Ouran is one of those shows that I enjoyed more as a random comedy rather than as an actual story arc, since the ending felt like kind of a letdown compared to everything else. Overall, it's just the kind of show that I can watch once and enjoy but wouldn't really want to rewatch.
Although the Weasley twins were awesome, so I'll give the series credit for that.
Now that the week has ended, I'll spend this one choosing the anime that fits our wishes. We won't be discussing it until December, but I will name it next week so you can look for it and watch it at your leisure.
For this week, we're going with a broader topic that everyone probably has something to say about:
Every medium has its fair share of character archetypes, but anime and manga have quite a lot of the ones you don't see anywhere else. What is your attitude about archetypes in anime and manga? Do you have any favorites? Or do you hate some with a passion? How do they affect your opinion on the titles they're in?
I'll post my thoughts about it later this time, probably tomorrow.
For this week, we're going with a broader topic that everyone probably has something to say about:
Every medium has its fair share of character archetypes, but anime and manga have quite a lot of the ones you don't see anywhere else. What is your attitude about archetypes in anime and manga? Do you have any favorites? Or do you hate some with a passion? How do they affect your opinion on the titles they're in?
I'll post my thoughts about it later this time, probably tomorrow.
Umm... is too late to renew my membership? T_T Work has been a killer (though fortunately I am a few steps closer to reviving my own PC so I won't have to use the highly-restricted family ones).
However, I really wanna answer that question. Frankly, I generally love archetypes but that's just simply due to how sick I am of archetypes in other media. Heck, the closest thing I have to hate would be this alpha male reaction I get to bishounen. And by alpha male, I don't mean Expendables material. More like just imagining myself as another rival bishie character that is just as capable of kicking the main character's butt as well as that of his main rival. To illustrate my point, look no further than Gaara (yes everyone, I am still a Narutard. :P) I also get tired of those male harem leads that tend to be losers but then again, they're still good comic relief. Plus, there's this trend I'm noticing where many of them are no longer as wussy in the beginning and only get more bishie-like in the end. (Example: Kirito from SAO)
The only real exception would be troll characters. And, seeing as my avatar is still a BB character, I would cite Hazama as my example.
God I hope he dies... horribly, full of regret, and having no last word other than expressing bewilderment of finally being out-trolled (think of his gag reel from Continuum Shift except more serious). Characters like that deserve no sympathy. Just death. Period.
Speaking of which, I believe I've quoted somebody on how a lot of PWs resemble popular anime archetypes. I'd post it again but I don't wanna be repetitive (still a fun thing though. XD)
Now as for archetypes I really love, I can instantly name a few. One would be anti-heroes. I know they come in different stripes but I always see myself in a lot of them. Both Alucard and Anderson from Hellsing come to mind right now. I have strong sympathy towards emo-types as well. People like to diss characters such as Cloud Strife or even Riku of KH and it gets irritating. It's not like every depressed guy with regrets ends up like a certain idiotic Uchiha.
As for female ones, I am an absolute sucker for Ingenues (Hinata from Naruto, Shinobu from Love Hina, Azmaria from Chrno Crusade, Nodoka from Negima, Karen from Onegai Twins, and even Asia from Highschool DxD). Call them annoying all you want but if I were to marry a real woman, I would marry myself an ingenue. Cute. Helpless but with potential. And best of all, they make guys feel like doing something good. Other female ones I admire would be those of the Joan-of-Archetype cut (e.g. Saber, Jeanne etc). Not so much romantic as great respect, even rivalry. (Heck in terms of my religion, she's the one knight and saint a spellcasting nut like me would serve.) Tomboys get points in my book too, especially tsunderes. Action girls are another archetype I wouldn't mind going head to head with.
Dominating goth-lolis on the other hand... intimidate me. I say intimidate. I will not say scared. Nope, they do not scare me. Uh-uh. Not at all. Especially vampire ones. Nope, nadah. You don't scare me little miss prim-and-pomp-*feels tap on shoulder*
*gets the concussive slap of a lifetime... again*
Okay, so where was I? Oh, look I'm seeing stars. I guess that's all I got right now until I screw my head back on and blab some more. >_>;;;
I do not mind archetypes in anime, mainly because they exist in any type of media, and provides for some guidelines when designing or writing about certain characters.
However, I do have preference for more "interesting" archetypes. By that I mean types of characters that generally have more complex personalities or ones that are harder to predict.
