I just haven't been able to get interested in the Alicization arc.

I'm waiting for SAO: Progressive to be translated.  Volume 1 is most of the way there (Aria in the Starless Night is done, Intermission is done, Rondo of the Transient Sword is about half done), but the translators started getting nervous when Yen Press licensed the original series.  Chapters are being translated much slower than they had been, and they are much harder to find.  Only the first chapter of Volume 2 has been translated.

I've been buying the Yen Press novels, hoping that they will see enough demand to start publishing translations of the SAO: Progressive novels.

The first chapter of SAO: Progressive Volume 2 ended with a bit of a cliff hanger, and I hate the idea of possibly having to wait several years to find out what happens next.

Click To View Spoiler

Amazon has Sword Art Online: Progressive Volume 1 (English translation) listed with an April 21, 2015 release date.  

So I forced my self to watch Sword Art Online mainly because this MMO I'm playing is doing a SAO event and I need to figure out WTF is going on() It had potential but it tried to be too many things and ended up not doing anything well.



BTOOOM is a better MMO turn death game. Now if they'll just finish it.

The SAO anime cuts out a lot of the story, leaving out quite a bit of background information on what is happening.  

For example, the first season of the anime introduces Asuna as someone Kirito meets at the meeting to plan the raid on the first floor boss.  They part ways at the end of the battle with the first floor boss, and Asuna doesn't show up again until after she's second in command of the Knights of Blood.

In the novels, Kirito met Asuna in the maze of the first floor dungeon, saved her life, then invited her to go to the planning meeting.  About half of what happens between them on the first floor is left out of the anime.  A few days after the second floor was opened, Asuna managed to track down Kirito, and they again formed a two person party.  By halfway through the second floor, Asuna was obviously (though Kirito was clueless) sizing up his value and whether or not he would be a suitable addition to the family.

The problem with the novels (besides the translations lagging behind), is that the author didn't write them in chronological order.  He jumps around and fills the Aincrad story in at his whim.  Sword Art Online volume 1 tells what happened in episode 1 of the first season of the anime, then jumps to the 74th floor, where Kirito makes the deal with Asuna to cook the rabbit, then the two of them end up in the 74th floor boss room with Klein.  The original Aincrad arc of the anime's first season includes story material from Sword Art Online volumes 1, 2, and 8, Sword Art Online: Progressive volume 1, along with various side stories that had been released outside of the novels.

From what the author has stated, Sword Art Online: Progressive, is a result of his publisher coming to him and stating 'you WILL fill in the blanks left in the original story by writing things in chronological order'.  So volume 1 of SAO: Progressive tells the full length version of what happened in episode 2 of the anime, then covers what happens on the second floor.  Volume 2 starts off with Kirito and Asuna being the first players to enter the third floor.  The author's explanation of the intent of SAO: Progressive indicated that each volume would probably cover the events of clearing two floors.

Any reviews of the Ghost in the Shell Arise #4?



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That's not even out yet is it?

It definitely wasn't as good as the Aincrad arc, but the anime was rushing (and trimming the story) to cram it into as few episodes as they did.





Hasn't been too long since the third one was released.

Did the term "neckbeard" exist when this thread was started?  

Oh you're right. I thought it was out in August but I see now its in September.


4"Ghost Stands Alone"  September 6, 2014

Ok back to Psycho Pass for now...

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I was wondering what was going on, when I wasn't having any luck accessing a site, yesterday.  Then I tried alternates, this morning, and still no luck.


In other annoying news, the next chapter of Nazo no Kanojo X/Mysterious Girlfriend X will be the last one.  The manga has been dragging for a while, but there were a few recent developments (mainly Tsubaki's sister finding out what was going on) that were starting to make it look interesting, again.  

From reading chapter 91, my guess is that chapter 92 will end with Tsubaki coming home from hanging out with his friends, to find his sister sitting at the table while Urabe is bringing food from the kitchen.  To add to his confusion, his sister will be addressing Urabe as Mikoto, and Urabe will be addressing his sister as Nee-chan.  Then his sister will drop the bombshell that Urabe is moving in, with the last panel of the chapter showing Tsubaki's reaction.


