At 2/20/08 06:06 PM, Temporaryaltaccount wrote: Is it really that great? I'll check it out when i'm done with Last exile then.

Take his word for it.
In fact, you'll be safe dropping Last Exile right now and going directly to watching Black Lagoon.

A.) Some sort of spin off show.
or
B.) Like a second season to black lagoon.

It's the latter.
Not sure if the second season is kept as "The Second Barrage" in the US release however.

Just check the episode count to make sure.
There should be 13 each, totalling up to 26 episodes for both "Black Lagoon" and "Black Lagoon: The Second Barrage".

At 2/19/08 09:32 PM, Temporaryaltaccount wrote: Is it any good?

I haven't seen it yet, but I have pretty high expectations of it.

At 2/19/08 10:04 PM, Adidaas wrote: Judging by the amount of fans it has it must be good

You're not making sense. Lots of horrid crap has a bunch of fans. Turn on the radio and you'll see what I mean.

At 2/20/08 05:10 PM, Temporaryaltaccount wrote: Black Lagoon.

Go watch it now, damn you!

Yes, it's good.

At 2/20/08 06:10 PM, HaroFreak wrote: In fact, you'll be safe dropping Last Exile right now and going directly to watching Black Lagoon.

Yes.

It's the latter.
Not sure if the second season is kept as "The Second Barrage" in the US release however.

It has not yet seen release in North American at all outside a single TV airing here (currently running, and nearly over) in Canada.

It is still titled "The Second Barrage".

Also, to Temporaryaltaccount, feel free to watch BL without season two.

The show doesn't have much in the way of continuity, so you won't be left with a nasty cliffhanger.

At 2/20/08 06:15 PM, Gendo wrote: It has not yet seen release in North American at all outside a single TV airing here (currently running, and nearly over) in Canada.

Does that directly relate to the Geneon incident that messed up the license holdings?
Like what happened with the disputes among Harmony Gold which prevented the rest of Macross getting an international release, I mean.

At 2/20/08 06:15 PM, Gendo wrote: Also, to Temporaryaltaccount, feel free to watch BL without season two.

The show doesn't have much in the way of continuity, so you won't be left with a nasty cliffhanger.

Great! I'll get it then.

At 2/20/08 06:10 PM, HaroFreak wrote: In fact, you'll be safe dropping Last Exile right now and going directly to watching Black Lagoon.

I'll watch the first two episodes of each then the one that looks more interesting i'll watch first, but ultimately i'll watch both.

Not sure if the second season is kept as "The Second Barrage" in the US release however.

*Australian, i'm australian. ^^

At 2/20/08 06:19 PM, HaroFreak wrote: Does that directly relate to the Geneon incident that messed up the license holdings?

Yes.

DVDs are no more, but TV airings seem a-okay.

BL is due to hit Americaland sometime this year on some specialty channel, while it's on cable here.

Funimation is snagging Geneon's licenses, so Second Barrage will have a future on DVD...several months from now.

At 2/20/08 06:10 PM, HaroFreak wrote: In fact, you'll be safe dropping Last Exile right now and going directly to watching Black Lagoon.

I liked Last Exile more than Black Lagoon myself.

Black Lagoon didn't have a great ending either.

In fact, the entire last arc bored me, to some degree.

At 2/20/08 10:04 PM, Kuro wrote: Black Lagoon didn't have a great ending either.

Well, given how the show greatly lacks continuity outside of its little arcs (and is based on an on-going manga), you'd be kidding yourself if you expected the ending to be great.

In fact, the entire last arc bored me, to some degree.

Yeah, I just got done with episode 22, and given how exciting the episode was, the remaining four episodes look unnecessary and dull.

SPOILERS

Fujiyama Gangster Paradise could have just ended with Revy and Rock saving Yukio and returning to Roanapur. Not only would it subtract the boredom of FOUR FUCKING MORE EPISODES of Yakuzas and Engrish, it would also give Yukio and Ginji a shot as "recurring secondary character" status. But NOOOOOOOOOOOO, drag the story on and kill them off, why don't you?

END SPOILERS

At 2/20/08 10:20 PM, Gendo wrote: Well, given how the show greatly lacks continuity outside of its little arcs (and is based on an on-going manga), you'd be kidding yourself if you expected the ending to be great.

If the show ended with the ending of the Hansel and Gretel arc, I would consider the show to have a great ending.

