We all have our favorite episodes of anime, and now, it's time to stack them against each other and see which one rates as AR's pick for the one, the only, Greatest Anime Episode Ever.
For the first round, I want to give everyone enough time to watch and/or re-watch the episodes in each match. I've decided to do two matches a week, but unlike in the past, these matches will be on different days, since I think having to watch eight episodes in a week would feel more daunting to people than having to watch 4 episodes in 4 days. For now, I'm planning to update matches on Sundays and Thursdays, which should give ample time for people to watch through each episode in a match before they vote.
In regards to linking to the episodes themselves, I'm basically following this preference system: Youtube>Crunchyroll>FUNimation>[adult swim] video>Viz/Hulu>Daisuki>KissAnime. I know some people can't watch stuff on Hulu so I'll try to avoid linking there if I can, but I'll still generally lean towards listing the legal places where people can watch stuff before the unofficial/illegal ones.
Similarly, when it comes to posting sub and dub versions of shows, following the same preference system above, I'll post the most readily available version found on that site. If both the dub and site are available, I'll lean towards the dubbed version unless specifically desired otherwise by the person who nominated the episode.
That's about it! Now, without further ado, let's start the first match!
Round 1: Match 1
(https://67.media.tumblr.com/1e280dd0e664aabafc6d64a62b58a011/tumblr_oa35ohZfg51r6toezo1_640.jpg)
The Big O #14: "Roger the Wanderer" (https://kissanime.to/Anime/The-Big-O-Dub/Episode-014?id=67714)
VS.
(https://67.media.tumblr.com/9073052835b978ccd47b71b9407c468a/tumblr_oa35ohZfg51r6toezo2_640.jpg)
Death Note #17: "Execution" (http://www.viz.com/watch/streaming/deathnote-episode-17/685/dub)
VS.
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/4d1e520240ea6d55b152e74a27dc3af9/tumblr_oa35ohZfg51r6toezo3_640.jpg)
Ouran High School Host Club #13: "Haruhi in Wonderland" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5brVRPUdH8c)
VS.
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/ea50902150a42ac93d10eec43a5127b2/tumblr_oa35ohZfg51r6toezo4_640.jpg)
Revolutionary Girl Utena #37: "The One Who Brings the World Revolution" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpifzKIP4GA)
I'll watch the Big O and Death Note episodes dubbed because they had pretty good ones. How are the Ouran and Utena dubs?
Ouran's dub is great. I know absolutely nothing about Utenna.
Also, fair warning CX, it's going to be hard finding links to subbed versions of the DBZ TV Specials, legally or otherwise. I tried and still haven't found anything other than the dub. In such case, don't worry about linking to the episodes if nothing comes up.
I wouldn't know either, I've only watched Utena subbed.
The Death Note and Ouran episodes aren't available to me. I'm going to look for alternative ways to watch them (shouldn't be hard).
Quote from: Foggle on July 10, 2016, 01:59:09 AM
I'll watch the Big O and Death Note episodes dubbed because they had pretty good ones. How are the Ouran and Utena dubs?
The
Utena dub isn't very good. I'd recommend watching it subbed.
Quote from: Dr. Ensatsu-ken on July 10, 2016, 02:11:55 AM
Also, fair warning CX, it's going to be hard finding links to subbed versions of the DBZ TV Specials, legally or otherwise. I tried and still haven't found anything other than the dub. In such case, don't worry about linking to the episodes if nothing comes up.
Nah, they're on FUNi's site (http://www.funimation.com/shows/dragon-ball-z/videos/official/bardock--the-father-of-goku?watch=sub) if you're an EVS subscriber (http://www.funimation.com/shows/dragon-ball-z/videos/official/the-history-of-trunks), and I've found (https://kissanime.to/Anime/Dragon-Ball-Z-Special-1-Bardock-The-Father-of-Goku/Special?id=37627) other links. (https://kissanime.to/Anime/Dragon-Ball-Z-Special-2-The-History-of-Trunks/Special?id=37629) We're good. :)
I'm going to try to find time before Thursday to watch these. Utena is new to me, but I haven't seen the other 3 in a while, even though two of these are my nominations. :P
Pass on this one. Yeah I know, I suck.
I'll vote on this round either sometime later today or tomorrow. I've watched three of these episodes already, but really need to re-watch two of them, and I haven't seen Utena so that one's going to be completely new to me.
Quote from: LumRanmaYasha on July 10, 2016, 10:01:43 AMthey're on FUNi's site (http://www.funimation.com/shows/dragon-ball-z/videos/official/bardock--the-father-of-goku?watch=sub) if you're an EVS subscriber (http://www.funimation.com/shows/dragon-ball-z/videos/official/the-history-of-trunks), and I've found (https://kissanime.to/Anime/Dragon-Ball-Z-Special-1-Bardock-The-Father-of-Goku/Special?id=37627) other links. (https://kissanime.to/Anime/Dragon-Ball-Z-Special-2-The-History-of-Trunks/Special?id=37629) We're good. :)
Nice! :joy:
Quote from: gunswordfist on July 10, 2016, 11:13:40 AMPass on this one. Yeah I know, I suck.
Well, just so long as you know....
:D
The only one of these I've seen is Big O, so I'll probably be passing on this round.
Okay, I've rewatched these episodes and am ready to vote!
"The One Who Brings the World Revolution" -
Spoiler
The friendship between Utena and Anthy forms the emotional framework of RGU, and here their relationship is on the brink of falling apart due to their resentment towards the other's relationship with Akio and regrets over the way they've treated the other. Additionally, Utena starts to lose her sense of identity as her idealistic vision of the "prince" she's always tried to emulate starts to crumble as she comes to learn more about what Akio is actually like, but she feigns ignorance to his true intentions out of attraction to him. Ultimately, she's able to move on thanks to the examples of Juri, Miki, and Nanami, who have moved on from the loves and regrets that tormented them, and whose friendship with Utena makes her realize that what she has with Anthy is more important to her than Akio or the revolution. The scene where Anthy and Utena both claim to have poisoned the other's food but continue to eat it anyway shows the trust they continue to place in each other even after all the lies and jealousies they've held towards one another, and when Anthy can't bear her burdens and what she's done to Utena anymore and tries to commit suicide, Utena tells her to not run away from her and face their problems together. In the end, despite the risk, Utena chooses to face Akio not to meet her fairy tale prince, but to free Anthy from his control and stop his machinations, and with Utena's support Anthy's received the confidence to stand up for herself and against her brother for once. The way this episode puts Utena and Anthy's friendship through the wringer but has them come out stronger for it cemented it as my favorite Utena episode ever since I first watched it and it remains so now.
-
Spoiler
The framework for this episode is brilliant. Roger starts to think about how without any memories his world, life, past, and sense of self could all be a fabrication, and his persona of "Roger Smith" not being the real him, but just a part he's playing in a constructed world that's operating like some sort of play. Tormented by this thought, he imagines himself in a world where he's stripped of everything that makes him "Roger Smith," scrutinizes the circumstances which led him to piloting the Big O, and basically tries to comes to figure out who he really is in a world where other people don't know and can't define his identity for him, and what purpose his life would serve without Big O and the people around him. Ultimately, he realizes that that fear, his self-doubts about being who he thinks he is, is controlling him and letting him run away from the real problems and questions he needs to ask, and the job he must do. Whether he's playing a part or not, so long as people continue to call him "Roger Smith," that is who he is and shall always be.
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Spoiler
We're on a roll with deeply introspective episodes this match! And naturally, just like the above episodes of their respective series, this happens to be my favorite episode of Ouran. In a Alice-in-Wonderland-styled fantasy dream Haruhi explores her abandonment issues and sadness towards the death of her mother, reevaluates how she sees herself as a person and woman, and criticizes her own serious, studious personality for preventing her from getting the most out of life and appreciating the friends she's made in the Host Club and Ouran Academy, and ultimately, she's able to let go of some of her baggage and come to terms with her lingering feelings towards her mother and embrace the fact she's genuinely having fun being in the Host Club and with her friends.
-
Spoiler
You got to love the lengths that both Light and L go in order to outwit the other, and L's plot here is really cool, as he creates a scenario in order to forcibly determine whether or not L and Misa are the Kiras by putting them in an emotionally-intense situation to see if they'd make a mistake under pressure and determine their capabilities if either of them were Kira. If it weren't for the fact that they had both lost their memories of having Death Notes he may have very well succeeded in at least exposing Misa definitively, but in the end he does have enough evidence on her to consider her the second Kira without a shadow of doubt. A really cool plan that definitely keeps the viewer on their toes while watching the episode and shows L at some of his best.
Great first match, all in all. ;D
Question: I've never watched any of Ouran, is it the more episodic type of anime (á la Mushi-Shi) where you can just start with any given episode and it won't be a problem, or do you have to watch them in order?
Ouran is mostly an episodic anime. You could watch this episode without any prior exposure to the series and still get most of what's going on.
That's good to know, thank you.
I'll be back with my votes in a bit. Though I should point out that I already know which my #1 will be.
In the interest of getting my votes in, I'll list my rankings now and explain my choices later when I have some more time:
Haruhi in Wonderland
Roger the Wanderer
Execution
The One Who Brings the World Revolution
Same as LumRanmaYasha
Haruhi in Wonderland was good, definitely made me interested in checking out more of Ouran at some point.
Quote from: Pharass on July 11, 2016, 02:13:35 PMHaruhi in Wonderland was good, definitely made me interested in checking out more of Ouran at some point.
Just keep in mind that "Haruhi in Wonderland" is not necessarily indicative of the tone of the whole series. While the rest of the series has its interesting subtext, there is a lot more straightforward comedy in the regular episodes (but IMO, it's very good comedy with very well-realized characters). This episode stands out from the rest in how tonally different it feels from the rest of the show, but at the same time it has a lot to say about Haruhi as a character and how she fits in (or rather struggles to fit in) with the people around her, aside from the members of the Ouran Host Club who she has become more close with over time.
The rest of the series is still great though, of course. In fact, as much as I enjoy this episode, it's actually not my favorite episode of the show. There are about two or three others that I find to be even more appealing to revisit from time to time, but this episode is definitely a top five for me.
Same as listed.
So, here are my brief explanations for my choices:
"Haruhi in Wonderland" - As I've already elaborated on, while not my favorite episode of the show, it's such a well put-together piece that uses the template of the classic Lewis Carroll novel to metaphorically describe Haruhi's life. Much like the titular character Alice in her story, Haruhi finds herself surrounded by a rich, aristocratic society which she just doesn't fit in with. Of course, her circumstances are still very different from that of Alice, as a show of this nature takes place in a very different context, but the general themes are still similar enough for this sort of story outline to be applied here. While I'm usually not a fan of shows trying to ape stories from classic literature in order to appear smart, this is one of the few examples of a show that actually gets it right.
"Roger the Wanderer" - It's no surprise that this episode was written by Chiaki J. Konaka himself (which makes me regret not nominating a Digimon Tamers episode, but it was hard for me to pick one since I didn't have enough time to re-watch my favorite parts of the series), and that in combination with the brilliant directing and incredibly fluid animation (for a show of this budget) really helps to give it the recipe for success. This is once again a case where I'm usually not a fan of episodes of this type, that being the abstract metaphorical episode, but once again it's just done so well here that it's hard to find any fault with it. And also like with that episode of Ouran, this isn't my favorite episode of the show, but it definitely earns its place in this competition.
"Execution" - This is a really good episode to demonstrate L's line of thinking, how he's clearly not a good guy and will sink to any level to get the results that he desires, and how dead set he is on insisting that Light is Kira and that Misa is involved. At the same time, being that their memories have been temporarily erased, we do get a sense that Light does have a genuine respect for L, and under different circumstances they would have made a great team. Granted, I always felt that it was a little out of character for Light to not see through L's ruse, as he really seemed to think that his father was about to kill him (and on that note, Light's father really is such a great character). Regardless of losing his memories, Light should still be as clever and observant as he has always been, but I suppose you could say that the weeks of being locked up without any real human contact made his mind weary to the point where a high-stress situation really could fool him. At any rate, it's good stuff, but since this part of the plot wraps up within the first half, the overall episode falters a bit from the exposition-heavy second half which is mainly just set-up for how the rest of this story arc will unfold. And for that reason I have to rank it a bit lower than the other two.
"The One Who Brings the World Revolution" - Really interesting directing and aesthetic designs, here. But, yeah, as you can tell by my ranking of this episode at the bottom, I haven't actually seen this series yet, and thus watched this episode completely out of context. I have no doubt that I'll have a much grander appreciation for it when I finally do work my way around to watching this show, but aside from being able to comment on the interesting use of visuals, I can't tell you anything about the characters or story because quite frankly I have no idea what was going on. Like, there is that interesting scene where the three girls are talking and it's inter-cut with each of them hitting a birdie whenever one of them finishes a statement or response. Does any of it mean anything within the context of the conversation? Given this show and it's director's reputation, I'm absolutely positive that it does, but when seeing this episode out of context like this, I couldn't even begin to guess what that meaning is. That's just my elaborate way of saying that this is clearly an episode that you can only truly appreciate if you've actually seen all of the previous episodes leading up to this point. Someday I will, but for now I'll have to rank this based on how I currently feel about it compared to the competition.
I'm going with the same as EK.
I was going to write about each of them, but this episode of Death Note is a little slower than I remembered (what mostly sticks out is L and Light's dad's ploy, which is executed well, but the pacing is a little off in the second half), and while I do like the Utena episode, I can't especially connect to it, as it's all new to me. I know that when I finally get around to watching it in full, I'll probably enjoy it much more, though.
So, the new match is supposed to go up today (Thursday), right?
Quote from: Dr. Ensatsu-ken on July 14, 2016, 05:09:10 PM
So, the new match is supposed to go up today (Thursday), right?
That's the plan, but first...
Quote from: Foggle on July 10, 2016, 01:59:09 AM
I'll watch the Big O and Death Note episodes dubbed because they had pretty good ones. How are the Ouran and Utena dubs?
Do you still plan to vote on this match Foggle?
I want to, but I won't have time to watch them all today unfortunately. :( Go ahead with the next round.
Very well. Then without further ado...
Results:
The Big O #14: "Roger the Wanderer" - 16
Death Note #17: "Execution" - 9
Ouran High School Host Club #13: "Haruhi in Wonderland!" - 14
Revolutionary Girl Utena #37: "The One to Revolutionize the World" - 11
"Roger the Wanderer" and "Haruhi in Wonderland!" move on to the second round! The next match will be posted shortly.
Round 1: Match 2
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Lupin III Part II #145: "Wings of Death; Albatross" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/lupin-the-third-part-2/episode-145-wings-of-death-albatross-685749)
VS.
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/5af4b32ba240aa92628511457ee34bf8/tumblr_oacgu5odU31r6toezo3_640.jpg)
Yu Yu Hakusho #52: "The Death of Genkai" (http://www.funimation.com/shows/yu-yu-hakusho/videos/official/the-death-of-genkai)
VS.
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/3a093d5b6f95de64a5f3723187cd5d0a/tumblr_oacgu5odU31r6toezo2_640.jpg)
Lupin III Part IV #13: "The End of Lupin III" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/lupin-the-3rd-part4/episode-13-the-end-of-lupin-iii-691937)
VS.
(https://67.media.tumblr.com/7cfec42f2b7af5093f02ceb1e8d96d5d/tumblr_oacgu5odU31r6toezo4_640.jpg)
Yu Yu Hakusho #74: "Sleep, Doctor, Sleep" (http://www.funimation.com/shows/yu-yu-hakusho/videos/official/sleep-doctor-sleep)
Two Lupins and two YuYu's. Goddamnit, you did this on purpose CX! :srs:
I'll need to re-watch that Part II episode and also check out that Part IV episode, but I already know what my favorite for this round will be.
Wow, most of these are familiar AND fresh to me!
All I need to do is find time for that Part IV episode, which I'll try to do today.
Quote from: Dr. Ensatsu-ken on July 15, 2016, 08:01:56 AM
Two Lupins and two YuYu's. Goddamnit, you did this on purpose CX! :srs:
It's not my fault the random generator is so mean. :oo:
Pass again. Doesn't matter to me who wins this one. ;)
"Sleep, Doctor, Sleep" - Brilliant animation, a big moral conflict for our main character, a memorable villain, and some really strong dialogue make this one of the best episodes in all of Yu Yu Hakusho. That said, for anyone who either hasn't watched the show or doesn't remember it very well, even if it's not in this round I highly recommend that you watch the previous episode leading into this one as they really do both go together in my mind. About my only gripe is that the English dub voice actor for Doctor really hams it up a bit more than he should, IMO, but he deliver the closing line of the episode really well.
"The Death of Genkai" - So, this is kind of embarrassing being that I'm a huge Yu Yu Hakusho fan and all, but being that this was one of my extra nominations at the last minute, I didn't bother to double-check the episode list for this show and I ended up nominating the wrong one. I actually meant to nominate one of the subsequent episodes dealing with the aftermath of this one, but goofed up on that. Even so, being that it's one of those last-minute nominations of mine, I'm OK with that, and in all honesty it's definitely still a terrific episode. Genkai's death does have a lot of weight to it and truly does feel tragic, even knowing full well what happens later. It's also great to see her story arc come to a culmination here as she finally faces off against Toguro, once a friend to her, as they bring their bitter age-old rivalry to an end.
"The End of Lupin III" - I really do need to get around to watching the rest of Part IV, but one of the great things about Lupin III as a franchise is that its episodic nature allows you to jump in almost anywhere and be able to completely grasp what's going on. I really liked how this episode had the humor, wit, and charm of classic Lupin all throughout, yet also managed to be an interesting exploration of the age-old rivalry between Zenigata and Lupin. Great stuff, overall.
"Wings of Death; Albatross" - A very stylish and entertaining episode with some great animation that quite frankly still holds up today. While it doesn't quite have the depth or nuance of the other Lupin episode in this match, it makes up for it in sheer grandiosity, and who doesn't love seeing Fujiko getting to be a total bad-ass?
That was a really tough round for me. However, while I'm not keen on pitting two great series against each other like this, it is actually a really good sign for this competition that we are getting matches like this in the first round. That's kind of the point. Everything nominated should already be considered by at least someone to be a contender for being the best of the best, and if we had twice as many nominations just for the sake of it then no doubt the first few rounds would be stale and by the time we actually narrowed the list of contenders down to the truly special ones, most of us would be burned out on participating by then. So keeping the nominations fairly limited like this really was for the better, IMO. We get more genuinely interesting match-ups right from the start.
Yeah, this was a toughie, but I prefer it that way. The competitions are much more intense, exciting, and fun when they're squared on nominations people are truly enthusiastic and passionate about. And now that I've rewatched these episodes, I'm ready to vote on this match:
"The Death of Genkai" -
Spoiler
A terrific and tragic culmination of Genkai's character arc and a fascinating exploration of her relationship with Toguro, revealing layers to the character previously unseen as well as cementing his formidable, intimidating presence as a villain while adding a deep personal grudge between him and Yusuke into their conflict. Genkai's laments on not being able to make Toguro see the light before she dies and her tearful pleas to Yusuke to not make the same mistakes and become like him are heartbreaking moments that really tug on the heartstrings, as is Yusuke's livid and futile attempts at revenge at Toguro and his ensuing frustrating at his own helplessness to stop him. Even though one might know Genkai will come back to life in a couple episodes, the impact of her fight with Toguro and her death still stings upon rewatching it, and makes for one of the most powerful and best episodes of the entire show.
-
Spoiler
A brilliantly directed fights with incredibly fluid and expressive character animation, awesome cinematography, and intense use of dark shadows and claustrophobic lighting. Visually, it's one of the best looking and most inventive fights in not just YYH, but in any Shonen Jump anime adaptation. In standard Togashi fashion, all the characters are well-utilized here, and the situation is made intense for the heroes because of psychological strategy and mindgames moreso than any physical treat. Of course, what really makes the fight so unique is the moral quandary posed by the Doctor's invulnerability and Yusuke's decision to take his life in order to save the lives of countless innocents. It would be so easy for him to do it, but that's not the point. The point is whether or not Yusuke will cross that line, and whether he can live with the guilt of his actions after he goes through with it. In the end, he makes his choice, and given the circumstances it was the only choice available to him. His conscience is assuaged thanks to Genkai, but this is only the beginning of the trials Sensui puts in his way to challenge his morals and ethics, and the Doctor's chilling monologue at the end of the episode establishes an ominous tone that casts a huge layer of dread and tension for the events to come. Everything involving the fight between Yusuke and the Doctor is masterfully done, but in rewatching and comparing these episodes I found that the Keiko/Shizuru scenes, while enjoyable in their own right, broke a little bit of it's momentum at several intervals during the episode, whereas I felt a more consistent tone and pace while watching "The Death of Genkai," hence why I favored the latter a bit more here. But both are among my favorite episodes from the show.
-
Spoiler
One of the two episodes in Part II directed by Miyazaki and regarded by many as the series' best. It's definitely a very Miyazaki-esque premise, with tons of high-flying adventure and action set-pieces, and of course, beautifully detailed and animated planes. It's a pretty packed and fun episode that moves at a brisk pace and has some great animation and a fun story to it to boot, almost as if it were a mini-sized version of one of the Lupin movies. While it's not my favorite episode of Part II, it's pretty close to being a "perfect" Lupin episode if there ever was one.
-
Spoiler
This is a great sequel to Part I's "One Chance to Breakout," and immediately goes in a different direction than that one by having all of Lupin's old tricks prove ineffective and placing him into a situation where he's seemingly met his match. Of course, Lupin isn't the world's best con artist for nothing, so it's all part of his crazy elaborate plan. But the meat of the episode isn't so much in figuring out Lupin's scheme, but in seeing Zenigata's reaction to putting Lupin through this trial and realizing how much he means to him and how he's defined his career in his pursuit of him, and if he was gone, he wouldn't know what to do with himself. I always enjoy episodes where Zenigata shows his softer side towards Lupin, and I love his proud laugh when Lupin outsmarts him and escapes at the end. He wouldn't want it any other way.
Sleep, Doctor, Sleep has just about everything in it. The stakes, the drama, and the dialogue, in this episode are so good. But for a shonen anime, the animation is surprisingly great as is the direction. The light outside the hospital is pitch white, and inside it's black with only the light from the windows shining through. Even when they show the bad guys waiting outside, they're all covered in black shadows even though the light is pitch white. Pierrot went all out with this episode and it shows. The way Kamiya degrades physically and mentally as the encounter goes on is extremely well done and matches well with how Yusuke's dilemma is presented. This is Togashi at his best, in my opinion.
My choices:
1. Sleep, Doctor, Sleep
2. The Death of Genkai
3. The End of Lupin III
4. Wings of Death; Albatross
Great episodes.
Same as Spark of Spirit.
It saddens me a bit that The One to Revolutionize the World didn't make it. Although, in some ways, I suppose it was to be expected; Utena is definitely a show that the viewer need to watch from the beginning, in order to get the most out of it.
Quote from: Pharass on July 16, 2016, 10:51:23 AM
Same as Spark of Spirit.
It saddens me a bit that The One to Revolutionize the World didn't make it. Although, in some ways, I suppose it was to be expected; Utena is definitely a show that the viewer need to watch from the beginning, in order to get the most out of it.
I'm sure that I would have ranked it higher if I had actually seen the show, and believe me, I really do want to. I just have so much stuff on my backlog that it'll be a while before I can actually get to it.
The Death of Genkai
Sleep, Doctor, Sleep
The End of Lupin III
Wings of Death; Albatross
Sleep, Doctor, Sleep
The Death of Genkai
Wings of Death; Albatross
The End of Lupin III
Great match, but the YYH episodes are definitely the stronger set. But I'm really excited to make it to Part IV now.
Quote from: Dr. Ensatsu-ken on July 16, 2016, 11:15:45 AM
Quote from: Pharass on July 16, 2016, 10:51:23 AM
Same as Spark of Spirit.
It saddens me a bit that The One to Revolutionize the World didn't make it. Although, in some ways, I suppose it was to be expected; Utena is definitely a show that the viewer need to watch from the beginning, in order to get the most out of it.
I'm sure that I would have ranked it higher if I had actually seen the show, and believe me, I really do want to. I just have so much stuff on my backlog that it'll be a while before I can actually get to it.
Completely understandable. I too, have a lot of shows on my backlog (anime and otherwise), which is why I'm not sure how much of this tournament I'll really be able to participate in.
Results:
Lupin III Part II #145: "Wings of Death - Albatross" - 8
Yu Yu Hakusho #52: "The Death of Genkai" - 20
Lupin III Part IV #13: "The End of Lupin III" - 10
Yu Yu Hakusho #74: "Sleep, Doctor, Sleep" - 22
"The Death of Genkai" and "Sleep, Doctor, Sleep" move on to round 2! The next match will be up shortly.
Round 1: Match 3
(https://65.media.tumblr.com/b224e30a93bc3314436979c1bd203555/tumblr_oahgzjs4hp1r6toezo3_640.jpg)
Revolutionary Girl Utena #27: "Nanami's Egg" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yz2zUFKTSK4)
VS.
(https://65.media.tumblr.com/b4fa4697ce86e70e61c0e187eb28c5af/tumblr_oahgzjs4hp1r6toezo1_640.jpg)
Detective Conan #11: "The Moonlight Sonata Murder Case" (http://www.funimation.com/shows/case-closed/videos/official/the-moonlight-sonata-murder-case-part-1)
VS.
(https://65.media.tumblr.com/f27440a4a4086a7fd34cdb9dbbb8d536/tumblr_oahhbt1CLo1r6toezo1_640.jpg)
Outlaw Star #4: "When the Hot Ice Melts" (http://kissanime.to/Anime/Outlaw-Star-Dub/Episode-004?id=70060)
VS.
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/f0cc3ff25cd7bc2e536033c312d03d2a/tumblr_oahgzjs4hp1r6toezo4_640.jpg)
Yu Yu Hakusho #69: "The Power of Taboo" (http://www.funimation.com/shows/yu-yu-hakusho/videos/official/the-power-of-taboo)
Hmm Conan's episodes are standalone and I've probably seen this one before so..yeah, I'll vote!
I'll give the Utena and Case Closed episodes a watch tomorrow.
How does this RGU work as a stand-alone?
Quote from: Avaitor on July 17, 2016, 10:42:53 PM
I'll give the Utena and Case Closed episodes a watch tomorrow.
How does this RGU work as a stand-alone?
Pretty well for an
Utena episode, I'd say.
My votes:
The Moonlight Sonata Murder Case: Out of the
Detective Conan episodes I've seen, this case has always struck me as one of the most memorable.
Nanami's Egg: The episodes focusing on Nanami tend to be among the more comedic ones that RGU has to offer and this one is no exception. At the same time, it also does a good job highlighting Nanami's innocence and naivete regarding certain matters, adding new layers to her character.
The Power of Taboo.
When the Hot Ice Melts.
The Power of Taboo
Nanami's Egg
When the Hot Ice Melts
The Moonlight Sonata Murder Case
These are all good episodes! The Utena episode makes me feel a little more welcome than the previous one I saw, and the Case Closed is pretty solid. I'm still going with YYH at the top, though, since it's just hard to top it at its best.
When the Hot Ice Melts
The Power of Taboo
Nanami's Egg
The Moonlight Sonata Murder Case
"The Power of Taboo"
'When Hot Ice Melts"
"The Moonlight Sonata Murder Case"
"Nanami's Egg"
All good episodes, though obviously I'm a bit biased towards the shows that I'm more familiar with. However, I still really did enjoy Conan and RGU quite a bit as well. Moonlight Sonata was a good classic-style mystery, and I just remembered how I find it so unintentionally funny whenever I hear Conan summing up morbid crime details in his child voice, since the voice-acting plays it so straight. It was also nice hearing the full English dubbed versions of the opening and ending themes again. That felt really nostalgic. As for Nanami's Egg, it does work as a surprisingly good stand-alone episode, and I was also surprised at just how humorous it got for a series that isn't really known for comedy.
Just two more episodes. Please hold.
4. Utena - What a funny episode, "Maybe she's a space alien!"lol I love this series animation.
3. Hilda - Just finished this.
Spoiler
I forgot Hilda had a heroic suicide
2. Moonlight Sonata - Sounded much less like a dude this time around. Conan unraveling this mystery was beautiful.
1. Power of Taboo - The use of "camera angles" in this episode was incredible. I love how Kurama won with laughter. The most clever fight in the series.
"The Moonlight Sonata Murder Case" -
Spoiler
The first hour-long DC case, and one that left a deep impression with me when I first watched it as a kid. It's one of the definitive cases in the series my opinion, a captivating mystery with lots of atmosphere, intrigue, and suspense. But what really stands out is the climax, and the tragic fate of the culprit that still leaves me melancholy and wistful. It remains one of my favorite moments in the show. And suffice to say, whenever I hear the Moonlight Sonata I immediately think of this episode. Is it the best case in the series? That's debatable, since there's been so many more classics that've come out of it's 800+ episode run. But it's the one that left the most impression on me when I was young, and is the first case that comes to mind when I think of the series, which is why I've always considered it my favorite.
-
Spoiler
My favorite episode of YYH. My favorite fight in YYH. It is the only fight in the series, and one of the very few I've seen in any action series, that doesn't require characters physically harming each other to beat them. It is masterfully directed, with crazy perspectives and gaudy colors enhancing the midscrewing and otherwordly feel of Kaito's territory, making for a wholly unique and memorable environment. This episode is also Kurama at his best, the last man standing within minutes of the beginning of the episode, and having to save his friends through cleverly timed strategy and unconventional means of getting his opponent off guard. If any episode shows Kurama's prowess as a tactician best, it'd be this one. But Kaito himself is a great foil, smug and sure of his own intellect but with the brains to back his boasts, making it all the more hilarious and satisfying to see Kurama beat him at his own game. I'd never seen anything like this in an action show when I was a kid, and it was just the kind of thing I'd always wanted to see in one, and I still haven't seen another battle of wits nearly as satisfying since.
-
Spoiler
Nanami episodes are always so strange, but also very funny. This episode in particular has a great metaphor for puberty and maternity going on with the egg, and it's nice seeing a more genial side to Nanami's character. At the same time, it also shows both her naivety and innocence compared to the rest of the cast, but also some of the ways she's matured as a person throughout the series. Out of everyone in the cast, Nanami probably has the most dynamic character arc in the series.
-
Spoiler
Great introduction to the show's titular ship and an exciting climax to the show's first arc, and basically origin story for it's crew. Hilda steals the show as she often does in the early episodes, and her heroic sacrifice at the end is pretty badass.
Same as LumRanmaYasha
Results:
Revolutionary Girl Utena #27: "Nanami's Egg" - 14
Detective Conan #11: "The Moonlight Sonata Murder Case" - 19
Outlaw Star #4: "When the Hot Ice Melts" - 14
Yu Yu Hakusho #69: "The Power of Taboo" - 23
"The Moonlight Sonata Murder Case" and "The Power of Taboo" move on to round 2! The next match will be up shortly.
