Moving To It’s Own Beat: A Sort-Of Manabi Straight Retrospection

Thinking about it, it’s been 5 years since one of my all-time favorite anime first broadcasted, and I’d like to think that I have taken Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight! for granted more than I should be. As time has passed, more shows have come out of the works, ufotable has become more of a household name compared to at that time (at least, to TYPE-MOON fans if no-one else), and the industry is in a state of flux, but few shows and works since have managed to grab me like that. And I don’t think any show I’ve seen made after this has had quite as much “heart” as Manabi Straight had (the fact that I’m still having a hard time defining this intangible quality now says a fair bit). For lack of a better word, it was a sincere work. I’m hoping for ufotable to do something with it the future with the property, since it seems like they haven’t forgotten about the work either But I’m actually hear to talk about something more tangential to the show, as thinking about the show also made me remember it’s music, and that what stood out for me wasn’t even played in the show.

The Seiou Seitokai. Picture by ぴかおΦωΦ: http://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=medium&illust_id=15890741

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Manabi Straight: Funimation or Animenation keep teasing us

by dm00

I keep seeing this ad, and wishing it were true.

With all the Manabi Straight chatter that’s been in the air lately I wish they’d stop running this ad. Or better: keep running the ad and put a release behind it.

What’s on your wish-list?

by dm00

With the licensing of Xam’d and (previously) Toradora, I thought my wished-for list of anime licenses was growing pretty short.

Then I sat down to enumerate it, and I realized my list still had a ways to go (in no particular order):

• Summer Wars
• Mind Game
• Tatami Galaxy
• Kaiba
• Kemonozume
• Princess Arete
• Starship girl Yamamoto Yohko (TV)
• ef: a tale of me*o*ies
• Bakemonogatari
• Katanagatari
• Angel’s Egg
• Time of Eve (movie)
• Welcome to the Space Show
• Dennou Coil
• Gakuen Utopia Manabi straight
• Futakoi alternative
• Kara no Kyoukai
• Moyashimon
• Yokohama kaidashi kikou (manga too, please — or, I’d be happy with just the manga, actually)
• Durarara
• Minky Momo: the Bridge of Dreams
• Minky Momo: tabidachi no eki
• The rest of Yawara!

(Some of these I’ve gone so far as to get (used, primarily) on R2 DVD, and may do more as years of not-being-licensed go by.)

Also, I’ve heard good things about My Mai Miracle, but I haven’t seen it. I’d spring for inexpensive releases of Shangri-la and Angel Beats, too.

This list would keep me ecstatic for a while, certainly.

What’s on your wish-list?

Impressions on a Year 2007: Happy Action Fun Time

Written by TheBigN

This installment contains SPOILERS. I repeat, SPOILERS, so read at your own risk. This is also hella long, so again, read at your own risk. :3

With that being said, these are the episodes or moments in series this year that made an impact on me; the “definable” stuff.  I guess, in a way, you could say that as an extension, these are the memorable series for me for the year. Not all of them are my favorites for the year, and all of my favorites aren’t on this list, but these are the ones that stick in the mind long after the show’s over. 😛  

Impressions on a Year 2007: Awesome Soundtracks I Haven’t Covered Yet

Written by TheBigN

By now, you should know what my standards of “awesome” are, but let’s move on, shall we? 😛

When I’m talking about a soundtrack, I think about all of the music that a show entails, including the OP/ED. So what was the point of having all of those tracks standalone in the first place? Because they usually arestandalone from the rest of the soundtrack; Unless you care about what you listen to while watching anime, you only tend focus on those pieces of music because they’re the intro/outro of the show. So I figured they needed something by themselves, but all of the show’s music needs a chance to shine as well.  Usual criteria for this: Liking more than half of what I listened to overall which is harder than it seems. This is probably why Senrei no Moribito‘s, Byousoku no 5cm‘s,Hayate the Combat Butler‘s (yeah really) and Heroic Age‘s OSTs aren’t on here: They we’re good consistent stuff, but they just didn’t work with me as well as these ones here did. And because ef‘s kickass soundtrack won’t be out till next year apparently (as short as that time is now), I’m not including it here. 😛

Impressions on a Year 2007: Awesome OPs and EDs

Written by TheBigN 

Self-explanatory really, though my writing might not be. Whether because of the song, the visuals, or both, these intros and outros worked for me this year. Using youtube, I tried to get all raw versions, but some only had a subbed version. But that shouldn’t be too important, should it? 😛

BTW, this probably is a long post, which also explains what happens when you aren’t too selective. :3

Thankful for Anime, 2007

Written by TheBigN

Granted, this will be bit earlier than usual for some, but why not get that head start in anyways? 😀