anime

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I was just watching Ghost in a shell, and I was wondering there are so many aspect’s of anime some of them I hate and others I love. And some times I can’t figure out why? So who hear likes anime? What kind? Why?

Ghost in the Shell[ features some phenomenal animation, but the story is fairly boring and talky. It's a good film, but rather overrated. Sort of like an animated Blade Runner (which is also, IMHO, a grossly overrated movie).

I vastly prefer anime movies to anime series, for the same reason I shun television and watch movies instead. I usually just want a stand alone story, but your preferences may be different.

American cartoons have nothing on anime. True, some animators in the westren world are mavericks, like Ralph Bakshi and Todd McFarlane. But in the US it has yet to catch on that animation is a wonderful medium and need not be limited to the realm of kiddie movies. Here are some of my favorite anime movies:

Akira: This one is the bar of all anime. It is, IMO, one of the most extraordinary animated films ever made. It is based on a complicated manga that runs over 2,000 pages long, and since it is condensed into a two hour movie, the plot is rather convoluted and confusing. But this rather adds to the chaotic urgency of this powerful, post-apocalyptic orgy of destructive creation and metaphysical meaning.

Princess Mononoke: Probably the most tremendous example of animation that has come from Miyazaki (called the Disney of Japan, but that's an insult to him; his movies are far more intelligent and meaningful than anything Disney). This one tells of an absorbing epic conflict between man and nature which absolutely refuses to moralize or provide us with convenient villians. The mythical world it presents is beautiful, developed, and compelling.

The other films by this director and animation team are also worth seeing. These include Spirited Away (seen by me and liked), Kiki's Delivery Service, Castle in the Sky, and My Neighbor Totoro.

Grave of the Fireflies: This may very well be the most emotionally heart-wrenching film I've ever seen, animated or otherwise. I hardly know anyone who can sit through it without crying. It's set during WWII, when two orphaned children attempt to live off the countryside of Japan. It completely avoids being political, yet remains one of the most effective anti-war movies I've ever seen.

Ninja Scroll: Jubei is a masterless ninja who is coerced into battling the Eight Devils of Kimoon (sp?) in this relentlessley engaging, brilliantly animated, and incredibly violent anime. This is a fairly short movie (comparatively speaking) of modest ambitions, yet it gets everything exactly right, and even allows room for characterizations and a rather poignant moment dealing with the demise of one character.

Other works by this director that are quite noteworthy and worth seeing include Wicked City and Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust.

Vampire Hunter D: The original 1985 cult classic adapted from a novel of the same name hasn't aged very well, but it still has a unique atmosphere and artistry. The second, self-contained film, Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust, is largely the superior work.

Perfect Blue: This is a demented and powerful psychological thriller that pulls us along the ride with the protagonist who may literally be losing her mind. Like all anime films, it is meticulously detailed, and there is one shot in here that Requiem for a Dream rips off liberally.

Wicked City: This is a pretty twisted thriller that sort of plays like a perverted X-files, but it's stylish and imaginatively conceived.

Urotsukidoji: Legend of the Overfiend I know, hentai tentacle-rape isn't most people's cup of tea, nor mine. But in all honesty, this is about as well done as that sort of thing can be. While the temptation is to shrug this one off as artless horror porn, enough artistry, style, and nightmarish imagination lie within it to make this one an unforgetable experience, and superior to the crap that rips it off.

I don't have the chance to watch that much anime(and in a few years I won't be able to at all).But here are they anime I like or used to like:

Inuyasha-My favoutite anime.The pairings in this one is so cute,and the drama and angst is really well-done while it can be funny,too.

Princess Mononoke-I like this one alot.In some ways I wish I was like the main girl.

Fruit's Basket-This anime never ceases to make me smile.

Pokemon-Pikachu and Togepi rules!! !! !!^_^

Spirited Away-I thought it was sad.

Tenchi Muyo-I thought this anime was HILARIOUS!

Digimon-I t was ok

BeyBlade-For some reason I thought it was cool

And that's all I can think of for now.

-SPaceCase

Hellsing. WOOOO. I'm one of those stupid chicks who watches and reads Hellsing and thinks Alucard is freaking hot. I admit it. I'm utterly shallow and predictable. But yeah, Hellsing, possibly my favorite anime ever.

Chobits was a good anime (didn't read the manga). It was a little confusing though and I wish I could get ahold of the manga without having to pay through the nose for what would amount to a very quick read (I whip through manga like kleenex).

Witch Hunter Robin was pretty good too. I have that one. It's unusual for a Manga in that it's so subdued in tone. The main character hardly ever (if ever) raises her voice. She's totally unannoying, but not boring, either. The first eight episodes or so are like supernatural Law and Order but then you get into character plots.

I loved Trigun. I need to get the friend who loaned it to me to make me a copy. That's what I'm asking for from him for Christmas. I'd even buy the tapes or DVDs to copy it onto (he has the technology). Funny side note: The little guitar riffs in between episodes are, we decided, what caffeiene sounds like. I really have no idea how we reached that conclusions but it is utterly and indisputably true IMO.

I second Miyasaki!! What a genius! Princess Mononoke is definetely his best, I've also seen My Neighbor Totoro(don't be fooled by the awful cover art), Kiki's Delivery Service and Spirited Away, all of which were wonderful. I've heard great things about Castle in the Sky and Porco Russo as well.
Millenium Actress is amazing too, though I'mnot sure who did it. Everyone needs to see this movie!
I also loved an anime show "Bush Baby-Little Angel Of The Great Plains" when I was younger. It's very obscure now, I'd do a whole lot to get ahold of it in english, or japanese with subtitles

The only anime's I like are Escaflowne and Shaman King. The others don't really interest me.

The only anime I've ever enjoyed is Bleach...and One Piece. I don't have much time on my hands, so I don't watch anime often. I just see One Piece on Saturday mornings, and sometimes watch it. I downloaded Bleach after seeing it at a friend's house and liking it.

Yeh i like anime. I have to say thogh, Ghost in the Shell wasnt that grate... Grate story, grate art, and grate action, but they just werent put together in a way that made you reelly care about the characters, ya no what i meen? mabey it was the lack of music...

Thagomizer: I have to agree. Akira was one of the most amazing films of all time. ^_^

Thanks for the suggestion any more I hav3 dsl and a lot of school holidays coming up going to need a lot to watch

Thagomizer wrote:

Perfect Blue is f*****g apeshit,,,, probably my favourite anime movie ever. I never knew an anime could be so creepy and sophisticated.

whats it about?

btw the final fantasy games all manage to be creepy an sophisticated, and there defintly hevily influenced by anime

Haven't really got into anime, but Akira was mental.