Date: 5/25/2002 21:42:34 -0400
From: "Jennifer Carino" lilr0se182@hotmail.com
To: themreviews@themanime.org
Subject: a 3rd Fushigi Yuugi OAV? A
Is it true that a 3rd Fushigi Yuugi OAV series was released (or will be
released)? What is it suppose to be about? The
"happily ever after" ending of the 2nd OAV didn't really setup for there to
be anymore storyline. What can you tell me about this?
It is true. The third series, FUSHIGI YUUGI EIKOU-DEN, is four episodes long, and is based on volumes 14-18 of the manga, as well as the 7th and 8th books in a series of novels (FUSHIGI YUUGI GAIDEN), which were planned by Watase Yuu, but actually written by Nishizaki Megumi (who has also written novels for Watase's SHISHUNKI MIMAN OKOTOWARI). Watase announced the OAV series at Animazement 1999. The official site of the series is located at this URL: http://www.pierrot.co.jp/fushigiova/ (of course, it's Japanese only).
To: themreviews@animelovers.zzn.com
Subject: Outlaw Star 2?
From: AmBrar12@aol.com
Date: Tue, Apr 23 2002 3:29:54 AM EDT
Have you heard anything about a possible 2nd season of Outlaw Star in Japan? I'm new to anime, and Outlaw Star was one of the first series I watched (my gosh am I glad it was). I guess I liked it more than others, because struck a chord in me that so far no fan site I have seen reflects. Anyways, I would love a 2nd season. And one more thing, am I the only one who thinks Melfina is really beautiful?
Well, apart from ANGEL LINKS (which is not a true sequel, but a separate story set in the same universe), I have not heard anything about a second season of OUTLAW STAR.
As for Melfina, well I can assure you that Gene certainly finds her to be quite attractive. ^_~ Somehow, I doubt you're the only one.
will you ever finish your review (aka, review the rest of that series?)
please? I appreciate your opinions... thanks
Isaac
Jason Bustard has the whole series on DVD, so a review is forthcoming some time after he comes back from California (where he is visiting family). Though we are holding off on new reviews until the site overhaul, which will occur some time during the month of May. (We hope.) Keep your eyes peeled!
Date: 4/21/2002 07:43:44 -0400
From: Christopher Thrash thrash@io.com
To: themreviews@themanime.org
Subject: Himiko-Den review nitpick All headers
"Hmm. Another thing that throws me off a bit is the character of Koran.
Girl with glasses and twin braids…gee, just like Li Kouran from Sakura
Wars! (Again?)"
The similar name caught me, too, but actually Koran is the _other_ girl --
mussy red hair, open-hand martial artist. Girl-with-glasses-and-twin-braids
is named Tadami.
Regards,
Chris
I saw this title on fansub, and the fansubber in question was fooled by the similar names, to the point of subtitling "Tadami" as "Koran" incorrectly ... oops on their part, and oops on ours. Thanks for the correction! (We'll get that fixed after the site overhaul next month.)
In your review of Gundam Wing, one of the images displayed shows the g-wing boys in a band setting with the caption " I don't know about you, but I really can't see Char Anzable, Anavel Gato, and Amuro Rey doing anything like this and still be taken seriously..." . Nowhere in the series do the characters actually do this sort of thing, so why put it in the review? The image may be from the creators of GWing, but that scene is nowhere in the series and therefore does not necessarily represent something the characters might do, any more than fanart does. I apologize if this topic has already been pointed out or discussed already (I 'skimmed' through the mail archives, and didn't find anything related).
-Ryan
Thanks to Christi for this reply!
Well, seeing as how I'm the one who wrote the review and chose the pic, I shall explain.
Yes, the pic does not represent an actual scene in the show, but it does speak volumes about how the show is supposed to be perceived by the fans. It sums in one image the essence of Gundam Wing: That it's a damn silly show that should not be taken seriously as a part of the main continuity of Gundam.
Think about it, you never see Char Aznable and Amuro Rey draped over each other in fashionable clothing in publicity shots because the characters are way too serious to do anything like that. Everything in Gundam Wing is done in a tongue-in-cheek way. Yes, it has a serious story, but the characters going through it are most definetly not. I know I state this in the review.
Gundam Wing is the proverbial red-headed stepchild of the Gundam Universe. Most of its fans love the series not because of the mecha or its plot, but because of the outrageously angsty leads. The promo art of the series captures on this, and so having that picture in the review is not out of place.
I love your site & your honesty in reviews & I wanted to know if you planned
on reviewing Boogiepop Phantom anytime? thaks! =)
Isaac
Thanks for the encouragement! We pride ourselves on the honesty in our reviews, and we are glad that our readers appreciate that.
