The last thing we watched, cartoon/animu edition

wings012

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The thing is, these shows were either groundbreaking or huge genre turning points. Whether it be story, animations, characters, and most importantly, great or excellent dubbing. What's not helping is certain fans that go overboard and hype these shows like they're second coming of Jesus, bring about world peace, or "changed their life forevah!". I still love Cowboy Bebeop, Trigun, and Outlaw Star, and consider them the Holy Trinity of Space Western anime, but even I recognize their flaws. How little they have though, but recognize them none the less. Evangelion can fuck off though. I hate back when I wasted my time with it on adult_swim, and still don't like it, but don't care enough to get bother by it or the fandom.
I don't now how groundbreaking they were at the time, but I feel a big part of it is attributed to being part of the first wave of anime readily available in the West so a lot of people look back on those titles especially fondly. I kinda hopped onto the train late for those titles. I was also watching a lot of titles at the time so things were getting a bit lost. I didn't spend much time to think, discuss or reflect on those shows as I'd just hop onto the next.

Meanwhile titles like You're Under Arrest, El Hazard, Rurouni Kenshin or Dual have left a greater impression on me due to them being some of the first titles I watched as I was getting into the hobby. They were what was airing on AXN Asia's anime block, and I guess that's my equivalent of whatever anime was on Adult Swim for other parts of the world. I didn't have AS where I'm from. I was also watching them on a TV schedule as opposed to binging, discussing them with my friends at school and stuff.
 
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Meanwhile titles like You're Under Arrest, El Hazard, Rurouni Kenshin or Dual have left a greater impression on me due to them being some of the first titles I watched as I was getting into the hobby.
That how it usually works. You're will either be the best or leave a lasting impression. I never saw YUA, El Hazard (watched all three series) I saw back in the early 2000s on the International Channel (Channel 77, Comcast in Detroit) in the English Dub, Kenshin used to air on Toonami, and I never heard of Dual.

I was also watching them on a TV schedule as opposed to binging, discussing them with my friends at school and stuff.
We did the same too in the States. All of these shows were on a TV schedule too. Some shows and channels would air two episodes a day or evening depending how popular the show was.
 

bluegate

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I didn't like FMA nearly as much as everyone else, and didn't bother getting into the manga or Brotherhood.
Your mistake was watching Full Metal Alchemist in the first place.

Brotherhood is what people should watch, as its plot actual moves forward.

The 2003 version of Full Metal Alchemist starts focussed on the story of the manga, but soon devolves into filler crap because the manga didn't finish until 2010. There's almost zero merit in watching Full Metal Alchemist now that Brotherhood exists, aside from it being a case study of how to fuck up anime with fillers.
 
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09philj

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Your mistake was watching Full Metal Alchemist in the first place.

Brotherhood is what people should watch, as its plot actual moves forward.

The 2003 version of Full Metal Alchemist starts focussed on the story of the manga, but soon devolves into filler crap because the manga didn't finish until 2010. There's almost zero merit in watching Full Metal Alchemist now that Brotherhood exists, aside from it being a case study of how to fuck up anime with fillers.
All of Brotherhood up until the point where it diverges from the original series is horrible and rushed. The first few episodes in particular are shockingly bad compared to the original. They clearly assumed that people would only be watching Brotherhood if they'd seen the original and could just half-arse all the stuff that had been covered already.
 
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All of Brotherhood up until the point where it diverges from the original series is horrible and rushed. The first few episodes in particular are shockingly bad compared to the original. They clearly assumed that people would only be watching Brotherhood if they'd seen the original and could just half-arse all the stuff that had been covered already.
Everyone has a point on this, but it was compromise that's a double edge sword. If they built a slower pace again, many people who never read the manga would accuse the creator and staff for going too slow. The speedy abridged version of the first few episode don't bother me much, because I watched FMA 2003 3 different times before Brotherhood. So, seeing all those starter episodes again with barely any changes or minuet details would have done nothing for me or my patience.
 
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Satinavian

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A agree with 09philj. The start of the old series was better than the new one. And the best experience is probably to watch them in order, not to completely skip the first one.

At the moment i am watching Shadows House and i find it not bad. It is not untypical or revolutionary, i certainly remember a lot of similar beats from elsewhere, but it is well executed and works.
 

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Looks like Fruits Basket 2019 season 3 is going to be a 12-13 episode series, can't see it going to a full two season show without some serious stretching. Enjoying it so far, though.

Re: FMA 2003 vs Brotherhood, I'll have to throw my lot in with @BrawlMan, it was always going to annoy one corner or another no matter how they adapted the manga. 2003's biggest problem was that past the divergence point, it was shockingly forgettable. I can barely remember any of what Dante did. I thought Brotherhood's opening episodes were pretty fun as it goes.

Hopefully a recommendation we can all agree upon:
- 1. Read the manga.
- 2. Watch 2003 until it starts to go off the rails.
- 3. Avoid the films(!)
- 4. Watch Brotherhood in its entirety.

Best all worlds.
 

