What Anime Are You Watching?

Sakonosolo

Short girls need love too.

I recently watched through the final arc of YYH that I for some reason had never watched. I'd heard the ending of YYH wasn't that good but I enjoyed the anime ending. The manga's ending is apparently very different. I also watched the first Gundam Hathaway's Flash movie. Enjoyable but all over the place visually, which is especially disappointing for a movie. The mechs generally looked good for CGI but some of the other CGI was pretty bad, especially for some of the backgrounds. The ending sequence was great though. Still looking forward to the other two movies.

rayyanwatts

I tried Sarazanmai. It was fun, absurd and very well animated. BUT it didn't grip me. I have it on the backburner. I also fried Fruits Basket and could not get into it. Also tried Fairy Gone but I despised the way the CGI fairies were animated and the opening plot was very scattered, the characters did not grip me at all.
EDIT - Totally forgot, I'm also watching the new season of One Punch Man. As you may have heard, the animation is not as good as the first season. I still like it for the writing, but it is being shown up by other shows I'm watching.

Nobodyman

Started watching Mushishi and Legend of the Galactic Heroes.

Mushishi is a pleasantly chill series, despite the fact there is usually some pretty heavy stuff going on and even some body horror. And maybe it's the Doctor Who fan in me, but I love stories about characters who just travel around solving people's problems.

Still have a long way to go LGH, but it's shaping up to be a pretty great and grand story. I like how, even though it kinda starts in media res and throws a ton of characters at you, it's still pretty easy to follow.

Sakonosolo

The first couple episodes of the OVA are kind of hard to follow and do kind of scare you about how many characters you're going to have to remember. The movie Overture to a New War is a better intro than those episodes imo. LoGH is well paced though in general. Makes it feel like it's not 110 episodes.

Cockycent

I'm giving Sonny Boy a try after seeing that beautiful clip on Twitter.

Kirbycide

Mushishi is one of my favorite anime, such a great premise and wonderful animation. I also love the opening… Shiver, right?

A while back, a friend of mine recommended that I watch Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai, and I couldn't bring myself to do it because of the ridiculous title.

But, now that it's on Netflix, I'm finally giving it a shot. Really enjoying it so far!

andre

I'm rewatching 2011 Hunter X Hunter and really missing the manga. I wish Togashi would let someone take the reigns and get us to the Dark Continent.

The Light of Shandora

Finished watching the first season of Shamanking on Netflix. Watched the sub of it, might do a rewatch in the dub version later this year. So far the anime is ok. Its really fast paced compared to how I remember reading the manga a few years back, as well as the old anime.
Other than that, I started watching the Great Pretender, finished watching the Los Angeles case. Kinda knew that Laural and Abbie would not be dead, as Laural dropped a few hints in some of his conversations with Edamura. So far the anime was visual superb, haven't seen a bad episode yet, from story progression or animation.

Captain Krupp

I am watching Futari Wa Pretty Cure Max Heart. It is amazingly fun. I hated the second half of the first series so I expected to hate this one. Not the case thankfully.

I also watch Tropical Rouge weekly.

Kirbycide

The Violet Evergarden movie is up on Netflix. It’s excellent, and I highly recommend it for any fans of the series.

Lord Gaimon

Watched Sonny Boy, one of the best of the last decade.

Pepperoni

Is anyone else watching Ousama Ranking (Ranking of Kings) this season?

akagami7

@Pepperoni:

Is anyone else watching Ousama Ranking (Ranking of Kings) this season?

YES, fucking amazing show

Kdom

I read the scan and i like it. The art is very simple but the story is gret so far. And i love the mother

Pepperoni

@akagami7:

YES, fucking amazing show

Yesss! I think this is the under-watched gem of this season (maybe even this year)

@Kdom:

I read the scan and i like it. The art is very simple but the story is gret so far. And i love the mother

I started reading the manga as soon as I finished watching Episode 1. I have to say, I like both versions of the story. Wit Studio make interesting choices with the way they present the story for TV audiences while still somehow retaining the heart of the manga. :happy:

brock

I am watching Naruto manga. And I am obsessed with the mask that is used In Naruto. kitsune (and other animal) masks are worn by members of the Anbu, a covert ops team that takes on high-risk missions to protect its village from danger.

Satsuki

Some of you may remember Mamoru Hosoda (The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Mirai, Wolf Children, etc.) Well, he's got a new one out that's due in the US in January. It's Anime meets Disney meets The Matrix. And it looks fucking wonderful.

