Rob Kelk
2008-08-02 00:00:37 UTC
Archive-name: <http://robkelk.ottawa-anime.org/primer/>
Posting-frequency: monthly, on the 1st
Last-modified: Mon 23 Jun 2008
The Anime Primer
or
WHAT ANIME SHOULD I WATCH NOW?
Usenet edition
Edited by Rob Kelk
Based on the work of Bruce Carlson & Steve Pearl
28 July 2008
****************************************************************
This document is always undergoing revision.
New entries are needed and should be sent to Rob Kelk.
****************************************************************
This is intended for English-speaking fans who are new to anime, and
looking for some suggestions of what to watch next. While this list
concentrates on North American releases of anime, there is some
information about the availability of translated anime in other parts
of the world mentioned as well.
Additions and corrections to this information are welcome; please post
them in reply to this posting.
This Primer is also available on the World-Wide Web. The primary site
is <http://robkelk.ottawa-anime.org/primer/>; there is also a mirror at
<http://anime-faqs.org/anime/primer/index.html>.
New or Heavily Revised Writeups This Month:
BAMBOO BLADE [Ansgar "59cobalt" Wiechers]
BLOOD: THE LAST VAMPIRE [Ansgar "59cobalt" Wiechers]
MARIA WATCHES OVER US [Ansgar "59cobalt" Wiechers]
THE MELANCHOLY OF HARUHI SUZUMIYA [Abraham Evangelista]
TOKYO GODFATHERS [Travers Naran]
TROUBLE CHOCOLATE [Aje RavenStar]
WHISPER OF THE HEART [Ansgar "59cobalt" Wiechers]
Other changes:
KEMONOZUME writeup moved to the Hentai Primer.
------------------------------
Subject: 1. Table of Contents
1. Table of Contents
2. Important Note to Parents
3. Credits and Legal Notes
4. How to Find Anime
5. Why would an anime not be on this list?
6. Other Recommendations
7. The List Maintainer's Current Favourites
8. Capsule Descriptions of Anime
------------------------------
Subject: 2. Important Note to Parents
While some of the entries in the Primer have Parental Advisory notes,
it is not safe to assume that the shows described without advisories
are safe for young children. These movies and television shows are
made in Japan, to that country's standards of what is and is not
suitable as children's entertainment. Those standards might not match
your home's standards.
Also, many of these shows were not intended to be children's
entertainment at all. (For example, CHOBITS, REC, and ZIPANG were
intended for college-aged audiences.)
If you intend to let your children watch any of the shows reviewed in
the Anime Primer, please view them yourself beforehand.
For a more in-depth discussion of this matter, please see Gilles
Poitras' "Parental Content in Anime and Manga" page at
<http://www.koyagi.com/problematic.html>.
------------------------------
Subject: 3. Credits and Legal Notes
This is a monthly posting intended for those who are new to anime, and
looking for some suggestions of what to watch next. This article can
be freely distributed for non-commercial use, as long as all credits
and notices remain intact. If this is used in any publication,
including APAs & CD-ROM Collections, copies must be sent to:
The estate of Steve Pearl
PO Box 11044
New Brunswick, NJ 08906-1044
USA
and
Rob Kelk
(contact FAQ maintainer for address)
Please send all additions/corrections/comments to Rob Kelk.
Contributors to this FAQ:
Past Maintainers:
Bruce Carlson Steve Pearl
Current Maintainer:
Rob Kelk <robkelk -atsign- gmail -period- com>
Writers:
C Andersen Dave Menard
Dave Baranyi Karl Merris
Jack Bohn Hanno Mueller
Gerardo Campos Galen Musbach
Ben Cantrick Travers Naran
Robin Casady Mark L. Neidengard
Anand Chelian H "Aje RavenStar" Newcomb
Bobby Clark Justin Palmer
laurie cubbison Kyle Thomas Pope
David Damerell Jorge A Pratt
Scott Delahunt bobbie sellers
Stéphane Dumas David Simmons
Abraham Evangelista Charlie Smith
Michael Falkner Robert Sneddon
Scott Fujimoto Andrew V. Tupkalo
Shawn Granger Terrence Walker
Bruce Grubb Austin Watkins
Arthur Hansen David Watson
Jeanne Hedge Ansgar "59cobalt" Wiechers
Andrew Hollingbury D.Eric Wilson
Matt "Kosher Pickle" Huber Phil Yff
Brad Jackson "Akodo Bob"
Derek Janssen "Antaeus Feldspar"
Chris "Chika" Johnson "Captain Nerd"
Rob Kelk "Dot Warner"
Andrew Kieswetter "Hana no Kaitou"
Cathy Krusberg "HiEv"
Paul Lepant "IwillneverbeaJedi"
Ray Li "KireiSarah"
Michael Lo "MimiE"
D B Malmquist "Royal Orange"
Bill Martin "Shez"
Rob Maxwell "Slithy Tove"
Chris Meadows "Sultan Of Swing"
Chris "Blade" McNeil "Wasabi"
Nicholas A. "QuestionMark" Jalowick
Catherine "Fish Eye no Miko" Johnson
If there is no credit given for an entry, then it was inherited from
the original "Anime Primer" maintained by Bruce Carlson & Steve Pearl.
(Currently, only five entries do not have attributions: LEGEND OF
GALACTIC HEROES, LOCKE THE SUPERMAN, TIME STRANGER, VOTOMS, and
WINDARIA.)
Most (if not all) of the company names mentioned in this document are
trademarks or registered trademarks of the respective companies. No
challenge to their trademark status is intended by their mention in
this document.
All reviews in the Anime Primer are copyright their respective
authors, and are used with permission. The compilation copyright for
the Anime Primer is held by Rob Kelk.
------------------------------
Subject: 4. How to Find Anime
Anime programs come in three flavors: TV shows, Movies, and Original
Animation Video (OAV or OVA - what North American studios call "direct
to video"). In general, movies have the best animation quality, while
TV shows use less motion, and OAVs vary widely between those. Also,
newer shows tend to have better animation than older shows do, since
the state of the art has advanced. But animation quality is rarely an
indicator of how good an anime is.
The vast majority of Japanese animation is only available in Japanese,
of course. Sturgeon's Law ("90% of *everything* is crap") also
applies to anime, so the professionals and fans translating anime into
English tend to work with the 10% that isn't.
Professionally-translated anime can often be found at large video
stores and comic book shops (brick-and-mortar or online). Sometimes,
they are also available for individual purchase directly from the
translation company. Secondhand copies of anime can also be found for
sale on the <news:rec.arts.anime.marketplace> newsgroup, or on on-line
auction sites.
