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Post by Emily on Apr 12, 2006 18:26:28 GMT
oooh, I cant wait to get back to london and start downloading!
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Post by Crazydave on Apr 15, 2006 20:00:07 GMT
Impressive reviews, Tim. Even though I can talk about music ad infinitum, and tend to use about 3 times as many genre labels as the average person has ever cared to notice, it never gets too far beyond "this rocks" and "this music made me die a little, inside". kudos.
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Post by stokerino on Apr 16, 2006 23:06:24 GMT
OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB
Episode 1 : You're A Host From Now On and Episode 2 : A High School Student Host's Job I suppose the first thing that I have to do is explain away the instant misconceptions you've inevitably taken from the picture. This is NOT shounen-ai as many of us know, which is lucky because I personally hold the majority of shounen-ai in disdain. To momentarily explain my problem with it - it is not because of the homosexuality, but rather that the vast majority of such series are little more than constant fan service. Replace all the pretty boys with buxom girls who all fancy each other and realise what kind of trash that would be, then perhaps you'll get the idea. But as I was saying, despite the obvious appearance of the picture this series is not like that. In fact the main character (short brown-haired one on the right), Haruhi, is actually a girl. A poor student - with a scholarship - at a very rich and exclusive high school, she stumbles across the 'Host Club'. The Host Club is comprised of a number of handsome boys who, being rich and with much time on their hands, rent out their company to girls at the school (who are equally rich and with much time on their hands). Basically they look pretty and appeal to the inner-fangirls of their clients. Haruhi is mistaken for a boy by the members of the club and, having accidentally smashed a very expensive vase, is forced to join the club in an effort to pay off her debt. Actually, all of the members of the club have realised that Haruhi is in fact a girl by the end of the first episode (so none of that typical 'hidden secret' dynamic there). Despite this realisation, she still has to pay off her debt and therefore continue her role as a male Host. Right, that's the basic premise out of the way. Now let me talk about how fucking hilarious the series is. The 'captain' of the club is Tamaki (the blond one in the top left) basically IS Ayami from Fruits Basket. Hence the roses and so forth, and yes, he IS just that funny. Similarly, the little blond boy (at the bottom) is basically the same as Momiji (and the fact he has a toy rabbit is an amusing coincidence). The others are all entertaining as well - as are their female clients. They are effectively MOCKING the typical fangirl audience by flailing at everything the guys do, just as those real-life fangirls would. It's like an internal parody of the type of anime people might have expected it to be, and that I just have to applaud for the genius. If you're still not sold on the series, just watch the first episode and be sold on the sheer number of times you will laugh in those 25 minutes alone. Plus, any fans of Fruits Basket (especially Ayami!) will feel right at home with its brand of bishi characters sporting over-the-top personalities, and the substantial quantities of humour that accompany them.
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Post by Emily on Apr 17, 2006 14:17:21 GMT
I faithfully promise that I will watch at least the first episode of all the stuf you've reviewed this month...
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Post by stokerino on Apr 17, 2006 15:14:33 GMT
Except Disgaea. It's not worth your pain.
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Post by Emily on Apr 17, 2006 15:55:54 GMT
aw, i'd quite like to see just how bad it is for comedy purposes... is it worse than pokemon?
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Post by stokerino on Apr 17, 2006 16:41:06 GMT
Yes. Yes it is.
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Post by Emily on Apr 18, 2006 9:54:35 GMT
heeheehee, thats bad...
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Post by Ally on Apr 18, 2006 10:10:20 GMT
But it could be 'bad to the point of hilarious', like Daredevil...
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Post by stokerino on Apr 18, 2006 11:39:45 GMT
No. No it is not.
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Post by Emily on Apr 18, 2006 12:57:18 GMT
tough, its sparked my interest enough that I'll watch it whatever you say...
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Post by Crazydave on Apr 18, 2006 18:13:12 GMT
I suppose the first thing that I have to do is explain away the instant misconceptions you've inevitably taken from the picture. prettyboys, a bed of roses and an abundance of incredibly flouncy hair? no idea what you mean...
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Post by stokerino on Apr 19, 2006 13:07:25 GMT
Apparently 'term' is a more accurate translation from Japanese than 'semester', which I'm all for personally. Take that, Americans. [img src="http://www.animepaper.net:8080/upload/thumbs/wallpapers/School-Rumble/[small][AnimePaper]wallpapers_School-Rumble_JTsang_21202.jpg"]
SCHOOL RUMBLE : THE 2ND TERM
Episode 3 Love the little Harima picture, no? Very badass little episode this one, to culminate the 'battle' scenario. That people are in fact dying left-right-and-centre leads us to summarily conclude THIS IS NOT KOSHER-! Which really is a good thing since they can get in all the melodramatic Battle-Royale-esque scenes that they like. Tenma and Karasuma get a scene together that would be damn nice if it weren't for just how much Karasuma sucks... But enjoy the greatness that is the final showdown between Harima and Hanai (surrounded by fire, 'natch). It seems to me that the reason they've thrown in a big double-episode action extravaganza so early on in the series is to better acquaint us with some of the more peripheral characters that will presumably be taking a more active role in the episodes to come. I've already mentioned Shigeo and Madoka, but more of the same here (although, due to the sheer crapness that was the [Your-Dad]/[Your-Mom] fansubs, I don't actually remember any of their names quite yet. But then, they're not as memorable characters as 'Hareema' and 'Hamai' anyway. ). Yeah, I'd wait for Wannabe-Fansubs if I were you. They shouldn't be too long. Culture Festival up next. Those are always good.
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Post by Ally on Apr 19, 2006 13:28:31 GMT
I want to go to a real culture festival one day and see if they're actually as random (and if people actually take them as seriously) as in manga...
That would of course involve hanging around a Japanese high school for no apparent reason. I'd need to buy a dirty trenchcoat.
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Post by Ally on Apr 30, 2006 17:14:45 GMT
A question for Tim.
Ghost in the Shell: Innocence for £15. Worth buying? (I've never seen it but I've heard very good things about it)
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Post by stokerino on Apr 30, 2006 17:28:53 GMT
Ghost in the Shell is one of those anime that fall, irritatingly, into the 'Very Good If You Like That Sort Of Thing' bracket. I've never been especially fond of it, but I can see that it's of a good quality.
If you've seen and liked the first film, then Innocence will be a good buy for you. £15 is a typical price, with Play.com and Amazon.co.uk both selling it for only £1 cheaper.
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Post by stokerino on May 5, 2006 18:47:12 GMT
I would just like to add this as proof of how awesome The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya is. The first seven volumes of the mangas (upon which the anime series is based) currently hold positions #5 - #11 on the Amazon Japan bestsellers list. They are being beaten only by Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and various editions of The Da Vinci Code.
In my eyes the series is currently holding the nominal title of Best New Anime Series this season. Get it. Get it NOW.
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Post by Ally on May 5, 2006 21:24:34 GMT
I will once I've finished downloading Full Metal Panic (which is taking forEVER)
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Post by stokerino on May 5, 2006 22:08:57 GMT
Ooh, the original series/Fumoffu/The Second Raid?
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Post by Ally on May 6, 2006 6:17:11 GMT
The original, I'm WAY behind. The uni anime society gave me a sample episode at the start of the year and I loved it, but I've realised that their library isn't going to be up and running any time soon, so I got bored of waiting. ;D
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