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2003's biggest problem was that past the divergence point, it was shockingly forgettable. I can barely remember any of what Dante did. I thought Brotherhood's opening episodes were pretty fun as it goes.
That was the 2003 version's biggest issue. Whenever it deviated from the original manga, there was noticeable cracks in the plot, story structure, or characters. Dante I found pretty memorable for when she appeared. The main problem with her, is that she's basically a copy of Father, except female and was in love with Hoenhiem. With that said, I found them both good villains.

The other problem with the 2003 version was that even though I never read the Manga, I could feel the story going off rails at the halfway point. Especially that part about Christianity being dead in Edward's world, and that our world was another dimension. An ass pull that was only barely hinted to the viewers. Keep in mind, I was a senior in high school when the show was just about wrapping up. If I felt something was off at that age, then you know they screwed up.
 
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Drathnoxis

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Still watching Jojo. After finishing the first part I decided to skip forward to Stardust Crusaders like @Specter Von Baren. I'm enjoying it a bit more. The characters aren't as unbelievably stupid as before at any rate. Unfortunately Dio has made a return having apparently escaped in the coffin... even though Jojo's wife previously also escaped in the same coffin after Jojo's pathetic last stand where he couldn't use his powers because he couldn't breath, which didn't, however, stop him from talking for 5 minutes straight.

Anyway, that's enough complaining about part 1. The show is still ridiculous and relies on characters constantly pulling out new powers and shrugging off blows to everyone's amazement without reason, but it's more fun and stylish about it now. I saw someone on reddit describe the show like two kids who keep coming up with new powers to one up each other, and that's basically the show in a nutshell. Also, why is every single man in this show so ridiculously buff? All of them no matter who they are, it's weird. They all kind of look like Yugioh villains too, especially Jotaro, who is a jerk, and I'm not really rooting for him.

Also, it's kind of disappointing how the show handles women so far. I thought Jojo's mom was going to get superpowers too, and it was going to be cool, but then she just got sick and is dying because of course a woman can't handle having a spiritual superpower, her biceps aren't even bigger than her head! And then every other woman in the show is constantly drooling over Jotaro even though in real life they would all be desperately trying to avoid eye contact, because he's terrifying.
 

Specter Von Baren

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Still watching Jojo. After finishing the first part I decided to skip forward to Stardust Crusaders like @Specter Von Baren. I'm enjoying it a bit more. The characters aren't as unbelievably stupid as before at any rate. Unfortunately Dio has made a return having apparently escaped in the coffin... even though Jojo's wife previously also escaped in the same coffin after Jojo's pathetic last stand where he couldn't use his powers because he couldn't breath, which didn't, however, stop him from talking for 5 minutes straight.

Anyway, that's enough complaining about part 1. The show is still ridiculous and relies on characters constantly pulling out new powers and shrugging off blows to everyone's amazement without reason, but it's more fun and stylish about it now. I saw someone on reddit describe the show like two kids who keep coming up with new powers to one up each other, and that's basically the show in a nutshell. Also, why is every single man in this show so ridiculously buff? All of them no matter who they are, it's weird. They all kind of look like Yugioh villains too, especially Jotaro, who is a jerk, and I'm not really rooting for him.

Also, it's kind of disappointing how the show handles women so far. I thought Jojo's mom was going to get superpowers too, and it was going to be cool, but then she just got sick and is dying because of course a woman can't handle having a spiritual superpower, her biceps aren't even bigger than her head! And then every other woman in the show is constantly drooling over Jotaro even though in real life they would all be desperately trying to avoid eye contact, because he's terrifying.
I would describe Stardust Crusaders and JoJo in general as; a big heaping of ham with a side of beef and cheese.

There will be more proactive female characters as the show continues, Enya ( The old lady working for Dio) in particular gets two really entertaining episodes.

This series is also pretty old, it started in 1987 which is why the art style looks like it does, because that was a common style of the time.
 

BrawlMan

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Still watching Jojo. After finishing the first part I decided to skip forward to Stardust Crusaders like @Specter Von Baren. I'm enjoying it a bit more. The characters aren't as unbelievably stupid as before at any rate. Unfortunately Dio has made a return having apparently escaped in the coffin... even though Jojo's wife previously also escaped in the same coffin after Jojo's pathetic last stand where he couldn't use his powers because he couldn't breath, which didn't, however, stop him from talking for 5 minutes straight.

Anyway, that's enough complaining about part 1. The show is still ridiculous and relies on characters constantly pulling out new powers and shrugging off blows to everyone's amazement without reason, but it's more fun and stylish about it now. I saw someone on reddit describe the show like two kids who keep coming up with new powers to one up each other, and that's basically the show in a nutshell. Also, why is every single man in this show so ridiculously buff? All of them no matter who they are, it's weird. They all kind of look like Yugioh villains too, especially Jotaro, who is a jerk, and I'm not really rooting for him.