I guess now we'll never see an anime of the story arc where Urabe and Imai Momoka (the idol that looks like her) switch places.

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anyone watching Tokyo Ghoul???

The series just started in July, its got everything from self loathing ghouls that eat humans & love coffee to ghoul hunters with weapons made from dead ghouls who are worse than the killers they hunt.

The biggest problem that the manga has had, for quite a while, is that it didn't seem to really be going anywhere.  

Suwano (the girl that ripped the bandage off of Tsubaki's forehead and put a band-aid on it) livened things up for a while, after she figured out that Tsubaki and Urabe were dating, then confessed to Tsubaki (offered to be his secret second girlfriend).  After Tsubaki turned her down, she would occasionally do things to mess with Urabe, but then she got a boyfriend of her own, ending the competition between them.

I thought that Urabe telling Tsubaki's sister that they were dating, would liven things up and show some progress, and it did seem to shift the story's focus back toward the issue that was brought up when the family visited the grave of Tsubaki's mother - that his sister had taken the place of his mother, and both Tsubaki and his father were concerned that she was neglecting her own future.  Chapter 91 seems to be indicating that this is now the main problem in their relationship, which makes me think that the final chapter (chapter 92) will involve a decision to hand at least some of the housewife responsibility over to Urabe.  It may end with their first kiss, but I won't be surprised if it ends with them still not having kissed.

At times the manga has been interesting, but at other times it seemed like chapters were being written just to fill space.

ETA: I've been reading some of the older chapters and realized that I had forgotten that Urabe cut Tsubaki with the scissors on two separate occasions.

The first was the accident that was shown in the anime.

The second was later on, when she was wearing cat ears and intentionally cut Tsubaki's cheek, then licked the blood from his cheek and warned him that (if he put cat ears on her again) he just might get eaten by the Urabe Cat Monster.  She then took the cat ears off, pulled a Band-Aid from her bag and put it on his cut, and told him she would see him the next day.  Tsubaki was left kneeling on the sidewalk, trying to stop a nosebleed, and thinking that it might not be so bad to be eaten, if he was eaten by the Urabe Cat Monster.

The manga had it's moments.

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That's the second time I've seen that suggested, today.

Looking for a recommendation. I've seen most of the Gundam series, and parts of Robotech.





I want:



No meaningful story.

Robots/Mech fighting. This should be 99% of all that happens.

No nudity/panty shots/awkward bumping into one another.





Is it possible?

You want mecha anime and don't want fan service?  While you can find some without nudity, fan service is part and parcel of anime.  It can certainly be out of place in a story, but even family oriented anime has some occasional suggestive themes.

I guess it wouldn't be too bad, but some stuff is too cringeworthy to make things enjoyable.



*walks down hall, goes to tie shoe, face now in titties on accident*



 

Except as he has stated he doesn't even want a story... that may be pretty hard. I'm thinking anything without a story is basically going to be nothing but a combination of action and fanservice.

And I really don't know what to recommend on that point, as that's one of the things I always want in anything I'm watching - a good story.

(ETA - For me, it doesn't necessarily have to have a big overarching storyline, especially for comedies - say, like AMD or Sabagebu. But they still provide a solid backstory to establish themselves and provide good characters, not just mindless antics.)

Yeah you either get a story or you get tits and bloody noses.  Cant think of one that has neither.

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Barakamon has a story, but it tends to stay in the background.

Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 has a story, but it's mostly linear, with one twist thrown in near the end.

Spice and wolf yes there is nudity but story driven like a mofo

Thanks for the help guys. Unfortunate to hear. There have been a few shows I've really liked as far as the action goes, but the story + sexualization etc has ruined it for me.





Desert Punk is an example. The Gundam series often had storylines that I just couldn't get into but the fighting was great. Might be a lost cause for me.

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i liked BTOOM, but i think it got ax'ed

 

Saw an Asuna at PAX this weekend. Not my photo.