As for BOOGIEPOP PHANTOM, I've been intrigued by it, but I have to hold off on reviewing it until someone in THEM actually acquires a copy of it for review. When we have the new version of THEM Anime (3.0) ready to go, we'll try to implement some sort of CGI title request form for reviews.
Until then, happy viewing, and hope to see you around on the THEM Anime Boards!
Date: 4/21/2002 19:42:34 EDT
From: Princesse089@aol.com
To: themreviews@themanime.org
Subject: ... All headers
i really don't appreciate your review on Gundam Wing. trowa has way more
lines than u give him credit for. wufei, yeah he's sexist but that doesn't
mean he should die! and...WHAT THE HECK IS A MILQUETOAST??!!!! again....i
REALLY don't appreciate your review
Whoa! Don't get so heavy! It's just a TV show.
I think you took us a bit too seriously, we don't *really* want Wufei to die (he's an animation character, it's not like we can actually facilitate that happening!) and while Trowa is soft-spoken, he's not entirely silent.
But compared to other series in the same genre, GUNDAM WING is hardly classic fare in our eyes. The characters are silly and over-the-top (with the exception of Duo), and while the plot is decent, the out-of-control characters often make episodes almost unbearably cheesy. Especially when Heero launches into yet another of his self-absorbed angtsy soliloquys about pacifism and being a tool of destruction.
I take it you didn't have a dictionary handy. A milquetoast is a person who is almost painfully sensitive and submissive, which basically fits Quatre to a tee.
Though the female members of THEM do enjoy GUNDAM WING, even they say not a great show by any means. But television doesn't necessarily have to be good to be enjoyable, and you'll notice that despite all the criticism, we do give it a three star rating, which is not a put-down by any means.
I'm not trying to convince you to agree with us, but do realize that we are 20 to 30-year-old college students, and we probably won't enjoy a show like GUNDAM WING as much as its intended demographic, which is primarily teenage females. And since we've seen a good deal of the GUNDAM series (as well as countless other anime, involving pretty boys and/or giant robots), GUNDAM WING simply didn't impress us that much. But you can still enjoy it all you want, there's nothing wrong with that - personally, I find GUNDAM WING fandom to be more lively and interesting than the very show it follows.
Date: 4/16/2002 19:39:53 -0700
From: "Mary Wu" To: Subject: help All headers
This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
Hi there, I was searching on the internet for any information on hana no ko lunlun, or flower girl lunlun, and I was so ecstatic that someone has actually seen and even wrote reviews on this old anime series. Now here is where I really need your help if you can. I grew up on hana no ko lunlun and have been searching for it for awhile now. IF you have the series or knwo any place where I can get the series please let me know. I would appreciate it so much.. and if you have the series I would be happy to buy a copy... :) thanks!!!
BIG ANIME FAN
Mary
Oh, I wish I knew where to find more than the two episodes I've managed to see. LUNLUN was my wife's favorite show when she was a young girl, and she found one tape of it (the American dub, called ANGEL) at a local video store. It's easily my favorite '70s anime, just from those two episodes alone!
Apart from the one tape (which I'm afraid is lost even to us now), I have no clue where to get anything LUNLUN, apart from raiding the merchandise in my sister-in-law's room. (Just kidding, Natalie!) However, a Google search of the show may pull up something that might help you. There may be a chance that somebody, somewhere still has a copy of either the English-language dub, the various European releases, or maybe taped the Japanese version off TV. (Here's hoping the recent majokko revival will produce a DVD or even a VHS version back in Japan!)
I wish I could be of greater assistance, but best of luck to you, and happy viewing!
Date: 4/16/2002 15:41:17 -0400
From: Shawn Carroll (hjcarr01@athena.louisville.edu)
To: themreviews@themanime.org
Subject: Thank you
My brother is an anime enthusiast, and introduced our family to "My
neighbor Totoro", a very heartwarming anime suitable for family
viewing. Unfortunately, it was in Japanese only. I have been looking
for a copy as one of my sisters just had the first child in our clan.
Your review has kept my from purchasing the pirated "Studio Ghibli"
edition, as first I have time before the kid is old enough, and secondly
I fear a butchered translation would damage a movie like Totoro more
than most. Your site was the only one of two on the net with a posting
on the set, and helped me make my decision. Thank you, and I hope this
encourages you to ignore the flames and keep up the good work.
Sincerely,
Shawn Carroll
Thank you for the kind words ^_^
You may be interested to know that Disney recently acquired the rights to MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO, which had previously belonged to Fox Home Video. This puts the title in serious limbo right now, as Disney has not seen fit to release any of its Ghibli properties since the Miramar PRINCESS MONONOKE release a while back. There should still be copies of the Fox MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO dub on VHS available on video store shelves, but this title should be, sadly, considered out of print.