Fan-subtitled items were historically available as tape-to-tape copies
from clubs (see below), individuals, and other volunteer distributors.
Nowadays they are usually found online via the various file-sharing
peer-to-peer systems in formats designed either for viewing directly
on computer screens or for transfer to DVD for playing in DVD players.
Since fansubs are "derivative works", they are technically illegal in
most countries (so don't get fansubs if you don't want to break the
law), but this is largely ignored by the copyright holders as long as
nobody makes a profit and anime that have been professionally
translated aren't also fan-subtitled. It is beyond the scope of this
document to describe how to obtain fansubs.
(There are still some fansub distributors who advertise their DVDs
on the World-Wide Web. Be warned, though, that many of these people
are taking advantage of other fans' goodwill by selling fansubs
at a profit. Worse yet, there are now many people who are selling
fansubs for a profit on eBay and other online auction services. You
shouldn't pay more for a fansub than you would pay for the blank
media, plus postage. Also, some less-scrupulous fansub distributors
sell fan-subtitled copies of anime that have also been translated
professionally - this is commonly called "bootlegging" in fan circles.
The best defence against being caught by one of these distributors is
to know what shows have been professionally translated. Read the
Grand High License List at <http://www.animeondvd.com/licenselist/>,
then ask on <news:rec.arts.anime.misc> if you still aren't sure.)
Most cities of even moderate size have an anime club somewhere. They
probably meet periodically and view the latest stuff, and many have a
decent video library. A good way to find your local club is to ask at
the local stores that sell anime, or to post a question in the
rec.arts.anime.fandom newsgroup if your town doesn't have an anime
store.
Many science fiction conventions have an anime program in a room
someplace these days. An anime convention is probably the best way to
sample *large* amounts of anime at once (if you can tear yourself
away from the Guests, panels, and other activities to actually watch
the stuff).
------------------------------
Subject: 5. Why would an anime not be on this list?
You may have seen an anime that you liked, but isn't on this list.
That doesn't mean your taste in anime is bad!
First, this is not a comprehensive list of anime titles (for that, see
the Anime News Network encyclopedia of anime, found at
<http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php>), or even a
list of all good anime. It it simply a list of shows that people on
the anime newsgroups like enough to review and recommend to others.
Please keep in mind that tastes vary, and not everyone will think that
every anime on this list is good. (You could ask twenty different
anime fans what the best anime are, and you'll get twenty different
replies.) But we hope that this list will help you find something
*you* think is good.
Also, if the anime you saw and liked has erotic or pornographic
content, it shouldn't be listed here. Listings for this type of anime
can be found in "The Anime Hentai Primer", a companion to this
posting. The list maintainer chose to split the list so that this
list could be given to people who should not, or do not wish to, watch
erotic or pornographic animation.
If the anime you saw and liked isn't included in either Primer, it's
quite possible that we simply haven't seen it yet. If you think we
should add a capsule description of a title not on this list, please
write the description and post it as a reply to this posting, or
e-mail it to Rob Kelk at <robkelk -atsign- gmail -period- com>.
Should you decide to write a capsule description of a good anime
title, please also mention who translated the anime. This is
especially important when the show is only available fansubbed!
(Commercially-translated anime can be purchased in specialty shops,
but fansubs are only available from people within the anime fan
community. Knowing who translated a show often helps other anime fans
find the translations.)
The list maintainer makes a habit of acknowledging all Primer entries
received, either through e-mail or by posting to the newsgroup
<news:rec.arts.anime.fandom>. If you do not receive a reply to your
submission after a week, then it probably was not received and you
should re-submit your entry.
------------------------------
Subject: 6. Other Recommendations
Most of these descriptions are sparse, but we can't really offer more
in Usenet posts! However, there are places on the World-Wide Web that
offer more in-depth reviews, including reviews of shows that aren't as
good as these are.
Gilles Poitras, author of "The Anime Companion" and "Anime
Essentials", has a page of recommendations on his website. He also
has pages of recommendations for manga and books about anime.
<http://www.koyagi.com/recommended.html>
Andrew Shelton is building the "Anime Meta-Review" site, which lists
roughly three times as many titles as this FAQ does. He also reviews
shows that he *doesn't* recommend, which may be of interest to some
people.
<http://amr.nextstudio.net/>
The Anime News Network maintains an online encyclopedia listing almost
every anime title in existance, with user-submitted ratings of most of
the shows.
<http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php>
------------------------------
Subject: 7. The List Maintainer's Current Favourites
It's come to my attention that the Anime Primer, while useful, is
simply too large to act as an introduction to all anime available now.
Also, there are some people on <news:rec.arts.anime.misc> who have
expressed an interest in knowing what other fans are watching.
This is a list of my top twenty favourite anime titles as of the last
time I updated this list: 26 June 2008. The list is subject to
change on my whim - it's a list of my favourites, after all, not a
list of what's acknowledged as "good".
Taking a riff from David Letterman ... From the home office in
Ottawa, here's Rob Kelk's Top Twenty Favourite Anime:
20: MAHOROMATIC
19: DIRTY PAIR
18: MOYASHIMON
17: ANGELIC LAYER
16: CHOBITS
15: KAMICHU!
14: OMISHI MAGICAL THEATER: RISKY SAFETY
13: FIGURE 17
12: PRINCESS TUTU
11: AZUMANGA DAIOH
10: OH EDO ROCKET
9: NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND
8: ZIPANG
7: STARSHIP OPERATORS
6: KALEIDO STAR
5: SUGAR, A TINY SNOW FAIRY
4: CARDCAPTOR SAKURA
3: DENNOU COIL
2: STELLVIA
1: PORCO ROSSO
------------------------------
Subject: 8. Capsule Descriptions of Anime
And now, the reviews:
.hack//SIGN: "The World" is an online multiplayer RPG taking the
world by storm. One player, a Wavemaster (magician) named Tsukasa,
gets stuck in The World, unable to quit back to the real world - and
all the while players are falling into mysterious comas. There is
obviously something rotten in The World, but it will take a whole team
of players to sort it out, and the problems may reach deeper than they
think.
Released as part of Bandai's massive .hack multimedia campaign,
.hack//SIGN comes from Bee Train, the studio behind NOIR, and features
many of the same hallmarks with blaring (although excellent) Yuki
Kajiura music drowning out fairly cryptic dialogue. If this is to your
taste, there's a lot to like about .hack//SIGN, with an intriguing
cast of characters and some particularly good background artwork, but
be prepared for a lot of talking.
