Next Year's Schedule Discussion

[duohimura]

Hey guys!

So I thought I'd start this thing up now so that we could get some conversation going, and so that people who are abroad right now could have plenty of time to take part--also so that we'd have a record of what we were talking about that everyone can look at since most of my conversations about next year have been with like, one other person.

In a year at Kenyon, there are approximately 28 weeks--we probably shouldn't plan for more than 25-26 of them, to leave room for things like AMV night or showing a movie and stuff like pre-club fair week etc.

Anyway, to begin I'm gonna lead off with the things that we pretty much know we're going to do.

Senior's Nostalgia II: Revenge of 2009!
So yeah, this slot is the traditional "Seniors get to bring back a show from their freshman year" slot. Kate has suggested Ghost Stories, and I think she actually owns it as of Ohayocon? So it's probably that. Other candidates would be... um... Cowboy Bebop and Last Exile? But Ghost Stories was what became the huge in-joke so that seems likely. So...

1) Ghost Stories
Genre: Comedy
Length: 20 Episodes, so either 4 or 5 weeks
Synopsis: A mediocre show about high schoolers fighting ghosts, that was SO mediocre that the dubbing studio decided to make the dub a parody of itself. And it actually worked! Promises to be a good time.


Moving on to other ideas...

2) Darker than Black
Genre: Supernatural / Neo-Noir
Length: 25 episodes, so 5 or 6 weeks
Synopsis: A show about people who gain superpowers which all have weird conditions associated to using them, like having to eat particular foods or whatever.
Thoughts etc.: So basically we've been trying to watch this show both years I've been here and last year it didn't work out and this year Noah as the person who actually -owns- it wasn't here, so we saw Last Last Exile Exile instead. Anyway, if there's still interest in it we should watch it probably.

3) Princess Tutu:
Well, we've (and by we I mean I) have been talking about it a lot, so you know, figure this is a likely one. The only thing is I'm not a hundred percent sure how many of us will have seen it by next year. Also we obviously cannot lead off with it because NOBODY new will come to anime club if it's the first thing we show.
Length: 26 episodes, so 6 weeks.
Genre: Metafictional Fairy Tale / Magical Girl?
Synopsis: A duck who turns into a girl who turns into a magical princess must restore the broken shards of a storybook prince's heart (as in, he's literally from a story). The town the story takes place in is being controlled by stories so there's crazy randomness like cats as dance instructors (a subtle reference to Cats?), and the whole thing is ballet themed, so there's tons of classical music and whatnot. Anyway, it's a show that starts out absurd and gets steadily more serious and meta as it runs.

And now on to the part where I ramble for a really long time:

Things that Ben would love to force people to watch but won't without asking first because he values not being stabbed to death!

I will try to be brief because if I don't try this will be really ugly.

Okay, so as a mecha fan, I can't resist the temptation to put a mecha show in here, so ideas as far as that goes:

The Vision of Escaflowne
Length: 26 episodes, 6 weeks
Genre: Mecha / Fantasy
Synopsis: All Hitomi wants is to confess her feelings for an upperclassman, which becomes difficult after she gets herself transported into a fantasy world where the Earth hangs in the sky next to the Moon, dragons and such exist, and there are giant wood-and-steel robots powered by magic. Oh and there's an evil empire trying to seize control of the world and whatnot.
Reasons to show it: Well, this is probably the "easiest" mecha show because there's just generally lots of stuff to like about it from various perspectives. It's got a shoujo-y protagonist, a love triangle, giant robots, and lots of fantasy world building. Fairly likable characters, though it may be fair to say Hitomi and/or the love triangle get a little annoying as they drag on without changing all that much towards the end. Oh, and Yoko Kanno music, always a good thing.
My totally selfish reason to show it: Well, we could watch the awesome parody of it, "Nescaflowne." It's kinda dirty, but it's also completely hilarious, and everything's coffee themed (Hitomi becomes "Hitmi," one of the mechs is renamed "Mr. Coffee" etc)!

