Speaking of Ranma 1/2 BDs, I wish Happosai didn't exist.
We all do.
Speaking of Ranma 1/2 BDs, I wish Happosai didn't exist.
So I thought I'd post my latest haul here:
I also got 4 of these Kaguya bags as a bonus:
This is my Ghibli collection so far:
Probably adding 4 more soon or idk. Marnie pre-order is a lock I think.
Not strictly winter anime but... I just finished Steins;Gate
This series was just... amazing. I laughed and cried and was addicted to this show. It was perfect.
At least Cross Ange went from Train Wreck to Legitimately good despite being Hark A Vagrant's STRONG FEMALE CHARACTERS in animated form. CA is actually consistent and doesn't pull stupid out of its hat like Aldnoah constantly does.
Tomorrows Blu-ray and DVD releases in the US for the month of 03/03/2015. Links lead to Amazon unless it's an exclusive.
Blu-ray
DVD
Absolute Duo 09
teacher is truly badass
useless girl doing stupid thing no surprise
its kind of crazy how I see the release date but Im looking at those discs at home right now! They just ship everything out when they feel like it. With such a small market, companies dont seem to mind breaking shipping date. One of the best perks of being an anime collector.
Like when I showed Chuunibyo last month over a month earlier and people werel ike fffffffffuuuuuuuuuuu.
Its so good man.
The UK is the opposite, you see the release day come and go and wait at the door everyday for the postman to come, staring out of the window as the snowflakes cover the streets like a white blanket, but he does not come. Days go by as you are slowly driven insane by the lack of anime as you rock back and forth in your chair, grasping the armrest for dear life as your life flashes before your eyes...my dearest Blu-ray, where art thou?
The postman eventually turns up, slips the jiffybag (fuck jiffybags) into your letterbox, so you can finally watch your Anime...apart from the fact that you were dead the whole time...so who ordered the anime?
The many faces of Ramba Ral
I should mention that I liked the backstabbing and general chaos in the OVA too as the episode does a good job of showing how the colonies are destabilizing. There is smoke and fire everywhere and the sense that the Federation is just going clamp down. Many of the serious scenes are directed fairly well such as the intro with Zeon Deikum. The animation portrayed the very thin line between insanity and genius pretty well. Deikum's body twitches lead the viewer to think he's insane but it also portrays well the stress he's under.
I didn't expect Hamon to look this good or be voiced by Sawashiro.
The only sequence I think is really bad is Dozle
It was snowing where I am in the morning. You wake up thinking it might be a day off...but nope still have to go into work but instead of going to work and getting it over and done with I end up almost cracking my head open on the way there to boot, man...I hate snow You can take it!Mitsudomoe is like snow in London.
It's never coming.
Yeah to be completely honest, I have received things early, like the GITS Steelbook, which I got a week and a half early or something, but usually I get things on the day or a bit later never really early...but I could just be remembering wrongquickest Ive seen is three days. Sometimes I get the tracking number email and I check it and its out for delivery and Im like :O
Awesome collection, I want to get into collecting the Japanese Ghilbi Blu-rays but I've stuck to the UK releases for now since that's all I can afford at the moment. I'm a massive Ghibli fan, my favorite studio bar none (by the numbers I know, but what can I say...they release amazing films!) so I'd love to sink my teeth into their Japanese releases as time goes on. Here's my Ghibli Blu-ray colection right now.So I thought I'd post my latest haul here:
I also got 4 of these Kaguya bags as a bonus:
This is my Ghibli collection so far:
Probably adding 4 more soon or idk. Marnie pre-order is a lock I think.
Yeah, I own Nausicaa twice, Ponyo twice and Totoro three times
So I finally finished the show and I have to say that I that I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would. As I’m sure most of you know, the TV series is based off the Idolm@ster franchise which centers around raising idols. There have been anime adaptation attempts in the past but my understanding is that they are not very good and this is the premiere ‘version’ and one of the best, if not straight out the best, idol show in existence. Idol shows have never been one of my genres of interest however I still decided to watch the show as I feel I need to broaden my viewing tastes (also I’m running out of decent mecha shows to watch). I also remember large amounts of praise being languished on the show at the time of airing so that coupled with my curiosity of the genre drew me in. I can say that even after watching the show, I’m still not that intrigued or invested in the genre. Nonetheless, I still very much liked the show even if I have some caveats. My overall positive feelings are due to the direction and character work moreso than the idol components of the show. In fact, I think some of the ‘idol’ components are the weaker aspects of the show.