Released by Bandai in Region 1 and UK Region 2, and by Madman in
Region 4. The original Region 1 release came in several special
editions including soundtrack CDs, which are unfortunately not
available separately, and the last disc's special edition came with an
extra bonus episode - I believe this is available in the recently
released .hack//SIGN Collection.
[Entry by Andrew Hollingbury]
3X3 EYES (a.k.a. SAZAN EYES): Pai, the last of a race of three-eye
immortals known as Sanjiyan Unkara, desires to become human. She has
been sent to Yakumo by his late father to obtain an artifact called
the Ningun No Zou or Statue of Humanity which is needed to accomplish
this. Unfortunately, one of her demon friends is let loose and Yakumo
is mortally wounded in the resulting chaos. To save Yakumo she pulls
his soul into her, turning him into a Wu (an undead-like immortal).
To become human again, Yakumo must help Pai become human.
Unfortunately there are others who want the Ningun No Zou, the
immortality of being Wu, or Pai herself. Complicating matters is that
Pai has a totally different personality when her third eye manifests.
The North American DVD release by Geneon combines the two OVAs
"Immortal" and "Legend of the Divine Demon". 3X3 EYES is available in
Australia from Madman.
PARENTAL ADVISORY: The "Immortal" OVA has several violent gorish
scenes - Yakumo gets badly beaten several times and his hand is
chopped off. His girlfriend is used as a hostage during which she is
painfully attacked from the inside by a demon. "Legend of the Divine
Demon" is far less gory, though there is the death of Yakumo's mentor,
a blind Tibetan priest.
Detailed web page: <http://www.sazan.net/digest/>
[Entry by Bruce Grubb]
801 T.T.S. AIRBATS (a.k.a. AOZORA SHOUJOTAI): A series based
around a female aerobatic team within the Japanese Air Self Defense
Force, made up of misfits including a gambling addict, an airhead, a
pilot with a major chip stuck on her shoulder and another that is
always at war with her. Oh yes, and one rookie airplane and mecha nut
with whom both of the latter two pilots are besotted with. Available
from ADV Films in North America and Madman in Australia.
[Entry by Chika]
A
ABENOBASHI MAHOU SHOUTENGAI (a.k.a. MAGICAL SHOPPING ARCADE
ABENOBASHI): 11-year-old friends Satoshi "Sasshi" Imamiya and Ayumi
Asahina are bemoaning the fact that their Osaka neighbourhood is now
decaying, and wondering about the animal statues on top of some of the
shops. When Arumi's grandfather accidentally knocks down the pelican
statue on top of his restaurant, things get trippy for the two kids,
and they end up in various re-settings of their neighbourhood, based
on a different theme in each show (i.e. sword and sorcery, China,
outer space), where parodies of examples of the genres follow,
frequently at blur speed. Add dashes of juvenile humour here and
there (including a young woman appropriately named Mune-Mune, who
supplies the fan service), plus the odd touching moment, blend, and
serve. A collaboration between Gainax and scriptwriter Akahori Satoru
(SABER MARIONETTE J, SORCEROR HUNTERS and MON COLLE KNIGHTS, among
many others).
Available from ADV.
R1 official website: <http://www.abenobashidvd.com/>
[Entry by David Watson]
AD POLICE FILES: This series chronicles the (mis-)adventures of AD
Police rookie Leon and his colleagues as they defend the near-future
cyberpunk city of MegaTokyo (and sometimes themselves) from boomers -
humanish androids. There are three episodes, each with a different
plot line, but each asking the same question - what happens when the
line between man and machine blurs? Forewarned, this series is
extremely dark, violent, gory and sexual. Therefore I do not
recommend it for anyone under 17 years old unless they are very
mature. Well drawn and animated, and certainly engaging to watch. If
you liked "Bladerunner", you might like this series. Three episodes.
Subbed. From AnimEigo in North America and Madman in Australia.
[Entry by Ben Cantrick]
[NOTE: There is a recent remake titled AD POLICE, that has been
released by ADV Films in North America. The FAQ maintainer has not
yet seen the remake, and nobody else has yet written a capsule
description of the show. - Rob Kelk]
ADVENTURES OF THE MINI-GODDESSES: Loosely based on a series of
four-panel comic strips that themselves were loosely based on Kosuke
Fujishima's AH MEGAMISAMA story, this is a series of short (five- to
seven-minute) episodes featuring cute versions of Urd and Skuld as
they have adventures with Gan-chan, a rat that lives in the temple.
Belldandy sometimes gets in on the fun, too (although not as often,
because her original seiyuu was unavailable when the earliest episodes
were made). While some of the episodes have educational content, most
are simply excuses to tell silly stories from the four-panel comic
strip (such as the "Let's Make a Band" storyline), or parodying
popular Japanese culture (such as the "Gan-chan becomes Godzilla"
stories).
There's little if any serious meaning to this series, but it's
ideal for the times when you're too tired or rushed to watch something
that takes itself too seriously.
Geneon has released this series on DVD in North America.
See also OH MY GODDESS!, AH! MY GODDESS (MOVIE), and AH! MY GODDESS
(TV).
[Entry by Rob Kelk]
AH! MY GODDESS (MOVIE): Set later in the AH MEGAMISAMA storyline
than the OH MY GODDESS! OAV series, this movie tells the story of
Belldandy's mentor Celestin and his attempt to go against the will of
Kami-sama for the sake of love. One of the side-effects of Celestin's
actions causes Belldandy to lose her memory, so the goddesses and
Keiichi have two problems to solve at the same time.
This is quite possibly the best animated AH MEGAMI-SAMA story yet.
All of the characters are shown as they are in Kosuke Fujishima's
manga, as opposed to the caricatures of Belldandy and Keiichi in the
OAV series, and the plotline is reminiscent of Fujishima's best work.
(The only real problem some people have with the movie is that Mara
once again doesn't make an appearance, but, given the subject matter,
there's really no logical way for her to have been in the story.)
This movie is available in North America on DVD from Geneon, and in
Australia from Madman.
See also AH! MY GODDESS (TV), OH MY GODDESS!, and ADVENTURES OF THE
MINI-GODDESSES.
[Entry by Rob Kelk]
AH! MY GODDESS (TV): Meet Keiichi Morisato, nice guy, human
doormat, and unluckiest guy you'll ever meet. One night, after a
strange call, and a girl popping out of a mirror, his life changes
forever. The girl, Belldandy, turns out to be a First Class Goddess,
and explains that he's been given a wish, any wish. He could have
money, power, whatever his heart desires. After talking with her, he
says the first thing that pops into his mind, that he wished he had a
girl like Belldandy to stay by his side forever ... and that's when
life stopped being ordinary for Keiichi. He gets kicked out of the
male-only dorm, and must find a place to stay, get a job, and try to
teach Belldandy how to act normally while still going to college.
