Anime/Manga It's not like I want you to post in me or anything, b-baka.

[machomuu]

I was thinking about watching the Persona 3 movies somewhen. I'm wondering if it's just the fourth game that is terrible and if the rest of it might not be so bad. Even if I couldn't get into 5 and put it down pretty quick

It...depends. If you ended up liking the P4 anime more than the game, I can't see any reason that you wouldn't like the P3 movies more since they completely outshine the P4 anime. And this is coming from someone who enjoyed P4 vastly more than P3 (as games, at least).

So I've been thinking of actually starting to watch anime. Hmm... I don't suppose there's a good list of things to watch that are also current?

Got to say, I've been thinking I'm probably missing out on a lot of things.

Hm...current how? The people here would be more than glad to give you recommendations, and there are several things from the past couple of years that nigh The people here would be more than glad to give you recommendations, and there are several things from the past couple of years that might be suited to your tastes, but it takes a while for anime to be really dated.

There are a bunch of lists online for getting people into anime, but hell, I'd say you would be better off if you give us what you're looking for then we give you recommendations based off of that.

 

[pkmin3033]

Maybe it just isn't for you. I loved both 3 and 4. Pretty much two of the best games I've ever played. And I'm sure 5 will be just as great if not better, too. The games are better than the anime any day for me btw. Like I said, different tastes probably :p

Well, I don't think I would have disliked P4 as much as I did if not for Yosuke in particular, who I despised for his blatantly homophobic attitude towards Kanji, who I felt was the only character with anything even remotely resembling personality. I couldn't really get past that because the game kept shoving it in my face. The anime, however, did not....sure, it was still in there, but things moved along at a reasonable pace and didn't leave too much time for it. I guess that was the only reason I could watch it. The anime cut out a lot of aspects of the game that I found tedious, too.

I suppose it is a question of taste mostly. Persona games are very slowly paced, and if 4 had started with pretty much anyone other than its two worst characters, I think I would have liked it more. The anime still started with them, but...well, watching an episode takes less time than playing a game, right? Plus there was less dialogue, which worked in its favour this time. Normally less dialogue is bad, but with Yosuke, Chie, and Teddie...well. The other members of the cast weren't quite as offensive to me, though.

It...depends. If you ended up liking the P4 anime more than the game, I can't see any reason that you wouldn't like the P3 movies more since they completely outshine the P4 anime. And this is coming from someone who enjoyed P4 vastly more than P3 (as games, at least).

Well, I have zero experience with P3, and honestly part of my reasoning in wanting to try the movies is because it might warm me up to the franchise, after P4 turned out to be the worst thing I've ever experienced, despite supposedly being the best game in the series. Plus I'm just curious, since 4 movies is a lot, and wasn't Trinity Soul an adaptation of P3? Or was that something else? I dunno. Maybe I just want to torture myself or try ridiculous things I probably won't like because nothing is really appealing to me any more like it used to.



@Twiggy, I'd recommend avoiding current anime, or taking recommendations to heart, as you'll get a dozen different viewpoints on just a single series, and the only way you'll know if you'll think something is good is to watch it for yourself. I'd say note the name of the series if you take recommendations, read a plot summary/blurb, and take a chance if you think it'll appeal to you. What sort of things do you usually watch?

 

[Legendary Silke]

@Twiggy, I'd recommend avoiding current anime, or taking recommendations to heart, as you'll get a dozen different viewpoints on just a single series, and the only way you'll know if you'll think something is good is to watch it for yourself. I'd say note the name of the series if you take recommendations, read a plot summary/blurb, and take a chance if you think it'll appeal to you. What sort of things do you usually watch?

I see. I suppose I could start out first by, well, watching what I have mentioned so that I don't feel really awful the next time I go to... um, well, anywhere.

There has also been quite a few other anime that I have been thinking of watching lately, though seeing as I'm pretty much new to all this stuff, I think I probably am better off growing my tastes organically. Another one I'm thinking of watching soon is Yuri!!! On Ice.

I don't watch TV these days...

 

[pkmin3033]

I see. I suppose I could start out first by, well, watching what I have mentioned so that I don't feel really awful the next time I go to... um, well, anywhere.

There has also been quite a few other anime that I have been thinking of watching lately, though seeing as I'm pretty much new to all this stuff, I think I probably am better off growing my tastes organically. Another one I'm thinking of watching soon is Yuri!!! On Ice.

I don't watch TV these days...

I think growing your taste organically is probably the best way to start; going in and picking the stuff that looks most appealing to you, or that catches your eye for whatever reason, and seeing where it goes from there. A genre preference is a good place to start, but at the same time, there is no guarantee you'll like every show in that genre...and if you watch a lot of shows in a genre you dislike, you might miss out on the one or two you would like.

I didn't watch a few shows I later enjoyed that others told me to avoid because they were awful, and some of the worst shows I've seen I owe to recommendations, too. I don't think there is any anime you "should" watch, really. Aggregate scores on places like MAL have about as much meaning as scores on places like Metacritic do; majority opinion doesn't make something good or bad for you as an individual...or just good and bad in general.

