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Hear ye, hear ye! By royal decree of her Imperial Majesty, Queen Sally Acorn, it hath been decided to open a public forum for the purpose of discussing works of animation from the distant island nation of Japan. These works, being many in quantity and bizarre in nature, have historically proven to be overwhelmingly popular with the "Nerd" social caste, a group found in both human and Mobian societies characterized by strong aversion to sunlight, fondness of video games, and an extraordinarily low chance of being anything but single. Though seen as a wretched, pathetic lot by the rest of the world, Queen Sally has, in her infinite and magnanimous mercy, taken pity on the local nerd caste, granting them this great boon so that they might be happy despite their loneliness, finding solace in the discussion and idolization of fictitious, idealized members of the opposite sex, the likes of which are said to be common in these foreign animations. These characters, known in nerd parlance as "waifus" ("husbandos" are said to be the alternative adored by female nerds, though such individuals are so infrequently documented that scientists continue to debate whether they truly exist), are the subject of great fascination amongst the nerd population, inspiring levels of devotion that have resulted in great works of art and majestic shrines. However, such fanaticism can breed tribalism if left unchecked, and many terrible, bloody wars have been shed over the embittering question of "Who is best girl?"

In order to mitigate such chaos and prevent outright anarchy from taking root, Queen Sally hath stipulated that the Royal Guard shall ever keep a close watch on the proceedings carried out in this forum. Obey the laws of our land here as elsewhere, lest we have to intervene with great and overwhelming force. To be moderated here is to bring shame to one's waifu, and it is said that there is no greater crime a nerd may commit than this.

With the reminder of our judicious watch established, I, Sorzo, Captain of the Royal Guard, do hereby declare the Free Scribes of Mobius Anime Discussion Thread OPEN! Enter all, and marvel at the majestic works of the Orient! Discuss amongst thine selves favorite characters and series, be they classic or current. Debate the merits of the many genres of anime, be they mecha or magical girl. And most of all, at every opportunity, request the input of @TheRedStranger , for he is unrivaled in his love and passion for the works of Japan. Surely his wisdom will be a boon to this community.

 

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Okay... I’ve seen many anime ranging from inuyasha, outlaw star, full metal alchemist: brotherhood, cowboy bebop, Lupin the third, gundam, Gurren Lagan, one punch man, and my hero academia, to just name quite a few and have been amongst the nerd social caste analyzing these anime series. 

One of these series I wish to bring up for discussion is a recent favorite of mine and previously listed My Hero Academia. It’s set in a world where 80% of the world's population have abilities and mutations called quirks ranging from super strength, super speed, pyrokinesis, electrokineses, gravity manipulation, etc. With this setting there are super heroes and super villains. But whereas in most classic comics,  vigilantes like superheroes most operate outside the law but because of how prevalent these powers are in that world, superheroes operate both in private and public organizations but are still bound by some degree of regulation as there are superhero schools like UA, the superhero school where most of the anime takes place, are where future heroes can receive their certification. UA is one of the top schools for superheroes and producing one of the most famous of Heroes in the world named All Might, whom is to best describe him as a Superman and captain America all rolled into one hero. 

Because of All Might’s fame and Heroics, it urged the protagonist, Izuku Midoriya to one day become a hero like him as well as be a super fan of superheroes analyzing every hero’s quirk, fighting style and their weaknesses. However, he was born like 20% of the world’s population whom are without a quirk.This being regardless of his mother having some pyscokinesis abilities and his father being able to breath fire. Due to being quirkless it had led izuku to be taunted and bullied by his childhood friends and classmates such as Katsuki Bakugo, whom is able to generate explosions from his hands. One day, Izuku ends up saving katsuki from a slime monster villain that All Might was fighting against. Which prompted All Might to reward izuku with the knowledge of his identity, abilities and being the inheritor of his quirk called “All for One,” the source of All Might’s power. Which then All Might helps train Izuku to not only use “one for all” but also helps him get into UA as he’s also an instructor there as he’s no longer able to do as much hero work and being in the public eye as much as he used to.

 

Edit: a poster of the heroes and future heroes. 

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In the spirit of promoting discussion (and convincing a certain admin to try things), I'm going to try to start posting overviews of shows and films that I recommend. These aren't meant to be comprehensive reviews, much less proper analyses, just quick at-a-glance looks that I can whip up within an hour every week or so.

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Sorzo's Anime Picks:

Legend of the Galactic Heroes

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"In every time, in every place, the deeds of men remain the same..."