Round 1: Match 4
(https://67.media.tumblr.com/108fa6e5c545a2b20c19949605e255a5/tumblr_oaoq23dWAy1r6toezo2_640.jpg)
Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid #9: "Her Problem" (http://www.funimation.com/shows/full-metal-panic-the-second-raid/videos/official/her-problem?watch=dub)
VS.
(https://67.media.tumblr.com/c16ea2ace704cbed6cf93922c447fd5c/tumblr_oaoq23dWAy1r6toezo3_640.jpg)
Hunter X Hunter (1999) #56: "Scarlet Eyes X Final Battle X Cost of Life" (http://kissanime.to/Anime/Hunter-x-Hunter/Episode-056?id=35024)
VS.
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/b0d22c9fb7d8bf3f40e304934f0139b3/tumblr_oaoq23dWAy1r6toezo1_640.jpg)
Cowboy Bebop #26: "The Real Folk Blues (Part 2)" (http://www.funimation.com/shows/cowboy-bebop/videos/official/the-real-folk-blues-part-2)
VS.
(https://65.media.tumblr.com/2af38a2203866d16549f82de3221d043/tumblr_oaoq23dWAy1r6toezo4_640.jpg)
Lupin III Part II #58: "Gettin' Jigen With It ("The Face of Good-Bye at the National Border")" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/lupin-the-third-part-2/episode-58-getting-jigen-with-it-679281)
Gettin' Jigen With It? Really?! Really...
Damn! Another tough one. I'll have to re-watch that Lupin episode and also really think about the placement of the other three.
Nice, only one I need to watch. I can probably actually vote this time!
OK, here goes:
"The Real Folk Blues (Part 2)"
"Her Problem"
"Gettin' Jigen With It"
"Scarlet Eyes X Final Battle X Cost of Life"
I'll save my explanations for later, but all are great episodes in my eyes. That said, while I love the Yorknew City arc to death, that HXH episode works much better in the context of the grand scheme of the arc rather than as a stand-alone piece, which is why I put it last. But that fight in the middle third with that brilliantly smooth animation set against an ominously symbolic blood-red moon is one of my favorite scenes from any anime, so that's definitely worth mentioning.
I've gotta rewatch the FMP and HXH episodes, which I'll try to do tomorrow.
"The Real Folk Blues (Part 2)" -
Spoiler
One of the all-time classic anime finales. Spike's past finally catches up to him, and the dream of a life with Julia that he'd always hoped for is shattered, bringing him back to cold reality and accepting his fate. Not that Spike sets out to die, but he's no longer running away in fear of it, and confronts his past and Vicious head on to give himself closure, and finally, truly, set himself free. While the ending is ambiguous, many clues, like the doves flying by and that star fading out in the ending, make it pretty clear that Spike met his end. It's tragic, but he goes out on his own terms, in the true spirit of a cowboy.
-
Spoiler
This is a great character development episode for Kaname. For the first time, she doesn't have Sosuke around to protect her, so she has to figure out a way to protect herself and figure out what's going on. Her strategy shows her cleverness and resourcefulness eve though she's in a dangerous situation and way in over her head, and also shows how much she's learned and grown from her experiences with Sosuke. Up to this point Kaname had been overshined by Sosuke in terms of characterization and depth of character, but with this episode her character arc becomes much more compelling and elevates her into a strong character in her own right.
-
Spoiler
The colors and ambience during the battle between Kurapika and Uvogin is a thing of beauty. The dark, muted palette conveys the grim atmosphere of the scene while also highlighting the blood red color of Kurapika's scarlet eyes and the bloodshed he's forced to commit. Kurapika's morality is tested here as he crosses the line into murder, getting revenge for the murder of his clan but at the cost of a bit of his own innocence and soul. The dripping red light that falls off the moon during the scene is a great depiction of the solemnity of the moment, but the most memorable image to me is the way Kurapika clutches his face in horror and disgust after the deed is done. It's visceral and unsettling. While Kurapika burying Uvogin after the fight is done shows that he hasn't lost his sense of honor or his belief in justice, it's become clear that getting revenge on the Troupe and getting back his clans eyes is only going to torment him with the burden of having blood on his hands, growing the emptiness in his soul instead of filling it.
-
Spoiler
Jigen-focused episodes tend to involve him helping out and being betrayed by a woman he falls in love with, and this is a pretty archetypal example. But it's a good story, and the woman this time is pretty sympathetic even though she's just using Jigen for her own eds, and the ending is rather satisfying if not bittersweet. In terms of Part II Jigen episodes, I think "The Rose and the Pistol" is probably my favorite, but the setting and premise of this one help make it stand out against others of it's nature nonetheless.
Same as LumRanmaYasha.
Same as Spark.
I watched the dub of HXH for this one, since I saw it was available and didn't know that they finished it past the first volume. It's really not that good. Leorio is fine, but the younger hunters don't sound right at all. 2011's dub is much better thus far.
Oh right, I nominated the Hunter X Hunter episode, didn't I?
Quote from: Avaitor on July 22, 2016, 03:14:03 PM
I watched the dub of HXH for this one, since I saw it was available and didn't know that they finished it past the first volume. It's really not that good. Leorio is fine, but the younger hunters don't sound right at all. 2011's dub is much better thus far.
Now you know why I posted a link to the subbed version of that episode. ;)
Quote from: gunswordfist on July 22, 2016, 03:31:59 PM
Oh right, I nominated the Hunter X Hunter episode, didn't I?
Yup. So...you gonna vote? :D
Yes. :D Just stopped by now to get the episode titles.
Sweet, I can watch everything on tv, except HXH...I will vote tomorrow.
Same as Dr. E-K. I do think I'd probably give the edge to the HxH episode if I'd actually watched that far, though. (I will someday, I promise!)
Quote from: LumRanmaYasha on July 22, 2016, 06:51:32 PM
Quote from: Avaitor on July 22, 2016, 03:14:03 PM
I watched the dub of HXH for this one, since I saw it was available and didn't know that they finished it past the first volume. It's really not that good. Leorio is fine, but the younger hunters don't sound right at all. 2011's dub is much better thus far.
Now you know why I posted a link to the subbed version of that episode. ;)
Yeah, true. kissanime and I don't go well, so I usually go to animetoon (my go-to stream of choice, if possible) instead, but I forgot that they're primarily dubbed.
Now that I actually got to experience the dub a little, I know not to bother for when I rewatch the show.
Quote from: Foggle on July 22, 2016, 11:47:01 PMSame as Dr. E-K. I do think I'd probably give the edge to the HxH episode if I'd actually watched that far, though. (I will someday, I promise!)
The Yorknew City arc and moments like in this episode are definitely more rewarding when following the story from the beginning. The fights remind me a lot of the ones from shows like Fate/Zero with both the fluid animation and the intricate combat system which this series has, called Nen (it adds a real sense of strategy to battles, though is initially kind of complex to comprehend).
But what I really like is how Togashi handles character arcs. Much akin to works like
A Song of Ice and Fire or
Vinland Saga, with Kurapika he gets you invested in his revenge plot against the Ryodan, but then has both the character and the viewer question that motivation upon being faced with the reality that Kurapika will have to sink to some low depths to truly achieve what he thinks that he wants. Things are even more morally skewed when the villains aren't pure evil and the heroes have to take on some villainous traits. Kurapika having to try and beat answers out of Uvogin was clearly too much for him, which is why he switched to trying to threaten his life directly, and even after killing him, he felt no satisfaction but only disgust.
It's nothing wholly original, but it's a good change of pace from the pro-violence stance that most fiction seems to take with revenge stories, IMO.
The Real Folk Blues (Part 2)
Scarlet Eyes X Final Battle X Cost of Life
Her Problem
Gettin' Jigen With It
Looks like VLord is the only one who knows how to vote here.
Just to clarify, are you voting the same as Vlord, GSF?
No. Voting in a little bit.
Hunter X Hunter - What a sad, brutak episode. Probably my favorite HXH episode.
Bebop - Didn't really pay attention to the star at the end until now. *sniffles*
Gettin Jigen With It - Worst episode title ever. I stopped my Lupin playthrough so I didn't get to this one yet. Decent episode but I like Jigen's Barcelona adventure much, much more. It also made me feel sadder.
FMP - Episode's kind of disturbing but it was interesting seeing Chidori being in the very scary situation of being a high school girl who's being stalked and can't tell anyone.
Results:
Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid #9: "Her Problem" - 18
Hunter X Hunter (1999) #56: "Scarlet Eyes X Duel X Cost of Life" - 15
Cowboy Bebop #26: "The Real Folk Blues (Part 2)" - 27
Lupin III Part II #58: "The Border Is the Face of Farewell" - 10
"Her Problem" and "The Real Folk Blues (Part 2)" move on to round 2! The next match will be up shortly.
Round 1: Match 5
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/143feaf5526c7219161e2127e8bc5eb7/tumblr_oaursj1hTq1r6toezo2_640.jpg)
Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket #6: "War in the Pocket" (http://www.animetoon.org/mobile-suit-gundam-0080-war-in-the-pocket-episode-6)
VS.
(https://67.media.tumblr.com/efbfe27c4080e951497317d023059c28/tumblr_oaursj1hTq1r6toezo1_640.jpg)
Mr. Osomatsu #25: "Osomatsu-san, Such As It Was" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/mr-osomatsu/episode-25-osomatsu-san-such-as-it-was-692253?p1080=1)
VS.
(https://65.media.tumblr.com/3790395392c56c5e5645adf2750fc991/tumblr_oaursj1hTq1r6toezo4_640.jpg)
The Irresponsible Captain Tylor #23: "The Longest Day in Space" (https://tubitv.com/video/297937/s01_e23_the_longest_day_in_space)
VS.
(https://67.media.tumblr.com/840b0a235ba7ac27bd9b586be99b3198/tumblr_oaursj1hTq1r6toezo3_640.jpg)
Ranma 1/2 #111: "Case of the Missing Takoyaki (http://www.viz.com/watch/streaming/ranma-episode-111/6410/dub)"
I have 5 episodes until I hit that Tylor, so I'd prefer to wait until I make it. Which I should hopefully do before Thur.
I'll have to rewatch the 0080 ep, and check out this Ranma, as well.
pass
Is anyone else voting? I just played catch-up, myself.
"War in the Pocket"
"The Longest Day in Space"
"Osomatsu-san, Such as It Is"
"Case of the Missing Takoyaki"
I'm really enjoying Captain Tylor, and the Ranma episode was fun, as the show generally is.
"War in the Pocket"
"Osomatsu-san, Such As It Was"
"The Longest Day in Space"
"Case of the Missing Takoyaki"
I really do need to get around to watching Tylor and Ranma. Great stuff all around again.
"The Longest Day in Space"
"War in the Pocket"
"Case of the Missing Takoyaki"
"Osomatsu-san, Such As It Was"
Great choices.
"War in the Pocket"
"The Longest Day in Space"
"Osomatsu-san, Such As It Was"
"Case of the Missing Takoyaki"
"War in the Pocket" -
Spoiler
Has there ever been a more powerfully told anti-war message in anime? I personally haven't seen any other one make the case as strongly and well-written as WitP, and this episode is the tragic capper to the never ending tragedy of lessons never learned. Bernie risks his life, believing he's doing the right thing and for the sake of his pride, only to die pointlessly and futilely at the hands of the woman he loved and who loved him, neither ever realizing it. Al can only be a bystander as he watches a battle without purpose, bloodshed without reason, losing his best friend and nearly losing another in the aftermath (though considering Chris is transfered because of her injuries, he does kinda end up losing her too). When I first watched that final scene, where the kids attempt to console Al by promising that there will be another war soon and it'll be totes rad, I burst out loud laughing. It's tragic comedy at it's finest. Those kids know nothing about the human cost of war. It doesn't register in their minds that people die and lives are changed irrevocably because of it. They think it's a game. They haven't felt it. Living in their sheltered bubble, the true meaning of loss and losing a loved one is an alien concept to them. But Al has seen the consequences of war first-hand, and hearing the Principal's banal and insincere platitudes, he can't help but bawl, knowing the truth behind the Principal's words and the indifference of the crowd hearing them. And because those kids have such a misguided, warped vision of war, mankind's mistakes are doomed to repeat itself. In a way, WitP is kind of the anti-Gundam in it's message. For one thing, the so-called protagonists of the story fight with Zakus, and the Gundam is used by the so-called enemy. From this perspective, we see that Gundams and mobile suits aren't the awesome robot toys as marketed to children, but for what they really are: weapons of mass destruction. War machines designed to fight and kill, posing a dangerous threat to peace and civilians in a populated environment. The Gundams and mobile suits aren't any different than nuclear weapons or any other WoMD, and so long as mankind keeps using them, wars will keep escalating in intensity and cost, and true peace drifts further beyond reach. Anyway, the point is that this episode packages strong anti-war themes with a compelling human story with sympathetic, tragic characters, and it's bold criticism of it's own franchise may very well make it the best installment of said franchise, with this episode being it's zenith.
-
Spoiler
The entire series ups to this point has been asking this question: Has Justy Ueki Tylor won his battles because he's an idiot savant, or is he just an idiot? Thrust into leading the most critical campaign of the war, the true nature of Tylor's character is finally tested and revealed, as he ingeniously manages to find a way to both not fight his enemy and win at the same time. No one else would have the nerves and trust in his opponent to fly his fleet right past his enemy without firing a single shot, giving only a single salute or respect to the opposing commander. It's both intense and hilarious at the same time, and just like Tylor, I kind of have to breathe a heavy sigh of relief when it's all over and done with. Without a doubt my favorite episode of the show and one of the most brilliantly written episodes of anime ever made.
-
Spoiler
It was hard deciding which Ranma episode to nominate, but in the end I had to go with the one I rewatch the most, and is without a doubt my most favorite. What I love about this episode is how it starts off as a mundane situation but escalates into utter insanity by the episodes end just playing off of the idiosyncrasies and relationships between the characters. I absolutely love that they all go so out of the way to shift blame to someone else and jump on the bandwagon when a new prime suspect is being accused, and that when it's revealed they're all at fault, they suddenly lose interest and go off on their merry ways as if nothing ever happened, to the bafflement of poor Sasuke. It's a really character-driven episode with a lot of great interactions, running gags, and quotable lines, and it still makes me bust a gut every time I watch it.
-
Spoiler
Mr. Osomatsu ends in a suitably over-the-top and ridiculous episode that references and makes use of every character and running gag introduced throughout the shows run, with a great anti-climax that suits these lovable losers so well. The references to various baseball and sports anime tickle me pink too. Man, do I hope they make another season.
Results:
Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket #6: "War in the Pocket" - 19
Mr. Osomatsu #25: "Osomatsu-san, Such As It Was" - 9
The Irresponsible Captain Tylor #23: "The Longest Day in Space" - 15
Ranma 1/2 #111: "Case of the Missing Takoyaki" - 7
"War in the Pocket" and "The Longest Day in Space" move on to round 2! The next match will be posted shortly.
Round 1: Match 6
(https://67.media.tumblr.com/58b378ff17fad42dd7723a47b2a62559/tumblr_ob3nhc0ZH91r6toezo1_640.jpg)
Blood Blockade Battlefront #12: "Hello, world!" (http://www.funimation.com/shows/blood-blockade-battlefront/videos/official/hello-world)
VS.
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/0876076ba449fb59e6cb27de40462192/tumblr_ob3nhc0ZH91r6toezo4_640.jpg)
Kimagure Orange Road #43: "Heartbroken Hikaru! Follow Her to the Winter Beach" (http://kissanime.to/Anime/Kimagure-Orange-Road/Episode-043-Heartbroken-Hikaru-Follow-Her-to-the-Winter-Beach?id=111924)
VS.
(https://67.media.tumblr.com/c9d6ec252a907609c7e5d4794ec5f077/tumblr_ob3nhc0ZH91r6toezo2_640.jpg)
Cowboy Bebop #18: "Speak Like a Child" (http://www.funimation.com/shows/cowboy-bebop/videos/official/speak-like-a-child)
VS.
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/eeea07b9920c50d2b9cdab8b451ac348/tumblr_ob3nhc0ZH91r6toezo3_640.jpg)
Digimon Adventure #21: "Koromon's Great Battle in Tokyo! (Home Away from Home)" (http://kissanime.to/Anime/Digimon-Adventure/Episode-021?id=12926)
This is a brutal round.
The Bebop episode is familiar to me, but I gotta check the other eps out first.
"Koromon's Great Battle in Tokyo!"
"Speak Like a Child"
"Hello, world"
"Heartbroken Hikaru!"
Wow, Digimon is still fantastic, and BBB is crazy awesome! I'm definitely bumping these shows up higher on my to-watch list.
I had to skip the KOR since I couldn't find a good link to watch it (if I can avoid kissanime, then I will). I'll try to get to the series at some point, though.
Yes, Digimon is still excellent (at least Adventure and Tamers are) and I really hope that people can overlook that it's a kids franchise show and give an episode like this credit for being brilliantly written and directed.
What I find to be so great about this episode is in just how unspectacular it is. What I mean is that while everything before this episode was full of color, action, and adventure, here we get to see the calm beauty and value of the peaceful and mundane. Tai realizes just how much he has been missing his home and family, but Kari's awareness of Digimon still ties him back to that world and he realizes that he and Koromon have to go back for the sake of everyone else that they've left behind. It manages to advance the plot by adding in a new mystery, yet also works as an excellent stand-alone episode, and the ever present theme and values of home and family make it very evident that a young Mamoru Hosoda's influence is all over this.
Also:
Same as Avaitor, but I really do need to get around to watching KOR in full, myself.
"Hello World!"
"Speak Like a Child"
"Heartbroken Hikaru! Follow Her to the Winter Beach"
"Koromon's Great Battle in Tokyo! (Home Away from Home)"
Hello World!
Heartbroken Hikaru! Follow Her to the Winter Beach
Koromon's Great Battle in Tokyo! (Home Away from Home)
Speak Like a Child
Really tough choices.
"Heartbroken Hikaru! Follow Her to the Winter Beach" -
Spoiler
This episode stands above the rest in the series in terms of it's visual style, cinematic feel, and thematic maturity. It's a carefully crafted story, with every element delivered with subtle precision but unforgettable imagery. It's an episode perhaps best enjoyed in contrast with those that came before, as with a knowledge of the characters, the small changes in their behaviors and interactions in moments throughout the episode take on deeper meaning. Yet, even as a standalone, it's a fantastic self-contained story of regret, betrayal, and reconciliation. Did Kasuga sleep with Yukari? It's never made clear, I personally doubt it, but what's more important is that Kyosuke feels like he's betrayed Hikaru's trust and by lying to her Hikaru in turn can't trust him, driving the two apart and threatening the friendship between them and Madoka as well. Through a brilliant abstract sequence, Kyosuke stops drowning out his guilt and runs after Hikaru to face it head-on, and Hikaru has a surreal moment of retrospection where she thinks about everything in perspective and decides that she'll trust and forgive Kyosuke. In the end, they have each other, they trust each other, and are happiest being with each other, and Kyosuke leading Madoka by the hand to join them also reflects how important and essential she is to both of their lives as well; she's the glue that keeps their friendship together. It's a great commentary on the relationship between the three as well as a novel dramatic take on the classic romantic comedy misunderstanding scenario, and there's just so much to unpack and analyze visually and thematically that it's really rewarding to rewatch. There are great episodes of a show, and then there are transcendent episodes, and I would put this firmly in the latter category.
-
Spoiler
An explosive cap to a insanely manic show, packing a lot of awesomely animated action and cathartic dramatic payoff into it's runtime in equal spades. Every character gets a moment to shine and a part to play, while the heart of the episode, the emotional turmoil and crises of identity faced by Black and the King of Despair, White's guilt and inability to move on, and Leo's courage to find a way to save everyone, culminating in a satisfying, if not bittersweet payoff. If I have one nitpick, the exultation of Leo's character by the other characters always felt a little heavy-handed, but he's coming of age and becoming a hero in spite of himself is still compelling and he ends the season a much more sure of himself and his path going forward than he was at the beginning.
-
Spoiler
A brilliantly directed episode courtesy of a young Mamoru Hosoda. His tonal and stylistic shorthands are evident in every frame, and gives the episode a more mature, cinematic air than what you'd have come to expect from the show. The muted, drab colors of the real world contrast with the vibrant spread of the digital world, making the real world feel cold and unsettling, reflecting Taichi's inner conflict. He should feel at ease in his own home, happy to return, and for a moment he is, but as time goes on he finds himself insecure and uncomfortable, and starts thinking about the digital world and his friends, and while he tries to deny and refuse it, he knows that he has to leave everything behind again and return. The Kari's monologue performance also adds to that unsettling, seductive vibe, as while she acknowledges the existence of the digital world, she also keeps telling Taichi and Koromon to stay with her, and pulls Taichi's sleeve before he's about to go in an effort to stay with her at the end of the episode. The themes of belonging and home are characteristic of Hosoda, and they're applied to Taichi's inner conflict with wanting to stay with his family and return to his friends astutely.
-
Spoiler
A fun mystery-adventure that turns into a powerful reflection and commentary on Faye's melancholy loneliness and her struggle to find happiness while dealing with her financial burdens and lacking a place where she feels like she truly belongs. The Bebop and her crew are the closest things to a home and family she has left, and though she tries to find happiness in gambling and money, it's always a momentary and hollow pleasure, and the longer she spends away from them the more she finds herself wanting to return. She's become dependent on the Bebop and her so-called friends more than she's realized. That video of her younger self cheering her future self on at the end is one of the biggest emotional gut-punches in the series.
Quote from: Avaitor on July 31, 2016, 11:34:58 AM
I had to skip the KOR since I couldn't find a good link to watch it (if I can avoid kissanime, then I will). I'll try to get to the series at some point, though.
What site(s) would you prefer to use for legally unavailable subbed anime?
Results:
Blood Blockade Battlefront #12: "Hello, World!" - 15
Kimagure Orange Road #43: "Heartbroken Hikaru - Follow Her to the Winter Beach" - 11
Cowboy Bebop #18: "Speak Like a Child" - 11
Digimon Adventure #21: "Koromon's Great Battle in Tokyo!" - 13
"Hello, World!" and "Koromon's Great Battle in Tokyo!" move on to round 2! The next match will be up shortly.
Quote from: LumRanmaYasha on August 01, 2016, 10:04:41 AM
Quote from: Avaitor on July 31, 2016, 11:34:58 AM
I had to skip the KOR since I couldn't find a good link to watch it (if I can avoid kissanime, then I will). I'll try to get to the series at some point, though.
What site(s) would you prefer to use for legally unavailable subbed anime?
Whatever works for you, really. But I couldn't find this one anywhere.
KissAnime works best for me, but you're having problems with it, and I only want to link to sites we're all comfortable with. :sweat:
Really, I don't mind. I can always find something else, myself.
All right. Though everyone should feel free to suggest alternative sites they prefer using if you're also having trouble with KA. I'll keep an eye out for an alternative I like better myself in the meantime.
Round 1: Match 7
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/c48a4e1cb277a49c7c5fff7c888460a0/tumblr_ob925iM5Vt1r6toezo1_640.jpg)
Cowboy Bebop #20: "Pierrot le Fou" (http://www.funimation.com/shows/cowboy-bebop/videos/official/pierrot-le-fou)
VS.
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/4a2f318218a5158a0e09a5fd9721c560/tumblr_ob925iM5Vt1r6toezo3_640.jpg)
Ashita no Joe #52: "Farewell, Rikiishi Toru" (http://kissanime.to/Anime/Ashita-no-Joe/Episode-052?id=47710)
VS.
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/649da0511cf1809df227520f86f2ccb3/tumblr_ob925iM5Vt1r6toezo4_640.jpg)
Mobile Suit Gundam #40: "A Cosmic Glow" (http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xhh7ix_mobile-suit-gundam-episode-40-a-cosmic-glow_shortfilms)
VS.
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/c4484b49cb0845e5af8a092768d25841/tumblr_ob925iM5Vt1r6toezo2_640.jpg)
The Rose of Versailles #20: "Fersen, a Farewell Rondeau" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/the-rose-of-versailles/episode-20-fersen-a-farewell-rondeau-642955)
Not even gonna bother voting on this one. Pass.
DAMMIT!! I want to vote because Pierrot Le Fou but I do not want to see any late series spoilers from other shows. I'll probably pass
Quote from: gunswordfist on August 01, 2016, 05:11:47 PM
DAMMIT!! I want to vote because Pierrot Le Fou but I do not want to see any late series spoilers from other shows. I'll probably pass
Yeah, I'm in the same boat. :(
Well, part of me is glad that people aren't spoiling one of the best plot turns in manga and anime for themselves, but another part of me is skeptical that anyone here who hasn't already experienced it will ever read or watch that series to begin with.
Anyways, I'm hesitant to vote as well, since I don't want to spoil TROV for myself, but it looks like me, Avaitor, CX, and possibly Pharass are the only people left who are willing to vote, so I'll probably just bite anyways and watch the episode out of context later on this week in order to formulate my ranking. I really do want to watch TROV in full, though. The same goes for Gundam, but since I've already had chunks of the original series spoiled for me a few years ago by a friend who is a huge fan of the franchise, I'm not as opposed to having that episode spoiled.
Yeah, that's a pretty big MSG episode. I don't want TROV spoiled for me, either, but tbh, I feel like by the time I get to it, I'll probably have forgotten the lion's share of this, so I don't mind watching the episode anyway.
I'll watch that after I rewatch this Gundam. I will say that the direction for the AnJ anime was tight as all hell, at least for this episode. If the original series is supposed to be the weaker of the two, then I really need to get to 2 ASAP.
The first anime is directed by the legendary Osamu Dezaki and is rightfully considered to be a true classic. It's a great adaptation of an already great manga. That said, AnJ2 is a tad underrated even by fans, simply because it doesn't have Dezaki's name attached to it, which is why you tend to see the first anime get more recognition. Of course, both anime are generally considered to be excellent, however I find that the second anime actually manages the impossible task of outright improving on its source material, rather than just matching it, and considering that this is my my favorite manga/comic book of all time, believe me when I say that it's no small feat to pull that off.
That said, as for this episode, it's on par with any of the best episodes from either this anime or AnJ2, which is why I nominated it.
Quote from: Dr. Ensatsu-ken on August 01, 2016, 08:16:37 PM
The first anime is directed by the legendary Osamu Dezaki and is rightfully considered to be a true classic. It's a great adaptation of an already great manga. That said, AnJ2 is a tad underrated even by fans, simply because it doesn't have Dezaki's name attached to it, which is why you tend to see the first anime get more recognition.
Actually, Dezaki also directed AnJ2. :P
Quote from: LumRanmaYasha on August 01, 2016, 08:40:44 PM
Quote from: Dr. Ensatsu-ken on August 01, 2016, 08:16:37 PM
The first anime is directed by the legendary Osamu Dezaki and is rightfully considered to be a true classic. It's a great adaptation of an already great manga. That said, AnJ2 is a tad underrated even by fans, simply because it doesn't have Dezaki's name attached to it, which is why you tend to see the first anime get more recognition.
Actually, Dezaki also directed AnJ2. :P
Well then apparently I've been reading the wrong production credits. Goddamn you and your unreliable sources, Internet....:thinkin:
I've read the AnJ manga and watched the compilation films for MSG, so I can watch those episodes without any concerns. I've never watched TROV so I'm not sure how it will be out of context, but I'll still vote since I know I'll be able to properly judge 3 of the 4 eps in this round.
Farewell, Rikiishi Toru
Fersen, a Farewell Rondeau
Pierrot Le Fou
A Cosmic Glow
Good match.
A Cosmic Glow
Farewell, Rikiishi Toru
Pierrot Le Fou
Fersen, a Farewell Rondeau
I'm passing on TROV for now, but even then, I feel like I should probably put "Pierrot Le Fou" last. It's one of the best Bebop episodes, but I've become a little burned out on the show in recent years, and the other episodes are stronger.
But man, those AnJ and Gundam episode are fantastic. Don't skip the MSG if you get the chance, btw. Brad Swaille is a great Amuro.
Same as Avaitor
"Farewell, Rikiishi Tooru" - One of the most tragic and emotionally poignant episodes that I have seen from any piece of animation. Never let the age of something fool you. Truly great writing and stories are timeless. That's about as much as I can say without giving away any major spoilers.
"A Cosmic Glow" - Wow, I didn't expect to get that into something that I'm seeing out of context, but it's a great tinder that I really need to get around to this franchise soon. I didn't appreciate Gundam enough when I was younger, but I have a feeling that it would resonate more with me now.
"Fersen, A Farewell Rondeau" - Much like Gundam, I REALLY want to watch TROV. That said, this was once again an interesting experience despite me watching it out of order.
"Pierrot Le Fou" - A truly classic piece of animation that I appreciate more and more with time for its use of strong visual storytelling.
These rounds are brutal....
The original MSG is a little dated, as you can definitely tell that it's a product of the 70's, but the core characterizations are very well-written, and the story itself holds up well. The movies are probably the best way to watch it, but I do think the show is worth going through as well.
"Pierrot le Fou" -
Spoiler
This is one of the most well-crafted episodes of not only Bebop, but in any show. It is a gripping and bone-chilling action-horror story with phenomenal use of creepy imagery and eerie music, with a villain at once both sympathetic and mortifying. Both fights between Spike and Pierrot are brutal and drip with tension and are easily the best action scenes in whole show. It's one of the most cinematic episodes in a regular cinematic show, and an episode I've revisited regularly.
-
Spoiler
The love triangle between Oscar, Marie, and Fersen is truly tragic. Marie and Fersen's illicit relationship makes them the subject of awful rumors and fuels the resentment against her and the monarchy in the face of France's growing poverty. Marie is completely caught up in her romance; she can't bear to be a single second away from Fersen, though she knows the rumors swirling around and feels ostracized and alone. Fersen knows that their affair is putting Marie at risk and is amoral, but he can't hold himself back from meeting with her, and displaying his affections publicly. Oscar is loyal to Marie to a fault, knowing that she is the only person Marie can trust to be her confidant. But while she desires her happiness above all else, she too has unrequited feelings for Fersen despite knowing that they both truly love each other. She's conflicted between her loyalty to Marie, her friendship with Fersen, and her love for both of them. Ultimately, she is able to help them save face by dancing with Marie at the party, taking attention away from her and Fersen and preventing them from spending time together that night. This has an unintended consequence, however. That night gives Fersen a moment of clarity, and he realizes that so long as he's around Marie the rumors about them and the danger to her will continue, so he leaves off for America - to be away from both in distance and in time, hopefully allowing both of them to move on. Which is heartbreaking for everyone involved. That scene at the end where Andre leaves Oscar alone to shed a solitary tear for Fersen's leave, hoping for his safe return, is tear-jerking itself.