Also, it's kind of disappointing how the show handles women so far. I thought Jojo's mom was going to get superpowers too, and it was going to be cool, but then she just got sick and is dying because of course a woman can't handle having a spiritual superpower, her biceps aren't even bigger than her head! And then every other woman in the show is constantly drooling over Jotaro even though in real life they would all be desperately trying to avoid eye contact, because he's terrifying.
If you want a kick ass female character in the early JoJo series, then watch Part 2. Lisa Lisa is awesome. I won't say anything else, because I do not want to spoil it. Battle Tendency is my favorite. I still got to finish Part 4 by the way. Also, Part 6 has Jolene as the main female lead. I have not watched that one yet though. They just started getting it into production. So you'll have to go through the long run until then.
 
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Specter Von Baren

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If you want a kick ass female character in the early JoJo series, then watch Part 2. Lisa Lisa is awesome. I won't say anything else, because I do not want to spoil it. Battle Tendency and part 4 are my favorites. I still got to finish part 4 by the way. Also, part 6 has Jolene as the main female lead. I have not watched that one yet though. They just started getting it into production. So you'll have to read the long run until then.
I wanted to try reading part 6 but it didn't seem like it had an English translation. Was I wrong? Could you point me where I could order it?
 

Dirty Hipsters

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Finally finished watching Yasuke.

Man it sucks. Yasuke is completely wasted on this show. 2/5

At 6 30 minute episodes it is somehow still too long and it took me like a month to get through it.
 

Dirty Hipsters

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I don't now how groundbreaking they were at the time, but I feel a big part of it is attributed to being part of the first wave of anime readily available in the West so a lot of people look back on those titles especially fondly.
I don't know about that, The first animes I watched were Dragon Ball Z and Gundam Wing, and as an adult I think both of those are basically terrible. I don't view them fondly in the least.

Trigun and Cowboy Beebop are genuinely still fantastic to me though. I should really rewatch Trigun.
 

meiam

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I don't know about that, The first animes I watched were Dragon Ball Z and Gundam Wing, and as an adult I think both of those are basically terrible. I don't view them fondly in the least.

Trigun and Cowboy Beebop are genuinely still fantastic to me though. I should really rewatch Trigun.
Yeah rewatching wing is brutal, as much as I like it for introducing me to mech it is not a good show. You could maybe do a recut of it in like 20 episodes and make something decent out of it but it still wouldn't be that great. I think DBZ would be pretty good if you just trimmed a bit of the fat with the fight dragging on too long and re using a bit too much animation and too many filler episode.
 

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I don't know about that, The first animes I watched were Dragon Ball Z and Gundam Wing, and as an adult I think both of those are basically terrible. I don't view them fondly in the least.
My first anime was Nemo in Slumberland. I was 4, and sometimes my mom would rent the movie from Blockbuster. Two years later, the original Dragonball, Sailor Moon, and then DBZ. After that...I start losing count at what comes next, but it was Gundam Wing, Tenchi, and then Outlaw Star. I was too hooked to keep count in order of the events long by that point. I remember a lot of things, but not everything. DBZ I have fond memories, but can never watch the series again. Too long and too frustrating. The abridged series too good. Sailor Moon I have not touched in years, nor do I feel need. Sailor Jupiter will always be my favorite. Gundam Wing....no...Gundam anything I can't even bother to touch a majority of them aside from maybe G Gundam.

I think DBZ would be pretty good if you just trimmed a bit of the fat with the fight dragging on too long and re using a bit too much animation and too many filler episode.
So Dragonball Z Abridged.
 

bluegate

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I think DBZ would be pretty good if you just trimmed a bit of the fat with the fight dragging on too long and re using a bit too much animation and too many filler episode.
That's what they did with Dragon Ball Kai, or Dragon Ball Z Kai in the west.

Its only downside is that they made it fit the 16:9 aspect ratio by cutting a bit off of the top and bottom of the screen, so there's some detail missing.

And although it's a plus for me, it also uses the Japanese score rather than Bruce Falkner or whoever's music.
 

TheMysteriousGX

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Hot anime take: Dragon Ball Z's and Super's *non-combat* "filler" episodes are some of the best episodes in the series.
Gohan, Krillin, and Bulma's wacky space adventures? Fantastic
Goku and Piccolo getting drivers licenses? Hilarious
Gohan going to high school and being a superhero? I'd watch 3 seasons and a movie
Goku getting distracted by Mr Satan's galactic martial arts exhibition while he was trying to get his tractor fixed? Amazing
Gohan being a stunt double for Movie Great Sayaman? Good character bit
The Universal Baseball Game? Yamacha's finest moment
Vegeta Blue vs Arale? Perfection
 

BrawlMan

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Hot anime take: Dragon Ball Z's and Super's *non-combat* "filler" episodes are some of the best episodes in the series.
Gohan, Krillin, and Bulma's wacky space adventures? Fantastic
Goku and Piccolo getting drivers licenses? Hilarious
Gohan going to high school and being a superhero? I'd watch 3 seasons and a movie
Goku getting distracted by Mr Satan's galactic martial arts exhibition while he was trying to get his tractor fixed? Amazing
Gohan being a stunt double for Movie Great Sayaman? Good character bit
The Universal Baseball Game? Yamacha's finest moment
Vegeta Blue vs Arale? Perfection
We have a tv hot takes thread.