Yet another recommend me some Anime thread

[4RM3D]

I disagree. Obviously. I just finished re-watching the original, and its pacing and characterization far outdoes that of Brotherhood, which always felt rushed. Brotherhood's story is a bit tighter wound, but how many stories have you honestly heard where you can't think of one single minor plot hole?

It's not that I don't recommend both, it's just that I can't see much that Brotherhood does better and I can name a good number of things that the original does better. What plot holes, may I ask, are you talking about, and what other things make Brotherhood better in your opinion?

I actually intended not to comment on the original vs Brotherhood, but since you brought it up. I'll say something about it.

I agree that the original series is better than Brotherhood. The original series was already on the top of my favorite list, so when they announced a new FMA, I was wondering how the studio was going to make the best show even better. In the end, as it appears, they didn't. Brotherhood is still a good anime, but it has more issues than the original series.

There is something I don't quite understand. Brotherhood is more faithful to the Manga. There is always a lot of complaints about anime that don't follow the Manga. Considering the Manga usually runs for a longer period than the anime, there isn't always much of a choice if you want a solid ending to the anime. Anyhow, being more faithful to the Manga actually backfired here.

Brotherhood is more chaotic, with a shattered focus and uneven pace and an Evangelion-God-complex bad guy that just blows everything out of proportion. It does fleshes out the world a little better and it does have a few new characters (that were in the Manga) that are pretty cool. But in the end it doesn't live up to its predecessor.

Brotherhood is still an interesting watch as an alternative world version, where stuff happened differently. The characters still act the same way, but are place in different situations. Because the persona is the same, it still feels as if you get to know the characters more, even though there are from different versions.

Also, there was never a movie that followed the original.

Wut? Fullmetal Alchemist The Movie: Conqueror of Shamballa [http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=2359]

 

[Eli-Rah-Rah]

Like many a fellow on this thread, I recommend either Cowboy Bebop or Samurai Champloo..

Got both all on DVD, tis' magic.

 

[Zetatrain]

I disagree. Obviously. I just finished re-watching the original, and its pacing and characterization far outdoes that of Brotherhood, which always felt rushed. Brotherhood's story is a bit tighter wound, but how many stories have you honestly heard where you can't think of one single minor plot hole?

It's not that I don't recommend both, it's just that I can't see much that Brotherhood does better and I can name a good number of things that the original does better. What plot holes, may I ask, are you talking about, and what other things make Brotherhood better in your opinion?

I actually intended not to comment on the original vs Brotherhood, but since you brought it up. I'll say something about it.

I agree that the original series is better than Brotherhood. The original series was already on the top of my favorite list, so when they announced a new FMA, I was wondering how the studio was going to make the best show even better. In the end, as it appears, they didn't. Brotherhood is still a good anime, but it has more issues than the original series.

There is something I don't quite understand. Brotherhood is more faithful to the Manga. There is always a lot of complaints about anime that don't follow the Manga. Considering the Manga usually runs for a longer period than the anime, there isn't always much of a choice if you want a solid ending to the anime. Anyhow, being more faithful to the Manga actually backfired here.

Brotherhood is more chaotic, with a shattered focus and uneven pace and an Evangelion-God-complex bad guy that just blows everything out of proportion. It does fleshes out the world a little better and it does have a few new characters (that were in the Manga) that are pretty cool. But in the end it doesn't live up to its predecessor.

Brotherhood is still an interesting watch as an alternative world version, where stuff happened differently. The characters still act the same way, but are place in different situations. Because the persona is the same, it still feels as if you get to know the characters more, even though there are from different versions.

Also, there was never a movie that followed the original.

Wut? Fullmetal Alchemist The Movie: Conqueror of Shamballa [http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=2359]

Well, in the original Ed is more of a Byronic hero, brooding and introspective, and Mustang shows several signs of PTSD and some depression. He spends time thinking about suicide. It's a sublte difference but the characters aren't exactly the same.

And no, I was not lying about there never being a movie. Seriously. It's a conspiracy theory planted in our heads by the Illuminati.

Spoiler

You should know that I am kidding. About the conspiracy and Illuminati. But, seriously, there was never any movie following the show. [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/FanonDiscontinuity] The show left several plot points open so that people could come up with their own little variations on the ending, a clever twist if I may say so myself.

The problem I have with the movie (CoS) is the fact that it is suppose to act as a finale and offer closure to the series and it does neither. Now I know that endings that are left up to the viewers interpretation/imagination is nothing new, but IMO it just doesn't work for the FMA movie because there is just too much left unexplained. It just feels like there should have been a sequel to the movie.

On the subject of FMA and FMA:BH, I prefer the latter, though as you stated before both are very good and worth viewing. The only time I felt that the original was actually better was during the first 12 episodes, but that was because FMA:BH was trying to rush through those since those were pretty much the same in the first FMA. After those episodes, comparing the two series becomes more like comparing apples and oranges since they branch off in vastly different directions and it becomes more of personal taste.

 

[Kapri]

Try Darker Than Black. It's the only one I can think of that hasn't been said yet (so far to my knowledge).

 

[Switchblade 327]

Spoiler: Major original FMA spoilers included

Also, there was never a movie that followed the original. Dante killed Gluttony in that elevator somehow, and fell through the hole herself. Ed eventually found a way back to Amestris and fucking stayed there. Wrath got over his bout of depression and became a decent person, and Envy is stuck in the gate with no chance of getting out.

At least that was my understanding of things. It's pretty bad when a damned movie ruins a great show and forces you to come up with your own canon just so you can watch it again without feeling bitter at the end.

Spoiler: Actually...

Actually, when Envy stabs Ed and he's sent through the portal, he remains in late-1930s Germany with the "alternate universe" Al.

The movie is called "Conqueror of Shambala," and explores the result. A lot happens that I don't feel like explaining, but though Ed eventually comes back to Amestris, it's to stop some psycho German ***** from destroying everything. The final battle is in the ruins of that underground city whose name I can't remember right now.

Basically, he goes back on their airship and flies through the portal, telling Roy to seal the gateway from the other side. It seems that he'll now continue living alone forever in this new universe... Until Al pops up. Now, they're both in Germany, and there's a giant bittersweet cluster-fuck of "What a bummer" going on the whole time.

I mean, it was definitely good, but I just preferred Brotherhood. I felt that the story (though characters are not as explicitly characterized and the story is kept moving at a rather brisk pace) didn't feel as resolute, and there were a lot of questions I had about what happened next, since it kind of leaves the story in a "What the fuck are they going to do now?" kind of situation.

 

[SadakoMoose]

Let's blow your mind...
Paprika
Perfect Blue
Serial Experiments Lain
GiTS SAC, and 2nd GIG
Utena (TV series only, the movie is jumbled as hell)
Wings of the Honneamise
Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei (The 1st, as well as Zoku, Goku, Zan, and Zan Bangaichi)
08th MS Team

also Try Durarara!! while it's on Adult Swim...

 

[jakeblues69]

Record of Lodoss War was pretty good.