I thoroughly enjoyed the Buu saga. A multi-faceted villian; several heroes playing their part in Buu's defeat, Vegeta's sacrifice and even though I have never been the biggest fan of Gohan and especially Goku, as Buu was seen as the end of the series, Goku defeating Buu was the right way to go.
The messing about with Gohan was just a blip on an otherwise entertaining landscape.
I dont really think they messed around with him as much in this saga, I mean by the end of it he was possibly the most powerful in the universe.
Gohan had taken time off, he wanted to be normal so he didnt train any more and on top of that he never figured that any other villain would threaten Earth again, seeing as there were no real ties to any left. Babidi just came out of left field and invaded the tournament to gather energy for Majin Buu''s resurrection.
When Gohan fought Kabito I think he was able to go SS2 which means that he was around the same power level regardless, but then of course he was drained of his power. So by the time he fought Buu he was weaker than before.
Also Buu had nearly limitless power, he was so much more powerful than Cell, and guys like Dabura that may have been on Cell's level were just weak in comparison. So Buu just raping Gohan made perfect sense.
Supreme Kai saw Gohan as his only hope and thus brought him to his world to make him Pull the Z Sword and make him the most powerful being in the universe. The Z sword was the DBZ version of the Sword of Superman, a sword that if Superman had fused with it would have made him all powerful and one with the universe. Sure it took a while for him to pull it, train with it, and then finally get Old Kai out to get the real training, but I felt that added drama.
Buu during this time had come face to face with beings that had achieved the ultimate level of Saiyan in SS3, so even for him to have trouble makes sense. However it took everything everyone had to simply get to this level, and it took a fusion to create it, so when you look at it it doesnt make him seem as weak. When Buu had finally survived long enough for them to finish he was ready for a new fight, one he was finally able to get from Mystic Gohan.
I dont think Mystic Gohan kicking his ass right away made him look weak at all, just look at how SS2 Gohan faired against Cell. He beat him brutally, Cell went full power and nearly blew up the planet, and Gohan still beats him with one punch. And while Buu is way above Cell the powers of Gohan and Cell are still comparative to back then.
Also we all know one of Buus powers is to absorb people, we find out more of a backstory later, but its totally withing his powers and character to just take advantage of absorbing everyone. So when Buu finally absorbed Piccolo and Gotenks it would make sense he could have been able to take Gohan.
Now I dislike that Gohan died, and that they ruined his character before the sage even started, but Toriama wanted to go a different way apparently, he wanted them to overcome the odds and be overpowered by Buu. Buu was so powerful he was even able to stop the spirit bomb and run with it.
What I feel he perfectly communicated in the final battle was desperation. They were going to die because kid Buu was so powerful, and he killed everyone that could help them. And even when Goku used the spirit bomb and tried to hold off Buu for the SS3 he still could do it, and in the end it took the Dragonballs(which is kind of like going full circle with the story) to recharge Goku just to beat him.
I felt that it was excellent overall, and its my second favorite arc.
I personally felt that the Cell saga was the weakest of the three main saga's in DBZ. The storytelling for the saga was great up until the Cell Games, theb rest of the saga was just crap.
What irk's me the most about the Cell Saga was that Cell was easily the most unique villain of the series, composed mostly from human and sayian cells. I always figured that if Bulma could design a remote control that could activate the bombs inside Andriod's 17 and 18, and restore Andriod 16 to perfect working order, then surely (if given the chance) she could have come up with some sort of wierd virus that would have royally fucked with Cell's body.
The second thing was Super Sayian 2; I felt felt it was unnecessary, and complete overkill for that part of the saga. Goku, as a super sayian, fought a pretty decent fight against Perfect Cell; odds are that if all the Z Fighters had just attacked Cell together instead of just fighting one on one, they most likely would have beaten him.
I've always felt that the Super Sayian 2 transformation would have better off debuting in the Buu saga, because by the end of that saga, even Super Sayian 3 became insect-like compared to the power of Super Buu.
What are you talking about? That Storyline (saga), I dare say so myself, was the best storyline in all of the Dragonball Z.
What irk's me the most about the Cell Saga was that Cell was easily the most unique villain of the series, composed mostly from human and sayian cells. I always figured that if Bulma could design a remote control that could activate the bombs inside Andriod's 17 and 18, and restore Andriod 16 to perfect working order, then surely (if given the chance) she could have come up with some sort of wierd virus that would have royally fucked with Cell's body.
The difference there was that Bulma had the initial designs of both Android 17 and Android 18. If you remember, Trunks and Krillin payed a visit to Doctor Gero's lab. It was there that Trunks found the designs of the androids. Unfortunately, there was nothing there that could help in taking down Cell. Besides, Cell being uniques was a good thing. Akira Toriyama did a hell of a job with him. Think about it. Akira had already dished out so many powerful enemies: Frieza, Ginyu Force, King Piccolo etc. Now what better idea could there be for a villian than to have one that has the power of all the Z-fighters and all the villians Goku has fought in his life after the destruction of the Red Ribbon army.
The second thing was Super Sayian 2; I felt felt it was unnecessary, and complete overkill for that part of the saga. Goku, as a super sayian, fought a pretty decent fight against Perfect Cell; odds are that if all the Z Fighters had just attacked Cell together instead of just fighting one on one, they most likely would have beaten him.
