Anime Spring 2011

[Finch]

Yeah, sorry, i meant as good as AnoHana. It's better than Windy Tales, and that was my very favorite!
Is the rest of Clannad as good or should i skip straight to?

[Compass]

There's some great stuff in the first season. It's mostly lighthearted and sets up all the heart-wrenching in After Story nicely. But it's also much more "stock," and doesn't take the risks of season 2. I would never skip ahead, but I can be pretty dedicated and patient. I could see others possibly getting bored and never making it to the second season. Which would be a shame.

[Finch]

Yeah, it's all on Netflix so i'll sit down and watch it soon.

To address what you said before, I think something would be lost if everyone could have some kind of proof of Menma being back. Even Jintan doubts her existence, but he wants to believe. Maybe i'm just overthinking it, but i feel like the viewer needs some kind of doubt too. We see Menma outside of Jintan's perception and the subtle effects she has on physical things, but no one ever sees a piece of meat disappearing into the air, because they're looking away. It looks like the next episode might change that though!
The apology thing bothered me for a split second, but i got over it fast. He's one of those guys that can't be direct, and it's really hard for him to apologize, like even if you died and came back he would sit there thinking about it too much because he's afraid you'll think less of him for waiting so god damn long than you would if he hadn't said anything at all. THAT'S MY TAKE ANYWAY.

MAN, I WATCHED ALL OF IT, and i'm sad it's more than halfway over now.

[Compass]

Is it only 12 episodes, then? That's actually a relief. I didn't want it stretching itself thin over 24 episodes.

Regarding your first spoilered part, I wholeheartedly agree with the value in ambivalence and how it overall serves the story. That doesn't stop the very practical part of my brain raising a ruckus when things simply don't make sense. Apparently even during an anime about a ghost.

Hopefully Netflix has subtitled Clannad on IW? Or did you mean you would rent the discs. That's what I did. And yeah, you should be able to get through the first season pretty quick. It's kinda sectioned off into "arcs," some much better than others. An early one features a small earnest girl intent on carving wooden starfish and handing them out to kids at school. "Dozo." She's also easily distracted by cute things. Her name is Fuuko and she makes the first season worth watching all by herself imo. I think you'll like her as well.

[Finch]

Oh shoot, i didn't even think that it might be an English dub. Yeah, i'll watch it subbed.

[Compass]

I just checked and it's dubbed on IW. It's also not HD. You're probably better off just torrenting the Blu-rays. THORA and Coalgirls both did 'em and have the whole series packaged as one torrent. Not sure if there are still seeds, though. Apparently Coalgirls' version is a bit better, plus the file size is smaller (14GB as opposed to 21GB).

[Finch]

Thanks for the info, Compass.

Also. The one real problem with AnoHana is that it lacks sufficient amounts of Papa-chan. He's kawaii.

[Finch]

Hey! Look what's in the background of AnoHana!



I wish i was watching it again RIGHT NOW.

[Compass]

I noticed that!

Yeah, it's tough waiting for the new episode. We gotta make it all the way to the 2nd! It's nice to have a show that elicits such anticipation, though. I'm watching lots of good stuff this season, but AnoHana's the only one I get antsy for when Doki's late with the upload.

[edit]: Finch, there's tons of seeds on the Coalgirls torrent. AnoHana's put me in the mood for manipulative poignancy. I just teared up watching After Story's OP, it brought back so many bittersweet memories. I'm d/l'ing the first season now and am gonna re-watch all of Clannad!

[edit2]: Haha, yes, this rules and is hittin' the spot. I forgot how sweet Nagisa was with her antennae hair.

[edit3]: lol, what the hell, my memory is god-awful. Lighthearted my ass. The Fuuko arc is as emotional as anything I've seen and a masterpiece to boot.

[edit4]: Doki has a Clannad Blu-ray batch torrent as well. I'd buy all of these, but they're only available on DVD in the US. The JP Blu-ray boxes are like $600, wtf.

[Anal Kaboom]

Really two pages and no one's mention Deadman Wonderland?