Anime/Manga Discussion Thread

[OneEyedDrgn]

The thing about Bleach is that while Kubo has stated it was the last arc... In another previous interview, he stated he had plans for it to go on for another 10 years. So really, people have no idea how long it's going to last.

The Quincy are is a bit ridiculous what with the Shinigami getting crushed and I'm honestly disappointed the battles are so one-sided. Stealing bankai or not some of these battles were really lazily done. Kubo "killing" off all these characters seem somewhat ridiculous as well, especially the treatment Byakuya was given.

I'm going to guess the mystery character who killed off Quincy Nazi Himmler is Grimmjow.

In any case, another three week hiatus for Bleach. because Kubo is sick.

[Zhao Xiao]

What I always thought would be cool would be if Bleach characters actually fought a battle to the end of theirs and their opponent's stamina, instead of one of them suddenly one-shotting the other because they kept a ridiculously powerful move up their ass. Ichigo is the worst culprit. Nearly every battle ends with him pulling out the NEXT Getsuga or the NEXT resurrection form which then totally pwns the opponent. That to me seems almost lazy and kind of a buzzkill. The best battles were the ones against Renji or Grimmjow where Ichigo was properly battling at his (supposed) peak, getting injured constantly, losing power and speed through exhaustion. I liked those battles because they felt more balanced in terms of who would win.

I'd like Ichigo to knowingly face an opponent he knew he couldn't win (without any ridiculous pull-out-of-my-ass super move) and had to use actual smarts and cunning, as well as every scrap of energy to even make a dent in their defence. I know somewhere down the road we'll all find out why Ichigo is insanely quick at learning how to be badass - I'm guessing he's related to the Soul King or his mother is actually God - but lets try and not make him too insanely powerful.

I'm waiting for a plot to have Ichigo seemingly outmatched, at the ultimate peak of his current strength then Urahara says 'In order to win this fight, you need to die and cross over to the soul society so your soul has no unfinished business holding it back!' Then Ichigo dies, returns at ten times Captain level and pwns the main bad guy as is the current pattern. Seems logical to me.

[Calistoknight]

The thing about Bleach is that while Kubo has stated it was the last arc... In another previous interview, he stated he had plans for it to go on for another 10 years. So really, people have no idea how long it's going to last.

I remember a certian other manga artist saying something about his series nearing its end when he threw a Z on the end of it.. and we all know how that turned out. Can't really take it at face value since as long as the manga is still popular (I have no clue if it still is) he could keep doing it.

But yea as Marzy the Soul Society arc was probably the peak for Bleach when it came to coolness and enjoyability for me. I tend to hate fighting manga after prolong periods. I call it the DBZ effect, since you have guys that reach this peak where they sneeze and blow up planets and they just beat the most powerful being in the universe only to have someone even MORE powerful appear from nowhere and for the hero to reach a new level (or move) even though in the last arc they had already reached that supposed peak. And such it becomes and endless cycle until the editor goes "f****** end it" and so it does.

And I agree with you Zhao Xiao with the battles. To me it's like "Why the hell didn't you just do that in the first place?!" I'm ok if its like discovering a new power (generally more forgiving early on in the series) but like when some of the Captian's were fighting Aizen's cronies, some of them didn't use their Banki's because it was like "too powerful/dangerous" wft?!?! It made no sense.

The series should have ended with Aizen's defeat. Ichigo should have gotten big tits, friends should have enjoyed their days and he would be a part time soul-reaper. The end.

[Marzy]

Some fighting manga can reach old age if they stay creative. I think One Piece is the standard bearer when it comes to that. It's still going strong and hasn't hit a point of oversaturation or just utter ridiculousness yet. I think that it plucks all the right strings and has some of the best shonen fights going to date.

Though, when it comes to looking at fights, Blade of the Immortal is the best one I can think of. The hyper detailed artwork is incredible, and I don't think that it suffers from the same problem that more fantasy inspired shonen titles run into when it comes to constantly one-upping itself.

[Calistoknight]

Some fighting manga can reach old age if they stay creative. I think One Piece is the standard bearer when it comes to that. It's still going strong and hasn't hit a point of oversaturation or just utter ridiculousness yet. I think that it plucks all the right strings and has some of the best shonen fights going to date.

I havn't really read much One Piece and I probably should, only the first couple volumes or so. The one thing that I liked was that it didn't seem to go down that sort of evolution progression that other fighting manga tend to get (DBZ, Bleach, even Naruto) at least at the time it seemed like everyone was more or less deadlocked into a set abilities and was more technique based, probably because it doesn't really rely on spirit energy, chi, etc. At least from what I've seen of the manga it could be different now; I've only read a faction of it.

