[thechat] Hi,

[Ben Dyer]

On Thursday, Jan 15, 2004, at 08:13 US/Central, Luther, Ron wrote:
> That Radical Bender dude (aka 'MISTER Anime') tossed out yet more 
> tempting
> tidbits about shows generally available and (alas) those that are not:

"Mister Anime"...I'll have to file that away...

> Hmmm ... maybe it's the character 'depth' then that I find different
> between Dual! and Tenchi.  Maybe it's kind of slight ... kinda like
> 16-bit versus 15-bit. Tenchi *did* have some engaging moments, but I
> also think there were long stretches where the characters came off as
> being a bit 'flat' or _too_ stock. [The influence of the constraints
> on the art form can be interesting in and of itself.]

I can see that.  A lot of people have seen these kind of characters in 
anime before, but Tenchi Muyo! was one of the earlier titles to use a 
lot of those stereotypes (so, I guess I'm more forgiving).  The first 
and third Tenchi movies (Tenchi Muyo! in Love and Tenchi Forever) did a 
good job of capturing a lot of emotion that was missing at times from 
that first series.

On a side note, in addition to the list I banged out before, I also 
checked out the first episode of the new Area 88 TV series and posted a 
review of that to the anime blog (overall verdict: too early to tell, 
but could be good).

>>> Gunslinger Girl
> Saw a short review - it sounded good. I'll be keeping an eye out for 
> it.

For something of a preview, check out the manga, too.  I got my copy at 
Borders.  This title might be licensed already.  If it is, look for it 
late this year or early next, depending on when ADV might announce it.

>>> Naruto
> Been hearing a little buzz. Hadn't listened much. Will pay closer
> attention.

Well, it's a typical shonen fighting show in some regards (at least two 
episodes per fight and everyone just kind of stands around while the 
opponent explains his life story), but it's often quite clever and I 
just love the characters.

It'll be on TV soon enough.  Hopefully, it will be picked up by a 
company who will *not* be interested in butchering it (like Yu-Gi-Oh 
and Shaman King).

>>> Planetes
> Oh Man!  Space Garbage Collectors? ... I think I _have_ to have that 
> one!
> Okay - it's on 'the list'. [Dang ... I may have to start selling off 
> the
> old ones!]

Ooh, ooh.  If this interests you, check out the incredible manga which 
is out now from Tokyopop (two volumes are out now, I need to scrounge 
up some spare change and buy the second).  It's very close to how the 
series feels.  You can find it at your friendly, neighborhood Borders.

>>> Read or Die: The TV
> Whew! Had my fingers crossed that it would be okay. That's good news.
> I will continue to wait for that.

Well, it's certainly *different* from the original.  I'll say only that 
much because I really don't want to spoil things (except to say that 
the world has changed...significantly).

>>> Azumanga Daioh - will be out on DVD in the Spring.
> More good news ... I've been listening to you and others rave about
> this show.

ADV put up an official web site for it a few weeks ago:

<http://www.advfilms.com/titles/azumanga/>

It features a trailer, but not much else.

> Psssst: - Is the Nadesico movie any good?

Haven't seen it, myself, but I've never really heard any good words 
said about it, even from the most die-hard of Nadesico fans.  The art 
is different, the mood is different, the characters are different (and 
act different) and it apparently turned out as a third- or fourth-rate 
sci-fi title.  Basically: big disappointment.

> Who has turned into a bit of an anime lending library ...

Heh.  That tends to happen.  My friends have about ten of my DVDs right 
now...  I'm trying to push them through Nadesico.

> I'm currently waiting for my son-in-law to return my 'His and Her 
> Circumstances' ... so *I* can watch it!  [I was up to about episode 7 
> or so when my son-in-law returned my 'Boogiepop Phantom' ... His wife 
> didn't like it. {Goober! I told him when he borrowed it that she 
> wasn't going to like it.} Anyway, I lent him 'His and Her' because 
> it's a "chic flick" series that I think his wife will really like and 
> hopefully keep him out of the doghouse.]

Ah, Kare Kano.  I'm reading the manga of that now, too.  Since the 
anime went all weird at the end (well, not weird, it just stopped 
really) and the manga kept going, I want to find out what else happens. 
  It's a wonderful story, though - there is no better romance in anime, 
I think.  All the other romance anime end up really cliched, but Kare 
Kano is really original and each and every one of the characters is 
wonderful in their own right.

But, yeah, Boogiepop Phantom...not exactly family material. :)  Also 
not family material?  Berserk.  Not exactly a "date" anime.  :)

--Ben

--------------
Radical Bender
http://www.radicalbender.com/