I admit I've never seen any of his movies yet, but there are some who are calling him the heir of Hayao Miyazaki. Only he has Studio Chizu and not Studio Ghibli. I can kinda see it, but it remains to be seen.

Nobodyman

@Satsuki:

Some of you may remember Mamoru Hosoda (The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Mirai, Wolf Children, etc.) Well, he's got a new one out that's due in the US in January. It's Anime meets Disney meets The Matrix. And it looks fucking wonderful.

I admit I've never seen any of his movies yet, but there are some who are calling him the heir of Hayao Miyazaki. Only he has Studio Chizu and not Studio Ghibli. I can kinda see it, but it remains to be seen.

We actually have a thread for him (and Makoto Shinkai) http://www.apforums.net/showthread.php?t=38316 Personally, I'm a big fan of his, though I have to admit he has some issues as a director. Mainly his big problem is that his movies tend to fall apart or at least drop in quality in the third act.

Girl Who Leapt Through Time - Great beginning and middle, but an abysmally dull and confusing third act
Summer Wars - Pretty consistent quality throughout, though it kinda felt like it was two different movies fighting against each other, tonally speaking.
Wolf Children - Fantastic movie. Easily his best. If you watch one of his movies, make sure it's this one.
Boy and the Beast - Pretty good, but again, kind of deteriorates in the third act.
Mirai - Honestly, pretty bad all around, at least by this director's standards. I guess it was kind of experimental, but it's a failed experiment.

But, all the same, I do highly recommend you check out at least some of his movies. I'd start with Wolf Children and Summer Wars, and if you like what you see you can check out the others. And yes, I'm very much looking forward to Belle and I hope it will be a return to form for Hosoda.

Satsuki

Ohh, I forgot about the thread. Thanks.

pariston_hill

The Girl from the Other side is getting a movie
https://twitter.com/catsuka/status/1461722021293920274?s=20

Capone Bege

Finally starting Hunter X Hunter. Only a few episodes in so far.

manus91

Right now I'm watching Evangelion

zeltrax225

I strongly recommend 86 to any and everyone. It is based on a novel series and A-1 studios went above and beyond with the adaption, even to the extent of pushing back airing date (on a weekly schedule) to deliver quality episodes. Like politics? Mecha? War? Human relationships done well? 86 is really great and is a dark horse.

Smudger

So last month I stepped out of my comfort zone and decided to watch this, and I have to say I wasn't disappointed.

!

Now that I think about it… I did the same last year and dived into the deep end by watching Paprika. At least I think I did.... unless ....I'm still dreaming...

!

Nobodyman

Started watching Turn A Gundam this past week. An overlooked entry in the franchise (I suppose) but I'd heard some good things about it.

I like how the show takes its time (we don't even see any giant robots until the 2nd episode) but it also moves pretty briskly. Also, there's a lot of nudity in the first few episodes (not that I'm complaining).

Sakonosolo

Turn A is my favorite Gundam entry. I don't know if it's overlooked. At least not within the Gundam fandom probably.

I'm watching Mewkledreamy and also the currently airing Healer Girl. Mewkledreamy's pretty nice for a modern magical girl series.

Crossword

I've been watching Gintama since the early spring. It's something I'd been thinking of doing for a while, and though over 350 episodes is a massive commitment I figured it would be something I'd enjoy more in animated form with sound and the voice actor performances. Somehow I've managed to keep up a pretty aggressive viewing schedule and am about to reach the final stretch of the series so it's done something right. A lot of the references to Japanese pop culture outside of the anime/manga and video game sphere go right over my head and the amount of toilet and (often surprisingly raunchy) sex humor spikes considerably after a while (though I guess if you're on the weekly grind you often have to reach for the low-hanging fruit) but there's a lot of lovable absurdity and every once in a while when it wants to be serious it'll suddenly veer into heroic bloodshed samurai movie territory and Sorachi and the anime will bust out some surprisingly moving writing and direction. When I eventually finish I'm going to have to flip through some of the manga chapters since I'm curious how much of the show was punched up by the anime - like the whole Gundam spoof arc which I'm guessing would not have existed had Sunrise not been the one doing the adaptation.

Then speaking of Sunrise and Gundam, I think The Witch from Mercury is the only non-adaptation I'm watching ATM. From the two, technically three episodes that are out so far I'm guessing the otome game premise of "naive girl attends the space school for rich assholes" is a bit contentious but I don't think it'll last the show's entire length and there are some potentially juicy shoe drops on the horizon like Suletta's mother being the masked Char character, her using her daughter as an unwitting instrument of revenge, and how far they'll go with the parallels with The Tempest. Also bemused at how a Gundam show of all things has apparently become the premier sapphic anime of the season and wondering if Sunrise will have the guts to actually go through with it.

