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Akira (and Anime/Manga In General)


kriss
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I put that I was reading this into the Current Readings thread as well, but this stuff is so crazy that I had to give it its own. Has anyone ever read this manga? I've had all six volumes sitting around for over a year and a half but I've been reading so much other stuff that I never actually got to it (I went through a major manga phase last summer and accumulated over 300 books, so it's taken me awhile to get through everything). Just finished book 1 a few minutes ago and stuff got so real at the end that I'm heading right into book 2.

I haven't seen the anime (admittedly, I prefer manga over anime any day of the week), so I have nothing to judge the book against.

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The movie is wonderfully done in terms of the anime genre. Might be one of the best. I must say, though, I haven't read the books, so I'm kind of in the exact opposite situation you're in.

I propose a borrow/exchange when you're done with the books. Lend me the books, I lend you the dvd I have of the movie.

Eh?????

EH??????

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I first read this in junior high, after becoming obsessed with the film. There is so much more going on in the books. You get all of the background information, and also the scale of the conflict is much bigger. It's more like an all-out war with with plenty of political motivations, where the film comes off as more of a Godzilla(Tetsuo) vs. Tokyo type deal.

If you appreciate beautiful hand-drawn animation then the film is still very much worth your time, but Akira is an excellent example of the source material being streets ahead of the film. The story was completely hacked to pieces.

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I don't doubt that the movie resulted in the story being taken out back and beaten with a hose. I've just never been one to actually seek out and buy manga on my own. Always borrowed them from friends if I felt the urge to peruse any.

DO love me some Neon Genesis: Evangelion, even if the first four episodes are generally difficult to get through.

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The movie is wonderfully done in terms of the anime genre. Might be one of the best. I must say, though, I haven't read the books, so I'm kind of in the exact opposite situation you're in.

I propose a borrow/exchange when you're done with the books. Lend me the books, I lend you the dvd I have of the movie.

Eh?????

EH??????

Oh for sure. I just finished book 2 and I'll probably be done with 3 through 6 by the weekend. I mentioned to yr lady a few days ago that we should all hang and get food so that'd be a good time to do a lending trade because I'd definitely like to see the movie fairly quickly after reading the books.

I first read this in junior high, after becoming obsessed with the film. There is so much more going on in the books. You get all of the background information, and also the scale of the conflict is much bigger. It's more like an all-out war with with plenty of political motivations, where the film comes off as more of a Godzilla(Tetsuo) vs. Tokyo type deal.

If you appreciate beautiful hand-drawn animation then the film is still very much worth your time, but Akira is an excellent example of the source material being streets ahead of the film. The story was completely hacked to pieces.

With nearly 2,000 pages of story, compressing it all down into a couple of hours seems like it would come with its fair share of cuts. Even in the books though (and mind you I'm only 2 books in), I wish there had been more of a backstory between Shotaro and Tetsuo. These guys are supposed to be life long friends and within days of getting super powers, Tetsuo is gunning to wipe his best friend (and everyone else) out. Seeing him grapple with his newfound abilities would have been nice but I suppose if I were a 15 year old boy who didn't understand my surroundings and all of a sudden knew how to make people's heads explode by looking at them, I'd go raging through my city too.

Stylistically, I love the clips of the film adaptation I've seen. Have either of you seen Redline yet? It came out in 2009 and revolves around a racing theme but it has some of the same stylistic elements of Akira. I'm a sucker for anime just because I love the high contrasts and the crazy amounts of detail put into it. I've seen and read Death Note countless times, but there are quite a few manga I've read that I've never seen the anime adaptations for (Rurouni Kenshin, Monster, etc). Oddly enough, I've never seen Neon Genesis but I've read the manga (which is odd since the manga is an adaptation of the anime).

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I totally propose Neon Genesis hangouts.

I've got the DVD set (one of many that have been released, I'm sure).

I stress the fact that the first four episodes are the hardest to get through, though.

I'm very behind on anime. Emily doesn't usually like it that much. I had to beg her to sit down to watch NG:E, and also Vampire Hunter D (which she fell asleep during).

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Ah, cowboy bebop. On another note I've only seen the film of akira and been wanting to read the manga, but just haven't gotten around to it.

On the subject of evangelion: I absolutely love this show as well as the recent rebuild movies they've been doing. Most people I talk to about just can't seem to dig it at all, because of how near the end it seems confusing. Which I don't really think it is at all. Also if you've seen all the movies you'll know that there are some really beautiful and spectacular moments. Especially in the rebuilds they've done thus far.

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Huge huge fan of both Akira and Evangelion.

In terms of Akira...I read the books after having watched the movie when it was first released. It blew my mind. The books were so much more in-depth and involved. I remember in an interview with Otomo, he was asked why the film was so different than the manga to which Otomo replied that in order for a close adaptation it would have been at least an 8-hour movie and cost much more.