This is why I find archetypes like Tsunderes, shounen heroes, and harem leads boring - they tend to be more one dimensional and easy to predict. Basically, there is less design space there for these characters to be interesting.
On the flip side, the yanderes and manipulative archetypes I really enjoy, as it's interesting to try and match their thought processes. Plus, you never know what they could do at the next moment, which would probably make life more interesting for me. Intelligence is what I look for in characters, mostly.
Although, I also have a soft spot for the Yamato Nadeshiko, and the quiet bookwork types. The former because I appreciate the strong will and dedication displayed by a single person, and the latter because they tend to make for the strongest potential character development.
As for whether I'll actually hook up with a Yandere in real life... well, they don't really exist, but I'll entertain the thought.
Umm... is too late to renew my membership? T_T Work has been a killer (though fortunately I am a few steps closer to reviving my own PC so I won't have to use the highly-restricted family ones).
Never too late for that!
The "Bishounen" type that you're describing isn't really an archetype, it's just bad writing. Gary Stu, if you will.
Troll characters make for some entertaining villains, even when they're doing something horrible to the characters you love. In BlazBlue, it's made a bit less jarring because of the whole multiple endings thing. And I find Hazama's voice acting amazing both in JP and EN versions.
Speaking of BlazBlue, Chrono Phantasma is out in Japanese arcades, and I've been spending a lot of time on Dustloop writing down various Bullet stuff. She's looking amazing, and I think I'll have to main three characters from now on. At least she doesn't seem to be that difficult to learn.
Troll characters make for some entertaining villains, even when they're doing something horrible to the characters you love. In BlazBlue, it's made a bit less jarring because of the whole multiple endings thing. And I find Hazama's voice acting amazing both in JP and EN versions.
Oh I don't need think they need to be removed completely. They have a role too. Call me old-fashioned though but I'd rather they just get everything handed back to them without so much as a last word or last laugh. It's bad enough that I've had real life trolls get away with doing a lot of crud.
This week has been even more busy than the last one, so sorry for taking so long to speak on the topic. Consider it an experiment about my answer influencing the activity of the thread. I'll still try and write some ideas about it, but not today.
I've decided on the anime we're going to watch and discuss together: it's Perfect Blue, one of many masterpieces of late Satoshi Kon. It is the only work of Kon that I still haven't watched, so I'm looking forward to discussing it with you guys. It's going to be the weekly topic two weeks from now, so (re)watch it by then.
This week, I'd like to talk about music. Who is your favorite anime composer? Do you listen to their music outside of the series it was used it? Does it match your general musical taste? How much does it influence your opinion on the series?
Too sleepy to answer this right now, but I will certainly speak on this one.
This week has been even more busy than the last one, so sorry for taking so long to speak on the topic. Consider it an experiment about my answer influencing the activity of the thread. I'll still try and write some ideas about it, but not today.
I know someone else in my circle who thinks the same as Kirito but I can't say I agree. I thought Gary Stus tend to be cut from the same cloth as mainstream archetypes. He never struck me that way when I finally got bit by the SAO bug.
This week, I'd like to talk about music. Who is your favorite anime composer? Do you listen to their music outside of the series it was used it? Does it match your general musical taste? How much does it influence your opinion on the series?
I must confess, I do not prefer any composer and tend to encounter a lot of my music via anime and video games. But when it comes to general taste, I tend to like anything that fits a particular scene (fight scenes especially). Heck sometimes I listen to one piece known for a particular scene and play a similar one in my head only with my own creations.
This week has been even more busy than the last one, so sorry for taking so long to speak on the topic. Consider it an experiment about my answer influencing the activity of the thread. I'll still try and write some ideas about it, but not today.
Sorry, I have not been posting as much as I wish I could. I had some issues with my desktop for the past two weeks, and have just finished it today. But I am back and hopefully posting on a more regular basis. Anyway I would like to say that everyone hating on Kirito is just mad because he's really just a true alpha MC, he always wins every fight, usually easily, he gets all the girls, and he looks awesome doing it. I've been watching SAO since episode 1 came out and have been a huge fan.
I've decided on the anime we're going to watch and discuss together: it's Perfect Blue, one of many masterpieces of late Satoshi Kon. It is the only work of Kon that I still haven't watched, so I'm looking forward to discussing it with you guys. It's going to be the weekly topic two weeks from now, so (re)watch it by then.