Though, when it comes to looking at fights, Blade of the Immortal is the best one I can think of. The hyper detailed artwork is incredible, and I don't think that it suffers from the same problem that more fantasy inspired shonen titles run into when it comes to constantly one-upping itself.

I think I've read the first few volumes of this and it was pretty good. It reminds me of Beserk when it comes to having super detailed artwork that's just great to look at though I can't comment much since i don't remember it much. I might have to order the first volume to re-read it.

[Marzy]

When it comes to One Piece fights, Derek Brown puts it better than I could over at the Manga Bookshelf.

I think what One Piece does that the other big shonen titles don't really do well is embrace what it is. One Piece is really campy. Luffy's goals are to have fun with his friends, eat a ridiculous amount of food, and eventually be King of Pirates. He fights people because they're jerks, to protect his friends, or maybe just because it sounds like a lot of fun. There aren't really big speeches about how the strong have to protect the weak or there's power in friendship or any nonsense like that. It's more like, "YOU'RE MY FRIEND, SO I'M GONNA SAVE YOU!" That sort of simplicity is refreshing.

What Dragonball Z was the farther along it got, and the way Bleach had been since the beginning, was something that took itself too seriously. In DBZ or Bleach, the stakes get ridiculously high. Planets are going to freaking explode high. There are only so many times you can go to that length before no one cares anymore. Then where can you go? It's harder for Bleach, because I don't find many of the main characters to be particularly likeable or complex, and a lot of the story (at least in the first two major arcs) is essentially, "Love interest is kidnapped, lets 'sword' fight."

If you're interested in One Piece, something that was recommended to me and that I extend to other people is to get into the Grand Line. The East Blue arc (the first 12 Viz volumes I think) is sort of world building and the Grand Line is where it gets turned to 11. That's where Oda starts constructing interesting storylines and fights. I don't think you even need to read anything from East Blue to really enjoy what's going forward. One Piece will never get you to ask or consider deeper perspectives, but it gets ridiculously fun.

[Calistoknight]

I agree whole hearted Marzy on your take with the more serious manga. I think with more serious toned fighting manga you need to have a good story thought out and with Bleach it doesn't seem like he has one, it's too episodic to hold your interest over the course of years with the tone. Keeping it simple and small stakes I think works, and once you reach the point where you're saving the world that's it. You can't really go beyond as you have said. I think Beserk is a great manga in this regards. The main character has gotten more powerful and the stakes in many ways have gotten higher. But it's a very gradual build up to this point. The main antagonist was clearly established early on and you know that once he's defeated that's the end (or should be).

With One Piece Luffy's goal was to sail down the Grand Line yes? I figure as long as he keeps doing that the manga can keep going. Once that's done you would have to end it, go into a world saving arc and end it then. You can't have him sail the Grand Line, then the Super Grand Line and then the Space Line because then it gets old. A story should have one good big goal and once that's done that should be it.

Bleach for instance should have basically ended with Aizen, he was the biggest baddest mofo around. There wasn't much of a direction they could have gone for bigger and badder. Maybe like the rulers/highest rank Hollows or the King. Going into arcs with a bunch of weaker humans, basically, is just fail imo. It's a downgrade and doesn't make a lot of sense. But yea I want to read various series that have been published, but I need money and possibly room to store them all.

[Xe of Greed]

With One Piece Luffy's goal was to sail down the Grand Line yes? I figure as long as he keeps doing that the manga can keep going. Once that's done you would have to end it, go into a world saving arc and end it then. You can't have him sail the Grand Line, then the Super Grand Line and then the Space Line because then it gets old. A story should have one good big goal and once that's done that should be it.

Not unless you're Gurren Lagann, in which case you make the impossible possible and sail the universe grand line.

[Zhao Xiao]

I think Bleach should have ended with the Soul King. I'm hoping it still will (somehow) because otherwise, what would be the point of adding vague references if they mean absolutely nothing? But to do that Tite will need to somehow shove him in with the random Quincy invasion?

I my opinion, Aizen should have deduced how his little hokyoku crap failed him so he breaks out (I'm still confused how anyone could hold him prisoner) and he marches on the Soul King as was the main plan. Least Tite could have done would be to make the Soul King the main villain. Maybe he gets his hand on the hokyoku and demands something unbelievably terrible like "Everything". That would be cool actually, the Honour Guard of the King march against the Soul Society, loyal only to their monarch, and steal that little maguffin. Maybe they take out all the guard captains as well leaving Ichigo the last awesomeness standing.