No. SS2 was so very nesessary. You say that if the Z-fighters would have just teamed up than they would have still beaten Cell. Im sorry, but that is just ridiculous. Tien, Krillin, Piccolo would never compare. Trunks and Vegeta didn't do much during the time Cell perfected himself. That only left Goku and Gohan. And as we all saw, Goku didn't stand a chance. Then came Gohan. The little kid that has stuck with the Z-fighters since the very beginning. It was since then that it was hinted that Gohan had some sort of hidden ability. Now what better way to show what it was than to have him become Super Saiyan 2?!
I've always felt that the Super Sayian 2 transformation would have better off debuting in the Buu saga, because by the end of that saga, even Super Sayian 3 became insect-like compared to the power of Super Buu.
I am not trying to come off as a "know it all", but the debut of SS2 in the Cell games Saga was perfect. Contrary to what some may believe, I like the fact that SS3 was revealed during the Buu Saga. Maybe it wasn't properly executed. But still, I rather enjoyed it.
I dont really think they messed around with him as much in this saga, I mean by the end of it he was possibly the most powerful in the universe.
Gohan had taken time off, he wanted to be normal so he didnt train any more and on top of that he never figured that any other villain would threaten Earth again, seeing as there were no real ties to any left. Babidi just came out of left field and invaded the tournament to gather energy for Majin Buu''s resurrection.
When Gohan fought Kabito I think he was able to go SS2 which means that he was around the same power level regardless, but then of course he was drained of his power. So by the time he fought Buu he was weaker than before.
Gohan did take time off but he started training again for the tournament and he trained in extremely stupid ways and it seemed as if his heart wasn't as in it as it should have been seeing as how he would see his dad again and probably wanted to impress him as always. Yes he was drained during his fight with Kabito but after that he was completely healed by Kabito thus restoring his health and made him stronger due to his Saiyan blood. The fight with Dabura proved it as he had enough energy to go to SS2 and fight evenly with Dabura over the span of the episodes and still had more than enough energy after their fight ended.
Also Buu had nearly limitless power, he was so much more powerful than Cell, and guys like Dabura that may have been on Cell's level were just weak in comparison. So Buu just raping Gohan made perfect sense.
It made sense but it could have been done in a better way than simply jobbing Gohan out at the first possible chance they got, they could have had Buu toy with Gohan only to have Buu pwn him right when Gohan becomes cocky showing them that it was nothing more than a game to Buu as opposed to the straight up rapefest that happened that was unenjoyable to watch. It may have seemed like what other villains have done in the past but Buu would have been much more childish about it.
Supreme Kai saw Gohan as his only hope and thus brought him to his world to make him Pull the Z Sword and make him the most powerful being in the universe. The Z sword was the DBZ version of the Sword of Superman, a sword that if Superman had fused with it would have made him all powerful and one with the universe. Sure it took a while for him to pull it, train with it, and then finally get Old Kai out to get the real training, but I felt that added drama.
The sword itself did add a great deal of drama to the story as it built up a level of mystery about it and brought a sense of importance back to gohan in that if he could master it he would be able to defeat Buu but Old Kai's training was ridiculous and did nothing but waste time. I could see if it was something dramatic like training Gohan's mind to deal with the unmeasurable power that was dormant within but instead they had him sit still for several episodes and then do other ridiculous shenanigans that we were supposed to believe was an ancient Kai potential unlocking spell of some sort.
Buu during this time had come face to face with beings that had achieved the ultimate level of Saiyan in SS3, so even for him to have trouble makes sense. However it took everything everyone had to simply get to this level, and it took a fusion to create it, so when you look at it it doesnt make him seem as weak. When Buu had finally survived long enough for them to finish he was ready for a new fight, one he was finally able to get from Mystic Gohan.
The main reason Goku had trouble IMO was that he did not have as much strength as he did when he went SS3 in the Otherworld. Goku didn't know that he could not remain in SS3 very long in the human world and seemed to gauge Buu's strength rather than go for the killing blow right away when it was obvious that Goku could have won. This transformation took out the remainder of Goku's day on Earth away from him and as such Goku was not able to fight Buu again til he had already absorbed Piccolo and Gotenks.
I dont think Mystic Gohan kicking his ass right away made him look weak at all, just look at how SS2 Gohan faired against Cell. He beat him brutally, Cell went full power and nearly blew up the planet, and Gohan still beats him with one punch. And while Buu is way above Cell the powers of Gohan and Cell are still comparative to back then.
They made Cell look weak at first but it was mainly Gohan's arrogance that kept him from making the killing blow and while the punch made him revert back to his imperfect form it did not kill him. It is hard to really compare how Gohan did against Cell with the Buu comparison because after Gohan pwned Cell he came back stronger than ever, crippled Gohan's arm, and had a hard fought kamehameha battle with Gohan before distractions from Vegeta and the gang and Goku's coaching gave Gohan the ability to win. If they had done something muhc more balanced it would have been more entertaining but we never see the balanced fight between Gohan and Buu that we did between Gohan and Cell.
Also we all know one of Buus powers is to absorb people, we find out more of a backstory later, but its totally withing his powers and character to just take advantage of absorbing everyone. So when Buu finally absorbed Piccolo and Gotenks it would make sense he could have been able to take Gohan.
Sure it is well within his ability to absorb people into himself but it was just unentertaining and uncompelling to see him job to Gohan only to see Gohan job out to him after he absorbs Gotenks and Piccolo, there was no middle ground as I've mentioned before. The least they could have done is let Gohan fight Buuccolo after the fusion had worn off and shown somewhat of a fair battle before that piece of Buuccolo absorbed him into his being. It just seemed to be nothing more than a device to bring back Vegeta while screwing the other characters.