-
Spoiler
Joe dealing with the aftermath of Rikiishi's death, and the emptiness and guilt he feels over it, is painful to watch. As is seeing him run away from all the people who care about him at the end of the episode. Everyone else has come to terms with Rikiishi's death, and is trying to move on, but he still can't accept it and has lost all purpose and meaning in his life without Rikiishi as his friend and rival. It's a tragic and powerful emotional breakdown, beginning one of the lowest and darkest periods in Joe's life.
-
Spoiler
The visuals employed in the aftermath of Lala's death and her mental communications with Amuro are absolutely gorgeous. It's among the show's most tragic and poignant moments too, as Amuro and Char kill Lala as a result of their blind grudge, and inability to communicate and reason with one another. In the end, Amuro still believes in a future where everyone will be able to communicate their thoughts and feelings with each other in the same way that he and Lala could, bringing humanity closer together and ending such needless, costly bloodshed.
Results:
Cowboy Bebop #20: "Pierrot le Fou" - 11
Ashita no Joe #52: "Farewell, Rikiishi Tooru" - 16
Mobile Suit Gundam #40: "A Cosmic Glow" - 13
Rose of Versailles #20: "Fersen, a Farewell Rondeau" - 10
"Farewell, Rikiishi Tooru" and "A Cosmic Glow" move on to round 2! The next match will be up shortly.
Round 1: Match 8
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/0223f97c48414c05c165826d5333a36e/tumblr_obf3zjK66h1r6toezo2_640.jpg)
Detective Conan #76: "Conan vs. Kaitou Kid (Phantom Thief 1412)" (http://www.funimation.com/shows/case-closed/videos/official/phantom-thief-1412-parts-1-and-2)
VS.
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/0d9b1062a4bd08e91b937426c4cb8b5b/tumblr_obf3zjK66h1r6toezo4_640.jpg)
Urusei Yatsura #107: "Parallel Worlds! Where's Darling?!" (http://kissanime.to/Anime/Urusei-Yatsura/Episode-107?id=10751)
VS.
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/fb36ce4a7ba7bfba85c753e0c3fef666/tumblr_obf3zjK66h1r6toezo1_640.jpg)
Berserk #24 "The Eclipse" (http://www.animetoon.org/berserk-episode-24)
VS.
(https://67.media.tumblr.com/5defcc6a98caec1cf17992b65126f5b7/tumblr_obf48i4q7E1r6toezo1_640.jpg)
Puella Magi Madoka Magica #10: "I Won't Rely on Anyone Anymore" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/puella-magi-madoka-magica/episode-10-i-wont-rely-on-anyone-anymore-591753)
We've finally hit a match that's all new to me!
I'll try to catch up with these ASAP.
Phew...pass
"Parallel Worlds! Where's Darling?!"
"The Eclipse"
"Conan vs. Kaitou Kid"
"I Won't Rely on Anyone Anymore"
So that's Madoka? I don't like it at all. :D
That UY is a lot of fun, though. And I really should go past episode 10 (or wherever I stopped) of Berserk.
Quote from: Avaitor on August 07, 2016, 01:07:40 PM
"Parallel Worlds! Where's Darling?!"
"The Eclipse"
"Conan vs. Kaitou Kid"
"I Won't Rely on Anyone Anymore"
So that's Madoka? I don't like it at all. :D
While it probably wouldn't be your cup of tea anyways, I think it's rather unfair to judge an entire show based on a pivotal episode seen out of context. That's actually my favorite episode of the entire show. But, whatevs....
Quote from: Dr. Ensatsu-ken on August 07, 2016, 01:24:33 PM
Quote from: Avaitor on August 07, 2016, 01:07:40 PM
"Parallel Worlds! Where's Darling?!"
"The Eclipse"
"Conan vs. Kaitou Kid"
"I Won't Rely on Anyone Anymore"
So that's Madoka? I don't like it at all. :D
While it probably wouldn't be your cup of tea anyways, I think it's rather unfair to judge an entire show based on a pivotal episode seen out of context. That's actually my favorite episode of the entire show. But, whatevs....
That is fair.
Are there more episodes nominated for this game? I'll still give them a shot.
Quote from: Avaitor on August 07, 2016, 01:35:47 PM
Quote from: Dr. Ensatsu-ken on August 07, 2016, 01:24:33 PM
Quote from: Avaitor on August 07, 2016, 01:07:40 PM
"Parallel Worlds! Where's Darling?!"
"The Eclipse"
"Conan vs. Kaitou Kid"
"I Won't Rely on Anyone Anymore"
So that's Madoka? I don't like it at all. :D
While it probably wouldn't be your cup of tea anyways, I think it's rather unfair to judge an entire show based on a pivotal episode seen out of context. That's actually my favorite episode of the entire show. But, whatevs....
That is fair.
Are there more episodes nominated for this game? I'll still give them a shot.
"I Won't Rely on Anyone Anymore" was the only episode of
Madoka Magica nominated for this tournament.
It's my favorite episode of the show as well. But while it's self-contained enough to make sense as a stand-alone episode, it has far more meaning and emotional power if you've watched the story and Homura as a character develop up until this point...
Spoiler
...as this episode provides a critical and heart-breaking insight on who had until this point been an enigmatic and emotionally distant character. Homura is my favorite character in PMMM in large part because of this story, and her evolution from a shy, dependent but optimistic girl into an emotionally hardened and cynical wreck who's on the verge of breaking down from countless miserable and traumatic experiences and her poisonous obsession and love for Madoka, which culminates in her becoming the devil to her god-like status in Rebellion in order to create an world in which they can live together free from the burden of being Magical Girls.
"Parallel Worlds! Where's Darling?!" -
Spoiler
This episode just has so much going for it. Lum's sense that something is off somehow at the beginning of the episode is a great bit of meta-commentary that this is the first episode directed by Kentaro Yamazaki, who took over after Mamoru Oshii left the series, as well as the fact that the series switched animation studios from Pierrot to Deen with this episode. This continues with a great visual gag where after Lum is transported to the parallel world she's in the middle of a party featuring the new staff members working on the series celebrating.
The episode then proceeds to serve as an alternate take and re-telling of the first episode, featuring many callbacks and showing how the characters' lives and relationships would have been different if Lum won the game of tag instead of Ataru. What happens between Ataru and Shinobu is particularly interesting. We see that even without Lum around, Ataru and Shinobu would have eventually drifted apart anyway. Shinobu would still pursue a relationship with Mendou, while Ataru would continue to be his aloof and flirty self, though he seems to only particularly bother Ryuunosuke, and still holds genuine feelings for Shinobu. While Shinobu is no longer interested in him romantically, it's clear that their relationship is still very close, possibly moreso than if Lum was around. Ataru not showing any interest in Lum when she starts coddling him also hints towards the fact that he's not as superficially interested in women as he often appears, though in this case he has plenty of reasons to not like Lum outside of just being uncomfortable around girls showing him outwardly displays of affection.
But the most meaningful and interesting character moment in the episode is the ending. The scene where Lum meets an alternate Ataru who openly tells her that he loves her, but tearfully shakes her head and runs away is just heartbreaking. Her half-happy, half-sorrowful expression really says it all. Those are the words that she's always wanted her "Darling" to say, but that is not her "Darling;" it's not the Ataru she fell in love with, and knowing this, she chooses to leave a world where she could have an Ataru who openly reciprocates her feelings behind. It's one of the most powerful character moments for Lum in the anime, saying a lot about her relationship and feelings towards Ataru, and also shows that the new staff behind the series know the characters in and out very well.
The episode also just has some really funny bits that make it a hoot to watch as well. Megane also has some great moments, both in his rant with Onsen-Mark and his female doppelgangers' spiel about the true nature of love. Ryuunosuke gets a great running gag that has a fantastic payoff in the gender-swap universe. I only wish we saw a gender-swapped version of Ataru in that skit as well, but since we already saw how a female Ataru would act in episode 68, it wasn't totally necessary. On the whole, it was a great start to Yamazaki's run on the show and one of the best of the anime-original episodes.
-
Spoiler
The beginning of the classic rivalry between Conan and Kid. This episode holds a particular place in my heart, as it was among the episodes I used to rewatch the most when I was a kid. While there are probably better Conan/Kid showdowns, this one has some really iconic moments, especially the confrontation between Conan and Kid on the rooftop and Conan exposing Kid's ploy in the climax. I still get chills when I watch Kid's introduction scene, him impersonating the voices of the inspectors to gather the police to the rooftop, and his spiel to Conan about how great thieves are artists after he uses the flash bomb. Though nostalgia does influence my ranking here, I've rewatched this episode so many times over the years, and it ranks so highly among my favorite cases, that I had to give it the edge over the following two here.
-
Spoiler
The original Berserk's animation might have been limited, but it's use of colors, perspective, and lighting to create an unforgettable world and atmosphere is incredible and puts those shitty movies and the new tv series to shame. The arrival of the God Hand is beautifully animated and thoroughly unsettling, whereas the monster designs are absolutely horrifying, and their looming, sinister presence is never forgotten for a second throughout the episode. But where the episode really shines in it's examination of Griffith as a character. Despite his claims that he cares about his men, and isn't willing to sacrifice them, that's what he's been doing all his life and he hasn't shown the single bit of remorse for it, so what's the difference now? What was different is that he met Guts, the only person that he valued and cared about, considered a friend and companion. Griffith's fall from grace happened because he couldn't cope with Guts leaving the Band of the Hawk, causing him to slip up and become crippled in a series of emotional windfalls. Now realizing this, Griffith's love for Guts turns to resentment, and he finally casts him aside to embrace his inner demon, trading his soul and his humanity for power and eventual kingship. and This choice and it's aftermath in the next episode are what make "The Eclipse" one the most shocking and horrifying moments in the series, and what cements Griffith as one of anime and manga's all-time greatest villains.
-
Spoiler
I've already mentioned why this episode is my favorite in the series, but it's a great character piece for Homura that has real emotional power after seeing how her role in the story evolved up until this point, this episode giving her character and the events of the series as a whole into a mind-blowingly new context and perspective when you watch it the first time around. This was a tough match to rank, but while I think highly of PMMM and this episode, ultimately I found that my feelings for the other episodes in this match were stronger.
I think that I'm going to pass on this match since I plan to get into Berserk in the near future and don't want to spoil anything for myself.
Same as Avaitor.
"I Won't Rely on Anyone Anymore"
"Conan vs. Kaitou Kid"
"Parallel Worlds! Where's Darling?!"
"Eclipse"
Results:
Detective Conan #76: "Conan vs. Kaitou Kid" - 10
Urusei Yatsura #107: "Parallel Worlds! Where's Darling?!" - 14
Berserk #24 "The Eclipse" - 9
Puella Magi Madoka Magica #10: "I Won't Rely on Anyone Anymore" - 7
"Conan vs. Kaitou Kid" and "Parallel Worlds! Where's Darling?!" move on to round 2! The next match will be up shortly.
Round 1: Match 9
(https://67.media.tumblr.com/d28d47939e27320c3163c0ca086d2c0c/tumblr_obld27hq6I1r6toezo1_640.jpg)
Assassination Classroom: Second Season #16: "Past Time" (http://www.funimation.com/shows/assassination-classroom/videos/official/past-time)
VS.
(https://67.media.tumblr.com/2465175b6975ac7add54e5fef80b0a06/tumblr_obld27hq6I1r6toezo3_640.jpg)
Hunter x Hunter (2011) #126: "Zero × And × Rose" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/hunter-x-hunter/episode-126-zero-x-and-x-rose-646097)
VS.
(https://67.media.tumblr.com/4c8dc273c8f8c48262c63eb754aa152e/tumblr_obld27hq6I1r6toezo4_640.jpg)
Kill la Kill #4: "Dawn of a Miserable Morning" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/kill-la-kill/episode-4-dawn-of-a-miserable-morning-644307)
VS.
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/089040f1053a8fc5cd96bc5a469a603e/tumblr_obld27hq6I1r6toezo2_640.jpg)
Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo #26: "Dengaku-Man: Pixie or Pit-bull? He'll Love You or Hate You!" (http://www.animetoon.org/bobobo-bo-bo-bobo-episode-26)
I'm gonna need to give everything here either a rewatch or first watch, and I'll try to before Thursday.
BTW, I'll be out of town and away from the site from Thur-Sun, so I'll have to miss that set.
Looks like I'll start Assassination Classroom today. I have no clue what it's about.
Zero x and x Rose
Past Time
Dengaku-Man: Pixie or Pit-bull? He'll Love You or Hate You!
Dawn of a Miserable Morning
I'll vote on this match later tonight. I just need to watch the BoBo and Ass Class episodes.
I'm gonna skip. I haven't had the time to watch.
Quote from: Spark Of Spirit on August 11, 2016, 09:39:20 AM
I'm gonna skip. I haven't had the time to watch.
Me too. Sorry Lum buddy. :cry:
Past Time
Zero x and x Rose
Dengaku-Man: Pixie or Pit-bull? He'll Love You or Hate You!
Dawn of a Miserable Morning
"Dengaku-Man: Pixie or Pit-bull? He'll Love You or Hate You!" - This one really surprised me. I need to watch more BoBo one of these days.
"Zero x and x Rose" - I may be super biased here, but while this doesn't work much as a stand-alone episode, it's such a brilliant conclusion to the fight between Netero and Meruem, with stellar animation to boot. It's also infused with a lot of meaning for Meruem's character arc when viewed in context.
"Dawn of a Miserable Morning" - This is some pretty simple but effective fun.
"Past Time" - There's nothing particularly wrong with it, but AC just doesn't appeal to me much, for whatever reason. It's directed well, but it just doesn't click with me on a personal level.
"Dengaku-Man: Pixie or Pit-bull? He'll Love You or Hate You! -
Spoiler
I had a hard time deciding what Bobobo episode I wanted to nominate. Episode 21 is my favorite, but so much of it is payoff on a character and relationship that had been built up since almost literally the beginning of the series. Every fusion episode is a classic, and I quote lines from episode 16 almost daily in real life. But in the end, I felt this was one of the strongest standalone episodes. Not just because of the gags, which are all top-notch Bobobo, but because of it's message about friendship, which has always really resonated with me. Bobobo rightfully points out that Dengaku-Man spends a lot of time complaining about not having friends, but he's incredibly judgemental and picky about making them. Moreover, while Dengaku-Man wants to have companions around, he's not willing to put in the effort into making connections with people. Friendship isn't a one-way street. It isn't some cheap commodity that can be bought and exchanged. Dengaku-Man needs to be a friend before he can have friends. He's alone because he only cared out making superficial relationships, surrounding himself with doting suck-ups who humored him because of his status and "cuteness." Dengaku-Man realizes that he needs to be deserving of friendship before he can have friends himself. Ultimately, Bobobo defeats him because he has the support of the people around him, and Dengaku-Man, despite his stadium full of soldiers, is alone. In classic Bobobo-fashion, Dengaku-Man completely misunderstands why he lost, complaining that Bobobo didn't play fair and cheated, which is a great joke to end on. But later on we do see Dengaku-Man took Bobobo's lesson to heart, becoming a real team-player during the OVER arc.
I'm taking the message too seriously for sure, especially since Bobobo regularly treats Don Patch and Jelly Jiggler like crap. But it's a great satire on these kind of moments in other shonen series, where the hero becomes friends with some asshole just because they were lonely and had a sob-story or some shit, even if they never did anything deserving of their kindness or friendship in the first place. And I personally really took the message to heart when I was a kid. It even formed the backbone for my fan-made Toonami amv I made a couple years ago (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUY5XtAHNHw)! IMO, this episode is one of the best satires and messages I've seen in a battle-shonen or anime comedy, and an episode I've come back to several times over the last decade and probably will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.
-
Spoiler
The fight between Meruem and Netero is one of my favorite in HXH. Meruem is vastly stronger than Netero, but the latter's experience and speed prevents him from landing a single hit, and bit by bit, Netero's attack do start wearing him down. But Meruem learns quickly, and applies his experiences playing gunki with Komugi by analyzing and recognizing patterns in Netero's movements, eventually allowing him to deal critical injuries. In fighting Netero, Meruem comes to truly respect humanity's tenacity and capabilities, and while he still views them as inferior to Chimera Ants, he no longer sees all them as mere cattle, and intends to allow the truly gifted to live alongside them. Behind all this, though, the fight with Netero really starts to bring out his own humanity, more than he himself realizes it, but is represented in his drive to learn his name, and hence, define his identity as a person outside of being the Chimera Ant King. But Meruem still underestimates humanity, and that's ultimately what costs him the battle, and eventually his life. Netero went into this fight ready to risk everything if need be, and while he does eventually tire out and is unable to fight Meruem on equal grounds, he never breaks or submits. The Chimera Ant King has not authority and can't control the human spirit. And in the end, Meruem is defeated by humanity in the form of a human weapon - a simple bomb. Meruem realized too late that Netero had the game figured out from the start.
-
Spoiler
Learning Korosensei's backstory really puts his character, and the lessons he teaches Class-E, in perspective. Having made several mistakes he's regretted in his own life, he took it as his mission to impart the lessons he's learned from his life experiences, and those taught to him by Aguri, to his students. Moreover, teaching Class-E is a way for him to nurture and save lives, to make up as much as he can for the lives he took away as The Reaper. As someone short on time, he lives each day to the fullest and tries to get his students to do so as well. In the process, Class-E has had a lifetime's worth of experiences in only a year's time, and it's helped them mature into better people as a result. But in the process, they've grown to love Korosensei. And their brushes with death themselves have made them realize the weight and cost of what they've been tasked to do. Naturally, Nagisa, who has been the most changed and influenced by Korosensei's teachings, decides to rally the class to save him instead, which feels appropriate after everything we've seen Class E go through. But though this episode ends on that optimistic note, not everyone agrees with Nagisa, which brilliantly leads into another conflict...
-
Spoiler
My favorite episodes of Kill la Kill are the zaniest ones, so this one ranks pretty highly for me. It's a rapid-fire barrage of slapstick and visual gags that still tickle my funny bone every time I watch it. Lot of memorable scenes and running gags in this one.
Results:
Assassination Classroom: Second Season #16: "Past Time" - 10
Hunter x Hunter (2011) #126: "Zero × And × Rose" - 13
Kill la Kill #4: "Dawn of a Miserable Morning" - 5
Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo #26: "Dengaku-Man: Pixie or Pit-bull? He'll Love You or Hate You!" - 12
"Zero x And x Rose" and "Dengaku-Man: Pixie or Pit-bull? He'll Love Your or Hate You!" move on to round 2! The next match will be up shortly.
Round 1: Match 10
(https://67.media.tumblr.com/c03e36fc49e4dba0b6d230ae2f3d6ece/tumblr_obs27r2D2o1r6toezo1_640.jpg)
Lupin III: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine #10: "Ghost Town" (http://www.funimation.com/shows/lupin-the-third-fujiko-mine/videos/official/ghost-town)
VS.
(https://67.media.tumblr.com/6463c47377b02bf278e02539d41528ad/tumblr_obs27r2D2o1r6toezo4_640.jpg)
Urusei Yatsura #44: "After You've Gone" (http://kissanime.to/Anime/Urusei-Yatsura/Episode-044?id=10692)
VS.
(https://65.media.tumblr.com/b64202649551a687c3c17b7d48112f97/tumblr_obs27r2D2o1r6toezo3_640.jpg)
Space Dandy #21: "A World with No Sadness, Baby" (http://www.funimation.com/shows/space-dandy/videos/official/a-world-with-no-sadness-baby)
VS.
(https://67.media.tumblr.com/9b65e51da65d4262e8c39db64b074628/tumblr_obs27r2D2o1r6toezo2_640.jpg)
Paranoia Agent #8: "Happy Family Planning" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-71CxM5kQI)
Let's see..
Happy Family Planning
Ghost Town
After You've Gone
A World with No Sadness, Baby
"After You've Gone" -
Spoiler
The most iconic episode of UY. In the episode popularity poll shown in episode 194, it was ranked no. 1. It's not hard to see why. This is the first time in the series that Ataru realizes he has feelings for Lum, and the series takes those feelings seriously, and it hits hard. I absolutely love the scene between Ataru and Shinobu in particular, and how it emphasizes that while they're still friends who care about each other, they're feelings now lie elsewhere. And of course, the "Kokoroboisona" sequence is just stunning. One of the most important and definitive episode of the series.
-
Spoiler
A cathartic episode to watch when you're feeling on the edge. Three people of different ages try their best to die, but slowly realize the pleasures of living while in each other's company. The old man in particular has a great arc about realizing that life is precious and having it taken away is a scary thing, and the ending with the three of them together as a surrogate family is very heartwarming, even though it's implied that actually have died and they're ghosts now.
-
Spoiler
Some nice existential ruminations on the nature of death, but more importantly a good character piece for Dandy that also sheds some light on the nature of his anomalous existence.
-
Spoiler
This episode used to be one of my all time favorites, so it's surprising that I'm ranking it on the bottom of this match. I do think that the above episodes are stronger character pieces with more interesting thematic commentary, but this is still a great trippy episode with a story that feels like something out of the manga, and sheds some light on the Fraulein Eule conspiracy and Fujiko's role in it.
pass
Same as LumRanmaYasha.
Results:
Lupin III: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine #10: "Ghost Town" - 5
Urusei Yatsura #44: "After You've Gone" - 10
Space Dandy #21: "A World with No Sadness, Baby" - 5
Paranoia Agent #8: "Happy Family Planning" - 10
"After You've Gone" and "Happy Family Planning" move on to round 2! The next match will be up shortly.
Round 1: Match 11
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/27239452c16dd4f70798774f6ca80505/tumblr_obxn3jj7b11r6toezo2_640.jpg)
Rurouni Kenshin #30: "The Devil of Vengeance: Makoto Shishio's Plot" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/rurouni-kenshin/episode-30-a-devil-of-vengeance-makoto-shishios-plot-648213)
VS.
(https://67.media.tumblr.com/e472a061d259aef6e175de3951502a3d/tumblr_obxn3jj7b11r6toezo3_640.jpg)
School Rumble: Second Semester #3: "Beautiful Beast vs. Beautiful Beast! God of War vs. God of Warfare! Teacher vs. Student!" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IgkigxCp4g)
VS.
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/ace2a831d0fa645da7a89d38b8984b50/tumblr_obxn3jj7b11r6toezo4_640.jpg)
Ushio & Tora #20: "The Demon Returns" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/ushio-and-tora/episode-20-the-demon-returns-686635)
VS.
(https://65.media.tumblr.com/5c5b207a0f678851849f50d018e8449f/tumblr_obxn3jj7b11r6toezo1_640.jpg)
Cromartie High School #2: "Blade Runners High" (http://www.animetoon.org/cromartie-high-school-episode-2)
"The Demon Returns"
"Blade Runners High"
"The Devil of Vengeance: Makoto Shishio's Plot"
"Beautiful Beast vs. Beautiful Beast! God of War vs. God of Warfare! Teacher vs. Student!"
I will HAVE to vote this match. :) ;D
I'm going to go with the same as the doctor. Those are some great episode choices.
"The Devil of Vengeance: Makoto Shishio's Plot" -
Spoiler
The fight between Kenshin and Saito is masterfully directed, elevating what was an entertaining scuffle in the manga into something much more memorable both visually and emotionally. Kenshin slipping into his old Battosai ways is presented with great gravitas, really carried by how harsh his voice becomes as the fight goes on, and how violent and wild his eyes and actions become. He really might've been pushed over the edge if Okubo didn't intervene when they did.
But even the non-fighting part of this episode has so much going on in it. Thematically, there's also lot of great moments here. The contrasts between Kenshin and Saito, Kenshin and Shishio, and Kenshin and Okubo say a lot about their characters as well as how people involved in the Meji Restoration chose to move on. The remark that Kenshin may have been betrayed like Shishio was if things had been a bit different is a powerful note that reflects how morally grey the entire ordeal was and how no one came out of it without blood on their hands or a clean conscience. One moment that really strikes me as well is when Kenshin remarks how tired Okubo seems compared to the days of the revolution, and he tiredly winces how "it's easier to bring down an era than to build one from scratch." That line really resonates with Kenshin's character arc, the conflict between him and Shishio during the Kyoto arc, and is the thesis of the entire series as a whole. Start to finish, this episode is a great encapsulation of Kenshin's strengths both as an action series and contemplative story of redemption and changing times.
-
Spoiler
Ushio's experiences meeting Giryou and Jie Mei make the creation of the Beast Spear and the weight of what he has to do all the more personal. While Jie Mei's sacrifice is a bit theatrical, it's a very moving scene, and the tragedy of her family and the legacy of the spear, why Ushio's mother must guard over Hakumen, and why Ushio was born, is fascinating and moving stuff that really puts a lot of events in the series into perspective There's also a nice bit of foreshadowing hinting at Tora's deeper connection to the Spear as well. A really great lore-building episode.
-
Spoiler
I wrote about this episode a long time ago, and while I've rated the above episodes higher, I still really get a kick out of it. It's a great take on high school war-game plots as well as taking the romantic conflicts and tensions between characters to ridiculous extremes. The fight between Harima and Hanai at the end in particular is great, as well as the reveal that the whole thing was just a movie Akira scripted that went off the rails mid-way through. The after-credits bit about Masaru's origin story is a lark too. I don't know if this is still my favorite episode of School Rumble, but it's definitely the one of the most memorable, and the one I've rewatched the most.
Also, I love these comments from the youtube page:
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/bf132dbdb7d38794a0915ae48f20cfb1/tumblr_oc4svi63fR1r6toezo1_500.jpg)
(https://65.media.tumblr.com/1e6a8e8df06016edaf187068099b04c8/tumblr_oc4svi63fR1r6toezo2_500.jpg)
(https://67.media.tumblr.com/b72c95cda561a83706f3edd72ab08d7a/tumblr_oc4svi63fR1r6toezo3_500.jpg)
:lol:
-
Spoiler
This episode is a great example of how to take a one-gag premise and really keep building on top of it to great comedic effect. Each scenario where people come so close to realizing Mechazawa's a robot and yet at the last minute say something completely off is more ridiculous than the last, and the episode puts you right in Kageyama's shoes waiting intensely for someone to finally just call him out.
"The Demon Returns"
"Beautiful Beast vs. Beautiful Beast! God of War vs. God of Warfare! Teacher vs. Student!"
"Blade Runners High"
"The Devil of Vengeance: Makoto Shishio's Plot"
After re-watching two particular episodes that I haven't seen in years, I'm changing my order to this:
"The Demon Returns"
"The Devil of Vengeance: Makoto Shishio's Plot"
"Blade Runners High"
"Beautiful Beast vs. Beautiful Beast! God of War vs. God of Warfare! Teacher vs. Student!"
While not necessarily the best as a stand-alone episode, as CX described it, there is so much rich characterization, world-building, and action going on here. I still find that Cromartie episode to be as hilarious as ever, but I almost forgot just how well directed and animated that RK episode was.
That said, even being the massive RK fan that I am, that pivotal Ushio and Tora episode still runs away with the victory for me. It's one of the best uses of tying in lore and mythology with plot and character development that I have ever seen in any animated series of any kind. And that kind of stuff is right up my alley.
Are you still planning to vote, GSF?
Since GSF doesn't appear to be online today, and we're already a day late, I think I'll just call the match here. I think the episodes he wanted to see move on have regardless.
Results:
Rurouni Kenshin #30: "The Devil of Vengeance: Makoto Shishio's Plot" - 10
School Rumble: Second Semester #3: "Beautiful Beast vs. Beautiful Beast! God of War vs. God of Warfare! Teacher vs. Student!" - 7
Ushio & Tora #20: "The Demon Returns" - 15
Cromartie High School #2: "Blade Runners High" - 8
"The Devil of Vengeance: Makoto Shishio's Plot" and "The Demon Returns" move on to round 2! The next match will be up shortly.
Just glad what I nominated advanced.
Round 1: Match 12
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/60307a75b2c3573d91f6223c21410877/tumblr_oc6wfkf5c81r6toezo4_640.jpg)
Trigun #24: "Sin" (http://www.funimation.com/shows/trigun/videos/official/sin?watch=dub)
VS.
(https://67.media.tumblr.com/99e22735b3c869f89e6d6cce8e21a14b/tumblr_oc6wfkf5c81r6toezo3_640.jpg)
Space Dandy #20: "Rock 'n' Roll Dandy, Baby" (http://www.funimation.com/shows/space-dandy/videos/official/rock-n-roll-dandy-baby)
VS.
(https://67.media.tumblr.com/c31171e77552b757f31079feef26038b/tumblr_oc6wfkf5c81r6toezo2_640.jpg)
Death Note #37: "New World" (https://tubitv.com/video/319078/s01_e37_new_world)
VS.
(https://67.media.tumblr.com/b2a694fc706b006e4a644fa7ec12b30a/tumblr_oc6wfkf5c81r6toezo1_640.jpg)
Black Lagoon #7: "Calm Down, Two Men" (http://www.funimation.com/shows/black-lagoon/videos/official/calm-down-two-men)
I think the only episode that I really need to watch here is Trigun, which I'll try to do tomorrow.
"Sin"
"New World"
"Calm Down, Two Men"
"Rock 'n' Roll Dandy, Baby"
Hot damn, I really need to get to my Trigun rewatch soon.
"Sin" -
Spoiler
The moment where Vash's philosophy is pushed to it's breaking point, and tragically crumbles under a carefully and cruelly crafted scenario devised by Legato. Still reeling from guilt over the death of Wolfwood, and his criticisms of his moral philosophy ringing in his ears, Vash once again is unable to save a Gung-ho Gun from themselves and then is forced to kill Legato in order to save those he loves, unable to, for the first time, find the better option. With that shot, he loses faith in Rem's teachings, represented by his vision of her fading to white. It's the lowest point in Vash's story, and packed on top of the non-stop tragedies he's witnessed in the past couple episodes, it's the moment that finally breaks his once indomitable spirit. A defining point in Vash's character arc, and the moment that makes the series' cathartic conclusion feel earned.
-
Spoiler
Light finally meets his match in a ploy from Near and Mello that's admittedly pretty convoluted but still cool nonetheless. In the end it took the joint effort of Near and Mello and the latter's sacrifice for them to avenge and surpass their master. The really satisfying part of the episode, though, is Light's breakdown. No longer in control, his delusion of godhood slowly crumbles and Mello's words that he's just another serial murderer starts to ring true. The final kick in the pants is when he's shot full of holes by Matsuda, and as he's slowly dying and reflecting on everything he's done, he realizes his own mortality, and he tries to run away from that fate in desperation. However, it was set in stone that Light would die by Ryuk's hands, really the Death Note itself, at the beginning of the series, and that's exactly what happens. Light falls from grace as a beloved "God of the new world" to a criminal dying alone on the street, a fate which he brought on himself because of the choices he made.
-
Spoiler
Who doesn't love a band-origin story parody? There's a lot to like here, from how Dandy and Johnny fight over unimportant trivialities, the way Johnny comes up with their hit song, the manga-stylized framing during bombastic moments, to things like how they cast Johnny Young Bosch as Johnny and the catchyness of the song itself. It's a fun episode with great gags and a literally explosive ending. One of my favorites from the show .
