No, i stay away from all that stuff, dvd or bluray only for me
Only digital stuff I have is some stuff from itunes and the ones that come free with the dvd, i prefer physical copies (much cheaper and much harder to lose) and I would never get things I havn't paid for.
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“if you run short on cash, theres always that option. dont forget to use vasaline” -Freedomeclipse
“Before you complain about lag, think about Jesus. He lagged three days before respawning.” -repman244
£23 with shipping included (have you tried sourcing Anime in england, half the things you list are unavailble or very very expensive, i pick up what i can form play and zavvi etc but...in the end i just have to go without or watch it from the links on your front page
i think i might just wait and see if it pops up somewhere you never know, even the soundtracks to English movies are generally hard to come by
My sources are amazon.com\uk\jp and http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/index.html
Usually Amazon has what i need...
Some of the movies are old, mostly the ghibli ones, but an hard search will find you every major ghibli movie on dvd, as for the others they are mostly recent movies, some of which haven been released out of japan like for ex: Nanoha, The borrowers, macross f, maybe first squad, and maybe more, i would have to look into it myself...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fourstaff
You might want to pick up the newer stuff, they have not been licensed in UK yet hence its OK to download them ("note that I said OK, not legal"). That should give you a good idea of what to watch and what to avoid. Do support the studios and buy their DVDs when they eventually come out though.
Fullmetal Alchemist and Fullmetal Alchemist are also good for "less mature" otakus, along with Nodame Cantabile (the art is not exactly the best). I just finished Ika Musume, if you like childish anime its worth watching.
My experience is to avoid Madoka until you are actually a bit more steeped into otaku culture, I find that alot of part time otakus don't really like them.
It is recommendable to download now, buy latter when possible, thats how i work, although i cant afford to buy everything...
Madoka would be a good crash course...
Edit for Arciks: lazy list, my own actually...
Spoiler
Action:
Baccano: Each of the stories in the series involves several unrelated plots intersecting and crossing each other as events spiral farther and farther out of control. Immortal alchemists, mafia operated speakeasies, and many other elements of pulp fiction mashed together for a world straight out of the movies.
Baccano is an awesome comedy that will never get boring, it has a huge but memorable cast, you will even remember the small villains when you finish the anime, but for the history stays an awesome comedy duo, Baccano has lots of action, lots of mafia business and lots of violence, but it never gets serious enough, not when those two are on screen messing with everyone...
Black lagoon: When Okajima Rokuro (aka Rock) visits Southeast Asia carrying a top secret disk, he is kidnapped by pirates riding in the torpedo boat, Black Lagoon. Although he thought he would be rescued soon, the company actually abandons him, and sends mercenaries to retrieve the secret disk. He narrowly escapes with his life, but has nowhere to go. He gives up his name and past, and resolves to live as a member of the Black Lagoon.
Heavy action with strong characters, a serious anime about modern pirates...
Comedy:
Azumanga daioh: Azumanga Daioh is about high school life through the eyes of six girls with unusual personalities: Chiyo (the 10-year-old genius), Osaka (the resident airhead), Sakaki (the shy one prone to cat bites), Tomo (the loose cannon), Yomi (the short-tempered one) and Kagura (the resident jock).
Azumanga is one of the best high school comedies ever made and its cast is very fun, this anime is already a classic...
Clannad:Set in a high school located in some Japanese town. Okazaki Tomoya is a third-year student who does not take his studies seriously. Always late for class, he is seen as a delinquent by the rest of his classmates who are busy preparing for their college entrance examinations. Needless to say, he does not have too many close friends either.
Tomoya does not seem not to mind either — until one day he meets a girl, Furukawa Nagisa, who is left alone without friends in the school because everybody she knew already graduated. "What a clumsy girl", he thinks at first. But he can not leave her alone and so, while helping her, he meets a few other girls from his school. Although he does not care much about them at first, he soon opens his heart to them as they get to know each other better.
The first season is all about comedy and an harem of girls...
Hyakko: On their first day of high school shy Ayumi Nonomura and taciturn Tatsuki Iizuka become lost on the immense campus of Kamizono Academy. An irresistible force of nature named Torako Kageyama accompanied by her best friend Suzume Saotome appears in front of them. Led, sometimes pushed, by Torako, the girls and their classmates work through problems of school, home and adolescence.
More high quality High school comedy with a very sharp character design and quite unique as well, its comedy levels are quite good, a must watch...
Ichigo Mashimaro:Ichigo Mashimaro follows the life of Nobue Itoh, her younger sister Chika, and her friends. The basic premise of the show can be summed up in “cute girls do cute things in cute ways”, be it trying to quit smoking, going outside to play, celebrating a holiday, or doing school work.
If Azumanga Daioh left you longing for more sweet, off-kilter comedy, then you'll be glad to know that its successor has arrived. Although Strawberry Marshmallow features a younger cast of characters, the same oddball humor that made AzuDai a hit also permeates this series, with an added edge of sarcasm. They say that cute shows are all about brash, annoying antics and being as loud as possible, but this series proves that wrong. There is something uniquely appealing about Marshmallow's deadpan delivery, the way a joke creeps up from behind and suddenly strikes—like an unseen slap knocking a 12-year-old girl to the ground. That's the kind of gag that just doesn't happen anywhere else.
Lovely Complex:Risa Koizumi, taller than the average girl, and Atsushi Ootani, shorter than the average guy - their constant bickering and comical love-hate relationship is well-known throughout the school. They act similarly and love the same music, and their friendship is full of laughing, shouting at each other, and of course, lots of jokes about one another's height. But when Risa notices her feelings for Ootani growing, she's worried. She doesn't know if he can ever see her as more than a friend. With her friends rooting for her, she struggles to make him see how she feels about him, and that a romantic relationship between a tall girl and a short guy can work. Oblivious Ootani doesn't make things easy for her, but she stubbornly perseveres in her own unconventional way, determined for her feelings to get through to him, and finally be returned. If only she could do it without driving herself and everyone else crazy in the process...
An awesome comedy with a great comedy duo, but also a very good romance anime...
Lucky Star: Lucky star is an awesome comedy, buts its parodies and other anime heavy influences makes it an hard watch for anyone that isnt an otaku yet, but for veterans, its simply hilarious to watch...
Maria Holic:The story centers on a sophomore named Kanako who enrolls in all-girls school because she has a phobia of men and wants to find her destined yuri partner. She meets a captivating freshman named Mariya who fits her criteria — except her seemingly ideal mate happens to be a cross-dressing sadistic boy.
Pani Poni Dash: So you think you're ready for a new take on high school silliness. But are you ready for one that goes at maximum speed, assaulting the eyes and the ears and the mind with all manner of madcap humor? Pani Poni Dash! may be a retread of familiar themes, but it attacks those themes with such energy and uniqueness that there's no mistaking it for any other classroom comedy. Watch it once just to see what happens, watch it again to catch all the in-jokes, watch it as many times as you need to see comedy pushed to its technical limits. And it might just make you think twice about vending machines that dispense warm drinks.
School rumble: Tsukamoto Tenma is always chasing after the rather unusual Karasuma Ooji, to no avail. Her over-the-top methods don't even seem to register, but she keeps trying. Harima Kenji, the class rebel, is desperately trying to confess his feelings to Tenma, also with no luck. It's a comedy love-triangle, with humour that comes in from left field!
If there's something that might be even better than azumanga it is school rumble, and everyone looking for a good comedy should watch it, it even has some bits of romance here and there...
Cyberpunk: Cyberpunk focuses on computers or information technology, usually coupled with some degree of breakdown in social order. The plot often centers on a conflict among hackers, artificial intelligences, and mega corporations, tending to be set within a near-future dystopia Earth.
Armitage III: Ross Sylibus is a Chicago cop, who lost his partner in a battle with a cyborg. He has just been transferred to Mars as an expert on androids, but before he has even left the spaceport he spots a group of suspicious people, who turn out to be a madman with cyborg bodyguards. With the help of his soon-to-be partner waiting in the terminal, Naomi Armitage, he stops the cyborgs, but their leader escapes.
The plot thickens when they find out that the group was carrying the body of a android, a very popular country singer, impersonating a human. At the MPD office, Ross and Armitage are paired up in the investigation of this unusual crime. As it turns out, someone is murdering androids — the rare and illegal Third Types, nearly indistinguishable from humans — who have been living undetected as humans.
Ross is already uncomfortable with the investigation, and when he finds out that Armitage herself is a Third, he does not know what to make of the situation. Matters are further complicated when he is severely injured in a confrontation with the android assassin, and has to have large parts of his own body replaced with cybernetics.
All the while, the threat of war with Earth looms overhead, and these crimes appear to be related somehow. Armitage becomes a wanted android, and Ross must choose between her and his prejudices.
The plot is complicated enough to engross viewers, yet flexible enough to drive the series forward at a fast pace. The dreary mood of the series is interchanged at times with sparks of hope that are portrayed convincingly through the talents of the voice actors.
Ergo Proxy: The cocoon-like city of Romdo was meant to be a sealed-off utopian city where humans and androids (‘autoreivs’) would co-exist in peace under total government control… of course, these things rarely work out, so in execution, Romdo is a dark, depressing sort of place. While investigating a strange series of murders, Intelligence Bureau detective Re-l Mayer gets an enigmatic (and creepy) warning that something is “awakening”… and then she's visited by a bizarre-looking android beast, who defends her from another, equally bizarre-looking android beast. Something stinks in the city of Romdo!
