posted
To save hijacking a healthy thread, I moved here.
Manga Essentials
I'd love to get into Manga in a more personal way, but I really don't know where to start. Of course, I am a big fan of the classic Akira - but is that a bit mainstream? I loved Spirited Away, despite the fact there wasn't nearly enough robots and ninja schoolgirl cyborgs in it.
There's tons of choice. I like the look of stuff along the lines of Appleseed, Neon Genesis Evangeleon etc. etc. but is it any good?
I like robots, lasers, Blade-Runner-esque future dystopias and ninja schoolgirls. Educate me, so I can spend money on DVDs based on your peer pressure.
I think Ghost in the Shell is already on the list.
[ 12.12.2005, 11:43: Message edited by: Doctor Agamemnon When ]
not...
You reached over with your hand and knocked my Jap over
posted
okay I'm as much of a n00b as you When but can we ust get one thing straight.
Manga = comics Anime = animation
Is that correct?
ETA:
quote:from wikipediaIn more recent years, anime has also frequently been referred to as manga in Europe, a practice that may stem from the Japanese usage. In Japan, manga can refer to both animation and comics (although the use of "manga" to refer to animation is mostly restricted to non-fans). Among English speakers, manga usually has the stricter meaning of "Japanese comics". An alternate explanation is that it is due to the prominence of Manga Entertainment, a distributor of anime to the US and UK markets. This term is much more common in Europe since Manga Entertainment started out in the UK.
quote: Among English speakers, manga usually has the stricter meaning of "Japanese comics".
Godd is that true? Is that all that manga means? That's seriously fucking lame, that is. That puts nerds who talk about the latest manga comics on the same level as Snorton saying something like "Ah yes, I remember when I heard about the oil refinery explosion - I was standing by the fromage counter in Sainsburys". Or those awful twats that say things like "Time for a couple of glasses of vino". I don't know what I've proved there. Just that nerds are geeky, I think.
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posted
yeah, but manga also has stylistic and structural connotations. You can differentiate manga from other forms of comics, so why not use a word to do so. If there's one thing you can say about words, it's that they're handy for differentiating one thing from another.
posted
So if I was at a meet and I said "Hey Benway - Oi Benway! OI BENWAY!" and you turned round and I was all like "Hey, yeah, I read the latest shoseki by Murakami the other day" you wouldn't think I was a terrible twat. I mean, any more than now?
If Manga's just the japanese word for 'comic', then technically Spider-Man is a manga, too, and Sin City and etc etc.
Anyway. Pedantry aside, briefly, the only Japanese cartoons I've ever seen was some three episode series I downloaded off of torrentspy. It didn't have any sound, and I'd never heard of it before. It did have an awful lot of footage of girls lezzing up, screaming, and being attacked by monsters and torn apart by their penises. I know a lot (all?) people think I'm a just a beery parody of a frat boy - but I do like to get involved in other cultures, and I count this example as a complete success.
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quote:Originally posted by Thorn Davis: If Manga's just the japanese word for 'comic', then technically Spider-Man is a manga, too, and Sin City and etc etc.
Would you say that technically, a cumberland sausage was a bratwurst, because bratwurst is german for "meat sausage"? No. In our language, one is a sausage, one is a bratwurst. You might say that a bratwurst was a german sausage, but you know that it is not a sausage as we know it from germany. Therefore. You might say that Manga was 'japanese comics', but you know that it is not just comics (as we know them) from japan. I am not saying that either manga or comics are similar in form or content to either sausages or bratwursts. I am using them as an example of us importing a foreign word (in this case, 'bratwurst') to described something that we don't have an exact term for.
[ 12.12.2005, 13:20: Message edited by: Dr. Benway ]
posted
I trawled through loads of anime a few years back and thought most of it was a bit shit. The Crying Freeman series was pretty good, but best of all was the demented Urutsukidoji: Legend of the Overfiend series.
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When I read the title of this thread I had such high hopes. Instead I got bratwurst.
There used be a lot of anime on late night Sci-Fi channel over here. It was a bit fucked up sometimes. I mean like really fucking twisted, eyeballs popping out every 2 minutes, blood all over the place disgusting. And then other days it would be a childrens cartoon. It was like a lucky dip.
posted
Ah. That's another one I've seen. Urotsukidoji. It was OK if you're big on Demon Rape and long drawn out sequences of fleshy explosions. I found the film a bit dull, to be honest. At least Akira had a fair bit of lasery sci-fi action.
posted
Appleseed I liked this, although the animation is of the somewhat naff variety, but in kind of a good way. Features tough guy robot cop with inexplicable bunny ears.
Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within The digital animation in this is pretty stunning, but the story is of the somewhat naff variety, and not in a good way.
Metropolis Decent animation, decent story, good film.
Some others I'd recommend:
I'd second Black Mask's recommendation of the Crying Freeman series, they are excellent.
Blood - The Last Vampire Not a feature, but a cracking 45mins or so of top notch anime action thriller, featuring small girl with samurai sword.
Graveyard of the Fireflies Brilliant film, anime or not, stunning story of two children's attempts to survive in WWII Japan.
Princess Mononoke and Nausicaa - Valley Of The Wind Are IMO the best two Miyazake movies currently available for UK audiences. Both brilliant and beautiful adventure stories.
Perfect Blue Fucked up De Palma style J-pop thriller, good and unsettling.
Wings Of Honneamise Don't think this has a UK dvd release yet, but this is excellent. The story of a teenage boy who wants to be an astronaut.
Wicked City Again not sure UK dvd is available, but this a good supernatural action thriller.
ETA: Oh yeah for Cyborg Ninja Schoolgirls check out Project A-Ko.
[ 15.12.2005, 07:57: Message edited by: Boy Racer ]
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I have a rather healthy interest in things that are Japanese * , but apart from the obligatory Akira have not had much exposure to the old Manga - thanks for the tips - I'll have a look see what I can find and have a watch.
* All except that film Darryn - my stomach still turns at the thought.
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I seem to remember it being called Japanimation ages and ages ago, but presumably this word was dropped because of how it is crap.
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quote:Originally posted by MiscellaneousFiles: I seem to remember it being called Japanimation ages and ages ago, but presumably this word was dropped because of how it is crap.
lol!
I remember this being a totally uncool way to refer to anime. And if a teenager in fucking Botswana knows its uncool then you best believe the word was out.
posted
Today I received 3 anime/manga based things!
on the gamecube, 'Tales of Symphonia' which promises 80 hours of turn based combat RPG goodness. Comes with anime cut scenes.
on DVD - Ghost in the Shell S.A.C. 2nd Gig! Only took about 3 days from Hong Kong. Case is a bit knackered, but I can't complain.
Book - Domu: A Child's Dream. Award winning blah blah creator of Akira yadda yadda.
I'm expecting another anime series soon. I can't remember what it's called though. Wolf something. Set in the old 'germany won WW2" reality. Supposed to be good. Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade.
quote:Originally posted by Dr. Benway: on the gamecube, 'Tales of Symphonia' which promises 80 hours of turn based combat RPG goodness. Comes with anime cut scenes.
Oh my god, that game is so good. Very cliched storyline but great great game. I love it so much. It's at least as good as Skies of Arcardia, perhaps a bit better.
I'm currently playing Fire Emblem : Path of Radiance, which is a bit anime, tactical rpg thing. It's :thumbup:
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posted
I'm going to champion Clamps X as a bit of an all time classic. It's drives on a bit, but is a staple diet of psychics battling each other to teh daeth.
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