-
Spoiler
This is a great development piece for Rock and Revy's relationship. Rock finally stands up for himself and calls out Revy for her bullshit and how unfairly she's treated him. We see Revy's hardened exterior slip into insecure frenzy at Rock's comment that despite her touch talk she complains as if she's some a tragic heroine, and her lash-out in response shows her emotional vulnerability, revealing that she's still not over whatever baggage she's carrying from her past. This is a defining episode for Rock as he makes it clear that he's not the kiss-up whitecollar guy he was anymore and wont tolerate being treated like garbage by anyone ever again. He also affirms that he's satisfied being with the Lagoon Company and there's no issue of "sides" with him. He's a part of the team, and that's what matters.
Same as Avaitor.
I nominated both "Sin" and "New World" (the former being one of my favorite anime episodes of all time), but CX already did a great job covering what makes them so great, so I don't really have much to add.
The other two episodes are strong contenders as well, but Trigun's resonates with me on an emotional level, whereas Death Note's happens to be one of my favorite anime endings of all time.
"Sin"
"Rock 'n' Roll Dandy, Baby"
"Calm Down, Two Men"
"New World"
I kind of just recently came across this thread, so it was cool reading about some of the other matches. So, I'm going to throw in my vote as well.
"New World"
"Rock 'n' Roll Dandy"
"Calm Down, Two Men"
"Sin"
Same as Avaitor.
Results:
Trigun #24: "Sin" - 21
Space Dandy #20: "Rock 'n' Roll Dandy, Baby" - 11
Death Note #37: "New World" - 17
Black Lagoon #7: "Calm Down, Two Men" - 11
"Sin" and "New World" move on to round 2! The next match will be up shortly.
:wth: I just finished watching the episodes.
I really liked Calm Down, Two Men. I am guessing this is Rock's first episode where he is really bold and speaks his mind. His line about how every lifestyle has suffering realky got to me.
Damn, yep, that's my favorite episode of Space Dandy..so far. I love all the colors and mock manga panels. I don't have to mention how great the concert is. Straight up good song.
I like New World. I have a few other Death Note episodes I like more though, such as episode 36 and 24.
Still can't stop thinking about how brutal the death in Sin looked
Quote from: gunswordfist on August 21, 2016, 10:47:45 PM
:wth: I just finished watching the episodes.
Shoot, my bad dude. I should've asked if you were going to vote. :sweat:
Round 1: Match 13
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/bd0b89aad943d046e4215b458015e468/tumblr_ocalevNBEa1r6toezo3_640.jpg)
Tiger & Bunny #7: "The Wolf Knows What the Ill Beast Thinks." (http://www.viz.com/watch/streaming/tiger-and-bunny-episode-7/3482/dub)
VS.
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/01e3e4de78d3b5935025eefc781a1f5d/tumblr_ocalevNBEa1r6toezo2_640.jpg)
Mushi-Shi #12: "One-Eyed Fish" (http://www.funimation.com/shows/mushi-shi/videos/official/one-eyed-fish)
VS.
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/d54833b69d9d461596b4b91f2fd9dea1/tumblr_ocalevNBEa1r6toezo1_640.jpg)
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni #20: "Cold Hands (Chapter: Eye Opening, Part 5)" (http://kissanime.to/Anime/Higurashi-no-Naku-Koro-ni/Episode-020?id=30488)
VS.
(https://67.media.tumblr.com/05ba87c4602f4f764c9d4d27a7e3ed6f/tumblr_ocalevNBEa1r6toezo4_640.jpg)
Trigun #12: "Diablo" (http://www.funimation.com/shows/trigun/videos/official/diablo)
"Cold Hands"
"Diablo"
"One-Eyed Fish"
"The Wolf Knows What the Ill Beast Did"
The Higurashi episode is definitely not going to be easy to watch for people who haven't seen the series in order, but it's a hell of an episode for those familiar with it. And I feel something similar to the Tiger & Bunny ep, which didn't do a whole lot for me, but seems like something that would hold better when I get to watching it all.
The Mushi-Shi episode is solid, and reminds me that I need to give it another shot, but I forgot how quiet the series is. :P
For me, personally, season one of Tiger and Bunny is good but not great. That episode is a solid one, but not my personal favorite. On the other hand, season two is excellent, but makes me upset that we never got a third season to resolve the Lunatic story-line.
Quote from: Dr. Ensatsu-ken on August 22, 2016, 06:07:37 PM
For me, personally, season one of Tiger and Bunny is good but not great. That episode is a solid one, but not my personal favorite. On the other hand, season two is excellent, but makes me upset that we never got a third season to resolve the Lunatic story-line.
Hmm, okay. I'll definitely keep that in mind when I get to the show, since it's in my queue.
pass
Diablo
Cold Hands
The Wolf Knows What the Ill Beast Did
One-Eyed Fish
Same as Avaitor.
One-Eyed Fish
Diablo
The Wolf Knows What the Ill Beast Did
Cold Hands
"Diablo" -
Spoiler
Legato's introduction still sends shivers down my spine. One of the all-time greatest villain introduction scenes in anime and manga. The center of the episode is really powerfull too. Monev is the first character to really infuriate Vash to the point where he almost loses himself and wants to kill someone. Even when Legato gets him to kill, he only manages to do so because he forced Vash to choose between his morals and the lives of his friends, preying on his psychological weakness from the repeated tragedies he's had to witness and giving no time to find another, better solution. Here, Monev straight up decimates an entire town, and his callous ruthlessness is enough to bring out the "diablo" in him.
In a way, the fight with Monev parallels Kenshin's with Jin-e in RK in that these opponents bring out the worst in our heroes and almost push them to the edge and forget their pacifist philosophies, but the words and memories of loved ones bring them back to their senses before it's too late. Like that moment in RK, this is a pretty definitive episode of the series. Not only does this introduce us to our main villain and the first real threat to our heroes, it's also the first time Vash's resolve is put to the test psychologically and what grounds his resolve comes to light. Vash doesn't kill just because it's the right thing to do, but also to pay tribute to Rem and never forget her teachings, lest he forget her herself. The "I won't be able to see you anymore" line foreshadows the moment where after he does finally kill in "Sin" his vision of Rem fades to white, which makes the final moments in this episode where he desperately attempts to convince himself it's not okay to kill Monev because it's not what Rem would've wanted all the more tragic in retrospect.
-
Spoiler
"Eye Opening" is my favorite arc of Higurashi because it presents such a fascinating and frightening villainous character arc in Shion's descent into madness and depravity because of her paranoia and misguided belief that there was a conspiracy orchestrated by the Sonozakis to murder Satoshi just because he was a Hojo. This episode sees her completely blinded by her paranoia, ignoring pleas of innocence from Mion, the village head, and Rika. In the latter's case in particular, she completely ignores her comments about forgiving the trespassers and leaving them be and by trying to get her to kill Keichi she's basically forcing her into a situation where either way she'd still be suspicious and guilty no matter what. She's completely lost it by this point, seeing everyone as her enemy and everything they do as suspicious. The moment where she screams out in victory after Rika offs herself, and her happily humming while covering up her corpse shows how far she's fallen, having basically becoming a serial murderer at this point. Her delusions ultimately reach their tragic climax in the next episode where she realizes she had completely forgot Satoshi's last wish in her quest to avenge him.
Oh, and I love that scene where Rika stabs herself to death with the knife. I thought it was a badass scene the first time I watched it, but I also find it kind of hilarious in retrospect. Rika already knows she's just going to come back to life again, so when things go south and she sees how fucked up this timeline's Shion is, she basically decides she shouldn't even bother to stay and salvage this "dead-end" world. So she says screw it, fuck you bitch, and gets herself out of that shit. It's pretty great. It's like Kenny killing himself to escape Chtulu's dimension in The Coon Trilogy in South Park; the fact that she so casually kills herself because she knows killing herself is an easy and viable option to get her out of a jam is both really clever and really funny to me. It also makes Shion gloating that she's won funny to me, because really, Rika kinda just flipped her off and pulled one over on her. While I'm not sure if this is my favorite episode in the arc, that scene is definitely one of my favorite moments in the entire show.
-
Spoiler
We explore Ginko's origins and watch the tragic relationship between himself and his mentor develop, whose death and his own lost memories and cursed eye he's ultimately responsible for. It's a quiet episode, but like the best of Mushi-shi, full of rich atmosphere and a simultaneously haunting yet beautiful depiction of the natural world, with a bittersweet moral accompanying the iyashikei proceedings.
-
Spoiler
Lunatic is a great foil for the heroes, as he represents a very real public sentiment which believes that killing criminals outright is a better and more effective form of justice, criticizing the commercial heroes' efforts as ineffectual posturing. The episode contrasts their opposing philosophies by placing the heroes in a situation where they must protect criminals from being murdered by Lunatic, and Tiger's frustration when they fail to save most of them in the end is a pretty powerful moment. It's a great showing for a pretty fascinating villain and a strong character piece for Tiger and Bunny themselves overall.
Results:
Tiger & Bunny #7: "The Wolf Knows What the Ill Beast Thinks." - 7
Mushi-Shi #12: "One-Eyed Fish" - 11
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni #20: "Cold Hands (Chapter: Eye Opening, Part 5)" - 15
Trigun #12: "Diablo" - 17
"Cold Hands" and "Diablo" move on to round 2! The next match will be up shortly.
Round 1: Match 14
(https://65.media.tumblr.com/f3ccc271019fb18d71daa69e2cd5b24c/tumblr_oci56yBgc81r6toezo3_640.jpg)
Shirobako #19: "Did You Catch Any?" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/shirobako/episode-19-did-you-catch-any-661949)
VS.
(https://67.media.tumblr.com/b78916bc5377059ba19b8748c04ca9f8/tumblr_oci56yBgc81r6toezo1_640.jpg)
Blood Blockade Battlefront #4: "Blood Line Fever" (http://www.funimation.com/shows/blood-blockade-battlefront/videos/official/blood-line-fever?watch=dub)
VS.
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/e1e211fd458096b93f0ff56487c44200/tumblr_oci56yBgc81r6toezo2_640.jpg)
Princess Tutu #13: "Swan Lake" (http://view.yahoo.com/show/princess-tutu/episode/50081821/swan-lake)
VS.
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/0eb5afa59437b2b8293a8d8eea28d091/tumblr_oci56yBgc81r6toezo4_640.jpg)
Urusei Yatsura #71: "Shinobu's Cinderella Story" (http://kissanime.to/Anime/Urusei-Yatsura/Episode-071?id=10719)
Swan Lake
Did You Catch Any?
Shinobu's Cinderella Story
Blood Line Fever
pass
Do you ever not pass, GSF? :D
I actually think that I'll have to pass this time, though. I've been pretty busy over the past few days, and I'm training for my new job this weekend, so it'll be unlikely that I can catch up for this round.
"Shinobu's Cinderella Story" -
Spoiler
Shinobu is perhaps the most criminally underutilized of the main characters in UY, but she also has what is the most developed character arc as well. This is the only episode in the series to be exclusively about her, and I've always found how it presents her melancholy and desire to live an adventurous life on her own terms instead of being dragged into the affairs of others very thoughtful and reflective of her character. Here Shinobu is swept into an adventure in which she feels a part of and a romance that's seemingly mutual, but when she mulls over everything that's happened, she realizes she's just been used again as a part of someone else's scheme and story. That ending image of her holding up the desk with a pensive expression perfectly describes her sadness and melancholy, unsatisfied and unfulfilled with the way her life is, but at the same time, unable to break out of it. Something that she doesn't really come to terms with and escape from until "Inaba the Dreammaker."
-
Spoiler
There's a lot going on in this episode. The return of Yano is much-welcome as her quick-witted and sly personality returns some levity to the show, and really invigorates the team and she becomes a major help and support to Aoi, giving her good advice on getting some much-need rest. Aoi herself wonders whether she really enjoys what she's doing, and by visiting the old animation studio and imagining old stories from how things were during the production of her favorite anime, she becomes motivated again and inspired to create a series that will not lose to the classics in quality and entertainment value. There's a lot of great small character moments for other characters, and animating the Andes Chucky opening for the ending was an inspired move as well. An episode that really resonates with people who've lost sight of why they find their work fun or fulfilling and remembering it in a cathartic way.
-
Spoiler
The Blood Breed, while somewhat underutilized in the anime, are pretty interesting as a threat to humanity in the world of BBB. The fight with the Blood Breed is really intense and well-animated, and shows off Libra's trust in each other as a group as well as their willingness and resolve in risking their lives in order to complete impossible jobs and protect the world. I really like the sentiment that humanity will persevere and fight against impossible odds, striving to find a way to kill and defeat beings who are ostensibly immortal. Lucky Abhrams is also just a fun character who causes a lot of crazy stuff to happen just by his presence alone, and the episode sports great foreshadowing and set-up for Black and the King of Despair. This is the episode that really gets the overarching plot of BBB rolling, and it's a damn fun time.
-
Spoiler
I actually just started watching Princess Tutu and I'm really enjoying it, but I've only gotten up to episode 6. I won't have time today to watch through to episode 13, and now that I've started the show, I don't want to skip ahead and spoil myself on it. So, unfortunately, I'm going to have to put this last for now. :(
Opposite of Pharass.
Just to be clear, I'm passing on this round....so, ummmm....next round please! :shakeshakeshake:
Sorry for the lateness, guys. Been caught up in other things these last few days and this completely slipped my mind. :sweat:
Results:
Shirobako #19: "Did You Catch Any?" - 8
Blood Blockade Battlefront #4: "Blood Line Fever" - 7
Princess Tutu #13: "Swan Lake" - 6
Urusei Yatsura #71: "Shinobu's Cinderella Story" - 9
"Shinobu's Cinderella Story" and "Did You Catch Any?" move on to round 2! The next match will be up shortly.
5000th post!
Round 1: Match 15
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/174f1251a6508d36069d3e3b6edc8e37/tumblr_ocswkulMv31r6toezo2_640.jpg)
Dragon Ball Z TV Special: "A Lonesome, Final Battle - The Father of the Z Warrior Son Goku, who Challenged Freeza (Bardock -- The Father of Goku)" (http://www.funimation.com/shows/dragon-ball-z/videos/official/bardock--the-father-of-goku)
VS.
(https://67.media.tumblr.com/81854b67a805291d20b937f337e4ab5b/tumblr_ocswkulMv31r6toezo4_640.jpg)
The Rose of Versailles #19: "Farewell, Little Sister!" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/the-rose-of-versailles/episode-19-farewell-my-sister-642953)
VS.
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/fc5b12535885ccf8c9f7cc5866f74829/tumblr_ocswkulMv31r6toezo3_640.jpg)
Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid #5: "Beautiful Sicily" (http://www.funimation.com/shows/full-metal-panic-the-second-raid/videos/official/beautiful-sicily?watch=dub)
VS.
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/dfdc1e6ada1f2f399a021de451f16374/tumblr_ocswkulMv31r6toezo1_640.jpg)
Cowboy Bebop #5: "Ballad of Fallen Angels" (http://www.funimation.com/shows/cowboy-bebop/videos/official/ballad-of-fallen-angels?watch=dub)
Only one episode that I need to watch this time. But damn are the other three tough as hell for me as is!
OK, This was ultra tough, especially since I nominated two of these myself and CX purposely put them both in the same round just to fuck with me because he's a jerk. :bleh:
"Bardock: The Father of Goku" - This is a super biased pick on my part, but I am a MASSIVE Dragonball fan, and I just love everything about this special from its somber tone to its surprisingly morally skewed protagonist. Not only was this a very dark and risky thing to do for Dragonball as a series at the time, but it was an incredibly unexpected thing to see from a Shonen Jump series in general, and the fact that it's anime original content that Toriyama liked enough to retcon into his own manga's continuity (only to later retcon it out for the the abomination that is DBM) says a lot about its quality. And on that note, this is a legitimately well-animated, written, and directed episode that explores a pretty interesting theme. This also gave us one of composer Kikuchi's best pieces of work in the form of the incredibly memorable and iconic "Solid State Scouter". So yeah, the other episodes on this list may be "objectively better", but fuck objectivism. I love this episode.
"Beautiful Sicily" - This has all of the style and slick pacing of a good Mission: Impossible movie, with a healthy dose of humor and great set-up for both Sousuke and Kaname's respective character arcs throughout the rest of this story arc. Really underrated, IMO.
"Ballad of Fallen Angels" - A superb episode, and probably will be everyone else's top choice. And it totally deserves to be. I have nothing but positive thoughts about it. I'm just a biased motherfucker and took pity on the two choices that I have a lot of personal love for. I have no qualms whatsoever with this episode winning this round, though.
"Farewell, Little Sister!" - Just like the last entry from this anime, it really does make me want to watch this series, and I probably will eventually. That said, since I'm unfortunately seeing it out of context, there isn't much that I can really say about it other than that it's clearly great stuff.
Fuck that was tough!
"Ballad of Fallen Angels" -
Spoiler
This is probably my favorite episode of any anime ever. Every piece of the episode just feels so thoughtfully and meaningfully put-together. The way it establishes Vicious as a threat with so little and makes him one of the most memorable and frightening anime villains ever is brilliant. The way the episode explores Spike's past with just a coupel of images and subtle visual touches and hints in bits and pieces of dialogue is masterful. The action drips with tension and is enthralling and nerve-wracking, and the battle in the church in particular is chock full of great and potent imagery. This isn't just Bebop's finest half-hour, it's one of the finest pieces of television ever made.
-
Spoiler
This is a really satisfying and tragic payoff to the Rosalie and Polignac subplot. Rosalie has been consumed by revenge on Polignac for several episodes, and the revelation that Polignac is in fact her birth mother her dying mother told her about just shakes her world. She tries to deny any familial attachment to her, but ultimately, she's just too kind-hearted and sentimental of a person to kill someone, even someone she despises as much as Polignac. By relinquishing her revenge and accepting the truth for what it is, Rosalie is able to move on with her life, even if she'll never be able to forgive and acknowledge Polignac as family. As for Polignac, she has been a manipulative and callous bitch since the start, and reaches the height of despicably here when she forcibly arranges a marriage between her 11 year old daughter and a pedophilic duke for money and power. At the same time, this is perhaps the most sympathetic we ever see her, as she faces a series of karmic retributions in her estranged daughter attempting to murder her, learning she unwittingly killed her old friend, and the piece-de-resistance, her youngest daughter committed suicide because of the mental stress and trauma she put her through. Polignac deserves misfortune because of all the people's she's hurt and used to accrue power, but that doesn't mean that Charlotte's death is any less tragic or saddening. Charlotte was just an innocent little girl, too mentally immature to handle the weight of getting married, and the duke psychologically fucking with her certainly didn't help her mental state much. We see all that pressure and anxiety build up with ominous dread, until finally she snaps and commits suicide, to her the only option she has to escape her fate. It's such a powerfully dark and tragic moment for this character, and for her family as well. Polignac because she unwittingly pushed her daughter off that tower by putting so much pressure on her. Rosalie because she never got to know her sister, and Charlotte never got to know she was her sister, and so now yet another family connection of hers has been lost. Just such a powerful episode and cap to this arc.
-
Spoiler
An incredibly fun episode that has the sharp action and quick-witted humor sensibilities of a good heist or chase movie. Thrills and laughs a minute, with some good character development burgeoning in Sosuke's growing responsibilities becoming too much for him and him needing to think about what he wants and not just what he's ordered to do, as well as in his and Kaname's relationship and dependency on one another.
-
Spoiler
A very unique installment of the DB franchise because of how dark and pessimistic it's tone is and Bardock's interesting characterization as a merciless killer loyal to his comrades, which stand in stark contrast to the more upbeat tone of the tv series and Goku himself. It's because it's such an interesting and tragic story and so different from most else in the DB franchise that it and Bardock as a character have been well-remembered for many years and canonized to the story itself. Until Toriyama retconned that with DB Minus, but let's all just pretend that doesn't exist.
I'll try to do this tomorrow, if that's okay.
Ballad of Fallen Angels
Farewell, Little Sister
Bardock: The Father of Goku
Beautiful Sicily
Ballad of Fallen Angels
Beautiful Sicily
Bardock: The Father of Goku
Farewell, Little Sister
Lots of good picks.
Reverse of Pharass
I am too tired to watch anime.
So you're not going to vote?
How about you, Foggle?
Same as Spark
Not this round.
Quote from: LumRanmaYasha on September 02, 2016, 05:59:54 PM
How about you, Foggle?
Sorry, I've been really busy the past month or so, so I haven't had time to watch episodes or vote in a while. :(
Results:
Dragon Ball Z TV Special: "A Lonesome, Final Battle 'The Father of the Z Warrior Son Goku, who Challenged Freeza'" - 14
Rose of Versailles #19: "Farewell My Sister" - 11
Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid #5: "Beautiful Sicily" - 16
Cowboy Bebop #5: "Ballad of Fallen Angels" - 19
"Beautiful Sicily" and "Ballad of Fallen Angels" move on to round 2! The next match will be up shortly.
Round 1: Match 16
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/1f7fbd06e4664a3aee9f01b9c97dc565/tumblr_oczw6rV53O1r6toezo1_640.jpg)
Silver Spoon Season 2 #8: "Hachiken Howls" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/silver-spoon/episode-8-hachiken-howls-649243)
VS.
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/c97e8e9716e3f434f304b7d1f4a6a68d/tumblr_oczw6rV53O1r6toezo3_640.jpg)
Ushio & Tora # 36: "To The Promised Night" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/ushio-and-tora/episode-36-to-the-promised-night-702263)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/75bde1ae5bd04e59d47475b77bcd1f59/tumblr_oczw6rV53O1r6toezo4_640.jpg)
Ushio & Tora #39: "The Fate of Ushio & Tora" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/ushio-and-tora/episode-39-the-fate-of-ushio-and-tora-702269)
VS.
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/b8b33ad340e89cb9ce24843028a7845a/tumblr_oczw6rV53O1r6toezo2_640.jpg)
Ushio & Tora # 34: "Tora" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/ushio-and-tora/episode-34-tora-702259)
----
NOTE: From now on matches will be updated on Wednesdays instead of Thursdays.
MOTHER FUCK WHAT
Really. Give me a break here.
..... (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGGvR2JBqMY)
I hate you, CX. I hate you with a passion. :srs:
I will re/watch all these tomorrow night and vote. Gosh.
Quote from: Dr. Ensatsu-ken on September 04, 2016, 09:45:46 PM
I hate you, CX. I hate you with a passion. :srs:
Hey man, I just post what the random result generator comes up with. :??:
It came up with pure evil.
"The Fate of Ushio & Tora" -
Spoiler
This is probably one of my favorite anime/manga endings ever. The final battle with Hakumen is excellent, from Ushio and Tora working together and taking hits for each other to deal the final blow, and Tora's electrifying Hakumen after it screams out for him to hate it by saying he feels no hatred but only pity for it, leaving Hakumen to die afraid and alone. Everything comes together for a satisfying ending that is not without sacrifice on the part of Tora and the elder yokai of Japan, making it all feel so very earned. That ending tease that Tora might come back someday is also just sweet in the right kind of way. Just a great finale all around.
-
Spoiler
Komaba dropping out of school and everyone's reactions to it is one of the most depressingly realistic moments I've seen in anime or manga. Learning what drove Komaba as a baseball player and the turmoil his farm is in really puts his character and his interactions with Mikage in perspective, and I really feel Hachiken's helplessness that he's just not able to do anything to help his friends but is boiling over because they won't talk about how bad they're really feeling. I love the ending where Hachiken just grabs Mikage and tells her to let him in, get him involved, and he doesn't care if he gets hurt because he wants to be there to help and support them. It's just a great moment for his character, and a defining moment that shows how far he's come from the reclusive introvert he was at the beginning of the series. SS episodes bleed into each other so much that I can't single out a real favorite, but this one has so many amazing character moments that I love, especially for Hachiken, that as much as I think the other U&T episodes work better as more distinctive individual episodes I just can't put it any lower.
-
Spoiler
Everyone comes together to put Hakumen in a real bind. After episodes of Hakumen wrecking shit, it's so satisfying to see him squirm. Also satisfying is Hyou's fight with Guren, which is both brutal and hard-fought, and has a bittersweet ending that's very emotional and cathartic for his character. Hakumen losing his shit over Guren not bailing him out at the end of the episode is just a great capper to the whole thing as well.
-
Spoiler
Tora's backstory is really interesting, both in seeing how he was like as a human, and how he and Hakumen's fates are so intertwined. Hakumen was given physical form out of Tora's hatred, and Tora was turned into a demon in pursuit of revenge against Hakumen, and lost his memories and repressed his humanity in pursuit of blind revenge. I'm not big on the after-image effect in the flashback, though. I feel that this was a cost-cutting measure, and while they chose a good way to use that stylistically, it's very distracting to not see the actions and mouths accurately timed to the vocals and audio. Also, they drop it as a stylistic thing towards the end of the flashback where Tora is dragging the woman he likes in the forest and it's animated normally, and that inconsistency kinda bothers me too. Story and character wise there's a lot to like here, but that after-image stuff just doesn't work for me as a stylistic thing and makes the episode a bit harder to enjoy than the others for me.
"Hachiken Howls"
"The Fate of Ushio & Tora"
"To the Promised Night"
"Tora"
The Fate of Ushio & Tora
To the Promised Night
Tora
Hachiken Howls
I wish Sentai would get on with announcing their plans for U&T. I want to see this series get the success it deserves.
Same as Desensitized.
Same as EK.
To The Promised Night -
Spoiler
Saya's role in this episode is so beautiful and extremely important. She arguably was the most help in the entire battle, including Ushio and Tora. I can't think of a single other show where secondary characters are given such a big role.
I forgot this episode marked the beginning of the last battle. I love how the Beast Spear reforms out of Tora's body and Ushio makes peace with becoming a beast.
It is such a shame Guren got so little screentime. I really loved his voice actor this time around. The episode started fast with him fighting Hyou. Speaking of Hyou, yeah, that's the saddest death in the series, with how him going home was set up and I now have him as my 3rd favorite UT character.
The Fate Of Ushio & Tora
Spoiler
Tora berating Hakumen is the perfect episode opener.
I absolutely did not see Raama's spirit when I first saw this. Just his sister's.
The look on Ushio's face when he looks back at the temple still gets to me, even just thing about it..
Tora
Spoiler
Forget this one started with Ushio's defeat being replayed.
I also forgot that the adults in Tora's city wanted to apologize to him.
The scene with Tora getting the best Beast Spear is just too damn cool.
Silver Spoon - Reminded me how being a responsible adult can be a pain in the ass.
Results:
Silver Spoon Season 2 #8: "Hachiken Howls" - 11
Ushio & Tora #36: "To The Promised Night" - 17
Ushio & Tora #39: "The Fate of Ushio & Tora" - 22
Ushio & Tora #34: "Tora" - 10
"To the Promised Night" and "The Fate of Ushio & Tora" move on to round 2! The next match will be up shortly.
Round 1: Match 17
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/0d5b1ac82ac912994fd41e7a6c0a5782/tumblr_od4vyu5CUU1r6toezo3_640.jpg)
Legend of the Galactic Heroes #108: "Brunhild Wants Blood" (http://kissanime.to/Anime/Legend-of-the-Galactic-Heroes/Episode-108?id=72781)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/2e63a0710786534253775fa4be7fd2a4/tumblr_od4vyu5CUU1r6toezo4_640.png)
My Hero Academia #2: "What it Takes to Be A Hero" (http://www.funimation.com/shows/my-hero-academia/videos/official/what-it-takes-to-be-a-hero)
VS.
(https://67.media.tumblr.com/5b993bdccefa1164a7321f1199800af1/tumblr_od4vyu5CUU1r6toezo2_640.jpg)
Ashita no Joe 2 #47: "His Youth...Now Turned to Ash" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/champion-joe-2/episode-47-now-the-youthful-days-are-burned-out-650929)
VS.
(https://67.media.tumblr.com/9fd062c4f75318cc7e6816621497b0be/tumblr_od4vz8iW0o1r6toezo1_640.png)
Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu #7: "The Warcry of Excessiveness" (http://www.funimation.com/shows/full-metal-panic-fumoffu/videos/official/the-war-cry-of-excessiveness?watch=dub)
I really want to vote on this match, but I also don't want to watch that LOTGH episode because I do genuinely want to get back to the series sometime in the near future and don't want to spoil anything for myself. I'll have to think about what to do in this scenario.
Will vote later. Hopefully later today.
Everything here will need a fresh viewing for me.
And I think that I'll watch the first MHA episode before this one. It only makes sense, y'no?
Yeah, you might as well. The first two episodes adapt the first chapter of the manga, so they're essentially a two-parter, anyways.
Don't wait on me if you want to wrap this round up before tomorrow afternoon. Rewatching the first two My Hero Academia episodes was incredible but I almost died 5 seconds into listening to Fumoufu's dub and I would have to watch the other 2 shows on my Vita.
I'm not gonna have time to watch them, so I'll have to skip.
Quote from: gunswordfist on September 07, 2016, 06:00:43 PM
Don't wait on me if you want to wrap this round up before tomorrow afternoon. Rewatching the first two My Hero Academia episodes was incredible but I almost died 5 seconds into listening to Fumoufu's dub and I would have to watch the other 2 shows on my Vita.
Per usual, the match will be up until Sunday unless everyone who normally participates in this competition or has expressed interest in voting has done so. You have time. :)
Oh...lol. Ok, I will vote tonight.
Just for the record, that is the final episode of Ashita no Joe right there, so you'll be having one of the most iconic endings in anime and manga history spoiled for you.
As for me, I enjoy both the FMP dub and the sub (I'm kind of surprised to hear GSF call his "boy" Greed from FMA intolerable), but for this particular episode the dub shines through in really selling one particular joke, which is hilarious if you've actually seen Full Metal Jacket, which is my personal favorite Kubrick film and quite obviously referenced heavily in this episode.
Anyways, I have made the controversial decision to vote without watching the LOTGH episode, because I don't want to spoil it for myself, and even if I were to watch it I would be viewing it out of context, which would force me to rank it last, anyways. I don't actually want to rank it last, but when AnJ is involved I can't just sit idly by, either.
"His Youth...Now Turned To Ash" -
Spoiler
This is an excellent conclusion to the highly climactic fight with José Mendoza. I really love the aspect of Joe's body and health rapidly declining as the match continues. There's a gritiness to his condition that makes so many other shonen feel tame in comparison, in the sense that unlike a typical protagonist, you know that Joe will never recover from this damage. However, it all culminates in Joe finally fulfilling his desire of going all out in the ring, and you can see that on his face as he slips out of consciousness and the credits start rolling. It's left ambiguous whether he truly died from his injuries or not, but that feeling of being content is really the last image that we're left with, and after all of his struggles to get to that point, we're right there with Joe.