Ergo Proxy is the latest in a long tradition of twisty, dark, violent dramas like Serial Experiments Lain, Texhnolyze, and Blame!, and it's a fine addition to the genre. Beautifully animated and strikingly mature, Ergo Proxy is a top-shelf title that any high-minded sci-fi fan (or anyone into gothic mystery titles like Witch Hunter Robin) will probably enjoy.
Ergo Proxy certainly isn't for everyone. It's a dark, brooding, slowly-paced sci-fi mystery with philosophical underpinnings; this is unquestionably an adult anime. People expecting nonstop robot fights will be disappointed, as will anyone who isn't patient enough to stick with the storyline. Overall, though, this is a mature, engrossing series; it's a nice break from the piles and piles of harem comedies and dating-sim shows the medium has become inundated with.
Ghost in the Shell: In the year 2029, the world is made borderless by the net; augmented humans live in virtual environments, watched over by law enforcement that is able to download themselves into super-powered, crime busting mecha.
The ultimate secret agent of the future is not human, has no physical body and can freely travel the information highways of the world, hacking and manipulating whatever and whenever required.
Ghost in the Shell is a long list of movies and 2 tv series totaling 52 episodes, it is without question a MASTERPIECE, anyone and everyone should be watching this and even read the manga whenever possible...
Real Drive: The story takes place in 2061, 50 years after humanity developed the "Net society" that depended on information networks despite their security issues. To improve security, a new network called Meta Real Network — or "Metal" for short — was developed. People's personal memories are reduced to information and placed within "protected virtual stand-alone organic cyber enclaves" called bubble shells online. The result was a virtual "explosion" of creative freedom as people felt safe enough to explore instincts and desires on Metal that they would not otherwise explore in real life. This "friction" between the Metal's alluring lack of restrictions and rules-bound reality led to trouble and incidents that investigators known as "cyber divers" must handle. Masamichi Haru is one such cyber diver.
This is a Production I.G an Masamune Shirow's production, it is a very unique anime in many aspects and it is very interesting to watch...
Serial Experiments Lain: The first episode opens with the mysterious suicide of a high-school girl, Chisa Yomoda. Chisa-chan was a classmate of Lain Iwakura, a quiet, 14-year-old high-school girl. One of the other girls in the class has been receiving e-mail messages from Chisa-chan, and Lain discovers she also has mail from Chisa-chan. In the mail she explains to Lain that she just abandoned her flesh. She assures Lain that she still is alive in the 'wired' world. After getting a new 'navi' and adding a 'psyche' circuit, Lain spends more and more time in the wired. It seems that Lain has at least 2 personalities, and Lain's first personality is changing even now. Who is Lain? Who are the 'knights'? Can the wired influence the real world with a prophecy? Is the real world nothing but a hologram of the information in the wired?
Lain is definitely not for everyone. It's very eccentric but it certainly has a point and it's accomplished in a rather interesting way if you don't mind watching very cerebral anime. There's little to no action, no comedy, no nothing, except some very serious thought provoking drama. It's bizarre enough to make you watch it at least twice. Check it out.
LAIN is one of Yoshitoshi ABe's masterpieces...
Texhnolyze: Lukuss is a forsaken City where despair and violence is widespread. Its sole purpose of existence is mining rafia, a rare material that connects the human body, a necessity to texhnolyzation - manufacturing mechanical limbs.
There lives Ichise, a boy who carves his life in gamble boxing to live, Ran, a girl who sees the near future and Oonishi Kyogo, the leader of Organo who can hear the "Voice of the Town".
Lukuss is governed by force by Organo, a battle equipped working class organization. An opposing anti-tehnolyze force is the Citizen Salvation Alliance led by Kalis Makimata. There also exists a gang of texhnolyzed youths proclaiming freedom called Racan. Out of the city live the people of Gabe, a subterranean spiritual community following the words of The Seer.
The town symbol Obelisk silently watches the delicate balance of Lukuss, for chaos is about to unfold.
It's a waste of time to recommend this series to “fans of (insert anime series here)” because there literally isn't anything else like it out there on the market right now. This is a radical departure even for Abe, who specializes in unorthodox anime storytelling. It almost belongs more in the foreign film section than with the rest of the anime on the shelf; it's that different. If you're looking for something new or are interested in expanding your horizons, this is a definite purchase for you. It's as close to art as anime gets while still being captivating.
Drama:
Air: * Based on an adult visual novel game for the PC by Visual Art's/Key.
Kunisaki Yukito is a traveller, ever seeking the girl in the sky from a legend passed down in his family. His journey takes him to a small seaside town, where he meets Misuzu, a girl who seems eager to become his friend. A story spanning a thousand years begins to unfold against the background of their peculiar relationship.
Air is one of the saddest anime ever made, and is one of Key's Masterpieces along with Kanon...
Clannad after story: Events in After Story take place immediately after the end of the first part, but extends into the next ten years, where Tomoya and Nagisa live together as a family.
Half The same good comedy seen in the first season, half serious slice of life, Clannad is a tragedy, so if you watch it, prepare to feel very sad, but its is still one of the best in the genre...
Ef a tale of memories and melodies: Like Clannad, Ef is simply one of the best tales ever told, spiced with some drama, a little of tragedy and lots of romance...
Kanon:One snowy winter's day...
I sit on a bench near the station, waiting to meet my cousin Nayuki Minase; it's been seven years since I last saw her.
This place is far from the town where I was born and lived until yesterday.
This is where Nayuki lives with her mother, who has offered to take me in, now that I am forced to move so suddenly.
And this is the town in which my faintest, cloudiest childhood memories are set...
A young man, Yuuichi Aizawa, gets off a train and leaves the station as he enters a town that is blanketed by snow. He left the area seven years ago and has now returned to his memories that he left behind. Although his past is blurry in his mind, the girls that still remember him and that he had relationships begin to help him remember. While this happens, the bad memories of his past also begin to come back, and will eventually haunt him.
Kanon is a drama anime, there are many fun moments, sad moments, there are many mysteries and many characters hold a secret, and there's also romance like in any good drama anime...
Kanon is another of Key's Masterpieces, and while AIR is a warm summer anime, Kanon is cold winter anime, Kanon was also made before and after AIR, there are 2 versions of the same story one from 2002 and the other from 2006, for those who watched both, its hard to tell winch is better...
Kimi ga Nozomu Eien: Kimi ga Nozomu Eien is the story of Haruka Suzumiya, Takayuki Narumi and Mitsuki Hayase, the tragedy that will happen in the future and the drama the characters will have to live after the tragedy…
This is probably the title that better defines drama and tragedy on anime, before Clannad it was the best in the genre, but now it shares that place...
If u are just starting to watch this anime, prepare for a rollercoaster of emotions, once you start watching it you are part of the cast, it feels like you are there sharing those moments with them.
True tears: Shinichiro is a student living in what would be a dream come true for most high school boys, but for him is mostly a frustration. A well liked girl in school named Hiromi has lived in his house for a year along with his family. Her father was a close friend of the family, and when he died they immediately took her in. She is popular and well liked, always smiles, is talented in sports- but Shinichiro knows there must be tears inside her. Having an artistic tendency, he makes watercolours of her and thinks about wishing to ease her tears. Yet he cannot bring up the nerve to talk to her even in his own home. She, too, is quiet and withdrawn in their house, quite unlike at school. Shinichiro is also distracted by teasing from his friend Nobuse for watching Hiromi from afar, a curse of bad luck from a strange girl named Noe, and being forced to perform Muhiga dancing. By helping Noe he hopes to ease his own problems, yet he seems to have difficulty helping himself.
While true tears might not be as good as the ones above but its very close, it tels a little different story...
True tears tells the story of a boy and the three women that love him and while he loves all three differently, he will have to chose only one...
How can we not be sad whit all that is going on in this small town??
Fantasy:
Claymore: Long ago, Youma, shape changing demons, took human form to live in disguise in human towns, feeding on them in secret.
A secret, nameless society has discovered a way of implanting Youma flesh into humans to create hybrids powerful enough to defeat the Youma. A hybrid's standard abilities include faster healing, limited shape modification, the ability to detect Youma and other hybrids, and overall enhanced physical prowess allowing them to wield massive claymores, for which they are named: Claymores. For reasons not divulged, only women are selected to be Claymores. They are often chosen for implantation after being the sole survivors of a family attacked by a Youma; this ensures their loyalty and willingness to endure the painful hybridization process.
The society sends Claymores to towns that can afford their fees to kill Youma. The society is often strict and harsh; Claymores who break the rules risk being hunted down by their fellow warriors.
The story of Claymore follows the adventures of the beautiful warrior Claire, who fights demons while struggling to hold on to her own humanity.
Kemono no Souja Erin: Kemono no Souja Erin is about a young woman who is drawn into a war between kingdoms.
10-year- old Erin is a young girl who lives with her mother in the Tai Koh Region in the small Village of Ake. She has a big love for animals, especially the Touda, dragon-like creatures used in the war.
Her mother Soyon was originally of the Mist People, an ancient clan who have members with green hair and eyes, and is rumored to follow in the ancient ways, practice magic, and hide in the mist. But despite her genealogy, they stay in the village because Erin's late father was the son of the village chief and Soyon is the head Touda doctor.
One day however a tragedy happens which changes Erin's life forever.
One way of describing this Story is simply calling it an Epic Masterpiece...
Erin is a story that will please both children and adults...