Now I dislike that Gohan died, and that they ruined his character before the sage even started, but Toriama wanted to go a different way apparently, he wanted them to overcome the odds and be overpowered by Buu. Buu was so powerful he was even able to stop the spirit bomb and run with it.
Gohan's death was not necessary at all and Gohan nearly recovered from the shitty character development that they did to him during the high school/Saiyaman arc only to lose what little momentum that he had managed to gain by becoming mystic. Buu was definitely way too powerful, I just don't buy that a creature that was roughly as powerful as SS3 Goku could block an energy beam that contained every living being of Earth, the Namekians, and all of the powerful members of the Z-fighters, who should have been enough to destroy Buu by themselves considering Gohan's mystic abilities and the boys could have turned SS3 Gotenks to aid their dads.
What I feel he perfectly communicated in the final battle was desperation. They were going to die because kid Buu was so powerful, and he killed everyone that could help them. And even when Goku used the spirit bomb and tried to hold off Buu for the SS3 he still could do it, and in the end it took the Dragonballs(which is kind of like going full circle with the story) to recharge Goku just to beat him.
I felt that it was excellent overall, and its my second favorite arc.
Sure there was desperation and drama in the end battle but there could have been a better and more believable way to hold Kid Buu back from attacking the recharging/spirit bomb Goku than the obviously ridiculously weaker Vegeta and Fat Buu who was nowhere near as strong as any of his former selves. Other than Kid Buu simply toying with his victims I can't think of any reason why he could not have easily taken out both Fat Buu and Vegeta and not had time to spare before he easily defeated the spirit bomb forming/SS 3 recharging Goku. To me it just felt like a cop out and could have been written much better.
I watched an anime called Tekkoman Blade 2 a little while ago and it was pretty awesome.
The story takes place in the future after the events of the first series called Tekkoman Blade. The main characters are apart of a unit called Tekkoman and have mech-like battle armor.
The story is pretty good and action packed and the series takes place over the course of 6 episodes so its a pretty short series, but its good and worth watching.
I saw this before the original series and I have acquired the original series recently so I plan to watch and review it next.
So I Finally Finished the series Darker Than Black (Okay Not Quite, I Still Haven't Watched the OVA but it has no bearing on the series finale). For those of you who don't know, Darker Than Black is a series that sees Hei, the main character, work his way through several problems relating to Contractors (Who Are Humans Who Essentially Use Logic & reason Above All Else...Oh and They Have a Special Power Which They Have to Pay a 'Contract' For).
Anyway, the first part of the series, has various two part arcs which see rather minor characters as the focus, whilst we learn more about Hei & the other lead characters. That is until Amber enters the picture. Amber is the main villain (Well Sort Of) of the series and she and Hei have a past together that's rather touchy to say the least. Amber is a really interesting character, especially after her motives are revealed at the end of the series. Her Power & Contract are also very intriguing.
As We Gear Up for the final clash, the series ends it's old format of two parters and goes all out for a three part finale that shows the final conflict between Hei & Amber as well as the Syndicate & Contractors on a Whole. The revelations in this finale are rather heart-wrenching at points and it's a nice conclusion to the series.
The voice acting is top notch in this series, and FUNimation do a really good job, especially in letting lesser known actors take the lead roles, whilst the big guns (Sabat etc...) play supporting roles here. The animation is perhaps the series' biggest plus though. It's truly a flawless looking anime and really is beautifully done. Darker Than Black was a very enjoyable series that had a very good storyline, a compelling idea and recognisable characters.
I haven't commented on this thread yet, and Anime is something I like talking about.
My favourite's are:
DragonBall Z, Beyblade, Yu-Gi-Oh, Pokémon, Tenchi Muyo and Cardcaptor Sakura.
All of the above were featured on Cartoon Network, Toonami, CNX or Nickelodeon at some point and I loved every single one of them. DragonBall Z is my favourite because I grew up watching that, and since I stopped going to Yu-Gi-Oh tournaments in my local area, it's the only Anime I've actually stuck with.
Beyblade was legendary and I was probably the most avid collector and battler in my school at the time. I battled everybody and I think I only ever lost once, and it was because the guy I battled with had one of those Remote Control launchers, he whooped my ass. Rai and Kai were my favourite characters, maybe Tala during the end of the series before all the terrible G-Revolution shit came in.
Yu-Gi-Oh and Pokémon were the same through my eyes because they both took lots of my money with the cards, and I enjoyed playing them. The Anime's were epic aswell, the characters were immensely created and I never got bored of them. The new generation stuff like Yu-Gi-Oh GX and Pokémon Battle Dimension ruin the first Anime's and give them a bad name in my opinion. They don't do their predecessors justice whatsoever.
Tenchi Muyo and Cardcaptor Sakura were the more realistically designed Anime's I watched. The characters in them weren't super powerful or super ancient like DragonBall Z and Yu-Gi-Oh, they were more like real people. They were good Anime's to watch. I think Sakura was my first "anime-crush" aswell. Oh, come on. We've all had one when we were younger.
I don't like Naruto at all. The hype was too much and evidentially killed it. I haven't had chance to read any of the Manga so I can't judge it too harshfully; but the hype legitematelly killed it for me and didn't live up to the expectations. At first, Naruto looked like a rip off of DBZ because he looked exactly like Goku. Orange clothes, insignia's from tutor's and he had blonde hair. Lots of my friends agreed with me before the show aired.
