[LinearPhilosopher]

Ghost in the Shell
Kino's Journey
PsychoPass
Hunter X Hunter
Cowboy Bebop

[D'rek]

 Jaime Lannister, on 11 August 2015 - 06:12 AM, said:

 D, on 11 August 2015 - 04:41 AM, said:

I dunno, they're probably somewhere in the last 55 pages. Tell us yours first and I'll see if I can put a better answer together

Ah, when I said 'everyone', I meant it as an invitation for people to post their favorites -- my bad if I phrased it poorly

Oh, I know! I just wanted to make you work for my answer


You've got a good list, surprisingly varied - I guess you don't have any one dominant genre that you like. Monster surprises me, I've heard of lots of people liking it but few enough to put in a favourites list. Legend of Galactic Heroes is one I keep hearing lots of good stuff about so I am purposely avoiding learning anything about it and waiting for a good time when I can get sucked into it and watch it addictively.



For my own favourites, my pseudo-objective list would be something like:

Baccano!
+tic Nee-san
Summer Wars
Gurren Lagann
FLCL

(I was very tempted to put Cowboy Bebop on here but it's basically so classic it's ascended beyond being on mere top anime lists)

(GitS was also tempting, like Balrog/Linear put, but I feel like that is more of an overall great franchise but I wouldn't put any single show/movie in my top)


but my little list of personal favourites that I like the most despite their flaws would be more like:

Shingeki no Bahamut
Inou-Battle wa Nichijou-kei no Naka de
Space Dandy
+tic Nee-san
and even more Gureen Lagann

[LinearPhilosopher]

im surprised you put durarara over baccano drek

[Jaime Lannister]

 LinearPhilosopher, on 11 August 2015 - 11:22 AM, said:

Ghost in the Shell
Kino's Journey
PsychoPass
Hunter X Hunter
Cowboy Bebop

Watched all of those with the exception of GitS (planning to get into that series soon though). All rank very highly on my favorites.

I actually watched Kino's Journey relatively recently. It was a refreshing departure from most anime I've seen – I really liked the strange, macabre quality to it and the way it explored themes through vignettes of Kino's peregrinations to different lands. My only *minor* complaint about it would be that I felt it sometimes relied on unrealistic scenarios to get its point across. Still, it was a great (and regrettably short) anime.

 D, on 12 August 2015 - 04:17 AM, said:

You've got a good list, surprisingly varied - I guess you don't have any one dominant genre that you like. Monster surprises me, I've heard of lots of people liking it but few enough to put in a favourites list. Legend of Galactic Heroes is one I keep hearing lots of good stuff about so I am purposely avoiding learning anything about it and waiting for a good time when I can get sucked into it and watch it addictively.

Yeah, I've always thought myself to possess have unusually eclectic taste in anime – I'm not really averse to any genre (even the more divisive ones like mecha or sports). I do give anything with an ecchi or harem tag a wide berth though, since they're almost invariably trash. I tend to gravitate towards dark/mature seinen in manga though, as my list suggests.

Loved Baccano and Gurren Lagann, both barely miss out on my top five. Cowboy Beopop goes without saying as well. Planning on checking out FLCL soon -- one of my friends is a big fan and has been badgering me about it for while.

I agree with waiting for the right time to commit to LoGH. I know a lot of people find its length daunting (as did I for some time). The main storyline is 110 episodes, and there are two side stories, each 26 episodes long, which explore the lives of the two principal characters prior to the main story, as well as a host of movies.

It's well worth the time though. Very few anime I've watched can boast a similar panoply of compelling characters. Add to that political intrigue and drama, warfare involving intricate tactics, and have all that played out against a rather epic space backdrop, and you've got yourself an anime masterpiece. I know some people have a problem with the dated animation, but IMO it has aged pretty well.

I loved Monster for its interesting characters, and the pervasive mystery/psychological/thriller qualities to it. It had me hooked from nearly the start, so I'd definitely recommend checking out the first episode or two to see if you'd enjoy it.