Mushishi: They are neither plants nor animals. They differ from other forms of life such as micro-organisms and fungi. Instead they resemble the primeval body of life and are generally known as "Mushi". Their existence and appearance are unknown to many and only a limited number of humans are aware of them. Ginko is a "Mushi-shi", who travels around to investigate and find out more about the "Mushi". In the process, he also lends a helping hand to people who face problems with supernatural occurrences which may be related to the "Mushi".
At once deeply human and utterly alien, mystical and earthily secular, Mushi-Shi beckons us—like the closing of second eyelids—to look at the world with new eyes, to go out and revel in the wonder of an eroded stone or the fractal veins of a leaf. It's enough to bring out the hippie in even the most hardened anime veteran. Images—a tidal wave of mushi pouring from girl's empty eye-sockets, a golden summer sky aswarm with flocks of feathery mushi—will haunt the mind's eye; emotions—the tender joy of another's company, the aching pain of loss—will linger in the heart. But the greatest achievement of all is to change, however briefly, our perception of the world around us. It's an end many strive for but few achieve, and Mushi-Shi does so without once allowing the effort to strain its calm, measured rhythm.
Shakugan no Shana: Sakai Yuuji was a normal student, but one day his normal life was gone. He was assaulted by a monster, Guze no Tomogara.It was a monster which came from another world, and was able to turn humans into light for him to eat. It was a girl with burning hair and red eyes (shakugan = flaming eyes) that saved him, while he was too surprised to move. Then, that girl said to him You don't exist anymore...
Horror/suspense/ mystery: Nakemonogatari:Bakemonogatari centres on Araragi Koyomi, a third year high school student who is almost human again after briefly becoming a vampire. One day, a classmate named Senjougahara Hitagi, who infamously never talks to anyone, falls down the stairs into Koyomi's arms. He discovers that Hitagi weighs next to nothing, in defiance of physics. After being threatened by her, Koyomi offers her help, and introduces her to Oshino Meme, a middle-aged homeless man who helped him stop being a vampire.
Info: In each chapter of the series, he encounters a different heroine, each involved with a different "apparition". The events of the previous chapters play an important role in the subsequent ones. The series primarily focuses on conversations between characters; it contains a fair number of parodies of other series, as well as Nisio Ishin's trademark wordplay and meta- humour.
Bakemonogata ri is the previous Shaft masterpiece and the most sold ever TV anime for each disk release, it broke all records with each BD, only Shaft new work is proving to be more popular...
Blood: The Last Vampire:At the Yokota Base in Japan, a nervous American military is on the brink of the Vietnam War. But a greater threat exists within the walls of the heavily-guarded compound: Vampires. A team of top-secret undercover agents learns of these blood-sucking fiends, and dispatches the mysterious Saya to hunt down and destroy them. This beautiful yet dangerous vampire slayer must use her extraordinary abilities and lethal Japanese sword to save the humans from the vampires who fear no sunlight.
Boogiepop Phantom:A scream in the night, and in that instant the world changed ... or at least, it appeared to.
The story evolves around a creature called Boogiepop. Boogiepop, also called 'death', hangs out in the city, and whenever you encounter it, she'll take you with her.
Nagi Kirima, a highschool student, seems to be fighting Boogiepop - or at least, she tries to. But then there are disappearances everywhere, and strange happenings occur. And nobody sees the link between them.
In a mixture of chaos and thrilling horror Nagi tries to find out what happened ... and why it still hasn't happened to her.
Despite the fact that Lain and Boogiepop were created by two entirely different groups of people, they share so many similarities in the way they come across that the comparison between the two is inevitable. Quite simply, everything that Lain is, Boogiepop is more. Lain is weird, Boogiepop is absolutely eerie, Lain is confusing, Boogiepop can cause serious headaches, and while Lain had some of the best sound ever in an Anime, Boogiepop makes the best use of sound effects to be ever heard in an Anime. So then, whatever Lain is, Boogiepop is more, but is Boogiepop any good? It all depends on the viewer.
Demon Prince Enma: Humans believe that they have forever banished the monsters of old along with the night, pushed back into the far reaches by the shining brilliance of the city. But in the absence of real shadows, monsters have simply moved into other shadows. They lurk, not in the blackness of night, but in the darkness of human hearts. Enma, a fire-wielding demon, roams the earth exploring these internal shadows. For it is his job, along with his childhood companion, snow-woman Yuki, to ferret out the monsters who have escaped Hell and either send them back or burn them to ashes with its flames. Murderous dolls or viscious blood-suckers, as Enma gets closer to the demons and the humans possessed by them, others in the city—a police officer and a lady reporter—grow closer to him, and to the truth of his Hell-born mission.
Review :
Throw together veteran creator Go Nagai and Elfen Lied director Mamoru Kanbe, and what do you get? For lack of a better example, you get Demon Prince Enma; a solid horror OVA that does interesting things with both, without redefining either.
Elfen Lied: A monster in the form of a naked red-haired girl breaks free from her cell and wreaks bloody havoc before escaping outside. The next day a pair of college-aged cousins discovers the girl on the beach – but now she's a simpleton lacking any means of communication. Unaware of what she is and not knowing what else to do with her, Yuka and Kohta take the girl they call Nyu (because that's all she can say) home, clothe her, look after her, and even try to protect her when police and armed special forces troops come looking for her. Though Nyu seems harmless enough, the serial killer personality within her still lurks within, occasionally taking control when threats arise. Are Yuka and Kohta safe from her? Is anyone?
Elfen Lied is an impact title, one of those rare anime which makes such a strong impression that it will, for better or worse, linger in your mind long after you've first seen it. The intensity of the graphic content may make it too extreme for even some mature viewers, but it's a title which should be on the shelf of any otaku with a high tolerance for graphic violence.
Ghost Hunt: Telling ghost stories is a favorite past time of Mai Taniyama and her friends--that is, until she meets 17 year-old Kazuya Shibuya, the man sent by Shibuya Psychic Research Center to investigate paranormal activity at a supposedly haunted school. When Mai gets caught in a dangerous situation, she is rescued by Kazuya's assistant. Saving her lands the assistant incapacitated, and Kazuya demands that Mai become his assistant, instead...
Ghost Hunt is probably the best Ghost anime ever made, while it isn't as bloody as elfen lied or violent like higurashi, it certainly has it's charm and it imposes fear on the viewer psychologically, maintaining an high tension most of the time when dealing with the occult and its denizens...
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni :Maebara Keiichi, a young teenager, has recently moved from the city to the rural village of Hinamizawa with his family. He is adjusting quite well to his new life, making friends at the small school, playing games, passing time in relative happiness, when suddenly a gruesome murder occurs...
A mystery begins to unravel — tracing back to happenings five years ago. As Keiichi learns more about these strange events, he wonders if he will be able to face the truth behind all of this.
Within the first few seconds of the first episode it will become quite clear that this is something well departed from a pleasant little moe fest, despite the way the rest of that first episode plays out. No, this is a case of moe meets murder, one that unnerves and disturbs much more with its violence and wickedness than with any sexual connotations, one where a perfectly cute-looking girl can turn into a perfectly menacing creature with startling swiftness. Its beginning, the way it transposes cute and evil (with its accompanying bloody violence), and how it bounces back and forth between its thoroughly innocent and grippingly dark content invites comparisons to Elfen Lied, but whereas the latter was a very visceral tale, When They Cry concentrates much more on mystery and psychological effects.
Kakurenbo:There is a street where no one lives, where ghostly lights flicker in the shadows. It is whispered that children who play hide-and-seek there after dark are kidnapped by demons…and disappear forever. Tonight, a boy named Hikora joins the game in search of his missing sister. Eight children gather. The street lamps flare though no one is there to light them. The game... and the terror... are about to begin!
A very interesting short movie worth watching by everyone...
Le portrait de petite Cosette:Cossette, a pretty young blond girl, was murdered in 18th century France by Marcelo, a painter who had fallen in love with her while producing numerous portraits of her. For more than 250 years her spirit lingers in a glass, waiting for a person who would be able to see and fall in love with her, thus providing an avenue for her freedom. Though she is reluctant to take the drastic actions necessary to gain her freedom, since it would mean the suffering and death of one who loves her, she sees her opportunity in Eiri, an antique shop employee who not only can see her but quickly becomes obsessed with her. The spirits of the objects which belonged to Cossette in life sense in Eiri the reborn spirit of Marcelo, however, and respond with great anger, threatening Eiri’s well-being. Can Eiri survive the curse of her objects and find a way to be with Cossette, or will his friends succeed in calling him back from the dream realm into which he is slipping? Does Cossette herself value her freedom enough that she is willing to allow Eiri’s suffering to happen?
Le Portrait de Petite Cossette is, ultimately, an artsy, stylish supernatural horror story about love and obsession. Its dramatic visuals, exceptional artistry, and sumptuous musical scoring make watching it quite an experience, and the story isn't half bad, either. It is very intensely graphic, so it is not a series for younger viewers or the faint at heart. If Goth-Loli appeals to you, you're a fan of inventive artistry, or you're looking for something quite different in the realm of supernatural tales, then this title is definitely worth a look.
Madoka: After experiencing a bizarre dream, Madoka Kaname, a kind 14-year old girl, encounters a magical creature named Kyube. Madoka and her friend Sayaka Miki are offered the opportunity of gaining magical powers if they agree to make a contract with the strange little being. He will also grant them one wish, but in exchange they shall risk their lives by accepting the responsibility of fighting witches. Invisible to human eyes, witches are catalysts of despair in the areas they inhabit. An ally of Kyube, a magical girl named Mami Tomoe, befriends and encourages the two girls to accept the contract. For an unknown reason, another magical girl named Homura Akemi is determined to prevent Madoka from accepting the deal. Shaft Latest masterpiece and most popular anime of 2011, nothing is what it seems...
