recommended to me by a colleague, who was surprised I hadn't already seen it.

[Consignia]

Let's go pithy review of the season time.

Dungeon ni Deai o Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru Darou ka? - Very generic fantasy that doesn't even hide it's JRPG stylings. Kind of fun in it's own way. Currently famous for that ribbon.
Danna ga Nani o Itteiru ka Wakaranai Ken II - Sequel to the original 3 minute series. Pretty much the same here, but playing way more on sentimentality.
Fate/Stay Night Unlimited Blade Works - Continuation from last year's first half. Really well executed, but still can't hide it's visual roots and still can't meet the water mark of Fate/Zero
Teekyu - Lovely gag series that mark it's 4th series. Two minutes each episode, but packed with more content than shows 10 times as long.
Takamiya Nasuno Desu! - Spin off of Teekyu. Pretty much the same show, but bizarrely not as funny.
Gintama - One of my favourite comedies, so it's no surprise it's one of my favourites this season. Treading water so far, but even there it's head and shoulders above others.
Houkago no Pleiades - Really dull magical girl show. Can't be arsed with this.
Triage X - Absolutely juvenile action series about a group of sexy assassins with it's bit being they use medical terms that the author heard in passing to make a rubbish social commentary.
Urawa no Usagi-chan - Another 3 minute comedy series that forgets it needs comedy.
Punch Line - Brilliantly over the top series, throwing the kitchen sink of clichés, but going to 11 each time.
Sound! Euphorium - Rather typical Kyoani series about girls in a school band (where have I heard that before?) Surprisingly enjoyable, if very sedate.
Hello! KINMOZA - Sequel to the recent series, not much to say. It could really do with actually being funny.
Tesagure! Bukatsumono Spin-off Purupurun Sharumu to Asobou - An improv series in the vain of gdgd Faeries. I really should like this series, but unfortuately the actresses here aren't as good as the gdgd lot (despite one of them being in gdgd).
Etotama - Seriously all over the place series about zodiac spirits. Doesn't seem to know what it is, an off the wall comedy, a fighting series, a drama. Not worth it.
Shokugeki no Soma - A modern update of Yakitate Japan, about a guy attending a food school. It struggles to get out of Yakitate Japan's shadow, but the food reaction shots are worth a look.
Plastic Memories - A nice sci-fi drama about humans and androids and their expiration. Some good stories so far, mixed with typically cliches as well.
Nagato Yuki-chan no Shoushitsu - Long awaited new installment into the Haruhi Suzumiya series, and it's a spin off set in the movie's alternative universe. It's no where near as good as the original, and it looks rubbish in comparison, but it's good to see the characters again, and it does have a few laughs there as well.
Yahari Ore no Seishun Rabu Kome wa Machigatteiru Zoku - Sequel to the light novel series that's all about deconstructing the typical high school loner. It's removed some of the comedy to make the drama hit harder, but it's a worthy sequel to the current.
Nisekoi: - Another sequel, this time to last year's SHAFT rom com. It's alright so far, but nothing special. Lot's of marks lost for the stupid OP. Seriously, the stupidest OP I've ever seen in anime.
Re-kan - Okish ghost comedy. Some laughs, but difficult to stay with it.
Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha ViVid - Utter rubbish sequel to the sometimes good, sometimes bad Nanoha series. Avoid.

[wasp_f15ting]

Have you guys seen No game no life?

Really liking that and Psycho pass.. and seven deadly sins.

[Consignia]

Have you guys seen No game no life?

Really liking that and Psycho pass.. and seven deadly sins.

Yeah, I loved No Game No Life. Wonderfully silly and over the top. There's a movie sequel out this year. Also another series by the same author is airing at the moment; Clockwork Planet, but so far not as good as NGNL.

I did quite like Psycho Pass, even if everything after the first series is a bit ropey.

Seven Deadly Sins... there's a couple series that bear that moniker, I assume you are talking about the one with talking pig rather than the one with angels and demons designed to push expensive figurines. Not really seen either, I'm afraid. I remember having a read of the manga of the former an finding the art style a bit rough.

[wasp_f15ting]

Thanks for the heads up.

I started a binge on attack on titan yesterday, and nearing the end.. very bleak but is rather satisfying.