Note: No previous knowledge of the OAVs, movie, or manga required to
enjoy ...
Released by Anime Works in North America.
See also OH MY GODDESS!, AH! MY GODDESS (MOVIE), and ADVENTURES OF
THE MINI-GODDESSES.
[Entry by Bill Martin]
AH MEGAMISAMA: see OH MY GODDESS!, AH! MY GODDESS (MOVIE), AH! MY
GODDESS (TV), and ADVENTURES OF THE MINI-GODDESSES
AI YORI AOSHI: A young college student sees a beautiful Japanese
girl dressed in a kimono and sandals lost in a train station. From
this unlikely coincidence, childhood sweethearts Kaoru and Aoi are
re-united.
Kaoru was the heir of the Hanabishi family. Aoi is heiress to the
Sakuraba family. Kaoru ran away from the Hanabishis and Aoi was
simply told "the engagement is off". Aoi would not accept that her
her first true love would end like this, so she rushed off to Tokyo to
find him. The story gets more complicated when Aoi's mother sets them
up in an old house to hide their romance. Miyabi, Aoi's guardian,
hides their secret by running the house as a boarding house,
accidentally attracting a harem of young girls all vying for Kaoru's
attention.
This anime has two stories going on: a classic Japanese romance
from the age of the samurai and a LOVE HINA'esque harem story. But at
its heart, AI YORI AOSHI is a very strong character anime; all the
characters are interesting with depth. Tina Foster, an American who
grew up in Japan, acts the extrovert to hide her loneliness of feeling
like a stranger in both cultures. Mayu is rich and intelligent, but
her parents treat her more as a prized piece of furniture than their
child; the only love in her life came from an act of kindness by
Kaoru. These complex stories enmesh and develop over time. The
characters are explored even further in the second series, AI YORI
AOSHI - ENISHI.
It's a really good series for those who like romantic stories with
a strong ensemble cast.
Age: 14+ Warnings: Frequent fan service, suggested nudity and
mature situations. Available in North America from Geneon.
[Entry by Travers Naran]
AIM FOR THE TOP!: see GUNBUSTER
AISHITERUZE BEIBE (a.k.a. LOVE YOU BABY): Kippei is a
lackadaisical high-schooler, popular with the girls but not ready for
commitment. One day he arrives home to find his young cousin, five-
year-old Yuzuyu-chan there. Her mother has abandoned her and the
family decide Kippei should be the one to look after her. Thus begins
a story of responsibility and maturity on Kippei's part and a chance
for stability and happiness for Yuzuyu-chan.
Like fungus, this anime grows on you. Yuzuyu behaves like a real
five-year-old, scared by her mother's disappearance, comforted by
Kippei-onii-chan, making friends at the kindergarten. There is a
little drama; Kippei becomes the focus of a stalker and Yuzuyu gets
caught up in the action, but mostly this is Kippei learning that
actions have consequences and Yuzuyu learning that she is still loved
and her mother's disappearance was not her fault.
Tsuzurahara Miyu, Yuzuyu's seiyuu, makes her sound like a real
five-year-old. The animation quality is not very high but carries the
story adequately. The OP and ED songs are catchy and addictive,
matching the upbeat mood of the series.
This series is still unlicensed. The manga is being translated by
Viz.
[Entry by Robert Sneddon]
AKIRA: An adaptation of a longer manga work, the story (as far as
the anime is concerned) surrounds a gang, in particular the leader,
Kaneda, and his friend, Tetsuo, and a secret government/military
project to tap the psychic abilities of children. Tetsuo encounters a
"child" from these experiments and soon after starts to exhibit some
abilities of his own following his abduction by the military. Kaneda
is caught up in the events that follow as first he tries to find his
friend and find out what has happened to him, then has to battle with
Tetsuo as his new found powers start to run out of control. Who is
Akira? A question that runs through the whole convoluted plot but, to
find out, Tetsuo risks himself, his friends and the whole city.
The production was masterminded by Katsuhiro Otomo, and has been
touted as one of the best productions of its type, having won awards
around the world. However people that are fans of the manga series
should be aware of the compacted nature of the production. There is
also one attempted rape scene.
Originally released in the US by Streamline Pictures, later
licenced to Geneon (aka Pioneer). In Australia this is available from
Madman, in the UK it is available from Manga Video.
[Entry by Chika]
ALL PURPOSE CULTURAL CAT-GIRL NUKU-NUKU: The Mishima Heavy
Industries corporation wants its prototype android back, to use as a
war machine. Lady Akiko, head of Mishima, wants to take her son
Ryuunosuke from her ex-husband - preferably by force. Ryuunosuke, on
the run with his brilliant and eccentric father, just wants the
friendly kitten he finds on Christmas Eve. When it all comes
together, the result is "Nuku Nuku" Natsume - the brain of a cat, the
appearance of a lovely schoolgirl, and the raw power of a war machine,
living with Ryuunosuke and 'Papa-san' as Ryuunosuke's sister and the
family's protector.
The original six OAV series is nicely animated, delightful
action-comedy. The TV series that followed kept most of the same
characters but changed the situations heavily, and is reported to have
suffered from a Monster-of-the-Week plot. The later OAV series, NUKU
NUKU DASH, not only changed the situations but changed Nuku Nuku's
character design and her personality from bubbly and upbeat to teary,
and is generally considered disappointing by fans.
Available from ADV.
[Entry by Antaeus Feldspar]
ANGEL LINKS: The second show in Sunrise's "Toward Stars" universe,
but nowhere near as wide in scope as its sister series OUTLAW STAR,
ANGEL LINKS tells the story of Li Meifon, a teenager who is named heir
to a large interplanetary corporation on the condition that she
operate a pirate-hunting service for free. This seems simple enough
on the surface, but why does Meifon already have a grave marker?
This is science-fantasy space opera, but not quite in the same vein
as its sister show - the scope is much smaller than what's shown in
OUTLAW STAR. It's also half the length of the previous series, mainly
because the writers didn't have to explain everything to the audience.
ANGEL LINKS is available as a four-DVD box set from Bandai in North
America.
[Entry by Rob Kelk]
(continued in part 2)
Posting-frequency: monthly, on the 1st
Last-modified: Mon 23 Jun 2008
The Anime Primer
or
WHAT ANIME SHOULD I WATCH NOW?