Shiki: Sotobamura is a small village with around 1300 inhabitants. It is a village which is connected to not even a single highway. An isolated village in which old customs, such as the burial of the dead, are still practised.
One day, the corpses of 3 people are found. Although Ozaki Toshio, the village's lone doctor, feels uncertain, he treats the deaths as normal occurrences. However, in the days following, the villagers die one after the other.
Is this mere coincidence, an epidemic, or something else entirely?
Shiki is one of the best horror anime in recent time, competing with the likes of Elfen Lied or Higurashi, the animation is superb and the music is just perfect for the mood...
Even when nothing is going on, there is a lot of tension, we cant see it but it can be felt...
Romance
Aoi Hana:Fumi and Akira were close childhood friends until Fumi had to move away. Ten years after losing touch with each other, the two girls meet again as high school freshmen. The two struggle to reconnect after so much has changed, and both deal with the trials and tribulations of high school — sometimes independently and sometimes with each other's help.
Aoi Hana was a peaceful story colored in a sweet light color, like sweet blue flowers...
Aoi hana is a very light romance, it doesnt have much comedy but it doesnt have much drama either and there isnt a tragedy in the end that will make you cry, nor is this an harem, instead its a story that develops slowly and without many surprises but that along with an all likable cast is what makes it enjoyable to watch...
Chobits:In the near future, personal computers take the form of attractive female androids, called Persocons.
Motosuwa Hideki is a poor student who failed his entrance exams to get into college. So, Hideki is forced to move to the city, get a job, and attend cram school in hopes of passing the next college entrance exam. He would of course also like to own a Persocon, but is way too poor to afford one.
One day, while returning home, he finds a Persocon in a trash heap. However, his new find does not seem to be like the others he has heard about. She does not seem to have an operating system at all, and only says "Chii". As Hideki learns more about his Persocon (aptly named Chii), he finds out that she is not of any known type, and is most likely some sort of home-made model. He also learns of a urban legend — the Chobits — Persocons with the ability to think for themselves, instead of just running complex programs.
Find out what happens between Hideki and his new Persocon, as she learns more about her environment, people, and life.
Chobits proves to be another gem from the creative talent at CLAMP. Focusing on a simple tale of boy meets robot girl, CLAMP has created a charming tale of relationships that is actually deeper than a quick glance will show. The animation, character designs, music, and either voice casts combine to create a strong show that all fans of the romantic comedy genre can enjoy. Chobits is sure to be one of the top hits for this year.
Emma: A Victorian Romance: At the tail end of the 19th century, in merry old London, a young maid named Emma meets the heir apparent of a bourgeois family on the steps of her master's house. Her master, aging ex-governess Mrs. Stownar, was once young William Jones' tutor, and when he reluctantly comes to visit the testy old lady, he is surprised to be instantly smitten by her lovely maid. Emma, equally smitten, spends their courtship in quiet bliss, only to run smack into the impenetrable social divide between her and his upwardly-mobile family. William's father is determined to marry his eldest son into the nobility—the opportunity for which arises when Eleanor, the naive daughter of a viscount, falls for William. With such an eminently eligible lady at his disposal, no one approves of William's association with “the help,” with the possible exception of Mrs. Stownar and his best friend and rival for Emma's affection, the free-spirited Prince Hakim of India.
Emma, is a great historical anime set on England and at the same time, it is a very good romance story with great characters...
Hatsukoi Limited:Being an adolescent girl is just one problem after another. Middle-schooler Arihara Ayumi receives a note from a high-schooler, a very large and intimidating boy, Zaitsu Misao, asking her out. Frightened and intrigued, she doesn't know what to do!
This has been described as a series of vignettes in the everyday lives of a junior high school girl named Ayumi and seven other junior high and high school girls, as they fall in and out of love and deal with girl issues. Authored by Mizuki Kawashita, (who also created the story for Ichigo 100%,) this manga series appeared in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump magazine.
This good romance anime, is also a lot of fun to watch...
Koi Kaze: Koshiro, a professional wedding consultant, has recently been dumped by his girlfriend when he crosses paths with a cute high school girl. Though inappropriate due to their age difference (he's 27, she's 15), he winds up on what passes for a date with her, where he ultimately displays more of his feelings than he had intended. The awkwardness of the situation is heightened tenfold when the two discover that she, Nanoka, is the little sister that Koshiro hasn't seen in more than a decade – and she's moving in with him and his divorced father in order to attend high school! Never a man comfortable with his emotions, Koshiro must struggle to sort out feelings that just won't go away even in light of their status as siblings. And how does Nanoka feel about Koshiro? Could it be that she, too, has feelings for him as well, feelings that transcend their familial status, even despite Koshiro's moody nature?
I have never watched this anime, although i watched one or two episodes, but i can tell this is one of the best romance anime done up to that date...
Saishuuheiki Kanojo:The last love song on this little planet: Shuuji and Chise are third year student at a high school in Hokkaido. The shy Chise is finally confessing to Shuuji, and finally two of them are starting to exchange diary awkwardly. One day, Shuuji tried to escape from a sudden enemy air raid on Sapporo. While desperately escaping from the air raid, Shuuji saw a scene that he could not forget for his life. He saw Chise, with a huge weapon looking as if it was part of her hand, shooting the enemy fighters down one by one. Apparently, Chise is the ultimate weapon with destructive power which is important for the war.
While Saikano might look like your average romance anime, it is as much tragedy as is a good romance, Saikano is a challenging and emotionally wrenching series... Dont let a couple episodes fool you, if you stick to the end you will see by yourself...
Saiunkoku Monogatar: Shurei is the plucky, level-headed daughter of an impoverished aristocrat in a Chinese-influenced medieval country called Saiunkoku. Her father, a glorified librarian, works at the royal palace and one day is visited by Advisor Sho, an elderly high mucky-muck with a proposition for Shurei. The scent of gold instantly clouds her poverty-stricken mind, leading her to a privileged position...as the king's consort. Her assignment is to get the no-good layabout young ruler of the nation on his feet and ruling like he should be. She goes at it with gusto, only to find a gentle, rather shy young man instead of a spoiled, debauched autocrat. They hit it off well, and King Ryuki, moved by her strength and passion, soon takes a more active role in governance. That's only the beginning though. It seems everyone—her attractive steward Seiran, her easygoing father, and especially Ryuki himself—has secrets, and the palace isn't nearly so safe a place as it first appears.
Saiunkoku is an interesting and very beautiful story with many great characters and adventures in the country of saiunkoku...
Tokyo Marble Chocolate: The story revolves around a love story told from the point of view of two young lovers, respectively; that of the young woman named Chizuru, and that of the young man called Yudai.
The first episode is seen through Chizuru's eyes, and is inspired by Seamo's song Mata Aimasyou ("See You Again"), describing the mixed feelings just before the anticipated separation from the loved one. The second episode follows the story from Yudai's perspective, and is inspired by Sukimaswitch's song Zenryoku Syounen ("Full Powered Boy"), that portrays a young boy who opens up his defensive shell, to finally embrace the future.
With only 2 episodes, this makes a perfect quick watch for anyone anytime anywhere, you dont need to worry about kids, they will love the little mule, show it to your loved one, show it everyone, im sure they will love the story...
White Album: Tōya Fuji, a college student is dating a rising idol singer named Yuki Morikawa. There are numerous challenges to the couple's relationship from the other people at Fuji's college, Morikawa's work, and elsewhere.
This might be an hard watch for some, but it is a very mature romance, and it is a story that rolls on the world of music, it's setting is the eighties and it's got lots of stile...
__________________
I am a beast forced to feed,
Not on blood I have different needs.
Fear and misery line my plate,
Pain and suffering make it great.
As for the wine to this meal,
There's nothing better than the death I'll deal
The quality of anime varies so greatly from series to series (not to mention personal tastes), that I cannot recommend anyone to outright blindly buy it. It is the one and only medium where I suggest you should absolutely try before you buy, whether that means renting or downloading or whatever. There is just some absolute garbage out there.
I can say, however, that I would pretty much blindly buy anything Gibli, as they have proven themselves to be makers of quality anime time and time again.
I'd love something steampunkish... Think like the vanships/steam powered muskets from Last Exile that worked on steam (or water with an additive, cant remember off the top of my head)
I'd love something steampunkish... Think like the vanships/steam powered muskets from Last Exile that worked on steam (or water with an additive, cant remember off the top of my head)
I'd love something steampunkish... Think like the vanships/steam powered muskets from Last Exile that worked on steam (or water with an additive, cant remember off the top of my head)
Trigun
Now and Then, Here and There
Fullmetal Alchemist def has some steampunk influence in its art
Castle in the Sky
One of the shorts in Memories
The Following User Says Thank You to bostonbuddy For This Useful Post:
The quality of anime varies so greatly from series to series (not to mention personal tastes), that I cannot recommend anyone to outright blindly buy it. It is the one and only medium where I suggest you should absolutely try before you buy, whether that means renting or downloading or whatever. There is just some absolute garbage out there.