"What it Takes to Be a Hero" - The first half of this episode does a really good job of establishing All Might's character, and how despite his outward appearance for the public, his body is degrading as time goes on. He reveals his true nature to Midoriya, which is certainly not insincere, but certainly a tad more critical on the life of being a professional hero than what Midoriya expected to hear from his biggest role-model. However, the second half flips this pessimistic notion instilled by All Might on Midoriya as our protagonist ironically inspires his personal hero by reminding him just what it is that makes someone a hero. Here is Midoriya, a powerless person in a scenario full of super-powered individuals, yet in saving Bakugo he is ironically the most heroic person in the scene. All Might realizes that his own declining health is not something that should allow him to hold himself back, and thus the student/mentor relationship between the two of them is born, and it really goes both ways. Great stuff, overall.
"The Warcry of Excessiveness"- I already talked about this episode in my previous post. Simply put, it's pretty damn funny seeing Sousuke go all-out on training a rugby team by acting like he's training recruits in a military bootcamp, and this all leads to a predictable but still incredibly hilarious punchline. It's definitely my favorite episode of Fumoffu.
"Brunhild Wants Blood"- As I already explained, I'm too far off from this episode. It's most likely the best one here, so I feel bad ranking it last, but I'm sure that I'll feel like an idiot once I finally get back to watching this series and reach this far.
Same as Dr. E-k
"Brunhild Wants Blood" -
Spoiler
A brilliant finish to the war between the Empire and the Alliance and the ideological conflict between Reinhard and Yang that's been present since the very beginning of the series. Reinhard reflects that all who have lost their lives up until this point had an "appropriate death for each of us." That's true of much of this episode, as it takes much sacrifice on the part of the rebels for Julian to meet with Reinhard. And that makes it all the more satisfying when they are able to meet, and Julian stands and tells Reinhard he has a solution to foster peace in the galaxy, and Reinhard out of respect for him coming so far calls a truce for peace. It's a very satisfying conclusion to the series-long conflict and feels so very earned after everything both sides have been through these past few years.
-
Spoiler
One of the all-time iconic endings in an anime/manga series. Yoko brings herself to support Joe's dream in a critical moment, giving him the willpower to persevere through. Joe is a mess throughout the episode, barely able to think, just focused solely on lasting the fight and moving on pure instinct and willpower. The sheer intensity of his determination spooks the shit out of Mendoza, who uncharacteristically loses his wits and composure. Though Jose wins by points, it's clear by his decrepit state at the end of the episode who really won that battle of wills. As for Joe, he leaves the fight satisfied he could give his all right up until the very end. It's a moral victory for the punk from the slums who no one expected anything out of, now having stood in the same ring as the worldwide boxing champ and given him his toughest, and probably final, fight of his life. The ending is bittersweet, whether Joe has died or not, but it's so very emotionally satisfying to see him have pulled through and accomplished everything he wanted out of his life. I'd be putting this first if the LOGH episode didn't need all the support it can get.
-
Spoiler
A compelling moment where Midoriya demonstrates true heroism in unhesitantly rushing to Bakugo's aid when he sees him in trouble, his example reminding a world-weary and jaded All Might what being a hero is all about - selflessly giving your all to help people in need, no matter the risk or cost to yourself. That respect of each other's heroism forms the basis of All Might and Midoriya's master-student relationship that forms the emotional backbone of the series, and the episode demonstrates the sense of optimistic heroism and belief in doing the right thing no matter what the danger that persists as a thematic undercurrent throughout the series.
-
Spoiler
Amusing homage to Full Metal Jacket as well as a general satire of sports movie archetypes.
Is Greed the big guy at the start of the episode because if not, then that's not who I was talking about :bleh:
I might pass since it looks like MHA's lone nomination was advance and I hate spoilers.
He's the military guy with the handgun; basically one of the two main characters of the show. The big guys in that episode are just one-off characters.
Good.
Same as Lum.
The AnJ episode is a triumph, and a worthy end to an incredible series, but the LOTGH episode is about as good, and deserves its own recognition. And I really liked the beginning of MHA! I'll have to catch-up with the show after I'm done with Digimon Adventure!
Definitely passing
Glad you like the AnJ finale and MHA, Avaitor. MHA in particular only gets better as the series progresses.
Hey, CX, I know that it's late in the game, but since it hasn't come up yet can I replace one of my previous choices?
If it's OK, I would like to replace One Piece #474 with Dragon Ball Super #57, which basically fulfills the same purpose but just a bit better, IMO. Neither are going to make it past this round, anyways, but that's my personal highlight of a well-directed and animated episode of television, and I have a lot of personal love for episodes with that amount if effort put into them.
That's only if you're fine with the replacement, though.
Episode 2 is my favorite with the first Exam episode being my 2nd favorite.
Like I said before, I'm gonna have to pass.
Quote from: Dr. Ensatsu-ken on September 10, 2016, 12:04:49 PM
Hey, CX, I know that it's late in the game, but since it hasn't come up yet can I replace one of my previous choices?
If it's OK, I would like to replace One Piece #474 with Dragon Ball Super #57, which basically fulfills the same purpose but just a bit better, IMO. Neither are going to make it past this round, anyways, but that's my personal highlight of a well-directed and animated episode of television, and I have a lot of personal love for episodes with that amount if effort put into them.
That's only if you're fine with the replacement, though.
That's a-okay with me! I'll make the switch.
Results:
Legend of the Galactic Heroes #108: "Brunhild Wants Blood" - 10
My Hero Academia #2: "What it Takes to Be A Hero" - 10
Ashita no Joe 2 #47: "His Youth...Now Turned to Ash" - 14
Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu #7: "The War Cry of Excessiveness" - 6
There's a tie between "Bruhild Wants Blood" and "What it Takes to Be A Hero." Someone will need to break it for us to move on.
What it takes to be a Hero.
"What it Takes to Be A Hero" and "His Youth...Now Turned to Ash" move on to round 2! The next match will be up shortly.
Round 1: Match 18
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/cbb9aef14753505c50abd2b87b4c12f8/tumblr_odcf3gevw41r6toezo4_640.png)
Mr. Osomatsu #4: "Let's Become Independent"/"This Is Totoko" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/mr-osomatsu/episode-4-lets-become-independent-this-is-totoko-686321?p1080=1)
VS.
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/8d90ecccf7476f682fd737a13d862bbf/tumblr_odcf3gevw41r6toezo1_640.png)
Maison Ikkoku #92: "Wedding Bells for Kozue! Is Godai's Love Eternal?!" (http://kissanime.to/Anime/Maison-Ikkoku-Dub/Episode-092?id=67697)
VS.
(https://67.media.tumblr.com/2caebcef414e87c1dd8f9810dc6805e0/tumblr_odcf3gevw41r6toezo3_640.png)
Yu Yu Hakusho #84: "Kurama's Anger, Gourmet's Guest" (http://www.funimation.com/shows/yu-yu-hakusho/videos/official/kuramas-anger-gourmets-guest)
VS.
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/b92b667a385a5ed81d7bcea989272869/tumblr_odcf3gevw41r6toezo2_640.png)
Trigun #3: "Peace Maker" (http://www.funimation.com/shows/trigun/videos/official/peace-maker)
Thanks for the switch, CX!
I need to watch the MI episode, so I'll come back with my rankings sometime before Wednesday.
I think that I'm going to go with the same order as listed.
I was actually going to sit this match out, since I'm aiming to finish Digimon Adventure before the first Tri movie's screening this Thursday (11 eps left to go! I can do this!), but I've seen all of these before. And as excellent as the others are, that Osomatsu episode kept me rolling from start to finish.
"Wedding Bells for Kozue! Is Godai's Love Eternal?!" -
Spoiler
Kyoko, still having trust issues and being insecure about loving someone again, let's herself get worked up over Godai supposedly having a tryst with Akemi even though deep down she knows that would never happen. This episode really sees her struggling with her feelings and inability to trust Godai since she doesn't really know what to think of him or what he thinks of her. Though Akemi fuels the fire, she's only teasing and rightfully points out that Kyoko should have more trust in Godai and her friends and has a lot of growing up to do, and similarly, pushes Godai to confront Kyoko directly and finally make things clear between them. After 90+ episodes, it's so satisfying that Godai makes his feeling perfectly clear to Kyoko. It's such a great scene that feels so cathartic after the tumultuous last couple of episodes. Moreover, the wrap-up between Godai and Kozue is very sweet, as he finally breaks things off with her and they are both able to go their separate ways being friends. And of course, the last lines of the episode with Godai reflecting on what kind of person Kyoko is and what she means to him are iconic. There are a lot of great moments in this episode, and it moves me emotionally no matter how many times I've watched it.
-
Spoiler
Yusuke says at one point during this episode: Note to self - Don't fuck with Kurama. Well, not in those exact words, but still, this is one of Kurama's most cold-blooded and badass moments in the entire show. Reeling over murdering Game Master last episode, Kurama is looking to vent his anger, and the irredeemable Elder Toguro fits the bill nicely. Since Toguro doesn't die easy, he subjects him to a fate worse than death, showing off both his cruel streak while also delivering a satisfying fate to the Toguro that the sadist well deserved.
-
Spoiler
This is one of Trigun's most simple but endearing episodes. You feel for Frank as a man who tried to do good but was ultimately betrayed by the people he had tried to help and the very weapons that he gave them themselves, and that's made him disavow guns as nothing but tools to kill and drown his sorrows alone with booze. Vash's fearless heroism even without a pistol and the town inspired by his example and coming to his aid with the guns he's made makes him realize that his weapons can help and there are good people in the world who will use the guns he makes for the right reasons and to do the right things. I really love all the subtle moments where Vash, though apparently drunk, is actually scoping out Frank and trying to understand his situation. And of course, the scene where Frank and Vash hold up their fingers after the robbers have left saying "it wasn't even loaded' is just a great moment too. One of the best of Trigun's early episodic installments.
-
Spoiler
"Let's Become Independent" is great satire of the growing dependency problem of young adults mooching off their parents, highlighted by the Matsu's own despicable and twisted logic as to why they should stay dependent on their parents' money and not get jobs. Making the whole ordeal into a job interview where Mrs. Matsu is interviewing each Matsu to see which one seems like the best bet or the most endearing is a brilliant and hilarious set-up, as are the unpredictable reasons for Mrs. Matsu accepting and rejecting the brothers and their pathetic attempts to curry her favor or bribe her into accepting them. "This is Totoko" sets up a great running story with Totoko through the show with her trying to become an idol, which makes good use of her manipulative and narcissistic personality the show cranks up to eleven, while also having a great lark at the brothers' expense, being so blinded by hormones that they buy into her ridiculous charade. It's a all-around hilarious episode.
"Kurama's Anger, Gourmet's Guest" - I've already talked about this episode at length before, but it's such a delightfully dark episode showing us why Kurama is not to be trifled with.
"Wedding Bells for Kozue! Is Godai's Love Eternal?!" - This is some really beautiful stuff here. I do have to get into Takahashi's earlier works at some point in time. I really would like to see something like this in context where it would have much more meaning for me.
"Let's Become Independent/This is Totoko" - The first half is my favorite with the brothers all trying their damndest to freeloader off their mother. The second half is really good build-up to a hilarious punchline.
"Peacemaker" - A really fun little stand-alone episode, with a certain charm to it that the early episodes of Trigun had before Vash's pastro was revealed.
Wedding Bells for Kozue! Is Godai's Love Eternal?!
Peace Maker
Kurama's Anger, Gourmet's Guest
Let's Become Independent/This is Totoko
pass
Wedding Bells for Kozue! Is Godai's Love Eternal?!
Kurama's Anger, Gourmet's Guest
Let's Become Independent/This is Totoko
Peace Maker
Results:
Mr. Osomatsu #4: "Let's Become Independent"/"This Is Totoko" - 10
Maison Ikkoku #92: "Wedding Bells for Kozue! Is Godai's Love Eternal?!" - 18
Yu Yu Hakusho #84: "Kurama's Anger, Gourmet's Guest" - 14
Trigun # 3: "Peace Maker" - 8
"Wedding Bells for Kozue! Is Godai's Love Eternal?!" and "Kurama's Anger, Gourmet's Guest" move on to round 2! The next match will be up shortly.
Round 1: Match 19
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/3a5aa55315fb2d7f3f76a120c420e322/tumblr_odiselBRte1r6toezo1_640.png)
Yu Yu Hakusho #89: "Death of a Spirit Detective" (http://www.funimation.com/shows/yu-yu-hakusho/videos/official/death-of-a-spirit-detective)
VS.
(https://67.media.tumblr.com/508bc1b3147a546f1f704a6ce960a7bb/tumblr_odiselBRte1r6toezo2_640.png)
Zeta Gundam #14: "Amuro Flies Again" (http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xhhbxe_mobile-suit-zeta-gundam-episode-14-amuro-flies-again_shortfilms)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/88aa2e08674a1e6cd8785676e85ce9b4/tumblr_odiselBRte1r6toezo4_640.png)
The Slayers #10: "JACKPOT! The Great Life or Death Gamble!" (http://www.funimation.com/shows/the-slayers/videos/official/jackpot-the-great-life-or-death-gamble)
VS.
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/112e1f3ab6ef677eaa370f66bd172c3b/tumblr_odiselBRte1r6toezo3_640.png)
Rurouni Kenshin #11: "Farewell, the Strongest Men: The Clash of Light and Shadow" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/rurouni-kenshin/episode-11-farewell-the-strongest-men-the-clash-of-light-and-shadow-648175)
I'm 5 eps away from the Zeta Gundam ep in this round, so I'll try to vote on Saturday.
I will vote this match! Hopefully later today.
"JACKPOT! The Great Life or Death Gamble!" -
Spoiler
This episode has a special place in my heart both as an anime fan and as a Slayers fan because this is the first episode of the show I saw and one of the first things I saw on the FUNimation channel. I still vividly remember the first time I watched this episode and how it made me curious to check out the rest of the series. This is also just a really great conclusion to the Rezo arc. It's pretty amazing that the first arc villain in Slayers is perhaps it's strongest, but Shabragnido is a menacing as heck powerhouse of a villain and the stakes feel very real. There's great payoff to Rezo's character arc as he sacrifices his life to keep Shabragnido at bay and repent for his evil deeds, saving the world he's finally been able to see for the first time. Rezo is still one of my favorite anime villains. Of course, Lina using the Giga Slave for the first time is also a monumental and jaw-dropping moment, and still awesome to me after all these years. This episode was my first and remains my favorite moment in Slayers.
-
Spoiler
A brilliantly-directed and emotionally hard-hitting episode, especially when it comes to Yusuke's death scene, the imagery used to convey the sadness and tragedy characters feel towards his passing, and Kuwabara's disbelief and attempt to deny the undeniable, slowly coming to the realization that Yusuke is, indeed, dead. Kuwabara's reaction to Yusuke's death is probably my favorite scene in the episode, possibly one of my favorite Kuwabara moments in the show. The episode ends on such a great note too, with Sensui just sitting feeling melancholy, the success of killing his Spirit Detective successor not giving him the satisfaction and catharsis he thought it would, but knowing it doesn't matter, since he knows he's going to be dying soon anyway, and has successfully enabled the destruction of the human race thanks to the portal he's made, with the ravenous demons behind it scratching and clawing to get out. It's such a dour, hopeless note to close the episode on, and it really strikes me whenever I watch it.
-
Spoiler
It's pretty satisfying to see Amuro in action again and join the fight against the Titans. The lynchpin of the episode, though, is of course the reunion between Amuro and Char, the first time they've seen each other since their fateful battle at the end of MSG. It's a really great scene, two former enemies with deep grudges now encountering each other for the first time in years fighting for the same side and being at a loss for words at such an odd twist of fate. Solid episode, brilliant scene.
-
Spoiler
A tragic end to the Oniwabanshu and a good development episode for Aoshi's character. While the pacing and art feels off at points here (as it does in a lot of the early RK anime episodes), the Oniwabanshu sacrificing themselves to save Aoshi and give Kenshin a chance to defeat Kanryu is one of my favorite moments in the series.
Same as CX.
Do you still plan to vote on this match, GSF and Vlord? How about you, Avaitor?
"Amuro Flies Again"
"Death of a Spirit Detective"
"Farewell, the Strongest Men: The Clash Between Light and Shadow"
"JACKPOT! The Great Life or Death Gamble!"
"Death of a Spirit Detective"
"JACKPOT! The Great Life or Death Gamble!"
"Amuro Flies Again"
"Farewell, the Strongest Men: The Clash Between Light and Shadow"
Nope, go ahead and advance
Very well then.
Results:
Yu Yu Hakusho #89: "Death of a Spirit Detective" - 13
Zeta Gundam #14: "Amuro Flies Again" - 10
The Slayers #10: "JACKPOT! The Great Life or Death Gamble!" - 12
Rurouni Kenshin #11: "Farewell, the Strongest Man: The Clash of Light and Shadow" - 5
"Death of a Spirit Detective" and "JACKPOT! The Great Life or Death Gamble!" move on to round 2! The next match will be up shortly.
Round 1: Match 20
(https://67.media.tumblr.com/f3c05c6e5e89bdb476fc12f2adee3804/tumblr_odpya9v0A21r6toezo2_640.png)
Trigun #26: "Under the Sky So Blue" (http://www.funimation.com/shows/trigun/videos/official/under-the-sky-so-blue)
VS.
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/dfd7d9be1ebe0088f8a4c699adeca451/tumblr_odpya9v0A21r6toezo3_640.png)
Urusei Yatsura #78: "Miserable! A Loving and Roving Mother!" (http://kissanime.to/Anime/Urusei-Yatsura/Episode-078?id=10726)
VS.
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/1b2064ded269a858bb2e841907da4c94/tumblr_odpya9v0A21r6toezo1_640.png)
Ashita no Joe 2 #1: "And Then, He Returned..." (http://www.crunchyroll.com/champion-joe-2/episode-1-and-i-am-back-650837?p1080=1)
VS.
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/5dc571ca381f36deb524681ef640ba82/tumblr_odpya9v0A21r6toezo4_640.png)
Urusei Yatsura OVA #12: "The Obstacle Course Swim Meet" (http://kissanime.to/Anime/Urusei-Yatsura-The-Shougaibutsu-Suieitaikai/Special?id=113411)
"The Obstacle Course Swim Meet" -
Spoiler
This OVA captures just about everything I love about UY, and is my favorite episode of the anime and of anime in general. The series looks great with modernized character designs and a brighter color palette, and makes me really want to see the series get remade or a Mr. Osomatsu-esque revival. The OVA highlights just about all the major characters with great gags that are at once nostalgic but are presented in a fresh and hilarious manner. There are lots of great easter eggs for old-time fans and in typical UY fashion, the scenario just escalates crazier and crazier until it reaches a literally explosive finish by the end. There's so many moments and character bits that I just love in this special, my favorite sequence being the skirmish with those giant water snakes, which has just a rapid-fire sequence of great moments like Ran blasting a snake and using a light saber on another one, Mendou being swallowed by a snake and then melting after being spit out, and of course, the obligatory Ataru loves Lum scene where he unflinchingly rescues her from a snake that drags her under water and attempts to give her mouth to mouth. I get giddy over moments where Ataru does something heroic and openly shows that he cares, what can I say? This OVA is just a treat for UY fans, but I think it's also a very accessible entry point into the series since it encapsulates so much about what's good about it. I know because I've actually gotten people interested in watching the series because of this episode. It's just a shame that this is the last piece of UY animation there's been in eight years, as with the success of Mr. Osomatsu, I think UY could really blow up with a similarly executed revival. Either way, this is my favorite episode of my favorite anime, and ever time I watch it it reminds me just how much I love the series.
-
Spoiler
This is one of the most Oshii episodes of Oshii's run on UY, exploring themes of the nature of dreams and one's perception of reality that would be explored further in Beautiful Dreamer. It's an amazingly directed piece that oozes ominous uncertainty throughout, with a lot of imagery and symbolism to unpack. It's also awesome to see an episode on Ataru's mother, who's always been one of the funniest but most underutilized secondary characters, and this episode takes her disillusionment and mid-life crises and dives deeper into her life, her psyche, her dissatisfaction, and what she really wants out of life. The ending where she makes peace with her inner child and childish desires while accepting the reality and responsibilities she has as an adult is great and speaks a lot of her character, and also shows that Oshii really understood the heart of these characters, which is the real reason why this episode and most of Oshii experimental episodes even work as well as they do. One of the most unique and intricate episodes in UY's canon.
-
Spoiler
The intense and heart-pounding conclusion of Trigun, spending the first half exploring the turbulent relationship between Vash and Knives over the years and how their different philosophies drove them apart, before heading into the nail-biting and suspenseful back-and-forth shootout between the two in the second half, which remains one of my favorite fights in anime. It's a cathartic payoff to Vash's character arc as he sticks to his guns and defends the morals he believes in and stops Knives' ambitions, but now decides to live by his own code of justice instead of exclusively adopting Rem's, no longer following that pacifistic philosophy for her sake, but for his own. One of my favorite endings to any anime series.
-
Spoiler
Joe at his lowest point, directionless and pensive with guilt over the death of Rikiishi. It's interesting to see that sense of guilt carry over to Wolf, and him coming to his defense when Gondo starts wailing on him and then talks shit about him later. In the end, though, that scuffle with Gondo reignites a fire in Joe, and makes him realize that he's not ready to give boxing up after all, leading to his triumphant return to the Tange dojo. A great character piece for Joe's character, with interesting bits involving Yoko and Wolf that develops their characters further, and of course features the introduction of Gondo who becomes a great recurring character in the AnJ2 anime. It's a power and moving start to the second half of the AnJ story and the AnJ2 anime.
This was a hella tough round for me. I know with the way I voted most people are just going to go "opposite of CX" and not bother to watch the UY episodes, but darn it, I love those episodes so much and rewatch them so regularly that I couldn't vote any other way.
pass
Isn't anyone going to vote? ???
I'll have to pass on this round. As much as I want to vote, I'm both swamped with work and also have been getting episodes of nausea lately, so I'm not in the mood to be watching episodes right now. :(
Ooph, I know how awful is is to have to do a bunch of work while being sick. :gonk: I hope your nausea subsides and things slow down a little for you soon.
But I would like some votes from the rest of you guys. I don't want to move on from the match with only my votes, unless everyone else really doesn't want to vote on this match.
Sorry, I've been pretty busy lately, but I've been trying to find time to watch these episodes, and I'm done.
"Under the Sky So Blue"
"The Obstacle Course Swim Meet"
"At Last, He Returned"
"Miserable! A Loving and Roving Mother!"
Wow, that UY OVA really was something. Is the rest of it as funny as this ep?
Absolutely! I love that OVA precisely because it captures everything great about the series at it's best. ;)
Though strangely enough most of the episodes I entered into the competition were the more dramatic/experimental sorts. :sweat:
"At Last, He Returned"
"The Obstacle Course Swim Meet"
"Under the Sky So Blue"
"Miserable! A Loving and Roving Mother!"
Results:
Trigun #26: "Under the Sky So Blue" - 8
Urusei Yatsura #78: "Pitiful! Mother of Love and Banishment?!" - 5
Ashita no Joe 2 #1: "And I am back" - 7
Urusei Yatsura OVA #12: "The Obstacle Course Swim Meet" - 10
"Under the Sky so Blue" and "The Obstacle Course Swim Meet" move on to round 2! The next match will be up shortly.
Round 1: Match 21
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/af0b376f126bbdd792b040dd4bf5e622/tumblr_odyot7tQkw1r6toezo4_640.png)
Urusei Yatsura #157: "Darling, I Love Your Kindness" (http://kissanime.to/Anime/Urusei-Yatsura/Episode-157?id=10803)
VS.
(https://67.media.tumblr.com/07e2537c303a636ff0a657b2ff7dad7f/tumblr_odyot7tQkw1r6toezo3_640.png)
Ushio & Tora #19: "The Demon That Turns Back Time" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/ushio-and-tora/episode-19-the-demon-that-turns-back-time-686633?p1080=1)
VS.
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/04d2d4db3b48f39d9edc84ff2cb982c1/tumblr_odyot7tQkw1r6toezo2_640.png)
Rurouni Kenshin #41: "The Ultimate Technique Of The Hiten-Mitsurugi Style: Reunion with a Mentor, Seijuro Hiko" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/rurouni-kenshin/episode-41-the-ultimate-technique-of-the-hiten-mitsurugi-style-reunion-with-a-mentor-seijuro-hiko-648235)
VS.
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/7f304eef79fb3b2cc5d6d85658e06bd4/tumblr_odyot7tQkw1r6toezo1_640.png)
Lupin the Third Part 1 #4: "One Chance for a Prison Break" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/lupin-the-third-part-1/episode-4-one-chance-to-breakout-681601)
Only 1 episode that I need to watch for this round, so I'll probably get around to it sometime over the weekend.
Oh for the love of..that's probably my favorite Lupin episode :wth:
Whoops. I will vote this afternoon.
"Darling, I Love Your Kindness" -
Spoiler
This episode provides really subtle but important insight into Ataru's character. Because of the way Ataru normally behaves, people see him as a flaky lech and don't think highly of his character. Even Lum's become a little jaded when it comes to her expectations with Ataru. But the date with Nozomi reveals a lot about who Ataru really is beneath his foolish facade. Ataru isn't forced to date Nozomi, nor is he getting anything out of it. He dates Nozomi purely because he wants to help the girl be happy and find peace. In this, we also see him employ his schtick in a way that hints that the way he normally behaves is, in fact, an act. When he's asking Nozomi for her name and address, he's not doing it because that information will benefit him, but because he wants to make Nozomi feel good about herself. Even with the sweater, though his first instinct was to run, ultimately he is the one who decides to wear it, and he does so for Nozomi's sake. Everything Ataru does in the episode is for Nozomi, for someone else's sake. It's a purely selfless side of the character we normally don't see but says a lot about who he really is.
Another aspect to love about the episode is Nozomi herself. She's a really great one-off character, who you really feel for in her desire to simply live freely after being caged up in a hospital for all her life. She's attracted to Ataru because he's so full of life, and she admires that quality in him. Similarly, as the episode goes on, Lum herself is reminded of that very quality of Ataru's, and why she really loves him as well.
Of course, the direction and visuals in the episode are brilliant as well. The framing with Nozomi's mother was an added addition to the anime that gives the episode a B-plot in the form of this mother trying to fulfill her daughter's dream despite her skepticism, and it's amazing how her character arc is delivered so clearly and powerfully without her ever having to say a word. Her grateful bow at the end of the episode when she sees the flowers and incense Ataru and Lum left on her grave is such a powerful image that gets me every time. The opening sequence showing Nozomi in the hospital before her passing, and the ending where Ataru and Lum pay their respects and Lum just looks at him knowing his character better than she ever had before, and their playful tickling on the beach and those amazing closing words "Darling, maybe I should become a ghost too" "Don't be silly" - just a great, contemplative not to end the episode on. There's so much great things going on in this episode that I could go on and on about it, but it's a fantastic character piece for Ataru and one of the most iconic stories in the entire series, as well as one of my all time favorites.
-
Spoiler
One of the most iconic Lupin stories that has been re-done or homaged in most of the series. The mindgame between Lupin and Zenigatta throughout the episode is tense as you try to figure out just how Lupin will escape and what his game is, and the tension remains high all through to the end where narrowly outwits Zenigatta and escapes. This is a great Lupin/Zenigatta relationship episode, as we really see that Zenigatta almost wants Lupin to escape, as chasing him has become his life's purpose and he's become so attached to him that he doesn't know how he'd live without him. This becomes more emphasized in later iterations of this story, but this initial premise still says a lot about the dynamic and relationship between the two even this early on into the anime franchise's run.
-
Spoiler
The ending of this episode is the first time we see Hakumen in action, and it's a horrifying sight to behold and instantly cements it as a nightmarish and fearsome creature. Ushio's distress at being unable to save Giryou's father is also very tragic and is one of many tragedies soon to befall Ushio in the coming episodes that'll really shake him up and cement his drive to put an end to Hakumen.
-
Spoiler
I really like the parallels drawn between Kenshin/Seijuro and Aoshi/Okina in terms of pupil/master relationships that have become contentious because said pupil disobeyed his master's teachings and went astray, with neither master willing to help their pupil because they believe they've walked the wrong path. Ultimately, Seijuro is persuaded that Kenshin has atoned for his mistake by people he's helped, and is granted the right to learn the final technique of Hiten Mitsurugi. In contrast, Aoshi doesn't display repentance, and becomes allured by evil, joining Shishio's forces in pursuit of Kenshin. Kaoru also has a neat little sub-arc in seeing Kenshin again and helping ingratiate him to Seijuro, and then leaving so as to not distract Kenshin. Her presence reminds Kenshin that he has attachments he cares about and that in turn shows Seijuro that he has matured. Really great character interactions here and a lot of character development happens within this episode.
"The Ultimate Technique Of The Hiten-Mitsurugi Style: Reunion with a Mentor, Seijuro Hiko"
"One Chance for a Prison Break"
"The Demon That Turns Back Time"
"Darling, I Love Your Kindness"
I'm sure that I'd rate UY higher if I saw it in context. I'll try and get around to it by the end of the year.
Whoops, I ended up nominating the wrong Kenshin episode. I assumed tge episode titled Ultimate Technique...would feature the Ultimate Technique. Either way, great episode and my nostalgia meter was going crazy. I also have a new appreciation for the episode with how Hiko was talking about Kenshin's maturity and his lack of value for his own life. The moment when Kenshin starts to truly value his own life in the next episode is why I tried to nominate it. I am about to watch this match's other 3 episodes.
Tora - This is when the series goes from good to great
RK
UY - What a beautiful and sad episode :'(
Lupin
"The Demon That Turns Back Time"
"Darling, I Love Your Kindness"
"One Chance for a Prison Break"
"The Ultimate Technique Of The Hiten-Mitsurugi Style: Reunion with a Mentor, Seijuro Hiko"
Results:
Urusei Yatsura #157: "Darling, I Love Your Kindness" - 10
Ushio & Tora #19: "The Demon That Turns Back Time" - 12
Rurouni Kenshin #41: "The Ultimate Technique Of The Hiten-Mitsurugi Style: Reunion with a Mentor, Seijuro Hiko" - 9
Lupin the Third Part 1 #4: "One Chance to Breakout" - 9
"Darling, I Love Your Kindness" and "The Demon That Turns Back Time" move on to round 2! The next match will be up shortly.
Round 1: Match 22
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/c8e9b258ba74ab87dfe6fe4975fc5b47/tumblr_oe3jszTa2y1r6toezo4_640.png)
Cowboy Bebop #22: "Cowboy Funk" (http://www.funimation.com/shows/cowboy-bebop/videos/official/cowboy-funk)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/08dc412afc290ac875641af285667189/tumblr_oe3jszTa2y1r6toezo3_640.png)
Death Note #25: "Silence" (https://tubitv.com/video/319066/s01_e25_silence)
VS.