This post has been edited by Jaime Lannister: 12 August 2015 - 07:28 AM

[D'rek]

 LinearPhilosopher, on 10 August 2015 - 01:57 AM, said:

PS drek, i found a phenomenal celty cosplay

ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

 LinearPhilosopher, on 12 August 2015 - 04:31 AM, said:

im surprised you put durarara over baccano drek

You mean the other way around?

I like both, but Baccano's style is more unique, has more going on and takes less time to tell it. Durarara is great, but in comparison it suffers from being five times longer but having less actually happen.

[Maark Abbott]

 D, on 12 August 2015 - 04:32 PM, said:

I like both, but Baccano's style is more unique, has more going on and takes less time to tell it. Durarara is great, but in comparison it suffers from being five times longer but having less actually happen.

Insert Wheel of Time comparison joke here.

I think I saw Durarara! on the Tivo somewhere. I'm going to have a gander.

[LinearPhilosopher]

quality is shit but enjoy drek


AAAAAAA phots are to big how do i spoiler them?

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This post has been edited by LinearPhilosopher: 12 August 2015 - 06:43 PM

[D'rek]

But what about with the helmet off?

[LinearPhilosopher]

 D, on 12 August 2015 - 09:54 PM, said:

But what about with the helmet off?

didnt really get a chance, was ina line leaving a panel and was already talking to a girl

[Dolmen 2.0]

My Top 10 is back thread somewhere but stuff I've watched recently I'd put in my current "I'd watch that again" list are:

Nichijou:
Always makes me laugh.

GitS 2nd Gig and stand alone complex:
Still a great environment, complex plots ftw

Hunter X Hunter 2014:
Gon had an epic moment and fear the ant king! FEAR HIM!

Kuroko No Baske Season 2:
AKA Dai Aomine And that other guy .

Shokugeki no Souma:
You will get hungry. You will cook.

Durararax2:
Just started, fun!

Hajime no Ippo: Rising
Still so much fun to watch. also those new animations are sweeet.

Gangsta:
I know its not done yet but its already a favourite.

Black Lagoon: Roberta's Blood Trial: I get chills everytime I watch her take on the Marine squad.

Shingeki no Kyojin & OVAs: it's alright.

Just a question but who would you guys say is your favourite Antagonist? I've asked this before I think but curious to hear new opinions.

This post has been edited by Dolmen 2.0: 13 August 2015 - 08:07 AM

[D'rek]

 LinearPhilosopher, on 12 August 2015 - 11:56 PM, said:

 D, on 12 August 2015 - 09:54 PM, said:

But what about with the helmet off?

didnt really get a chance, was ina line leaving a panel and was already talking to a girl

I'm just kidding. I sincerely doubt she was able to find a way to recreate the effect of being headless

 Dolmen 2.0, on 13 August 2015 - 08:04 AM, said:

Just a question but who would you guys say is your favourite Antagonist? I've asked this before I think but curious to hear new opinions.

I don't think you've asked it before...

Anyways there's a lot of good options but I think I would put the Magi antagonists - Al Thamen - as my favourite. They've got a wonderfully sinister vibe and they are a legitimately powerful and credible threat without needing to be the dystopian government that oppresses farm-boys everywhere. And their leader, Arba, has a great little Darth Vader impression going on.

That's more of an organization though. Not sure what I would pick for an individual antagonist.

[Whisperzzzzzzz]

Anyone seen this before: Barefoot Gen (1983)? It follows a young boy and is about the aftermath of the bombing of Hiroshima.

I saw someone on Reddit say that "...it makes Grave of the Fireflies look like a Disney movie..." in comparison.

This post has been edited by Whisperzzzzzzz: 13 August 2015 - 06:38 PM

[Dolmen 2.0]

 D, on 13 August 2015 - 04:51 PM, said:

 LinearPhilosopher, on 12 August 2015 - 11:56 PM, said:

 D, on 12 August 2015 - 09:54 PM, said:

But what about with the helmet off?

didnt really get a chance, was ina line leaving a panel and was already talking to a girl

I'm just kidding. I sincerely doubt she was able to find a way to recreate the effect of being headless

 Dolmen 2.0, on 13 August 2015 - 08:04 AM, said:

Just a question but who would you guys say is your favourite Antagonist? I've asked this before I think but curious to hear new opinions.