I can say, however, that I would pretty much blindly buy anything Gibli, as they have proven themselves to be makers of quality anime time and time again.
please help convince my girlfriend of that, she hates anime because a mutual friend of ours has shown her some utter shit (and i watch crap like... well fuck, i just watch crap) so if its beneath my standards, its lesbian vampire tentacle incest rape pretending to be anime, so you get my point.
anyway, help me convince her there is good anime out there somehow. do some magic or some shit.
please help convince my girlfriend of that, she hates anime because a mutual friend of ours has shown her some utter shit (and i watch crap like... well fuck, i just watch crap) so if its beneath my standards, its lesbian vampire tentacle incest rape pretending to be anime, so you get my point.
anyway, help me convince her there is good anime out there somehow. do some magic or some shit.
Junjou romantica...
__________________ My Anime List
BattleTag (EU): razaron#1882
Steam: Razaron
mononoke hime was my pick, but i dunno how she'll handle subtitles, as i hate dubs.
I say perfectly safe and all ages bait: Ponyo and borrowers arrietty, there's no going wrong, Mononoke might be to heavy for a soft start, Howl and Chiiro should be safe bets too...
Edit: And if that doesnt work, throw in Grave of fireflies and she'll be in for the shock of her life and someone will have to "console" her after the movie...
__________________
I am a beast forced to feed,
Not on blood I have different needs.
Fear and misery line my plate,
Pain and suffering make it great.
As for the wine to this meal,
There's nothing better than the death I'll deal
My sources are amazon.com\uk\jp and http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/index.html
Usually Amazon has what i need...
Some of the movies are old, mostly the ghibli ones, but an hard search will find you every major ghibli movie on dvd, as for the others they are mostly recent movies, some of which haven been released out of japan like for ex: Nanoha, The borrowers, macross f, maybe first squad, and maybe more, i would have to look into it myself...
It is recommendable to download now, buy latter when possible, thats how i work, although i cant afford to buy everything...
Madoka would be a good crash course...
Edit for Arciks: lazy list, my own actually...
Spoiler
Action:
Baccano: Each of the stories in the series involves several unrelated plots intersecting and crossing each other as events spiral farther and farther out of control. Immortal alchemists, mafia operated speakeasies, and many other elements of pulp fiction mashed together for a world straight out of the movies.
Baccano is an awesome comedy that will never get boring, it has a huge but memorable cast, you will even remember the small villains when you finish the anime, but for the history stays an awesome comedy duo, Baccano has lots of action, lots of mafia business and lots of violence, but it never gets serious enough, not when those two are on screen messing with everyone...
Black lagoon: When Okajima Rokuro (aka Rock) visits Southeast Asia carrying a top secret disk, he is kidnapped by pirates riding in the torpedo boat, Black Lagoon. Although he thought he would be rescued soon, the company actually abandons him, and sends mercenaries to retrieve the secret disk. He narrowly escapes with his life, but has nowhere to go. He gives up his name and past, and resolves to live as a member of the Black Lagoon.
Heavy action with strong characters, a serious anime about modern pirates...
Comedy:
Azumanga daioh: Azumanga Daioh is about high school life through the eyes of six girls with unusual personalities: Chiyo (the 10-year-old genius), Osaka (the resident airhead), Sakaki (the shy one prone to cat bites), Tomo (the loose cannon), Yomi (the short-tempered one) and Kagura (the resident jock).
Azumanga is one of the best high school comedies ever made and its cast is very fun, this anime is already a classic...
Clannad:Set in a high school located in some Japanese town. Okazaki Tomoya is a third-year student who does not take his studies seriously. Always late for class, he is seen as a delinquent by the rest of his classmates who are busy preparing for their college entrance examinations. Needless to say, he does not have too many close friends either.
Tomoya does not seem not to mind either — until one day he meets a girl, Furukawa Nagisa, who is left alone without friends in the school because everybody she knew already graduated. "What a clumsy girl", he thinks at first. But he can not leave her alone and so, while helping her, he meets a few other girls from his school. Although he does not care much about them at first, he soon opens his heart to them as they get to know each other better.
The first season is all about comedy and an harem of girls...
Hyakko: On their first day of high school shy Ayumi Nonomura and taciturn Tatsuki Iizuka become lost on the immense campus of Kamizono Academy. An irresistible force of nature named Torako Kageyama accompanied by her best friend Suzume Saotome appears in front of them. Led, sometimes pushed, by Torako, the girls and their classmates work through problems of school, home and adolescence.
More high quality High school comedy with a very sharp character design and quite unique as well, its comedy levels are quite good, a must watch...
Ichigo Mashimaro:Ichigo Mashimaro follows the life of Nobue Itoh, her younger sister Chika, and her friends. The basic premise of the show can be summed up in “cute girls do cute things in cute ways”, be it trying to quit smoking, going outside to play, celebrating a holiday, or doing school work.
If Azumanga Daioh left you longing for more sweet, off-kilter comedy, then you'll be glad to know that its successor has arrived. Although Strawberry Marshmallow features a younger cast of characters, the same oddball humor that made AzuDai a hit also permeates this series, with an added edge of sarcasm. They say that cute shows are all about brash, annoying antics and being as loud as possible, but this series proves that wrong. There is something uniquely appealing about Marshmallow's deadpan delivery, the way a joke creeps up from behind and suddenly strikes—like an unseen slap knocking a 12-year-old girl to the ground. That's the kind of gag that just doesn't happen anywhere else.
Lovely Complex:Risa Koizumi, taller than the average girl, and Atsushi Ootani, shorter than the average guy - their constant bickering and comical love-hate relationship is well-known throughout the school. They act similarly and love the same music, and their friendship is full of laughing, shouting at each other, and of course, lots of jokes about one another's height. But when Risa notices her feelings for Ootani growing, she's worried. She doesn't know if he can ever see her as more than a friend. With her friends rooting for her, she struggles to make him see how she feels about him, and that a romantic relationship between a tall girl and a short guy can work. Oblivious Ootani doesn't make things easy for her, but she stubbornly perseveres in her own unconventional way, determined for her feelings to get through to him, and finally be returned. If only she could do it without driving herself and everyone else crazy in the process...
An awesome comedy with a great comedy duo, but also a very good romance anime...
Lucky Star: Lucky star is an awesome comedy, buts its parodies and other anime heavy influences makes it an hard watch for anyone that isnt an otaku yet, but for veterans, its simply hilarious to watch...
Maria Holic:The story centers on a sophomore named Kanako who enrolls in all-girls school because she has a phobia of men and wants to find her destined yuri partner. She meets a captivating freshman named Mariya who fits her criteria — except her seemingly ideal mate happens to be a cross-dressing sadistic boy.
Pani Poni Dash: So you think you're ready for a new take on high school silliness. But are you ready for one that goes at maximum speed, assaulting the eyes and the ears and the mind with all manner of madcap humor? Pani Poni Dash! may be a retread of familiar themes, but it attacks those themes with such energy and uniqueness that there's no mistaking it for any other classroom comedy. Watch it once just to see what happens, watch it again to catch all the in-jokes, watch it as many times as you need to see comedy pushed to its technical limits. And it might just make you think twice about vending machines that dispense warm drinks.
School rumble: Tsukamoto Tenma is always chasing after the rather unusual Karasuma Ooji, to no avail. Her over-the-top methods don't even seem to register, but she keeps trying. Harima Kenji, the class rebel, is desperately trying to confess his feelings to Tenma, also with no luck. It's a comedy love-triangle, with humour that comes in from left field!
If there's something that might be even better than azumanga it is school rumble, and everyone looking for a good comedy should watch it, it even has some bits of romance here and there...
Cyberpunk: Cyberpunk focuses on computers or information technology, usually coupled with some degree of breakdown in social order. The plot often centers on a conflict among hackers, artificial intelligences, and mega corporations, tending to be set within a near-future dystopia Earth.
Armitage III: Ross Sylibus is a Chicago cop, who lost his partner in a battle with a cyborg. He has just been transferred to Mars as an expert on androids, but before he has even left the spaceport he spots a group of suspicious people, who turn out to be a madman with cyborg bodyguards. With the help of his soon-to-be partner waiting in the terminal, Naomi Armitage, he stops the cyborgs, but their leader escapes.
The plot thickens when they find out that the group was carrying the body of a android, a very popular country singer, impersonating a human. At the MPD office, Ross and Armitage are paired up in the investigation of this unusual crime. As it turns out, someone is murdering androids — the rare and illegal Third Types, nearly indistinguishable from humans — who have been living undetected as humans.
Ross is already uncomfortable with the investigation, and when he finds out that Armitage herself is a Third, he does not know what to make of the situation. Matters are further complicated when he is severely injured in a confrontation with the android assassin, and has to have large parts of his own body replaced with cybernetics.
All the while, the threat of war with Earth looms overhead, and these crimes appear to be related somehow. Armitage becomes a wanted android, and Ross must choose between her and his prejudices.
The plot is complicated enough to engross viewers, yet flexible enough to drive the series forward at a fast pace. The dreary mood of the series is interchanged at times with sparks of hope that are portrayed convincingly through the talents of the voice actors.
Ergo Proxy: The cocoon-like city of Romdo was meant to be a sealed-off utopian city where humans and androids (‘autoreivs’) would co-exist in peace under total government control… of course, these things rarely work out, so in execution, Romdo is a dark, depressing sort of place. While investigating a strange series of murders, Intelligence Bureau detective Re-l Mayer gets an enigmatic (and creepy) warning that something is “awakening”… and then she's visited by a bizarre-looking android beast, who defends her from another, equally bizarre-looking android beast. Something stinks in the city of Romdo!