The Super Dimension Fortress Macross
Length: 36 Episodes, 7 weeks if we cut the recap episode
Synopsis: Described as "The story of a love triangle set against the backdrop of war," Macross is a weird mashup of a deconstruction of mecha tropes, a war story, a love triangle, and a bunch of j-pop from the 80s. Humanity gets sucked into a war against a race of giant aliens, and our only useful battleship, during their first use of their teleport system, shoots for the Moon and ends up near Pluto, and have to make their way back.
Reasons to show it: It's a classic, and where it didn't make fun of mecha tropes (the main character is a pilot, and he still can't really use the military's latest jet fighter/robots when he "falls into the cockpit") it's inventing them. But at the same time, a lot of what it does is weirdly fresh: the pacifist character isn't a SAINT who's right about everything (he's kind of an asshole), and despite music being humanity's ultimate weapon, the message is not actually "Culture is superior to war," because the series goes on to deconstruct -itself-. And whenever the show isn't that good, it's usually -laughably- bad, which is to say, entertaining in a completely different way.
My selfish reason to show it: Well, I'm trying to make a feature-length fan parody of it, so I do need to see it again. Plus I need other people who've seen it to do voices.
Problems: Longer than usual by at least a week, and it would be 7 weeks of 5 episodes a night.

And Jeff and I talked about:

Gundam: The 08th MS Team
Length: 12 episodes, 3 weeks
Synopsis: The One Year War from the original Mobile Suit Gundam, seen from the perspective of the less-significant foot soldiers, in what is sort of an analogue to the Vietnam War.
Reasons to show it: It's short, and it's a Gundam show with pretty animation that you can basically get into without being steeped in Gundam lore since it happens concurrently with the original series. I actually haven't seen this one so I can't speak to the quality of the story, etc, though I think Jeff was in favor of it.

Mobile Suit Gundam Movie Trilogy
Length: 3 Movies, so 3 weeks
So this is the original show as retold in 3 movies, which is really what launched Gundam to success (the tv show was canceled due to low ratings)... the only thing is, they're 3 2 and a half hour long movies, so it'd be 3 -long- weeks. They're pretty good, actually, though the second one drags a little. Anyway, this is the quickest way to get into Gundam, and the animation is actually decent for a lot of it, but they're a little long, and I don't know if the interest is there.
My Selfish Reason to show it: I can rope people into watching Zeta Gundam (the sequel and my favorite Gundam) without giving craptons of backstory!

And moving on to non-mecha shows:

Noein: To Your Other Self
Length: 24 Episodes, 5 weeks
Synopsis: Yuu's life sucks. His mom is a complete control freak who's pressuring the crap out of him to do well on his middle school entrance exams, and his best friend (and obvious crush) Haruka won't even run away from home with him like she promised she would. And then all these guys in black cloaks show up with magic powers and start trying to capture Haruka because she's some important magic thing called "The Dragon's Torque"--and one of them is Yuu from 15 years in the future.
Reasons to show it: A very unique show--great fight scenes, and a plot about bullshit quantum physics involving the many-world theory and the whole "things can only be said to exist if they can be observed" thing. Some very memorable characters both on the cool side of things and the hilariously fucked up side of things.
My completely selfish reason to show it: Debating whether I will abridge this series.

Okay, that's enough for now... I suppose I should mention that if we do the 3 "likely" ones we will have accounted for 15 weeks, so we'll have ~10 to spare, so we can't do two 6-week shows in addition to those three. We could do 2 five-week shows, or a 6 week and something short, or even 3 short things. Anyway, everyone else go to town--either give feedback on these options or add some suggestions of your own. I'm going to shut up.

[inchwyrm]

Other candidates would be... um... Cowboy Bebop and Last Exile?

We watched Last Exile Last Exile this year after it was shown 2 years ago?

I would not mind watching Gundam shows. I feel that not having seen any Gundam is a severe shortcoming in my anime experience. Also, the two you suggested are short, so I have a feeling no one will be annoyed and have time to experience mecha overload.

I have heard enough about Macross from you that I think it is time I watch it. My only suggesting would be to put some other series (or a spring/winter break) in between this and Gundam.

Also, look at this! I am responding to your post within an hour! The forum is kind of active!!

[katchan]

yah, I vote no to Last Exile since we saw it this year and acually did not see it my freshmen year. I'll look into Ghost Stories, but as of now no one has it. Another suggestion for the show that we watched when my year were Freshman was Excel Saga, though that might be too crazy for some people... but i'll give a quick synopsis anyway.

In F city, located in F prefecture in Japan, there exists a secret organization, Across, who's goal is to take over the city and use that as a stepping stone to take over the world. Excel, the main member of Across, is in charge of carry out these plans that the leader of Across, Ilpalazzo, thinks up in his attempt to take over the city. Another Across agent, Hyatt, also shows up later in the series. Each episode is a spoof of an anime genre, and because of this it is full of references to other anime. It's all pretty crazy, and makes little to no sense for most of the series, and with a few exceptions most of the episodes don't really connect all that well. But at the end it decides to actually try and get some plot that lasts more than a few episodes going. Excel Saga also the funny side stories of Nabeshin and Pedro, Pedro being an immigrant worker who never can catch a break, and Nabeshin being the somewhat crazy and random character that is a representation of the director. 26 episodes of craziness!