I will be honest and say that I have never seen any of Satoshi Kon's works. Going into this uninitiated, I am looking forward to it. I will come back to the topic when I have finished the series and obtained my first thoughts on it.
This week, I'd like to talk about music. Who is your favorite anime composer? Do you listen to their music outside of the series it was used it? Does it match your general musical taste? How much does it influence your opinion on the series?
Too sleepy to answer this right now, but I will certainly speak on this one.
I really enjoy the work of Yuki Kajiura, especially on Fate/Zero, Madoka, and Tsubasa. Music greatly influences my feelings on a series, and she is truly fantastic. Fate/Zero had one of the best scores of any anime ever in my opinion. I also enjoy Kotaro Nakagawa's work in Code Geass, and Shiro Sagisu is one of the great composers of our time in my opinion. I constantly listen to anime music in every day life. His work in Bleach is prolific in my opinion, and some of the greatest scores of the past 20 years have come out of the man.
This week, I'd like to talk about music. Who is your favorite anime composer? Do you listen to their music outside of the series it was used it? Does it match your general musical taste? How much does it influence your opinion on the series?
I'm a bit weird when it comes to this. Basically, two series that I remember watching as a kid that had me going "holy crap this music kicks ass" were Revolutionary Girl Utena and .hack//SIGN. The music in both series made a pretty good impression on me, and I still listen to it just as music to this day (more so Utena than .hack//SIGN though). My general musical taste is all over the place, mind you, so I have favourites in multiple categories.
Also, I don't know if Touhou counts, but I listen to Touhou music quite a lot, so yeah.
Anyway I would like to say that everyone hating on Kirito is just mad because he's really just a true alpha MC, he always wins every fight, usually easily, he gets all the girls, and he looks awesome doing it. I've been watching SAO since episode 1 came out and have been a huge fan.
I know rite? I mean I really don't get why people bemoan cliches when the cliched main harem lead is usually:
1. Stupid.
2. Weak.
3. Hopeless with girls.
4. Is still flawed despite character development.
Characters like Kirito are the opposite of all four. I think I've seen plenty of harem situations to see this is a trend breaker (which is a good thing).
Just remembered that I haven't watched another one of Kon's works, which is Paranoia Agent. My backlog is way too big for my own good.
There aren't that many anime composers which I recognize right away, or that make me say "Okay, now I have to watch this" when I read the staff names. Most of the time, it's the singers and their OP and ED themes, with my favorites being Kawada Mami, KOTOKO, and especially Kanako Itou. The background music is a bit more difficult to appreciate, since you got the whole action thing going on in the foreground. I still enjoy the works of Yuki Kajiura, Yoko Kanno and Susumu Hirasawa, but they are few and far between.
And then there is Taku Iwasaki. His tracks might as well be proper characters, since they have as much presence. Be it tribal vocals, techno rhythms or orchestral pieces, he got it all, and he's never afraid of trying something new. If I had to choose a single favorite composer, he'd be the one, no doubt.
Speaking of Iwasaki, the first arc of JoJo has ended, which means that we're getting to the second one next Friday/Saturday. It's considered to be one of the best in the whole 25-year history of the series, and for a good reason. And I'm glad that the anime will do it justice with the direction (which has been the strongest point of part 1), the voice cast (they even got Tomokazu Sugita as Joseph Joestar!), and, of course, the OST by Taku Iwasaki. This is going to be one long week...
As a college student without a job, I don't have the money to afford most of the products I would like to own. I do purchase the occasional manga when I can, but I would enjoy being able to own entire series, like Air Gear.
I saw Perfect Blue once at a con years ago. Staff allowed adults-only due to some nudity. Watching with a live audience was hilarious. I don't think I'd enjoy watching it again alone.
I have Paranoia Agent on DVD. I don't recall watching any of his other works beyond these two.
I'll also vote for Yuki Kajiura as a great composer. I first heard her music in Noir. I recently enjoyed her music from Madoka Magica. Other series graced by her music include Madlax, .hack//SIGN, and Mai-Hime.
I spend more on anime-related merchandise than I do on Magic. I recently bought the Rio x Tasuku Yuyuduki Collaboration Blanket for around $50 (it was on sale).
Air Gear is a fun series. I think Funimation added it to their SAVE line, so it's as cheap as it'll ever get at retail.
