Forum - View topicANNCast Holiday Special The Third: Part One
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Fifth B
Posts: 213 |
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Welp, lets give this a listen.
Eden of the East Movies: Agreed. I hadn't seen the series in a while, and I have to admit that I was somewhat let down. It was still quite smart, if not brilliant, and hey, someone's got to spoiler[tell the baby boomers off]. I will say that one of the more dissapinting aspects was how it was revealed that spoiler[being eliminated meant having your memory erased rather than murder], which retroactively undid some of the tension from the tv series, at least for me Spice and Wolf II: I really enjoyed the first season, and this one was even better. I agree that the best, and I might even argue the only actually interesting, part of the show is the relationship between Holo and Lawrence, and the second series delivered on that part. More evidence that even the oddest concept for a series can deliver with clever and competent writing. I was quite surprised by how shoddy the animation was. I expected more out of Brain's Base. Usagi Drop: I'm kind of in the same boat as Zac here. I started watching it, enjoyed it, then found out about the manga ending, put it on hiatus, and have yet to finish it. But what I saw was very sweet, and likable as much for what it was as for what it wasn't. Summer Wars: I really enjoyed this one. It was one of those rare anime where there's enough there for analysis and discussion, while still being enjoyable as a pure spectacle. That dub was quite impressive too. I do have to admit, it made me curious about revisiting that Digimon movie for the first time in twelve years, if only because I'm starting to really like Mamoru Hosoda. The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya: Agreed about those last twenty minutes. I didn't even notice how long that movie was until shortly after spoiler[Asakura stabbed Kyon], which I thought was a really effective and genuinely shocking scene, but after which it seemed to slow down significantly. However, I really enjoyed that scene between Kyon and Yuki on the rooftop. Through the film as a whole, it was really interesting seeing Kyon asses what his experiences with Haruhi and the SOS brigade have meant to him, and how he actually feels about the turn his life has taken. I will say, this is how you do expository dialogue. I personally hope that they make more Haruhi, but if they end the adaptation here, this is quite a good place for it. Garden of Sinners: I've always loved stories where the full implications of what you've just exprienced come crashing down on you at the very end, and this series pulled it off masterfully. I've always been rather morbid, so I didn't find the violence that unsettling. I think that telling a disturbing, extremely violent story takes special skill, the ability to unsettle the viewers without making them tune out because they're sick to their stomach, and that just makes such stories all the more impressive when they pull it off. When a story is able to grab you, and take you along with it no matter how messed up it becomes, possibly even leading to you enjoying such a disturbing experience, it is something quite special indeed. I admit I did not watch this through legal sources, but this was also one of the best things I have seen this year, and if i can afford it, I'm tracking down one of those blu-ray sets on ebay or amazon. As for Type-Moon in general, I'm not a huge fan, but I would like to check out Fate/Zero. I personally really enjoy world-building shows, but I agree that they can get irritating after a while if the creators don't really care all that much about the characters (I still hold up Wolf's Rain as the best example of an anime which does world building right, without screwing over the characters or the story). Colorful: I have to confess, when I first heard people talking about this, I got it confused with the aforementioned perverted anime about panties. After learning that this was not the case, I'm rather interested in seeing it. Realistic teen angst is a rare thing indeed in anime, and I'd really like to see how they approach such subject matter. Evangelion 2.22: Absolute agreement. I remember just floating out of the theater after watching it earlier this year. Evangelion was the show which got me into anime in the first place, and I'm really excited to see how it's going to grow. Tiger & Bunny: Alright, enough is enough, I need to get on that. Redline: See above. I'm definitely blind buying the blu-ray for that one. I have to say, I think this year was excellent for anime movies, but quite sparse for TV and OVAs. Aside from Sinners, Summer Wars, Evangelion and Haruhi, there wasn't that much which really grabbed me this year. I really liked Spice and Wolf, and even for a Key fanboy I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Angel Beats. The best thing I've seen this year would probably be Revolutionary Girl Utena, which I wish I had tracked down years ago because it's flipping phenomenal, but that's a rerelease so I'm not sure if it counts. As for movies, I have been really crappy at keeping up with what's coming out, so I can't really comment on any of those, although I've heard good things about Melancholia, so I probably should check that one out. Same with Rango and The Tree of Life. Attack the Block is another one I've wanted to check out. I find the use of "thug" characters especially interesting considering both the recent riots, as Justin mentioned, and the rising prevalence of far-right groups like the EDL in Britain. That demographic is treated with a shocking level of condescension and scorn in the UK from what I've seen, so it is quite remarkable that the filmmakers chose to make them the protagonists. Another excellent podcast, fun and informative! |
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Keichitsu0305
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I've heard of Colorful; I saw it while browsing on the Summer 2010 list. I should wait to watch it legally instead of fan subbed but... oh, the temptation!
