--- Don Wang <donwang@ucla.edu> wrote:
> 	I'm beginning to think manga/anime is simply not
> capable of be good
> consistently..  Almost anything that tries to go on
> for a while eventually
> fails, unless it's something that can go on
> arbitrarily forever (Inuyasha
> for example).
> 
> 	Azumanga Daioh could've been much longer, but it
> stopped early and
> that's why it's so enjoyable.
----------

Well, from time to time good, memerable series will
appear.  Azumanga Daioh is one of them.  Its insanely
funny as both a manga and an anime series.  Also, a
lot of themes have been recycled over and over again. 
One refreshed twist on the "teenaged boy living with a
gaggle of babes" theme is Happy Lesson.  Instead of
trying to be his lover, the lovely ladies, who are
also teachers, are trying to be his MOM.  Their is
also Comic Party, a anime based on a manga about
people creating fan comics (forgot the proper Japanese
name for them, gomen).  Now that's unique!  Oh, and
there is the "Emmy worthy" Kolaedo Star about a young
girl who dreams of becoming a performer in the
world-famous Kolaedo Circus and gets her shot to do
just that.  Oh, and lets not forget those anime/manga
that defy description altogether.  Lets all say it
together folks...FLCL.

---------- 
> 	The anime seems to be too dependent on knowing
> specific jokes, like
> toward the end Nabeshin's 'fly away to the
> atmosphere' was a classic move
> from Saint Seiya, and the #1 overused move from that
> series in fan circles.
> Not sure if it'd be as funny if you didn't know
> where it comes from.
----------

You'll find that in western comedy flix too.  The
infamous Police Squad, early Mel Brooks, and Airplane
movies were saturated with gag references to other
movies and cultural themes.  This is not unique to
anime/manga at all.

---------- 
> 	Maybe I'll pick up it next time on rental then.  I
> don't really like
> Eva the Anime at all, but it had a lot of
> interesting premises.  I liked
> Asuka a lot, too bad there wasn't much development
> on her... or anyone else,
> for that matter, since the Eva anime is pretty
> caught up in the whole
> instrumentality thing as opposed to actually
> worrying about the characters.
----------

Well, when a TV series or movie based on a book or
manga/comic book is written a lot can be lost in the
translation.  Even when that production involves the
original creator of the work.  Eva was a good series
on its own.  It had a well balanced mix of lite
hearted humor, fan service, and dark drama.  Eva is
not for everyone, its an either you love it or you
hate it kind of show.  Considering the amount of
attention its been getting lately and the live action
film production I'd say a lot of people like it.

---------- 
> 	I don't know if it's just because I'm jaded but not
> only do I not
> find much of interest in the new stuff, the old
> stuff doesn't look nearly as
> interesting as I remembered them to be.
> 
> 	Maybe there was never all that much interesting
> material to read or
> watch.
----------

That might because a lot of the new anime/manga coming
out is just rehashing a lot of those recycled themes
and very few are pioneering into new genre.  There are
exceptions to this like Kino's Journey and Kaleido
Star.  But then a lot of new movies coming out this
year are really rehashed themes from movies made
before.  A few will stand out as unique, but not that
many.  Its not all that surprising really.  The point
is, even stuff that is rehashed, recycled stuff, the
way its put together and presented is what is
important.  A romantic comedy with a theme similar to
Ranma 1/2, Ah! My Goddess and Tenchi Muyo can still
become a big hit even if its themes are recycled...ie,
Please Teacher.

Recently I've seen a growing tend toward being back
some of the old classic anime series and movies like
Macross, Megazone 23, Captain Harlock, Saint Seiya
(aka Knights of the Zodiac on American TV), and
Gunsmith Cats.  Even Takahashi-san's classic Urusei
Yatsura is starting to make a comeback of sorts.  Now
a whole new generation of anime fans can fall in love
with Lum.  :-)

Other older series are being updated.  Macross Zero is
a prequel to the original Macross series.  The
IMMENSELY ANTICIPATED 3rd OAV of Tenchi Muyo Ryu-Ohki
is FINALLY being released!  The Tenchi OAV spin-off
Tenchi Muyo GXP was released in the US just this year,
and it asks the question "how much fan service is too
much".  Rumor abound about an Evangelion sequel, and a
DVD is being released featuring rarely seen animation
from a Sega Saturn Eva game about Shinji and a
girlfriend he had in school while fighting the Angels.
 And finally, a brand new Ah! My Goddess TV series is
in the works.  The details were minor, but we do know
it will center on Belldandy and Keiichi and will
mostly more closely follow the manga than did the OAV
series.

Goes to show you, the world of anime/manga can
surprise you sometimes.
    

====
--
Michael "TheZorch" Haney
zorchhaney@yahoo.com
Read my Anime Fan Fiction...
http://www.fanfiction.net/~michaelthezorchhaney
Visit the Zorch Central...
http://zorchcentral.4t.com/
Member of #SAS#, #WASHU#, KOME, etc.


	
		
__________________________________