They're my favourites anyway. I still watch DBZ though, I'll always like that.
Yes I'm reviving this thread. I actually just recently went back and re-watched all of Death Note. I stand by my claim that the manga is better (few would disagree I think) but damn the anime has some excellent strong points to it. A quick point I have to make, when I finished reading the Death Note manga, it basically consumed me for a day or so after. It really leaves you with a feeling of emptiness once you finish it. That shows that I truly was dragged into the story.
Now the anime has a lot going for it. It's animation is superb, the music is magnificent, the dubbing by Ocean is quality and it really does capture the feel of the series. It adds very little and only really cuts out the fat. It basically parallels the manga, almost exactly but it does add a little. For example, references to Christ & Judas are made in the episode Silence that weren't in the manga, but are neat touches. In fact most of that episode is new material. My point is this: It stays very true to it's source material and it pays off in the end.
Another good decision that the series takes is that it only dedicates 12 out of the 37 episodes to the second part of the manga. Essentially there is a big incident that occurs in the series (Some point in Volume 7 of the manga) which changes the direction of the series. For many, including myself, the new direction wasn't as interesting or entertaining as the previous arc. The executives, realising that the series began to wane here, clearly make a conscious decision to shorten that portion of the series down. Another excellent move.
From a production stand point, the series is phenomenal. made in 2006, the series looks crisper and newer than most classic series (DBZ, Trigun, Cowboy Bebop etc...) and actually, for what Death Note is, it pays off terrifically. The music is another excellent addition to the series. Playing off of more classical styles, the music really enhances the experience of watching the series. In fact, here's an example:
[YOUTUBE]ie9ftZpN9IY[/YOUTUBE]
This piece fits in terrifically with Light's character and really makes viewing it all the better. There are also a lot of gothic overtones in both the animation and the music, especially when it comes to the Shinigami & Kira himself.
[YOUTUBE]qVaH8m_WKOI&feature=related[/YOUTUBE]
L and those around him have more techno orientated music, showing off his character. The change of music also shows how Light truly doesn't fit in L's world and how different the characters truly are.
The acting is also top notch. Brad Swaile delivers a strangely likeable yet twisted character in Light Yagami to life and absolutely nails him. His acting, especially towards the end is terrific and he begins to truly excel whenever Light/Kira is under pressure, something that the ending showcases brilliantly. Alessandro Juliani (from Battlestar Galatica) is L, the other lead and pulls it off in brilliant fashion also. He voices a true detective, not a nerdy kid like L would appear, showing the enigma that is L in true fashion. Most of the cast is brilliant in fact but I do have a problem with Cathy Weseluck as Near. Personally I dislike Near anyway but her voice made me feel like Near was uninteresting and just plain dull.
Now as I've just mentioned, the series does have problems. It focuses on some rather trivial matters at times (See: 'I'll Take a Potato Chip...AND EAT IT!!!) and dedicates an annoyingly large amount of time to Misa, who I personally don't mind, but is focused on too heavily, especially in the second part of the series when she really does have a greatly reduced role in the manga. The biggest problem though is the ending. It's the main thing that differs from the manga. I personally feel it's a air bit weaker than the manga, which essentially showcases Kira in his full glory, whereas the anime turns him into a bit of a weakling, also altering the final meaning slightly as well.
Overall death Note is a terrific series. The manga is superior but the series is magnificent in it's own right and really is a masterpiece. Surely one of the best series of modern times, I give Death Note:
9.5/10
Next time in my quest to revive this thread: Trigun!
To be honest, Right before I went in to watching Dragonball Z, I had been watching Death Note. And really, by far, I rank it at the number 2 spot for best anime I have ever seen---best being the [entire] Dragonball series.
Anyways, I pretty much agree with Funkay on his review. But what also made this show very epic that I think Funkay forgot to mention was the mood. The mood of the overall show made you feel as if though this was a very sad and dark story. In a sense, the series focused on the dark sides of mankind ---craving power, killing, manipulating, wanting to change the world [with their own childish views]. Sure, the manga does this too; but the anime version puts a great amount of emphasis on these factors.
Usually, they would do this by the music set up in the background or the tone the voice actors would have for their given scene or scenes. For example, in the scene where Light and the others go to meet Near for the first time:
[YOUTUBE]y8abXgqZ8Uo[/YOUTUBE]
As we all should know, this particular scene symbolized the beginning of the climax for Death Note. Now one can clearly point out that the anime version made a great job on creating the mood so that it really drags the viewer (us) into the story. In the manga, this scene was reduced to only about 1 and a half pages. In contrast, the anime version was dragged out more with slow motion segments along with a great song in the background. There in by, creating the perfect mood for the scene. The way everything was pieced together made for a true “MTFO” moment that just had impact written all over it.
Overall, this show was epic and there really isn't many shows that can compete with it. The music, the voice cast, the art, the designs---everything----al of these qualities contributed to making the show be considered one of the greatest animes f all time.
Now as I've just mentioned, the series does have problems. It focuses on some rather trivial matters at times (See: 'I'll Take a Potato Chip...AND EAT IT!!!) and dedicates an annoyingly large amount of time to Misa, who I personally don't mind, but is focused on too heavily, especially in the second part of the series when she really does have a greatly reduced role in the manga. The biggest problem though is the ending. It's the main thing that differs from the manga. I personally feel it's a air bit weaker than the manga, which essentially showcases Kira in his full glory, whereas the anime turns him into a bit of a weakling, also altering the final meaning slightly as well.