More 30 year old (and over) protagonists, Japan!!! I have had my fill of high school teenagers! I will pre-order every volume Tiger & Bunny if I can make this wish come true. Personal top 5 shows, which is too obvious : 1. Chihayafuru 2. Mawaru Penguin Drum 3. (tie) Steins;Gate and Tiger & Bunny 4. (tie) Usagi Drop and Natsume Yūjin-cho 5.Hanasaku Iroha I liked No.6 and Croisée in a Foreign Labyrinth but they aren't really fantastic. Haven't seen Redline or Mardock Scramble but I will buy them next year! My worst: ...nothing really. :/ All I've seen in the theaters was The Muppets. Seriously; that's the only movie I saw this year. But now I want to see Bridesmaids and Tree of Life; both sound refreshing. |
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Yorozuya
Posts: 332 |
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I love Chihayfuru so far but considering the manga isn't finished yet I'm sort of worried about how its going to end. It seems popular in Japan so they might go for the open ended route, which is fine as long as they get a second season, or they could go for an alternate ending.
Either way I want to see how things wrap up (though I know we're only half way through) before I declare it the best thing ever but it is the NEW thing that I've enjoyed the most this year. Tiger and Bunny was fine but I got bored with it after 6 episodes or so. Maybe its because I'm from the UK so I'm not as into Super Heroes? Maybe its because Barney's character rubbed me the wrong way? I don't know, it just wasn't for me. |
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Charred Knight
Posts: 3085 |
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My problem with the whole Digimon/Summer Wars thing is that it copies it even when it doesn't make sense to copy Our War Games. The ending includes the whole "the whole world unites to stop the virus" when the entire movie up until that point has basically denounced the west (in particular America) as a corrupting influence on Japan (the characters frequently talk about how great Feudal Japan was, America is entirely to blame for the problems the family has to contend with, and the son who lived in America grew up to be kind of a jerk). I can't consider that ending to be sincere. The family aspect of the movie is great, I really did enjoy the way this family interacts, I didn't have a problem with the grandmother, and they where several scenes that I really enjoyed. Though I still think the main male character is basically a harem protaganist who just really needs to find a bunch of girls to gawk at (this isn't helped by the fact that his introduced to the family as a Tokyo U student) As for anime I watched in the past year, like a lot of others I simply have not watched a lot of recent anime. I keep on buying old anime I watched 7-8 years ago so that's taking up a bunch of time. Then I get an itch to watch anime I bought a while ago (the Gundam Seed remaster is making me want to watch that series again) which leaves little time to watch recent anime. 5. Hunter X Hunter (basically gets in by default) 4. Evangelion 2.22 (I can finally stand Shinji, Asuka, and Rei. Still hate Gendo as a character, and Seele has not advanced past a plot device) 3. Super Robot Wars OG: The Inspectors (While this started last year I am still counting it. Really well done battles, amazing action packed ending, Sanger Zonvolt is still awesome) 2. Fairy Tail (the first 48 episodes start off slow but really pick up steam as the series goes on, good dub, and I reallyy enjoy some of the anime only content) 1. Tiger and Bunny (simply amazing, the best new original anime in years, it finishes the plot but leaves you wanting more (with the sales in Japan they will make a sequel). Probably the first Sunrise anime that had regularly good battles since Gundam Seed) |
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Cecilthedarkknight_234
Posts: 3820 Location: Louisville, KY |
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Some nice stuff it seems, I really will have to check out colorful when i am able to.. that aside I might as well list my top 5 for the year
1.Usagia Drop 2.Steins Gate 3.Gosick 4.Eva 2.22 5.Hourou Musuko Wandering Son If i had to choose a #6 Ano Hana would be there as well, however the ending just ruined the mood. |
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DmonHiro
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You must be new here. They do that almost every two podcasts. TBH, it's their show, so they can talk about whatever they want. It just bother me because I'm the overly organizing type, and I can't stand listening to talks about X on a show/site about Y. No offense to ANYONE on ANN, I just don't get why you keep talking about movies when 90% of people here just care about the anime. That's what we come here for. Top 5: 1. Magika Madoka. (Hell, I bought the LE R2s for 600$) 2. Tiger & Bunny. (More Lunatic, FFS) 3. Mawaru Penguindrum. (Today's the last episode... don't let me down) 4. GOSICK. (Loved it, despite it's flaws) 5. Seikon No Qwaser II (sometimes, when something is so stupid, it does a 180 and becomes entertaining: boob lasers? bowling? traps? we have them all. And yes, I am well aware that it's technically crap, but gosh darn it if it wasn't entertaining). |
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Sewingrose
Posts: 579 |
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I like how this year, I actually knew every title mentioned both movie and anime (except for the first movie Justin brought up), and have seen it, or was already planning to see most of them.