(https://67.media.tumblr.com/af8d970cf5a44c8bc70b9c8bb63cacc9/tumblr_oe3jszTa2y1r6toezo2_640.png)
Amagi Brilliant Park #5: "Not Enough Money!" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/amagi-brilliant-park/episode-5-not-enough-money-680765)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/f8a6f7d4424d315044754340a12831c8/tumblr_oe3jszTa2y1r6toezo1_640.png)
Neon Genesis Evangelion #9: "Both of You, Dance Like You Want to Win!" (http://www.animetoon.org/neon-genesis-evangelion-episode-9)
I've actually seen all four of these for a change:
"Silence"- This is easily the most pivotal moment in all of Death Note, and it was executed incredibly well here.
"Both of You, Dance Like You Want to Win!"- For a show that's known more for its somber tone and deep symbolism, this is one of its more surprisingly fun episodes. It was both hilarious and gratifying seeing Shinji and Asuka trying to work together (begrudgingly on her part) to achieve a common goal.
"Cowboy Funk"- A pretty entertaining episode.
"Not Enough Money!"- Also fun stuff, but I just prefer the episodes (and series) listed above, personally.
I'll watch the Amagi and rewatch the DN eps soon.
Same as Dr. E-k.
I'd explain my choices like usual, but since E-k covered the jist of what I would have said about DN and NGE anyway, I'm gonna slide on that this match.
"Both of You, Dance Like You Want to Win!'
"Silence"
"Cowboy Funk"
"Not Enough Money!"
That Amagi episode wasn't really bad, but wasn't my thing. It's not right to ditch the show for good, but it's not enough to entice me to watch it, and definitely the weakest ep here in my eyes.
Amagi is an OK show. Personally I'm a fan of author Shoji Gatoh's humor in Full Metal Panic, and I love Fumoffu. However, ABP, while entertaining, never really struck the same chord with me, personally.
"Silence"
"Cowboy Funk"
"Both of You, Dance Like You Want to Win!'
"Not Enough Money!"
pass
Results:
Cowboy Bebop #22: "Cowboy Funk" - 9
Death Note #25: "Silence" - 15
Amagi Brilliant Park #5: "Not Enough Money!" - 4
Neon Genesis Evangelion #9: "Both of You, Dance Like You Want to Win!" - 12
"Silence" and "Both of You, Dance Like You Want to Win!" move on to round 2! The next match will be up shortly.
Round 1: Match 23
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/c07ffd189564327a6e62694537a78c4d/tumblr_oeaavfNNet1r6toezo1_640.png)
Hunter X Hunter (2011) #118: "A X False X Rage" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/hunter-x-hunter/episode-118-a-x-false-x-rage-646081)
VS.
(https://67.media.tumblr.com/bdf4cf02aa4b7cdcbc9b0842a7be0aa4/tumblr_oeaavfNNet1r6toezo2_640.png)
Yu Yu Hakusho #73: "The Doctor's Disease" (http://www.funimation.com/shows/yu-yu-hakusho/videos/official/the-doctors-disease)
VS.
(https://67.media.tumblr.com/c15e3fa364bf00243774f36d14ebd2f8/tumblr_oeaavfNNet1r6toezo3_640.png)
Trigun #23: "Paradise" (http://www.funimation.com/shows/trigun/videos/official/paradise)
VS.
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/5d97e01738b1fd2e750f54987ebf953f/tumblr_oeaavfNNet1r6toezo4_640.png)
Space Dandy #14: "I Can't Be the Only One, Baby" (http://www.funimation.com/shows/space-dandy/videos/official/i-cant-be-the-only-one-baby)
"Paradise"
"The Doctor's Disease"
"A X False X Rage"
"I Can't Be the Only One, Baby"
"Paradise" -
Spoiler
My first episode of Trigun, and definitely my favorite. Just when Wolfwood sees that there is another way just like Vash says, he is mortally wounded and dies with the regret of not having changed his ways earlier and being unable to see things through to the end. A tragic and heartbreaking fate for a fantastic character.
-
Spoiler
We had seeds that hinted that there were parallel worlds in SD before, but this episode unravels it all and goes bonkers with the concept, leading to absolute hilarity. Emo Dandy still busts my gut every time.
-
Spoiler
Both plots in this episode are incredibly intense, with Ikalgo having to play his cards just right in order to survive a suspicious Brovada's interrogation, and Knuckle taking a chance in getting a hit on Youpi, knowing one false move will end his life. I love the sequence where time just freezes for a moment as Knuckle goes in for the punch, and his realization that Youpi fakes him out and the impending dread, but then able to take advantage of a surprise attack by Killua to get not one, not two, but eight hits on Youpi before retreating astonished that he got out of that in one piece. A suspenseful and satisfying episode full of the kind of psychological warfare I love from HXH.
-
Spoiler
Good set-up for the battle between Yusuke and Doctor. The scene-stealing moment here is definitely how Kido communicates to Yusuke who the Doctor is despite being unable to speak of move, cleverly using his shadow manipulation powers to spell his name out in blood. The fight scene between Yusuke and Doctor in the episode itself is pretty sweet and quite expressively animated too.
Same as LumRanmaYasha
Same as EK.
Results:
Hunter X Hunter (2011) #118: "A X False X Rage" - 8
Yu Yu Hakusho #73: "The Doctor's Disease" - 8
Trigun #23: "Paradise" - 16
Space Dandy #14: "I Can't Be the Only One, Baby" - 8
Three-way tie. You guys know what to do.
Switch YYH and Trigun's places on my list.
"Paradise" and "The Doctor's Disease" move on to round 2! The next match will be up shortly.
Round 1: Match 24
(https://67.media.tumblr.com/be7f4cc914bd57f26a731864ca71e69f/tumblr_oeg8go7bsp1r6toezo3_640.png)
Dragon Ball Super #57: "The Immortal God: Zamasu Descended" (http://kissanime.to/Anime/Dragon-Ball-Super/Episode-057?id=129646)
VS.
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/c9059db81056b8c55a3e133a6076805a/tumblr_oeg8go7bsp1r6toezo4_640.png)
Full Metal Panic: The Second Raid #13: "The Continuing Day By Day" (http://www.funimation.com/shows/full-metal-panic-the-second-raid/videos/official/the-continuing-day-by-day?watch=dub)
VS.
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/de1a50188a3c6b6256fba9a883355960/tumblr_oeg8go7bsp1r6toezo1_640.png)
Rurouni Kenshin: Trust & Betrayal #4: "The Cross-Shaped Wound" (http://kissanime.to/Anime/Rurouni-Kenshin-Tsuiokuhen/Episode-04?id=92080)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/799428161e19e95a4b6f1b33bf7acf42/tumblr_oeg8go7bsp1r6toezo2_640.png)
Trigun # 21: "Out Of Time" (http://www.funimation.com/shows/trigun/videos/official/out-of-time)
Oh, God-Fucking-Damnit! I love all of these episodes! :srs:
"The Cross-Shaped Wound"- This, to me, is like Watsuki's take on a traditional Japanese tragedy story, which also feels almost Shakespearean in nature. This is by far one of the most emotionally driven and fairly dark pieces of content that I've ever seen from a traditional battle shonen series running in Weekly Shonen Jump, and even when not being compared to its contemporaries, it still just works so well on so many levels.
"The Continuing Day By Day"- This is a really strong conclusion to this season of the anime, as it leads both Sousuke and Kaname to the emotional resolution of their character arcs in which they each come to terms with their feelings. Simultaneously it has a well-animated final battle, and also sets up future events perfectly....which unfortunately nobody ever got to see delivered on unless they read the continuing light novels or the manga. Just make a new fucking anime already!
"Out of Time"- A really tense and exciting episode in which Vash and Wolfwood are desperately trying to stop a ship's impending collision. It's one of those episodes that you can't stop watching until it's over.
"The Immortal God: Zamasu Descended"- I REALLY wanted to put this higher. To me, this is really meant to be paired up with episode 56 as a single feature since that episode perfectly feeds into this one, with the former being more story-focused and the latter being the release of all of the tension that had been built up throughout the entire arc up to this point. And holy shit at that animation quality and expert directing. For a long-running TV anime, especially one made by Toei Animation, this is some truly impressive stuff, and if you have the gall to doubt that, go watch Ajay's video on one of the key animators who also worked on this episode and you'll really see how much talent and effort went into it. Beyond that, though, it does a legitimately good job with moving the story forward when seen in context. I absolutely hate having to rank it last, but the competition is just too strong. Even so, while it's not going to win this round, I sincerely hope that others don't just dismiss it, because it's legitimately great, IMO, and makes me almost not care about how rocky the first two-to-three arcs of Super were, which is a huge feat in and of itself.
I think that I have to pass on this match. I don't really have the time to watch all of these.
Opposite of listed. You keep putting all the stuff I really like against each other.
Pass. Long time 'til I view Super.
Same as Dr. E-k.
Re-watching that OVA and watching the third live action film has put me in such a Kenshin high lately.
I have such mixed feelings about the live-action films. On the one hand they can feel so cheesy with the over-acting and exaggerated action, despite the tone being so self-serious. On the other hand there is so much genuine love and care put into them from the costume and set design to the practical special effects and highly choreographed fight-scenes combined with some surprisingly impressive Wire-Fu. You can tell that the key people making these movies really give a shit about Rurouni Kenshin and are probably huge fans themselves. As films in and of themselves they aren't great, but if you look at them as a tribute to the series, you could think of them as the ultimate fan-films. Surprisingly they have a lot more understanding of the actual source material than those godawful Shin Kyoto-Hen OVAs did.
To be fair, the cheesiness and exaggerated action were elements in the original manga, so transplanting that captures part of the quintessential shonen charm that the series has. Like the manga, I felt there was plenty of humor in the movies that added some levity to the storyline and prevented it from becoming too self-serious, at least for me.
Quote from: LumRanmaYasha on October 04, 2016, 10:12:36 PM
To be fair, the cheesiness and exaggerated action were elements in the original manga, so transplanting that captures part of the quintessential shonen charm that the series has. Like the manga, I felt there was plenty of humor in the movies that added some levity to the storyline and prevented it from becoming too self-serious, at least for me.
It's not so much the humor that I find to be cheesy, but the translation of the characters from manga/animation to live-action. On the one hand, I respect that the writing and acting tries to be as accurate as possible to the source material. The problem is that certain things that work fine in one medium look silly in another, and sometimes this is unintentional, like with the RK movies. It's not the fact that the movies have levity that I draw issue with, but that the way it's done, while accurate to the manga, feels out of place with the more serious story beats which are more self-serious, leading to parts feeling unintentionally cheesy.
To be clear, I also enjoy these movies a hell of a lot, so I'm not trying to put them down. They are steps in the right direction towards doing proper live-action adaptations of manga. I just feel that there is a tonal sweet-spot that exists where these movies could adapt the source material really well and accurately, yet also work really well as a general movie to someone who never read or watched the manga or anime. While I really enjoy them a lot as a huge fan of the manga, I'm not so sure that they would have the same appeal to someone who had never read or watched RK in their life and knew nothing going into it in quite the same way that something like a Marvel movie or Harry Potter film would appeal to a total novice. And I also don't mean in terms of budget or special effects. Just in terms of finding the right consistent tone.
But really, I do still enjoy these movies, so I'm certainly not disagreeing with you liking them so much. They honestly deserve a lot of love (I even posted about how much I admired the first movie despite its faults a few years ago).
On the subject of live-action manga adaptations, I once read a piece of writing somehwere in which someone explained how Kung-Fu Hustle really almost felt like a Dragonball movie in disguise. And thinking about it, looking specifically at early Dragonball material, I can totally see that: the cartoony tone and visual gags, the martial arts themes, the general sense of humor, the villain's peculiar design and tendencies. Japan should totally hire Stephen Chow to direct a Dragonball movie! :o
Yeah, cartoonish tonal switches like that is hard to replicate in live-action without coming off as surreal or strange, and as good as these movies are there were I admit there were some moments that did feel off in live-action (most notably Kenshin's "Oro" verbal tick). I guess I didn't mind them so much just because I felt they got most everything else right, but I can see your point that it makes it less accessible to someone who isn't familiar with it than Marvel's films are. Though, I'd say for RK fans themselves these movies are still really enjoyable.
Results:
Dragon Ball Super #57: "God with the Invulnerable Body - Zamasu's Advent" - 3
Full Metal Panic: The Second Raid #13: "The Continuing Day By Day" - 8
Rurouni Kenshin Trust and Betrayal #4: "The Cross-Shaped Wound" - 11
Trigun #21: "Out Of Time" - 8
"The Continuing Day by Day" and "Out of Time" are tied. You guys know what to do.
Switch Trigun and Dragonball on my list. We already have two or three other Trigun episodes that already moved onto the next round, so I'm throwing FMP a bone here to keep it more varied and interesting.
"The Continuing Day by Day" and "The Cross-Shaped Wound" move on to round 2! The next match will be up shortly.
Round 1: Match 25
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/58fd7d5d2802d984c55ecdf93172c741/tumblr_oeljowfxvb1r6toezo3_640.png)
InuYasha: The Final Act #2: "Kagura's Wind" (http://www.viz.com/watch/streaming/inuyasha-the-final-act-episode-2/720/dub)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/bca38e2c647ca0c2df8049df88f3e9f2/tumblr_oeljowfxvb1r6toezo1_640.png)
Mr. Osomatsu #1: "Osomatsu-kun Returns" (http://kissanime.to/Anime/Osomatsu-san/Episode-001?id=117727)
VS.
(https://animationrevelation.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwiki.evageeks.org%2Fimages%2Fb%2Fbb%2F24_C308_deliberation.jpg&hash=8a303ae4df720fae49cb59ea138afc577c708701)
Neon Genesis Evangelion #24: "The Beginning and the End, or 'Knockin' on Heaven's Door'" (http://www.animetoon.org/neon-genesis-evangelion-episode-24)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/bb4c66c4a546cc52751d0db41065354c/tumblr_oeljowfxvb1r6toezo2_640.png)
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai #5: "Disaster Awakening Chapter Four – The Great Hinamizawa Disaster" (http://kissanime.to/Anime/Higurashi-no-Naku-Koro-ni-Kai/Episode-005?id=3883)
pass
"Kagura's Wind" -
Spoiler
This episode stuffs a lot of different plotlines into a single episode, and I enjoy all of them for how they develop the characters. But the reason I love the episode is mostly for the second half, with Kagura slowly dying after finally achieving the freedom she longed for and Sesshomaru's battle with Moryomaru, and the pivotal moment where for the first time he feels anger and sorrow for another person, breaking the Tenseiga and rushing to see Kagura to try and save her before she passes away. This is an important moment in Sesshomaru's character development as the first time he truly does something selfless and has empathy for someone, and is what later allows him to use the full capabilities of the Tenseiga. My favorite scene in the episode, and the series as a whole, is Kagura's death scene. It's such a tragic and bittersweet end for her character, whose desire for freedom she was only able to obtain until death, but she still died content because she was able to see the man she loved one last time. It's such a powerful, emotional scene and it gets me every time I watch it. This episode is not going to pass this round probably because I'm the only person here who likes IY and whatever, but this episode comprises some of my favorite moments and my definitive favorite moment in the series which revolves around and gives excellent development to my two favorite characters from it.
-
Spoiler
The crux of the episode is the relationship between Shinji and Kaoru, how Kaoru is the first person Shinji really feels comfortable talking to and be treated kindly without any stipulations, yet tragically he is an enemy he must destroy. There's more going on than that, but it's basically the final nail in the coffin that makes Shinji lose his faith in people completely, leading him to destroy the world and everyone in it besides him and Asuka in EoE. What sells the episode is mostly thanks to Anno's as-always masterful directing, and how he knows how to create tension and atmosphere by staging, composition, color, and timing which more than supplements the episode's more limited animation.
-
Spoiler
A great satire of modern anime cliches and pop culture presented as a classic cartoon trying to revitalize itself to be hip with a modern audience, going totally awry with too many ideas in the pot and that the characters themselves fundamentally can't change who they are without losing who they are "They aren't even any of Akatsuka's characters in this anymore!" which is another great commentary on how misguided some reboots can be. I especially appreciate this episode because of it's foundation as a Boy Over Flowers and later just general reverse-harem shojo manga parody and make fun of the cliches and premises of those kind of series, which to me is the funniest part moreso than the end where they start putting in more mainstream visual references to other popular series, which is the part more people seem to like probably because of easier recognizably. It's all great though and a brilliant premiere to one of the funniest anime comedies in recent memory.
-
Spoiler
This is a suspenseful episode as you are trying to figure out what's going on like Satoko and are disturbed by all the dark twists and turns, despite knowing they're coming. This arc isn't one of my favorites in Higurashi, but it's sets a tone for the second season that carries through and makes you really want to see the characters overcome the timeloop, and this episode delivers on that through your realization of what's going on at the same time as Satoko perfectly.
"Osomatsu-kun Returns"
"Kagura's Wind"
"'Knockin' on Heaven's Door'"
"The Great Hinazawa Disaster"
I knew I forgot to do something!
"Knockin' on Heaven's Door"
"Osomatsu-kun Returns"
"The Great Hinazawa Disaster"
"Kagura's Wind"
Same as Avaitor.
Results:
InuYasha: The Final Act #2: "Kagura's Wind" - 9
Mr. Osomatsu #1: "Osomatsu-kun Returns" - 12
Neon Genesis Evangelion #24: "The Beginning and the End, or 'Knockin' on Heaven's Door'" - 13
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai #5: "Disaster Awakening Chapter Four – The Great Hinamizawa Disaster" - 6
"Osomatsu-kun Returns" and "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" move on to round 2! The next match will be up shortly.
Round 1: Match 26
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/b56b3e6d0adcaa00a2426e3bc491695b/tumblr_oeuacb2k7x1r6toezo3_640.png)
Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt #6: "Les Diaboliques" (http://www.funimation.com/shows/panty-stocking-with-garterbelt/videos/official/les-diaboliques)
VS.
(https://67.media.tumblr.com/c37401accdf616b46837a1bed1b60511/tumblr_oeuacb2k7x1r6toezo1_640.png)
Kino's Journey #4: ""Land of Adults -Natural Right-" (http://www.animetoon.org/kinos-journey-episode-4)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/0fff681852dc6709d491db502fbe94b5/tumblr_oeuacb2k7x1r6toezo2_640.png)
Paranoia Agent #10: "Mellow Maromi" (http://www.animetoon.org/paranoia-agent-episode-10)
VS.
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/27c9eaa2d3132d9a0f7c3bfe5b38a259/tumblr_oeuacb2k7x1r6toezo4_640.png)
Haibane Renmei #12: "Bell Nuts - Passing of the Year Festival - Reconciliation" (http://www.funimation.com/shows/haibane-renmei/videos/official/bell-nuts-passing-of-the-year-festival-reconciliation)
"Mellow Maromi" -
Spoiler
A great dark comedy satire of the anime industry that somehow manages to say about as much about how harsh and difficult working conditions and office politics are in it's 22 minute runtime that Shirobako does in it's entire run.
-
Spoiler
Kino's past as a child in the Land of Adults offers a great insight into her mature character and how her ideas of adulthood, humanity, and self-identity were inspired by her encounter with the original Kino.
-
Spoiler
Perhaps the funniest and most memorable episode of PSG, introducing the Daemon sisters as formidable foils to Panty and Stocking both comedically and in terms of an actual threat, while also providing the series' best fight scene with the battle between the Anarchy and Daemon sisters in the school. Great episode, but stiff competition.
-
Spoiler
Touching episode where the Haibane of the Abandoned Factory forgive Reiki of her past altercations to help her find peace and move on. Of course, her inability to forgive herself and self-loathing prevent her, leading into the next episode. Personally, I'd single out episode 13 as the most emotional and cathartic peak of the series and I would've nominated that episode over this one myself, but this is still a really good episode with great character development and payoff on the relationships between Rokka, Reiki, and the Abandoned Factory Haibane.
Isn't anyone going to vote? This match has been up for like a week already.
I'm going to have to pass as I'm only familiar with one of these shows.
Pass.
Yeah, I haven't had the time to check these out this week, so I'm going to have to pass as well. I'm sorry.
Hmm. Well, I don't want to move any of these episodes on with only my votes, but I don't want to sit around and wait since it's already been a week. So I'll just leave this match inactive for now and we'll come back to it after the next couple are through.
Round 1: Match 27
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/676b183a5aae339f0503ef6e6f718cdb/tumblr_of60v2MXAW1r6toezo2_640.png)
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders: #15: "Justice Part 2" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/jojos-bizarre-adventure/episode-15-justice-part-2-656845)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/1b310a45c0f5ab524f67b07fd01b50fc/tumblr_of60v2MXAW1r6toezo3_640.png)
Dragon Ball Z TV Special: "Defiance in the Face of Despair!! The Remaining Superwarriors -- Gohan and Trunks (The History of Trunks)" (http://www.funimation.com/shows/dragon-ball-z/videos/official/the-history-of-trunks)
VS.
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/ed921d888c7b2cc8e3461a03aa7936f7/tumblr_of60v2MXAW1r6toezo4_640.png)
FLCL #3: "Marquis de Carabas" (http://www.funimation.com/shows/flcl/videos/official/marquis-de-carabas)
VS.
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/168b0f82c37c04cae2b90b5920e98eb4/tumblr_of60v2MXAW1r6toezo1_640.png)
Magipoka episode #11: "The Spell of Reticence is Having Fun with English Conversation/The Crisis Spell is the Other Side of Goodbye" (http://kissanime.to/Anime/Renkin-San-kyuu-Magical-Pokaan/Episode-011?id=57747)
Take the order that it's listed in and just switch places with DBZ and JoJo's and that's my ranking for this match.
I will watch all of Justice!!..soon!
Justice two parter is so cool, funny and kind of creepy!! I miss Enyaba.
"The History of Trunks" -
Spoiler
I never thought much of Trunks as a character in the Cell arc, though I like him more now as he's had great development in the current Super arc. Regardless of how I felt about Trunks, though, I've always considered The History of Trunks special as one of the finest episodes of the anime. Trunks and Gohan's relationship is compelling, and Future Gohan is a fascinating character in how he takes upon both Goku and Piccolo's roles as hero and mentor respectively for Trunks, while still clearly being haunted and afflicted by trauma in his past (him screaming in bed at the Androids is probably the most unnerving moment in the entire special). One can argue that this special is mostly just four long fights with the Androids, but all those fights are really interesting and arguably some of the best in the series, with great choreography, use of setting, tension, and pacing. Especially Trunks' final battle with the androids at the end of the special, where the evening colors become a harsh shade of orange-red which really adds another layer of intensity to what's happening on screen. Easily one of the best looking and adapted parts of the anime.
-
Spoiler
My favorite FLCL episode, mainly because I find Ninamori a very interesting character in how she claims that the scandals her family is involved in and her parents' divorce is "no bid deal" to her and people think she's very mature for her age, but internally she is very distressed by what's happening, still thinks of herself as a kid, and rigged the votes so she could get the lead role in the play in hopes that her parents would see it together. She makes an interesting contrast with Naota, who denies he's still a kid but at the same time is much more childish and less independent than Ninamori.
-
Spoiler
The first segment is one of the funniest episodes of any anime ever and I've rewatched it dozens of times over the years and always get a kick out of it. Engrish has never been funnier. Also, I can actually relate to it on the level that I'd practice French with friends in High School like this back in the day and no doubt sounded just as silly and moronic as the girls do in this episode. The second segment I don't watch quite as much, but it's also pretty hilarious. This episode as a whole ranks highly among my favorite and funniest anime episodes list.
-
Spoiler
Enyaba is a fun foil who you kinda sympathize with and the shit she puts Polnareff through is hilarious. Jotaro also gets one of his best moments at the end of the episode in how he outwits Enyaba with the hotel registry and has Star Platinum literally suck up Justice, which is both hilarious and awesome at the same time.
Same as EK.
I will vote in a little bit
Could you vote tonight GSF? I probably won't be online again until next friday so I want to put up the next match in the interim.
Same as listed.
Thanks!
Results:
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders: #15: "Justice Part 2" - 11
Dragon Ball Z TV Special: "Defiance in the Face of Despair!! The Remaining Super-Warriors: Gohan and Trunks" - 15
FLCL #3: "Marquis de Carabas" - 9
Magipoka episode #11: "The Spell of Reticence is Having Fun with English Conversation/The Crisis Spell is the Other Side of Goodbye" - 5
"Justice Part 2" and "The History of Trunks move on to round 2! The next match will be up shortly.
Round 1: Match 28
(https://67.media.tumblr.com/bd6f565a98d4c90db7e936a43b2c5119/tumblr_ofhgrpJp3B1r6toezo3_640.png)
Ushio & Tora #12: "Road to the Touno Yokai Battle -Part One-" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/ushio-and-tora/episode-12-the-road-to-the-touno-youkai-battle-part-one-683147)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/adc710e56ddaf89f4da0b8bd2764d950/tumblr_ofhgrpJp3B1r6toezo2_640.png)
Gintama #180: "The More Precious The Burden, The Heavier and More Difficult It Is To Shoulder It" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/gintama/episode-180-the-more-precious-the-burden-the-heavier-and-more-difficult-it-is-to-shoulder-534410)
VS.
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/d497e0e12b704f81025888f9f380e277/tumblr_ofhgrpJp3B1r6toezo1_640.png)
Space Brothers #28: "Miracle of Doha" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/space-brothers/episode-28-miracle-of-doha-610581)
VS.
(https://67.media.tumblr.com/eb2ee1d29859ce49f8f47a166e165731/tumblr_ofhgrpJp3B1r6toezo4_640.png)
Urusei Yatsura #75: "And Then There Were None" (http://kissanime.to/Anime/Urusei-Yatsura/Episode-075?id=10723)
"And Then There Were None" -
Spoiler
This is such a great horror-focused episode and take on Agatha Christie's classic novel. Simultaneously beautiful and chilling imagery with a mystery that keeps you on your toes and feeling the heartbreak of the characters even though you know that none of them are really dead (or, at least are going to stay dead). The scene where Ataru finds Lum's body in the shower and freaks out always gets me. The reveal of what really happened is so great too, as is the note the episode ends on. Another one of my all-time fav UY episodes.
-
Spoiler
One of the most visually inspired Gintama episodes that really takes already excellent material to the next level. Love the black and white, heavy-shadowed aesthetic used for the flashback with Shoyo and the climax of Gintoki's fight with Jiraya, as well as the monochrome-style color palettes for Jiraya's flashback. On a character standpoint, there is so much going on with Gintoki, Tsukuyo, and even Zenzou's character arcs in this episode, but Gintoki's remarks about the relationships between students and teachers in this episode are especially poignant and sting in retrospect when you learn more about his relationship with Shoyou and his tragic past in later episodes. To me, this episode is truly representative of the Gintama anime's visual and dramatic strengths, as well as the series excellent characterization and character development.
-
Spoiler
This episode places a great focus on the close relationship between Mutta and Hibito and how they have watched out for each other since they were kids and have inspired each other in equal measure. Very heartwarming, and their relationship truly is the core and heart of the series, and this is a very representative example of it.
-
Spoiler
This is the first episode to really dive into the series' intricate and fleshed out mythology and lore, exploring the origins of Hakumen no Mono and the yokai's hatred of Ushio's mother, as well as hinting at Tora's past and origins. It's the first to truly indicate the scale of the series and it's world, and place weight on the task and threats facing Ushio and Tora both internally and externally going forward.
Surely some of you guys can vote on this match? ???
I will have to pass. Halloween/birthday celebrations are ensuing.
Hmm...this is like the second week in a row no one wants to vote on a match, and this match has more popular series no less. Should I put this competition on hiatus until people are less busy?
Idk, I wanted to vote on this match, but I have been busy lately, and my free time for watching stuff has been dedicated to horror stuff. I want to compete with the game, but I probably can't come around to until the next couple of days.
I get the sense that most everyone has just been too busy lately. I mean, I myself have sorta reduced the posting schedule for this game from twice a week to once a week because I've been preoccupied. So I think I just ought to put this competition on hold. I'll leave the current match and the previous undecided one open so people can vote on them whenever they get the time, and afterwards when enough people have gotten around to voting on them I'll move us on to the next match.
Quote from: LumRanmaYasha on October 10, 2016, 11:15:27 AM
Round 1: Match 26
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/b56b3e6d0adcaa00a2426e3bc491695b/tumblr_oeuacb2k7x1r6toezo3_640.png)
Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt #6: "Les Diaboliques" (http://www.funimation.com/shows/panty-stocking-with-garterbelt/videos/official/les-diaboliques)
VS.
(https://67.media.tumblr.com/c37401accdf616b46837a1bed1b60511/tumblr_oeuacb2k7x1r6toezo1_640.png)
Kino's Journey #4: ""Land of Adults -Natural Right-" (http://www.animetoon.org/kinos-journey-episode-4)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/0fff681852dc6709d491db502fbe94b5/tumblr_oeuacb2k7x1r6toezo2_640.png)
Paranoia Agent #10: "Mellow Maromi" (http://www.animetoon.org/paranoia-agent-episode-10)
VS.
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/27c9eaa2d3132d9a0f7c3bfe5b38a259/tumblr_oeuacb2k7x1r6toezo4_640.png)
Haibane Renmei #12: "Bell Nuts - Passing of the Year Festival - Reconciliation" (http://www.funimation.com/shows/haibane-renmei/videos/official/bell-nuts-passing-of-the-year-festival-reconciliation)
Quote from: LumRanmaYasha on October 22, 2016, 11:44:48 PM
Round 1: Match 28
(https://67.media.tumblr.com/bd6f565a98d4c90db7e936a43b2c5119/tumblr_ofhgrpJp3B1r6toezo3_640.png)
Ushio & Tora #12: "Road to the Touno Yokai Battle -Part One-" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/ushio-and-tora/episode-12-the-road-to-the-touno-youkai-battle-part-one-683147)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/adc710e56ddaf89f4da0b8bd2764d950/tumblr_ofhgrpJp3B1r6toezo2_640.png)
Gintama #180: "The More Precious The Burden, The Heavier and More Difficult It Is To Shoulder It" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/gintama/episode-180-the-more-precious-the-burden-the-heavier-and-more-difficult-it-is-to-shoulder-534410)
VS.
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/d497e0e12b704f81025888f9f380e277/tumblr_ofhgrpJp3B1r6toezo1_640.png)
Space Brothers #28: "Miracle of Doha" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/space-brothers/episode-28-miracle-of-doha-610581)
VS.
(https://67.media.tumblr.com/eb2ee1d29859ce49f8f47a166e165731/tumblr_ofhgrpJp3B1r6toezo4_640.png)
Urusei Yatsura #75: "And Then There Were None" (http://kissanime.to/Anime/Urusei-Yatsura/Episode-075?id=10723)
Sorry, I've had no real time to watch anything recently.
That's fine. I'm leaving these matches open indefinitely so people can vote on them whenever they get the time. I just hope you guys try to watch and vote on these when you do get time because otherwise we'll never be able to move on. :sweat:
I'll probably bump the thread weekly to remind people until I get a couple of votes on these matches.