I don't think you've asked it before...

Anyways there's a lot of good options but I think I would put the Magi antagonists - Al Thamen - as my favourite. They've got a wonderfully sinister vibe and they are a legitimately powerful and credible threat without needing to be the dystopian government that oppresses farm-boys everywhere. And their leader, Arba, has a great little Darth Vader impression going on.

That's more of an organization though. Not sure what I would pick for an individual antagonist.

Oooh thats a good one, yes Al Thamen reminded me of Anthony Ryans 3 who are taken from the Ravens shadow series. Worth a read if you havent read it already.

The best part about Al Thamen is how good they are at corrupting potentially heroic characters. I like how that prince whose name i forgot and the dark ruk magi jellal? Damn i really need a recap. But yeah both those characters are both pitiable and charismatic. Its anyones guess what side they end up on but Arba is pulling all the strings to lead them to depravity.

I think my favorite antagonist do similar things. Hisoka from hunter x hunter is almost paedophylic in his obsession to 'cultivate' Gons strength. Its all clear that Hisoka is just really bloodthirsty and wants the genuine challenge he knows Gon will offer in his later years.

Then there's Roberta from black lagoon and rail tracer from Baccano. Both are just so larger than life its hard not to root for them.

[LinearPhilosopher]

 Dolmen 2.0, on 13 August 2015 - 08:04 AM, said:

Just a question but who would you guys say is your favourite Antagonist? I've asked this before I think but curious to hear new opinions.

Never really gave this much thought

Gouda from 2nd gig was a great villain, intelligent with a complete disregard for everything else.

I'd also add Light yagami from death note, probably one of the best written villains in anime.

hisoka i just found weird, people who do bad shit for the sake of something petty like fighting someone just doesn't appeal to me.

Slaine Troyard from aldnoah has it for most sympathetic villain in 2nd season. Regardless of his choices in season 1, he inherits a shitty situation, makes the most of it and makes a play for the long game. And it nearly worked too. The show literally was conspiring against him from a plot perspective, yet when everything goes to shit, he doesn't cry and moan, he doesn't run away, he goes out with a blast to take out his nemesis.

Izaya orihara from durarara: always in the shadows causing shit, always playing people off each other, love every scene hes in.

Kiryuin satsuki from part 1 of kill la kill: she's the overman, need i say more.

Makishima shougo: educated, intelligent and on an existential quest for meaning and life, and screw the inauthentic system he lives in. Love it


From this list, i could narrow it to makishima shougo and slaine troyard. But i like them for different reasons

I think in the end gona go with slaine troyard as I was cheering for the guy. If you're cheering for the antagonist, you're doing something right

This post has been edited by LinearPhilosopher: 14 August 2015 - 03:10 AM

[Dolmen 2.0]

My main issue with Light is his God complex led him to make some weird ass choices, weird atleast for someone so brilliant. That aside I agree with him as probably the best written villain in anime, not my favorite though really high up the list, quite similar to Slaine infact who is another excellent choice. I haven't finished second season though, from what you say above theres much to look forward to.

Izaya is a strange villain. I can't ever really peg him down as being bad. Just mischievous? I like his scenes but it always had a sort of pranking vibe to it? Im watching X2 so maybe he gets darker But then again Durarara always sets its characters up to seem ok despite really being somewhat psychotic on general principals. Yes i'm looking at you Saya.

Some other names i'd like to throw in the hat as outstanding villains include:

Berserk spoilers

Spoiler

Gryphon because at the end i could not hate anyone more. I really could not. That guy was a bastard but his bastarditude made a weird sort of sense considering what he went through and why.

claymore spoilers

Spoiler

...and Olivia, number 6 from Claymore. Most people would go for Riful or Priscilla but I think Olivia had that extra darkness to her that just freaked you out. Claymore has plenty of these 'fallen' character types but Olivia was the first genuine taste of it.

[LinearPhilosopher]

just finished the chimera ant arc of hunter x hunter

Why are there tears in my eyes?

[D'rek]

 Dolmen 2.0, on 14 August 2015 - 02:22 AM, said:

Oooh thats a good one, yes Al Thamen reminded me of Anthony Ryans 3 who are taken from the Ravens shadow series. Worth a read if you havent read it already.