And I like hearing you guys talk about movies, because I have similar enough tastes, that I can tell if I'll like something or not. Great podcast as usual, nice to have something to listen to when I get the last minute presents wrapped. |
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Splitter
Posts: 1276 Location: Knockin' on Heaven's Door |
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*reads comments*
So Zac and Justin saw minimal 2011 anime, and prattle on about Melancholia and Tree of Life? Pass. |
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Zac
ANN Executive Editor
Posts: 7912 Location: Anime News Network Technodrome |
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We talk about movies sometimes and every single holiday special (there have been four of them) includes movie lists. This is not unprecedented or unexpected. We talk about anime longer than we do movies. If it bothers you, don't listen to that segment, that's why it comes last so people who don't want to hear that can just hit stop at the end of the anime segment.
If it feels like we go in to the movies a little more, that might be because we've spent the entire year for a couple hours a week talking about the titles on our anime top 5s and we don't have much left to say about them. Whereas no more than 5-10 minutes a week are spent on movies, if that. Not that tough to figure out if you think about it for a second. This is the first time in over a year where I've seen anyone bitch about us talking about movies. In contrast I get plenty of comments on twitter and via email encouraging me to do *more* movie chat, which I do not indulge because the show is focused on anime. I feel like we hit a nice balance and most people in my audience seem to agree. But then 2 of the 3 people complaining hate both me and this show! I'm gonna go back to wrapping presents. ~fin~ |
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Splitter
Posts: 1276 Location: Knockin' on Heaven's Door |
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I grew up and now hate you and this show much less than past incidences. In time, I may even be indifferent of you. It is a letdown though, even with the disclaimer, that you and Justin aren't reviewing what you thought were the top 5 anime of the year... granted, I doubt you could put together a top 3. I decided to listen to the movie portion. I wanna see if either of you adore Hugo. Not that I care or anything... urusai >_> *insert olive branch here?* Top 5 Anime 5. Ano Hana 4. Puella Magi Madoka Magica 3. Hourou Musuko 2. Kaiji: Hakairoku-hen 1. Steins;Gate Top 5 Movies 5. Moneyball 4. Super 8 3. Drive 2. Rango 1. Hugo Last edited by Splitter on Thu Dec 22, 2011 8:57 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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sainta
Posts: 989 |
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Wow! I had no idea about that. Do you know what was the staff planning to do with Kaworu? spoiler[Until now he has made 5 second appearances, as if they are planning to feature him in the third movie more.] |
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agila61
Posts: 3213 Location: NE Ohio |
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I don't know that Tiger & Bunny is particularly for people who "love" super heroes ~ Bunny is more heroic than Tiger at the outset, yet Tiger is the one most will sympathize with, and the competition to do typical super-heroic things to get the most points and to assure that your sponsor keeps sponsoring you is a lot more realistic in its twisted way than the Justice League of America. And, indeed, if Bunny-chan rubs you the wrong way in the first 1/3 of the series ... to me that kind of shows that you're getting it. He isn't a sympathetic character at the outset. |
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Mad_Scientist
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Moderator Posts: 3011 |
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Rise of the Planet of the Apes is Zac's number 2? That surprises me quite a bit. The movie was so full of massive plot holes and absurd elements that I had a hard time really enjoying it, despite some pretty cool moments. I certainly didn't find it particularly smartly written.
Eh, to each his own I guess. |
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Spotlesseden
Posts: 3514 Location: earth |
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it doesn't need to be smartly written to be an enjoyable movie. I guess you like oscar awards movie. |
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Mad_Scientist
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Moderator Posts: 3011 |
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I mentioned that because Zac was talking about how smartly written it was in the ANNCast. In truth, I did enjoy the movie somewhat, and I agree with Zac that the first time Caesar talked was a really awesome scene. I wouldn't say it was a bad movie really, but I certainly wouldn't say it was a great movie, and I think the movie had a lot of flaws, and so I was surprised to see Zac (who I tend to think of as fairly critical about most things) liked the movie that much and praised it as being very smartly written. |
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