Quote from: LumRanmaYasha on October 10, 2016, 11:15:27 AM
Round 1: Match 26
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/b56b3e6d0adcaa00a2426e3bc491695b/tumblr_oeuacb2k7x1r6toezo3_640.png)
Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt #6: "Les Diaboliques" (http://www.funimation.com/shows/panty-stocking-with-garterbelt/videos/official/les-diaboliques)
VS.
(https://67.media.tumblr.com/c37401accdf616b46837a1bed1b60511/tumblr_oeuacb2k7x1r6toezo1_640.png)
Kino's Journey #4: ""Land of Adults -Natural Right-" (http://www.animetoon.org/kinos-journey-episode-4)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/0fff681852dc6709d491db502fbe94b5/tumblr_oeuacb2k7x1r6toezo2_640.png)
Paranoia Agent #10: "Mellow Maromi" (http://www.animetoon.org/paranoia-agent-episode-10)
VS.
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/27c9eaa2d3132d9a0f7c3bfe5b38a259/tumblr_oeuacb2k7x1r6toezo4_640.png)
Haibane Renmei #12: "Bell Nuts - Passing of the Year Festival - Reconciliation" (http://www.funimation.com/shows/haibane-renmei/videos/official/bell-nuts-passing-of-the-year-festival-reconciliation)
Quote from: LumRanmaYasha on October 22, 2016, 11:44:48 PM
Round 1: Match 28
(https://67.media.tumblr.com/bd6f565a98d4c90db7e936a43b2c5119/tumblr_ofhgrpJp3B1r6toezo3_640.png)
Ushio & Tora #12: "Road to the Touno Yokai Battle -Part One-" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/ushio-and-tora/episode-12-the-road-to-the-touno-youkai-battle-part-one-683147)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/adc710e56ddaf89f4da0b8bd2764d950/tumblr_ofhgrpJp3B1r6toezo2_640.png)
Gintama #180: "The More Precious The Burden, The Heavier and More Difficult It Is To Shoulder It" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/gintama/episode-180-the-more-precious-the-burden-the-heavier-and-more-difficult-it-is-to-shoulder-534410)
VS.
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/d497e0e12b704f81025888f9f380e277/tumblr_ofhgrpJp3B1r6toezo1_640.png)
Space Brothers #28: "Miracle of Doha" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/space-brothers/episode-28-miracle-of-doha-610581)
VS.
(https://67.media.tumblr.com/eb2ee1d29859ce49f8f47a166e165731/tumblr_ofhgrpJp3B1r6toezo4_640.png)
Urusei Yatsura #75: "And Then There Were None" (http://kissanime.to/Anime/Urusei-Yatsura/Episode-075?id=10723)
I'm really going to try to watch some of these this week. It has just been crazy busy on my end in the past few weeks. Not that I don't have any downtime, but I'm usually exhausted by then.
:el_hail:Can I vote for Match 28 if I opt out of watching Gintama? I want to start that series from the beginning.
While I will always recommend that people try to watch every episode in a match before voting, you don't have to watch an episode if you are really afraid of spoilers or whatnot. At this point, I just want one or two people besides myself to vote on these matches so we can move on already.
I'm afraid that I can only vote for one of these matches at the moment:
Bell Nuts - Passing of the Year Festival - Reconciliation
Land of Adults - Natural Right
Mellow Mamori
Les Diaboliques
Or perhaps I've misunderstood and the above match is already over. If so, I apologize in advance.
You didn't misunderstand. That match is still up :)
That's good to know.
You know what, I'm just going to call Match 26 here since it seems that's the match where a lot of people haven't the seen the shows in (though you should...) and hence have the least interest voting on.
Match 26 Results:
Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt #6: "Les Diaboliques" - 3
Kino's Journey #4: "Land of Adults -Natural Right-" - 6
Paranoia Agent #10: "Mellow Maromi" - 6
Haibane Renmei #12: "Bell Nuts - Passing of the Year Festival - Reconciliation" - 5
"Land of Adults" and "Mellow Maromi" move on to round 2!
Match 28 is still open.
Quote from: LumRanmaYasha on October 22, 2016, 11:44:48 PM
Round 1: Match 28
(https://67.media.tumblr.com/bd6f565a98d4c90db7e936a43b2c5119/tumblr_ofhgrpJp3B1r6toezo3_640.png)
Ushio & Tora #12: "Road to the Touno Yokai Battle -Part One-" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/ushio-and-tora/episode-12-the-road-to-the-touno-youkai-battle-part-one-683147)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/adc710e56ddaf89f4da0b8bd2764d950/tumblr_ofhgrpJp3B1r6toezo2_640.png)
Gintama #180: "The More Precious The Burden, The Heavier and More Difficult It Is To Shoulder It" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/gintama/episode-180-the-more-precious-the-burden-the-heavier-and-more-difficult-it-is-to-shoulder-534410)
VS.
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/d497e0e12b704f81025888f9f380e277/tumblr_ofhgrpJp3B1r6toezo1_640.png)
Space Brothers #28: "Miracle of Doha" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/space-brothers/episode-28-miracle-of-doha-610581)
VS.
(https://67.media.tumblr.com/eb2ee1d29859ce49f8f47a166e165731/tumblr_ofhgrpJp3B1r6toezo4_640.png)
Urusei Yatsura #75: "And Then There Were None" (http://kissanime.to/Anime/Urusei-Yatsura/Episode-075?id=10723)
I'm afraid I'll have to pass on this match. I just started watching Space Brothers and I'd rather not skip ahead. As for the others: I've watched my fair share of Gintama, but I can't really remember where I left off and its not really a show I have any interest in getting back into, there are other shows I'd prioritize instead. Same goes for Ushio & Tora (sans the "having watched it before" bit). That leaves the Urusei Yatsura ep, but there doesn't seem to be much of a point in watching only one episode in a match.
Well someone has to vote. It's been like three weeks now... :shit:
Alright, but I skipped the Gintama episode because I'm currently watching the series and don't want to spoil myself.
Space Brothers
Ushio and Tora
Urusei Yatsura
Gintama
Same as listed.
Ushio & Tora - The perfect early episode to showcase Tora. His sillyness, badassery and conflict were all on display. We got to see how Ushio deals with civilians getting killed and him finally getti g tokd about Hakumen and his mother. Plus nice collection of creeoy monsters here.
Space Brothers - Japan takes soccer too seriously. Dumb ass Hibito is a sweetheart. Episode got to me a little.
Gintama
Urusei
Finally!
Results:
Ushio & Tora #12: "Road to the Touno Yokai Battle (Part One)" - 12
Gintama #180: "The More Precious The Burden, The Heavier and More Difficult It Is To Shoulder It"- 9
Space Brothers #28: "Miracle of Doha" - 11
Urusei Yatsura #75: "And Then There Were None" - 8
"Road to the Touno Yokai Battle (Part One)" and "Miracle of Doha" move on to round 2! The next match will be up shortly.
Round 1: Match 29
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/4b7ffbbd4a987fd85051c4ce1058a6fa/tumblr_ogtkwb6vo21r6toezo2_640.png)
One-Punch Man #8: "The Deep Sea King" (http://www.viz.com/watch/streaming/one-punch-man-episode-8/7801/sub)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/0bd4c0d44ade4aeff2c41fdc193c128d/tumblr_ogtkwb6vo21r6toezo4_640.png)
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure #20: "Young Caesar" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/jojos-bizarre-adventure/episode-20-young-caesar-652119)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/025c6241b9ba8f9c587437375f5a325b/tumblr_ogtkwb6vo21r6toezo3_640.png)
Fate/Zero #24: "The Final Command Spell" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/fatezero/episode-24-the-final-command-spell-596237)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/1019cc8321775b1abe1954785602f1ef/tumblr_ogtkwb6vo21r6toezo1_640.png)
Excel Saga #26: "Going Too Far" (http://www.funimation.com/shows/excel-saga/videos/official/going-too-far)
Motherfucker [this round].. and nice sig.
Exactly as listed.
Same as ek.
Fate/Zero
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
One Punch Man
Excel Saga
I really enjoy the OPM episode, but the fact that it feels underwhelming compared to its manga counterpart (specifically the Sonic vs Sea King portion) has always bothered me.
Same as VLord
Crap, I meant to nominate episode 9, not 8..
Same as Avaitor.
Quote from: gunswordfist on November 20, 2016, 10:33:26 PM
Crap, I meant to nominate episode 9, not 8..
Man, I would've voted much differently if you had! :sweat:
Is it too late to change it? If it is then:
Fate/Zero
Caesar
One Punch
Double Excel Saga!
Results:
One Punch Man #8: "The Deep Sea King" - 12
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure #20: "Young Caesar" - 15
Fate/Zero #24: "The Last Command Spell" - 18
Excel Saga #26: "Going Too Far" - 5
"The Last Command Spell" And "Young Caesar" move on to round 2! The next match will be up shortly.
At long last, here it is...the final match of the first round!
Round 1: Match 30
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/d66a5554726667afb0ffb63dac24693a/tumblr_ohbz2mqteS1r6toezo1_640.png)
Space Dandy #12: "Nobody Knows the Chameleon Alien, Baby" (http://www.funimation.com/shows/space-dandy/videos/official/nobody-knows-the-chameleon-alien-baby)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/e007eb553c87e74c7e771e8e6de317af/tumblr_ohbzf0Ifqr1r6toezo1_640.png)
Trigun #17: "Rem Saverem" (http://www.funimation.com/shows/trigun/videos/official/rem-saverem)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/4d6a6e5dba7e5738bd7acc10f2cf0b12/tumblr_ohbzf0Ifqr1r6toezo2_640.png)
Space Dandy #26: "Never-ending Dandy, Baby" (http://www.funimation.com/shows/space-dandy/videos/official/never-ending-dandy-baby)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/156d24f2b56aa7622d905532784a4f29/tumblr_ohbz4xxAu81r6toezo1_640.png)
Neon Genesis Evangelion #16: "Splitting of the Breast" (http://www.animetoon.org/neon-genesis-evangelion-episode-16)
Oh, I've actually seen all of these.
Trigun
NGE
Space Dandy #12
Space Dandy #26
Space Dandy #26
Trigun
Space Dandy#12
Evangelion
Oh, I can actually vote this time.
Space Dandy 12 - Putting this first because it's probably the hardest I've ever laughed at an episode of anime. It always makes me really happy.
Evangelion - This is when shit gets real, maaaaannnn. It's when I knew NGE would become one of my favorites.
Space Dandy 26
Trigun
Reverse of VLordGTZ.
Never-ending Dandy, Baby -
Spoiler
A visual feast and epic conclusion that gives everyone a chance to shine, revels in spectacle and great joke one after the next, absolutely stunning and brilliant action sequences and animation, and a simultaneously hilarious and thought-provoking ending that feels so true to the series and character of Dandy himself. Definitely one of my all time favorite anime finales.
-
Spoiler
A great backstory episode particularly for it's exploration of both the good and bad sides of humanity and what we're capable of, and the moral questions of what is right to do to protect the lives and rights of another, and how Rem's pacifistic and self-sacrificing beliefs make an impression on Vash and cause him to follow her principles. This episode is also a chilling introduction to Knives, who is established as cold and mechanical in his way of thinking, lacking emotion and empathy for others, causing him to kill off the crew and attempt to destroy humanity after reaching a HAL 9000-esque conclusion on what is best for the mission. The more I think about the context and rationale behind anime Knives' character, the more I appreciate him, even though I do still prefer the manga counterpart for being a bit more of a 3-dimmensional character.
-
Spoiler
Shinji's temporary confidence and bravado is immediately shattered as he comes to terms with his owns insecurities and inferiority complex again, along with a residual oedipal longing for his mother. This is also the breaking point for Misato, who realizes that NERV is full of bull-shit and Gendo has other, more sinister plans in mind, and decides to find out what those are and put a stop to them herself in time. A pivotal turning point for the series.
-
Spoiler
Definitely one of the funniest SD episodes, with wonderfully expressive animation and facial gestures, and a ton of great gags beginning to end. Definitely among the best episodes of the series, even if I like the other episodes in this round a tad more.
Results:
Space Dandy #12: "Nobody Knows the Chameleon Alien, Baby" - 12
Trigun #17: "Rem Saverem" - 13
Space Dandy #26: "Never-ending Dandy, Baby" - 12
Neon Genesis Evangelion #16: "Splitting of the Breast" - 13
"Rem Saverem" and "Splitting of the Breast" move on to round 2!
And with that Round 1 is finally over! As for Round 2...well, here's the thing. It's looking like I'm probably going to need to take another extended several month long hiatus from the forums and general internet again like I did last year pretty soon, and I'll probably be gone before the end of the month. So I don't want to start the next round only for it to be interrupted for who knows how long. So, for now, I'm putting this competition on indefinite hiatus until after I come back from my internet hiatus next spring (probably around May or so).
Aww, I hope you're doing well while you're on hiatus, Lum.
I'll try to catch up with some of the series which made it to round 2 in the coming months. This should be good to catch up for.
You know what, fuck this internet hiatus bullshit! It's finally time to resume this competition and move on to...
Round 2: Match 1
(https://animationrevelation.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F68.media.tumblr.com%2F9c52ca0769155dc063f77b8e5dcb9791%2Ftumblr_om4baoS6wT1r6toezo4_640.png&hash=98e6abc219a31cca8d9664622363f23cd4229e98)
Mobile Suit Gundam #40: "A Cosmic Glow" (http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xhh7ix_mobile-suit-gundam-episode-40-a-cosmic-glow_shortfilms)
VS.
(https://animationrevelation.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F68.media.tumblr.com%2F166fb6a813f1f27a008a34e375f1a3f1%2Ftumblr_om4baoS6wT1r6toezo3_640.png&hash=07c11c0185ace33da834a0d389dde82024b9b941)
The Irresponsible Captain Tylor #23: "The Longest Day in Space" (https://tubitv.com/video/297937/s01_e23_the_longest_day_in_space)
VS.
(https://animationrevelation.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F68.media.tumblr.com%2F3aca3129bed1b3145346174f2af9cbed%2Ftumblr_om4baoS6wT1r6toezo2_640.png&hash=195ce4515bb8376d2129171d8499e08361a356e7)
Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid #9: "Her Problem" (https://www.funimation.com/shows/full-metal-panic-the-second-raid/her-problem/uncut/?lang=english)
VS.
(https://animationrevelation.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F68.media.tumblr.com%2Fc7a64847edf410c05774cc1184d0ec36%2Ftumblr_om4baoS6wT1r6toezo1_640.png&hash=056b98a51124110b1dce2b2a659e722c25219d33)
Neon Genesis Evangelion #24: "The Beginning and the End, or 'Knockin' on Heaven's Door'" (http://www.animetoon.org/neon-genesis-evangelion-episode-24)
Yay, Lum's back!
But boy, is this a rough round.
Evangelion
Gundam
FMP
Tylor
FMP
Evangelion
Tyler
Gundam
Opposite of Avaitor.
"The Beginning and the End, or 'Knockin' on Heaven's Door'"
"Her Problem"
"A Cosmic Glow"
"The Longest Day in Space"
This was a pretty tough round because I'd consider these my favorite episodes of these respective shows. This is why I like rewatching all the episodes in a round before I vote to help me make a more confident decision.
NGE #24 is an episode I find myself loving more every time I watch it because of how tightly paced it is and how well-crafted and believable the relationship and emotional connection between Shinji and Kaworu is given in only one episode.
FMP: TSR #9 is a similarly well-crafted character piece that really makes you feel the claustrophobia and paranoia of Kaname's situation in the first half and the danger and desperation of her plight in the second half.
MSG #40 is a pretty tragic episode with an absolutely beautiful sequence depicting Lala and Amuro's last mental connection and well as wide range of Char moments that really show off how dynamic a character he is.
Funny enough, I would've called Tylor #23 my favorite among these if I hadn't rewatched these episodes before voting on this match. I have really fond memories of the first time I saw this episode and how caught up in the tension I was. This episode is truly amazing the first time you see it, as the tension and intrigue as to what Tylor's plan just keeps building up throughout the episode, leading to an absolutely perfect payoff that defies expectations but is still somehow hilarious and badass that when I first saw it I couldn't help but applause. But the fact the episode hinges so much on the climax is ultimately my problem with the episode the more I've rewatched it. Knowing what Tylor's plan is while you're watching it makes the slow build-up and drawn-out charge really feel like it's dragging at times, and without the surprise factor the payoff doesn't have as much cathartic impact as it does in the first-time viewing. It's still an utterly fantastic episode, but comparatively I keep finding more to love about the other three episodes on the rewatch, while I feel less impacted the more times I see this one.
"A Cosmic Glow"
"The Longest Day in Space"
"Her Problem"
"The Beginning and the End, or 'Knockin' on Heaven's Door'"
Results:
Mobile Suit Gundam #40: "A Cosmic Glow" - 12
The Irresponsible Captain Tylor #23: "The Longest Day in Space" - 11
Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid #9: "Her Problem" - 14
Neon Genesis Evangelion #24: "The Beginning and the End, or 'Knockin' on Heaven's Door'" - 13
"Her Problem" and "'Knockin' on Heaven's Door" move on to round 3! The next match will be up shortly.
Round 2: Match 2
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/bd3184d20081c55b4ed8e585b20db416/tumblr_om9rwbx9Yh1r6toezo4_640.png)
Yu Yu Hakusho #89: "Death of a Spirit Detective" (https://www.funimation.com/shows/yu-yu-hakusho/death-of-a-spirit-detective/uncut/?lang=english)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/9287e075d9cf8021a8e1c481cf751048/tumblr_om9rwbx9Yh1r6toezo2_640.png)
Mobile Suit Gundam: War in the Pocket #6: "War in the Pocket" (http://www.animetoon.org/mobile-suit-gundam-0080-war-in-the-pocket-episode-6)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/8134200077273f38b6c2825f17daffa6/tumblr_om9rwbx9Yh1r6toezo3_640.png)
Ashita no Joe #52: "Farewell, Rikiishi Tooru" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3r7xcLu0tMM)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/4842851619b7d6f1fa63d904448c9335/tumblr_om9rwbx9Yh1r6toezo1_640.png)
Paranoia Agent #8: "Happy Family Planning" (http://www.animetoon.org/paranoia-agent-episode-8)
Paassssssssss
"Death of a Spirit Detective"
"Farewell, Rikiishi Tooru"
"War in the Pocket"
"Happy Family Planning"
This is just way too tough:
AnJ
YYH
Gundam
Paranoia Agent
"War in the Pocket"
"Happy Family Planning"
"Farewell, Rikiishi Tooru"
"Death of a Spirit Detective"
Spoiler
None of these matches are going to be easy. I ranked these based on how well I felt the episodes conveyed their central themes/ideas overall.
"War in the Pocket" is not as self-contained as "Happy Family Planning," but ultimately it's message of what the real consequences of war are and the futility of so many conflicts and deaths is potent because of how tight the relationship between Al, Bernie, and Chris is and how heartbreaking the results of Bernie's failed attempt to destroy the Gundam is and how it fucks Al up for life seeing his older brother figure get killed by his older sister figure, and both of them leaving his life. The final scene where Al cries as the principal gives his speech while the kids try to console him by exclaiming how awesome the next war will be is simultaneously hilarious and disturbing because of how it presents the idea that war will continue to go on because most people remain ignorant or too prideful to acknowledge it's futility and very real human costs.
"Happy Family Planning" is maybe a little too relatable for someone whose tried to kill themselves but fell short because of hilarious mishaps or self-preservation instinct. Ultimately the heart of the episode is the fact these people who all want to die find a reason to keep living (albeit to try and kill themselves again) because of the family connection they form with each other, replacing the void left by their own lost families/loved ones. The twist is that they've been dead all along, or died at some point before the final scenes, which is another really smart and interesting detail that's fun to peruse through the episode on rewatches to see the seeds of the truth planted all throughout the episode.
AnJ #53 is a fascinating look at Joe struggling to cope with his guilt and emptiness following the death of Riikishi, and how he turns away the people who care about him when they try to reach out to him, which starts his downward spiral. The episode shows it's age in a few areas, but the raw emotion is timeless.
YYH #89 has some amazing scenes, particularly the moments when Yusuke dies and the reactions of his friends shown in heavily stylized and stark-hued scenes which really evoke the despair they feel in the moment. The focus on Kuwabara's relationship with Yusuke is great build-up to the episode's climax and the sense of rage and despair they feel at the episode's end, which is a great contrast with Sensui's melancholy.
Same as Lum.
Results:
Yu Yu Hakusho #89: "Death of a Spirit Detective" - 9
Mobile Suit Gundam: War in the Pocket #6: "War in the Pocket" - 12
Ashita no Joe #52: "Farewell, Rikiishi Tooru" - 11
Paranoia Agent #8: "Happy Family Planning" - 8
"War in the Pocket" and "Farewell, Rikiishi Tooru" move on to round 3! The next match will be up shortly.
Round 2: Match 3
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/3b8d0b1e9dd1be7ceb2603fbfd19a1c5/tumblr_omdld0IWaq1r6toezo2_640.png)
Death Note #37: "New World" (http://www.viz.com/watch/streaming/deathnote-episode-37/661/dub)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/e7d91d12d39d65085386a9c46d784224/tumblr_omdld0IWaq1r6toezo4_640.png)
Ushio & Tora #12: "Road to the Touno Yokai Battle (Part One)" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/ushio-and-tora/episode-12-the-road-to-the-touno-youkai-battle-part-one-683147)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/1927835f371c6d3423272cd362ff1e32/tumblr_omdld0IWaq1r6toezo3_640.png)
Ushio & Tora #36: "To The Promised Night" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/ushio-and-tora/episode-36-to-the-promised-night-702263)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/c7ab84aad2ab930799bca35b14f9abb5/tumblr_omdld0IWaq1r6toezo1_640.png)
Neon Genesis Evangelion #9: "Both of You, Dance Like You Want to Win!" (http://www.animetoon.org/neon-genesis-evangelion-episode-9)
fffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu
"To the Promised Night"
"New World"
"Both of You, Dance Like You Want to Win!"
"Road to the Touno Yokai Battle (Part One)"
Spoiler
U&T #36 delivers on both the revival of the Beast Spear and the final showdown between Hyou and Gurren with great aplomb. Ushio's apologies to Tora and Hyou's final sacrifice and dying vision of returning home to his happy family as he passes away always gets me. And Hakumen being stopped in it's tracks and futility screaming for Gurren to help it is always so satisfying to watch.
DN #37 is one of the best finales in anime. Light's breakdown after being exposed and desperate, pathetic attempt to wriggle his way out of it under the deluded impression he's still above everyone and has to be in control is always fun to watch, and he becomes so pathetic after a point that you do start to feel a little sorry for him by the time Ryuk writes his name in the Death Note, but not as much as you're satisfied by Matsuda shooting his conniving despicable ass again and again showing Light that he's not as invincible and untouchable as he once thought.
NGE #9 is one of the most fun episodes of the show and all the sequences of Shinji and Asuka's synchronization training and their in-sync combo attack on the Angel at the end of the episode are some of the best scenes in the show. There's great development for both Misato and Asuka in the episode as well, as we see more layers of Misato unravel in her frustration and fluster with Kaji and Asuka's desperate need for attention and self-validation stemming from her mommy issues.
U&T #12 is a great lore-building episode as we learn more about Hakumen and why the yokai hate Ushio and his mother. It's also a great turning point for Tora's character arc as he starts to question whether his actual relationship with Ushio is as antagonistic as he claims it is.
"To the Promised Night"
"Both of You, Dance Like You Want to Win!"
"New World"
"Road to the Touno Yokai Battle"
Is anyone else going to vote on this match?
"To the Promised Night"
"New World"
"Road to the Touno Yokai Battle (Part One)"
"Both of You, Dance Like You Want to Win!"
Dr. E-K? Vlord? GSF? I just want a confirmation whether or not you guys want to vote on this match before we move on.
Flip Lum's bottom 2.
Sorry. Been both busy and also kind of sick lately, so I completely forgot about this. Anyways, same as Lum.
Quote from: Dr. Ensatsu-ken on March 08, 2017, 06:22:10 PM
Sorry. Been both busy and also kind of sick lately, so I completely forgot about this. Anyways, same as Lum.
Sorry to hear that, Dr. :( I hope you feel better soon.
"To the Promised Night"
"Road to the Touno Yokai Battle (Part One)"
"Both of You, Dance Like You Want to Win!"
"New World"
Results:
Death Note #37: "New World" - 15
Ushio & Tora #12: "Road to the Touno Yokai Battle (Part One)" - 10
Ushio & Tora #36: "To The Promised Night" - 24
Neon Genesis Evangelion #9: "Both of You, Dance Like You Want to Win!" - 11
"New World" and "To the Promised Night" move on to Round 3! The next match will be up shortly.
It's a bbrrrraaaaannnnnndddd new world!
Round 2: Match 4
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/ab90988ed8ab1fc8951840d7481ec892/tumblr_omj5vxi4Zh1r6toezo3_640.png)
Trigun #23: "Paradise" (https://www.funimation.com/shows/trigun/paradise/uncut/?lang=english)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/fc5013857056581ee7f58e2464df5e55/tumblr_omj5vxi4Zh1r6toezo4_640.png)
Ushio & Tora #39: "The Fate of Ushio & Tora" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/ushio-and-tora/episode-39-the-fate-of-ushio-and-tora-702269)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/86be6dae2bde8fe365adf0bc10d4a7ca/tumblr_omj5vxi4Zh1r6toezo1_640.png)
Rurouni Kenshin #30: "The Devil of Vengeance: Makoto Shishio's Plot" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/rurouni-kenshin/episode-30-a-devil-of-vengeance-makoto-shishios-plot-648213)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/bffffdced21b2a7a2f15515eec3b5dd8/tumblr_omj5vxi4Zh1r6toezo2_640.png)
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure #20: "Young Caesar" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/jojos-bizarre-adventure/episode-20-young-caesar-652119)
DUDE!
You even picked great screenshots! This is a good round.
The Fate of Ushio & Tora
Paradise
The Devil of Vengeance: Makoto Shishio's Plot
Young Caesar
The Fate of Ushio & Tora
Paradise
Young Caesar
The Devil of Vengeance: Makoto Shishio's Plot
Paradise
The Fate of Ushio & Tora
Young Caesar
The Devil of Vengeance: Makoto Shishio's Plot
Spoiler
Trigun #23 is an amazing character study of one of anime's most fascinating characters delivering on a beautiful yet tragic ending to his story. The first episode of Trigun I ever saw and my favorite episode.
U&T #39 is one of the most satisfying ending to a long-running shonen there's ever been with emotional payoff for so many characters and an excellent deconstruction of the psyche of Hakumen before she is defeated. And I'm a sucker for that tease that Tora might one day return.
JJBA #20 is a great character piece for Caeser, giving him plenty of time to show off his stuff before a sudden and tragic turnaround, leading to one of the most heartwrenching and iconic death scenes in the series.
RK #30 offers an incredible fight in Kenshin v. Saito, but what I really find valuable about the episode is Kenshin's meeting with Okubo and the discussion of how hard it is to create a new era than bring one down. It's a great set-up for the themes underlying the remainder of the arc and ties into the series' overarching message of the difficulty but necessity of change in both society and people in order for progress to be made, and the sacrifices that sometimes must be made to achieve it.
BTW, I'd like to get the next match up soon, so if you're planning to vote please do so ASAP!
The Fate of Ushio & Tora
Paradise
Young Caesar
The Devil of Vengeance: Makoto Shishio's Plot
Dr. E-k? GSF? Are you going to vote?
Well, normally I would continue waiting, but this match has already been up for a few days and the winners seem pretty obvious, so I think I'll just move us along.
Results:
Trigun #23: "Paradise" - 13
Ushio & Tora #39: "The Fate of Ushio & Tora" - 15
Rurouni Kenshin #30: "The Devil of Vengeance: Makoto Shishio's Plot" - 5
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure #20: "Young Caesar" - 7
"Paradise" and "The Fate of Ushio & Tora" move on to round 3! The next match will be up shortly.
Round 2: Match 5
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/c1a3ed518254ee34d389ee7fee8e2926/tumblr_omtcuvQGc61r6toezo2_640.png)
Urusei Yatsura #71: "Shinobu's Cinderella Story" (https://ww1.gogoanime.io/urusei-yatsura-episode-71)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/676d6b8865186dcb4236252c840e8f7e/tumblr_omtcuvQGc61r6toezo4_640.png)
Yu Yu Hakusho #69: "The Power of Taboo" (https://www.funimation.com/shows/yu-yu-hakusho/the-power-of-taboo/uncut/?lang=english)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/c497894f49e3596d0ff2a052293560be/tumblr_omtcuvQGc61r6toezo1_640.png)
The Big O #14: "Roger the Wanderer" (http://www.animetoon.org/the-big-o-episode-14)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/dd72a106acc28c8cfeda894b0a856dad/tumblr_omtcuvQGc61r6toezo3_640.png)
Trigun #24: "Sin" (https://www.funimation.com/shows/trigun/sin/uncut/)
Pass. I won't be watching Big O until I get the DVD
Difficult round.
Sin
The Power of Taboo
Roger the Wanderer
Shinobu's Cinderella Story
Same as Spark.
Sin
Roger the Wanderer
The Power of Taboo
Shinobu's Cinderella Story
The Power of Taboo
Roger the Wanderer
Sin
Shinobu's Cinderella Story
It's been a week, so I'll wrap this match up.
Results:
Urusei Yatsura #71: "Shinobu's Cinderella Story" - 4
Yu Yu Hakusho #69: "The Power of Taboo" - 12
The Big O #14: "Roger the Wanderer" - 10
Trigun #24: "Sin" - 14
"The Power of Taboo" and "Sin" move on to round 3! The next match will be up shortly.