Usenet edition
Edited by Rob Kelk
Based on the work of Bruce Carlson & Steve Pearl
28 July 2008
****************************************************************
This document is always undergoing revision.
New entries are needed and should be sent to Rob Kelk.
****************************************************************
This is intended for English-speaking fans who are new to anime, and
looking for some suggestions of what to watch next. While this list
concentrates on North American releases of anime, there is some
information about the availability of translated anime in other parts
of the world mentioned as well.
Additions and corrections to this information are welcome; please post
them in reply to this posting.
This Primer is also available on the World-Wide Web. The primary site
is <http://robkelk.ottawa-anime.org/primer/>; there is also a mirror at
<http://anime-faqs.org/anime/primer/index.html>.
New or Heavily Revised Writeups This Month:
BAMBOO BLADE [Ansgar "59cobalt" Wiechers]
BLOOD: THE LAST VAMPIRE [Ansgar "59cobalt" Wiechers]
MARIA WATCHES OVER US [Ansgar "59cobalt" Wiechers]
THE MELANCHOLY OF HARUHI SUZUMIYA [Abraham Evangelista]
TOKYO GODFATHERS [Travers Naran]
TROUBLE CHOCOLATE [Aje RavenStar]
WHISPER OF THE HEART [Ansgar "59cobalt" Wiechers]
Other changes:
KEMONOZUME writeup moved to the Hentai Primer.
------------------------------
Subject: 1. Table of Contents
1. Table of Contents
2. Important Note to Parents
3. Credits and Legal Notes
4. How to Find Anime
5. Why would an anime not be on this list?
6. Other Recommendations
7. The List Maintainer's Current Favourites
8. Capsule Descriptions of Anime
------------------------------
Subject: 2. Important Note to Parents
While some of the entries in the Primer have Parental Advisory notes,
it is not safe to assume that the shows described without advisories
are safe for young children. These movies and television shows are
made in Japan, to that country's standards of what is and is not
suitable as children's entertainment. Those standards might not match
your home's standards.
Also, many of these shows were not intended to be children's
entertainment at all. (For example, CHOBITS, REC, and ZIPANG were
intended for college-aged audiences.)
If you intend to let your children watch any of the shows reviewed in
the Anime Primer, please view them yourself beforehand.
For a more in-depth discussion of this matter, please see Gilles
Poitras' "Parental Content in Anime and Manga" page at
<http://www.koyagi.com/problematic.html>.
------------------------------
Subject: 3. Credits and Legal Notes
This is a monthly posting intended for those who are new to anime, and
looking for some suggestions of what to watch next. This article can
be freely distributed for non-commercial use, as long as all credits
and notices remain intact. If this is used in any publication,
including APAs & CD-ROM Collections, copies must be sent to:
The estate of Steve Pearl
PO Box 11044
New Brunswick, NJ 08906-1044
USA
and
Rob Kelk
(contact FAQ maintainer for address)
Please send all additions/corrections/comments to Rob Kelk.
Contributors to this FAQ:
Past Maintainers:
Bruce Carlson Steve Pearl
Current Maintainer:
Rob Kelk <robkelk -atsign- gmail -period- com>
Writers:
C Andersen Dave Menard
Dave Baranyi Karl Merris
Jack Bohn Hanno Mueller
Gerardo Campos Galen Musbach
Ben Cantrick Travers Naran
Robin Casady Mark L. Neidengard
Anand Chelian H "Aje RavenStar" Newcomb
Bobby Clark Justin Palmer
laurie cubbison Kyle Thomas Pope
David Damerell Jorge A Pratt
Scott Delahunt bobbie sellers
Stéphane Dumas David Simmons
Abraham Evangelista Charlie Smith
Michael Falkner Robert Sneddon
Scott Fujimoto Andrew V. Tupkalo
Shawn Granger Terrence Walker
Bruce Grubb Austin Watkins
Arthur Hansen David Watson
Jeanne Hedge Ansgar "59cobalt" Wiechers
Andrew Hollingbury D.Eric Wilson
Matt "Kosher Pickle" Huber Phil Yff
Brad Jackson "Akodo Bob"
Derek Janssen "Antaeus Feldspar"
Chris "Chika" Johnson "Captain Nerd"
Rob Kelk "Dot Warner"
Andrew Kieswetter "Hana no Kaitou"
Cathy Krusberg "HiEv"
Paul Lepant "IwillneverbeaJedi"
Ray Li "KireiSarah"
Michael Lo "MimiE"
D B Malmquist "Royal Orange"
Bill Martin "Shez"
Rob Maxwell "Slithy Tove"
Chris Meadows "Sultan Of Swing"
Chris "Blade" McNeil "Wasabi"
Nicholas A. "QuestionMark" Jalowick
Catherine "Fish Eye no Miko" Johnson
If there is no credit given for an entry, then it was inherited from
the original "Anime Primer" maintained by Bruce Carlson & Steve Pearl.
(Currently, only five entries do not have attributions: LEGEND OF
GALACTIC HEROES, LOCKE THE SUPERMAN, TIME STRANGER, VOTOMS, and
WINDARIA.)
Most (if not all) of the company names mentioned in this document are
trademarks or registered trademarks of the respective companies. No
challenge to their trademark status is intended by their mention in
this document.
All reviews in the Anime Primer are copyright their respective
authors, and are used with permission. The compilation copyright for
the Anime Primer is held by Rob Kelk.
------------------------------
Subject: 4. How to Find Anime
Anime programs come in three flavors: TV shows, Movies, and Original
Animation Video (OAV or OVA - what North American studios call "direct
to video"). In general, movies have the best animation quality, while
TV shows use less motion, and OAVs vary widely between those. Also,
newer shows tend to have better animation than older shows do, since
the state of the art has advanced. But animation quality is rarely an
indicator of how good an anime is.
The vast majority of Japanese animation is only available in Japanese,
of course. Sturgeon's Law ("90% of *everything* is crap") also
applies to anime, so the professionals and fans translating anime into
English tend to work with the 10% that isn't.
Professionally-translated anime can often be found at large video
stores and comic book shops (brick-and-mortar or online). Sometimes,
they are also available for individual purchase directly from the
translation company. Secondhand copies of anime can also be found for
sale on the <news:rec.arts.anime.marketplace> newsgroup, or on on-line
auction sites.
Fan-subtitled items were historically available as tape-to-tape copies
from clubs (see below), individuals, and other volunteer distributors.
Nowadays they are usually found online via the various file-sharing
peer-to-peer systems in formats designed either for viewing directly
on computer screens or for transfer to DVD for playing in DVD players.