Sakonosolo

Witch From Mercury isn't doing anything for me at the moment. I don't known if I'll feel like continuing after another few episodes unless something changes.

The new season of Pop Team Epic is surprisingly good. I really like its opening too. I'm also finally getting around to the final season of Ojamajo Doremi. The power levels in this series are kind of out of control and have been since the first series, but it usually manages to push them to the side.

spoiler

I've heard a lot about the ending to the last series so I'm interested in what happens. This is the last TV season but there's still a 13 episode OVA and a movie that came out only a couple years ago.

zeltrax225

Gundam mainline always has a slow builtup before the burn really starts coming in and you feel the necessity of the build up.
With all mainline series, Sunrise gives a lot of care and effort into the project and this often always comes with higher quality writing that is built on previous serieses. They are THE anime studio who is likely the most proficient in writing world building and themes of war that are not overly absurd but is often grounded.
Gundam mainline series, such as IBO and Mercury, are usually years and years in the making/writing and development.

Basically, new Gundam series usually works very well on a binge or when you don't go in expecting gratification or wildness at the start. It's basically to just have faith in Sunrise because they have never really failed or churned out a terrible mainline.

Zek

I just got in to Gundam this past year and have been working my way through most of the mainline shows in no real order, except with UC shows, I’ve been watching those in order aside from having to skip ZZ cuz it wasn’t streaming anywhere at the time. Right now I’m watching the second season of OO, Seed Destiny, and G-Witch since it’s airing.

Ivotas

@Crossword said in What Anime Are You Watching?:

A lot of the references to Japanese pop culture outside of the anime/manga and video game sphere go right over my head and the amount of toilet and (often surprisingly raunchy) sex humor spikes considerably after a while (though I guess if you're on the weekly grind you often have to reach for the low-hanging fruit) but there's a lot of lovable absurdity and every once in a while when it wants to be serious it'll suddenly veer into heroic bloodshed samurai movie territory and Sorachi and the anime will bust out some surprisingly moving writing and direction.

I think that as hilarious as Gintama can be Sorachi absolutely shines when he does the serious parts. It also catches you really offguard when things like this happen because you just don't expect it. On that note, I always think that (no spoilers) the confrontration between Gintoki and Takasugi is what Naruto vs Sasuke could/should have been. It's a believable animosity with plausible reasons and no need to go full emo-ninja.

On the subject of humor and Japanese pop culture references. I agree that humor is either hit or miss, especially if you're a western audience. But if are willing to pay attention to it the humor actually does a good job at giving you an idea of how the Japanese mindset works sometimes. I think Gintama deserves far more credit than it gets.

zeltrax225

@Crossword just want to drop in and say really enjoy the ride. There's really nothing like Gintama. Nothing ever comes close and I doubt will ever.

Crossword

Absolutely. Like Shigeshige spends most of the story being a walking cringe comedy punchline, and then to have him

spoiler

? Brought me to the end of tears.

I feel like it takes a really exceptional writer to pull off such a disarming switch between crude, gross-out humor (not to say that Gintama doesn't have a lot of genuine wit and cleverness to its gags!) to something like that and make it work. Recently I saw that style of writing referred to as "artisanal shit-posting" and I can't think of a better description for Sorachi's method than that.

Nobodyman

Since it's been getting a lot of positive press, I decided to check out Cyberpunk Edgerunners, which, honestly, I didn't even know was based on Cyberpunk 2077 (which I haven't played) until I started watching it. After watching the first episode, I only have two comments

-Yep. This is definitely full-on adult audience right here
-David is having what we like to call a "rough week"

But yeah, this is seriously good stuff. Looking forward to the rest of it.

Nobodyman

Finished up Cyberpunk Edgerunners

spoiler

Definitely recommend it, granted you understand it can be kind of a rough watch at points.

Shiebs

Does anyone know where to watch Biao Ren blades of the guardians?

Nobodyman

Finished the first season of Kaguya-sama.

spoiler

Nobodyman

Finally got myself a Crunchyroll subscription, so I'm gonna try to watch more anime this year. Have already added Kaguya-sama, Chainsaw Man, Jujutsu Kaisen, Mob Psycho 100, Demon Slayer, Spy X Family, Lupin III, and Ranking of Kings to my watchlist.

First up, Ranking of Kings.

