Death Note

[Qrazy]

Just finished Madhouse's Death Note (the series, not the film). If any of you out there are a fan of cat and mouse style thrillers check out this anime. Here's the entire season, three episodes in and you'll be hooked for the duration. Has anyone else out there seen this?

http://www.tv-links.cc/anime/death-note.htm

[Philosophe_rouge]

Actually, I love this series. I have about 4 or 5 episodes left and then I'm finally finished! It's very clever, and tense. The animation is pretty damn good as well. I'm not a huge connaisseur, but it's my favourite anime series to date.

[lovejuice]

can't comment on the anime, but i quite dislike the manga, and i'm pretty sure i'll feel the same with the anime.

[EvilShoe]

I rather enjoyed the anime, until a certain plot twist occured:
[

Show Spoiler

The death of L

].
What follows is an epilogue that goes on for too long. Decent, but not up too par with what preceded it.

[number8]

This should be in the TV forum.

And I never bothered with the anime because I read the manga and it's exactly the same.


And the movie sucked.

[Qrazy]

I rather enjoyed the anime, until a certain plot twist occured:
[

Show Spoiler

The death of L

].
What follows is an epilogue that goes on for too long. Decent, but not up too par with what preceded it.

[

Show Spoiler

Yeah, they really should have kept that rivalry central thoughout. Still, I thought what followed was quite good, just end up missing L.

]

[lovejuice]

And I never bothered with the anime because I read the manga and it's exactly the same.

do u like the manga?

[number8]

Yes.

[Kurosawa Fan]

3 episodes in and I'm definitely hooked. Thanks for the link!

[Qrazy]

3 episodes in and I'm definitely hooked. Thanks for the link!

[Qrazy]

How's it coming along KF?

I also want to take this opportunity to pimp Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, so much better than Neon Genesis Evangelion. In terms of sheer scale, the most epic anime ever created.

[Kurosawa Fan]

How's it coming along KF?

I also want to take this opportunity to pimp Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, so much better than Neon Genesis Evangelion, in terms of sheer scale, the most epic anime ever created.

I think I'm through 14 episodes. It's great, but I gotta say

[

Show Spoiler

I can't stand the second Kira. It's put a stick through the show's spokes. I can tell it's going to serve a good purpose, but she's annoying as all fuck and I usually can't wait for her scenes to end.

]

I'm sure annoyance is part of the purpose, but they pulled it off too well.

[Sycophant]

I actually got this. I'll start it after I finish The Sopranos, or need a break therefrom.

I also want to take this opportunity to pimp Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, so much better than Neon Genesis Evangelion, in terms of sheer scale, the most epic anime ever created.

Haven't heard of this one, actually. I'll look into it. Scale wasn't my favorite part of NGE, but I'm curious.

[Kurosawa Fan]

I disliked NGE pretty significantly. Every episode felt the same to me. "Uh oh, they're coming! Better get under ground while the fighting occurs!" I was bored out of my mind, but I only saw 5 or 6 episodes, so perhaps I didn't give it a good enough chance to win me over.

[lovejuice]

I disliked NGE pretty significantly. Every episode felt the same to me. "Uh oh, they're coming! Better get under ground while the fighting occurs!" I was bored out of my mind, but I only saw 5 or 6 episodes, so perhaps I didn't give it a good enough chance to win me over.

literally you are the first person i've ever known that can't stand NGE. i dislike the show although for a different reason.

[Sycophant]

I disliked NGE pretty significantly. Every episode felt the same to me. "Uh oh, they're coming! Better get under ground while the fighting occurs!" I was bored out of my mind, but I only saw 5 or 6 episodes, so perhaps I didn't give it a good enough chance to win me over.

The second half is the superior half, and on a first run through, it's easy to miss what's special about the series in the first eight or so episodes. It's one of the more exquisite explorations of notions of self-worth and depression I've seen.

[Qrazy]

I actually got this. I'll start it after I finish The Sopranos, or need a break therefrom.

Haven't heard of this one, actually. I'll look into it. Scale wasn't my favorite part of NGE, but I'm curious.

Meant to start a new sentence.

[Qrazy]

I disliked NGE pretty significantly. Every episode felt the same to me. "Uh oh, they're coming! Better get under ground while the fighting occurs!" I was bored out of my mind, but I only saw 5 or 6 episodes, so perhaps I didn't give it a good enough chance to win me over.

