Snowbluff and Co. on Anime

[Snowbluff]

This is a thread that exists because I have derailed another one of mine. This thread exists to discuss the anime in question. I'll be posting my thoughts on several anime that were suggested in the thread in this OP.

Mobile Suit Gundam

This series started the popular universe of Gundam. It's not the best work in the Gundam UC Universe, but it's important for introducing the central conflict and setting up the story for the rest of the Universal Central. The animation is pretty dated, but it definitely has it's moments.

Zeta Gundam

Direct sequel to MSG. I haven't gotten the chance to finish it, but it's been a fun ride so far.

0th MS Team

A short series that takes place in the Universal Century. This is Gundam at it's best, being both attached the themes of the series while also being a good, self-contained story. This will need a full writeup.

Angel Beats!

It made me laugh, it made me cry. A great anime all around.

[LoyalPaladin]

Don't worry Snow, I have arrived.

[Snowbluff]

Don't worry Snow, I have arrived.

I'd post a response, but the girl in the bottom right...

You know what, what the hell?

[LoyalPaladin]

I'd post a response, but the girl in the bottom right...

I had you in mind when I saw that girl slide in at the bottom haha.

On an anime related note, I saw a gif for Vampire Knight. Which is an anime I haven't thought about in years! I loved it when I was in highschool...

[Snowbluff]

I haven't heard of it. What's that like?

[LoyalPaladin]

I haven't heard of it. What's that like?

Uh... Its a teenagey shojo show about a school that has vampires in one of its dorms that are all super beautiful. It's a quick finish and fairly predictable. But x years ago this Paladin wasn't driven by the law and romance was more of a fixation. Haha.

Spoiler: Case In Point

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[Snowbluff]

Pfft, I remember some of the stuff I've watched.

[LoyalPaladin]

Pfft, I remember some of the stuff I've watched.

Oh boy. Some of the things I've watched... I look back and go "what on earth was I thinking?" Haha. However, I did watch some exceptionally good ones. Code Geass is among them.

[Red Fel]

Ooh! Ooh! Can I be an employee of "and Co."?

Does it provide dental?

Spoiler: Case In Point

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... apparently.

[LoyalPaladin]

Ooh! Ooh! Can I be an employee of "and Co."?

Does it provide dental?

Yes it does! Snowbluff pays for all your medical expenses as well! There isn't even a co-pay!

[Snowbluff]

Oh boy. Some of the things I've watched... I look back and go "what on earth was I thinking?" Haha. However, I did watch some exceptionally good ones. Code Geass is among them.

Code Geass is pretty good.

Ooh! Ooh! Can I be an employee of "and Co."?

Does it provide dental?

Yes it does! Snowbluff pays for all your medical expenses as well! There isn't even a co-pay!

Yep, I pay in Snowbluff Dollars.

[Red Fel]

Oh boy. Some of the things I've watched... I look back and go "what on earth was I thinking?" Haha. However, I did watch some exceptionally good ones. Code Geass is among them.

Ugh, Code Geass. Ignoring the overly stylized body shapes, which still irk me, I can't take any series that deliberately pulls a bait-and-switch from "this is a crapsack world but we're going to make it better starting now" to "nope, now it's even worse."

You know which scene I'm talking about. You know.

Don't get me wrong. Loved the execution. Loved the concept. And the writing was sharp and the story was tight. But right there, that scene, that actually got me (a semi-CDO person with severe completionist tendencies) to put down the series and just...

[Snowbluff]

You know which scene I'm talking about. You know.

It's been too long for me.

[Red Fel]

It's been too long for me.

Spoiler

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Euphemia.

Just... That. Admittedly, it would have made the story that much shorter, as the people would grow independent and strong and the sun would shine and everyone would be happy, the end.

Instead, "Whoops, my Geass accidentally went off and now come decades of bloodshed and despair. Sorry, sis!"

[LoyalPaladin]

It's been too long for me.

I am moderately confused as well! I loved it. What did I miss?!

Edit:

Spoiler

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Euphemia.

Just... That. Admittedly, it would have made the story that much shorter, as the people would grow independent and strong and the sun would shine and everyone would be happy, the end.

Instead, "Whoops, my Geass accidentally went off and now come decades of bloodshed and despair. Sorry, sis!"

Oh yeah... that was a sad moment for me.

[Snowbluff]

Spoiler

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Euphemia.

Just... That. Admittedly, it would have made the story that much shorter, as the people would grow independent and strong and the sun would shine and everyone would be happy, the end.