Ergo Proxy is the latest in a long tradition of twisty, dark, violent dramas like Serial Experiments Lain, Texhnolyze, and Blame!, and it's a fine addition to the genre. Beautifully animated and strikingly mature, Ergo Proxy is a top-shelf title that any high-minded sci-fi fan (or anyone into gothic mystery titles like Witch Hunter Robin) will probably enjoy.
Ergo Proxy certainly isn't for everyone. It's a dark, brooding, slowly-paced sci-fi mystery with philosophical underpinnings; this is unquestionably an adult anime. People expecting nonstop robot fights will be disappointed, as will anyone who isn't patient enough to stick with the storyline. Overall, though, this is a mature, engrossing series; it's a nice break from the piles and piles of harem comedies and dating-sim shows the medium has become inundated with.
Ghost in the Shell: In the year 2029, the world is made borderless by the net; augmented humans live in virtual environments, watched over by law enforcement that is able to download themselves into super-powered, crime busting mecha.
The ultimate secret agent of the future is not human, has no physical body and can freely travel the information highways of the world, hacking and manipulating whatever and whenever required.
Ghost in the Shell is a long list of movies and 2 tv series totaling 52 episodes, it is without question a MASTERPIECE, anyone and everyone should be watching this and even read the manga whenever possible...
Real Drive: The story takes place in 2061, 50 years after humanity developed the "Net society" that depended on information networks despite their security issues. To improve security, a new network called Meta Real Network — or "Metal" for short — was developed. People's personal memories are reduced to information and placed within "protected virtual stand-alone organic cyber enclaves" called bubble shells online. The result was a virtual "explosion" of creative freedom as people felt safe enough to explore instincts and desires on Metal that they would not otherwise explore in real life. This "friction" between the Metal's alluring lack of restrictions and rules-bound reality led to trouble and incidents that investigators known as "cyber divers" must handle. Masamichi Haru is one such cyber diver.
This is a Production I.G an Masamune Shirow's production, it is a very unique anime in many aspects and it is very interesting to watch...
Serial Experiments Lain: The first episode opens with the mysterious suicide of a high-school girl, Chisa Yomoda. Chisa-chan was a classmate of Lain Iwakura, a quiet, 14-year-old high-school girl. One of the other girls in the class has been receiving e-mail messages from Chisa-chan, and Lain discovers she also has mail from Chisa-chan. In the mail she explains to Lain that she just abandoned her flesh. She assures Lain that she still is alive in the 'wired' world. After getting a new 'navi' and adding a 'psyche' circuit, Lain spends more and more time in the wired. It seems that Lain has at least 2 personalities, and Lain's first personality is changing even now. Who is Lain? Who are the 'knights'? Can the wired influence the real world with a prophecy? Is the real world nothing but a hologram of the information in the wired?
Lain is definitely not for everyone. It's very eccentric but it certainly has a point and it's accomplished in a rather interesting way if you don't mind watching very cerebral anime. There's little to no action, no comedy, no nothing, except some very serious thought provoking drama. It's bizarre enough to make you watch it at least twice. Check it out.
LAIN is one of Yoshitoshi ABe's masterpieces...
Texhnolyze: Lukuss is a forsaken City where despair and violence is widespread. Its sole purpose of existence is mining rafia, a rare material that connects the human body, a necessity to texhnolyzation - manufacturing mechanical limbs.
There lives Ichise, a boy who carves his life in gamble boxing to live, Ran, a girl who sees the near future and Oonishi Kyogo, the leader of Organo who can hear the "Voice of the Town".
Lukuss is governed by force by Organo, a battle equipped working class organization. An opposing anti-tehnolyze force is the Citizen Salvation Alliance led by Kalis Makimata. There also exists a gang of texhnolyzed youths proclaiming freedom called Racan. Out of the city live the people of Gabe, a subterranean spiritual community following the words of The Seer.
The town symbol Obelisk silently watches the delicate balance of Lukuss, for chaos is about to unfold.
It's a waste of time to recommend this series to “fans of (insert anime series here)” because there literally isn't anything else like it out there on the market right now. This is a radical departure even for Abe, who specializes in unorthodox anime storytelling. It almost belongs more in the foreign film section than with the rest of the anime on the shelf; it's that different. If you're looking for something new or are interested in expanding your horizons, this is a definite purchase for you. It's as close to art as anime gets while still being captivating.
Drama:
Air: * Based on an adult visual novel game for the PC by Visual Art's/Key.
Kunisaki Yukito is a traveller, ever seeking the girl in the sky from a legend passed down in his family. His journey takes him to a small seaside town, where he meets Misuzu, a girl who seems eager to become his friend. A story spanning a thousand years begins to unfold against the background of their peculiar relationship.
Air is one of the saddest anime ever made, and is one of Key's Masterpieces along with Kanon...
Clannad after story: Events in After Story take place immediately after the end of the first part, but extends into the next ten years, where Tomoya and Nagisa live together as a family.
Half The same good comedy seen in the first season, half serious slice of life, Clannad is a tragedy, so if you watch it, prepare to feel very sad, but its is still one of the best in the genre...
Ef a tale of memories and melodies: Like Clannad, Ef is simply one of the best tales ever told, spiced with some drama, a little of tragedy and lots of romance...
Kanon:One snowy winter's day...
I sit on a bench near the station, waiting to meet my cousin Nayuki Minase; it's been seven years since I last saw her.
This place is far from the town where I was born and lived until yesterday.
This is where Nayuki lives with her mother, who has offered to take me in, now that I am forced to move so suddenly.
And this is the town in which my faintest, cloudiest childhood memories are set...
A young man, Yuuichi Aizawa, gets off a train and leaves the station as he enters a town that is blanketed by snow. He left the area seven years ago and has now returned to his memories that he left behind. Although his past is blurry in his mind, the girls that still remember him and that he had relationships begin to help him remember. While this happens, the bad memories of his past also begin to come back, and will eventually haunt him.
Kanon is a drama anime, there are many fun moments, sad moments, there are many mysteries and many characters hold a secret, and there's also romance like in any good drama anime...
Kanon is another of Key's Masterpieces, and while AIR is a warm summer anime, Kanon is cold winter anime, Kanon was also made before and after AIR, there are 2 versions of the same story one from 2002 and the other from 2006, for those who watched both, its hard to tell winch is better...
Kimi ga Nozomu Eien: Kimi ga Nozomu Eien is the story of Haruka Suzumiya, Takayuki Narumi and Mitsuki Hayase, the tragedy that will happen in the future and the drama the characters will have to live after the tragedy…
This is probably the title that better defines drama and tragedy on anime, before Clannad it was the best in the genre, but now it shares that place...
If u are just starting to watch this anime, prepare for a rollercoaster of emotions, once you start watching it you are part of the cast, it feels like you are there sharing those moments with them.
True tears: Shinichiro is a student living in what would be a dream come true for most high school boys, but for him is mostly a frustration. A well liked girl in school named Hiromi has lived in his house for a year along with his family. Her father was a close friend of the family, and when he died they immediately took her in. She is popular and well liked, always smiles, is talented in sports- but Shinichiro knows there must be tears inside her. Having an artistic tendency, he makes watercolours of her and thinks about wishing to ease her tears. Yet he cannot bring up the nerve to talk to her even in his own home. She, too, is quiet and withdrawn in their house, quite unlike at school. Shinichiro is also distracted by teasing from his friend Nobuse for watching Hiromi from afar, a curse of bad luck from a strange girl named Noe, and being forced to perform Muhiga dancing. By helping Noe he hopes to ease his own problems, yet he seems to have difficulty helping himself.
While true tears might not be as good as the ones above but its very close, it tels a little different story...
True tears tells the story of a boy and the three women that love him and while he loves all three differently, he will have to chose only one...
How can we not be sad whit all that is going on in this small town??
Fantasy:
Claymore: Long ago, Youma, shape changing demons, took human form to live in disguise in human towns, feeding on them in secret.
A secret, nameless society has discovered a way of implanting Youma flesh into humans to create hybrids powerful enough to defeat the Youma. A hybrid's standard abilities include faster healing, limited shape modification, the ability to detect Youma and other hybrids, and overall enhanced physical prowess allowing them to wield massive claymores, for which they are named: Claymores. For reasons not divulged, only women are selected to be Claymores. They are often chosen for implantation after being the sole survivors of a family attacked by a Youma; this ensures their loyalty and willingness to endure the painful hybridization process.
The society sends Claymores to towns that can afford their fees to kill Youma. The society is often strict and harsh; Claymores who break the rules risk being hunted down by their fellow warriors.
The story of Claymore follows the adventures of the beautiful warrior Claire, who fights demons while struggling to hold on to her own humanity.
Kemono no Souja Erin: Kemono no Souja Erin is about a young woman who is drawn into a war between kingdoms.
10-year- old Erin is a young girl who lives with her mother in the Tai Koh Region in the small Village of Ake. She has a big love for animals, especially the Touda, dragon-like creatures used in the war.
Her mother Soyon was originally of the Mist People, an ancient clan who have members with green hair and eyes, and is rumored to follow in the ancient ways, practice magic, and hide in the mist. But despite her genealogy, they stay in the village because Erin's late father was the son of the village chief and Soyon is the head Touda doctor.
One day however a tragedy happens which changes Erin's life forever.
One way of describing this Story is simply calling it an Epic Masterpiece...
Erin is a story that will please both children and adults...
