Contemporary Anime/Manga in the vein of Gundam/Macross?

[Baerbel Haddrell]

Being a newcomer to Anime and Manga I haven`t seen much more than all of Bleach (which I am a big fan of) and all of D.Gray-Man (which I also enjoy very much).

Anyway, at least some of the titles mentioned in this thread are familiar to me.

I don`t know the end of Suzuka yet but I find it encouraging that zakkrusz listed it under “good love triangles”. I find this series very interesting and it already resulted in a few good debates with my husband. So far I find all sides flawed but likeable. I can understand where all of them are coming from. I am very curious how this series ends because my husband already told me that it is not an ongoing story.

He would certainly put Chobits under “good romances” as well. I watched it with him and it left me with mixed feelings. It is certainly not bad but I am not a fan of clingy, overly innocent, childlike women.

We watched Mnemosyne. This is indeed a very disturbing and violent series but on the other hand I found it very intriguing and well written. A lot of it is extremely borderline. My husband admitted at the end of one episode that he nearly switched it off but on some level he wanted to find out how this ends. That this series got a license surprises me. Hm, maybe we will buy it. We will have to think about that.

By the way, if there are people out there like us who wonder what the whole family can enjoy together, we discovered that we all like Ride Back very much. I learned from my husband that this is a very new series that hasn`t finished yet. My six-year-old daughter loves Iron Man (“He is cool, funny and clever”) and Oban Star Racer. Her eyes went big when she saw the robotic motorbike in full action for the first time. It also has a background story that looks promising. The series certainly has potential.

I will probably discover more Anime in time but my plate is already quite full. At least I learned to be more open minded about Anime and that there are actually some series out there that can become very special to me.

 

[CorporalClegg]

And the best part of Suzuka: It's got one of the best OPs ever.

Though, the English version SUCKS! "Starting Line?"

 

[zakkrusz]

I wouldn't say "best", but it's not bad.

By the way, if there are people out there like us who wonder what the whole family can enjoy together, we discovered that we all like Ride Back very much. I learned from my husband that this is a very new series that hasn`t finished yet. My six-year-old daughter loves Iron Man (“He is cool, funny and clever”) and Oban Star Racer. Her eyes went big when she saw the robotic motorbike in full action for the first time. It also has a background story that looks promising. The series certainly has potential.

Yes, this is my current favorite of the season. Very good story, cool action even if the show is more about the people, good animation by Madhouse (which is a company whose work I usually enjoy), and I'm also a sucker for motorcycles and mechs so combine the two and you have lots of coolness.

For an example of it's awesome-ness: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvIJlS1MiKM

 

[clint g]

And the best part of Suzuka: It's got one of the best OPs ever.

Though, the English version SUCKS! "Starting Line?"

They actually dubbed the OP? I thought that policy died out a decade ago lol

 

[zakkrusz]

Funimation does it now and again, randomly (Blue Gender, Kiddy Grade, Fruits Basket, Suzuka, Tenchi GXP were a few). The dub opening is only on the dub track though so you can just switch over to the Japanese track with the push of button for the original instead. There basically, just covers, same exact song only with English lyrics.

I usually skip through openings anyway after the first episode though, you've seen it once (although sometimes they're so bad you can't even watch it once), then you've seen it the other 12-26 times as well. You can complete the show in less time if you skim off openings, endings and previews when you're marithoning it.

 

[The Laughing Vulcan]

I usually skip through openings anyway after the first episode though, you've seen it once (although sometimes they're so bad you can't even watch it once), then you've seen it the other 12-26 times as well. You can complete the show in less time if you skim off openings, endings and previews when you're marithoning it.

Except when it's a Yoko Kanno scored show, in which case I may watch the credit sequences twice in a row.

 

[miraclefan]

^Guilty!

 

[zakkrusz]

I usually skip through openings anyway after the first episode though, you've seen it once (although sometimes they're so bad you can't even watch it once), then you've seen it the other 12-26 times as well. You can complete the show in less time if you skim off openings, endings and previews when you're marithoning it.

Except when it's a Yoko Kanno scored show, in which case I may watch the credit sequences twice in a row.

I suppose, yeah, if the openings are from bands/artists like Origa, Mell, Kotoko, Mami Kawada, L'Arc~Ciel, Uverworld, Eiko Shimamia, The Briliant Green, or TM Revolution I'll probabally watch it every time since they're songs are usually great. Also yeah, pretty much any score produced by Yoko Kanno or Yuki Kajiura is usually amazing.

 

[CorporalClegg]

Yuki = Sex

 

[clint g]

I usually skip through openings anyway after the first episode though, you've seen it once (although sometimes they're so bad you can't even watch it once), then you've seen it the other 12-26 times as well. You can complete the show in less time if you skim off openings, endings and previews when you're marithoning it.