Since fansubs are "derivative works", they are technically illegal in
most countries (so don't get fansubs if you don't want to break the
law), but this is largely ignored by the copyright holders as long as
nobody makes a profit and anime that have been professionally
translated aren't also fan-subtitled. It is beyond the scope of this
document to describe how to obtain fansubs.
(There are still some fansub distributors who advertise their DVDs
on the World-Wide Web. Be warned, though, that many of these people
are taking advantage of other fans' goodwill by selling fansubs
at a profit. Worse yet, there are now many people who are selling
fansubs for a profit on eBay and other online auction services. You
shouldn't pay more for a fansub than you would pay for the blank
media, plus postage. Also, some less-scrupulous fansub distributors
sell fan-subtitled copies of anime that have also been translated
professionally - this is commonly called "bootlegging" in fan circles.
The best defence against being caught by one of these distributors is
to know what shows have been professionally translated. Read the
Grand High License List at <http://www.animeondvd.com/licenselist/>,
then ask on <news:rec.arts.anime.misc> if you still aren't sure.)
Most cities of even moderate size have an anime club somewhere. They
probably meet periodically and view the latest stuff, and many have a
decent video library. A good way to find your local club is to ask at
the local stores that sell anime, or to post a question in the
rec.arts.anime.fandom newsgroup if your town doesn't have an anime
store.
Many science fiction conventions have an anime program in a room
someplace these days. An anime convention is probably the best way to
sample *large* amounts of anime at once (if you can tear yourself
away from the Guests, panels, and other activities to actually watch
the stuff).
------------------------------
Subject: 5. Why would an anime not be on this list?
You may have seen an anime that you liked, but isn't on this list.
That doesn't mean your taste in anime is bad!
First, this is not a comprehensive list of anime titles (for that, see
the Anime News Network encyclopedia of anime, found at
<http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php>), or even a
list of all good anime. It it simply a list of shows that people on
the anime newsgroups like enough to review and recommend to others.
Please keep in mind that tastes vary, and not everyone will think that
every anime on this list is good. (You could ask twenty different
anime fans what the best anime are, and you'll get twenty different
replies.) But we hope that this list will help you find something
*you* think is good.
Also, if the anime you saw and liked has erotic or pornographic
content, it shouldn't be listed here. Listings for this type of anime
can be found in "The Anime Hentai Primer", a companion to this
posting. The list maintainer chose to split the list so that this
list could be given to people who should not, or do not wish to, watch
erotic or pornographic animation.
If the anime you saw and liked isn't included in either Primer, it's
quite possible that we simply haven't seen it yet. If you think we
should add a capsule description of a title not on this list, please
write the description and post it as a reply to this posting, or
e-mail it to Rob Kelk at <robkelk -atsign- gmail -period- com>.
Should you decide to write a capsule description of a good anime
title, please also mention who translated the anime. This is
especially important when the show is only available fansubbed!
(Commercially-translated anime can be purchased in specialty shops,
but fansubs are only available from people within the anime fan
community. Knowing who translated a show often helps other anime fans
find the translations.)
The list maintainer makes a habit of acknowledging all Primer entries
received, either through e-mail or by posting to the newsgroup
<news:rec.arts.anime.fandom>. If you do not receive a reply to your
submission after a week, then it probably was not received and you
should re-submit your entry.
------------------------------
Subject: 6. Other Recommendations
Most of these descriptions are sparse, but we can't really offer more
in Usenet posts! However, there are places on the World-Wide Web that
offer more in-depth reviews, including reviews of shows that aren't as
good as these are.
Gilles Poitras, author of "The Anime Companion" and "Anime
Essentials", has a page of recommendations on his website. He also
has pages of recommendations for manga and books about anime.
<http://www.koyagi.com/recommended.html>
Andrew Shelton is building the "Anime Meta-Review" site, which lists
roughly three times as many titles as this FAQ does. He also reviews
shows that he *doesn't* recommend, which may be of interest to some
people.
<http://amr.nextstudio.net/>
The Anime News Network maintains an online encyclopedia listing almost
every anime title in existance, with user-submitted ratings of most of
the shows.
<http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php>
------------------------------
Subject: 7. The List Maintainer's Current Favourites
It's come to my attention that the Anime Primer, while useful, is
simply too large to act as an introduction to all anime available now.
Also, there are some people on <news:rec.arts.anime.misc> who have
expressed an interest in knowing what other fans are watching.
This is a list of my top twenty favourite anime titles as of the last
time I updated this list: 26 June 2008. The list is subject to
change on my whim - it's a list of my favourites, after all, not a
list of what's acknowledged as "good".
Taking a riff from David Letterman ... From the home office in
Ottawa, here's Rob Kelk's Top Twenty Favourite Anime:
20: MAHOROMATIC
19: DIRTY PAIR
18: MOYASHIMON
17: ANGELIC LAYER
16: CHOBITS
15: KAMICHU!
14: OMISHI MAGICAL THEATER: RISKY SAFETY
13: FIGURE 17
12: PRINCESS TUTU
11: AZUMANGA DAIOH
10: OH EDO ROCKET
9: NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND
8: ZIPANG
7: STARSHIP OPERATORS
6: KALEIDO STAR
5: SUGAR, A TINY SNOW FAIRY
4: CARDCAPTOR SAKURA
3: DENNOU COIL
2: STELLVIA
1: PORCO ROSSO
------------------------------
Subject: 8. Capsule Descriptions of Anime
And now, the reviews:
.hack//SIGN: "The World" is an online multiplayer RPG taking the
world by storm. One player, a Wavemaster (magician) named Tsukasa,
gets stuck in The World, unable to quit back to the real world - and
all the while players are falling into mysterious comas. There is
obviously something rotten in The World, but it will take a whole team
of players to sort it out, and the problems may reach deeper than they
think.
Released as part of Bandai's massive .hack multimedia campaign,
.hack//SIGN comes from Bee Train, the studio behind NOIR, and features
many of the same hallmarks with blaring (although excellent) Yuki
Kajiura music drowning out fairly cryptic dialogue. If this is to your
taste, there's a lot to like about .hack//SIGN, with an intriguing
cast of characters and some particularly good background artwork, but
be prepared for a lot of talking.
Released by Bandai in Region 1 and UK Region 2, and by Madman in
Region 4. The original Region 1 release came in several special
editions including soundtrack CDs, which are unfortunately not
available separately, and the last disc's special edition came with an
extra bonus episode - I believe this is available in the recently
released .hack//SIGN Collection.