Figured I'd make this into a seperate post. I am going to be having a great amount of free time in the next couple of days so I decided to counterargue one of your points if that's okay with you.
I tend to disagree on the bolded part. While we can all agree that the manga version of Death Note did have an epic finish, I tend to lean more towards the anime version having a better ending. The reason is because in the manga version, the way things ended was that Light gets shot; squirms a buit; then asks ZRyuk for help. Ryuk holds up his Death Note and begins to write down a name. Light believes he has won when in reality, he had lost---Ryuk had written Lights name in his note book and Light was made to look like a fool. Thus, ends the story of Light Yagami.
Now the anime version, in contrast, you have a longer version that better suited an ending for Death Note. The ending consists of Light getting shot; begging for help from Teru Mikami; Teru Mikami killing himself; leaving the perfect escape route for Light. Now as Light runs out of the warehouse [not knowing where to go], he runs for miles on end, reflecting on how it was that he came to be the way he was. In the end, he reaches [what I guess could be considered] another warehouse and lays down on a few stairs. The camera scene jumps to Ryuk where he gives one final epic speech and ultimately kills Light. The closing occurs when Ryuk is seen starring off into the sky as the camera looks up at the sky.
Here's a video of what I explained:
[YOUTUBE]sUB03THM1ig&feature=related[/YOUTUBE]
Now from my point of view, this was a much greater ending than that of the manga's version. 'Specially considering the speech that Ryuk gives in the end, it really gives off a real sad/emotional feel to the viewer as they stare off into the screen seeing how Light Yagami was defeated and now because of everything he tried to do, he ultimately wound up dying for his beliefs and his actions (hence, when Light is running and reminising about the past). The song playing in the background also adds an emotional appeal to the story creating the perfect mood. Sure, the manga version did somewhat the same thing; but the mood that was added to the anime made for a more EPIC version giving off a more impactful ending to the show, Death Note.
A quick comment about Death Note, I hated the second season. However I think it was a good showing of how Light went from attempting to be anti-hero who did what was necessary but not always right to full on villain.
I was still pissed that they made Meer out to be smarter then L.
I'm not really a big fan of animes but I do watch a few series now and then. My older favourites include Slam Dunk, Inuyasha, Kenshin, Rave.
I recently got into Hayate (watch it for the lulz) and Fairy Tail. (even though i feel it is a blatant imitation of One piece due to OP's success)
But my all time favourite is the short series Scrapped Princess. I highly recommend it for fans of the fantasy genre. The animation and music is of very high quality. Forget the English dubbing though, it is horrendous.
[YOUTUBE]LXdQsjSsEdg[/YOUTUBE]
Plot summary:
Pacifica Casull is the most feared and hated person by the followers of the God Mauser. Known as the Scrapped Princess, she is the poison that will destroy the world. To avoid being killed by the zealots of Mauser, Pacifica and her adoptive brother and sister leave the village of Manhurin. Her brother, Shannon, is an expert with the sword while Racquel is proficient with magic. At every step of the way, however, someone is constantly trying to kill Pacifica, hoping to somehow avert the catastrophe that is supposed to befall the world on her 16th birthday.
I'm not quoting your post because, quite frankly, I'm feeling quite lazy today, so I'll just address what I preferred about the manga ending to the anime ending of Death Note.
In the manga ending, the idea is to do two things:
1: Show that when you die, you die alone, and are brought into nothingness. The manga is very specific on this with the creators stating that they both meant that to come across strongly. Also, it ties directly into the start of the series with Ryuk's warning. That is neither mentioned nor even alluded to in the anime. The fact that L shows up to 'greet' Light to death somewhat ruins the idea of there being nothing in death.
2: The extra chapter at the very end (essentially One year Later) is supposed to show that Light actually got his wish and in fact became a God in a sense. Because he is worshiped by a large group of people, it makes him immortal, all powerful and essentially shows that he will indeed be remembered forever as a creature with divine powers; something that God himself is.
The anime really just seemed to try and force that Light had become a shell of his former self down our throats, when in the manga it seems a lot more powerful when he's simply grovelling and screaming at Ryuk and the Task Force.
I feel pretty lazy myself, and want to address FunKay's post without quoting anything.
First off: Great, great review. I love how you didn't spoil anything, so that people who haven't seen it can be swayed and watch it not knowing what's going to happen. One of the reasons I enjoyed the manga so much was BECAUSE you don't know who's going to win. You can root for your side, but not knowing the twists and turns makes for an extremely awesome, extremely suspenseful series. It's really a series I would recommend to anyone and everyone who likes crime dramas, thrillers, and...well, anything. It's the kind of thing that I've had people watch who usually don't like anime or shows of that genre, and they've loved it.
I much prefer the manga to the anime, in almost every sense. That said, both are FANTASTIC. The anime has some of the most beautiful, chilling, fitting animation I've ever seen in any anime I've watched. It's just...hard to look away, hard to stop watching, because it's such a treat for the eyes. Screencaps don't do it justice; it's the type of show one needs to watch in order to really appreciate.