Crossword

I actually watched Cyberpunk: Edgerunners recently too. It wasn't a revolutionary story for the genre but it was told and directed well and it furthers my belief that Imaishi's best works are ones where there are additional voices involved to rein in and more effectively channel his excesses compared to being completely unfettered. The otherwise dark and tragic finale turning into sci-fi Blues Brothers for a hot minute was a great example of that.

Mob Psycho 100's final season wasn't as bombastic production-wise as the second one was (episode 5 of season 2 is still the most insane thing I've ever seen done with TV animation) but it really stuck its landing. Once in a lifetime series, once in a lifetime adaptation. What a show, so warm and profound in its groundedness and simplicity.

And then The Witch from Mercury's first cour ended...finally after all the preempted airings. I can see the formulaic pacing and dryness of some of the exposition being a turn-off, and I'm sure there are more than a few veteran Gundam fans who hate Witch with a passion, but I had a ton of fun watching week-to-week, helped along by the extremely robust and hilarious meme train it has. It helps that on the surface the direction and writing is often extremely, extremely unsubtle but then once you take a step back and reexamine there's actually quite a bit of subtlety in the theming and characterization if you know when to look. And that season finale, oh man...

spoiler

In the back of my mind I'm a little concerned over where some of the show's mystery boxes might take things once opened, but I need it to be April already.

.access timeco.

I had seen pictures of Gundam: The Witch from Mercury's main character and it instantly became something I wanted to watch even though I didn't look it up.

Having just watched the prologue and the first episode now, I need to ask: is there any explanation on why it blatantly copies Utena?

I don't say it as a bad thing, Utena is one of the few (4) anime that I am madly in love with, so basically watching a retelling of it in any form only made me even more excited to watch this. But still, I can't help but wonder how? Because at least this first episode was borderline plagiarism and I can't see how this would not be a legal issue unless it was Be-Papas doing it (even if it was just one of them it would be weird).

Sakonosolo

Japan's copyright laws are less strict and in general I think Japanese companies are less aggressive about this kind of thing. I doubt there's any major people who worked on Utena on the staff but maybe there is. I don't think that would fix anything though even if it were true.

Crossword

Ichiro Okouchi, the head writer, wrote the Utena novelization back in the day, so that's likely where the influence is coming from. My understanding is that Witch is a much more literal take on Utena's concept and that outside of the first episode's setup, Guel's character, and some broadly similar themes the comparisons are less 1:1 as the show goes on.

.access timeco.

Yeah, as things kept going, they quickly got further away from the Utena premises, but still it was very jarring at first. Not only the overall ideas but even very minor aspects and details like "the bride that goes to the major duelist spends her free time on a greenhouse caring for ______ (rose/tomatoes)". Guel follows his own path in like the final 3 episodes, but before that he follows Saionji plot so closely they even share the fate of becoming homeless!
I think it kinda blurred the line between homage and plagiarism at certain points, but the series had its own charm and value so it was never like it relied on that to shine.

Ivotas

Just watched Afro Samurai Directors Cut for the first time. What a friggin' waste of time this was. Don't know what I expected after all that hype but certainly not to be bored to death as this.

Nobodyman

@Ivotas Never saw Afro Samurai, but I never really heard any glowing reviews for it. Sounds like something they just tried to hype up cause they got Samuel L. Jackson.

Anyway, after a long delay, I'm finally watching season 2 of Mob Psycho 100. Dang I forgot how good this show is.

Ivotas

@Nobodyman said in What Anime Are You Watching?:

@Ivotas Never saw Afro Samurai, but I never really heard any glowing reviews for it. Sounds like something they just tried to hype up cause they got Samuel L. Jackson.

Really? I'm surprised to here that. Because from my personal perspective, I was bombarded with recommendations and hope that made it see this anime is the second coming of Jesus. Also I have to chuckle now at the Samuel L. Jackson praise. The character has literally less lines in all five episodes than your Lafitte had when he appeared during the meeting in Mariejois. If you haven't watched it yet just stay away from it. You'd only be wasting your time.

zeltrax225

shout out to bocchi the rock for a close contender of anime of the year 2022, or at the very least: where passion and creative is at its peak in production.
Seriously, watch it!!!

Psycho_Kenshiro

Always good to see Lupin and Gundam mentioned, some of my classic favs, still going.

For me I'm mainly watching older stuff, like Slam Dunk, the original Dragon Ball, etc, but did see the first few episodes of Chainsaw Man, enjoyed it. Way of the Househusband is a fun recent one too, even on its lower animation budget, lot of charm.