I'm fairly sure this question was already asked, but I can't find it... So, are there a lot of Fluxphiles who also like anime? If so, what would you reccomend? My favorites are Revolutionary Girl Utena, probably the weirdest seires ever (exept for Fon, of course), the Stars and SuperS seasons of Sailor Moon (the rest is crap, and the flowers popping out of peple's heads reminds me of the Demiurge), and Wei_ Kreus (ultra-violent flower-shop assassins).

-- Kiru B. (kirub@earthlink.net), June 03, 2000

Answers

Like most, I was first indoctrinated to the magical world of anime through Akira. I became temporarily entranced by ultra-violent shindigs such as Street Fighter and DragonballZ but, you know, you can only watch big muscly guys beat the fool out of each other so many times before you've seen it. I later moved on to Evangelion, and I take much smug pride in shaking my head and tsking all those fans who hate the last episode because it was ambiguous and touching, instead of just following the tried and true method of blowing shit up. And yeah, I've got this Sailormoon thing goin on, too. Girl's my hero. Eats as much as she wants, sleeps as much as she wants, cries without shame, kicks unGodly amounts of booty. If I could do it all over again I'd be more like her. The problem with that show is that it has such a large range of writers, some of whom are very talented but most of whom have the writing skill of a melon rind. I've never heard of Weiss Kreus. Sounds German.

-- Frostbite (mbkrooks@bellsouth.net), June 03, 2000.

It's not anime, but I love Frank Frazetta, and I wish he made anime, check it out: http://Frazettaartgallery.com/ff/index.html, you will recognize where the Maxx's inspiration for the queen of the jungle came from.

-- Barb e. (Suesuesbeo@aol.com), June 03, 2000.

Sure, I'm not biased, I like all good animation. IMO, the problem with Evangelion is that, as beautiful as it is, it's also very manipulative and preachy (sort of the anti-Aeon). I like The Hakkenden, Battle Angel, Please Save My Earth (except for that ending), Key: The Metal Idol, Iria, Tenchi Muyo and the works of Studio Ghibli...

-- Paul D. Gilbreath (gilbreathfamily@worldnet.att.net), June 03, 2000.

Anyone ever see an anime movie where there is a train that comes from space?

-- Barb e. (Suesuesbeo@aol.com), June 04, 2000.

I think Galaxy Express 999 might be the one with the train? Matsumoto is pretty cool I love his style. I love good animation and a decent story is a bonus. You can't go wrong with Ninja Scroll. Frostbite is right about Evangelion, you have to pick the right episodes, some can test your patience.

-- William (stateofflux@yahoo.com), June 04, 2000.

Yeah, that was it I think, I came in after the first few minutes and fell asleep before it ended. It was pretty interesting. Thanks.

-- Barb e. (Suesuesbeo@aol.com), June 04, 2000.

I've heard about Galaxy Express 999. It's supposed to be really deep, like a metaphor of the Great Train of Life or something.

-- Frostbite (mbkrooks@bellsouth.net), June 05, 2000.

I could hardly sleep after reading the letter of P. Chung to CM Martin. I can't help but wonder if he slept. Is this heaven? Don't you just love the info about the architecture? Frostbite, you are an angel, or should I say Seraph? Anyway, I did not know that that train was a metaphor, I like it, and does anyone know what an Otaku is?

-- Barb e. (Suesuesbeo@aol.com), June 06, 2000.

I assure you, my entire existence is now officially vindicated. "Otaku" is Japanese for "obsessive geek." That's us!

-- Frostbite (mbkrooks@bellsouth.net), June 06, 2000.

Oh man, I walked into that one.

-- Barb e. (Suesuesbeo@aol.com), June 07, 2000.

Haw haw... oh wait, that applies to me as well!

-- Paul D. Gilbreath (gilbreathfamily@worldnet.att.net), June 07, 2000.

Have you noticed that some Aeon episodes are more anime-influenced than others? Ok, ok, I know that it draws mainly from the French style of Moebius, but there are scenes, like the speed blurs in Demiurge (watch when the two guys are fighting), that just scream "anime". Are there some anime fans among the Aeon Flux staff?