I felt like this... first third of the show... It's OK, but I don't feel the hype... Second third when we discover the animal/organic side of the meccas I was finally starting to really get into it, but then the last third didn't deliver for me. It wasn't a colossal disappointment but I didn't feel like it lived up to where it could have gone. Although, apparently the new film out for it is supposed to be quite good.

But yeah as much as I admired elements of the examination of depression, etc in the last third of the show, sometimes it felt more indulgent than effective to me... one of the reasons Tengen Toppa works better in my opinion... the lead character in Tengen is full of self-doubt as well but he overcomes it in a real way and the show doesn't just drop it's narrative to become lost in metaphoric lala land. NGE might have more interesting animation in some of it's fight scenes (just the way muscles stretch extra) than Tengen but still overall Tengen has much stronger aesthetic cohesion.

Tengen Toppa is a mecca show too and so it is itself somewhat repetitive and in ways formulaic, be warned, but it also recognizes and subverts that formula more often than not, executes that formula amazingly well and sometimes explodes past the formulaic element with pure unadulterated energy.

[lovejuice]

I felt like this... first third of the show... It's OK, but I don't feel the hype... Second third when we discover the animal/organic side of the meccas I was finally starting to really get into it, but then the last third didn't deliver for me. It wasn't a colossal disappointment but I didn't feel like it lived up to where it could have gone. Although, apparently the new film out for it is supposed to be quite good.

you pretty much sum up what i don't like about NGE. i respect its impact on anime culture, but by itself, i can't stand it.

[EvilShoe]

Has anyone here seen Welcome to the NHK?
I just started on that one.

[[ETM]]

On NGE - doesn't anyone appreciate the design, atmosphere, pacing, direction anymore? I got really immersed in the rich world of Evangelion, and the insane ending didn't bother me that much, especially after watching the End of Evangelion film, which literally replaces the final episodes both in terms of plot and visually, tying it to the series.

I saw one random episode of Death Note and was bored out of my mind. I appreciated the ideas and the overall feel of it, but I can't stand so much dry pointless exposition, even with a really good translation. It looked like the entire episode cost nothing to make, too, since 95% of it were people and various creatures sitting and talking for minutes at a time.

[lovejuice]

On NGE - doesn't anyone appreciate the design, atmosphere, pacing, direction anymore? I got really immersed in the rich world of Evangelion, and the insane ending didn't bother me that much, especially after watching the End of Evangelion film, which literally replaces the final episodes both in terms of plot and visually, tying it to the series.

strangely enough, i do. i don't deny there're a lot to appreciate, but the ending ticks me off. perhaps watching EoE will make me forgive the series, but that imo defeats the whole point.

I saw one random episode of Death Note and was bored out of my mind. I appreciated the ideas and the overall feel of it, but I can't stand so much dry pointless exposition, even with a really good translation.

yes! you exactly nails down what i dislike about the show and the comic. not to mention, those dialogues are not half as smart as people who write them think they are.

[Qrazy]

strangely enough, i do. i don't deny there're a lot to appreciate, but the ending ticks me off. perhaps watching EoE will make me forgive the series, but that imo defeats the whole point.

Believe me it won't. It will only irritate.

[[ETM]]

the ending ticks me off. perhaps watching EoE will make me forgive the series, but that imo defeats the whole point.

Well, considering that the writer had a nervous breakdown and that the crews had no time to finish it properly, opting instead for the strange mix of hallucinations and real world footage mixed with thick exposition - yeah, I think there's room to forgive the series and forget the way it initially ended. Where in the original closing episodes you had abstract representations of events and ideas, EoE tackles them head on, with little remorse. It jumps right in and takes no prisoners. It's actually pretty emotional and brutal. I could not get myself to watch all of it again.

[Qrazy]

I saw one random episode of Death Note and was bored out of my mind. I appreciated the ideas and the overall feel of it, but I can't stand so much dry pointless exposition, even with a really good translation. It looked like the entire episode cost nothing to make, too, since 95% of it were people and various creatures sitting and talking for minutes at a time.

That's why I was hesitant on the show when I first read the synopsis and after the first episode or two but it gets really, really intense, the tension gets ratched through the roof. At first you think to yourself how interesting can an anime about a piece of paper which can cause death be? But the series capitalizes completely on it's premise and delves quite deeply into countless moral and social quandries in relation to this essentially new form of mass murder.

But as I said, aside from the engaging subtext (in the same way the subtext in Battlestar Galactica is terrific)... the show's premise allows for suspense which just never lets up... when absolutely anyone can die at any instant (compared to other hero worship type animes, where there is never any real worry for the protags safety) things become much more interesting all of a sudden.