Yeah, I just got done with episode 22, and given how exciting the episode was, the remaining four episodes look unnecessary and dull.

SPOILERS

Fujiyama Gangster Paradise could have just ended with Revy and Rock saving Yukio and returning to Roanapur. Not only would it subtract the boredom of FOUR FUCKING MORE EPISODES of Yakuzas and Engrish, it would also give Yukio and Ginji a shot as "recurring secondary character" status. But NOOOOOOOOOOOO, drag the story on and kill them off, why don't you?

END SPOILERS

You confuse me. You appear to be talking as if you are both watching the second season for the first time, AND have already seen it before.

Yukio and Ginji would have made good recurring characters, if they had added in a Yakuza detachment in Roanpur.

At 2/20/08 10:04 PM, Kuro wrote: Black Lagoon didn't have a great ending either.

agreed

In fact, the entire last arc bored me, to some degree.

not me. I was hooked throughout the whole show. However, we din't get enough Dutch towards the end.

I require more Black Lagoon.

At 2/20/08 10:28 PM, Kuro wrote: If the show ended with the ending of the Hansel and Gretel arc, I would consider the show to have a great ending.

Given that the fact a fair bit of the anime is told out of order (compared to the manga) anyway, that would have made for a much more compelling ending, since it's conclusive and impactful.

Plus, if Fujiyama Gangster Paradise was first in Second Barrage, that "next episode" preview at the end of episode 12 would have been much less taunting.

Seriously, that made me want to single-handedly kill everyone on Geneon's staff.

You confuse me. You appear to be talking as if you are both watching the second season for the first time, AND have already seen it before.

It's being aired on the televisions.

In Canadialand.

So I'm re-watching it.

Yukio and Ginji would have made good recurring characters, if they had added in a Yakuza detachment in Roanpur.

Exactly, and since the Verrochio family got taken out, they wouldn't feel like an unnecessary addition to the town's criminal underworld.

At 2/20/08 10:34 PM, Gendo wrote: Given that the fact a fair bit of the anime is told out of order (compared to the manga) anyway, that would have made for a much more compelling ending, since it's conclusive and impactful.

It's probably the best arc of the lot, that one.

Though the following DOES have Sawyer...

At 2/20/08 10:38 PM, Kuro wrote: It's probably the best arc of the lot, that one.

It really and truly is, because it proves the show is capable of more than ridiculous gun fights and "90s alt-Hollywood" humour.

Not that I have anything against either.

Though the following DOES have Sawyer...

Sawyer got fucking ruined in the dub.

Last second re-casting = bad

At 2/20/08 10:39 PM, Gendo wrote: It really and truly is, because it proves the show is capable of more than ridiculous gun fights and "90s alt-Hollywood" humour.

Not that I have anything against either.

Then it flips right round and goes to the most ridiculous and action packed arc they have.

Sawyer got fucking ruined in the dub.

Last second re-casting = bad

How would you screw it up?

Just give someone an electrolarynx, or an ultravoice and you'd get it perfect.

At 2/20/08 10:49 PM, Kuro wrote: Then it flips right round and goes to the most ridiculous and action packed arc they have.

Yeah, the Hunt for Greenback Jane was pretty much the most over-the-top three episodes of an anime I've seen in recent memory.

Just give someone an electrolarynx, or an ultravoice and you'd get it perfect.

No, not really.

The ultravoice is there in its glory, but Saffron Henderson's voice isn't remotely close in pace of delivery or tone to Asami Yaguchi's (unlike Venus Terzo, the original choice, who sounds quite similar to her).

It comes off like 50s B-movie robot speak, extremely slow and as if she's trying to emulate the ultravoice sound on top of using it.

At 2/20/08 10:55 PM, Gendo wrote: No, not really.

Add in a "half decent" after the "someone"

It comes off like 50s B-movie robot speak, extremely slow and as if she's trying to emulate the ultravoice sound on top of using it.

Sounds horrible.

I've only seen part of the first episode in English, though.

Bought myself some black lagoon and just watched the first 2 episodes.

Time to rate it...

I find Dutch, Benny and Revy to be pretty aweosome characters but I find Rock too be extremly annoying i'd perfer it if he left and the story just revolved around the other three.

The graphics, action and sound were all great.

The story was a bit hard to follow at first and it wasn't that great.

My prediction;
This anime seems like its all about gun fights and boat chases for action and doing boat involved jobs for money for the story.