[Entry by Andrew Hollingbury]
3X3 EYES (a.k.a. SAZAN EYES): Pai, the last of a race of three-eye
immortals known as Sanjiyan Unkara, desires to become human. She has
been sent to Yakumo by his late father to obtain an artifact called
the Ningun No Zou or Statue of Humanity which is needed to accomplish
this. Unfortunately, one of her demon friends is let loose and Yakumo
is mortally wounded in the resulting chaos. To save Yakumo she pulls
his soul into her, turning him into a Wu (an undead-like immortal).
To become human again, Yakumo must help Pai become human.
Unfortunately there are others who want the Ningun No Zou, the
immortality of being Wu, or Pai herself. Complicating matters is that
Pai has a totally different personality when her third eye manifests.
The North American DVD release by Geneon combines the two OVAs
"Immortal" and "Legend of the Divine Demon". 3X3 EYES is available in
Australia from Madman.
PARENTAL ADVISORY: The "Immortal" OVA has several violent gorish
scenes - Yakumo gets badly beaten several times and his hand is
chopped off. His girlfriend is used as a hostage during which she is
painfully attacked from the inside by a demon. "Legend of the Divine
Demon" is far less gory, though there is the death of Yakumo's mentor,
a blind Tibetan priest.
Detailed web page: <http://www.sazan.net/digest/>
[Entry by Bruce Grubb]
801 T.T.S. AIRBATS (a.k.a. AOZORA SHOUJOTAI): A series based
around a female aerobatic team within the Japanese Air Self Defense
Force, made up of misfits including a gambling addict, an airhead, a
pilot with a major chip stuck on her shoulder and another that is
always at war with her. Oh yes, and one rookie airplane and mecha nut
with whom both of the latter two pilots are besotted with. Available
from ADV Films in North America and Madman in Australia.
[Entry by Chika]
A
ABENOBASHI MAHOU SHOUTENGAI (a.k.a. MAGICAL SHOPPING ARCADE
ABENOBASHI): 11-year-old friends Satoshi "Sasshi" Imamiya and Ayumi
Asahina are bemoaning the fact that their Osaka neighbourhood is now
decaying, and wondering about the animal statues on top of some of the
shops. When Arumi's grandfather accidentally knocks down the pelican
statue on top of his restaurant, things get trippy for the two kids,
and they end up in various re-settings of their neighbourhood, based
on a different theme in each show (i.e. sword and sorcery, China,
outer space), where parodies of examples of the genres follow,
frequently at blur speed. Add dashes of juvenile humour here and
there (including a young woman appropriately named Mune-Mune, who
supplies the fan service), plus the odd touching moment, blend, and
serve. A collaboration between Gainax and scriptwriter Akahori Satoru
(SABER MARIONETTE J, SORCEROR HUNTERS and MON COLLE KNIGHTS, among
many others).
Available from ADV.
R1 official website: <http://www.abenobashidvd.com/>
[Entry by David Watson]
AD POLICE FILES: This series chronicles the (mis-)adventures of AD
Police rookie Leon and his colleagues as they defend the near-future
cyberpunk city of MegaTokyo (and sometimes themselves) from boomers -
humanish androids. There are three episodes, each with a different
plot line, but each asking the same question - what happens when the
line between man and machine blurs? Forewarned, this series is
extremely dark, violent, gory and sexual. Therefore I do not
recommend it for anyone under 17 years old unless they are very
mature. Well drawn and animated, and certainly engaging to watch. If
you liked "Bladerunner", you might like this series. Three episodes.
Subbed. From AnimEigo in North America and Madman in Australia.
[Entry by Ben Cantrick]
[NOTE: There is a recent remake titled AD POLICE, that has been
released by ADV Films in North America. The FAQ maintainer has not
yet seen the remake, and nobody else has yet written a capsule
description of the show. - Rob Kelk]
ADVENTURES OF THE MINI-GODDESSES: Loosely based on a series of
four-panel comic strips that themselves were loosely based on Kosuke
Fujishima's AH MEGAMISAMA story, this is a series of short (five- to
seven-minute) episodes featuring cute versions of Urd and Skuld as
they have adventures with Gan-chan, a rat that lives in the temple.
Belldandy sometimes gets in on the fun, too (although not as often,
because her original seiyuu was unavailable when the earliest episodes
were made). While some of the episodes have educational content, most
are simply excuses to tell silly stories from the four-panel comic
strip (such as the "Let's Make a Band" storyline), or parodying
popular Japanese culture (such as the "Gan-chan becomes Godzilla"
stories).
There's little if any serious meaning to this series, but it's
ideal for the times when you're too tired or rushed to watch something
that takes itself too seriously.
Geneon has released this series on DVD in North America.
See also OH MY GODDESS!, AH! MY GODDESS (MOVIE), and AH! MY GODDESS
(TV).
[Entry by Rob Kelk]
AH! MY GODDESS (MOVIE): Set later in the AH MEGAMISAMA storyline
than the OH MY GODDESS! OAV series, this movie tells the story of
Belldandy's mentor Celestin and his attempt to go against the will of
Kami-sama for the sake of love. One of the side-effects of Celestin's
actions causes Belldandy to lose her memory, so the goddesses and
Keiichi have two problems to solve at the same time.
This is quite possibly the best animated AH MEGAMI-SAMA story yet.
All of the characters are shown as they are in Kosuke Fujishima's
manga, as opposed to the caricatures of Belldandy and Keiichi in the
OAV series, and the plotline is reminiscent of Fujishima's best work.
(The only real problem some people have with the movie is that Mara
once again doesn't make an appearance, but, given the subject matter,
there's really no logical way for her to have been in the story.)
This movie is available in North America on DVD from Geneon, and in
Australia from Madman.
See also AH! MY GODDESS (TV), OH MY GODDESS!, and ADVENTURES OF THE
MINI-GODDESSES.
[Entry by Rob Kelk]
AH! MY GODDESS (TV): Meet Keiichi Morisato, nice guy, human
doormat, and unluckiest guy you'll ever meet. One night, after a
strange call, and a girl popping out of a mirror, his life changes
forever. The girl, Belldandy, turns out to be a First Class Goddess,
and explains that he's been given a wish, any wish. He could have
money, power, whatever his heart desires. After talking with her, he
says the first thing that pops into his mind, that he wished he had a
girl like Belldandy to stay by his side forever ... and that's when
life stopped being ordinary for Keiichi. He gets kicked out of the
male-only dorm, and must find a place to stay, get a job, and try to
teach Belldandy how to act normally while still going to college.