The best part about Al Thamen is how good they are at corrupting potentially heroic characters. I like how that prince whose name i forgot and the dark ruk magi jellal? Damn i really need a recap. But yeah both those characters are both pitiable and charismatic. Its anyones guess what side they end up on but Arba is pulling all the strings to lead them to depravity.

Yup! I really like how they are presented as being quite competent, very powerful as an organization and that they have a plan they are working on, but at the same time they are not the government of the world oppressing orphan farm boys everywhere. Usually if you want a large, powerful organization executing a sinister a plan it has to be the ruling dictatorship the protagonists live under.

Plus Al Thamen has the whole make-the-metaphor-real effect of magically corrupting people's Rukh/Magoi by psychologically corrupting them. Love it!



Rail Tracer - Once you get to know him, I don't know if I would still consider him an antagonist, though? It's hard to say "ah yes, this murderous gangster is the protagonist while the assassin he is fighting is the antagonist" ? In fact, he quite literally sees himself as the only protagonist/character in the entire universe.

Izaya is similar - he gets up to shady stuff and is at odds with other characters but he's not really an antagonist. Yodogiri, Kujiragi, Haruna, etc are much more the antagonists of Durarara than him.

Light is definitely a well-done villain, but he's not an antagonist! He's the protagonist! L is the antagonist!


Other names I hear a lot as great antagonists are Gryphon (which I assume is what Dolmen mentioned in the Berserk spoiler) and Dio from Joe Joe's Bizarre Adventures, but I haven't watched those yet.

[LinearPhilosopher]

Let's define our terms shall we then?

What makes an antogonist, what makes a villain

[D'rek]

 LinearPhilosopher, on 14 August 2015 - 03:20 PM, said:

Let's define our terms shall we then?

What makes an antogonist, what makes a villain

The protagonist is the leading character, the one who is the central narrative of the show. Doesn't matter whether they are good, bad, morally ambiguous or whether they have a pet hippo - they can still be the protagonist.

The antagonist is the major opposition to the protagonist - the character who tries to prevent the protagonist from realizing their ambition and in often cases needs to be defeated by the protagonist in some way. It doesn't matter whether they are good, bad or listen to celtic reggae - they can still be the antagonist.

A villain is a character who is generally considered evil or at least who's actions lead to the perception that they are bad or evil. It doesn't matter if they are a protagonist, antagonist, random side character or whether they have a body made entirely of wheat - they can still be a villain.

[Dolmen 2.0]

 D, on 14 August 2015 - 04:47 PM, said:

 LinearPhilosopher, on 14 August 2015 - 03:20 PM, said:

Let's define our terms shall we then?

What makes an antogonist, what makes a villain

The protagonist is the leading character, the one who is the central narrative of the show. Doesn't matter whether they are good, bad, morally ambiguous or whether they have a pet hippo - they can still be the protagonist.

The antagonist is the major opposition to the protagonist - the character who tries to prevent the protagonist from realizing their ambition and in often cases needs to be defeated by the protagonist in some way. It doesn't matter whether they are good, bad or listen to celtic reggae - they can still be the antagonist.

A villain is a character who is generally considered evil or at least who's actions lead to the perception that they are bad or evil. It doesn't matter if they are a protagonist, antagonist, random side character or whether they have a body made entirely of wheat - they can still be a villain.

Good antagonists often are good villains but where a villain is judged on how completely opposite they are from the hero in moral code the protag antag situation can be far more complex.

A good antag might actually be the most rational, ethical character and quite likeable. The key characteristic keeping you from favoring the antag is how they oppose the protags goals. Character driven stories will often see the protag championing a cause the viewer identifies with. The antag would often champion a different perspective on that cause. This makes for an excellent story because we get to see both ends of the topic and the climax often reveals that at the most extreme extents of the pursuit of a cause you find some unexpected correlations between the opposing views. Recently i'd say psycho pass season one REALLY nailed this.

Makishima Shogo is an A class antagonist.

Edit: just realized that typo!

This post has been edited by Dolmen 2.0: 14 August 2015 - 06:04 PM