Anime Discussion (2021)

[ChrisIII]

It's funny which shows catch on with different markets. Despite the success of The Fast & The Furious films, Initial D just didn't catch on in America and Wangan Midnight never went there at all.

In the case of City Hunter, ADV should have brought that to the states in the mid 90s rather than the early 2000s (a dub would have helped too). I've been grabbing the blu ray sets from Diskotek and it's been nice to revisit it.

I think there was an attempt to translate the manga here too, but it also kind of fizzled out and it's near impossible to find.

ADV I think just went for the movies/TV movies rather than attempt to translate the 100+ TV episodes I guess. It's kind of weird, when I started up the first movie I remembered hearing the song from way back from ADV's ads, which usually just showed clips with music and no narration.

[AdamFTF]

I think there was an attempt to translate the manga here too, but it also kind of fizzled out and it's near impossible to find.

ADV I think just went for the movies/TV movies rather than attempt to translate the 100+ TV episodes I guess. It's kind of weird, when I started up the first movie I remembered hearing the song from way back from ADV's ads, which usually just showed clips with music and no narration.

The Initial D manga? It was translated, just not on paper. It's on ComiXology as a ComiXology exclusive.

[ChrisIII]

Oops, meant City Hunter.

[TheRay]

I have only ever gotten as far as the Trigun pilot, just rewatched it and it still mostly holds up from what I remember.
Love the idea of them only having a vague description of what Vash looks like despite hunting him down.

[Somecrazyaussie]

ADV I think just went for the movies/TV movies rather than attempt to translate the 100+ TV episodes I guess. It's kind of weird, when I started up the first movie I remembered hearing the song from way back from ADV's ads, which usually just showed clips with music and no narration.

ADV did do both series of Orphen. Combined that's about 47/48 odd episodes. So it's not like they were adverse to longer properties. Even if they only did one lot of series, I think that pivotal period in the 90s was the right time to bring City Hunter to the west. A few of us old otaku fans are in agreement on that. Each series has a set window in which it will catch on with audiences, I feel. That's one I feel came out at the wrong time.

[Somecrazyaussie]

The Initial D manga? It was translated, just not on paper. It's on ComiXology as a ComiXology exclusive.

Tokyopop released it up until volume 33 or something. Because I had a mate who was buying it and he was livid when Tokyopop went under. Comixology just finished it off.

What upsets me is they dubbed the recent movies with the funimation cast, yet they have about 18 episodes left from both the 5th Stage and Final Stage that need to be dubbed. Just wish they'd opted to just finish it off for us fans.

[ChrisIII]

Yeah, CH definitely seems like it owes a bit to late 80s/early 90s action films and shows. Ryo's outfit seems a bit like Miami Vice. There's also the whole "Will they or won't they?" subtext with Ryo and Kaori, which was big in sitcoms and dramas at the same time.

The second movie in particular is pretty much DIE HARD but on a somewhat larger scale. Ryo even jumps from the roof and breaks into a window floors below, although his outfit remains in much better shape than John McClane's.

I'm on the third season now. For some reason the picture quality isn't quite up to season 1 and 2 although the animation is pretty much consistent. Guessing it might be an older transfer or just didn't get the treatment the other two did.

Also watching Fire Force. For some reason I find it slightly similar to Evangelion (But way less depressing). Maybe all the different factions/agendas, the whole mystery of the lore, and the religious symbolism?

Also I'm guessing that since the manga's over and they've adapted the bulk of it already in two seasons there's probably only enough material for one or two more seasons I suppose.

[AdamFTF]

Quick update. I've cut Don't Hurt Me, My Healer, RPG Real Estate and Birdie Wing from my list. Birdie Wing seemed somewhat interesting, but I figured I'd only watch one sports anime this year and Aoashi ended up being the one that really caught my interest (maybe because I like soccer more than golf). One of the stranger additions to my list is Healer Girl, which is an odd musical show about girls who can heal injuries with their singing. Honestly, I've always been a bit fascinated with musical TV shows. Kids shows with music worked into the show aren't considered all that unusual, at least here in the U.S (not a majority, but not unusual). Look at shows like Alvin and the Chipmunks, Jem and Class of 3000, as well as a number of Jim Henson productions. Adult shows with music are often considered more of an oddity (Cop Rock, Smash, Galavant. The most successful was probably Glee, which was arguably aimed at teenagers). I don't know what it's like in Japan, but Healer Girl feels like something in between.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Quick update. I've cut Don't Hurt Me, My Healer, RPG Real Estate and Birdie Wing from my list. Birdie Wing seemed somewhat interesting, but I figured I'd only watch one sports anime this year and Aoashi ended up being the one that really caught my interest (maybe because I like soccer more than golf). One of the stranger additions to my list is Healer Girl, which is an odd musical show about girls who can heal injuries with their singing. Honestly, I've always been a bit fascinated with musical TV shows. Kids shows with music worked into the show aren't considered all that unusual, at least here in the U.S (not a majority, but not unusual). Look at shows like Alvin and the Chipmunks, Jem and Class of 3000, as well as a number of Jim Henson productions. Adult shows with music are often considered more of an oddity (Cop Rock, Smash, Galavant. The most successful was probably Glee, which was arguably aimed at teenagers). I don't know what it's like in Japan, but Healer Girl feels like something in between.

I’m also watching Healer Girl which I’ve so far found to be fascinating. As for sports anime, I’ve got two in the queue I’m currently watching, Birdie Wing (golf) and PureOre: Pride of Orange (hockey).

[bruceleegreyhulk]

Watched Thermae Romae Novae. I thought it was good and I never thought I would be hooked on anime about bathhouses and time traveling.

[TheRay]

Watched the pilot for Black Clover
Already I like the parallels from the manga.

[ChrisIII]

Gundam Channel has put up the "Lost" episode of Gundam up to promote the new movie.

[TheRay]

I can’t believe they never animated the scene in Naruto where he takes his revenge on some guy for picking on him. That probably would have made him look more like Gaara than they intended, though.

[Robotech Master]

I can’t believe they never animated the scene in Naruto where he takes his revenge on some guy for picking on him. That probably would have made him look more like Gaara than they intended, though.

Early installment weirdness isn't uncommon in a lot of long running manga.

There's also a scene where Sasuke wonders if Kakashi had something to do with the Uchiha massacre, because in the earliest days the whole Itachi thing had not been invented yet and the massacre was an unsolved mystery; but this was retconned by the time the anime came along so of course that wasn't animated.

[TheRay]

I can't imagine them making the conscious decision to leave that out, but keep all the stuff about how big of a loser Jiraiya is.