What's Your Current Anime? Mk III

[TetraVaal]

18 episodes into Full Metal Panic and it's the worst show I've watched since enduring Gundam SEED. Blah, I'll give the second series a shot, but the first one has been nothing but a constant eye-roller so far... I doubt much of that will change in the final six episodes, but I'll see it through.

[G-Slayer]

With the notable exception of FINAL PLUS, I've finally finished SEED Destiny. Have any of you seen an episode of The Boondocks where Tom DuBois swears a blue streak at the end? Destiny's ending takes me back to that. While I can look past the overuse of stock footage throughout (especially when Mu survives the same energy blast that nearly killed him), what I can't ignore is that the final episode sure didn't feel final. Ending just with the Durandal's death and Messiah's destruction followed by a flood of the same clips I've seen several dozen times, the finale summed up Destiny as one big clip show, and that's how I'll remember it.

[reeoyuy]

Continuing Sorakake Girl after a long time. That baseball episode is totally random.

[LightningCount]

With the notable exception of FINAL PLUS, I've finally finished SEED Destiny. Have any of you seen an episode of The Boondocks where Tom DuBois swears a blue streak at the end? Destiny's ending takes me back to that. While I can look past the overuse of stock footage throughout (especially when Mu survives the same energy blast that nearly killed him), what I can't ignore is that the final episode sure didn't feel final. Ending just with the Durandal's death and Messiah's destruction followed by a flood of the same clips I've seen several dozen times, the finale summed up Destiny as one big clip show, and that's how I'll remember it.

Yeah, they remade this ending two more times--GSD: Final Plus and GSD: Special Edition (Movie) #4. I don't know if any of the versions are spectacular, but they each give a slightly greater sense of closure. Special Edition (Movie) #4 even sets up the sequel movie that went into development hell with

Spoiler

Kira joining ZAFT in a white officer's uniform (ala La Crueset), and Lacus taking over ZAFT.

Anyway, GSD kinda falls apart at the end, though I felt it wasn't that much worse or random than what happened to Gundam 00 in its second season. All that said, I think GSD has a good plot buried in it and has some great episodes mixed in, even if it suffers as a whole. (As an aside, that clip episode with the chess match about fate was one of the more interesting clip episodes I've seen).

[DuelGundam2099]

What I am watching and up to:

-L.Gaim episode 14, the revealing of Poseidal aside this series really doesn't have much going for it.
-Finished Kekkaishi, I'm off shonen anime forever. Seriously, this has to be the most anticlimactic series I've ever seen, not even a Dragonball series uses this much filler for final battles.
-SPT Layzner episode 34, had to see ep 23 onward without subs, but I am finding a ton of entertainment out of it. My only question is what is the name of the hockey mask squad? I am also wondering when New Layzner is going to show up.
-VOTOMS episode 40, still enjoying this series a lot.

I would also continue watching God Mars past ep 15 but for some reason *insert name here* does not want to load it's videos!

[kayone73]

Just finished Big O season 2

Plugging thru Gundam X ep 14

Stalled out on Turn A Gundam ep 24, I really want to like this show, but I feel like I'm reading a book for lit class, doing it because I have to, not because I want to.

[Mu La Flaga]

First 9 episodes of Dai-Guard since I got the collection for that recently.
It's rather fun and got some interesting bits of humor at times.

Rather enjoying this so far, Akagi is a bit of a numbskull but got a good heart.
I'm enjoying seeing Ibuki develop as she goes along.

Not to mention Shirota and his change in attitude a little bit and all that.

[LightningCount]

Just finished Big O season 2

A shame that Big-O Season 3 was canceled before it could go into production. Apparently Season 2 just didn't pull in the same success as Season 1 overseas. (I wonder if it has to do with it being shown once a week on Adult Swim instead of five days a week on Toonami like Season 1). Anyway, if you think about the details unsolved at the end of Season 2, it can really cause a headache. Fun, unique, and classic series, though, and I guess the ending as is can be pieced together in a variety of ways.

First 9 episodes of Dai-Guard since I got the collection for that recently.

Dai-Guard is a fun series. It doesn't do a lot of spectacular things, but it has solid animation and enough unique elements to make it charming and worth seeing. It has the same composer and director as Gundam 00, ironically.

As for me, I've started to watch the episodes I missed of Monster on SyFy. Seeing this series again, and knowing what happens down the line, I have to say that this series doesn't get enough attention or credit. It's not a typical anime; it's definitely the kind of show that can appeal to even those who even don't like anime. The dub work is a poster child for how good an English dub can be. Great characters, unique and twisting story. It's long, and takes time to get going, but it's very memorable.

Also rewatching the Blue Submarine #6 OVA series for the first time in a few years. This is one of those that's grown on me over the years and I think it's a genuine anime classic. Its 1998 CG holds up remarkably well due to the use of painterly coloring and dynamic camera angles that helps it blend in a way that usually only is achieved by cel-shading programs. The design work is top notch and there are a lot of likable characters. The main enemy is different, only comparable to maybe The Claw from GunxSword. The secondary enemies can be a bit annoying/disturbing, though. Still, the story knows what it wants to do and goes about it pretty tightly. I'm on the last episode, which I remember has a lot of surprises, so I'll have to see if it closes nicely.