The cast is obviously a big point of contention with these shows in that how do you properly develop over a dozen characters? And the answer I got out of this show, as with almost all ensemble shows, is unevenly. There are only so many characters you can properly develop even with a 26 episode run time. While I will admit I’m being a bit unfair as I previously noted not many ensemble shows do this correctly, I nonetheless still feel the uneven character work is detrimental because some of the characters barely even have speaking roles at times. Yukiho is properly shunted to the sidelines despite her fear of men never really being resolved. Iori is rarely even physically present in the backhalf. I understand that the point of these shows is to pimp out as many idols as they can but I feel a narrowed focus on a smaller core of characters would be more beneficial for the dramatic elements in the show. This shotgun approach detracts time away from the actual characters the show already has.
A case in point would be Chihaya’s arc in the latter half of the show. Since she doesn’t really get much attention prior to the article coming out, her drama comes off as hamfisted. While there certainly was foreshadowing, the show lays it all out at once and it comes off as “Oh so it’s Chihaya’s arc now?” instead of any proper buildup. Not only does this feel melodramatic in the actual writing of the arc but also how it's presented due to the concentration over a small number of episodes. That said, the climax of her arc is fucking fantastic as the animation, sound direction, and visuals really come together to give one great emotional punch. For example the light in the background represents her emotional state and how she's shining, if you will. This segmentation though is a problem with the 2nd half in general in that the show becomes more serial and serious but the arcs also feel truncated and not interrelated as well as they should be. I will admit that the show does try to make the arcs flow into each other but it’s not enough and the transitions are glaringly apparent.
The other problem with the 2nd half of the show is that the drama is way too heavy at times. It also is in many cases unnecessary, in the sense that the writers and directors could have told just as good if not a better story without the melodrama. The conflict with Jupiter’s production company for example is overbearing to the point of being groan worthy. Something I hate in writing is the protagonists being forced into rigged competitions. I understand the point of doing events like this is to make the audience want to cheer for the underdog however I feel like it’s a somewhat lazy and overused emotional manipulation method instead of just making the protagonist fail. For example in Haikyuu
There’s one thing that I was impressed with looking back, is how the show goes from establishing the idols’ trust in Producer-san to showing how they’ve become independent of him. This starts with Chihaya’s arc and goes straight through the movie. In the first few arcs, Producer-san is always there to fix the problems and help the girls stand up. Watching Kancolle has really given me an appreciation for Producer-san being an actual character and being proactive interference into the girls’ lives. However in Chihaya’s arc, it is Haruka and the idols that make Chihaya start to sing again. That’s mainly why I was fine with
While there might have been some underdeveloped characters, the show manages to develop the relationship inside 765 Pro to the point where it’s believable that these idols are friends. The cast does have a good amount of chemistry with each other and they play off each other fairly well even when broken down into smaller groups. Despite all of them being rivals, they also feel like a family due to the quality of the banter. Episodes like 9 and 15 where the idols are just interacting with each other are some of the most memorable for just that reason. In addition, characters such as Haruka, Miki, and Chihaya do get some solid character time to flesh out their characters. Haruka in particular really comes into her own in the 2nd half. The show over time cuts back on the ‘moe’ characteristics of all the girls and tries to embellish all the girls (something Cinderella Girls could learn from). You don’t for example see Haruka trip that much after a certain point or Miki sleeping everywhere.
This was a 5-star buffet of character animation. My understanding is that most idol shows use CGI idols for the live performances and I’m utterly grateful that Idolm@ster avoids that, as the 2D animation really gives a vibrance to many of the performances. Chihaya singing her heart out in episode 20 would not have nearly the same amount of impact than if the performance was in CGI. This is because I feel 2D can portray the intricacies of body language better. Also having one consistent model for the characters, across both performances and everyday life, help with immersion. There are notable demerits to this 2D approach though as sometimes performances feel shorter than they should be or there will be odd cuts to the ceiling or background art in order to avoid focusing on the characters dancing. However I feel the positives outweigh the negatives.
Does this look like the face of mercy to you?
The performance in episode 25 was insane, hell it was better animated than the concert in the movie. Many of the dancing cuts utilized animation techniques to display motion such as a heavy use of smears along with a reliance of dance choreography. I would be negligent if I didn’t mention Trigger working on episode 17. I’m sure people loved it to high heaven due to the Makoto focus but funnily enough I was actually more impressed with the animation in episode 18. The cut of Makoto in the carriage on the carousel was great though. A good number of notable animators are huge Idolm@ster fans and they came out of the woodworks for a few episodes. Yoh Yoshinari’s cuts in episode 25 for example were highly noticeable. I mean the below segment is almost identical to his work in Neon Genesis Evangelion.
