Anime

[hansolo77]

Anybody watch the stuff? I love it. I haven't had the chance really to watch any recently. I checked out some stuff at the library, and a friend of mine gave me a bunch of stuff to watch. I'm a bit confused though, and need some help figuring a certain series out:

Mobile Suit Gundam

Robotech

Macross

From what I've been able to figure out by looking at Anime News Network's encyclopedias, it appears that Mobile Suit Gundam came out first. The US name for it something like Mobile Suite Gundam 0079 (as the series was produced in 1979). Now, after that, a re-hash/re-telling of the series was made called Macross. And it was that series that US companies cut and re-edited into ANOTHER series called Robotech. Am I correct in all this? It's so confusing because all of these series appear to have their own storylines, yet everything I've seen says "this is the alternate title to this" and "this is a re-do of that". So I'm basically just wanting get this all straightened out before I decide on a series to watch (and ultimately buy if I like it).

I grew up in the 80's hearing of Robotech, and seeing a few episodes of it. This is mostly because I was a child and am a resident of USA. Anime was still a new thing here. Then as I got older I learned of the other 2, so I'm not really sure what I should do. I have access to seeing all 3 series (Robotech from the library, Gundam via my friend, and Macross is online from a website he gave me). So what's the deal? Anybody know?

[wolfman24]

http://myanimelist.net/animelist/wolfman24

my list of animu i watched

[hansolo77]

WOW! Holy crap dude! My list is significantly smaller than that lol. I see you haven't seen any of those 3 series though, so you probably won't be much help. Any suggestions on a good series to watch? I can't really say I have a preference to style, as I've seen stuff as lame as Pokémon all the way up to gritty stuff like Akira and Vampire Hunter D. I've seen silly stuff, like Excel Saga and serious stuff like Ghost in the Shell. I even like middle of the road stuff, like .hack//SIGN and Neon Genesis Evangelion. So anything is really possible for me.

[wolfman24]

a lot of the anime i watch was pretty good

action ones-hellsing, code geass and ga rei zero are great anime and are dubbed too, I watched the subs.

drama ones/comedy ones-shuffle, eureka seven and eureka seven ao, angel beats, air, clannad, and kanon 2006 are really great anime but avoid the clannad movie that was the worst thing i have ever seen.

comedy-genshiken, boku wa tomodachi ga sukunai, k-on, the world god knows has 4 seasons, lucky star, spice and wolf

i will be here all day if i keep recommending anime lol

[hansolo77]

I saw you have Evangelion on your list to watch. I knew about all the hype to that series, and saw somebody was selling the complete box set on ebay for real cheap so I bought it. It was actually pretty good, so I recommend that. If you haven't seen it yet, you should watch Excel Saga if you want to be totally lost and confused.

I started my own anime list on that site after I saw yours. Since I have Robotech and Gundam I went ahead and added them as a series to watch. One thing I noticed was that when I added Robotech, it only found Macross. So I'm thinking maybe my understanding in the OP was a bit off. Perhaps Gundam DID come out first, but Robotech and Macross are the series that came after and were mushed up.

Here's my anime list. I'm in the process of updating it, so check back often to see new stuff added. I don't have any dates on the stuff I've seen because it's been so long ago I don't remember when I've seen it. Maybe I'll rewatch them and put a new date on it. I dunno.

This brings up a sort of interesting side topic. Anybody else notice how the fall seasons on network TV really suck anymore, and the good stuff is on during the summer? It seems like the only stuff they air during the fall now are Crime Dramas, Reality, and Sitcoms. I want my sci-fi! Good sci-fi gets canceled (Terminator, Dollhouse, Invasion, Threshold, Surface, 4400, uh.. STAR TREK.. V, etc). Fall for me is a time to catch up on movies and TV shows (anime). Summer is when I can watch cable shows like Warehouse 13 and Falling Skies. BTW, Warehouse 13 is over after this coming season.

[nullPointer]

Man I'm pretty far from a subject matter expert on anime, but I did go through a brief anime phase in college. One of my absolute favorites is Ninja Scroll. I get sort of a Fist of the North Star vibe from it (a wandering warrior getting into all sorts of fights), but it's better IMO.

Also as a retro game fan I really like the Golgo 13 flicks (Golgo 13: The Professional and Golgo 13: Queen Bee), but that might be my "nuanced" tastes talking there. I may also be one of the few people that enjoys (or even remembers) the Golgo 13 games on the NES (which is really my only point of reference since I never really had access to the long running manga series).

