Anime

[Merzbow]

6 hours ago, BrodyGraham said:

That said a Japanese friend did tell me that a lot of that stuff wasn't necessarily massive in Japan at the time and was very much the edgier stuff.

Yeah I think we got a lot of cheaper to license OVA's over here, as long as there was plenty violence and just enough tits on show Manga UK and U.S Manga Corps (no relation) etc would buy them up regardless of popularity in their home country.

Currently Discotek in the US are putting out brand new Blu-Rays of many edgier and less known classics again, doing their own dubs or buying lapsed licenses. I have their ace version of the infamous Kite they put out last year.

 

Edited October 30, 2025 by Merzbow

[davertfnewman]

Finished off the run with the Benton episode. I definitely think they're worth a repeat now I've cracked them. Sometimes you just get lost in the background with the painted effects and early digital.

[Merzbow]

R.I.P. Gainax.

It hadn't been the same place for many years, Anno has his own studio that even sued them but it's still sad to see the once powerhouse that gave us Evangelion and FLCL die like that. I might go watch the classic Appleseed OVA and finally give Gunbuster a watch.

Edited December 11, 2025 by Merzbow

[TildeGuy~!]

Finally got round to watch The Chainsaw Man Movie: Reze Arc

May oddly be my movie of the year

[davertfnewman]

Any views on Armitage III? Got it saved to watch at some point. Was surprised to see Jessie from Saved By the Bell doing the voice of the main character in the cast list.

[BrodyGraham]

So, I caved and got Crunchy roll for Season 2 of Frieren. Can anyone recommend a decent project show to watch with Little Brody. She's 12 now so nothing massively over the top for violence or sex would be grand!

[I Bent My Wookie]

18 minutes ago, BrodyGraham said:

So, I caved and got Crunchy roll for Season 2 of Frieren. Can anyone recommend a decent project show to watch with Little Brody. She's 12 now so nothing massively over the top for violence or sex would be grand!

My main project for this year is to get into anime finally. 

Probably one you've definitely shown her already but finding out BBC IPlayer has 1100 episodes of One Piece is pretty much my 2026 binge in focus. 

 

And if I had ever come into this thread, @SuperBacon mentioning this a page ago would have got me started ages ago.

Edited January 18 by I Bent My Wookie

[Merzbow]

Starting One Piece is just so daunting at this point, luckily it's not my type of show but then I'm not far off trying to watch every Gundam series (I don't think I'll ever make it).

I don't think it's on Crunchyroll but Sailor Moon is pretty much the classic benchmark for a 12 year old girl, there's an updated version that looks all modern too.

[lanky316]

One of the strengths of anime is that there's pretty much something out there that you can enjoy whatever you're into sports, music, romcoms, slice of life chill things, horror and whatever else they can think up. Not certain that'll I'll be recommend something you may enjoy together or not but what sort of things does she like? At least people with more knowledge than I do would be able to pitch lots of potential ideas to try out if I can't think of anything.

[BrodyGraham]

Truth to tell she's into a bunch of stuff already, Frieren, Apothecary Diaries, Demon Slayer, Spy X Family and Delicious in Dungeon all get dipped in and out of but she's after something to sink her teeth into and frankly, justify the sub! Apart from One Piece which feels less like a project and more like a vocation at this point.

At least until April when Witch Hat Atelier starts. 

Edited January 18 by BrodyGraham

[BrodyGraham]

Apologies for the double post, but I've spent the last 5 days watching Neon Genesis Evangelion and End of Evangelion.

Jesus Christ.

I loved the series, it's beautifully designed, famously contemplative and rightfully lauded as a classic. The last two episodes are especially good and a real home run swing.

But, bloody hell I struggled with End of Evangelion. I thought with it largely telling a more external story it'd be an easy watch, comparatively. I don't know if Anno was trying to make Jodorowsky's Giant Mech Movie but I'm fucked if I made much sense of that!

I'm planning on starting the Rebuild movies tomorrow. Am I likely to finish them with a brain like pudding?

[Merzbow]

On 3/13/2026 at 3:20 AM, BrodyGraham said:

I'm planning on starting the Rebuild movies tomorrow. Am I likely to finish them with a brain like pudding?

Did you finish them? Films 3 and 4 are.... amazing but I never expected any of that. Glad they took that direction though. (Trying hard to avoid spoilers here)

Bad news, the new Fist Of The North Star is fucking horrible, there's no reason to watch it over the older versions as it's just a retelling but in ugly CGI. They Berserk 2016'd it.

[BrodyGraham]

1 hour ago, Merzbow said:

Did you finish them? Films 3 and 4 are.... amazing but I never expected any of that. Glad they took that direction though. (Trying hard to avoid spoilers here)

Bad news, the new Fist Of The North Star is fucking horrible, there's no reason to watch it over the older versions as it's just a retelling but in ugly CGI. They Berserk 2016'd it.

I decided discretion was the better part of valour and I've put them to one side for a bit.

I'm a pretty casual watcher of anime, I don't have a lot of history with it and not really too many dogs in the fight to be precious, but I've been dipping in and out of the Trigun reboot. I know there's been similar criticism around it as a lot of other stories concerning use of CGI and such but I'm enjoying it quite a bit. 

[Merzbow]

The new Ghost In The Shell just landed with it's first episode and it's pretty much perfect for a modern retelling of a classic, based entirely on the original manga so it's very different to the 1995 movie and SAC with much more of a comedic tone. Not a single bit of AI was used in production either, which is getting rarer in Japan where they don't have the pushback like here and it's infesting all art there.