There were numerous cases of changes in artstyle or lighting that help give individual sequences an extra ‘oomph’. The trailers for example look completely different than the rest of the show and due to the switch in art direction, those sequences are not only extremely fun on a visual level but also due to contrast, are more striking than they would be otherwise. Akira Amemiya and Megumi Kouno’s cuts in the trailers in particular were exceptional due not only the fluidity but also the shifts in things such as lighting and coloring.http://sakuga.yshi.org/data/f5ac1c0be439a8f88668f969783ef61d.webm
Episode 25;Yoshinari
The show as a whole had fairly high production values even in minor things such as the clothing of the girls. Something that is notable about KyoAni is how they make their works feel alive through smaller things such as making sure to mix up what their characters wear. I remember that being a notable thing for K-On! in that the director wanted the girls to dress like human beings and not just students all the time. Here a similar attention to detail is lavished on the clothing. There is also a lot of work done on the background settings as the girls are almost always going to different locations, which helps to present a sense of how big the industry is.http://sakuga.yshi.org/data/08caed27ef1326486aea925bba5896fa.webm
The Movie;Megumi Kouno
Another major aspect to the show is the use of music. What I’m talking about is not just the performances but the use of insert songs oriented around the idols. I’ll be frank, I didn’t like many of the songs as they felt like generic pop. That's really unfortunate as I like listening to J-Pop but not much really grabbed me. The ones I did like were the slower ballads with the heavier emphasis on vocals. I will admit the opening medley in episode 25 was godly though, the transition is smooth as a motherfucker. Still the way that the show highlights the music makes the work almost feel like a musical at times. It’s really something I've never seen in any other genre and it makes the work feel more interactive with the audience. The play with episode structure is slightly meta but it’s not detracting or distracting in the least. Due to the content of the show itself, the vocal insert songs feel like a natural extension of the work.
I would say the show is at its peak when it’s just goofing around. The trailers for example were the best part of the show. The characters might not be the most developed, but they sure are fun to watch. That notion of girls messing around is executed really well and highlights the dynamics with 765 Pro. While I do harp on about the drama, it’s honestly not that bad. I mean after Your Lie in April, this is downright mellow in comparison. It did surprise, and delight, me though how mono no aware the final arc and movie is. It's something that I feel holds the show back from reaching even loftier heights. I don’t think it’s as well done as say K-On!!, which was phenomenal, I will admit the show was still fairly good at dregging up emotions. On that notion, something I really have to applaud Nishigori, the director, on is that the show feels complete. It feels like he’s said all that he needs to say with the characters. That’s something remarkably rare in anime.
Ritsuko all day every day.
SHOULDA SAVED THE SPECIALS FOR S2.Nozaki-kun Specials 06
...Wait it's done? There's no more?
NoooOOooooooOoO
If there's no S2 after this I will be upset
Nozaki-kun Specials 06
...Wait it's done? There's no more?
NoooOOooooooOoO
If there's no S2 after this I will be upset
Food always tastes better when someone special cooks it for you.
.Hanamonogatari - Suruga Devil arc: Complete Box Set [Limited Edition] $49.98
Release Date: April 21st 2015
Format [Region]: Blu-ray [A|B|C]
Blu-ray Specs
Bonus Contents
- Language: Japanese
- Video: 16:9 Widescreen
- Episode: SURUGA DEVIL Episodes 1- 5
- Number of Disc: 2 Blu-ray Discs
- Subtitles: English
- Total Run Time: Approx. 150 min.
- Rating: 16 UP
Bonus Materials & Special Package
- Textless Opening
- Textless Ending
- Episode 5 (OP/ED alternate version)
- PV & CM Collections
*Bonus contents and materials subject to change.
- Deluxe Booklet
- Pinup Postcard Set
- Package Illustrated by AKIO WATANABE (character design)
SRP $64.98
Sales Price $49.98
Absolute Duo 9
The teacher does badass stuff and a cool fight with the soldier's leaders, minus the whole disappearing wounds things
Cleveland Browns-Chan is doing something really stupid
Wasn't that episode 8?Koufuku Graffiti 07
Food always tastes better when someone special cooks it for you.
Gurren Lagann Vol. 5 [AoA] $49.98
They are really selling 5 episodes for $50?
What kind of a madman would pay that?
Shiina isn't into yuri love. Why do you think she isn't always around?Wasn't that episode 8?
There is going to be a twist at the end of this show. All the food actually tastes like shit and they were dillusional from all the yuri love.
The kind of madmen that would pay $50 for 5 episodesThey are really selling 5 episodes for $50?
What kind of a madman would pay that?
Awesome collection, I want to get into collecting the Japanese Ghilbi Blu-rays but I've stuck to the UK releases for now since that's all I can afford at the moment. I'm a massive Ghibli fan, my favorite studio bar none (by the numbers I know, but what can I say...they release amazing films!) so I'd love to sink my teeth into their Japanese releases as time goes on. Here's my Ghibli Blu-ray colection right now.