...I know I'm not being very helpful, but my tastes are ecletic and the shows I would recommend watching and avoiding would clash with several other's, so yeah. xD

 

[Lipstick Vogue]

It's not a show I'd usually recommend to a first time watcher but as you're interested in Maid Dragon just go for it. If you watch and like it then you're in for a good time with this anime stuff.

 

[Legendary Silke]

I think growing your taste organically is probably the best way to start; going in and picking the stuff that looks most appealing to you, or that catches your eye for whatever reason, and seeing where it goes from there. A genre preference is a good place to start, but at the same time, there is no guarantee you'll like every show in that genre...and if you watch a lot of shows in a genre you dislike, you might miss out on the one or two you would like.

I didn't watch a few shows I later enjoyed that others told me to avoid because they were awful, and some of the worst shows I've seen I owe to recommendations, too. I don't think there is any anime you "should" watch, really. Aggregate scores on places like MAL have about as much meaning as scores on places like Metacritic do; majority opinion doesn't make something good or bad for you as an individual...or just good and bad in general.

...I know I'm not being very helpful, but my tastes are ecletic and the shows I would recommend watching and avoiding would clash with several other's, so yeah. xD

Mmm hmm!

Now that we've arrived on what to watch, or rather how to best grow my tastes... I suppose next thing up is, well...

Was pointed to Crunchyroll a bit by someone else online, but... *internal screaming as Crunchyroll's streaming have pretty much almost everything has its licence explicitly excluding Asia* (Hey, at least Yuri!!! On Ice is available there.)

I'm going to guess there's a reason for that barren library. I hope there's a legitimate source for someone like me that isn't called "wait a while and get it on DVD"...

It's not a show I'd usually recommend to a first time watcher but as you're interested in Maid Dragon just go for it. If you watch and like it then you're in for a good time with this anime stuff.

Hehe <3 I think I'll see where the rabbit hole goes, really.

Honestly, my experience with anime was pretty much Pokémon :P

 

[machomuu]

Was pointed to Crunchyroll a bit by someone else online, but... *internal screaming as Crunchyroll's streaming have pretty much almost everything has its licence explicitly excluding Asia* (Hey, at least Yuri!!! On Ice is available there.)

I'm going to guess there's a reason for that barren library. I hope there's a legitimate source for someone like me that isn't called "wait a while and get it on DVD

Oh boy, I see this way too often. It's getting annoying by now, you would think by now that there would be more international anime streaming service.

Since Crunchyroll and Hulu are out of the question, why not just pirate it? It is definitely in the lawful black area, but just support the show in other ways to make up for the loss. You buying merchandise from the series that you watched is actually generally going to give more money to the creators then watching it on Crunchyroll where how much they get is actually pretty minimal.

I'm not saying going to legitimate way is it a bad thing necessarily, but there definitely is married to doing it otherwise.

 

[pkmin3033]

If you want to support the industry, buy DVDs of the shows you've enjoyed if they're available. Streaming services are good value for money, but they're cheap for a reason - they're sub-par, incomplete, and if you rely solely on them to watch anime you will miss out on A LOT. I think the sad truth is that, right now at least, it really is better to pirate it and soothe your conscience by supporting the industry in other ways than paying out for unsatisfactory streaming services. DVDs cost more than enough anyway...

 

[Lipstick Vogue]

Yeah, somebody tell him about Nyaa but not here because it's probably against the rules.

 

[pkmin3033]

 

[machomuu]

Speaking of, I'm curious.

I know we have a thread for it, but this more more on a conversational level...do you guys tend to buy merch for series that you like?

I've noticed that I consume a lot more than I support so I've been trying to get into it, but other than buying games I haven't really found a good gateway. Honestly, I'd even be down with just posters but I'm not sure where to get a good number of 'em.

And there are conventions, too, but...hm...

 

[Lipstick Vogue]

I sometimes buy anime and manga but I'm not really a merch type person.

 

[pkmin3033]

Not at all...I don't really have the money for merch; I need what little money I have for video games. If a series I like comes out on DVD I will usually buy it - if it's affordable - but otherwise, I have very little merch. A single nendo (which was a gift) and a lot of Pokemon plushies, and that's it.

 

[Legendary Silke]

Oh boy, I see this way too often. It's getting annoying by now, you would think by now that there would be more international anime streaming service.

Since Crunchyroll and Hulu are out of the question, why not just pirate it? It is definitely in the lawful black area, but just support the show in other ways to make up for the loss. You buying merchandise from the series that you watched is actually generally going to give more money to the creators then watching it on Crunchyroll where how much they get is actually pretty minimal.

I'm not saying going to legitimate way is it a bad thing necessarily, but there definitely is married to doing it otherwise.

Mmm... it's kind of something that I didn't really want to deal with, but I guess things kind of force my hand - if possible then I'll probably just buy the DVDs later at least when they show up.