Have you watched one piece at all? Pretty tempted to dip my toes in, but 800 episodes.. could be an overwhelming journey.
I love pirates tho :D

[Spiteface]

Still waiting for Funimation to put out GARO: Divine Flame:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAYNfahybw4

I recommend the series this is a followup to, Honoo no Kokuin. Not the second (unrelated) series, Guren no Tsuki, though. Toshiki Inoue wrote that, and he's no longer the genius behind Choujin Sentai Jetman and Kamen Rider Agito.

[Consignia]

Thanks for the heads up.

I started a binge on attack on titan yesterday, and nearing the end.. very bleak but is rather satisfying.

Have you watched one piece at all? Pretty tempted to dip my toes in, but 800 episodes.. could be an overwhelming journey.
I love pirates tho :D

Yeah, Attack on Titan is pretty decent. There's a sequel running at the moment, but it's only going to be short. Nowhere near going to touch the amount of original material it has behind it. Which is a shame because after a lull, it's really started to pick up in the last few chapters. Also, don't touch the dreadful comedy spin-off, set in a school. What a waste of effort that was.

I've tried several times to get into One Piece, back when it didn't have so many episodes under it's belt. It's quite a decent concept, but it's really drawn out, and it can be really patchy. It's been a while, but I don't think it's got the greatest start. When something takes ~50 episodes to get good, you know there's something up. Possibly worth dipping your toes in though if it appeals. You can easily drop it if you find it hard work.

[wasp_f15ting]

I have crunchy roll and funimation, do you have any suggestions for stuff on there?

Ive started beserk since it was apparently an inspiration for bloodborne.

[Spoon of Ploff]

not new but i came across Dimension Bomb t'other week over on that there dailymotion. Doesn't really make a lot of sense but it looks grand... reminds me a bit of the animation that went with Ken Ishii's Extra.

[Spiteface]

I have crunchy roll and funimation, do you have any suggestions for stuff on there?

Ive started beserk since it was apparently an inspiration for bloodborne.

(Points up at previous post) Garo.

[wasp_f15ting]

Cant seem to find garo on the streamers...

I am really loving Konosuba - Megumin ftw!!

[Consignia]

Cant seem to find garo on the streamers...

I am really loving Konosuba - Megumin ftw!!

Yeah, man I really love Konosuba. There's been some good comedies recently, especially last season. However, Konosuba takes the cake. If you like Konosuba, it might be worth checking out Re:Zero. It's quite similar in setting, however it's serious rather than a comedy. I found it a bit pointless at first, Konosuba did what it sets out to do, but better. But it comes from the same dislike of the pervasive "isekai"[nb]Other world[/nb] genre, and it gets really intense as story moves along.

[wasp_f15ting]

Finished 7 deadly sins.
Really enjoyed it - great story, good character development.
Looking forward to finishing the rest of the amazing stuff in the queue.

Amazed how the resurgence of really good anime has taken hold.
Could be my ignorance, but stuff from 2014 onward seems to be really well produced.

[wasp_f15ting]

Just finished Kabaneri Iron Fortress last night, its on amazon video.

Really good quality action anime, by warned its very addictive!

[Spiteface]

Cant seem to find garo on the streamers...

hmm... I did have to pirate it, as Funimation don't seem to want my dirty british money. It is really good, though.

[Space ghost]

You could do a lot worse than giving 'Haven't you heard? I'm Sakamoto' a go. You might have to search for Sakamoto desu ga? to find it.

Enjoying Sakura Quest as well and the previous work based show 'Shirobako' by the same studio is well worth checking out as well.

And of course LWA

[Consignia]

Enjoying Sakura Quest as well and the previous work based show 'Shirobako' by the same studio is well worth checking out as well.

YES, definitely. I don't think it's as good as Shirobako, but that's not saying much as it's my favourite series of recent years. PA works on general produce lots of lovely stuff.

I've not seen LWA, despite really wanting to. I backed the kick starter for the second movie. But Netflix decided they want to be shits with how you can watch it.

[ads82]

I would like to get into some new Animie over the Christmas holiday. Does anyone have any recommendations for decent Animie out this year? I've had some great recommendations in the past from previous threads. Thanks in advance CaB'ers! 

[Spiteface]

I would like to get into some new Animie over the Christmas holiday. Does anyone have any recommendations for decent Animie out this year? I've had some great recommendations in the past from previous threads. Thanks in advance CaB'ers! 

GARO: Vanishing Line

While Garo is a (rather fantastic) tokusatsu franchise first, the last few years have seen some animated entries. Crunchyroll now have Vanishing Line, the currently-running show on their site for streaming.

Crimson Moon is awful, though.