The first 2 episodes are a 8/10 for me.

At 2/20/08 11:00 PM, Kuro wrote: Add in a "half decent" after the "someone"

Saffron Henderson is great....

....as underaged boys and people with ridiculous accents.

She was a pretty shit choice to play Sawyer.

Sounds horrible.

SHEN
HUA
HOW
COULD YOU
FORGET
ME
YOU CAME IN
FOR A JOB
LAST
WEEEEEEEEEEEEK

Yeah, never wanna hear that again.

I've only seen part of the first episode in English, though.

The dub has otherwise been great, although I've gained a real fondness for the Japanese cast from re-watching my DVDs.

Sister Eda just plain sounds more awesome in Japanese.

At 2/20/08 11:05 PM, Gendo wrote: Saffron Henderson is great....

....as underaged boys and people with ridiculous accents.

She was a pretty shit choice to play Sawyer.

I remember very few voice actors and actresses' names.

SHEN
HUA
HOW
COULD YOU
FORGET
ME
YOU CAME IN
FOR A JOB
LAST
WEEEEEEEEEEEEK

She's still great in the Japanese version, and that's how I'll remember her, since it's the one I've actually watched.

The dub has otherwise been great, although I've gained a real fondness for the Japanese cast from re-watching my DVDs.

Sister Eda just plain sounds more awesome in Japanese.

Overall verdict: Which is better?

At 2/20/08 11:25 PM, Kuro wrote: I remember very few voice actors and actresses' names.

I'm a nerdy faggot, so I remember dozens.

As well as a fair amount (if not all) of that person's filmography.

She's still great in the Japanese version, and that's how I'll remember her, since it's the one I've actually watched.

I'll no doubt remember her for the superior voice as well, because I'm really fucking picky when it comes to voice acting.

Overall verdict: Which is better?

I preferred the English dub, gave a lot more colour to the various ethnicities that appear in the show.

Trevor Devall's Irish accent is superb (and he also does a Hell of a job as the relatively accentless Boss Chang), Eli Gabay's Abrego sounds like the best damn Scarface impersonation you'll ever hear and Scott McNeil manages a pretty stereotypical (but fitting) "Sicillian Mobster" voice for Verrochio (although I have a soft spot for Banjo Ginga's take on the character, if only for his insistence on referring to Balalaika incessantly as "Fry Face", which sounds hilarious when a 75 year old Japanese man says it). Not to mention the U-Boat crewmen were fucking great.

That said, the Japanese version has strong vocal performances for the characters who seem to have "neutral" accents (Rock, Revy, Balalaika) and a few superior voices (Sister Eda, Mister Elvis, Hansel and Gretel).

At 2/20/08 11:05 PM, Temporaryaltaccount wrote: I find Dutch, Benny and Revy to be pretty awesome characters but I find Rock too be extremely annoying I'd prefer it if he left and the story just revolved around the other three.

I like Rock's contrast from the rest of the BL universe. It's amusing to see such an out-of-place character thrust into a world full of violence and danger. It's also fun to wonder if he's going to remain the way he is, or if he's going to adapt to his new life and become awesome.

Animewise, I'm still in the process of watching Shugo Chara!, and after being lured in by the novel and the manga, I started watching Welcome to the NHK. Mangawise, I ordered Galaxy Express 999 vol. 2 from Amazon, along with Yotsuba vol. 1 (The only volume of Yotsuba that I never managed to find at my two local Barnes and Noble...), and Shugo Chara! vol. 1.

Instead of purchasing all of this, I could have pre-ordered a Bridget figurine. I don't know if I made the right choice.

At 2/21/08 12:36 AM, DepressedStone wrote: I like Rock's contrast from the rest of the BL universe.

He's the Simon of Black Lagoon.

Though I like Simon more.

Hello Sirs and Madams, I have just finished Mezzo DSA which I found to be a mediocre experience but on the upside I now have a chance to watch something else. I have obtained Planetes, Air and Rahxephon. I heard that Air and Planetes are both very good and the only thing I heard about Rahxephon is that it's a "evangelion clone".

I ask you which should I watch first? As they all seem quite lengthy.

At 2/21/08 10:24 PM, McPaper wrote: I ask you which should I watch first? As they all seem quite lengthy.

Air is only 13 episodes, and the other two are 26 episodes.