Best of luck to you and your family ^_^ I will be updating the THEM Anime site with many more family-oriented titles, as my nieces grow old enough to begin enjoying anime as much as the rest of their family does. (AKAZUKIN CHACHA, here we come!)
Date: 4/14/2002 20:15:36 -0500
From: "Jimmy Jameson" To: themreviews@themanime.org
Subject: Why I will not read reviews on your website- my whiny complaint All headers
OK, so whenever I visit an anime review site I always look at the reviews for my favorite anime, FLCL.
well, I look at your site and I see two stars.
Seriously, TWO STARS.
sheesh, what was stuck in that guy's ass when he wrote that?
I mean, seriously, now I can understand how you could possibly rank it 4 stars(some people are too boring to get caught up in the mood), but two?
GAH!
First off, it's very bad policy to review an entire site based off of a review of one title. THEM has half a dozen review writers, with differing opinions, who have produced over three hundred anime reviews. Check out some of the other reviews on our site, and let me know if disagree with all of them as much as you disagree with the FLCL review.
Secondly - while we like Gainax as a whole (especially NADIA and GUNBUSTER), we do not consider them or their work inviolate. We will be honest about our opinions, and, frankly, if we genuinely don't like a title, we will say so, regardless of whether or not a title happens to be popular. Personally, I agree with the FLCL review, I find the work utterly pretentious and completely nonsensical, with a dash of just plain snarky, and I don't feel compelled to have to change my opinions (or the opinions of THEM's staff) based on disagreements with readers. (Though the stick-up-the-ass comment is clearly uncalled for, I have no wish to propagate any sort of flames over this.)
This is something you should be used to in anime fandom - people disagree all the time on all sorts of titles. This is a site on anime opinions - so therefore, we may disagree with you. That hardly means anything in the personal sense, you are just as entitled to your opinions as we are to ours. We have merely chosen to publish them.
Keep the personal insults to a minimum, and we'll gladly welcome you back to our site any day. It's not like we can stop you or anything. ^_^ Happy viewing!
Date: 4/14/2002 21:08:47 EDT
From: LinkinPark818@aol.com
To: themreviews@themanime.org
Subject: End of Evangelion
I was reading your Review List yesterday, and I came across something called
End of Evangelion. I, being the Evangelion fan I am (= P), was surprised
when I never heard of it. I went to the place I usually get my anime,
DVDPlanet, and they don't have it. I also went to your link to Manga
Entertainment, but it still didn't give me anything about it. Can you help me?
Thanks for your time.
END OF EVANGELION was the final version of the NEON GENESIS EVANGELION theatrical release. It is currently not yet available in North America, due to some strange distribution snafu. Last I checked, Manga Entertainment had the rights to what they call EVANGELION THE MOVIE. Note that ADV Films has the rights to the TV series. So you can see the conflict of interest here.
We'll just have to be patient and wait for the climactic end of this situation.
On an unrelated note, Linkin' Park is a really, really good band.
Hey i was reading your reviews for most of the anime on the list as i have seen most of it, and was wanting to note a correction and update and ask for a reccomendation- Some of my fav classic anime's are C.B., Trigun,Inu Yasha, Love Hina~~!.NGE,Kenshin,Flame of Recca,and several others for a start i believe a few of these titles are not listed and would like to note this correction and update on the series LOVE HINA. Probably one of my all time favorites, They are creating three to four more specials, Love Hina Once again, and Love Hina After math, Kinda like what happened with the El Hazard Series another must see/add! Your revies are great,also would you give me the names of some titles of anime similar or identical to love hina like a Comedy/romance with the twist of action like love hina all thrown in and shaked up? I have been searching for one like it as i have greatley enjoyed Love Hina. Well hopefully you guys will respond soon Thanks!
Jivan(Known as ~Shadow~) Forever and always Anime Fan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks! That's more of an update than a correction, since none of the information on the LOVE HINA review was actually wrong. In any case, it's all quite an accomplishment for a series that was originally intended as a filler title for the magazine it ran in. O_O
While LOVE HINA draws from many other series in its themes, none of them are quite like it. I have already listed a few titles at the bottom of the LOVE HINA review (which has been uploaded to the main site, by the way).
MAISON IKKOKU features an aspiring college student who falls for the beautiful apartment manager who moves into his complex amid comic hijinks. Whereas TENCHI MUYO, OH MY GODDESS, and MAMOTTE SHUGOGETTEN are romantic comedies featuring normal guys who become surrounded by girls. Probably closer in theme would be series like TOKIMEKI MEMORIAL, SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY, and dating simulation based anime of that sort, though those are purely romance titles, and not truly comedies. HAND MAID MAY and COMIC PARTY are spin-offs of the "harem" genre, with a good deal of comedy in them.