I will say that I agree with the second half of the manga not being as enjoyable as the first, and that they tried to rectify this in the anime [Shortening the second half] and movies [cutting out that plot entirely] which was for the better. While the second half gave us some good characters, I just wasn't as interested in it as I was in the first half because the focus changed. I can't get into it too much here, because it'll spoil it, but anyone who's seen it understands what I'm getting at.
As for the anime/manga ending debate, I have to side with the manga, no question about it. The manga ending was pretty damn scary, chilling, hopeless. It also ruled beyond belief. It left you with a feeling equal parts emptiness and triumph. The epilogue was also incredible, and it really hammered in how hopeless some endeavors are. Just...awesome. It's another thing that I just can't describe properly and do it justice. The feeling you get when you finish the manga is unlike any feeling I have ever gotten with any work, the feeling that the story ended perfectly in the right place, and that there was no other ending that could have been better. The anime ending was great, but nothing, and I mean NOTHING compares to the manga ending.
Death Note is my second favorite TV show of all time, with only Cowboy Bebop surpassing it. Everything about it was perfect. Even the English dub was excellent! After the trainwreck that was Mega Man NT Warrior, to hear Ocean Group do such an excellent dubbing job on this restored my faith in dubs [Though Cowboy Bebop helped with that, too].
Looking forward to your review of Trigun, as that's also up there in my "Favorite Anime" list.
I watch Yu-Gi-Oh just for the reason that it was my favorite show as a child but it goes no where past the TV show because I dont really care for the manga
I like the eirlier naruto mangas but I find the newer ones ridiculous
I love Dragonball, Dragonball GT, Dragonball Z, and I have started to like Dragonball Z Kai even though I see no difference from the original
Dragonball Z is the best!
I have disagree with Doc on Death note Manga vs Anime. I prefered the anime due to-
1. The Ending.
Personally I hated the ending to manga. It seemed less sad, and more along the lines of pathetic when compared to the anime
2. Director's Cuts- The extra scenes in Re: Light- Visions of a God gave more backstory and even the hope of a reincarnation in the form of a Shinigami.
3. The Musical Score- Death Note's music gave life to the anime in a way I've never seen done before in any other Anime in history. From making a Japanese version of O Fortuna and an epic theme for each character, to Maximum The Hormone getting involved with the intros and the outros. The first and third factors are what makes Death Note's second half a bit easier to watch than it is to read. The second is just a bonus.
It's actually one of the few times I've enjoyed an anime more than I have the manga.
While I'm at it, I'd like to bring up a related topic with an anime that is very similar to Death Note in likability, and Character. Code Geass. Sort of a Versus for anyone that's watched both.
Death Note and Code Geass start out virtually the same. Byronic, Cool, and all around Lovable geniuses come across a mysterious God-like power, and then use it to try and dominate the world. A short time after they aquire it, the being that gave them the power shows up, explains how the power works, and becomes their partner in crime. Then the adventures begin.
One bonus is that I find C.C a bit sexier than Ryuk XD.
Now I know what youre thinking, typical. Someone promises something and they don't deliver, well I have to say I'm very sorry. I'm going to have to postpone my review of the series of Trigun. I'm truly very sorry but I've been sidetracked with a few other things. I can't promise it'll be next week but sometime within the next fortnight I'll try and post my review of the series. In the mean time, I've got another series done. Digimon - Series 1.
Now for of those you who don't know, Digimon was a popular childrens anime that centred around a group of chosen children who were plucked from their campsite and taken to a digital world. Sounds like an intriguing idea no? Well it gets even more interesting as these 'Digi-Destined' are each given a Digimon to accompany them of their journey. Slowly but surely the Digimon grow and Digivolve. As they journey together, the group of 8 grow closer and they bond with their Digimon. This is where things get a little nasty.
These Digidestined are supposed to save the Digiworld from the evil...and they run into a fuck load of evil. The series basically breaks down into several smaller arcs as the series introduces it's villains. The villains are in there own right one of the best things about the series. In some way or another they are bizarre parodies/homages to classic characters (both fictional & real). An example is Etamon, the second arc's villain who was purely brilliant as he was an Elvis impersonating monkey. To put it simply, the villains were original, comical and at points the best thing about the series.
[YOUTUBE]YHMZ0YxrVzQ[/YOUTUBE]
That video right there is the perfect example of Etamon, and pretty much most of the villains in the series. Some were nasty, some were funny, but they were all bad to the bone. The animation is basic as is the music. Neither is really noteworthy (though the Digimon theme itself was always a great listen). It's in fact probably the weakest aspect of the series. It looks incredibly basic. The designs of the characters are great, but bringing them to life was nothing special.
[YOUTUBE]MJvpOrzcGbI[/YOUTUBE]
The voice acting is another aspect that is mostly fairly plain. I'll give credit where credits due and the voice actors for the villains were nothing less than great. The Digidestined themselves are also well voiced, especially Joshua Seth as the lead Tai, Philece Sampler (the voice of Butters' mother in South Park) as Mimi (the ditsy blonde of the group) and Joe Kido's voice actor Michael Lindsay. Past that though, the voice acting is rather generic. I will also say that Leomon's voice actor, Paul St. Peter is also very good.
The story and the characters are really what keeps this together though. The story is incredibly well interweaved, that it by far surpasses most childrens TV shows and damn well makes this suitable for adults (some of the plot points are very dramatic and may even go over children's heads, not really a criticism but an example of why adults could watch this show). The arc's tend to get darker as the series goes on.