Thing is, all the above would be boring as hell. Same old crap as people have discussed; Ichigo faces yet another collection of impossible foes ONLY to learn the next evolutionary state PLUS ultimate Getsuga and defeats them all, and saves whichever female friend who got caught this time (the lesbian one?). What would be cool would be a story arc that focuses solely on Ichigo's struggle to reclaim his soul. Maybe instead of that fullbring rubbish, he starts losing his mind over being powerless. Maybe the Soul King or Aizen returns and Ichigo simply doesn't have the power to even bother challenging him. Everyone falls and Ichigo has to search out a way to find his powers again. I think Ichigo needs to lose and lose big time for once. Then he needs to come back, and fight his opponent on balanced terms that don't involved any one-shot attacks or ultimate kills. Maybe in order for Ichigo to get his powers back, he has to die and go to the soul society? And then, finally Ichigo dies? I dunno. Anything would have been cooler than a Quincy Invasion that spawned from nothing.

[OneEyedDrgn]

Anyone watching currently airing shows this season? I'm guessing there's a number who are watching Sword Art Online, though I personally don't like it.

Oda Nobuna no Yabou is currently my favorite. Usual concept of a guy being thrown in the past and having genderbent Sengoku characters. If you can get over the fact that 90% of the characters like Nobunaga (Nobuna), Katsuie Shibata, Toshie Maeda, etc are all females and that it's ecchi, it's actually a pretty damn fun show with enough historical references and references to the Nobunaga's Ambition and other Sengoku games for the simming geek.

Genderbent Nobunaga Oda
Genderbent Goemon Ishikawa
Genderbent Katsuie Shibata
Not genderbent Hanzo Hattori

[Marzy]

I honestly read a lot more than I watch, so I don't go through many anime series. I usually wait out the season, pick out what's finished and still getting hyped, then watch those if the premises delight me. :S I'm still in the middle of The Woman Called Fujiko Mine right now. The middle episodes aren't really that meaty, but I hear that the series really picks up steam toward the end, so I'm trying to stick it out.

[OneEyedDrgn]

Subs are out for the new Code Geass movie/OVA; Code Geass: Boukoku no Akito.

Takes place in between the first season and the second season of the original, and is about Japanese immigrants in Europe fighting the war between the European Union and Britannia. Some Geass powers and such, with characters like CC and Suzzaku that are supposedly going to recur once the next OVA is released.

Some good mech porn and politics, pretty good episode and something you will most likely enjoy if you were a fan of the original.

[LiTH-]

I don´t know why, but I don´t really like Movies and OVAs that much. If I watch something it´s probably also an already completed season... except for Mecha Animes... I just love Gundams and the such

Has anyone of you guys watched Accel World or maybe Sword Art Online? I can recommend the first one to some extend and now I´m pondering if I should watch SA:O :/

[OneEyedDrgn]

I'm sorry to say Accel World and SAO are on my top 10 worst anime shows I've watched. SAO is literally a teenager's fanfiction written many years ago that was adapted into an anime, and Accel World is almost the same. I really couldn't stand how pretentious AW was and the questionable concept of the entire virtual reality world where times goes by slowly. Put in one of the worst protagonists ever, a kid who spends half the time crying and complaining, and the other half spouting nonsense about friendship and bonds while fighting, and it became really intolerable for me.

[DivineNecromancerZL]

Oda Nobuna no Yabou is currently my favorite. Usual concept of a guy being thrown in the past and having genderbent Sengoku characters. If you can get over the fact that 90% of the characters like Nobunaga (Nobuna), Katsuie Shibata, Toshie Maeda, etc are all females and that it's ecchi, it's actually a pretty damn fun show with enough historical references and references to the Nobunaga's Ambition and other Sengoku games for the simming geek.

Genderbent Nobunaga Oda
Genderbent Goemon Ishikawa
Genderbent Katsuie Shibata
Not genderbent Hanzo Hattori

Nobuna and Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita took my top spots this past season.

I'm still on the fence for what I'm going to pick up this season, though. I'm definitely watching season 2 of Jormungand, and saw the first episode of the new Hayate (being a big fan of the franchise), but that's mostly for funsies. Also thinking about picking up Kamisama Hajimemashita as well as Litchi de Hikari Club.