This brings up a sort of interesting side topic. Anybody else notice how the fall seasons on network TV really suck anymore, and the good stuff is on during the summer? It seems like the only stuff they air during the fall now are Crime Dramas, Reality, and Sitcoms. I want my sci-fi! Good sci-fi gets canceled (Terminator, Dollhouse, Invasion, Threshold, Surface, 4400, uh.. STAR TREK.. V, etc). Fall for me is a time to catch up on movies and TV shows (anime). Summer is when I can watch cable shows like Warehouse 13 and Falling Skies. BTW, Warehouse 13 is over after this coming season.

Depends on what you're into I suppose; I have been getting into some of the returning series for the Fall season. Sons of Anarchy is pretty good so far this year, but that definitely falls into the genre of crime drama. Having said that, I imagine if you've ever enjoyed a GTA game, you'd enjoy SoA (I'm pretty sure the Lost and the Damned was practically based on SoA).

I'm also slowly getting into American Horror Story: Coven, but I've always felt that the horror genre is pretty much the first cousin of Sci-Fi (heck I didn't even enjoy horror until I started watching it as sci-fi). It's not quite as good as I had hoped given the cast (Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates, and Angela Bassett), but that show tends to be a bit of a slow burner, ratcheting up tension over the course of an entire season. Understandably though, both of those shows will not be everyone's cup of tea.

You definitely do have a point though. I'm most excited about The Americans coming back, which won't happen until next Spring (even though they're already running promos!).

[ClassicGMR]

Cowboy Bebop is probably the best action Anime I have seen to date. Good continuity, great developing back-story.

If you like romantic ones Ah! My Goddess set the standard for me - though I just started watching Maison Ikkoku which I've been told blows AMG away. (We'll see. )

I've always been a fan of the Force Five cartoons and the remake of Gaiking: Legend of Daikuu-Maryuu had a great story. Speaking of mecha anime I also enjoyed The Big O - but it has a WEIRD ending - and New Getter Robo.

[DazzleHP]

Like null i went through a phase in my early to late teens - it wasn't cool then and i got stick for it you also had to buy the vids out of some guys boot (trunk for my state-side homies). One of my faves of all time has to be Guyver! Please don't get mixed up with MacGuyver lol It's about an average joe who stumbles on an ancient "suit" which turns him into a real badass! And so it tackles all the usual teenage dilemas that would come with being able to spawn titanium shredding blades from your elbows when you get tripped in the hallway by the school bully, while secretly saving the world from corrupt organisations who know of its existence. It's only 12 episodes long but i've yet to find a series that captures my imagination the way Guyver did back in the day. I was 17 when i watched it though Here's a link to the graphic novel i guess it was based off (although i've never read it)

Another one i loved was Aeon Flux but many don't consider it an anime so don't know whether it fits here. Sci-fi heavy and could make the most intelligent of people feel a bit dumb if started halfway through, however i think it's brilliant and all these years later doesn't seem as ludicrous as it once did PS: It's not like the film if you've seen it.

@null - i'm a bit of a movie freak, and i especially love SciFi-Horrors! Do you? If so what's your fave?? Hmmm could be good new topic - if i ain't the only one i know i'm a bit weird lol

[hansolo77]

Yeah, I got my introduction to Cowboy Bebop via Cartoon Network. Same with the Big-O. Aeon Flux was on MTV (I think) and I watched it's original airing. I own the DVD but haven't re-watched it yet. I have Guyver on my "to borrow" list from the library, been waiting for it. I've heard of Ah My Goddess but haven't seen it yet. My intro to the romance type stuff was with Tenchi Muyo. Inuyasha is another romance type show that was on Cartoon Network for a long time, though I never really watched a lot of it. Same with Sailor Moon. Dragon Ball/Z/GT is a big favorite of mine. I have all of the seasons of Dragon Ball and Z on DVD thought I've never even taken them out of plastic wrap to watch, been just watching them here and there on TV (though they only have KAI on now, which is heavily lacking on the drama, and is just an action cut of Z.

So yeah, it looks like nobody really has any answers to my original question then.. what's the difference between Gundam, Macross, and Robotech. Oh well. Nice to get a good Anime thread going though, definitely helps to spread the word and get some suggestions.

[Draco1962]

I watched Robotech with my sons and, from what I have read and understand so far, it is the bastard love child (minus some love) of Macross and 2 others sci-fi anime series. Read more about it here. Gundam I am sure is a cousin though not directly related.

[hansolo77]

Nice link Draco. Hopefully it will have the answers I seek.. A quick read of the first couple paragraphs is giving my high hopes. Thanks!