Topic: Anime & Manga (NO SPOILERS PLEASE)

I checked, unless Hunter X Hunter picks up the pace, that arc will probably end in by the last week of June...

Speaking of Persona, have any of you guys seen Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei OVA? Here's a video if you guys want to watch it:

Shinichiro Watanabe has another new anime already. Terror in Resonance I think. Can't really make an opinion on it from the PV.

Captain Earth is finally starting to get interesting now, after the utterly boring first few episodes. The animation is amazing throughout, however.

Whoa! So Toonami's Intruder ll is coming in 2015! Oh man I can't wait to see TOM's new look. So long as they don't replace his voice. Hopefully he just has to drastically repair himself instead of die again. I'm really hoping Sarah gets a really new look. I don't care for her current one,

I need something to compliment Waiting in the Summer, Silver Spoon, Kids on the Slope, Servant X Service, and Polar Bear Cafe. Possibly 2, I'm not sure if Polar Bear Cafe could hold my attention for 50 episodes...just need something low on action, but still got some drama and story to hold my interest.

I also need some good juxtaposition to these titles. Up to 5 or 6. Something that's high on action, and possibly more lighthearted, but a brainless story won't hold my attention.

Anybody have any suggestions?

@CanisWolfred: I'm not sure if you've seen these already, but I think Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai!, Love Live!, or Koi to Senkyo to Chocolate may interest you. The level of drama in each anime increases down the list.

As for action, I can only list Tokyo Ravens, but it's not very lighthearted towards the end in my opinion.

Hunter X Hunter episode 131 was epic as hell. Chapter 341 made it's return yesterday as well.

Swell.

@CanisWolfred wow that's a lot of SoL you've got there

Silver Spoon and Kids on the Slope have a lot of drama at the end. I would go for Ping Pong the Animation as the compliment if you don't mind this season's stuff - it's got deep characterisation and story without a ton of over the top action.

Can't think of anything which would go well as a contrast though. I should watch more high action stuff, lol

was an absolutely fantastic episode, i agree

Not sure if I worded it right, but I was looking for a lot of drama there. In fact, Polar Bear Cafe doesn't quite fit and its another reason why I'm not sure of it.

Anyways, I think I'll watch Ping Pong at some point, just once it's dubbed or something, I don't want to watch fansubs and Funimation has it in America (meaning Hulu).

I think instead I'll watch Hanasuka Iroha, since I still have some left to watch of that, IIRC. Plus the movie. Still need something to replace Polar Bear Cafe if possible, though.

As for contrasting shows, Kill La Kill is an obvious one, but I'm not sure what else...

Well even if you think this Chimera Ant Arc is slow paced, you have to admit this is still a pretty fast paced shounen adaptation. Sure, in the end it'll have been what, 60 episodes? But when you realize the chapter count is like, 350+, and a ton of other shounen series have filler and episode per chapter ratios, you can't really complain much.

@CanisWolfred oh if you're looking for drama then Hanasaku Iroha is a good choice. The latter few episodes are excellent (although nothing can top the Ohana-Satsuki-Sui character arc, that was brilliant writing). I'd also recommend Honey and Clover. I know I recommend that a lot, but it's a great compliment to Kids on the Slope among other things.

I do need to go finish Kill La Kill...

Also, does anyone have eyes on anything in particular for the next season? Glasslip sounds sort of interesting.. if only it didn't have the same premise as half the other things PA Works have put out.

Sailor Moon Crystal and Aldnoah.Zero are all I'm looking forward to next season, but then again, they look like they could be fantastic. Plus, I haven't seen the previous seasons of the 4 major sequels coming out then. They're all ones I should really get to, though.

@CanisWolfred

You do know Sailor Moon Crystal is a complete, manga faithful remake right? Meaning you don't have to watch any of those older series, this is kinda like a FMA Brotherhood, or HxH 2011 style remake, where it'll be faster paced, use modern animation, and follow the manga with no filler.

I was going to mention that except I was in a huury, thanks. Yeah, I can't believe it, but they're actually making a Sailor Moon without the filler. The filler was 90% of why I hated the previous show. I always thought it would be great if it was shorter. I haven't been this excited for a reboot since Shin Mazinger Z. Now lets hope it doesn't have the weird pacing issues that killed Shin Mazinger Z for me...

The sequels I was referring to were Sword Art Online II (which most people seem to have forgotten about? Seriously, I haven't seen anyone excited over this. IIRC, Phantom Bullet was supposed to be the best of the SAO books...), Fate/Kaleid [yadda-yadda title too long] 2 (never watched the first. Heard it was great, though), Space Dandy 2 (I should really finish the first), and Re: Hamatora (never did finish the first once I found out it ended on a cliffhanger...). There's also Hanamonogatari and Free 2, but I'm gonna pretend those two don't exist...

@CanisWolfred

I actually watched the first episode of the original Mazinger Z once...but that series was so old and was like, 90 episode. My knowledge on the whole Mazinger Franchise is quite limited, so what would you say which is the most essential?

Out of all the sequels this year, Space Dandy is currently the most relevant. I never watched SAO because I got the feeling it was severely overhyped, but I might give the sequel a chance. I've been considering watching Durarara!, Psycho-Pass, and Log Horizon just so I can watch the new seasons.

Also, I'm really loving Gurren Lagann atm. It really lives up to the hype in the most spectacular way possible.

As a side note, I decided I would try to come up a ranking of the One Piece Arcs I've seen so far, nothing special just my opinion:

1. Alabasta
2. Arlong Park
3. Drum Island
4. Reverse Mountain
5. Syrup Village
6. Baratie
7. Jaya
8. Little Garden
9. Romance Dawn
10. Loguetown
11. Whiskey Peak
12. Orange Town

For those wondering, the top 4 arcs are all the arcs that made me cry at some point...if that says something. XD

Watch the first two or 3 episodes of the original Mazinger Z, then read the synopsis for Great Mazinger, then just watch Mazinkaiser, including the eighth episode featuring the General of Darkness. If you can get past the weird pacing, Shin Mazinger Z is great, too, for the most part.

@CanisWolfred: Whoa...Who told you Fate/Kaleid liner Prisma Illya was great? I've seen a lot of fan service/stupid anime before and I have to say, Fate/Kaleid was one of the worst. If anything, the sixth episode was the only good thing that came out of it (and maybe the ending).There's also some humor here and there but I doubt you'll find it to be funny.

I do look forward to Sword Art Online II in the next season, but I figured I would only get negative backlash if I mentioned it. As for Hanamonogatari, I heard it was getting pushed back into a five episode marathon on August 16th so I didn't count it as part of the regular anime season.

@Astraea People I respect. No offense...I just mean that their tastes fit with my own far more than yours do. I wasn't really intending to watch that one anyways, though. I have a bad history with the Fate series.

EDIT: Speaking of which, the trailer for the new Fate/Stay Night adaption looks pretty sweet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPItqNsCXM4

Like, I'm not even a fan of Fate/Stay Night (played the VN, hated every minute of it), yet that almost makes me excited to watch it. Pretty good, for a trailer.