The series overall is a classic. It really is all about the quality of the plot and it's characters. Everything else takes a back seat. That's partially good and yet partially bad. In reality it hurts nearly as much as it helps. The series relies a little too heavily on that for a crutch. In the end it's a damn fine series that will be an enjoyable watch for many.
8/10
Next week I'll be discussing the first season of Yu-Gi-Oh! - the dub & the sub (that's IF I don't do Trigun).
Man, I loved Digimon back in the day. Just so much fun.
Anyway, I just got done watching a little OVA called Dead Leaves. It was...strange, to say the least. I had heard it was pretty crazy but no source I had would identify its genre (horror, action, comedy). I went into it not knowing what to expect.
As it turns out, Dead Leaves is a comedy about two people sent to prison and trying to get out. Seems simple, but it's not. At all. Imagine FLCL crossed with mental rape, on copious amounts of LSD. The animation is spastic and all over the place, and as a result is incredibly interesting and stylish. The dub is extremely funny - better than the sub, easily. Oh, have I mentioned that there's a sex scene, and a prisoner with a drill for a penis?
I really can't describe it, at all. Just know that you're going to be watching something very weird, but enjoyable as all get out. It was just so much fun, the whole thing.
Now, if you'll excuse me, my brain is going to go have a seizure in that corner over there.
About a month and a half ago I promised in this very thread that I would personally review the series Trigun. Now after a long delay, I finally got around to watching it's finale and writing this review. So let's get down to it:
Trigun is a series set in a future where the human race has migrated to a distant desert planet where a lone gunman of legend exists; Vash the Stampede! Despite being hated and feared in equal measure, Vash is actual our protagonist, and it is he who is the most compelling and complex character within the series. Vash's back-story is riddled with spoilers and is in fact pretty complex so I'll just say this; It's not only his reputation that's a lot more than meets the eye. Vash is a character riddled with so many twists that you'd think you were in a maze. A terrible analogy I know but it's about the most appropriate way to describe him. He is a man who follows the words of one individual. It's not God, but this person is divine to him; Rem. Rem is a character whose influence is far greater off screen than on it and it's better that way. Who she is is kept a mystery for a large portion of the series. is she his mother? His lover? His sister? His best friend? We simply don't know, and it brings a tremendous element of mystique to the series.
The other important protagonists are Milly & Meryl (A.K.A the Insurance Girls) and Nicholas D. Wolfwood, a preacher who has an unusual relationship with violence. Milly & Meryl provide both great comic foils but also excellent dramatic characters as well. Milly is a large woman in size and quite muscular. She is, on the surface, pretty ditsy, but she's no fool. Meryl is actually the one with the larger role and is the brains of the pair. She is Vash's main love interest, although he'd never believe you, and is almost the viewer themselves as she watches the entire 26 episode saga unfold right in front of her very eyes. Wolfwood, as I mentioned previously, is a preacher. He travels around attempting to raise money for an orphanage he runs, but he has a dark past. He also happens to have no problem pulling the trigger of a gun; something which seems un-natural for a man in his profession. Wolfwood is a very interesting character in that he disagrees with a lot of Vash's style/methods but his alternatives are viewed to be too extreme (at least at points).
The final piece of the character puzzle is of course the antagonists. Initially they come in numerous sorts and sizes, mainly assassins or bounty hunters out to get Vash, but this stops roughly 1/3 of the way through the series as we are introduced to Legato Bluesummers; a cold, dark man who has the power to control people. He is a puppet master of sorts and knows far more about Vash than most. He also happens to be the leader of a group known as the Gung-Ho Guns who serve as a gauntlet of sorts for Vash before reaching his final test in legato. However Legato isn't the true villain of the series. No that title belongs to a character by the name of Millions Knives. Knives ties directly into Vash's back-story but is far less complicated. I won't disclose any of the information about his past as it'll spoil a fair chunk of the series, but I will say this: The beef between Knives & Vash is way beyond personal. Knives is also tied to Legato, who views him as a God like figure.
The villains are also unfortunately tied to the biggest problem the series has; it's pacing. The beginning and end of the series are paced very, very well. The beginning is actually mainly comedy before finally revealing just how dangerous Vash is and why he's called the Humanoid Typhoon. The ending slowly, but surely unravels the final chapter in this story as Vash prepares himself for his final battle. The middle is paced poorly though. The series has limited constraints and because the star and end are unravelled slowly, the middle has to be crammed together and is actually quite confusing at points. At one point we see Vash's back-story with no explanation of why whatsoever and the timeline seems to get muddled up, as we jump from one point that was seemingly years ago to the present story. It's very annoying and pretty frustrating.