Out of them, I've seen naught but Air, and I'm 9 episodes into that.

It's very good so far.

At 2/21/08 10:24 PM, McPaper wrote: Hello Sirs and Madams, I have just finished Mezzo DSA which I found to be a mediocre experience but on the upside I now have a chance to watch something else.

Mezzo DSA was pretty disappointing.

The first episode has pretty animation and lots of action, then shit gets stupid and the animation quality dies until the final episode (which was really badly written).

I still had a wee bit of fun with it, and Mr. Mugiyama was awesome.

I have obtained Planetes, Air and Rahxephon. I heard that Air and Planetes are both very good and the only thing I heard about Rahxephon is that it's a "evangelion clone".

Rahxephon is actually a bit better than Eva in my eyes.

I ask you which should I watch first? As they all seem quite lengthy.

Like Kuro mentioned, Air is short, so that'd be a good place to start.

Finished Air.

I really enjoyed it, though it went through some pretty bizarre changes throughout its short length.

I thought the ending was good - even though it didn't wrap up all the loose ends or anything (actually, there was a lot left to be explained, but whatever), it still managed to be poignant.

I watched the 13th episode expecting there to be some alternate ending, or something, but no. It turns out I wasted 20 minutes by watching a series recap.

It looks like there's some sort of mini series centered around Kanna and all that, is that worth watching?

At 2/22/08 09:37 PM, Mendou wrote: Wait i am. This isn't GaoGaiGar Charlie, Gundam actually has a plot and good characters.

Solomon's making a point.

Seriously, I fucking love Gundam, but no bullshit, there's very little depth in the majority of the shows.

Every series is so shockingly similar that the only thing compelling you to watch is whether or not you like the central cast.

Also, got to see Hellsing IV today, and it blew my fucking mind.

The animation quality is off the charts, amazing CGI and some even more impressive traditional work. Only one scene was animated poorly (and it was brief, so it didn't really matter too much).

The music makes up for the somewhat weak score from previous episodes by throwing out typical action anime music for a full-blown orchestral/opera mix. Singing is the villain of the episode's gimmick, and Maya Sakamoto does one Hell of a job acting and singing here (unsurprising, given her chart success in Japan and previous roles). The ending theme is a hilariously cheery tune that reminds one of good ol' WWII propaganda.

The graphic violence really goes above and beyond expectations. Teeth and eyeballs fly, heads are shattered, corpses litter the screen in most frames during the final act. The gore is ridiculously well animated, even more so than previous outings.

Storywise, the episode covers volumes four and five of the manga, going for a more manga-accurate take than previous episodes (it's almost panel-for-panel, plus it has extra bits added on to some scenes to lengthen them).

SPOILERS

The one thing that really made me love this episode is its treatment of Alucard. The TV series made him into a typical bishonen hero, good-looking and fairly noble despite being Dracula. Here, Alucard is turned into a horrific, perverted beast. He teases Integra, hits on the Queen, kills with even less discretion than usual and his sucking of Rip van Winkle's blood comes off as more of a violent rape than a typical vampire attack. He pants and leers at her, poking at her breasts with her own rifle before slowing impaling her on it. He chokes her with a sadistic grin on his face, and licks up the blood pouring from her chest wound onto the floor below. He doesn't bother killing her quickly, and waits around four minutes before licking her throat and digging his ridiculously large fangs into her jugular vein.

Oh, and it doesn't end there either. The scene continues for easily another three minutes.

Finally nice to see Alucard be shown as the monster he really is.

END SPOILERS

So yeah, ten out of fucking ten here.

At 2/22/08 09:37 PM, Mendou wrote: Started Gundam Wing today. Seems pretty cool so far.

I used to watch Gundan Wing when it was on Toonami. I liked it then. I ought to watch it again some time along with 08th MS Team, which I also liked when it was on Cartoon Network.

At 2/22/08 10:21 PM, Bonehimer wrote: Live action akira
I am looking forward to it.

I'm torn.

It sounds like it has potential, but I can't shake the paranoia that it'll be an over-the-top failure....

At 2/22/08 10:06 PM, Gendo wrote: The graphic violence really goes above and beyond expectations. Teeth and eyeballs fly, heads are shattered, corpses litter the screen in most frames during the final act.

More often than not, that's something that puts me off a series, or movie.

Yes, it's true, I have some strange standards.

But you can't have ordered it from Japan already, can you? It was only released yesterday.