There's websites for practically all these titles on the AniPike (www.anipike.com), so you may want to do some research before taking the next step into these titles.
To: themreviews@animelovers.zzn.com
Subject: Thanks for the answer
From: Cristopher Castro Date: Fri, Mar 29 2002 2:44:49 PM -0600 (CST)
Thank you for the previous answer. Don' t worry about replying in english, I may not be very fluent in it... but I do have a lot of english-spanish dictionarys.
I' ve heard somewhere that Sunrise/Bandai doesn't want to release the MS Zeta Gundam, Gundam ZZ, Victory Gundam and Turn A Gundam in North America because they are far to dark and violent for the general public. Do you know if it' s true? I hope not. By the way, do you have any info on the release date of Char's Counterattack in the US? I want to buy it as soon as it is available.
Speaking of Gundam (yeah I'm a little obssesed with that series), are you planning to do reviews of Gundam ZZ, Victory Gundam and G Gundam. I' ve actually seen plenty of each and even tough V Gundam wasn't a big success in Japan I think it's as good as the legendary Z Gundam, Gundam ZZ may have plenty of high jinks but I don't think that it's as bad as (dare I say it) Macross 7, and G Gundam isn't stupid or silly, it's more of a cliché anime series because it has many things that were freccuent in animes like Mazinger Z and the original Getter Robo series... tough I still like the UC Gundam series a lot more.
Do you know an anime called Galaxy Express 999?. Is it any good?
I like (tough not much) the Saint Seiya anime (It's really big here in my country and in South America) and was wondering if there is a review of it coming soon from you. Same for Samurai Troopers (called Samurai Warriors for some strange reason in my country) and Raideen.
I was reading your anime mailbag and noticed that you were talking about the magical-girl Myth and that Sailor Moon invented the "monster-of-the-week" stereotype, I don' t think thats really thruth tough, because I think that the "monster-of the week" of Sailor Moon is just a variation of the "super-robot-monster-of the week" pioneered by Mazinger Z.
Thanks for answering. Congrats from México.
It would seem counterproductive for Bandai *not* to release those series, as they have already released GUNDAM 0080 and GUNDAM 08TH MS TEAM, which are *not* light and fluffy anime series at all. Also, ZZ GUNDAM isn't entirely angst - if I recall, that's the series with the frighteningly named Camilla. O_O G GUNDAM is nicknamed "Street Fighter Gundam", which is pretty much apt. The Dutch Windmill Gundam isn't the beginning of the sheer silliness of this series.
I never know release dates, the best place to check would be their website. Either http://www.bandai-ent.com or http://www.animevillage.com should work.
While SAILOR MOON did not invent the monster-of-the-week cliche by any means (the monster-of-the-week dating back through both Japanese and American animation - think SCOOBY DOO and SUPERFRIENDS as well as MAZINGER Z), it popularized the cliche among magical girl shows due to its market penetration and sheer iconic inertia. CUTEY HONEY may have predated it by almost two decades, but it did not have quite the success of SAILOR MOON.
What SAILOR MOON did do was combine the magical girl and sentai genres for the first time. No other series had done that before. Also, with a set of five girls, instead of the singular lead character, more girls were likely than associate and empathize with one of the Sailor Senshi, so even if a girl didn't like Usagi, they may latch onto Makoto or Ami. Pretty sneaky and effective tactic, there - borrowed directly from SAINT SEIYA and SAMURAI TROOPERS, which were actually much more popular with the female market than the male audience in Japan ^_^
GALAXY EXPRESS 999 is excellent. The original series aired in the late 70s/early 80s, and it's tangentially linked to CAPTAIN HARLOCK and QUEEN EMERALDAS. Those characters often make cameos in GALAXY EXPRESS 999. The THEM review for this title has been delayed for four years, I'll get it done eventually.
Having seen a grand total of one episode of SAINT SEIYA, I'm not qualified to write the review. Eric Gaede, however, is quite qualified - and he probably saw the same version you did (CABALLEROS DEL ZODIACO - apologies, my computer does not print accent marks). YOROIDEN SAMURAI TROOPERS will have several reviews, and I'm debating on whether to review the US dub (RONIN WARRIORS) separately. Somewhere in one of my notebooks I have a review written on the YOROIDEN SAMURAI TROOPERS GAIDEN video series (which has them teleported to Tanzania to fight a Maasai - I think - who inexplicably wields a giant boomerang). (PS> It's terrible.) RAIDEEN may be difficult - not only did it not get released in the US, but of all of us in THEM, I think *maybe* Christi saw it at a convention many years ago. Which is too long ago for more than a footnote.