-- Paul D. Gilbreath (gilbreathfamily@worldnet.att.net), June 07, 2000.

Chung's said he's been heavily influenced by a lot of Japanese animation. Also, that episode was animated in Japan, so I'm sure either of those could account for it.

-- Matthew Rebholz (matrebholz@yahoo.com), June 07, 2000.

I too think Aeon Flux are influenced mostly by Moebius, not by anime...

The late _Gardens of Aedena_ has even a quite similar setting, and I recomment it to all the Aeon fans.

Yet Aedena is graphically gorgeous but conventional in its plot, it's not as revolutionary as _The Airtight Garage_.

-- Vittorio Barabino (bromo@flashnet.it), June 09, 2000.

Yes, I love Anime, just wish I could see more of it. Haven't yet seen Utena, but I would love to as soon as I can find a tape. I also liked Ghost in the Shell, and Green Legend Ran (reminded me a bit of the Demiurge ep. actually). Also, I HAVE seen the show with the train that goes through space, but I, too cannot think of the title. But wasn't the part when they visited Pluto cool (eg. frozen ice people segment). I am also a big Armitage fan.

-- Joey V. (popejoan_19@yahoo.com), June 10, 2000.

Thanks for your resposes, everyone. I have to reccomend Revolutionary Girl Utena again, having just seen the entire series and movie. It's an incredible, symbolically dense show disguised as a simple Shoujo (pretty girl) anime. In many ways, it's similar to Fon Flux. The character of Akio Ohtori, in particular, is like Trevor with purple hair. He seduces and manipulates everyone in the series, does strange acrobatics in his convertable at 90 miles an hour, and always, always has a justification for his actions. A notable difference between Flux and Utena is that Revolutionary Girl Utena never misses the chance to reuse and develop a character, whereas Fon Flux manages with only two recurring characters. If you don't want to wathc all of a 40-episode series, I beg you to at leat watch the movie. It's got the most gorgeous animation and music, and will confuse the hell out of anyone. Plus, the main character turns into a car remarkably similar to Fon's...Who needs more reccomendation than that?

-- Kiru B. (kirub@earthlink.net), June 10, 2000.

Oh, and I've always heard "otaku" used in the same way Americans would say "trekkie." "Obsessive geek" is an excellent translation.

-- Kiru B. (kirub@earthlink.net), June 10, 2000.

I think the meaning is more severe in Japan. Over here we use "otaku" to mean "anime fan". Over there it means you buy so many manga you have no money left for food.

-- Frostbite (mbkrooks@bellsouth.net), June 12, 2000.

Hey, anyone ever see the Anime Laws Of Physics or some such that's been floating around the net? My favorite law was always "In space explosions are even louder 'cause there's no air to get in the way."

-- Frostbite (mbkrooks@bellsouth.net), June 14, 2000.

YEAHHH! Just saw Utena tonight! Bought all of series 1 (eps. 1-13) and I love it! Utena reminds me of Aeon a bit (fiesty, independent and a snappy dresser!). I haven't seen the eps. with Aoki in them, though. I have no idea how to get the next four series (Black Rose saga, and the others)or the movie. And the first series cost me $100! Any ideas, Kiru B? I would definitely love to see the movie. I've seen some of the pics. Brilliantly animated!

-- Joey V. (popejoan_19@yahoo.com), June 14, 2000.

well the first amime movie i saw was Akira, although i haven't seen that movie in years i can tell you it left a considerable immpression on me. Then i got into sailor mooon..yay which i still watch to this day i love her she is my heroin! they just started to get new episodes out! *jumps with joy* hey is there some new person playing serena? because her voice sounds differnt? well i love dragon ballz i'm hoping they will come out with some new ep's soon because i'm growing impatient! haha. But aeon will remain my all time fave! Well i'll have to check out Revolutionary Girl Utena, i've never heard of that one, sounds pretty interesting though.

-- Lady Morgan (Aeonfluxfan1@aol.com), June 14, 2000.

