A challenge (Anime fans only)

[Bara_no_Hime]

Utena.

Wow. I did not expect to be ninjaed on Utena by the very first post.

Kudos, fellow Utena fan!

**snip**

Seriously, Revolutionary Girl Utena is the best shoujo anime ever made. I would argue that it is the best anime ever made period, but then people might think I was odd, and anyway you are just asking about Shoujo.

If you want more info on it, feel free to PM me.

Edit: Almost forgot - Utena is WAY better in anime than it is in the manga. The manga is great, but the anime is way better. Ikuhara-sama, the director of the anime, is an insane genius. His additions to the story take it from good to best ever.

Edit again: Wait... woah, weird. I've posted in this thread before - over a month ago. With the same answer. ^^;; I thought this was a new thread.

Anyway, to answer your other question - the animation allows for action that is physically impossible. The upside-down floating castle, the surreal landscape, and a number of other strange and unearthly weird things would have been difficult or looked unnatural if done in live action, or if they had lacked motion (which they did in the manga). Hence animation.

 

[mireko]

I liked how Maria-sama ga Miteru was animated. Granted, it's somewhat different from its light novel origins, but I think the *excessive* flowers and Ali Project soundtrack helped set the tone.

That tone being somewhere between "Onee-sama" and "FIVE THOUSAND HARPSICHORDS".

[sub]I don't read much Shoujo, I'm afraid. There just isn't very much of it, and 'standard' romance is too boring.[/sub]

 

[1080bitgamer]

Utena.

Wow. I did not expect to be ninjaed on Utena by the very first post.

Kudos, fellow Utena fan!

**snip**

Seriously, Revolutionary Girl Utena is the best shoujo anime ever made. I would argue that it is the best anime ever made period, but then people might think I was odd, and anyway you are just asking about Shoujo.

If you want more info on it, feel free to PM me.

Edit: Almost forgot - Utena is WAY better in anime than it is in the manga. The manga is great, but the anime is way better. Ikuhara-sama, the director of the anime, is an insane genius. His additions to the story take it from good to best ever.

Edit again: Wait... woah, weird. I've posted in this thread before - over a month ago. With the same answer. ^^;; I thought this was a new thread.

Anyway, to answer your other question - the animation allows for action that is physically impossible. The upside-down floating castle, the surreal landscape, and a number of other strange and unearthly weird things would have been difficult or looked unnatural if done in live action, or if they had lacked motion (which they did in the manga). Hence animation.

Hmm.... I'll take this on board, and check out the animated series. I read the manga version through and through when I was younger, so I may as well contrast them. Just as an added note, I did enjoy the character of Utena, but most of the males in the series didn't really sell me their personas. Thanks though.

 

[1080bitgamer]

It's not just animation that's added, but color and sound (voices and music), which can be meaningful. Its why I prefer anime versions over manga in any category.

True enough, but a series can have a fantastic sound track and voice acting, but when anime is being watched, it's primarily judged by animation and narrative. A good anime can be made great by a better soundtrack and good voice actors, but that doesn't mean a bad anime can be saved by the above. Yes, they can help convey more ranges of emotion, but sometimes manga is able to drive the point home with a single panel. If you need an example, check out Muhyo and Roji's BSI, or, if horror isn't your thing, YOTSUBA&! for this.

If those don't help, maybe Emma for the romance department.

 

[1080bitgamer]

does "5 Centimeters Per Second"???

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5_Centimeters_Per_Second

Checking out now, thanks

 

[Amethyst Wind]

I'm not sure it ever got a manga, since it was a visual novel, but I'd heavily say that Clannad gained something by being animated.

There are some scenes, especially tearful ones, that are much better to watch the facial progressions in real time rather than frozen images. Also, the voices help, a whole lot.

 

[1080bitgamer]

does "5 Centimeters Per Second"???

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5_Centimeters_Per_Second

Wow... That was REALLY good... thanks

 

[1080bitgamer]

I'm not sure it ever got a manga, since it was a visual novel, but I'd heavily say that Clannad gained something by being animated.