"A rich man thinks all other people are rich, and an intelligent man thinks all other people are similarly gifted. Both are always terribly shocked when they discover the truth of the world. You, my dear brother, are a pious man." - Strahd von Zarovich
I need to remind myself to borrow/buy/download Deep Blue.
I do spend some money on anime merchandise, but not many as I really think hard before making a purchase to see if I can justify my spending. I have exceptions such as characters I REALLY like, or just awesome products that are not likely to see similar release down the track.
Just threw down almost 6,000 yen on this beauty of a playmat.
Do you buy any anime-related merchandise? What is your latest purchase? How much money do you spend on it?
I don't really buy anime merchandise anymore now that I'm a poor college student whose disposable income can't support both that and Magic, but back in the day I kind of went full weeaboo. In addition to several manga series, I have more Gundam models than I care to admit (including a PG Strike and Gundam Mk II), as well as a few assorted posters, figures, plushies, and other odds and ends. Most of which are in various boxes at the moment since I didn't feel like unpacking them after my last move.
Long ago, I bought this bunny figure of Izumi Sawatari (He Is My Master). It was at a pretty cheap discount too. Sadly, some stupid rat knocked it over and the stub that keeps it on the stand is broken. Nuuu!! Vermin! DX Other than that, it's still in decent condition. I also have a few chibi figurines of girls from the Navel visual novels (e.g. Shuffle!). Rats kinda got to them too but they're not a total loss yet. Third would be my Gashapon figure of Suzumiya Haruhi in a bikini (could've gotten Mikuru but nooooo... had to be miss God-In-A-Girl-Bod T_T). Another figurine I've got is this girl from Sgt. Keroro but whose name escapes me (she's got a black ponytail). I've actually been taking her out and putting her on my desk.
Finally, there's this Gundam I won in a raffle. (Oh one of luckiest days of my life. ;w; ) However, as my house is even smaller than my office, I can't find a safe place without the risk of more rats coming in. =.=
All in all, my current collection comprises of gifts from Lady Luck with a few cheap decorations on the side. q:
Next year though, I have decided to change that a bit and plan to buy.... THIS! *w*
(My first Nendoroid!! >w< )
Speaking of which though, I've been dedicating myself to really getting more stuff to read and follow ever since previous ones I've had already ended. So far I've caught up with Busou Shinki, starting on Sakurasou, halfway to catching up to Magi and I might probably go catch up where I left off with Medaka Box too.
As for current series, I'm surprised that Naruto hasn't updated yet. >_>;;; The latest SAO episode was just as I predicted. (Poor Sugu-chan. ;w; ) And while it may not be anime, subs for Kamen Rider Wizard 13 are finally out. (About time! DX)
I just finished Toradora. To say the least, my expectations were blown completely out of the water. It was a fun and enjoyable school life anime, within one of my top 5 for fun factor alone. Add in the over the top antics you don't always get, some great drama, high tension moments that other series can't really deliver on, and some of the most feel good moments in anime ever, I cannot believe this anime does not receive even more hype. Coming off the back of a 12~hour period in which in between breaks, eating, etc. I watched the entire series, I may be coming off of a high for it. I would like to revisit my thoughts on it at a later point, but while it's all still fresh in my mind, I figured I would put something down. The characters didn't feel cookie cutter at all, and were all exceptionally done and thoroughly fleshed out in the main cast, although Minori was IMO the least well explained, although that could be due to the fact that she is a character with a penchant for weirdness to say that least. Kitamura was probably my favorite character, but the entire cast performed admirably, and I can't think of a moment/arc that really disappointed. Easy 5/5 from me, would watch again, and probably plan to do so within the near future at my leisure if I can touch up the video quality.
Long ago, I bought this bunny figure of Izumi Sawatari (He Is My Master). It was at a pretty cheap discount too. Sadly, some stupid rat knocked it over and the stub that keeps it on the stand is broken.
A few years ago I bought a used figure of Mitsuki Sawatari (http://myfigurecollection.net/item/23105) on a deep discount. It looks like something similar happened to the stub that keeps her foot on the stand. The previous owner probably used some combination of glue and a screw to affix the figure to the stand. It works since she doesn't fall over and the screw is only visible from underneath the stand.
Next year though, I have decided to change that a bit and plan to buy.... THIS! *w*
I own a few nendoroids. I met some people who are into doing figure photoshoots (taking anime figures outdoors and shooting photos of them). Since these things aren't cheap, I asked how they handle damage or misplaced parts. The answer: buy two.
