Scott's right, dude. It's not often I say this, but don't go straight to Bebop. You're going from pot to heroin -- except there's only one vial of heroin in the world. Eva, Utena, Ghost in the Shell; these guys are good candidates for what to watch next. Bebop is only to be used as a starter anime in emergency cases.
I disagree. I think that people should watch a good show like that first. Bebop was not my first anime, but I watched it fairly early in my anime watching career, and was glad for having seen it. I think it also has wider appeal than most other anime. Someone can be into movies or Science Fiction, but not specifically animation, and find something in Bebop to like.
I didn't say not to watch it first. Cowboy Bebop is a great show, and a great intro show in that it is very accessible to normal people. Compare that to shows like Madoka Magica and Evangelion which are also very good, but much more inaccessible to normal folks. The only better intro anime that I know of besides Bebop are probably Ghibli movies.
I was just giving the necessary warning that Cowboy Bebop is so great, that if you hold every other anime to that standard, you will often be disappointed. When you watch other anime afterwards you have to accept that they won't be that good, and will have to enjoy them on their own merits.
I have a friend who got into anime via Ouran Madoka and Eva. He's only now watching a non-meta show. I wouldn't say this boy is "normal," but it does happen.
I have heard opinions of Cowboy Bebop for a LOOOONG time, and I seriously have never heard anyone slag the show. No one has ever said they hated it. The lowest opinion I've heard is that it's really good. Maybe Dave Riley said that.
So now that I've finished Bebop disc 1, here are some spoiler-free preliminary thoughts on what I've seen.
I'm really enjoying it, and it's kept me fully engaged the entire time. At no point did I reach for the DS or start doing a crossword puzzle while watching, which tends to be a common occurrence for me. I think episode 1 was my favorite so far. That said, while episode 5 was really cool and I liked the big climax quite a bit, I didn't get the "OhMyGodLifeChangingExperience" vibe that everyone seems to hang on that episode. Character-wise, Jet is my favorite character so far, and of course Ein is awesome, but I'm not really digging Faye at all just yet. Also the opening theme reminds me a bit of the old Johnny Quest theme song, which is always good.
I should have the whole series finished by the end of the week, so I'll be back with my final impressions once it's all done. I'm digging it as a whole so far, though as a non-anime-fan I feel like I may be expecting a little bit too much because of all the buildup. But it's not fair to judge that until I finish it.
If you weren't fundamentally moved by Ballad of Fallen Angels, there's something wrong with you.
I'm being facetious. Mostly. The show does get hyped up a lot, but it's honestly in the top 3 best anime ever made. It's my personal number 1. I've yet to see anything that trumps it in any aspect.
I wasn't fundamentally moved by Ballad of Fallen Angles the first time around either. I really liked it and thought it was a really well made episode, I didn't know the characters well enough yet. It wasn't until the second time around I really got why everyone said THAT was the big episode.
I wasn't fundamentally moved by Ballad of Fallen Angles the first time around either. I really liked it and thought it was a really well made episode, I didn't know the characters well enough yet. It wasn't until the second time around I really got why everyone said THAT was the big episode.
That's what I was thinking might be the case too. Once I finish the series I will go back and watch that one again.
I actually saw episode 5 before seeing any other episode. I didn't even know at the time that it was episode 5 of a series, and was confused as to what was really going on. Even so, I knew that whatever it was I wanted more of it.
This is the opening to the Patlabor OAV. One of my favorites.
Also, the OAV and the first two movies are the only parts that Mamoru Oshii actually worked on. He did have some uncredited influence on the TV series, though. His fingerprint is all over the chinese food episode.
Yeah, that doesn't interest me nearly as much as the video I posted. Isn't there any serious grognardy mech anime that doesn't involve a kid and/or some bizarre mech tech such as having laser swords or mech size pistols?
Yeah, that doesn't interest me nearly as much as the video I posted. Isn't there any serious grognardy mech anime that doesn't involve a kid and/or some bizarre mech tech such as having laser swords or mech size pistols?
Patlabor is more serious than you would think. That's not a kid in that opener, it's an adult woman. The mech sized pistols also barely work, and its pretty awesome when they drop the gigantic shells onto the ground near where people are standing.
I'll check it out. Do you recommend I start with a specific movie/ova?
I say watch the OVA, because that is the beginning and introduces the characters. Then watch the two movies, which are more serious. If you really like the characters, watch the TV series. That's not the chronological order, but it doesn't matter so much.
I'll check it out. Do you recommend I start with a specific movie/ova?
A quick second opinion: while the first Patlabour movie is awesome, I found the second one has the most excruciatingly slow pacing ever. Watching it was like watching the heat death of the universe. I like me some introspection in my movies, but this was above and beyond. I was incapable of making it to the end, which is rare for me.
Apparently there's a Stein's Gate season 2? I kinda was fine with the way things ended... but alright, I'll try it.
If you think the DVD extra episode or movie-that-might-very-well-be-just-a-recap constitutes a second season, then you're right. Haven't heard about anything else.
As for what has been cumming all over my eyeballs, the best smut anime has to offer presently, and the end of Wakfu season 2, references are hilarious.
Comments
I was just giving the necessary warning that Cowboy Bebop is so great, that if you hold every other anime to that standard, you will often be disappointed. When you watch other anime afterwards you have to accept that they won't be that good, and will have to enjoy them on their own merits.
I'm really enjoying it, and it's kept me fully engaged the entire time. At no point did I reach for the DS or start doing a crossword puzzle while watching, which tends to be a common occurrence for me. I think episode 1 was my favorite so far. That said, while episode 5 was really cool and I liked the big climax quite a bit, I didn't get the "OhMyGodLifeChangingExperience" vibe that everyone seems to hang on that episode. Character-wise, Jet is my favorite character so far, and of course Ein is awesome, but I'm not really digging Faye at all just yet. Also the opening theme reminds me a bit of the old Johnny Quest theme song, which is always good.
I should have the whole series finished by the end of the week, so I'll be back with my final impressions once it's all done. I'm digging it as a whole so far, though as a non-anime-fan I feel like I may be expecting a little bit too much because of all the buildup. But it's not fair to judge that until I finish it.
I'm being facetious. Mostly. The show does get hyped up a lot, but it's honestly in the top 3 best anime ever made. It's my personal number 1. I've yet to see anything that trumps it in any aspect.
Also, the OAV and the first two movies are the only parts that Mamoru Oshii actually worked on. He did have some uncredited influence on the TV series, though. His fingerprint is all over the chinese food episode.
Or maybe just watch Rideback.
As for what has been cumming all over my eyeballs, the best smut anime has to offer presently, and the end of Wakfu season 2, references are hilarious.
Anybody watch Nadia Secret of Blue Water? I've always know about the series but I never got around to watching it for whatever reason.
http://www.awopodcast.com/2007/07/anime-world-order-show-55-master-shake.html