There are some scenes, especially tearful ones, that are much better to watch the facial progressions in real time rather than frozen images. Also, the voices help, a whole lot.

Yes, there was a manga adaption, and yes, it did make me cry like I actually knew these people. I've yet to see the anime edition, so I'll check it.

 

[Erja_Perttu]

Hm, not sure if this counts but Escaflowne has romantic elements to it and I much preferred the anime to the manga. Man, Escaflowne was cool.

 

[SckizoBoy]

OK, this one was so obvious I'm surprised no-one mentioned Nodame Cantabile (shoujo manga).

The manga tells a very good story, but the anime is all about the music, making the experience very different from one medium to the other.

 

[Nieroshai]

The Tenchi series and its retarded amount of reboots that all end with him getting a different girl. I liked Muyo's happy ending, and was pissed that "in Tokyo" ignored all continuity of any of the series even though it was billed as a "next season." I was entertained by it, even though I can acknowledge it is a bit... unreealistic in its portrayal of romance.

 

[1080bitgamer]

Hm, not sure if this counts but Escaflowne has romantic elements to it and I much preferred the anime to the manga. Man, Escaflowne was cool.

True that, but sadly escaflowne was classified as a shonen, despite half the plot revolving around the relationship status of each minor character.

 

[1080bitgamer]

The Tenchi series and its retarded amount of reboots that all end with him getting a different girl. I liked Muyo's happy ending, and was pissed that "in Tokyo" ignored all continuity of any of the series even though it was billed as a "next season." I was entertained by it, even though I can acknowledge it is a bit... unreealistic in its portrayal of romance.

Wow, ok, that is a blast from the past. I read some of the Tenchi Muhyo when I was... well, too young to be reading them, but that's not the point. Sadly, this harem manga fell into the trap that many series with multiple endings do, with not enough buildup on a single character for the BIG INTEREST, the final portrayal of their relationship can feel token. i.e. KIMIKISS, Various Heroines.

It was a good series though, had the Ranma 1/2 effect of being over-the-top and stupid, while still having *cough cough* "mature" elements to keep it interesting.

 

[ZiggyE]

I'm not sure it ever got a manga, since it was a visual novel, but I'd heavily say that Clannad gained something by being animated.

I consider the Clannad visual novel to be a masterpiece, whereas the anime was flawed by comparison.

EDIT: OP, if you liked 5 cm/s per second you should check out Shinkai Makoto's other works, Voices of a Distant Star and The Place Promised in Our Early Days. Also, his new film is coming out soon, Hoshi o Ou Kodomo.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Place_Promised_in_Our_Early_Days
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voices_of_a_Distant_Star
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children_Who_Chase_Lost_Voices_from_Deep_Below

Also I think you might like Tatami Galaxy, though the romance in it is more subtext than anything else, it is still good, just like NHK. (If you haven't seen Welcome to the NHK, watch that too(though the light novel is better, the manga I think is worse))

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tatami_galaxy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welcome_to_the_NHK

EDIT 2:

Also, Honey and Clover.

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

 

[1080bitgamer]

I'm not sure it ever got a manga, since it was a visual novel, but I'd heavily say that Clannad gained something by being animated.

I consider the Clannad visual novel to be a masterpiece, whereas the anime was flawed by comparison.

EDIT: OP, if you liked 5 cm/s per second you should check out Shinkai Makoto's other works, Voices of a Distant Star and The Place Promised in Our Early Days. Also, his new film is coming out soon, Hoshi o Ou Kodomo.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Place_Promised_in_Our_Early_Days
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voices_of_a_Distant_Star
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children_Who_Chase_Lost_Voices_from_Deep_Below

Also I think you might like Tatami Galaxy, though the romance in it is more subtext than anything else, it is still good, just like NHK. (If you haven't seen Welcome to the NHK, watch that too(though the light novel is better, the manga I think is worse))

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tatami_galaxy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welcome_to_the_NHK

EDIT 2:

Also, Honey and Clover.

