FRESH

Not exactly fresh, but fresh for me

Hi, all, thanks for the invite. I like the looks of this group. It's the perfect mixture of movie talk and confessional.

So here's my confession: I don't like anime. Or more accurately, I never got into it. I tried to a couple times, but it never quite clicked with me.

I was discussing this with a fellow Spout-friend, who pointed me in the direction of Cowboy Bebop: The Movie, which I watched two weekends ago and thoroughly enjoyed. Good mix of music, mythological archetypes, trendy haircuts, and pop philosophizing. I'm interested now to check out the series.

Among anime fans, this is Citizen Kane, which of course was news to me. But just in case anyone else is anime-curious, that one worked for me as a good place to start.

Re: Not exactly fresh, but fresh for me

What gave you the impression that this was the "Citizen Kane" of anime?  I would have thought a better candidate would be something like Akira or Ghost in the Shell.  Or maybe Grave of the Fireflies.  Or anything by Miyazaki.

As far as anime series go though, I think Cowboy Bebop might be assigned that title.

Re: Not exactly fresh, but fresh for me

I rest my case as anime ignoramus.

I saw Ghost in the Shell a while back and thought it was decent enough, but it didn't compel me to continue the journey.

Re: Not exactly fresh, but fresh for me

Re: Not exactly fresh, but fresh for me

Re: Not exactly fresh, but fresh for me

I have tried but I can't get into anime either. I heard how Grave of the Fireflies was the greatest movie ever but I found it to be typical anime  - lots of cheesy music, closeups of giant-eyed innocents, and voice acting that includes a lot of breathless ooohs and aahs but very little real emotion behind the voices.

Everybody also falls all over themselves with Miyazaki, but I almost feel like his imagination needs some restraint. I don't know that much about the references to Japanese culture that he makes and it just feels like I'm watching a world where the plot can go in any direction at anytime. Now that makes for a very visually exciting cartoon, but there needs to be an established logic within the films universe and I just don't get it.

The only anime I have really liked are two that transcend their cartoon origins - Akira and Ghost in the Shell (I also liked some of Ninja Scroll). Admittedly these are both action anime and maybe my biggest problem with other anime is it all seems to have a feminine feel to it.

I also grew up on Speed Racer, but I think some of the comedic elements of this series fall really flat when I try to catch a rerun and that takes away from my enjoyment.

Re: Not exactly fresh, but fresh for me

First of all, the Wachowski brothers are making a Speed Racer live action movie, for anyone interested.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0811080/

As for anime taking unexpected turns and being femenin and all that.  Yes, I think this is true because you are seeing something from a different culture that sees story telling and characters in a different way than we are used to.  I suppose if you are unoccustomed to it, it can be frustrating.  I do connect with it in a way and find it very appealing, even if there are times I am not really sure why.

Re: Not exactly fresh, but fresh for me

Hey, Risselada, isn't Jack from Lost going to be Racer X? I...have little hope.

Hey, Jymkata, depends on the circumstances, but the fluid logic doen't bug me too much. Same with the big eyes and oooh and aaaah. Why I'm not a huge fan has always been a mystery to me. What I will say about Cowboy Bebop, which I can't say about Ghost in the Shell, is that whatever was in it was connecting with me. I felt like I got it. I could appreciate Ghost for its merits, but in the end it was this bundle of technique, the ghost within which remained elusive to me. I should really give it another shot, though.

Hey, June, Cowboy Bebop did the trick for me as a non-fan, so for what it's worth. Just keep in mind that I don't actually know what I'm talking about.

Re: Not exactly fresh, but fresh for me

Are You Serious

What gave you the impression that this was the "Citizen Kane" of anime?  I would have thought a better candidate would be something like Akira or Ghost in the Shell.  Or maybe Grave of the Fireflies.  Or anything by Miyazaki.

As far as anime series go though, I think Cowboy Bebop might be assigned that title.

This has to be one of the best anime no movies ever made how could you not feel for this movie.  From the first scene you know what happens to them and over the course of the movie you're routing for them and at the end you are slackjawed and shocked at what you have seen i mean any disney movies have that kind of emotion any that can come even close

YEAH RIGHT!!!

Re: Not exactly fresh, but fresh for me

Jack from "Lost?" We may get a whole new discussion here.  What does everyone think about Season 4 so far?