The new girl playing Serena is the same neutard (I'm sure she's very smart, and well dressed, and polite to her mother, but damned if her voice isn't annoying) who played Himeko in the S movie. Gourd help us all. And in case anybody cares, yes that is the ORIGINAL JAPANESE MUSIC playing in the background. Wheee-haw!

-- Frostbite (mbkrooks@bellsouth.net), June 14, 2000.

Oh, and Lady Morgan, in the off chance you haven't already bought it, go pick up the Sailormoon R movie. They're sellin it just about anywhere you can buy anime. And for Gourd's sake, get the subtitled version, not the dubbed! Yeah, it comes in an uglier box, but it's got better music and acting. And it's cheaper. (I think the ugly box costs less to make)

-- Frostbite (mbkrooks@bellsouth.net), June 14, 2000.

Tee, I love how bad the English dubbing is on Sailor Moon...And how they made Zoicite a girl...And they made Haruka and Michiru (Amara and Michelle, for those deprived) cousins. Cousins! That's so wrong. Joey V.- I'm pretty sure that episode 13, the one where they're recapping all the duels, has Akio in it. Tall, purple guy with the ponytail. I don't know how to get the series or movie, I usually just bum anime off my otaku friends.

-- Kiru B. (kirub@earthlink.net), June 27, 2000.

Mite! I just noticed another Utena movie/Fon Flux parallel. Remember the cute rubber ducky in the pool the Fon-clone bathed in in "A Last Time for Everything"? It reminds me of this great scene in the Utena movie where Miki and Kozue (twin brother and sister) are bathing together, along with a rubber ducky. (and she's shaving his eyebrows, how weird is that?) They're looking at themselves in the mirror, and Micky says something like, "The two of us look very much alike. But it's not like it was when we were kids, is it?" Then Kozue calls him a betrayer, and tries to slit his throat with the razorblade. And later, the duck appears again, to symbolize Kozue's death and transformation into a car. Like I said, it's weird. Too bad it's not available commercially...

-- Kiru B. (kirub@earthlink.net), June 27, 2000.

Anybody ever hear of Unico? And if you like anime, check out this site: http://store.yahoo.com/freethought/ind.html otherwise known as AnimeNation Index

-- Barb E. (Suesuesbeo@aol.com), July 04, 2000.

Yeeess!! I LOVED Unico when I was but a wee nipper! I also liked this thing, though I don't think it was anime, called Serendipity the Magical Pink Dragon or something similar.

-- Frostbite (mbkrooks@bellsouth.net), July 08, 2000.

I honestly can't believe they're dubbing the Amazon Trio episodes. Did somebody say McWhores? Granted, they'll no doubt pull a Zoicite on FishEye, but STILL. When Hells Belles bring their whips, cuffs, and stilleto heels over to play on American airways, you'd best believe my eys will be hot-glued to the screen in awe. And, Heavenly Gourd, has anybody seen the (not yet televised) dub of the R movie? I think they actually ADDED some romantic tension between Fiore and Mamorou. Weeee-ird. And fuckin cool.

-- Frostbite (mbkrooks@bellsouth.net), July 08, 2000.

I may be the only one who cares, but does anyone know when Cartoon Network is gonna air the old Tenchi Muyo episodes?

-- Paul (gilbreathfamily@worldnet.att.net), July 08, 2000.

They're already showing Tenchi Muyo on Toonami in my area. I have to say I like Ryoko's voice actor. My friend said it reminded her of Fon Flux but...I don't hear it. I loved the Amazon Trio! Particularly Fish Eye. It won't be hard to Zoicite him, because no one can tell he's a guy anyway.

-- Kiru B. (kirub@earthlink.net), July 08, 2000.

I've seen the first couple of episodes and a movie of Tenchi Muyo. The entire thing seems to revolve around all these women being in love with him. That's not the whole show, is it?

-- Frostbite (mbkrooks@bellsouth.net), July 08, 2000.