I guess Bebop is another possibility, by I'm inclined to think everyone will have seen it already. Also, what series do people own (and thus we could show at club next year)? I have Cowboy Bebop and Azumangadaioh (both 26 episodes). And I'd totally be willing to spring to buy K-ON! if anyone wants to see that (it could be a short one... first season is only 12 episodes). Let me know if you want more info about any of them! (particularly K-ON, hint-hint) ^_^

[duohimura]

Ahahah, funny you should mention Excel Saga, because that was totally what I meant when I said that "Last Exile" an option for something the club had watched 2 years ago. They have... A similar word! Sort of.... *Ahem*

Also Across is a reference to Macross, so we should totally show Macross and then Excell Saga for that reason alone even though it would go over our week limit *shot*.

I will be the crazy weird leper person to admit that I haven't seen all of Bebop--in fact I've only seen the beginning. I intend to watch the rest soonish, but I can wait on it.

Other things I could possibly bring:

Planetes (Greek word for "Wanderers" from which we get "Planets")
Genre: Comedy/Drama
Length: 26 episodes, 6 weeks
Synopsis: Trashmen IN SPACE! No seriously, it's a show about people who collect bits of space debris that fly around the atmosphere so fast that they can easily punch a hole in space stations, shuttles, etc. About the understaffed, underfunded people who undertake this task, and their new recruit whose entire character screams ROMANTIC at full volume. Hilarity and occasional moral dilemmas ensue.
Reasons to watch: It's quite well done, and it's probably the "hardest" sci-fi that I've seen in anime, being -about- a real world problem that you don't often see considered in sci-fi, and dealing with things like possible radiation poisoning from prolonged periods in space, the difficulties of maneuvering in 0g, etc.
Problems: I only own half of it--though that is fixed easily enough if we decide in advance to put it on the show. I'm not -really- pulling for this though.

Oh, but you know what is a fun show?

Flag
Genre: War / Mecha? / Documentary?
Length: 13 Episodes, 3 weeks
Synopsis: In a fictional country in Southeast Asia, journalist Saeko Shirasu takes a picture of local residents working together wtih UN peacekeeprs to raise a flag over the site of a terrorist attack. The UN wants to use the image, and the flag, as a symbol of the people's desire for peace to force the various factions to the negotiations table--but the flag is stolen by the less-cooperative group. Shirasu is then brought in to document the efforts of the covert force who will attempt to reclaim the flag.
Reasons to watch it: It's a very serious look at a modern-style war, from the perspective of a journalist, so it's an interesting take. Also it's all told in camera footage, so there's a mix of stills with voice overs, video feed from various cameras (either Shirasu's or ones of various military vehicles, etc), creating a documentary-like feel.
Problems: Pretty serious and geo-political for us, not so big on excitement or stuff to crack wise about.

I guess I also own most of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex at this point, but again, not dying to show that particularly. Oh, and Noir of course, but I'm already rewatching that to abridge it. There is also .Hack//SIGN which is a very good show but a bit slow compared to what we normally do (Yes it IS, Lauren, yes it is). I have yet to watch Now and Then, Here and There but I think Jeff and Emily have threatened to veto that one for being slow and/or miserable (it's supposed to be pretty freakin' dark).

I mostly endorse the ones I listed in the first post, but if anyone's dying to see the stuff I mention here it's a possibility.

And Kate, go ahead and describe K-On. It's not really on my to-watch list, but I'd be open to it, and I dunno how anyone else would feel. Speaking of music shows we would totally watch Nodame Cantabile if it ever gets an English DVD release we may have to watch that, but it doesn't seem like it's going to happen before next year, so.

[katchan]

sooo.... K-ON! The story revolves around four high school girls who join their school's light music club to try to save it from being abolished, since they need more members to keep it going. Ritsu (Drums), Mio (Bass) and Tsumugi (keyboard) manage to recruit Yui into being their newest member, but there is only one problem.... she has no experience playing musical instruments or reading sheet music!! Eventually she starts learning to play guitar and the band finally starts practicing, although they spend most of their time in the club room eating sweets and drinking tea. A show with a lot of humor in it, and a lot of awesome music!!! And the first season is only 13 episodes, so it's not that long and easy to fit in!

[firemoon]

These all sound pretty good. My personal vote for senior nostalgia is Ghost Stories, because it's Ghost Stories, and you don't need a reason to watch it.