Mushishi: They are neither plants nor animals. They differ from other forms of life such as micro-organisms and fungi. Instead they resemble the primeval body of life and are generally known as "Mushi". Their existence and appearance are unknown to many and only a limited number of humans are aware of them. Ginko is a "Mushi-shi", who travels around to investigate and find out more about the "Mushi". In the process, he also lends a helping hand to people who face problems with supernatural occurrences which may be related to the "Mushi".
At once deeply human and utterly alien, mystical and earthily secular, Mushi-Shi beckons us—like the closing of second eyelids—to look at the world with new eyes, to go out and revel in the wonder of an eroded stone or the fractal veins of a leaf. It's enough to bring out the hippie in even the most hardened anime veteran. Images—a tidal wave of mushi pouring from girl's empty eye-sockets, a golden summer sky aswarm with flocks of feathery mushi—will haunt the mind's eye; emotions—the tender joy of another's company, the aching pain of loss—will linger in the heart. But the greatest achievement of all is to change, however briefly, our perception of the world around us. It's an end many strive for but few achieve, and Mushi-Shi does so without once allowing the effort to strain its calm, measured rhythm.
Shakugan no Shana: Sakai Yuuji was a normal student, but one day his normal life was gone. He was assaulted by a monster, Guze no Tomogara.It was a monster which came from another world, and was able to turn humans into light for him to eat. It was a girl with burning hair and red eyes (shakugan = flaming eyes) that saved him, while he was too surprised to move. Then, that girl said to him You don't exist anymore...
Horror/suspense/ mystery: Nakemonogatari:Bakemonogatari centres on Araragi Koyomi, a third year high school student who is almost human again after briefly becoming a vampire. One day, a classmate named Senjougahara Hitagi, who infamously never talks to anyone, falls down the stairs into Koyomi's arms. He discovers that Hitagi weighs next to nothing, in defiance of physics. After being threatened by her, Koyomi offers her help, and introduces her to Oshino Meme, a middle-aged homeless man who helped him stop being a vampire.
Info: In each chapter of the series, he encounters a different heroine, each involved with a different "apparition". The events of the previous chapters play an important role in the subsequent ones. The series primarily focuses on conversations between characters; it contains a fair number of parodies of other series, as well as Nisio Ishin's trademark wordplay and meta- humour.
Bakemonogata ri is the previous Shaft masterpiece and the most sold ever TV anime for each disk release, it broke all records with each BD, only Shaft new work is proving to be more popular...
Blood: The Last Vampire:At the Yokota Base in Japan, a nervous American military is on the brink of the Vietnam War. But a greater threat exists within the walls of the heavily-guarded compound: Vampires. A team of top-secret undercover agents learns of these blood-sucking fiends, and dispatches the mysterious Saya to hunt down and destroy them. This beautiful yet dangerous vampire slayer must use her extraordinary abilities and lethal Japanese sword to save the humans from the vampires who fear no sunlight.
Boogiepop Phantom:A scream in the night, and in that instant the world changed ... or at least, it appeared to.
The story evolves around a creature called Boogiepop. Boogiepop, also called 'death', hangs out in the city, and whenever you encounter it, she'll take you with her.
Nagi Kirima, a highschool student, seems to be fighting Boogiepop - or at least, she tries to. But then there are disappearances everywhere, and strange happenings occur. And nobody sees the link between them.
In a mixture of chaos and thrilling horror Nagi tries to find out what happened ... and why it still hasn't happened to her.
Despite the fact that Lain and Boogiepop were created by two entirely different groups of people, they share so many similarities in the way they come across that the comparison between the two is inevitable. Quite simply, everything that Lain is, Boogiepop is more. Lain is weird, Boogiepop is absolutely eerie, Lain is confusing, Boogiepop can cause serious headaches, and while Lain had some of the best sound ever in an Anime, Boogiepop makes the best use of sound effects to be ever heard in an Anime. So then, whatever Lain is, Boogiepop is more, but is Boogiepop any good? It all depends on the viewer.
Demon Prince Enma: Humans believe that they have forever banished the monsters of old along with the night, pushed back into the far reaches by the shining brilliance of the city. But in the absence of real shadows, monsters have simply moved into other shadows. They lurk, not in the blackness of night, but in the darkness of human hearts. Enma, a fire-wielding demon, roams the earth exploring these internal shadows. For it is his job, along with his childhood companion, snow-woman Yuki, to ferret out the monsters who have escaped Hell and either send them back or burn them to ashes with its flames. Murderous dolls or viscious blood-suckers, as Enma gets closer to the demons and the humans possessed by them, others in the city—a police officer and a lady reporter—grow closer to him, and to the truth of his Hell-born mission.
Review :
Throw together veteran creator Go Nagai and Elfen Lied director Mamoru Kanbe, and what do you get? For lack of a better example, you get Demon Prince Enma; a solid horror OVA that does interesting things with both, without redefining either.
Elfen Lied: A monster in the form of a naked red-haired girl breaks free from her cell and wreaks bloody havoc before escaping outside. The next day a pair of college-aged cousins discovers the girl on the beach – but now she's a simpleton lacking any means of communication. Unaware of what she is and not knowing what else to do with her, Yuka and Kohta take the girl they call Nyu (because that's all she can say) home, clothe her, look after her, and even try to protect her when police and armed special forces troops come looking for her. Though Nyu seems harmless enough, the serial killer personality within her still lurks within, occasionally taking control when threats arise. Are Yuka and Kohta safe from her? Is anyone?
Elfen Lied is an impact title, one of those rare anime which makes such a strong impression that it will, for better or worse, linger in your mind long after you've first seen it. The intensity of the graphic content may make it too extreme for even some mature viewers, but it's a title which should be on the shelf of any otaku with a high tolerance for graphic violence.
Ghost Hunt: Telling ghost stories is a favorite past time of Mai Taniyama and her friends--that is, until she meets 17 year-old Kazuya Shibuya, the man sent by Shibuya Psychic Research Center to investigate paranormal activity at a supposedly haunted school. When Mai gets caught in a dangerous situation, she is rescued by Kazuya's assistant. Saving her lands the assistant incapacitated, and Kazuya demands that Mai become his assistant, instead...
Ghost Hunt is probably the best Ghost anime ever made, while it isn't as bloody as elfen lied or violent like higurashi, it certainly has it's charm and it imposes fear on the viewer psychologically, maintaining an high tension most of the time when dealing with the occult and its denizens...
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni :Maebara Keiichi, a young teenager, has recently moved from the city to the rural village of Hinamizawa with his family. He is adjusting quite well to his new life, making friends at the small school, playing games, passing time in relative happiness, when suddenly a gruesome murder occurs...
A mystery begins to unravel — tracing back to happenings five years ago. As Keiichi learns more about these strange events, he wonders if he will be able to face the truth behind all of this.
Within the first few seconds of the first episode it will become quite clear that this is something well departed from a pleasant little moe fest, despite the way the rest of that first episode plays out. No, this is a case of moe meets murder, one that unnerves and disturbs much more with its violence and wickedness than with any sexual connotations, one where a perfectly cute-looking girl can turn into a perfectly menacing creature with startling swiftness. Its beginning, the way it transposes cute and evil (with its accompanying bloody violence), and how it bounces back and forth between its thoroughly innocent and grippingly dark content invites comparisons to Elfen Lied, but whereas the latter was a very visceral tale, When They Cry concentrates much more on mystery and psychological effects.
Kakurenbo:There is a street where no one lives, where ghostly lights flicker in the shadows. It is whispered that children who play hide-and-seek there after dark are kidnapped by demons…and disappear forever. Tonight, a boy named Hikora joins the game in search of his missing sister. Eight children gather. The street lamps flare though no one is there to light them. The game... and the terror... are about to begin!
A very interesting short movie worth watching by everyone...
Le portrait de petite Cosette:Cossette, a pretty young blond girl, was murdered in 18th century France by Marcelo, a painter who had fallen in love with her while producing numerous portraits of her. For more than 250 years her spirit lingers in a glass, waiting for a person who would be able to see and fall in love with her, thus providing an avenue for her freedom. Though she is reluctant to take the drastic actions necessary to gain her freedom, since it would mean the suffering and death of one who loves her, she sees her opportunity in Eiri, an antique shop employee who not only can see her but quickly becomes obsessed with her. The spirits of the objects which belonged to Cossette in life sense in Eiri the reborn spirit of Marcelo, however, and respond with great anger, threatening Eiri’s well-being. Can Eiri survive the curse of her objects and find a way to be with Cossette, or will his friends succeed in calling him back from the dream realm into which he is slipping? Does Cossette herself value her freedom enough that she is willing to allow Eiri’s suffering to happen?
Le Portrait de Petite Cossette is, ultimately, an artsy, stylish supernatural horror story about love and obsession. Its dramatic visuals, exceptional artistry, and sumptuous musical scoring make watching it quite an experience, and the story isn't half bad, either. It is very intensely graphic, so it is not a series for younger viewers or the faint at heart. If Goth-Loli appeals to you, you're a fan of inventive artistry, or you're looking for something quite different in the realm of supernatural tales, then this title is definitely worth a look.
Madoka: After experiencing a bizarre dream, Madoka Kaname, a kind 14-year old girl, encounters a magical creature named Kyube. Madoka and her friend Sayaka Miki are offered the opportunity of gaining magical powers if they agree to make a contract with the strange little being. He will also grant them one wish, but in exchange they shall risk their lives by accepting the responsibility of fighting witches. Invisible to human eyes, witches are catalysts of despair in the areas they inhabit. An ally of Kyube, a magical girl named Mami Tomoe, befriends and encourages the two girls to accept the contract. For an unknown reason, another magical girl named Homura Akemi is determined to prevent Madoka from accepting the deal. Shaft Latest masterpiece and most popular anime of 2011, nothing is what it seems...