Everybody says such nice things about Revolutionary Girl Utena! I have to see it now. When I fist heard of it, it was described along the lines of "There are these princes. They protect the princesses. This one girl wants to be a protector, not a protectee, so she decides to be a prince." I kinda scratched my head and said "I think I'll pass." Of course, I generally don't tend to like the same type of anime most people do. I found Ghost in the Shell to be nearly unwatchable.

-- Frostbite (mbkrooks@bellsouth.net), July 08, 2000.

What's Tenchi Muyo about? Well, there's this guy who's a long-lost prince of space, supervillians trying to wipe out his bloodline, and a romantic triangle... but one of the girls is his great-aunt? Ick. Honestly I don't know, it's sort of a space opera without the space. And yet for some reason I'm dying to see more, go figure.

-- Paul (gilbreathfamily@worldnet.att.net), July 10, 2000.

morbid curiosity?

-- Barb e. (Suesuesbeo@aol.com), July 12, 2000.

Paul you sly dog, do you mean to tell me that you've been watching Aeon in disguise and never let us in on it!

-- Barb e. (Suesuesbeo@aol.com), July 13, 2000.

For some reason I'm dying to see more...

-- Barb e. (Suesuesbeo@aol.com), July 13, 2000.

I'm sorry to report that DP is not the voice of Ryoko. Petra Burchard does the voice, and she's hyper-annoying, imagine the worst "tough chick" impression you've ever heard. So I watch the sub version... but hey, don't let that put you off. Ryoko *is* one tough chick!

-- Paul (gilbreathfamily@worldnet.att.net), July 13, 2000.

I'm going out and renting this thing tonight.

-- Barb e. (Suesuesbeo@aol.com), July 13, 2000.

All right! Maybe you too will see the inexplicable charm of Tenchi Muyo.

-- Paul (gilbreathfamily@worldnet.att.net), July 13, 2000.

You know, I'm just passing through here, but noting the way you all jump all over the similarities between Aeon Flux and Utena (to wit: bizarre symbolism and a lot of surrealistic plot devices) I thought it might be worth it to mention a new serial by the people responsible for the bizarre symbolism and surrealistic plot devices in Utena. It's an actual story, as in text, with random illustrations, called "Shounen-Ou" -- 'The Boy-King' -- and there are translations available online, as well as a lot of... strange... pictures that would fit right into Aeon's world if they were only more angular.

Merely a suggestion.

-- Yumemisama, The Little Dreamgazer (yumemisama@hotmail.com), July 13, 2000.

Am I out of my mind? I go flying out of the house at like 9 oclock at night to rent basically a cartoon, but years ago I made some sort of a pact with myself to live for arts sake, and by god I'm going to die doing it yet. Guess what, Tenchi Muyo is no longer in print from eps 1-3 and you can still get 4 on, but by then who can follow it, my advice to you Paul is record, record, record. I hope it is on in my area after your build up, because it is now some sort of inherited obsession from your posts to see this thing. Thanks Paul, am I not obsessive enough already? Ha Ha.

-- Barb e. (Suesuesbeo@aol.com), July 13, 2000.

Forgot to mention, Barefoot gen is also difficult to obtain or out of print, it sure sounds like what I'm looking for, I saw a review years ago of this film, they showed a few secs of it, there was a guy in the aftermath of the bomb, with his eyeball dropping out of its socket, and it had a Japanese title, which I dutifully memorized for a long time, but now can't remember, I would remember if I read it, this may be the film. Hopefully I will see it someday. Great reference to the site it is mentioned on.

-- Barb e. (Suesuesbeo@aol.com), July 13, 2000.

Okay, this is officially The Most Amusing Thing I've seen all day: http://www.geocities.com/otakongirl18/smarticle.jpg I especially like the part about how much dubs have improved over the years. Pssshhhyeah.

-- Frostbite (mbkrooks@bellsouth.net), July 17, 2000.

Wait. Stop. that should be http://www.geocities.com/otakongirl18/smsarticle.jpg

-- Frostbite (mbkrooks@bellsouth.net), July 17, 2000.