Original Run:

1988-2001

Length:

Two introductory films (My Conquest is the Sea of Stars and Overture to a New War), a four-season main series of 110 episodes, and a two-season prequel series of 52 episodes.

Dubbed:

No, subtitles only.

Synopsis:

For 150 years, the galaxy has been in a state of perpetual war between its two major powers, the democratic Free Planets Alliance and the autocratic Galactic Empire. As the conflict continues with no end in sight, two men begin rising in power and influence, each with enough cunning and intellect to potentially break the cycle of violence. One is Reinhard von Lohengramm, an ambitious and charismatic Imperial driven by a fierce desire to safeguard his loved ones and purge his homeland of corruption. The other is Yang Wen-li, a laid-back yet brilliant Alliance soldier whose unwavering belief in the democratic ideal causes him to reluctantly fight. As the two win battles and gather allies, facing enemies from within as well as without, they draw ever closer to conflict with one another, a clash between two peerless minds that will shape the course of history.

Why it’s worth watching:

Even were I writing a full review, I'd be hard-pressed to cover the countless things that make Legend of the Galactic Heroes amazing. It is an absolute masterwork and not merely my favorite anime, but likely my favorite television series in general.

To best summarize, I believe its virtues largely fall under the broad categories of presentation and writing.

In terms of presentation, the series is, for want of a better term, classy. Character appearances are detailed and much more realistic than in most anime, especially modern fare, while environments and outfits have wonderful designs that reflect the faction associated with them, whether it be the modern, practical aesthetic of the Free Planets Alliance or the more opulent, refined look of the Empire, which draws from Victorian Europe (particularly Prussia) in its inspiration. This appreciation for Europe's history extends to the soundtrack, which is largely composed of classical compositions from such titans as Wagner and Beethoven. Rather than feeling cliche, these cues are integrated quite well into the material, feeling appropriate to what's onscreen at any given time. Most of the small amount of original music composed for the series (the opening and ending songs, as well as a main theme for each of the two central factions) is superb, with the first three openings and the first ending standing out.

It is the writing of the series, however, that makes it such a treasure. The series has a massive cast of characters that feel well-developed, complex, nuanced, and intelligent, resulting in a core conflict that's far less black-and-white than its Star Wars-style framework suggests. Each of the two sides has heroic and monstrous individuals alike, with most people falling in-between the two extremes. The two protagonists are extremely likable, compelling leads, virtues shared by most of their chief subordinates. I found myself rooting for both groups, making their bloody war with one another far more poignant and tragic than if this was yet another series with clear-cut hero and villain sides. In any other series, the Empire would be the antagonistic group, with perhaps a few sympathetic members that would either defect or perish early on. Here, however, they're simply another group of people, another set of flaws and strengths, just one centered around the ideology of autocracy rather than democracy. Time and again, the merits of these two forms of government are examined and evaluated by characters, inspiring elaborate philosophical and political discussions most series would shy away from in favor of action. This emphasis on contemplation extends to the battles themselves, which focus far more on grand stratagems and cunning tactics than flashy spectacle.

The result is an intellectual, dialogue-driven war drama as comfortable off the battlefield as on it, one that asks a number of challenging questions about ethics and forms of government that the writers take no clear stance on, instead encouraging audience members to draw their own conclusions. When combined with the timeless presentation, the overall result is a series that feels more like a work of classic literature than an anime. 

Drawbacks:

As a series that began in the late 80s, LotGH can look rather dated at times. In addition, its fourth season, though still excellent overall, suffers from uneven pacing and a shockingly poor opening theme. The mini-arcs of the prequel seasons are hit-and-miss, with none being outright bad but few being on par with the main series. Finally, the Earth Cult that serves as an antagonistic element in a number of episodes is woefully one-dimensional and underdeveloped, feeling very out of place in a series that adamantly refuses to paint its other factions with a single moral brush.

Content warnings:

While the show is very much suited for adults only, it is fairly restrained in terms of language and sexuality. Moderate expletives are commonplace, but more severe ones are never used. Several characters are seen in bed together, but there are perhaps 5 seconds of nudity across the entire series. Much more prevalent is the violence, which can be extremely graphic. Though most battles in the series merely show ships exploding, ground engagements and a number of other scenes show large amounts of bloodshed, with a few moments going beyond blood sprays and showing spilled guts and intestines. These latter scenes are quite gruesome, though they are thankfully scarce and the dated animation makes them less intense than they might otherwise be.