Yeah, I own Nausicaa twice, Ponyo twice and Totoro three times
Yuru Yuri Nachuyachumi! OVA
The opening sketch, dat Engrish, dose manly girls, I wouldn't have minded if the whole OVA was like that. But anyway, the girls decide to go on a camping trip and most of the cast is invited too, lots of shipping, lots of bleeding noses from Chitose, Cooking Curry, Test of Courage, Moe Kaede, all wrapped up in just over an hour.
Moon Phase 1-3
I've never seen such a weird OP (slightly NSFW), still this started off quite well, I decided to watch it since it was on Netflix. A "Psychic" Photogropher who has no psychic powers sees a girl on top of an abandoned castle and decides to go and see her, she turns out to beShe is not allowed out of the castle, and the M.C tries to save her, seems pretty decent so far although it might just turn into one of the typical romantic comedies.a Vampire with a split personality, and tries to make him her slave.
Anime fans.They are really selling 5 episodes for $50?
What kind of a madman would pay that?
They are really selling 5 episodes for $50?
What kind of a madman would pay that?
The UK Limited edition with both movies cost me the equivalent of around $100 which was nice...apart from the fact that I didn't even like the show in the end :/ 7/10 at best.That's not bad compared to some other series.
This is the same series that has the 600 dollar bluray box set.
Thanks! Which ones do you own? I had to have them all together Everything on my shelf is categorized as such, all the Evangelion stuff is together, all the Ghibli stuff is together etc. Speaking of Ghibli Blu-rays, I'm sad that they didn't release any more Ghibli steelbooks, but then I remember how much money I've inadvertently saved and shut my mouthI love your ghibli collection here! I need to group all of mine together instead of the way its spread out everywhere in alphabetical order.
The UK Limited edition with both movies cost me the equivalent of around $100 which was nice...apart from the fact that I didn't even like the show in the end :/ 7/10 at best.Diebuster did it better .
Thanks! Which ones do you own? I had to have them all together Everything on my shelf is categorized as such, all the Evangelion stuff is together, all the Ghibli stuff is together etc. Speaking of Ghibli Blu-rays, I'm sad that they didn't release any more Ghibli steelbooks, but then I remember how much money I've inadvertently saved and shut my mouth
Shiina is the best. It's that simple.Shiina isn't into yuri love. Why do you think she isn't always around?
That's not bad compared to some other series.
This is the same series that has the 600 dollar bluray box set.
You are kidding me. D:
You are kidding me. D:
I wanted the Ultimate UK one.Not a joke. I didnt buy it myself but AWESOMEBEAR did.
http://www.rightstuf.com/1-800-338-6827/catalogmgr/hIalyxIRf3apByOse0/browse/item/97982/4/0/0
Pricewise, the separate releases are less money per episode. Im not a huge GL fan so I was ok missing the swag.
I wanted the Ultimate UK one.
I also have 5 UK BDs and 4 US ones. Not that many duplicates though. They are getting replaced eventually. Next batch should be Grave, Nausicaa, Laputa, and the YamadasAwesome collection, I want to get into collecting the Japanese Ghilbi Blu-rays but I've stuck to the UK releases for now since that's all I can afford at the moment. I'm a massive Ghibli fan, my favorite studio bar none (by the numbers I know, but what can I say...they release amazing films!) so I'd love to sink my teeth into their Japanese releases as time goes on. Here's my Ghibli Blu-ray colection right now.
Yeah, I own Nausicaa twice, Ponyo twice and Totoro three times
But do you have Only Yesterday?I have everything except Pom Poko and Porco Rosso.
It was limited to 1000 numbered copies.Its not still available?
Anyway the single volume releases are pretty nice still.
Absolute duo - 09
Bunny teacher without her limiter is GREAT ..
So Great .
Tor and julie fight was quite good and well animated .. i'm actully impressed because that fight was well done.
Julieberserk mode in particular was excellent
And useless girl is useless but this time she makes DUMB decisions..damn the things an anime does to make a character revelant ...
I also have 5 UK BDs and 4 US ones. Not that many duplicates though. They are getting replaced eventually. Next batch should be Grave, Nausicaa, Laputa, and the Yamadas
I see that lone JP BD there on your collection, and it's not Only Yesterday. Takahata weeps.
But do you have Only Yesterday?
It was limited to 1000 numbered copies.
They are really selling 5 episodes for $50?
What kind of a madman would pay that?
She HAS a limiter? What was it?
Ask Thoraxes!
Not a joke. I didnt buy it myself but AWESOMEBEAR did.
http://www.rightstuf.com/1-800-338-6827/catalogmgr/hIalyxIRf3apByOse0/browse/item/97982/4/0/0
Pricewise, the separate releases are less money per episode. Im not a huge GL fan so I was ok missing the swag.
Arjuna is for real
real garbage
Also , don't drop Blood-C , you're not ready for the next episodes .
Nothing special
it's aseal of her chest that went away with some magic drug