Good/bad new anime series in 2004 (READ THE FIRST POST!)

angelx03 · Post by **angelx03** » Sat Dec 11, 2004 10:29 pm

The year 2004 is almost over, and I think it's a good time to talk about which anime series that premiered in 2004. Note that I haven't finished some of the series of which I'm going to talk about. And please DON'T JUST LIST THE ANIME SERIES; EXPLAIN YOURSELF WHY YOU THINK IT'S GOOD OR BAD. You don't have to write long essays on an anime, but at least put some thought into it (and I hope this will "filter out" some lame noob responses).

Midori no Hibi
This series surprised the hell out of me. The whole concept of a girl being part of Seiji's right hand seems REALLY far-fetched. but for some odd reason, the way him and Midori interacted in certain situations (my favorite is when Seiji accidently got drunk, and Midori tried to take care of him) was very entertaining and funny. I also liked how the relationship of those two grew in later episodes. Once Media Blasters release the DVDs, I can finally finish this up.

Melody of Oblivion
This GAINAX series is pretty underrated, and I considered that a real pity (of course that fansub group is taking WAY too long to sub it

). For anyone who likes huge amounts of abstract imagery and symbolism, GAINAX/J.C. Staff style, you should seriously check this one out since there's many references to Zodiac and music (as well as some sexual innuendos

) in this shounen action series.

Elfen Lied
Another series that surprised the hell out of me especially since there's cute girls combined with LOTS and LOTS of blood and gore. I guess it's that shocking factor is what makes this series great along with the intriguing plot about the Diclonius.

Gankutsuou
This has to be one of the weirdest series Gonzo has ever done especially the way they handled the animation. That weirdness is what made this series very interesting to watch and possibly makes me want to check out the book of the Count of Monte Cristo.

Tsukuyomi ~ Moon Phase
A vampire cat-girl? Oh hell yea!

Luckily, that really cute girl concept is backed up with some pretty interesting plot that's dark and mysterious combined with some comedic scenes (practically any scene that has a falling pot hitting someone's head

).

My brain hurts, so I'll talk about series I didn't like in 2004 later.

AMVfreak · Post by **AMVfreak** » Sat Dec 11, 2004 10:39 pm

Beck
New anime series premiered in 2004.(duh) Originiated from the manga, the plot flow is fun to watch, althought felt a little slow at times. The character progressions are interesting to see grow, and the music, in my opinion is excellent. The musical energy in the series is just plain amazing- a must see for rock fans. Although it is still off to a fresh start, I expect this to turn out into a great series.

We'll miss you 2004.

Org Profile · Post by **Otohiko** » Sat Dec 11, 2004 11:03 pm

I'll agree on Beck, for certain.

Monster
For me, this is not just the best series of the year, but my favorite manga/anime title ever, period.

In short, it's about a doctor falsely accused of a crime, on the run from the police and chasing a horrible serial killer....

Only things aren't nearly as straightforward as you might think. The series lacks action, humour or ultra-breathtaking animation, but its' focus on plot, characters and tension is absolutely unprecedented. It continues to surprise and stay fresh on every turn, even at its' seemingly-slow pace.

It will continue coming out, faithfully following the 1994-2002 manga, until conclusion sometime in fall 2005 (78 episodes, I think).

Looking for fun/great-looking entertainment - skip it. Looking for unabashedly serious, plot-driven masterpiece - go for it.

Rurounikeitaro · Post by **Rurounikeitaro** » Wed Dec 15, 2004 6:20 pm

Good

Tenjo Tenge: Finally, a new shounen that I didn't have to force myself to watch. The animation is beautiful and is great for using in AMV's like I'm going to do.

Samurai Champloo: I personally don't have much interest in this sword fighting series by the maker of Cowboy Bebop "the watanabe guy", but everyone else seems to like it and the fighting looks cool so, oh well

Samurai 7: I heard it was good from a couple of my friends so I put this down "I'll watch it eventually"

Bad

I'm not an idiot. I don't just pick up animes from the street and throw them into my room. That basically means I don't ever pick up bad animes!!

Kalium · Post by **Kalium** » Wed Dec 15, 2004 7:58 pm

Good stuff that I've seen:

Melody of Oblivion is good. It seems fansubbing has started up again, so I just saw ep 18 yesterday. The concept is interesting, and the relationships are interesting to watch play out. Lots of fanservice is a plus.

Bleach, I have to admit, I'm really enjoying. After watching the first few episodes I got ahold of the manga, which lasted me a couple days (over 130 chapters in three days - really).

Elfen Lied was good, in a twisted and disturbing fashion. The main plot was truly intriguing, although some of the subplots were either annoying or disturbing.

KonoMini kinda is good. The series feels arrested, though. A huge plot is hinted at, and you expect to see good resolution. Unfortunately, this is GAINAX, and they still don't know how to make a good ending. For the flaws, though, it's a good series.