Out of everything Ben and Kate suggested, my favorites are Vision of Escaflowne, Ghost in the Shell, and Planetes (I want to watch those last two the most). I'm not a huge fan of mechas, but I wouldn't object just as long as we limited it to one show. I would probably boycott Now and Then, Here and Now, as I thought the first three/four episodes were torture (both because they were so dark and because they were so slow). I wouldn't be too fond of Noein either, as while I liked it when I watched it, I wouldn't want to watch it a second time. I hate watching things a second time, unless it's a really high quality show like Darker than Black (By the way, if Noah's copy of that doesn't work, I have one as well).

My personal recommendations are:
Durarara!: This show was made by the same people who did Baccano, which should tell you a lot about the type of story and animation. I can't really tell you what it's about, because there's no good answer to that: You could say it's about a new type of gang where none of the members know each other's identities. Or a rivalry between a hot-tempered superman and a manipulative sadist. You could even say it's about a grim reaper in a catsuit trying to find her lost head. All of these would technically be correct. Suffice to say that NO ONE is exactly what they appear to be.

Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Take your typical magical girl show. Now add Faust, Cthulu, and a healthy dose of psychedelic drugs. Now you have Puella Magi Madoka Magica, which is the scariest show you will find that features the main character in a tutu. It may or may not be out on DVD by next semester, but if it is, we should definitely see it, as it's only 12 episodes long.

Things I want to see but do not know if anyone owns: Pandora Hearts, Serial Lain, Monster Season 1

Things I own but do not know if anyone wants to see: Full Metal Panic Season 1 (DVD), Ghost in the Shell (on Itunes)

[katchan]

yah, we might want to try and get this sorted out soon.... or start thinking about it?? 'cuz we've officially been reapproved for next year!! IDK, it's gonna be hard to sort this with a not-so-active forum and pretty much all the Seniors abroad. I guess I vote for Ghost stories, Darker than Black and Princess Tutu as being stuff it can be safe to say that we are doing (although I do not have ghost stories... I think we found out that no-one did at Ohayo) I'd say other things I like the sounds of are Escaflowne and Macross (although we'd only have time for one, in addition to a Gundam series or another short one) Thoughts??? Also, for the sake of curiosity, what are you guys watching now?? Gah, I feel so out of the loop.....

[duohimura]

Okay, so yes, we should sort this out--by the way is firemoon Emily? The signature doesn't say but that was my assumption based on what was just said...

So yeah, I'm gonna go ahead and say Ghost Stories, Darker than Black, and Princess Tutu are in. If anyone has a strong objection to any of the above, say so in the nearish future. If we can't find a copy of Ghost Stories before next year, we'll work something out.

I am, of course, perfectly okay with showing either Escaflowne or Macross, as they're both really cool shows. My (minor) beef with Escaflowne is that we then need to come up with a "space" show because we won't have one, and it's quasi-traditional. As you say, we could pair them either with one of the 3-week Gundam-y options, or we could come up with something else ~12 episodes long (for the sake of people not into mecha). K-ON would probably work too for that matter.

I would endorse Lain, because I want to see it too, but I think it might be a bit slow/head trippy for what we usually like? Also I don't know if we have it physically... which I think we should probably stick to for the moment. As much as I would love to show Nodame Cantabile, we learned at the beginning of the year that computer-sized subtitles don't necessarily work when you're farther away... plus it's just a huge hassle to deal with file formats etc.

As for what I'm watching... well I've been sort of off anime for a while because intro fiction has been eating my life. But I did enjoy Wandering Son--which is a show about transgendered people. It's actually kind of sweet/cute and it's well animated, and occasionally the fact that everyone in the show is so completely earnest makes things COMPLETELY FREAKING HILARIOUS.

For example--main character is biologically male, gender-identifies as female, and one day he and a bunch of the other folks are working on a play, and a guy shows up who's basically a friend of a friend. Anyway he's introduced the main character and goes "Nitori... Nitori... where do I know that name from? OH! You're the Nitori who likes to cross dress!" In front of a room full of people who don't all know this.

And then one of them gets INCREDIBLY excited by this and is all like "WHAT REALLY? So is it like a hobby? An obsession? Are you actually transgendered?!" It's kinda priceless.

Also it is the proud owner of the most awesome episode title ever: "Cool Girlfriend."

[katchan]

Yes, we should absolutely stick to DVD's only, no computer files or anything else (goodness knows showing Doctor Who to people was complicated by that). Good point about the space show as well, I hadn't thought about that. One of your Gundam suggestions could easily fulfill that and take up the short-series time. Lain is another good option/suggestion, since I have heard good things about it. But, the real question is weather anyone has it??? Ask around at club, maybe. if that hasn't been done already? That also needs to be done with ghost stories, I guess??