That being said, the story is very good. As I alluded to before, the series starts off pretty comedic but begins to get more serious in tone after 4 or so episodes. Trigun really kicks into high gear when it's not getting bobbed down telling Vash's back-story and telling a great story. Most of the episodes prior to Legato's appearance are about some sort of situation Vash finds himself in which leads to trouble and Vash using his own personal philosophy of love & peace. Milly & Meryl follow him around as they work for Bernadelli's Insurance company and have to keep track of Vash helping towns he visits recover from his devastation. The introduction Legato seems to kick things into high gear as we explore Vash deeper and probe further into why he does have a love & peace philosophy and just who Rem is. Like I said before, it's here that the pacing affects the story as well though. Legato's introduction also hashes out the plot more as well though and the series gets a darker edge to it, especially after the origin of Vash is revealed. This dark edge helps tremendously during the final, portion of the series as Vash reaches his own personal High Noon and comes ever so close to facing Knives & Legato. The emotion of the series also begins to shine through. There are two perfect examples that I want to show you, but I must advise: do not watch if you do not want the series to be spoiled:
The series' animation is actually very good. The series started in 1998 and while that shows, it actually seems to make the series better. The slightly more grittier style and older looking animation makes you believe that this is a story about the old west, which is the goal. It's something which doesn't limit the series like many would perhaps think. Trigun's sound is also astounding and is it's second biggest plus (behind it's characters). The music is perfect. Whether it be a slight violin or a loud guitar. The music is perfect. The closing theme is also a magnificent piece:
[YOUTUBE]P8jTH7ZDoSo[/YOUTUBE]
The voice acting is an interesting combination. Many of the voices are recognisable, especially if youre a fan of Digimon as a lot of the smaller roles are filled by the voice actors from that series. Joshua Seth, who I praised in my Digimon review, plays a young Millions Knives brilliantly, capturing the meticulous nature in his voice perfectly. Dorothy Elias-Fahn, another Digimon alumnus, plays Meryl very well, capturing her voice really well. Lia Sargent is equally as good as Milly and is also the voice director. Richard Cansino is tremendous as Legato as well, showing no emotion whilst in the roll, brining the character to life even more. The biggest plaudits must go to Johnny Yong Bosch, who some will know better as the Black Ranger from Power Rangers and others as Ichigo Kurosaki in the English version of Bleach. This is really his breakout roll as an anime voice actor and he plays Vash with brilliance. He executes the roll incredibly well and has a great range to play with, showcasing all his abilities.
To sum this up, the series is a true classic of the anime genre and is, in my humble opinion, a must see for all fans of this style of animation. Trigun has great visual and audio elements and it's got a heart of gold. It's dark and light in almost equal measures and pulls it off amazingly.
Now I personally felt this show was good. Some people say it was a DBZ ripoff but outside the spirit gun references it is not. Its humans vs. demons not humans vs aliens. Anyway all the seasons were good in the show with Yuske Yurameshi trying to comeback to life, fighting in the dark tournament, saving his rival's girlfriend from the Togoro Bros and last season with Sensui. Show had good plots, storylines and action. Its no DBZ but its still good for what it is. I hope one day they make al ive action movie and do it right.
Trigun was such an amazing series. Truly a classic. The humor is funny, the action is frantic, and the characters are so well-developed and likeable. I agree with FunKay's assessment that the beginning and ending are paced perfectly but the middle is rushed. However, that's a pitfall in anime only. In the manga, there is so much more going on and everything is stretched out. There were major subplots cut from the anime that are in the manga. I definitely recommend checking it out if you're a fan of the anime.
That said, Trigun is still one of the best series' I have ever seen. It may look a bit dated now, but much like Cowboy Bebop that adds to the charm and feel of the series of old. I suppose some anime is like a fine wine, and it only gets better with age. Great review, FunKay, and spot-on as usual.
It's time for an epic bump, and you know why? Because I want to gush about my new favorite television show.
Baccano! is an absolutely incredible anime series that you can catch for free on Youtube or on Netflix Instant. I've watched all 16 episodes from start to finish twice now, and as someone who gets bored easily even when watching something I like, it's quite the accomplishment.
I'll admit the first episode isn't very good. However, it's necessary because it establishes some characters and how the whole mess the series is about turns out. The second episode is really where the three stories that make up the series start and it just gets more and more brilliant from there.
Baccano is a story about immortal alchemists currently spending their days in the 1930s. Through the series we're introduced to more characters, some immortal and some not, and are taken through a tale of intrigue as two unaffiliated groups of gangsters try to hijack a train. I really can't explain the plot in words coherently, but trust me when I say that it has to be the most interesting and suspense-filled way to tell a story I've ever seen. There is nothing like that Eureka feeling you get when something in the plot suddenly makes perfect sense.
Everything about the show is awesome, from the character designs to the music to the story, and especially the English voices which have to be my favorite dub ever. I would never watch this in Japanese because the voices add a sense of realism to the whole thing.
My only complaint is that it can get really violent. Normally this isn't a problem but there are two scenes in particular that are really hard to stomach for me. The violence though is really just another big part of what makes the show so interesting.
I really want more people to watch this show. It's on Youtube, Hulu, Netflix, and of course DVD. For my sake, check it out. If you like action, great characters, and an interesting and intriguing story, you won't be disappointed. I'm willing to bet even people who aren't fans of anime would like this.
So yeah, look into it and give me your thoughts. It's not like it's hard to find.
Haha something tells me you don't like John Cena. I think that was fine tho...for Goku to be stronger than any other character (in DBZ or any other series) could ever reach. I rather liked it. Goku will go down in history as the "strongest" anime character that was ever created. .
Sorry to have bumped this thread since August but I really cannot stand posts like this. DBZ is a masterpiece, and nobody will try and despute that, but Goku and company are far from being the strongest anime characters. It's like saying that Superman is the strongest comic book character... it's just not true. This is the kind of thinking that ruined the first Battlezone tournament, and almost ruined the second. I don't understand why fans are so quick to label DBZ as the strongest anime ever.
I can think of several series of the top of my head that possess stronger chracters than those of the DBZverse; Saint Seiya, Bastard!, Sailor Moon, Digimon, Haruhi Suzumiya, and Tenchi Muyo just to name a few.
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