Instead, "Whoops, my Geass accidentally went off and now come decades of bloodshed and despair. Sorry, sis!"

Well, to me it covered several very important arcs in the story. It didn't dissuade me from watching.

[Red Fel]

Oh yeah... that was a sad moment for me.

See, that's the thing. I like a well-executed sad moment. It builds character, creates empathy, motivates the narrative. The main characters should feel loss, pain, and so forth.

But that? That was outright cruel. That was needlessly cruel. The only function served by that event was to extend the story - to give the protagonists a glimmer of hope and then smash it completely.

Did you ever watch Young Justice? The episode Failsafe does an incredible job of motivating the protagonists with loss and pain. The punches keep coming. Even the outcome,

Spoiler

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that it was all a simulation,

doesn't change things, because they spend the next episode dealing with the trauma. The pain motivates the story.

When the sole purpose of a sad moment isn't to motivate the story, but simply to cause the characters pain, it's needless and cruel and infuriates me as a viewer. I get that it's a writing style, I get that it works for some people, but that scene just utterly turned me off of Code Geass.

[Snowbluff]

There's a thing with me an anime. I enjoy a well worked tragedy, and Code Geass is rife with it. You'd probably quit watching at some point after that if that didn't do it for you.

I will agree that needless destruction doesn't suit me. *Cough *Psychopass 2*Cough*

I didn't like Young Justice, but that's a bit OT.

[Red Fel]

There's a thing with me an anime. I enjoy a well worked tragedy, and Code Geass is rife with it. You'd probably quit watching at some point after that if that didn't do it for you.

Yeah, that's what I inferred. Again, if tragedy is your thing, I get how Geass would appeal to you.

I didn't like Young Justice, but that's a bit OT.

Yeah, first thing that came to mind. Binge-watched it this weekend. Maybe

Spoiler: Gurren Lagann

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the deaths of Kamina, Kittan, and to a lesser extent Nia, are better examples. Kamina's death was painful but necessary to motivate Simon. Kittan's death was a natural extension of his character. And Nia's death motivated Simon's story a second time, inasmuch as he was basically immortal anyway and was going to spend eternity alone at some point.

[LoyalPaladin]

When the sole purpose of a sad moment isn't to motivate the story, but simply to cause the characters pain, it's needless and cruel and infuriates me as a viewer. I get that it's a writing style, I get that it works for some people, but that scene just utterly turned me off of Code Geass.

Huh, I guess to me it was a "with great power, comes great responsibility" moment for Lelouch. He wasn't careful and it ended badly. It was all fun and games for him when he was manipulating people, but when it went south and turned on him he became more sharp with how he used his geass. If there is anything I am going to complain about in Code Geass, it is Rolo. Why did he even exist?

As to Snowbluff's OP; I only ever watched "Mobile Fighter G Gundam".

[Snowbluff]

Huh, I guess to me it was a "with great power, comes great responsibility" moment for Lelouch. He wasn't careful and it ended badly. It was all fun and games for him when he was manipulating people, but when it went south and turned on him he became more sharp with how he used his geass. If there is anything I am going to complain about in Code Geass, it is Rolo. Why did he even exist?

This, pretty much. I'll go more into later, I think.

As to Snowbluff's OP; I only ever watched "Mobile Fighter G Gundam".

I've seen a few episodes. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't Gundam. It might as well have had a different title.

[Red Fel]

As to Snowbluff's OP; I only ever watched "Mobile Fighter G Gundam".

Wow. Oh, buddy, are you ever missing out.

Mind you, unlike some fans of the franchise, I'm not overly down on G Gundam. Yes, it's a complete deviation from the existing universe. Yes, large chunks of the underlying concept are silly. Yes, there is a giant mecha piloted by a horse, which is ridden by a giant mecha piloted by the horse's rider. But several of the concepts - particularly the Mobile Trace System - are a little bit awesome. The music was great. And some of the writing was pretty good.

More importantly, though, getting away from G Gundam gets you into some of the deeper writing in the Gundam universe. Concepts of war and peace, love and loss, endless conflict and the individuals who fight. There are some incredible and novel-worthy stories told in that universe. Even Wing, which earned a certain degree of derision despite bringing the franchise to a broader audience, explored these concepts to a certain degree.

Short version: Watch more Gundam.

[LoyalPaladin]

I've seen a few episodes. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't Gundam. It might as well have had a different title.