I never thought I'd actually own these since their normal price is beyond my tolerance threshold, but the sale made it reasonable. It's four figures plus two stage sets that link together.
"A rich man thinks all other people are rich, and an intelligent man thinks all other people are similarly gifted. Both are always terribly shocked when they discover the truth of the world. You, my dear brother, are a pious man." - Strahd von Zarovich
A few years ago I bought a used figure of Mitsuki Sawatari (http://myfigurecollection.net/item/23105) on a deep discount. It looks like something similar happened to the stub that keeps her foot on the stand. The previous owner probably used some combination of glue and a screw to affix the figure to the stand. It works since she doesn't fall over and the screw is only visible from underneath the stand.
Yeah, mine is more or less like that one. Well, nice to know mine can be fixed. I think I'll give a similar approach a try.
I own a few nendoroids. I met some people who are into doing figure photoshoots (taking anime figures outdoors and shooting photos of them). Since these things aren't cheap, I asked how they handle damage or misplaced parts. The answer: buy two.
Yikes. >_> Ah well, the only outdoor place my little Asuna will be going to would be my desk for all my work mates to see. B3
Do you buy any anime-related merchandise? What is your latest purchase? How much money do you spend on it?
One I have an opinion on!
Yes!
...when I can afford it.
I've been spending my money on pony merchandise, so it's been a while. But the latest anime thing I got was actually a present from my sister, a set of Bleach character pins, a Chappy candy dispenser, and a character portrait of Toshiro.
I don't have much space for figures or anything, so I have to stick to less area consuming fan stuff like pins, tins, stickers, small things like that.
Oh! and clothing, I prefer subtle designs, so it is infrequent that I find something I like.
Alters of MTG cards is also something I'm considering branching into getting.
It's an original drawing. It's part of a playmet set that has a dragon theme (her one's the only one that has something OTHER than a dragon though...)
@aleerpsoftware
Those playmats are limited to 1000 each, and only retailed through game/hobby shops. Even if they retailed for like 2500 yen, 5800 isn't that bad considering how hard it is to manage to have one outside Japan...
Note: Amazon got some more in stock... 3,999-6,000 yen. If you REALLY want one I'd suggest using like http://www.tenso.com/en/ to forward it for you. Or find someone living in Japan
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Although the Weasley twins were awesome, so I'll give the series credit for that.
For this week, we're going with a broader topic that everyone probably has something to say about:
Every medium has its fair share of character archetypes, but anime and manga have quite a lot of the ones you don't see anywhere else. What is your attitude about archetypes in anime and manga? Do you have any favorites? Or do you hate some with a passion? How do they affect your opinion on the titles they're in?
I'll post my thoughts about it later this time, probably tomorrow.
Umm... is too late to renew my membership? T_T Work has been a killer (though fortunately I am a few steps closer to reviving my own PC so I won't have to use the highly-restricted family ones).
However, I really wanna answer that question. Frankly, I generally love archetypes but that's just simply due to how sick I am of archetypes in other media. Heck, the closest thing I have to hate would be this alpha male reaction I get to bishounen. And by alpha male, I don't mean Expendables material. More like just imagining myself as another rival bishie character that is just as capable of kicking the main character's butt as well as that of his main rival. To illustrate my point, look no further than Gaara (yes everyone, I am still a Narutard. :P) I also get tired of those male harem leads that tend to be losers but then again, they're still good comic relief. Plus, there's this trend I'm noticing where many of them are no longer as wussy in the beginning and only get more bishie-like in the end. (Example: Kirito from SAO)
The only real exception would be troll characters. And, seeing as my avatar is still a BB character, I would cite Hazama as my example.
God I hope he dies... horribly, full of regret, and having no last word other than expressing bewilderment of finally being out-trolled (think of his gag reel from Continuum Shift except more serious). Characters like that deserve no sympathy. Just death. Period.
Speaking of which, I believe I've quoted somebody on how a lot of PWs resemble popular anime archetypes. I'd post it again but I don't wanna be repetitive (still a fun thing though. XD)
Now as for archetypes I really love, I can instantly name a few. One would be anti-heroes. I know they come in different stripes but I always see myself in a lot of them. Both Alucard and Anderson from Hellsing come to mind right now. I have strong sympathy towards emo-types as well. People like to diss characters such as Cloud Strife or even Riku of KH and it gets irritating. It's not like every depressed guy with regrets ends up like a certain idiotic Uchiha.