Notes: Everything but the core 110 episode series is optional. Either or both of the two films can be watched before starting the series proper, with My Conquest coming first and Overture serving as an extended remake of the first two episodes. The prequel seasons should be watched last. Note that the prequel seasons, which mostly consist of 4-episode short stories, are not in chronological order. A quick Google search will reveal the proper order. That said, I strongly advise against Googling anything about LotGH unless one has finished the main series first. It's very, very easy to run into major spoilers. For the same reason, it's generally regarded as best to avoid the previews at the end of each episode, as they can be surprisingly spoilery themselves.

Two other animated adaptations of the novel series LotGH is based on exist, but neither is part of the main animated canon, with both having different art styles and voice actors. One, Golden Wings, is a film universally hated by the fanbase that should be outright avoided. The other, Die Neue These, is an ongoing new adaptation of the novels that began earlier this year. Its first season covers only around an eighth of the original series, and it's very unlikely that it will see the full story to completion. Best treated as a novelty. with vastly improved environments and space battle visuals at the expense of character designs.

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  • 4 years later...

Watched my first anime all the way through, Yu-Yu Hakusho. It's the only anime that kept my attention and I have unironically enjoyed, and felt something for the characters. I really feel like it rushes away from its initial idea to quick, with the protagonist dead and needing to get his body back, which includes a random side character never seen again in the story with zero impact to the arc, and a random arson that never gets explained (though easily could have tied into some future plots). Some story elements are under-cooked, which is overcompensated for for some classic anime smaltz and flashy animation. And it does loose a lot of steam with its second main villain, and final arc becoming another tournament arc. But honestly, its a great cartoon with grit and intriguing characters, especially with their character dynamics and their dynamic character development. Screw DBZ...this show deserves a re-imaging. It's characters are just a blast, they just deserve more robust plots to keep playing with. That...and it needs a bit more detective work, seeing how Urameshi is a "spirit detective."

 

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  • 1 month later...

Yu-Yu Hakusho has always been a favorite of mine, I think I first saw it on Toonami before it ended up on Adult Swim at the time. Although I've still never seen the final arc as after the Dark Tournament or so they stopped airing it. Seen some episodes with @TheRedStranger and it's held up very well.

Now, I do like Dragon Ball overall, as well as Z, but it's a series that really became over bloated. As memorable as DB and DBZ are, the latter was certainly written in a slapdash way. Then again, I suppose that's how most Manga are usually written. :/

On that note, Ronin Kenshin is also great favorite. :)

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Japan Box Office: Shinkai Makoto Sets Personal Best With $13 Million Opening for ‘Suzume’ [Variety]

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Released in Japan on Nov. 11 by Toho, “Suzume” garnered its total from 1.33 million admissions, placing it far and away the number one title at the weekend box office. Eleven theaters in six major cities even opened their doors at midnight to accommodate the first-day crowds, with Shinkai and main voice cast members, making on-stage introductions.  
 
After three days on release, “Suzume” had beaten the same-period earnings for “Your Name” (which went on to have a $178 million Japanese lifetime total) by 47% and “Weathering With You” by 15%, giving Shinkai the fastest box office start of his career.  
 
Scripted by Shinkai, the story follows the titular teen girl in her desperate quest to close ‘Doors of Disaster’ around Japan, accompanied by a boy who has been magically transformed into a chair.  
 
To win the year’s box office championship, however, “Suzume” must first catch the current No. 1 for 2022, the smash-hit anime “One Piece: Film Red,” which bowed on Aug. 6 and has earned $123 million to date, with Toei distributing. Meanwhile, the year’s top live-action release is “Maverick: Top Gun,” with total earnings of $99 million.

Okay, now I wanna know why that boy was transformed into a chair🙃

Suzume Scores $13 Million Over Three Days, Beating Your Name’s Record [CBR]

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On Oct. 28, the first 12 minutes of Suzume aired in Japan. Previously, the production released multiple trailers ahead of the film's release date, including its popular theme song, "Suzume," by TikTok singer Toaka. While people outside Japan cannot watch Suzume yet, the manga began serialization in Kodansha's Monthly Afternoon magazine on Oct. 25. Shinkai also wrote the film's novelization, which sold over 350,000 copies before Suzume's opening weekend.

CoMix Wave Films, producer of Suzume, describes the film's story: "On the other side of the door, was time in its entirety—

17-year-old Suzume's journey begins in a quiet town in Kyushu when she encounters a young man who tells her, 'I'm looking for a door.' What Suzume finds is a single weathered door standing upright in the midst of ruins as though it was shielded from whatever catastrophe struck. Seemingly mesmerized by its power, Suzume reaches for the knob…"

Why did that description make me think of Planescape?🤔

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