Shiki: Sotobamura is a small village with around 1300 inhabitants. It is a village which is connected to not even a single highway. An isolated village in which old customs, such as the burial of the dead, are still practised.
One day, the corpses of 3 people are found. Although Ozaki Toshio, the village's lone doctor, feels uncertain, he treats the deaths as normal occurrences. However, in the days following, the villagers die one after the other.
Is this mere coincidence, an epidemic, or something else entirely?
Shiki is one of the best horror anime in recent time, competing with the likes of Elfen Lied or Higurashi, the animation is superb and the music is just perfect for the mood...
Even when nothing is going on, there is a lot of tension, we cant see it but it can be felt...
Romance
Aoi Hana:Fumi and Akira were close childhood friends until Fumi had to move away. Ten years after losing touch with each other, the two girls meet again as high school freshmen. The two struggle to reconnect after so much has changed, and both deal with the trials and tribulations of high school — sometimes independently and sometimes with each other's help.
Aoi Hana was a peaceful story colored in a sweet light color, like sweet blue flowers...
Aoi hana is a very light romance, it doesnt have much comedy but it doesnt have much drama either and there isnt a tragedy in the end that will make you cry, nor is this an harem, instead its a story that develops slowly and without many surprises but that along with an all likable cast is what makes it enjoyable to watch...
Chobits:In the near future, personal computers take the form of attractive female androids, called Persocons.
Motosuwa Hideki is a poor student who failed his entrance exams to get into college. So, Hideki is forced to move to the city, get a job, and attend cram school in hopes of passing the next college entrance exam. He would of course also like to own a Persocon, but is way too poor to afford one.
One day, while returning home, he finds a Persocon in a trash heap. However, his new find does not seem to be like the others he has heard about. She does not seem to have an operating system at all, and only says "Chii". As Hideki learns more about his Persocon (aptly named Chii), he finds out that she is not of any known type, and is most likely some sort of home-made model. He also learns of a urban legend — the Chobits — Persocons with the ability to think for themselves, instead of just running complex programs.
Find out what happens between Hideki and his new Persocon, as she learns more about her environment, people, and life.
Chobits proves to be another gem from the creative talent at CLAMP. Focusing on a simple tale of boy meets robot girl, CLAMP has created a charming tale of relationships that is actually deeper than a quick glance will show. The animation, character designs, music, and either voice casts combine to create a strong show that all fans of the romantic comedy genre can enjoy. Chobits is sure to be one of the top hits for this year.
Emma: A Victorian Romance: At the tail end of the 19th century, in merry old London, a young maid named Emma meets the heir apparent of a bourgeois family on the steps of her master's house. Her master, aging ex-governess Mrs. Stownar, was once young William Jones' tutor, and when he reluctantly comes to visit the testy old lady, he is surprised to be instantly smitten by her lovely maid. Emma, equally smitten, spends their courtship in quiet bliss, only to run smack into the impenetrable social divide between her and his upwardly-mobile family. William's father is determined to marry his eldest son into the nobility—the opportunity for which arises when Eleanor, the naive daughter of a viscount, falls for William. With such an eminently eligible lady at his disposal, no one approves of William's association with “the help,” with the possible exception of Mrs. Stownar and his best friend and rival for Emma's affection, the free-spirited Prince Hakim of India.
Emma, is a great historical anime set on England and at the same time, it is a very good romance story with great characters...
Hatsukoi Limited:Being an adolescent girl is just one problem after another. Middle-schooler Arihara Ayumi receives a note from a high-schooler, a very large and intimidating boy, Zaitsu Misao, asking her out. Frightened and intrigued, she doesn't know what to do!
This has been described as a series of vignettes in the everyday lives of a junior high school girl named Ayumi and seven other junior high and high school girls, as they fall in and out of love and deal with girl issues. Authored by Mizuki Kawashita, (who also created the story for Ichigo 100%,) this manga series appeared in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump magazine.
This good romance anime, is also a lot of fun to watch...
Koi Kaze: Koshiro, a professional wedding consultant, has recently been dumped by his girlfriend when he crosses paths with a cute high school girl. Though inappropriate due to their age difference (he's 27, she's 15), he winds up on what passes for a date with her, where he ultimately displays more of his feelings than he had intended. The awkwardness of the situation is heightened tenfold when the two discover that she, Nanoka, is the little sister that Koshiro hasn't seen in more than a decade – and she's moving in with him and his divorced father in order to attend high school! Never a man comfortable with his emotions, Koshiro must struggle to sort out feelings that just won't go away even in light of their status as siblings. And how does Nanoka feel about Koshiro? Could it be that she, too, has feelings for him as well, feelings that transcend their familial status, even despite Koshiro's moody nature?
I have never watched this anime, although i watched one or two episodes, but i can tell this is one of the best romance anime done up to that date...
Saishuuheiki Kanojo:The last love song on this little planet: Shuuji and Chise are third year student at a high school in Hokkaido. The shy Chise is finally confessing to Shuuji, and finally two of them are starting to exchange diary awkwardly. One day, Shuuji tried to escape from a sudden enemy air raid on Sapporo. While desperately escaping from the air raid, Shuuji saw a scene that he could not forget for his life. He saw Chise, with a huge weapon looking as if it was part of her hand, shooting the enemy fighters down one by one. Apparently, Chise is the ultimate weapon with destructive power which is important for the war.
While Saikano might look like your average romance anime, it is as much tragedy as is a good romance, Saikano is a challenging and emotionally wrenching series... Dont let a couple episodes fool you, if you stick to the end you will see by yourself...
Saiunkoku Monogatar: Shurei is the plucky, level-headed daughter of an impoverished aristocrat in a Chinese-influenced medieval country called Saiunkoku. Her father, a glorified librarian, works at the royal palace and one day is visited by Advisor Sho, an elderly high mucky-muck with a proposition for Shurei. The scent of gold instantly clouds her poverty-stricken mind, leading her to a privileged position...as the king's consort. Her assignment is to get the no-good layabout young ruler of the nation on his feet and ruling like he should be. She goes at it with gusto, only to find a gentle, rather shy young man instead of a spoiled, debauched autocrat. They hit it off well, and King Ryuki, moved by her strength and passion, soon takes a more active role in governance. That's only the beginning though. It seems everyone—her attractive steward Seiran, her easygoing father, and especially Ryuki himself—has secrets, and the palace isn't nearly so safe a place as it first appears.
Saiunkoku is an interesting and very beautiful story with many great characters and adventures in the country of saiunkoku...
Tokyo Marble Chocolate: The story revolves around a love story told from the point of view of two young lovers, respectively; that of the young woman named Chizuru, and that of the young man called Yudai.
The first episode is seen through Chizuru's eyes, and is inspired by Seamo's song Mata Aimasyou ("See You Again"), describing the mixed feelings just before the anticipated separation from the loved one. The second episode follows the story from Yudai's perspective, and is inspired by Sukimaswitch's song Zenryoku Syounen ("Full Powered Boy"), that portrays a young boy who opens up his defensive shell, to finally embrace the future.
With only 2 episodes, this makes a perfect quick watch for anyone anytime anywhere, you dont need to worry about kids, they will love the little mule, show it to your loved one, show it everyone, im sure they will love the story...
White Album: Tōya Fuji, a college student is dating a rising idol singer named Yuki Morikawa. There are numerous challenges to the couple's relationship from the other people at Fuji's college, Morikawa's work, and elsewhere.
This might be an hard watch for some, but it is a very mature romance, and it is a story that rolls on the world of music, it's setting is the eighties and it's got lots of stile...
That lists needs a lot of work to update, but its fairly recent, actually i did a quick update just recently adding some major titles, but its in need of a serious update and maybe better structuring...
__________________
I am a beast forced to feed,
Not on blood I have different needs.
Fear and misery line my plate,
Pain and suffering make it great.
As for the wine to this meal,
There's nothing better than the death I'll deal
please help convince my girlfriend of that, she hates anime because a mutual friend of ours has shown her some utter shit (and i watch crap like... well fuck, i just watch crap) so if its beneath my standards, its lesbian vampire tentacle incest rape pretending to be anime, so you get my point.
anyway, help me convince her there is good anime out there somehow. do some magic or some shit.
Stick on some Ghibli when she is around, and bait her in.
+1 to this. If she's a person who responds strongly to sad, try Grave of the Fireflies. If she's more the cutsie stuff, try Kiki. For the sickeningly sweet, go for Snow Fairy Sugar
__________________
Spoiler
“I like my iPod carrying cases the way I like my women: water-resistant, polyurethane, cheap, and easily stored.”
"Also, Vader is Luke's father, Snape kills Dumbledore, and Bruce Willis was dead the whole time."
My Heat
DJ, pm me that, and whenever you update that list, pm me that..
Anyone has anything like that, or see's things that should be added to op, that's all good. Just PM me and remind me if I don't get to it... 80+h weeks for me right now..
Cheesy, PM me your favorite two anime's (links if you have), Manga, and I'll add them when I can.. Also bug me come next Thursday if their not up yet.. My next day off..
Glad to see people linking Anime sites.. wiki and such.. Great thing to read it every so often..
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Now, I have something to ask... should I get rid of Netflix now? Is Hulu better for anime?
__________________
The only way success is before work, is in the dictionary
Jul 14, 2011, 09:07 PM
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