As for female ones, I am an absolute sucker for Ingenues (Hinata from Naruto, Shinobu from Love Hina, Azmaria from Chrno Crusade, Nodoka from Negima, Karen from Onegai Twins, and even Asia from Highschool DxD). Call them annoying all you want but if I were to marry a real woman, I would marry myself an ingenue. Cute. Helpless but with potential. And best of all, they make guys feel like doing something good. Other female ones I admire would be those of the Joan-of-Archetype cut (e.g. Saber, Jeanne etc). Not so much romantic as great respect, even rivalry. (Heck in terms of my religion, she's the one knight and saint a spellcasting nut like me would serve.) Tomboys get points in my book too, especially tsunderes. Action girls are another archetype I wouldn't mind going head to head with.
Dominating goth-lolis on the other hand... intimidate me. I say intimidate. I will not say scared. Nope, they do not scare me. Uh-uh. Not at all. Especially vampire ones. Nope, nadah. You don't scare me little miss prim-and-pomp-*feels tap on shoulder*
*gets the concussive slap of a lifetime... again*
Okay, so where was I? Oh, look I'm seeing stars. I guess that's all I got right now until I screw my head back on and blab some more. >_>;;;
However, I do have preference for more "interesting" archetypes. By that I mean types of characters that generally have more complex personalities or ones that are harder to predict.
This is why I find archetypes like Tsunderes, shounen heroes, and harem leads boring - they tend to be more one dimensional and easy to predict. Basically, there is less design space there for these characters to be interesting.
On the flip side, the yanderes and manipulative archetypes I really enjoy, as it's interesting to try and match their thought processes. Plus, you never know what they could do at the next moment, which would probably make life more interesting for me. Intelligence is what I look for in characters, mostly.
Although, I also have a soft spot for the Yamato Nadeshiko, and the quiet bookwork types. The former because I appreciate the strong will and dedication displayed by a single person, and the latter because they tend to make for the strongest potential character development.
As for whether I'll actually hook up with a Yandere in real life... well, they don't really exist, but I'll entertain the thought.
Never too late for that!
The "Bishounen" type that you're describing isn't really an archetype, it's just bad writing. Gary Stu, if you will.
Troll characters make for some entertaining villains, even when they're doing something horrible to the characters you love. In BlazBlue, it's made a bit less jarring because of the whole multiple endings thing. And I find Hazama's voice acting amazing both in JP and EN versions.
Speaking of BlazBlue, Chrono Phantasma is out in Japanese arcades, and I've been spending a lot of time on Dustloop writing down various Bullet stuff. She's looking amazing, and I think I'll have to main three characters from now on. At least she doesn't seem to be that difficult to learn.
Which ones, the Sasuke one?
Oh I don't need think they need to be removed completely. They have a role too. Call me old-fashioned though but I'd rather they just get everything handed back to them without so much as a last word or last laugh. It's bad enough that I've had real life trolls get away with doing a lot of crud.
Yeah, and Kirito too, to some extent.
This week has been even more busy than the last one, so sorry for taking so long to speak on the topic. Consider it an experiment about my answer influencing the activity of the thread. I'll still try and write some ideas about it, but not today.
I've decided on the anime we're going to watch and discuss together: it's Perfect Blue, one of many masterpieces of late Satoshi Kon. It is the only work of Kon that I still haven't watched, so I'm looking forward to discussing it with you guys. It's going to be the weekly topic two weeks from now, so (re)watch it by then.
This week, I'd like to talk about music. Who is your favorite anime composer? Do you listen to their music outside of the series it was used it? Does it match your general musical taste? How much does it influence your opinion on the series?
Too sleepy to answer this right now, but I will certainly speak on this one.
I know someone else in my circle who thinks the same as Kirito but I can't say I agree. I thought Gary Stus tend to be cut from the same cloth as mainstream archetypes. He never struck me that way when I finally got bit by the SAO bug.
I must confess, I do not prefer any composer and tend to encounter a lot of my music via anime and video games. But when it comes to general taste, I tend to like anything that fits a particular scene (fight scenes especially). Heck sometimes I listen to one piece known for a particular scene and play a similar one in my head only with my own creations.