I was a 90s kid, so whatever got put on Toonami was whatever I was watching. I think at the time that was G Gundam, Sailor Moon, and later on came the infamous Pokemon.

Wow. Oh, buddy, are you ever missing out.

Short version: Watch more Gundam.

What Gundam do you suggest I watch? I've got no internet for a week and then I fly out of the country for a week. But after I am back, I'll binge watch a Gundam Series. Haha.

[Red Fel]

I was a 90s kid, so whatever got put on Toonami was whatever I was watching. I think at the time that was G Gundam, Sailor Moon, and later on came the infamous Pokemon.

Wow, I came in just before you, then. Back when they were showing Sailor Moon, Ronin Warriors, and Voltron. Did you catch the latter two, by chance?

[LoyalPaladin]

Wow, I came in just before you, then. Back when they were showing Sailor Moon, Ronin Warriors, and Voltron. Did you catch the latter two, by chance?

I totally watched Ronin warriors! But not Voltron.

[NeoPhoenix0]

Code Geass is a well executed modern greek tragedy. The biggest thing about it is that is fits the recipe for a greek tragedy to a T. Especially the deuteragonist Suzaku. Everything about the show screams greek tragedy.

Edit: dang this thread is moving fast at the moment.

[Snowbluff]

+1 Red Fel's post.

What Gundam do you suggest I watch? I've got no internet for a week and then I fly out of the country for a week. But after I am back, I'll binge watch a Gundam Series. Haha.

I'll finish up my guide.

For the whole Universal Century (which is the one I prefer, it's the best developed), you need Mobile Suit Gundam, A War in the Pocket, 08th MS Team, Stardust Memory, Zeta Gundam, ZZ Gundam, Char's Counterattack, and Unicorn Gundam.

If I had to just choose 1, I would say go with 08th MS team. Gundam Unicorn is a close second for me.

[NeoPhoenix0]

The only Gundam I've really watched is Gundam Wing.

[LoyalPaladin]

Code Geass is a well executed modern greek tragedy. The biggest thing about it is that is fits the recipe for a greek tragedy to a T. Especially the deuteragonist Suzaku. Everything about the show screams greek tragedy.

Edit: dang this thread is moving fast at the moment.

I could see that.

+1 Red Fel's post.


I'll finish up my guide.

For the whole Universal Century (which is the one I prefer, it's the best developed), you need Mobile Suit Gundam, A War in the Pocket, 08th MS Team, Stardust Memory, Zeta Gundam, ZZ Gundam, Char's Counterattack, and Unicorn Gundam.

If I had to just choose 1, I would say go with 08th MS team. Gundam Unicorn is a close second for me.

Hmm. I'll run those past my roommate. He just sent me a text that said he wants to watch the whole Bleach series. That's a huge commitment right there haha. But I'll throw Gundam right on top of that. We'll just gestalt Gundam/Bleach.

[Red Fel]

The only Gundam I've really watched is Gundam Wing.

See my post above. Which, really, applies to anyone who utters a sentence starting with "The only Gundam I've watched is..." Unless they're doing it ironically, and proceed to list about seven different iterations. Then there's not really an "only" about it. But I'm getting away from myself.

Ironically, the thing that turned me off of Unicorn had nothing to do with the series itself, which I admit I have yet to see. It was the model. I built the Unicorn Gundam model (I think it was the Master Grade) and was so frustrated with it that I took an instant dislike to it.

I realize that's completely irrational, and that Unicorn is probably a good series. The franchise itself has aged well, and newer iterations manage to do some fairly consistently good storytelling. It's just one of those hurdles, you know?

As an aside, I second the recommendation for 08th MS Team. As Snowbluff says, it beautifully encapsulates the series. It's not about the awesome prototype mecha or the truly unique and special heroes; it's about the individuals fighting for survival and a cause, about relationships and trust and what you believe in and what you fight for and all that neat stuff.

Not everyone is Char or Amuro, is the point.

Hmm. I'll run those past my roommate. He just sent me a text that said he wants to watch the whole Bleach series. That's a huge commitment right there haha. But I'll throw Gundam right on top of that. We'll just gestalt Gundam/Bleach.

I'd be careful with Bleach. It has some particularly infamous issues with filler arcs, and suffers from the same shounen ailments that have plagued Dragon Ball Z, Naruto, and One Piece. It has some fun stuff, good characters, and the core story is nice, but be careful, because it is a massive time sink as a result of the aforementioned issues.