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

Voices of A Distant Star... was one of the first anime I remember watching, and after walking away for a few hours, said a few words that encapsulated it.

"Oh, so that's what art is."

Thanks, I'd forgotten its name for awhile.

As for the place promised in our early days, I enjoyed, although not as much as Voices of a Distant Star.

 

[1080bitgamer]

I'm not sure it ever got a manga, since it was a visual novel, but I'd heavily say that Clannad gained something by being animated.

I consider the Clannad visual novel to be a masterpiece, whereas the anime was flawed by comparison.

EDIT: OP, if you liked 5 cm/s per second you should check out Shinkai Makoto's other works, Voices of a Distant Star and The Place Promised in Our Early Days. Also, his new film is coming out soon, Hoshi o Ou Kodomo.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Place_Promised_in_Our_Early_Days
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voices_of_a_Distant_Star
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children_Who_Chase_Lost_Voices_from_Deep_Below

Also I think you might like Tatami Galaxy, though the romance in it is more subtext than anything else, it is still good, just like NHK. (If you haven't seen Welcome to the NHK, watch that too(though the light novel is better, the manga I think is worse))

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tatami_galaxy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welcome_to_the_NHK

EDIT 2:

Also, Honey and Clover.

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

Voices of A Distant Star... was one of the first anime I remember watching, and after walking away for a few hours, said a few words that encapsulated it.

"Oh, so that's what art is."

Thanks, I'd forgotten its name for awhile.

As for the place promised in our early days, I enjoyed, although not as much as Voices of a Distant Star.

oh, and as a PS I've watched Welcome to the NHK through and through. It was an interesting bit to check out, but as the series went on, less elements that I enjoyed were present. Although, that bit where Misaki tries living alone is absolutely haunting on its own.
Good for anyone who likes Realistic+ Anime.

 

[1080bitgamer]

OK, this one was so obvious I'm surprised no-one mentioned Nodame Cantabile (shoujo manga).

The manga tells a very good story, but the anime is all about the music, making the experience very different from one medium to the other.

I'll take a shot at it, thanks for the info.

 

[1080bitgamer]

OK, this one was so obvious I'm surprised no-one mentioned Nodame Cantabile (shoujo manga).

The manga tells a very good story, but the anime is all about the music, making the experience very different from one medium to the other.

Ok, went through a few episodes, and had already read the manga, time for some thoughts. In terms of music improving feel of the anime, yes, gold star on that, nodame cantabile. Animation, however, was a little lacking for me. It doesn't have a story that I can really sink into, but the characters were at least interesting to a degree.

Once again, thanks for the contribution.

 

[1080bitgamer]

I liked how Maria-sama ga Miteru was animated. Granted, it's somewhat different from its light novel origins, but I think the *excessive* flowers and Ali Project soundtrack helped set the tone.

That tone being somewhere between "Onee-sama" and "FIVE THOUSAND HARPSICHORDS".

[sub]I don't read much Shoujo, I'm afraid. There just isn't very much of it, and 'standard' romance is too boring.[/sub]

Maria-sama WAS funny when I watched it. I'm not really into it anymore, I lost interest after about half a dozen episodes, but the tone was highly contextualized, almost with a Kanji Tatsumi dungeon-esque feel. (Persona 4)

As for a LACK of shoujo, I'm going to give another stab at it. There is a lack of really GOOD shoujo.

This is particularly ailing for me, as romance is may favorite genre of anime.

 

[1080bitgamer]

Personally I would have to say Ouran Host club, the anime was good though just for the visual aspects and the putting voices to the characters, but the manga was so by far better for the overall devlopment of the main characters love to bloom and also it was just so darn cute and much funnier then the anime.

I... I've tried SO hard, to get into Ouran Host Club. I've genuinely laughed at every scene during the anime, and I've fallen out of my chair during a debate between the twins more than once. It looks, sounds, and is written like an awesome series should be, but I've never watched all the way through.

Maybe now though...

Thanks for the contribution