Sorry, I have not been posting as much as I wish I could. I had some issues with my desktop for the past two weeks, and have just finished it today. But I am back and hopefully posting on a more regular basis. Anyway I would like to say that everyone hating on Kirito is just mad because he's really just a true alpha MC, he always wins every fight, usually easily, he gets all the girls, and he looks awesome doing it. I've been watching SAO since episode 1 came out and have been a huge fan.
I will be honest and say that I have never seen any of Satoshi Kon's works. Going into this uninitiated, I am looking forward to it. I will come back to the topic when I have finished the series and obtained my first thoughts on it.
I really enjoy the work of Yuki Kajiura, especially on Fate/Zero, Madoka, and Tsubasa. Music greatly influences my feelings on a series, and she is truly fantastic. Fate/Zero had one of the best scores of any anime ever in my opinion. I also enjoy Kotaro Nakagawa's work in Code Geass, and Shiro Sagisu is one of the great composers of our time in my opinion. I constantly listen to anime music in every day life. His work in Bleach is prolific in my opinion, and some of the greatest scores of the past 20 years have come out of the man.
My EDH Decks!
BUGDamia, Combo-Control QueenBUG
RGWort, the RampmotherRG
WWWKemba, Voltron ExtraordinaireWWW
UBDralnu, Pure ControlUB
URHail to the DracogeniusUR
I'm a bit weird when it comes to this. Basically, two series that I remember watching as a kid that had me going "holy crap this music kicks ass" were Revolutionary Girl Utena and .hack//SIGN. The music in both series made a pretty good impression on me, and I still listen to it just as music to this day (more so Utena than .hack//SIGN though). My general musical taste is all over the place, mind you, so I have favourites in multiple categories.
Also, I don't know if Touhou counts, but I listen to Touhou music quite a lot, so yeah.
I know rite? I mean I really don't get why people bemoan cliches when the cliched main harem lead is usually:
1. Stupid.
2. Weak.
3. Hopeless with girls.
4. Is still flawed despite character development.
Characters like Kirito are the opposite of all four. I think I've seen plenty of harem situations to see this is a trend breaker (which is a good thing).
There aren't that many anime composers which I recognize right away, or that make me say "Okay, now I have to watch this" when I read the staff names. Most of the time, it's the singers and their OP and ED themes, with my favorites being Kawada Mami, KOTOKO, and especially Kanako Itou. The background music is a bit more difficult to appreciate, since you got the whole action thing going on in the foreground. I still enjoy the works of Yuki Kajiura, Yoko Kanno and Susumu Hirasawa, but they are few and far between.
And then there is Taku Iwasaki. His tracks might as well be proper characters, since they have as much presence. Be it tribal vocals, techno rhythms or orchestral pieces, he got it all, and he's never afraid of trying something new. If I had to choose a single favorite composer, he'd be the one, no doubt.
Speaking of Iwasaki, the first arc of JoJo has ended, which means that we're getting to the second one next Friday/Saturday. It's considered to be one of the best in the whole 25-year history of the series, and for a good reason. And I'm glad that the anime will do it justice with the direction (which has been the strongest point of part 1), the voice cast (they even got Tomokazu Sugita as Joseph Joestar!), and, of course, the OST by Taku Iwasaki. This is going to be one long week...
For me there are just quite a lot of excellent composers, and I enjoy listening to soundtracks that are crafted to fit the mood of the shows.
As for anime singers... currently favourite will probably be split between Chihara Minori and Sakamoto Maaya.
Do you buy any anime-related merchandise? What is your latest purchase? How much money do you spend on it?
I need to take some photos before posting about this, so stay tuned!
My EDH Decks!
BUGDamia, Combo-Control QueenBUG
RGWort, the RampmotherRG
WWWKemba, Voltron ExtraordinaireWWW
UBDralnu, Pure ControlUB
URHail to the DracogeniusUR
I have Paranoia Agent on DVD. I don't recall watching any of his other works beyond these two.
I'll also vote for Yuki Kajiura as a great composer. I first heard her music in Noir. I recently enjoyed her music from Madoka Magica. Other series graced by her music include Madlax, .hack//SIGN, and Mai-Hime.
I spend more on anime-related merchandise than I do on Magic. I recently bought the Rio x Tasuku Yuyuduki Collaboration Blanket for around $50 (it was on sale).
Air Gear is a fun series. I think Funimation added it to their SAVE line, so it's as cheap as it'll ever get at retail.