If you want to support the industry, buy DVDs of the shows you've enjoyed if they're available. Streaming services are good value for money, but they're cheap for a reason - they're sub-par, incomplete, and if you rely solely on them to watch anime you will miss out on A LOT. I think the sad truth is that, right now at least, it really is better to pirate it and soothe your conscience by supporting the industry in other ways than paying out for unsatisfactory streaming services. DVDs cost more than enough anyway...

Mmm.

Legit DVDs later on would actually be pretty good given that they could be kept around and as long as there's something in the house that plays DVDs... (Though I do wonder, are Blu-rays common these days, too?)

Sometimes I wonder if this rabbit hole might be really deep.

 

[machomuu]

I'm not sure if it's the same over there, but Blu-Rays are extremely common over here. These days, more and more anime are getting re-released remastered and current anime generally get released (at least Stateside) the same time as their DVDs, and usually at around 5ish dollars more than the DVD.

Personally I'd say it's worth the slightly higher price if you plan on watching from the BD directly, but if you're just buying to support the franchise and you plan on watching online, DVD's definitely the best way to go.

 

[pkmin3033]

Mmm.

Legit DVDs later on would actually be pretty good given that they could be kept around and as long as there's something in the house that plays DVDs... (Though I do wonder, are Blu-rays common these days, too?)

Sometimes I wonder if this rabbit hole might be really deep.

You get a lot of anime Blu-rays now, yeah. Older series are being released (and getting DVD re-releases) more, so you could get a nice variety of things. But Blu-rays cost about double what DVDs do sometimes, and the format is nowhere near extinct yet...and if worse comes to worst, you can play them on a laptop or games console. There is the question of picture quality I suppose if you're into that sort of thing, but...eh, I don't think it makes THAT big of a difference to the experience, personally.

The hole is only as deep as your pockets...or your conscience, if you want to support the industry in some way.

 

[Legendary Silke]

You get a lot of anime Blu-rays now, yeah. Older series are being released (and getting DVD re-releases) more, so you could get a nice variety of things. But Blu-rays cost about double what DVDs do sometimes, and the format is nowhere near extinct yet...and if worse comes to worst, you can play them on a laptop or games console. There is the question of picture quality I suppose if you're into that sort of thing, but...eh, I don't think it makes THAT big of a difference to the experience, personally.

The hole is only as deep as your pockets...or your conscience, if you want to support the industry in some way.

Heh. I think I'll try my best with regard to supporting the creators.

All the anime... here I come! (Well, perhaps tomorrow, or the next weekend, or maybe this Thursday which happens to be a holiday.)

Got to say, my interest in anime... it probably went up after I got into Japanese class, and kind of ended up exploding lately on Twitter.

 

[Lipstick Vogue]

Spoiler:

 

[pkmin3033]

 

[derozio]

I know we have a thread for it, but this more more on a conversational level...do you guys tend to buy merch for series that you like?

if by merch manga/lns, then yes. If we're talking action figures and stuff, no. Though I'd definitely get any T-shirts or clothing if I find some of my fave series.

Well, I don't think I would have disliked P4 as much as I did if not for Yosuke in particular, who I despised for his blatantly homophobic attitude towards Kanji, who I felt was the only character with anything even remotely resembling personality. I couldn't really get past that because the game kept shoving it in my face. The anime, however, did not....sure, it was still in there, but things moved along at a reasonable pace and didn't leave too much time for it. I guess that was the only reason I could watch it. The anime cut out a lot of aspects of the game that I found tedious, too.

I suppose it is a question of taste mostly. Persona games are very slowly paced, and if 4 had started with pretty much anyone other than its two worst characters, I think I would have liked it more. The anime still started with them, but...well, watching an episode takes less time than playing a game, right? Plus there was less dialogue, which worked in its favour this time. Normally less dialogue is bad, but with Yosuke, Chie, and Teddie...well. The other members of the cast weren't quite as offensive to me, though.

That's a valid complaint. A lot of people aren't exactly very hot on the whole homophobic angle Atlus took with Kanji's issues. Yosuke in particular, as you speak, is guilty of it.

Though to be perfectly honest with you, I took it more as a joke than anything else. Which is why it didn't impact my enjoyment of the game/anime as much as it did for you. As for the slow pacing, well, yeah. Another valid issue there. The game really likes to take its time with things XD;

Well, I have zero experience with P3, and honestly part of my reasoning in wanting to try the movies is because it might warm me up to the franchise, after P4 turned out to be the worst thing I've ever experienced, despite supposedly being the best game in the series. Plus I'm just curious, since 4 movies is a lot, and wasn't Trinity Soul an adaptation of P3? Or was that something else? I dunno. Maybe I just want to torture myself or try ridiculous things I probably won't like because nothing is really appealing to me any more like it used to.

Nah, Trinity Soul isn't related to P3. It is a standalone work with one character from P3 cast making an appearance somewhere in it. That's about it.

Maybe give the movies a go, yes. They were definitely higher budget than the P4 anime and just didn't have much "downtime" in them. That'd alleviate your pacing complaints to a degree, I suppose.