Finally, trying to catch more of Star Blazers, and am realizing this was a huge influence on Macross/Robotech and Gundam 0079.

[Outlaw]

18 episodes into Full Metal Panic and it's the worst show I've watched since enduring Gundam SEED. Blah, I'll give the second series a shot, but the first one has been nothing but a constant eye-roller so far... I doubt much of that will change in the final six episodes, but I'll see it through.

I personally really like FMP (one of my all time favs) but, I can easily understand how it wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea. Second Raid tends to have a slightly darker/more serious tone, and Fumoffu is all comedy but has little to no bearing on the series plot. So depending on your taste you may enjoy one of those more.

[G-Slayer]

I've started watching SD Gundam Sangokuden after two failed attempts to finish the series. I'm still watching Infinite Stratos and Clannad After Story, and I need to catch up on Monster and Skull Man.

[Mu La Flaga]

Just finished Big O season 2

A shame that Big-O Season 3 was canceled before it could go into production. Apparently Season 2 just didn't pull in the same success as Season 1 overseas. (I wonder if it has to do with it being shown once a week on Adult Swim instead of five days a week on Toonami like Season 1). Anyway, if you think about the details unsolved at the end of Season 2, it can really cause a headache. Fun, unique, and classic series, though, and I guess the ending as is can be pieced together in a variety of ways.

First 9 episodes of Dai-Guard since I got the collection for that recently.

Dai-Guard is a fun series. It doesn't do a lot of spectacular things, but it has solid animation and enough unique elements to make it charming and worth seeing. It has the same composer and director as Gundam 00, ironically.

That it is.

Anyway I just watched episodes 10 through to 17 of Dai-Guard.
2 more DVDs to go, things have gotten rather interesting as of lately.

[Mu La Flaga]

Episodes 18 to 26 of Dai-Guard, things got real fun and a little more serious then normal near the end, overall I enjoyed it a lot.
Ibuki is one complex young woman.

Domeki I know your a genius and all, but there is no need to be insensitive about the whole situation of addressing the big discovery you made and then dropping that on Ibuki and all.

Same applies for instance lightly insulting people when they don't call you by your prefered nickname.

I didn't feel sorry for her when all of the staff cornered her and for once she got ticked off for a moment.

There is a reason why she lacks maturity being 17 and all though I guess.

I also liked seeing Kokubogar coming back for the final 2-3 episodes and all.

[TetraVaal]

Finally concluded the first series of Full Metal Panic. To just put it short and not be too critical, I didn't like it at all. Not my cup of grim.

Anyway, I resumed rewatching Eureka Seven. I still love it as much as ever.

[Mu La Flaga]

May I ask, why you didn't enjoy FMP?
Especially the last bit or so of the submarine being hijacked and how Mao is badly injured before that fighting Gauron ect.

I mean I can see how in some of the episodes in the middle of the series might be very off putting between school life and the mecha part of things.

[TetraVaal]

None of that appealed to me. In fact, Guaron was pretty one dimensional and had the typical "Oh death doesn't scare me, if anything, it amuses me" type of shtick. That was his only personality and as for the submarine hi-jack, I guess I consider that an eye rolling moment, as a submarine filled with that many stupid people deserves to be hijacked. Yeah, a 16 year old female captain, hosting ridiculous parties and being as naive to ignore potential fatal threats. In my opinion, this show is aimed at 12 year old kids who have an unrealistic fantasy of visualizing themselves as part of an adult military world. The humor was banal, the action was boring (with the exception of episodes 15 through 17), and the characters were all a bunch of idiots. I'm still going to give 2nd Raid a shot some time down the road, as I've read it's a stark contrast from the first series, with even better production values.

[Mu La Flaga]

If they all idiots chances are the cast would have died off sooner if ever.
Gauron does have his limited appeal I suppose, Mithrill though is actually not fully millitary, they are para-millitary lot of mercenaries.

Tessa didn't really think that their home base would be taken over by insiders, so there was a reason she left that as it was.

Just to comment back on some bits anyway.

[EZero8]

I'm still going to give 2nd Raid a shot some time down the road, as I've read it's a stark contrast from the first series, with even better production values.

Coming from a fan of the show, I'd suggest that you don't bother watching The Second Raid. TSR is basically more of the same, with less filler (thanks to the shorter series length) but more headache inducing character "development." If you didn't enjoy FMP!, then you're not going to enjoy TSR much more, if at all.

[TetraVaal]

Thanks for the heads up, much appreciated. I won't be watching it any time soon, but maybe when I'm really bored for a few days I'll grind it out.

[mcred23]

I finished Victory Gundam about an hour and a half ago, and it more than lived up to the hype it has as one of the best Gundam shows out there. Really, other than the clipshow and a half, I didn't find any of the episodes boring and really didn't have any big issues with the series at all. There might have been a silly moment here or there, but nothing major comes to mind ('Cept Karlmann at the end of the second ending, which just seemed kinda odd ). Pretty much from start to finish, I loved it.

So with that taken care of, I'm going to start Gundam X later today, and I really don't know what to expect from it going in.

[LightningCount]

So with that taken care of, I'm going to start Gundam X later today, and I really don't know what to expect from it going in.

Here's a hint: Gundam Wing and G-Gundam had a kid who was a fan of Gundam 0079 and Mad Max. That's Gundam X in a nutshell. Good series.