Note: No previous knowledge of the OAVs, movie, or manga required to
enjoy ...
Released by Anime Works in North America.
See also OH MY GODDESS!, AH! MY GODDESS (MOVIE), and ADVENTURES OF
THE MINI-GODDESSES.
[Entry by Bill Martin]
AH MEGAMISAMA: see OH MY GODDESS!, AH! MY GODDESS (MOVIE), AH! MY
GODDESS (TV), and ADVENTURES OF THE MINI-GODDESSES
AI YORI AOSHI: A young college student sees a beautiful Japanese
girl dressed in a kimono and sandals lost in a train station. From
this unlikely coincidence, childhood sweethearts Kaoru and Aoi are
re-united.
Kaoru was the heir of the Hanabishi family. Aoi is heiress to the
Sakuraba family. Kaoru ran away from the Hanabishis and Aoi was
simply told "the engagement is off". Aoi would not accept that her
her first true love would end like this, so she rushed off to Tokyo to
find him. The story gets more complicated when Aoi's mother sets them
up in an old house to hide their romance. Miyabi, Aoi's guardian,
hides their secret by running the house as a boarding house,
accidentally attracting a harem of young girls all vying for Kaoru's
attention.
This anime has two stories going on: a classic Japanese romance
from the age of the samurai and a LOVE HINA'esque harem story. But at
its heart, AI YORI AOSHI is a very strong character anime; all the
characters are interesting with depth. Tina Foster, an American who
grew up in Japan, acts the extrovert to hide her loneliness of feeling
like a stranger in both cultures. Mayu is rich and intelligent, but
her parents treat her more as a prized piece of furniture than their
child; the only love in her life came from an act of kindness by
Kaoru. These complex stories enmesh and develop over time. The
characters are explored even further in the second series, AI YORI
AOSHI - ENISHI.
It's a really good series for those who like romantic stories with
a strong ensemble cast.
Age: 14+ Warnings: Frequent fan service, suggested nudity and
mature situations. Available in North America from Geneon.
[Entry by Travers Naran]
AIM FOR THE TOP!: see GUNBUSTER
AISHITERUZE BEIBE (a.k.a. LOVE YOU BABY): Kippei is a
lackadaisical high-schooler, popular with the girls but not ready for
commitment. One day he arrives home to find his young cousin, five-
year-old Yuzuyu-chan there. Her mother has abandoned her and the
family decide Kippei should be the one to look after her. Thus begins
a story of responsibility and maturity on Kippei's part and a chance
for stability and happiness for Yuzuyu-chan.
Like fungus, this anime grows on you. Yuzuyu behaves like a real
five-year-old, scared by her mother's disappearance, comforted by
Kippei-onii-chan, making friends at the kindergarten. There is a
little drama; Kippei becomes the focus of a stalker and Yuzuyu gets
caught up in the action, but mostly this is Kippei learning that
actions have consequences and Yuzuyu learning that she is still loved
and her mother's disappearance was not her fault.
Tsuzurahara Miyu, Yuzuyu's seiyuu, makes her sound like a real
five-year-old. The animation quality is not very high but carries the
story adequately. The OP and ED songs are catchy and addictive,
matching the upbeat mood of the series.
This series is still unlicensed. The manga is being translated by
Viz.
[Entry by Robert Sneddon]
AKIRA: An adaptation of a longer manga work, the story (as far as
the anime is concerned) surrounds a gang, in particular the leader,
Kaneda, and his friend, Tetsuo, and a secret government/military
project to tap the psychic abilities of children. Tetsuo encounters a
"child" from these experiments and soon after starts to exhibit some
abilities of his own following his abduction by the military. Kaneda
is caught up in the events that follow as first he tries to find his
friend and find out what has happened to him, then has to battle with
Tetsuo as his new found powers start to run out of control. Who is
Akira? A question that runs through the whole convoluted plot but, to
find out, Tetsuo risks himself, his friends and the whole city.
The production was masterminded by Katsuhiro Otomo, and has been
touted as one of the best productions of its type, having won awards
around the world. However people that are fans of the manga series
should be aware of the compacted nature of the production. There is
also one attempted rape scene.
Originally released in the US by Streamline Pictures, later
licenced to Geneon (aka Pioneer). In Australia this is available from
Madman, in the UK it is available from Manga Video.
[Entry by Chika]
ALL PURPOSE CULTURAL CAT-GIRL NUKU-NUKU: The Mishima Heavy
Industries corporation wants its prototype android back, to use as a
war machine. Lady Akiko, head of Mishima, wants to take her son
Ryuunosuke from her ex-husband - preferably by force. Ryuunosuke, on
the run with his brilliant and eccentric father, just wants the
friendly kitten he finds on Christmas Eve. When it all comes
together, the result is "Nuku Nuku" Natsume - the brain of a cat, the
appearance of a lovely schoolgirl, and the raw power of a war machine,
living with Ryuunosuke and 'Papa-san' as Ryuunosuke's sister and the
family's protector.
The original six OAV series is nicely animated, delightful
action-comedy. The TV series that followed kept most of the same
characters but changed the situations heavily, and is reported to have
suffered from a Monster-of-the-Week plot. The later OAV series, NUKU
NUKU DASH, not only changed the situations but changed Nuku Nuku's
character design and her personality from bubbly and upbeat to teary,
and is generally considered disappointing by fans.
Available from ADV.
[Entry by Antaeus Feldspar]
ANGEL LINKS: The second show in Sunrise's "Toward Stars" universe,
but nowhere near as wide in scope as its sister series OUTLAW STAR,
ANGEL LINKS tells the story of Li Meifon, a teenager who is named heir
to a large interplanetary corporation on the condition that she
operate a pirate-hunting service for free. This seems simple enough
on the surface, but why does Meifon already have a grave marker?
This is science-fantasy space opera, but not quite in the same vein
as its sister show - the scope is much smaller than what's shown in
OUTLAW STAR. It's also half the length of the previous series, mainly
because the writers didn't have to explain everything to the audience.
ANGEL LINKS is available as a four-DVD box set from Bandai in North
America.
[Entry by Rob Kelk]
(continued in part 2)
--
Rob Kelk <http://robkelk.ottawa-anime.org/> e-mail: s/deadspam/gmail/
Any Usenet message claiming to be from me but posted from any server
other than individual.net is a forgery. Please filter out such
messages if you have the capability.
Rob Kelk <http://robkelk.ottawa-anime.org/> e-mail: s/deadspam/gmail/
Any Usenet message claiming to be from me but posted from any server
other than individual.net is a forgery. Please filter out such
messages if you have the capability.