Hilarious. That reminds me of a post on the anime forum complaining about the censorship of Tenchi Muyo. Apparently, Cartoon Network put clothes on the naked girls, so now they shriek when Tenchi sees them IN their clothes. Isn't TV great?

-- Paul (gilbreathfamily@worldnet.att.net), July 18, 2000.

If those bikinis were digitally painted, they were a DAMN good job. I didn't see any...wiggling. I also noted that during the Toonami preview Sasami(sp?) said "You're a naughty boy, aren't you, Tenchi" and in the actual episode she says "You're a BAD boy." Huh.

-- Frostbite (mbkrooks@bellsouth.net), July 18, 2000.

It's interesting to note that in this article, the guy trips all over himself to point out Race Bannon and Dr. Quest, yet says nothing about Darkwing Duck and Launchpad. Tsk Tsk.

-- Frostbite (mbkrooks@bellsouth.net), July 18, 2000.

Did anyone see that episode of Darkwing Duck where they go to Twin Beaks, the cows are not what they seem, and Launchpad starts talking to a log (which turned out to be Bushroot, a plant-villian type guy)? I'm not making this up!

-- Frostbite (mbkrooks@bellsouth.net), July 18, 2000.

heh heh! i know what your talking about! I used to watch that show! it's a shame they don't have it on anymore! lmao!

-- Lady Morgan (Aeonfluxfan1@aol.com), July 19, 2000.

I always like a good "Twin Peaks" parody. They had a good one today on Saturday Night Live, on Comedy Central... hehe...

-- Matthew Rebholz (matrebholz@yahoo.com), July 19, 2000.

No sooner do I make the Darkwing Duck/Launchpad comment than I stumble across this: http://members.aol.com/negaduck9/dontquak.htm

-- Frostbite (mbkrooks@bellsouth.net), July 21, 2000.

Dragonball Z is the only one to be on the air it is soo cool and i love trunks he is cool even though he does not make it to super saiyen 2.

-- jesus santana (treyballard@hotmail.com), January 05, 2001.

why are dissing her like that sailor moon says eat drit

-- mini moon (my buutt @ . com), February 20, 2001.

why are dissing her like that sailor moon says eat drirt

-- mini moon (cbyer chick 2k2 @ . com), February 20, 2001.

ANN MILLER! Now I remember! ...oh, also, one of her dancing outfits looked suspiciously like Sailormoons'.....

-- Barb e. (Suesuesbeo@aol.com), February 25, 2001.

This is the only place on earth where I find a Darkwing Duck reference and feel no surprise. As for Trunks he's a dweeb Vegeta is where its at.

I am crrently watching a lot of Gundam Wing, and I've seen all but a few of the episodes of Vision of Escaflowne. I must say that Escaflowne has some of the best music I've ever heard on soundtrack, and its origional. Gundam Wing as for it I love that a large part of this show is politcal driven, it adds just that special zip that makes giant robots worth watching again. Speaking of giant robots is there any place on earth a man can go to watch the original Transformers? Its not Japenese, but Japenese people loved it. The Beast Wars - Tranformers was kinda good mostly I liked it for that sweet ass Vancouver voice acting, that same studio did the original episodes of Dragon Ball Z, and just plain old Dragon Ball.

-- (nadar@BigPoppaPump.zzn.com), February 25, 2001.

By the way its Dr. Reggie Bushroot to you.

-- (nadar@BigPoppaPump.zzn.com), February 25, 2001.

Hum trunks? uh no heh, I agree Vegeta is great. Even though he's the "bad" guy. He just has that appeal that makes one want to come back and see some more. But Dragonballz is not the only good cartoon, there is Tenchi!!!! I love Ryoko she has that same sort of appeal that vegeta sends out.

-- Lady Morgan (AeonFluxFan1@Aol.com), February 25, 2001.

Did anyone ever see the anime where the elderly are called aches, and they are expirementing with putting them in robots, that care for them? I saw it once and now cannot remember what it is called. If it helps recall, the robot absorbs lots of other machines, and thinks its the old mans wife. Please if you can help me what was this film called

-- (nadar@BigPoppaPump.zzn.com), February 27, 2001.