I do spend some money on anime merchandise, but not many as I really think hard before making a purchase to see if I can justify my spending. I have exceptions such as characters I REALLY like, or just awesome products that are not likely to see similar release down the track.
Just threw down almost 6,000 yen on this beauty of a playmat.
http://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=medium&illust_id=31510157
Fuzichoco came over in September for an event, and things just rolled from there.
Not sure if I can post a stream but ,
well just skip to 11:20 and you will know what im thinking >>
I don't really buy anime merchandise anymore now that I'm a poor college student whose disposable income can't support both that and Magic, but back in the day I kind of went full weeaboo. In addition to several manga series, I have more Gundam models than I care to admit (including a PG Strike and Gundam Mk II), as well as a few assorted posters, figures, plushies, and other odds and ends. Most of which are in various boxes at the moment since I didn't feel like unpacking them after my last move.
Finally, there's this Gundam I won in a raffle. (Oh one of luckiest days of my life. ;w; ) However, as my house is even smaller than my office, I can't find a safe place without the risk of more rats coming in. =.=
All in all, my current collection comprises of gifts from Lady Luck with a few cheap decorations on the side. q:
Next year though, I have decided to change that a bit and plan to buy.... THIS! *w*
(My first Nendoroid!! >w< )
Speaking of which though, I've been dedicating myself to really getting more stuff to read and follow ever since previous ones I've had already ended. So far I've caught up with Busou Shinki, starting on Sakurasou, halfway to catching up to Magi and I might probably go catch up where I left off with Medaka Box too.
As for current series, I'm surprised that Naruto hasn't updated yet. >_>;;; The latest SAO episode was just as I predicted. (Poor Sugu-chan. ;w; ) And while it may not be anime, subs for Kamen Rider Wizard 13 are finally out. (About time! DX)
My EDH Decks!
BUGDamia, Combo-Control QueenBUG
RGWort, the RampmotherRG
WWWKemba, Voltron ExtraordinaireWWW
UBDralnu, Pure ControlUB
URHail to the DracogeniusUR
Nice mat. The colors make me think WUB/Esper. Does it reference any particular series or is it an original?
A few years ago I bought a used figure of Mitsuki Sawatari (http://myfigurecollection.net/item/23105) on a deep discount. It looks like something similar happened to the stub that keeps her foot on the stand. The previous owner probably used some combination of glue and a screw to affix the figure to the stand. It works since she doesn't fall over and the screw is only visible from underneath the stand.
I own a few nendoroids. I met some people who are into doing figure photoshoots (taking anime figures outdoors and shooting photos of them). Since these things aren't cheap, I asked how they handle damage or misplaced parts. The answer: buy two.
That reminds me. I got the following nendoroids on sale over a month ago:
http://myfigurecollection.net/picture/80412&ref=item%3A53224
I never thought I'd actually own these since their normal price is beyond my tolerance threshold, but the sale made it reasonable. It's four figures plus two stage sets that link together.
I actually just clicked that right now... uuhh... I... I think I'm gonna break down... wau..auhuhuhuhuhu... I want one... waaaaahh... ;_;
Yeah, mine is more or less like that one. Well, nice to know mine can be fixed. I think I'll give a similar approach a try.
Yikes. >_> Ah well, the only outdoor place my little Asuna will be going to would be my desk for all my work mates to see. B3
One I have an opinion on!
Yes!
...when I can afford it.
I've been spending my money on pony merchandise, so it's been a while. But the latest anime thing I got was actually a present from my sister, a set of Bleach character pins, a Chappy candy dispenser, and a character portrait of Toshiro.
I don't have much space for figures or anything, so I have to stick to less area consuming fan stuff like pins, tins, stickers, small things like that.
Oh! and clothing, I prefer subtle designs, so it is infrequent that I find something I like.
Alters of MTG cards is also something I'm considering branching into getting.
It's an original drawing. It's part of a playmet set that has a dragon theme (her one's the only one that has something OTHER than a dragon though...)
@aleerpsoftware
Those playmats are limited to 1000 each, and only retailed through game/hobby shops. Even if they retailed for like 2500 yen, 5800 isn't that bad considering how hard it is to manage to have one outside Japan...
Note: Amazon got some more in stock... 3,999-6,000 yen. If you REALLY want one I'd suggest using like http://www.tenso.com/en/ to forward it for you. Or find someone living in Japan