That’s what I’m here for. Seriously, I actually wrote that after watching Kemonozume - I gave up on it originally after the “ero” episode, watched Kaiba, was blown away, pretty much decided what I would later put down on paper - then thought “no, you really ought to give both series a chance”, went back, watched Kemonozume, decided I was right after all and felt like setting it all out in a review. Parts of his first series are absolutely fantastic; when Yuasa’s on top form with a great studio behind him he is way, way up there and Kemonozume on top form is riveting stuff. But it does go off the rails at episode #7, never quite gets back in gear, and the climax just throws too much narrative good will out of the window. Kaiba’s weird and playful and surreal, too, but it never loses sight of the story. They’re both worth watching but Kaiba’s a goddamned masterpiece that everyone who’s even vaguely broadminded about animation ought to have seen by now.
Eight Rooks, I don’t even know what you’re talking about but I’m dying to find out (preferably before that Peter guy from Ghibliworld.com beats me up for being an ignorant git)!
Are there English friendly-releases out for these or do I need to get creative?
Kaiba isn’t listed as having English subs on YesAsia, and unfortunately I doubt I could drop that kind of money on it to find out even if I weren’t broke and unemployed. YesAsia doesn’t seem to list Kemonozume but PlayAsia says the DVDs do not have subtitles.
No I didn’t, and I thank you for both mentioning it and linking to it in your earlier post.
I’ve had computer troubles at home which made it impossible to access Twitch from there. This post is written on the sly from another location.
It’s working on and off though, but the moment this works I’m moving your Kaiba review to the main page. Again.
Not my area of expertise, but FLCL is mighty boss. And I’ll throw in another nod for PERFECT BLUE. Will be checking out some of the other recommendations myself…
Heh, thank you, Ard. If someone else gets anything out of my banging on, that puts a smile on my face…
I just wanted to keep writing (for the practice as much as anything else) and most of what I’ve posted here - most of what the staff have actually put on the front page - was anime-related, so I thought what the hell. Plus Kaiba deserves the attention. Dunno about anime being my area of expertise either, but I’ve watched a fair bit and I like to think I can tell the good stuff from the countless generic harem or fighting shows. Not that there’s much airing currently that’s worth following, though, as far as I’m concerned… Eden Of The East is probably the only thing the fansubbers are putting out which really excels. (First thing from Production IG that’s won me over in quite some time, too, though that’s another story.)
EDIT: Oh, and for any fans of FLCL - be sure to try the manga as well if you get the chance. It’s only two volumes and for my money it’s even better. Beautiful art (even if Tokyopop printed the colour pages in black and white) and a far more bittersweet take on the story - it’s essentially the same narrative, but casts some events in a different light and the ending (while open to interpretation) is very new.
Naruto
Code Geass
Death Note
Witchblade
Bokurano
Claymore
Darker then Black
Heroic Age
Kishin Taisen - Gigantic Formura
Seto No Hanayome
Skull Man
Sola
Inukami!
Ghost Hunt
Thats some good recent series , check http://www.animenfo.com its got a good
top 100 series list which has a good recommended list of things to watch
i liked ergo proxy to some extent, but the pretentious philosophy stuff annoyed the hell out of me. maybe being an actual philosophy grad student got in the way of enjoyment. also some of the characters sounded a bit affected.
i’d love to watch kaiba if it were available at all.
Berserk
Now and Then Here and There
Ninja Scroll
Blade of the Immortal
Basilisk
FLCL
Sword of the Stranger
Blood: The Last Vampire
Escaflowne: The Movie
Samurai X
Bought some anime on BluRay, and the UK version of “Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence” looks absolutely amazing (and sounds terrific too). One of the best discs in my collection and dirt cheap (I paid 8 GBP).
I couldn’t believe it: a Manga UK GitS title that wasn’t screwed up?
Maybe the fact that it starts with a Madman Australia logo has something to do with that…
I have the US release of GITS2 on Blu-Ray and wasn’t terribly impressed. I wonder if the UK version is different. I did like GITS 2.0 on Blu-Ray though, looks nice on my new Samsung.
Seriously, I actually wrote that after watching Kemonozume - I gave up on it originally after the “ero” episode, watched Kaiba, was blown away, pretty much decided what I would later put down on paper - then thought “no, you really ought to give both series a chance”, went back, watched Kemonozume, decided I was right after all and felt like setting it all out in a review. Parts of his first series are absolutely fantastic; when Yuasa’s on top form with a great studio behind him he is way, way up there and Kemonozume on top form is riveting stuff. But it does go off the rails at episode #7, never quite gets back in gear, and the climax just throws too much narrative good will out of the window. Kaiba’s weird and playful and surreal, too, but it never loses sight of the story. They’re both worth watching but Kaiba’s a goddamned masterpiece that everyone who’s even vaguely broadminded about animation ought to have seen by now.