Except when it's a Yoko Kanno scored show, in which case I may watch the credit sequences twice in a row.

I suppose, yeah, if the openings are from bands/artists like Origa, Mell, Kotoko, Mami Kawada, L'Arc~Ciel, Uverworld, Eiko Shimamia, The Briliant Green, or TM Revolution I'll probabally watch it every time since they're songs are usually great. Also yeah, pretty much any score produced by Yoko Kanno or Yuki Kajiura is usually amazing.

Yeah, those are all good ones. Then there are the ones whose visuals are just so amazing that I would watch them even if thy didnt have the music; Higurashi being a prime example. i remember being blown away the first time I saw that opening. It served as an excellent indicator of things to come

 

[zakkrusz]

Agreed, the 3 Higurashi openings fit their respective series very well. The opening for Kanon (2006) also was loaded with tons of breathtaking visuals.

Yuki = Sex

Yes, sex for my ears. Metaphorically, speaking that is.

Like this and this and this too.

 

[CorporalClegg]

^
I actually think her best stuff was on Xenosaga II and III. I remeber when when I first heard Mitsuda wasn't coming back to score the second game and I was all sad. A few weeks later I heard about Yuki and had an orgasm.

The interesting thing is, (as I pointed out to Goji the other day) I actually think she's the lesser half of See-Saw.

 

[zakkrusz]

She's got a number of aliases or different groups that she works with, Fiction Junction, Ali Project, See-Saw, and lately for the Kara no Kyoukai films, Kalafina to name a few.

 

[CorporalClegg]

I was well aware of that as I have a variety of CDs and mp3s representing them all. I was merely pointing out that of See-Saw (The group she started with, and is most associated with.) I like Ishikawa better.

More to the point, I think she's at her best when she's working with Chiaki-san.

For instance, heads up, I think "Dream Field" is a much better album than "Destination." But, that doesn't mean they don't both have a permanent residence in the CD compartment of my car.

 

[zakkrusz]

I wouldn't know about those but I do have the OSTs for Aquarian Age, .hack//SIGN, Kara no Kyoukai, Madlax, My-HIME, My Otome, Noir, Portrait of Petite Cosette, and Tsubasa Chronicle.

 

[firehawk12]

You know, I asked this years ago but I figure I should try again:

Does anyone remember an OVA series where the main characters essentially wore mini mechs? It was essentially armor that they carried in cases and they could unpack into armor. They weren't giant robots or anything - they were just futuristic looking knights, for lack of a better description.

The only thing I really remember about it is that at one point, the bad guy has the good guys cornered and each of the good guys take a shot for the other in order to keep each other alive.
Also, it must be a late 80s/early 90s thing... simply by virtue of when I actually watched it.

Also, I'm going through Full Metal Panic now... jeez, so much underwear.

 

[clint g]

Also, I'm going through Full Metal Panic now... jeez, so much underwear.

Yeah, the underwear thing is a trade mark of Gonzo, the studio who made the show lol. It dies down substantially when you hit seasons 2 and 3, both of which were animated by Kyoto Animation ( a FAR superior animation studio)

 

[zakkrusz]

You know, I asked this years ago but I figure I should try again:

Does anyone remember an OVA series where the main characters essentially wore mini mechs? It was essentially armor that they carried in cases and they could unpack into armor. They weren't giant robots or anything - they were just futuristic looking knights, for lack of a better description.

The only thing I really remember about it is that at one point, the bad guy has the good guys cornered and each of the good guys take a shot for the other in order to keep each other alive.
Also, it must be a late 80s/early 90s thing... simply by virtue of when I actually watched it.

Well the only shows I know of with smaller person-sized mecha or armor that are also OVA are Bubblegum Ciisis and it's related works and Tekkaman Blade.

Also, I'm going through Full Metal Panic now... jeez, so much underwear.

Eh? I never really noticed it. If it was there it usually fit the situation or had a comedic use. This is more than other series can say.

 

[firehawk12]

Hrm, I doesn't seem like either, mostly because I believe it was more fantasy than science fiction. I also think what they wore was closer to armor than mechs - it's just that they could shoot beams (reminiscent of Dragon Ball) from their armor (or even hands, if I'm remembering correctly).

The description of Escaflowne's armor sounds close - where its something that's strapped on rather than stepped into - but what I saw came out much earlier than that, so it has to be something else. Gack.

Oh, if I remember, I don't think it was shonen either - they *seemed* to be adults.

Eh? I never really noticed it. If it was there it usually fit the situation or had a comedic use. This is more than other series can say.

It is toned down later on, but for the few episodes it was all panties all the time. Well, to me anyway.

 

[Neopeius]

No one's seen Toward the Terra? That's an awesome show. Not the movie (which is also good) but the TV show.