If you can consider Ghost in the Shell a series, I'm going to nominate Ghost in the Shell 2 as best anime of the year. I saw it opening night in a theatre here in Ann Arbor, and I was blown away. The symbolism was present, but not overdone, and it made sense. It took the same questions posed by the first (actually, but much of true cyberpunk, but I digress) and expanded on them even more. The result was a lot of head-scratching among those who weren't cyberpunk fans, but almost all of it made sense to me. On top of all that, it was a beauty to behold, and included an amusing little Hebrew-language reference.

Bad:
Tactics. I made it through three episodes. The first wasn't bad. The second wasn't quite consistant plot-wise with the first. By the third episode, things had pretty much ceased making sense. There was no plot consistancy at all.

dokool · Post by **dokool** » Wed Dec 15, 2004 10:07 pm

<i>Yakitate!! Japan</i>
No 'best of 2004' list can be made without mentioning Yakitate!!, a show about a kid who WANTS TO BAKE BREAD with his 'solar hands', unusually warm hands that help the dough ferment. I couldn't make this up if I tried. It's a bit over-the-top, but that's part of the charm. Azuma Kazuma's VA is also the same voice behind Excel. I just recommend this to anyone who wants a bit of a change from typical action of drama.

Bakadeshi [AuN Studios] · Post by **Bakadeshi [AuN Studios]** » Wed Dec 15, 2004 10:23 pm

dokool wrote:<i>Yakitate!! Japan</i>
No 'best of 2004' list can be made without mentioning Yakitate!!, a show about a kid who WANTS TO BAKE BREAD with his 'solar hands', unusually warm hands that help the dough ferment. I couldn't make this up if I tried. It's a bit over-the-top, but that's part of the charm. Azuma Kazuma's VA is also the same voice behind Excel. I just recommend this to anyone who wants a bit of a change from typical action of drama.

hehe, while I'm enjoying the show, I actually prefer the manga. they kinda made the show a little too silly with those "reactions" ;p they were done better in the manga IMO. I'll also like to add, the show is pretty realistic in what they bake. most if not all the bread they make in the show either actually exist, or is actually feasable to make. You learn quite a bit watching (or reading) this. It actually kinda makes you want to go try making bread lol.

I also second Tengou Tenje, a sereis that seems to be a little underated.
good characters, A story that is about as predictable as Eminem, you never know what its gonna do next... The ending did feel a bit... like it left you hanging... Like there should have been more. But they might have been in the manga, I didn't read it for this one. Regardless, awesome series I recomend to anyone who likes Ikitousen, Naruto, or any series along those lines.

The_Collection · Post by **The_Collection** » Wed Dec 15, 2004 10:34 pm

Elfen Lied sounds great! were did you buy it at! i want it too! (crap, going threw anime withdraw again! i need a fix bad... be right back)

bobbarker31 · Post by **bobbarker31** » Thu Dec 16, 2004 2:39 am

Good
Wolf's Rain - Can't say enough about this series. Part of the fun is learning about the world in which it happens. So much seems familiar and yet strange. The characters are very compelling, but my favorites were Hub and Cher. Excellent Kano score. I could put "Heaven's Not Enough" by Steve Conti on repeat for hours.

Macross Zero - Beyond that it is great entertainment in the Macross universe, it is just good and heartwarming to see Roy Fokker once again.

Ghost In The Shell - SAC - Much more accessible than the original movie. This seems to capture much of the spirit of the manga. Another great Kano score.

Azumanga Diaoh - Another show that I watched on the recommendation of a friend. A mix of peanuts and Calvin and Hobbes. Maybe not for everyone with its humor, but it was for me.

Neon Genesis Evangelion Platinum - No more jitter, stunning colors, and a glorious 5.1 soundtrack that puts you into the series. Never looked better and if you are a fan of the series it is a must have.

Captain Herlock - The Endless Odessey - You have to be a Matsomoto fan, but if you are you will be in for a treat for the eyes. The Captain fights creatures straight out of Hellraiser and teaches another kid "how to be a man".

Bad
Urda - Why did I buy this thing? 3D CGI anime that was not very well done.....I lost a hour watching it. I am never going to get that hour of my life back.

Luckily I go to forums like this and talk to my trusted friend who recommends things to me. I don't buy or watch bad things too often.

Brsrk · Post by **Brsrk** » Thu Dec 16, 2004 3:07 am

Uh, those came out on DVD, not premiered...

Grenadier
Oh my god! Probably one of the most interesting anime I've seen in a long time. Hot chick with big ones that can reload her gun by springing bullets out of her breasts, allied with a great swordsman and a balloon expert, and has shown both sorrow and happiness. Very awesome show.

Fafner in the Azure
Seems like it's going along the Evangelion line, but it is in a way completely different. Mechs piloted by teenagers who get recruited to pilot them...

Gundam Seed Destiny
This particular Gundam series caught my attention and has kept it held quite good. I've only seen 2 things Gundam (Wing and Endless Waltz), and this one is much better, IMO.

My HiME
An excellent show about a girl with an ability that only a sepect few have. As the story thickens, stuff happens (won't mention) and it's quite interesting. Shows both deep emotions and quite a bit of comedy in some spots.

I think that's all that I can think of ATM (3 am)