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Yes, it's rare to find an anime that is mature and not overly dependent on the tropes of anime.  The other problem of many mecha anime is the expressly anti-war stance of the stories.  Gundam and Neon Genesis Evangellion are known for this.  That may have contributed to your dissatisfaction.

You should read up on THE LAWS OF ANIME for an amusing list of the weird stuff that so often happens in anime.

Here are some other Mecha Anime I've liked in no particular order with notes on story and fan service content.

Rahxehpon- thought of by some to be a Neon Genesis Evangelion copy.  I rather like it, but you can't get away from "accidental sexual situations" with this one or N.G.E. It may be sacrilege, but I don't like Eva.  I find it to be well animated and had a very good score.

Linebarrels of Iron- I though the mecha battles were very good, some of the best I remember.  Gratuitous fan service.  Starts of  with groping required to summon mech. Plot is ok.

Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion: Good show. Smart and plot heavy. Lots of drama. Story from well known group of women writers (Clamp). Rather unusually, story is told over 2 seasons.  Some fans service and nudity.

Full Metal Panic: Great anime, practically Arfcom Anime Thread required viewing.  Very funny, great action, lovable characters, good plot. Perfect for us gun nuts. 1 full season, 2-12 episode seasons after.  Fan service of shower scenes, and accidental contact, etc

Knights of Sidonia: Very smart, hard science fiction space story with mecha.  Generally a fairly mature show like Ghost in the Shell S.A.C.  Fantastic scenery, elaborate "sets", good battles.  Some limited fan service via accidents and plot devices (genetically modified humans that can photosynthesize)

Muv-Luv Alternative: Total Eclipse: Good show, about young adults, rather than teenagers, with good action and characters. Sourced from "H" game so sexual themes are unavoidable.

Valvrave: The Liberator: Fairly standard teenage mecha pilot plot, but with it's own twist.  Becoming a pilot requires voiding own humanity. I liked the first season. Standard anime fan service (if i recall correctly) and rape.

Broken Blade: Somewhat more mature show about "magically powered" mecha golems.  I don't recall any specific fan service, but can't be sure.  Made up of 6 roughly 1 hour episodes.

Aquarion: Fairly interesting show, but very heavy on fan service.  3 pilots of fighter ships "merge" in a suggestive manor too pilot main mech against enemy aliens.

Those were just off the top of my head.

Between the fact that public bath houses and hot springs are considered part of Japanese culture, different attitudes on nudity and sex, and the male dominated culture there is no escape from fan service and sexual themes when it comes to anime.


While writing this and looking over my collection I remembered that "Gungrave" seemed to have little to no fan service.  Its a gritty crime drama with the twist of radical genetic mutated monsters.  The violence is gratuitous.

Nyaa is up.

Just Kirito being a bad ass...

Ghost in the Shell: Arise and Gurren Lagann are on Netflix streaming now.

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Zankyou no Terror is great so far. i hope it delivers

Holy shit Sabagebu! #10 was LOL funny.
Executions galore

Oh god was it funny!

Everyone you got to check this one out just for all the movie refrences.

Just finished Jormungand.  Good show.  Wish they would have given it a few more minutes at the end to see it all happen though.

Click To View Spoiler

Click To View Spoiler

true on both.



 

The ending sucked but the journey was fun.

I'm currently watching it on crunchyroll, but I'm a cheapskate so I've still got a week until #10.

I wanted more Scarecrow and Schokolade.

 

I am hoping for another season, but then again I am also hoping they come out with another season of Black Lagoon as well. Nope, not holding my breath, not a bit. Ok, maybe a little. And as far as more Schokolade...moar please!

And then he goes and gets himself in a situation where video evidence could get him in trouble.

If the video evidence showed where his eyes wandered to, he'd probably curl up into a ball, just from thinking about what Asuna would do to him if she saw it.








I would have looked, too.

By the way I'm still looking for a new show to watch.  Just finished Gurren Lagann and liked it more than I thought I would. the show seemed fairly shitty starting out but eventually gets pretty damn good.