And with Evangelion...also another series I got into when first released Stateside. I was hooked right from the first VHS tape. I bought them as they came out and then switched to DVDs. The story is great and I dug the religious and existential tones and ties. I've been digging the Rebuilds so far. Definitely expands on the Eva story and universe.

Other Anime I'm into: Cowbo Bebop, Ghost In The Shell, Anything Leiji Matsumoto (Captain Harlock, Queen Emeraldas, Galaxy Express 999, etc.), Cat-Girl Nuku Nuku, Devil Hunter Yohko, FLCL, Samurai Champloo, Anything Go Nagai (Devilman, Mazinger, Cutey Honey, etc.), and of course anything and everything by Studio Ghibli.

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I've never been big into anime but I'm getting into some of it lately. I started with Akira and Evangelion and moved into DBZ and am looking for something else. Any suggestions?

The anime Juan listed are all fantastic. Also Trigun is fantastic as well.

I'm very interested to see where they're going with the rebuild movies. Seeing the trailer for 3.0 just threw another curve ball in there as well.

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Huge huge fan of both Akira and Evangelion.

In terms of Akira...I read the books after having watched the movie when it was first released. It blew my mind. The books were so much more in-depth and involved. I remember in an interview with Otomo, he was asked why the film was so different than the manga to which Otomo replied that in order for a close adaptation it would have been at least an 8-hour movie and cost much more.

And with Evangelion...also another series I got into when first released Stateside. I was hooked right from the first VHS tape. I bought them as they came out and then switched to DVDs. The story is great and I dug the religious and existential tones and ties. I've been digging the Rebuilds so far. Definitely expands on the Eva story and universe.

Other Anime I'm into: Cowbo Bebop, Ghost In The Shell, Anything Leiji Matsumoto (Captain Harlock, Queen Emeraldas, Galaxy Express 999, etc.), Cat-Girl Nuku Nuku, Devil Hunter Yohko, FLCL, Samurai Champloo, Anything Go Nagai (Devilman, Mazinger, Cutey Honey, etc.), and of course anything and everything by Studio Ghibli.

I think an eight hour version of Akira would have been great, but I'm always more a fan of a series in any form than a stand alone movie.

Ghost In The Shell is beautiful in terms of both the anime and the manga, but it moves at a really complex clip so it's easy to get lost with what's going on - GITS 2.0 and 2.5 aren't as good as the original but the animation/drawing is still so top notch.

I've never been big into anime but I'm getting into some of it lately. I started with Akira and Evangelion and moved into DBZ and am looking for something else. Any suggestions?

Since you've seen those two, I'm assuming you like the more action packed stuff, in which case Death Note is the (most obvious but best) next step. Just avoid the little kid stuff like One Piece, Naruto and such.

if you wanna read something more violence, i highly recommend gantz.

manga is better than the anime a lot.

and the current episode is so crazy....

Have you ever seen or read Battle Royale? Holy crap is that stuff violent - it's too over the top for me personally but I can see where folks who enjoy more out there stuff would dig it.

I really enjoy alot of horror manga as well like the 70's manga The Drifting Classroom as well as work by Junji Ito like Uzumaki and Tomie...

[image]

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if you wanna read something more violence, i highly recommend gantz.

manga is better than the anime a lot.

and the current episode is so crazy....

Have you ever seen or read Battle Royale? Holy crap is that stuff violent - it's too over the top for me personally but I can see where folks who enjoy more out there stuff would dig it.

I really enjoy alot of horror manga as well like the 70's manga The Drifting Classroom as well as work by Junji Ito like Uzumaki and Tomie...

[image]

yes, i was but it's not a copy right manga in thailand. and i didn't complete it. no more printing here.

this interview is funny. if you read gantz, you will know what i mean. don't wanna spoil. ;)

about horror managa such themuseum of horror it's really fun and terrible in some episode such fish bride/ model. i'm not sure because i read it couple years ago.

i highly recommend you search some weird and violence manga in case you want to try by search, gekiga.

it means comics for adult....

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Seeing FLCL mentioned here, I thought I'd mention that i actually lent my voice to a redub/retelling/"fanimated series" of FLCL that my friend did. It's ridiculously long, and you may not think it's funny in the slightest, but if anyone gives half a fuck, I'll post a link to part one.

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  • 1 month later...

I've been re-watching Death Note lately and I forgot how great it is (I usually read the manga all the way through once every couple of years or so) - haven't seen the anime in a long while. At first I hated how nu-metal sounding the second season's theme is but for some odd reason it's grown on me despite how kinda bad it is...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bvk3V_yPh4&hl=en&fs=1

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  • 8 months later...

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