Round 2: Match 6
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/704197c2400a136a9aba271aa93fba1a/tumblr_on67ve9EGj1r6toezo3_640.png)
Yu Yu Hakusho #74: "Sleep, Doctor, Sleep" (https://www.funimation.com/shows/yu-yu-hakusho/sleep-doctor-sleep/uncut/)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/bf1a9ab7b539f7a5740c9639a5b0eaad/tumblr_on67ve9EGj1r6toezo4_640.png)
Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid #5: "Beautiful Sicily" (https://www.funimation.com/shows/full-metal-panic-the-second-raid/beautiful-sicily/uncut/?lang=english)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/96b2cda6b3eb9345eda1e21b49c90f69/tumblr_on67ve9EGj1r6toezo2_640.png)
Urusei Yatsura #157: "Darling, I Love Your Kindness" (https://ww1.gogoanime.io/urusei-yatsura-episode-157)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/c6953aa55c2789ab3580b1a4470eb2e9/tumblr_on67ve9EGj1r6toezo1_640.png)
Cowboy Bebop #26: "The Real Folk Blues (Part 2)" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/cowboy-bebop/episode-26-the-real-folk-blues-part-2-719537)
Hakusho
Bebop
Panic
Yatsura
Same as EK
Same as Avaitor
Same as Spark
"Darling, I Love Your Kindness"
"The Real Folk Blues (Part 2)"
"Sleep, Doctor, Sleep"
"Beautiful Sicily"
Spoiler
UY #157 - You know, I'm not surprised all of y'all ranked it last. None of you have spent the time with UY to understand how important and incredibly crafted this episode is. None of you would understand the truths this episode reveals about Ataru's character and how that changes the context of his characterization through the entire show up until this point. None of you would appreciate the subplot of Lum questioning what she sees in Ataru and then being reminded by watching his interactions with Nozomi throughout the episode. None of you would appreciate the quiet, simple melancholy of Nozomi's character within the episode and what her fascination about Ataru's liveliness says not only about her but of Ataru and taps into underlying themes of freedom and enjoying life that carries across the entire series. None of you would appreciate the incredible directing and using Nozomi's mother as a framing device for the episode to add an extra pow to the emotional payoff at the end of the episode. None of you would understand why this episode is so important in the context of the series and why it remains one of it's most defining and iconic stories. None of you would get why this episode has more character and craft put into than the other three episodes in this match put together. But that's okay. I know you guys don't know any better. I forgive you. :>
CB #26 - Spike's past catches up to him, and there's no running from it any more. At least, he's too tired, to fed up to try. Having lost what was keeping him moving forward, and also what was keeping him back, he goes to confront Vicious and in doing so come to terms with and embrace his own death. One of the most powerful character arcs and most iconic finales in anime.
YYH #74 - Great concept for a fight that pushes Yusuke to his moral limits and force him to take a life to save those he cares about, even if his guilt is subsided by Genkai's intervention saving Doctor's life. Also features nice use of supporting characters to outwit Doctor and help win the day. The direction by Akiyuki Shinbo and his use of heavy shadows and stylized, twisted character designs, facial expressions, and fluid, lucid body movement enhances the surreal and claustrophobic nature of the fight adding more stress and tension and highlighting how dark the scenario truly is. Doctor's final words describing humanity as a disease is a chilling note to end on and sets the tone for the rest of the arc as well as hints at Sensui's outlook and motivation to eliminate humanity.
FMP: TSR #5 - A really fun action-packed episode with a lot of great humor and an interesting exploration of Sosuke's struggles to balance his obligations with Kaname, his duties as a solider, and understand what he himself really wants out of life, a concept which he struggles to reconcile with for the remainder of the arc until the climax.
You know, to be fair, you kind of have to expect that some people just haven't been able to get around to one of your favorite shows yet, and no matter how good an episode I, it probably won't resonate with someone as much when seen out of context (the same applies to almost every episode in this entire competition).
The same has happened with various stuff that I like in both this and other competition threads, as well. Perhaps this is like my indirect form of revenge. ;)
In all seriousness, though, me ranking it last us not a slight on it or UY as a whole at all. It's just that currently I have a much stronger connection with the other three episodes since I have seen each of those shows in full multiple times, whereas UY is still on my extremely long backlog of stuff to get around to eventually.
Really? I'm pretty sure I voted it last out of spite.
Quote from: Dr. Ensatsu-ken on March 22, 2017, 12:39:29 PM
You know, to be fair, you kind of have to expect that some people just haven't been able to get around to one of your favorite shows yet, and no matter how good an episode I, it probably won't resonate with someone as much when seen out of context (the same applies to almost every episode in this entire competition).
The same has happened with various stuff that I like in both this and other competition threads, as well. Perhaps this is like my indirect form of revenge. ;)
In all seriousness, though, me ranking it last us not a slight on it or UY as a whole at all. It's just that currently I have a much stronger connection with the other three episodes since I have seen each of those shows in full multiple times, whereas UY is still on my extremely long backlog of stuff to get around to eventually.
I wasn't being serious. :sweat: These are all great episodes and I knew going into this match most people were going to place UY last because they were more familiar and have spent more time with the other shows. But since I love that episode so much and I knew no one else connects with it the way I do I couldn't help but write my explanation for why I put it first in the form of a rant about no one but me understanding it's greatness. :D
Quote from: Spark Of Spirit on March 22, 2017, 12:51:15 PM
Really? I'm pretty sure I voted it last out of spite.
:whuh: :il_rope:
The winners of this match are clear and pretty much everyone voted so...
Results:
Yu Yu Hakusho #74: "Sleep, Doctor, Sleep" - 18
Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid #5: "Beautiful Sicily" - 9
Urusei Yatsura #157: "Darling, I Love Your Kindness" - 8
Cowboy Bebop #26: "The Real Folk Blues (Part 2)" - 15
"Sleep, Doctor, Sleep" and "The Real Folk Blues (Part 2)" move on to round 3! The next match will be up shortly.
Round 2: Match 7
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/c238f3041052951a5b120c9b83a7d82c/tumblr_on8ga60WJ81r6toezo1_640.png)
Detective Conan #76: "Conan vs. Kaitou Kid" (https://www.funimation.com/shows/case-closed/phantom-thief-1412-parts-1-and-2/uncut/?lang=english)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/b84d49a29545cd8928a8e4bd71a3fb8a/tumblr_on8ga60WJ81r6toezo2_640.png)
Maison Ikkoku #92: "Wedding Bells for Kozue! Is Godai's Love Eternal?!" (http://www.animetoon.org/maison-ikkoku-episode-92)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/99f46d5ba927d50ededa126587e41d95/tumblr_on8ga60WJ81r6toezo4_640.png)
Blood Blockade Battlefront #12: "Hello, World!" (https://www.funimation.com/shows/blood-blockade-battlefront/hello-world/uncut/?lang=english)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/9492f5ddde83031154531b3b83ba9007/tumblr_on8ga60WJ81r6toezo3_640.png)
Kino's Journey #4: "Land of Adults -Natural Right-" (http://www.animetoon.org/kinos-journey-episode-4)
"Hello, World!"
"Wedding Bells for Kozue! Is Godai's Love Eternal?!"
"Land of Adults -Natural Right-"
"Conan vs. Kaitou Kid"
Spoiler
BBB #12 is a stunning epic of an episode. Every frame and line of dialogue has a purpose and/or meaning and not a second is wasted. It brings Leo, Black, and White's arcs to a close by making the case to keep living despite hardship and to fight to protect the lives of those you care about. There's way more to the episode than that but even having seen this episode a half a dozen times I still don't think I can dissect everything in it. It's just very satisfying and enthralling beginning to end, and a self-contained wonder of an example of post-millenial anime.
MI #92 is the episode that means the most to me in this match, being the emotional climax of the series, where Godai finally confesses his love to Kyoko and breaks things off with Kozue and everyone has so much more clarity about their feelings for one another. It tugs at the heart-strings and Godai's final reflections of what Kyoko means to him, while not quite as powerfully presented as the manga's version, is an amazing and iconic quote from the series that feels so true to real feelings about the people we love.
KJ #4 is a great backstory for Kino and presents a good exploration of what it means to be an adult and whether it's worth risking personal happiness for the sake of adulthood and community acceptance. Kino ultimately chooses she would rather live her life as herself, the way she wants to, doing the things she enjoys doing, and does begins her journey in the pursuit of personal liberation and finding herself. Kino's journey is ultimately self-reflective, as she's learning about herself as much as she learns about the places she visits and the people she meets, and this episode frames that idea brilliantly.
DC #76 is iconic, the first appearance of the Lupin to Conan's Zenigatta, Kaitou Kid, Conan's recurring and elusive rival. I've watched this episode dozens of times over the years, and while there are better Kaitou Kid outings, the first battle of wits between Conan and Kid holds a real soft spot in my heart as one of my favorite cases in the series.
Pass.
"Wedding Bells for Kozue! Is Godai's Love Eternal?!"
"Hello, World!"
"Conan vs. Kaitou Kid"
"Land of Adults -Natural Right-"
Spark? Avaitor? Dr. E-K? Are you guys going to vote on this match?
Same as LumRanmaYasha.
"Wedding Bells for Kozue! Is Godai's Love Eternal?!"
"Land of Adults -Natural Right-"
"Hello, World!"
"Conan vs. Kaitou Kid"
Results:
Detective Conan #76: "Conan vs. Kaitou Kid" - 5
Maison Ikkoku #92: "Wedding Bells for Kozue! Is Godai's Love Eternal?!" - 14
Blood Blockade Battlefront #12: "Hello, World!" - 13
Kino's Journey #4: "Land of Adults -Natural Right-" - 8
"Wedding Bells for Kozue!" and "Hello, World!" move on to round 3! The next match will be up shortly.
Round 2: Match 8
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/d84f98497e4f225fa977bed2452abf9a/tumblr_onk3rul5Jo1r6toezo3_640.png)
Mr. Osomatsu #1: "Osomatsu-kun Returns" (https://vimeo.com/181454343)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/22a8f4332d5a8470b00af77dec442bad/tumblr_onk3rul5Jo1r6toezo2_640.png)
Hunter x Hunter (2011) #126: "Zero × And × Rose" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/hunter-x-hunter/episode-126-zero-x-and-x-rose-646097)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/cb90cfa3dd1dcab5acd293418451f627/tumblr_onk3rul5Jo1r6toezo4_640.png)
Yu Yu Hakusho #84: "Kurama's Anger, Gourmet's Guest" (https://www.funimation.com/shows/yu-yu-hakusho/kuramas-anger-gourmets-guest/uncut/?lang=english)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/b611d51b4cdd9a35c0089de55206b66c/tumblr_onk3rul5Jo1r6toezo1_640.png)
Fate/Zero #24: "The Last Command Spell" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/fatezero/episode-24-the-final-command-spell-596237)
Hakusho
Osomatsu
Hunter
Fate
Damn, this is a tough one.
"Osomatsu-kun Returns"
"The Last Command Spell"
"Zero × And × Rose"
"Kurama's Anger, Gourmet's Guest"
Pass.
Same as VLord.
Umm, I might vote later today.
Same as Avaitor.
Do you still plan to vote on this match GSF? Otherwise I'll close the match tomorrow morning.
Close it if I don't vote by then.
Well, the morning has long passed so...
Results:
Mr. Osomatsu #1: "Osomatsu-kun Returns" - 15
Hunter x Hunter (2011) #126: "Zero × And × Rose" - 8
Yu Yu Hakusho #84: "Kurama's Anger, Gourmet's Guest" - 7
Fate/Zero #24: "The Last Command Spell" - 10
"Osomatsu-kun Returns" and "The Last Command Spell" move on to round 3! The next match will be up shortly!
Round 2: Match 9
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/de7de27578f932facdff7a3658a0d92e/tumblr_onriczQ8CP1r6toezo2_640.png)
Rurouni Kenshin Trust and Betrayal #4: "The Cross-Shaped Wound" (http://www11.soul-anime.us/watch/samurai-x-trust-betrayal-ova-04/)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/c7dc06df7d08787d5effa41cdbbba83b/tumblr_onriczQ8CP1r6toezo4_640.png)
Trigun #26: "Under the Sky so Blue" (https://www.funimation.com/shows/trigun/under-the-sky-so-blue/uncut/?lang=english)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/fab588221a0b4d5275ed372795809621/tumblr_onriczQ8CP1r6toezo1_640.png)
Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo #26: "Dengaku-Man: Pixie or Pit-bull? He'll Love You or Hate You!" (http://www.animetoon.org/bobobo-bo-bo-bobo-episode-26)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/59ba96e4ec3930a1fc1fdb59e062670f/tumblr_onriczQ8CP1r6toezo3_640.png)
Space Brothers #28: "Miracle of Doha" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/space-brothers/episode-28-miracle-of-doha-610581)
I think that I'll have to go same as listed.
Under the Sky so Blue
The Cross-Shaped Wound
Miracle of Doha
Dengaku-Man: Pixie or Pit-bull? He'll Love You or Hate You!
Dengaku-Man: Pixie or Pit-bull? He'll Love You or Hate You!
Under the Sky so Blue
The Cross-Shaped Wound
Miracle of Doha
Sorry about not updating this game in a while. Was sidetracked with other things and kept forgetting about it. I'll move us onto the next match later tonight, so if you still want to vote on this match you have a couple more hours to do so.
"Under the Sky so Blue"
"Dengaku-Man: Pixie or Pit-bull? He'll Love You or Hate You!"
"The Cross-Shaped Wound"
"Miracle of Doha"
Results:
Rurouni Kenshin Trust and Betrayal #4: "The Cross-Shaped Wound" - 11
Trigun #26 : "Under the Sky so Blue" - 14
Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo #26: "Dengaku-Man: Pixie or Pit-bull? He'll Love You or Hate You!" - 10
Space Brothers #28: "Miracle of Doha" - 5
"The Cross-Shaped Wound" and "Under the Sky so Blue" move on to round 3! The next match will be up shortly.
Round 2: Match 10
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/a5bbbd652318007ae1acc9d3d4dcd77e/tumblr_oozifqbb9x1r6toezo1_640.png)
Digimon Adventure #21: "Koromon's Great Battle in Tokyo!" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/digimon-adventure/episode-21-home-away-from-home-680127)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/ba98156ae01b41f7d9b8e0735cff7a93/tumblr_oozifqbb9x1r6toezo2_640.png)
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders: #15: "Justice Part 2" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/jojos-bizarre-adventure/episode-15-justice-part-2-656845)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/99575ef4ad6f4f0e4bc8d46d64f080b6/tumblr_oozifqbb9x1r6toezo3_640.png)
Neon Genesis Evangelion #16: "Splitting of the Breast" (http://www.animetoon.org/neon-genesis-evangelion-episode-16)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/db7f07991c9297efda6047e5579086ad/tumblr_oozifqbb9x1r6toezo4_640.png)
Ouran High School Host Club #13: "Haruhi in Wonderland!" (https://www.funimation.com/shows/ouran-high-school-host-club/haruhi-in-wonderland/uncut/?a=1)
Digimon
Evangelion
Haruhi
JoJo's
Evangelion
Ouran
Digimon
Jojo
Same as listed.
"Haruhi in Wonderland!"
"Splitting of the Breast"
"Koromon's Great Battle in Tokyo!"
"Justice Part 2"
Spoiler
OHSHC #13 is a great dissection of Haruhi's, breaking down her studious, self-serious personality and confronting her abandonment issues and how much she misses her mother.
NGE #16 breaks down Shinji's need for self-validation and his self-depreciating nature, criticizing him for wallowing in self-defeating thoughts rather than strive for self-improvement. It also provides more exploration of Asuka's inferiority complex, Rei showing rare moments of emotion and concern about Shinji's situation, and Misato becoming totally disillusioned with NERV, prompting her to seek answers for herself. There's a lot of character stuff, details, and development in this episode, making it a cornerstone episode of the series for sure.
DA #21 has an eerily surreal atmospheric courtesy of episode director Mamoru Hosoda and presents a rare and interesting moral conflict for a children's show protagonist, in which Taichi is tempted by the comforts of home and his duty to help his friends in the Digital world.
JJBA:SC #15 is a lot of fun thanks to a combination of Enyaba's vindictiveness towards an utterly clueless Polnareff and Jotaro outwitting her in what is simultaneously one of his funniest and most badass moments.
Results:
Digimon Adventure #21: "Koromon's Great Battle in Tokyo!" - 12
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders: #15: "Justice Part 2" - 6
Neon Genesis Evangelion #16: "Splitting of the Breast" - 12
Ouran High School Host Club #13: "Haruhi in Wonderland!" - 10
"Koromon's Great Battle in Tokyo!" and "Splitting of the Breast" move on to round 3! The next match will be up shortly.
Round 2: Match 11
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/9ee10b46f317718bcc554fb68954e52c/tumblr_op366r4egh1r6toezo1_640.png)
Urusei Yatsura #107: "Parallel Worlds! Where's Darling?!" (http://kissanime.ru/Anime/Urusei-Yatsura/Episode-107?id=10751)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/40ab49735192303e0822c08e590c8ea6/tumblr_op366r4egh1r6toezo2_640.png)
Urusei Yatsura OVA #12 - "The Obstacle Course Swim Meet" (http://kissanime.ru/Anime/Urusei-Yatsura-The-Shougaibutsu-Suieitaikai/Special?id=113411)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/e0dad3245aeb0ad5c3a5094a13366167/tumblr_op366r4egh1r6toezo4_640.png)
Ushio & Tora #19: "The Demon That Turns Back Time" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/ushio-and-tora/episode-19-the-demon-that-turns-back-time-686633)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/f2fdab5af9710ba3fa0890b289980fa0/tumblr_op366r4egh1r6toezo3_640.png)
Shirobako #19: "Did You Catch Any?" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/shirobako/episode-19-did-you-catch-any-661949)
"The Obstacle Course Swim Meet!"
"Parallel World! Where's Darling?!"
"Did You Catch Any?"
"The Demon That Turns Back Time"
Spoiler
UY OVA #12 is my favorite episode of UY. I think it best encapsulates the manic energy of the series and its characters, and I love the updated character designs and animation. I really wish a reboot of the show was produced with this aesthetic and production quality.
UY #107 is a stunning debut for director Kazuo Yamazaki full of great in-jokes about the series and the staff changing starting with this episode, with a fun Lum-centric episode with interesting what-if scenarios, reaching an emotionally tear-jerking climax before ending on a wonderfully heartwarming note.
Shirobako #19 is a nostalgia blast to how anime production was produced in the "good old days," demonstrating the challenges they faced back then are still the ones faced by the industry now, but that creatively-driven people with a genuine passion for making great art and entertainment will always push through the challenging times to make good anime. I love how learning about the production history of Andes Chuchy reinvigorates Aoi, helping her realize that all the blood, sweat, and tears they're putting into their work can pay off and leave an impact in the minds of viewers, as Andes Chucky did in her childhood. Very emotional and inspiring episode about creative people making sacrifices for the love of their art.
U&T #19 provides fascinating background history on Hakumen no Mono and the origins of the Beast Spear, and is the first time we get to see Hakumen in action. And it's utterly horrifying.
"The Demon That Turns Back Time"
"The Obstacle Course Swim Meet!"
"Parallel World! Where's Darling?!"
"Did You Catch Any?"
"The Obstacle Course Swim Meet!"
"The Demon That Turns Back Time"
"Parallel World! Where's Darling?!"
"Did You Catch Any?"
Results:
Ushio & Tora #19: "The Demon That Turns Back Time" - 8
Urusei Yatsura #107: "Parallel Worlds! Where's Darling?!" - 7
Urusei Yatsura OVA #12: "The Obstacle Course Swim Meet" - 11
Shirobako #19: "Did You Catch Any?" - 4
"The Obstacle Course Swim Meet" and "The Demon That Turns Back Time" move on to round 3! The next match will be up shortly.
Round 2: Match 12
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/410a79e7c8ff783dfe93cf821c044a43/tumblr_opam1n7H2C1r6toezo1_640.png)
Ashita no Joe 2 #47: "His Youth...Now Turned to Ash" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/champion-joe-2/episode-47-now-the-youthful-days-are-burned-out-650929)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/5946ad4feccb69d252f44ab21de1b318/tumblr_opam1n7H2C1r6toezo4_640.png)
Yu Yu Hakusho #52: "The Death of Genkai" (https://www.funimation.com/shows/yu-yu-hakusho/the-death-of-genkai/uncut/?lang=english)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/0616f12cb29cb6735db49a70ab64fd5d/tumblr_opam1n7H2C1r6toezo2_640.png)
Ushio & Tora #20: "The Demon Returns" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/ushio-and-tora/episode-20-the-demon-returns-686635)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/268461d09b7621a48febd539c9106fbc/tumblr_opam1n7H2C1r6toezo3_640.png)
The Slayers #10: "JACKPOT! The Great Life or Death Gamble!" (https://www.funimation.com/shows/the-slayers/jackpot-the-great-life-or-death-gamble/uncut/?lang=english)
Oh....shit....
"His Youth...Now Turned to Ash"
"JACKPOT! The Great Life or Death Gamble!"
"The Death of Genkai"
"The Demon Returns"
Spoiler
ANJ2 #47 is one of the most iconic anime endings of all time. The emotional crux of the episode falls on Joe simply persevering through his fight with Mendoza in spite the pain, and while he ultimately loses on technicalities, he spiritually he came out as the winner of the fight, his willpower having crushed Mendoza's own and leaving him a withered, lifeless shell of the man he was. It's a simultaneously happy and tragic ending. Happy because Joe gave his all until he was "nothing but white ash," passing away with a smile. Tragic because, well, poor Yoko. To lose the man she loved again, especially after coming around to support Joe in his final fight and everything? Then again, the ending is supposed to be ambiguous. Whether he actually died or not, the point is Joe gave it his all and left no regrets behind, with is why he's smiling in that final, iconic shot.
The Slayers #10 was the first episode of Slayers I ever watched and holds a deep place in my heart and nostalgia as a result. But it's also just a great climax to the Rezo arc, with Lina, Gourry, and Zelgadis locked in a desperate fight with Shabranigdo, and Lina using the Giga Slave for the first time while Rezo makes amends for his evils but helping restrain Shabranigdo so Lina can finish him off. The first arc of Slayers is perhaps my favorite part of the show, at least it's the part I've watched the most, and this climax is a huge reason why.
YYH #52 is a gut-wrenching episode, where Genkai futily tries to fight Toguro and bring him back to his sense one final time, knowing full well it would result in her death. Her death is brutal and intense, as is Yusuke lashing out at Toguro afterwards only to be blown back without effort That image of him looking so distraught and defeated against the tree afterwards always gets to me.
U&T #20 shows the tragic origins of the Beast Spear while giving Ushio a more personal connection with the spears' creators and an even greater vendetta for defeating Hakumen no Mono. Very satisfying and emotionally charged origin story for the Spear and demonstration of the evils Hakumen begets in men.
I'll go with the same order as Lum, except with Slayers moved to the bottom if only because I have yet to watch the episode in its proper context.
Same as EK.
Spark? VLord? You guys gonna vote on this match?
"His Youth...Now Turned to Ash"
"The Death of Genkai"
"JACKPOT! The Great Life or Death Gamble!"
"The Demon Returns"
Naw, no real point.
Results:
Ashita no Joe 2 #47: "His Youth...Now Turned to Ash" - 16
Yu Yu Hakusho #52: "The Death of Genkai" - 11
Ushio & Tora #20: "The Demon Returns" - 6
The Slayers #10: "JACKPOT! The Great Life or Death Gamble!" - 7
"His Youth...Now Turned to Ash" and "The Death of Genkai" move on to round 3! The next match will be up shortly.
Round 2: Match 13
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/61aca80aba124b74301d7ab7af7bf3a8/tumblr_opeh4qhE4X1r6toezo1_640.png)
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni #20: "Cold Hands (Chapter: Eye Opening, Part 5)" (https://view.yahoo.com/show/when-they-cry/episode/60689045/sub-cold-hands)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/91a595e5116c150320091dc5e2acb5d4/tumblr_opeh4qhE4X1r6toezo3_640.png)
Yu Yu Hakusho #73: "The Doctor's Disease" (https://www.funimation.com/shows/yu-yu-hakusho/the-doctors-disease/uncut/)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/954461b796218ee56eed06ea81557020/tumblr_opeh4qhE4X1r6toezo2_640.png)
Death Note #25: "Silence" (http://www.viz.com/watch/streaming/deathnote-episode-25/665/dub)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/8d86f1fbf082e0390dd37611cdd84d87/tumblr_opeh4qhE4X1r6toezo4_640.png)
Dragon Ball Z TV Special: "Defiance in the Face of Despair!! The Remaining Super-Warriors: Gohan and Trunks" (https://www.funimation.com/shows/dragon-ball-z/the-history-of-trunks/uncut/?lang=japanese)
Good round.
The Doctor's Disease
Silence
Gohan & Trunks
Cold Hands
Same as Spark.
The Future of Trunks
Silence
Cold Hands
The Doctor's Disease
Spoiler
The Future of Trunks - Since I watched it in japanese last time, I decided I'd watch it in english this time. I actually find it more fun in english, mainly because of the rewritten dialogue they give 17 and 18 that make them bicker and act childish, which is often really funny. The dub loses the nuances of how messed up Gohan is mentally, but otherwise retains most of the dark tone and Trunks' character arc intact (except he has more of preoccupation with the fact the Androids have killed children for some reason). Either way, I'm evaluating both versions when I put it first in my rankings for this match.
Death Note #25 is brilliantly directed, giving an ominous and tense vibe the entire episode building up to L's death. The tension between Light and L certainly heightens matters, though the scene where L is washing Light's foot kinda breaks that by being unintentionally hilarious. The anime really liked to play up the homoerotic tension between Light and L didn't it?
Higurashi #20 is a great piece of Shion's villainous character arc showing her go further off the deep end with a plan hinged on confirmation bias and willing to torture and murder a little girl to get what she wants. I've said before how much I love Rika's fuck you to her, but that entire scene where she's in Shion's home and her suicide are really what make this episode.
YYH #73 is a good set-up episode for the Doctor fight presenting Yusuke and co. with a mystery they need to solve in a time crunch or else their friends will die. The crux of the episode falls on Kido to do the only real thing he'll contribute to the series, but I really like how he figures out how to use his shadow powers in a way to let Yusuke know who Doctor is despite not being able to speak.
I'll wrap this match up later tonight. So Avaitor, GSF, Vlord, you guys and anyone else who wants to vote still has a few more hours to do so.
I think I'll do same as listed.
The Doctor's Disease
The Future of Trunks
Silence
Cold Hands
Results:
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni #20: "Cold Hands (Chapter: Eye Opening, Part 5)" - 9
Yu Yu Hakusho #73: "The Doctor's Disease" - 16
Death Note #25: "Silence" - 13
Dragon Ball Z TV Special: "Defiance in the Face of Despair!! The Remaining Super-Warriors: Gohan and Trunks" - 12
"The Doctor's Disease" and "Silence" move on to round 3! The next match will be up shortly.
Round 2: Match 14
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/da49aade347178aff1b385d5924a3f0a/tumblr_opy7n3DmxM1r6toezo1_640.png)
Cowboy Bebop #5: "Ballad of Fallen Angels" (https://www.funimation.com/shows/cowboy-bebop/ballad-of-fallen-angels/)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/06c72cac84578be0d10b1ec8b60a9a25/tumblr_opy7n3DmxM1r6toezo2_640.png)
Detective Conan #11: "The Moonlight Sonata Murder Case" (https://www.funimation.com/shows/case-closed/the-moonlight-sonata-murder-case-parts-1-and-2/uncut/?lang=japanese)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/c50c2e61e74c49ab4df1d52fa9bca221/tumblr_opy7n3DmxM1r6toezo3_640.png)
Trigun #17: "Rem Saverem" (https://www.funimation.com/shows/trigun/rem-saverem/uncut/?lang=english)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/5e08a959cd3c559be73926d12d987efc/tumblr_opy7n3DmxM1r6toezo4_640.png)
Full Metal Panic: The Second Raid #13: "The Continuing Day By Day" (https://www.funimation.com/shows/full-metal-panic-the-second-raid/the-continuing-day-by-day/uncut/?lang=english)
Rem Saverem
Continuing Day By Day
Ballad of Fallen Angels
The Moonlight Sonata Murder Case
Same as Spark.
The Moonlight Sonata Murder Case
Ballad of Fallen Angels
Rem Saverem
Continuing Day By Day
Spoiler
DC #11 is perhaps the episode of the series I've rewatched the most over the years. I really love the setting and mystery behind this one, and the chilling use of Moonlight Sonata and that ending where Simon plays the piano as he burns to death in his father's mansion and all Conan and Rachel can do is watch. This is one of the most important Conan cases since this is the first time Conan couldn't bring the criminal to justice or save someone after knowing who committed the crime, making him vow to never let this happen again.
CB #5 is perhaps one of the most perfect anime episodes, and that entire scene in the chapel and the framing of Spike's past are some of the best directed scenes in animation period.
Trigun #17 is a chilling revelation into what happened on SEEDS and how twisted Knives became because of being treated as non-human and taught a survival of the fittest mentality.
FMP: TSR #13 is a satisfying conclusion to Sosuke's character arc of self-doubt, finally coming to realize who he is and what he really wants out of his life.
The Moonlight Sonata Murder Case
Continuing Day By Day
Rem Saverem
Ballad of Fallen Angels
Same as EK.
Results:
Cowboy Bebop #5: "Ballad of Fallen Angels" - 10
Detective Conan #11: "The Moonlight Sonata Murder Case" - 11
Trigun #17: "Rem Saverem" - 16
Full Metal Panic: The Second Raid #13: "The Continuing Day By Day" - 13
"Rem Saverem" and "The Continuing Day By Day" move on to round 3! The next match will be up shortly.
And now, the final match of round 2!
Round 2: Match 15
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/ed1dc63b71cc113c29186d7972d453c0/tumblr_oq29ryxshq1r6toezo3_640.png)
Trigun #12: "Diablo" (https://www.funimation.com/shows/trigun/diablo/uncut/)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/77c354ca579bc3f6013c8996638c4765/tumblr_oq29ryxshq1r6toezo2_640.png)
Paranoia Agent #10: "Mellow Maromi" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBWtcjjrVDs)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/6e97a54fa33400271d62fe72e795dc1f/tumblr_oq29ryxshq1r6toezo1_640.png)
Urusei Yatsura #44: "After You've Gone" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTBH8AQ84mY)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/73d0118e70ccd58e4fbe2fde14e1d863/tumblr_oq29ryxshq1r6toezo4_640.png)
My Hero Academia #2: "What it Takes to Be A Hero" (https://www.funimation.com/shows/my-hero-academia/what-it-takes-to-be-a-hero/simulcast/?lang=english)
Ok, I might actually vote this time.
"After You've Gone"
"Mellow Maromi"
"Diablo"
"What It Takes To Be a Hero"
Spoiler
UY #44 is perhaps the most iconic episode of the series. It's the first time Ataru realizes how deeply he cares about Lum and has taken for granted her presence in his life, leading to his downward depression culminating in the beautiful "Kokorobosoina" scene where he walks aimlessly through town only to land up in the gutter crying for Lum to come back. It's overall touching with many humanizing character moments, especially the exchange between Ataru and Shinobu which really shows how much both have changed and matured from how they were at the beginning of the series.
PA #10 is a hilariously dark satire of how brutal and unforgiving the anime industry is, literally leading to everyone on the staff to kill themselves over working on a single episode of a kid's show.
Trigun #12 is a chilling introduction to Legato, and is the first time where Vash not only fails to save a lot of people, but is pushed so far that he almost breaks his code of pacificism and kills Monev. A bold start to the more plot-driven story to follow.
MHA #2 is an inspiring and emotionally moving character piece, showing why Midoriya has the heart of a true hero despite being powerless inspiring the most powerful superhero to risk everything to spring into action and save the day. The moment where All Might tells Deku he too can be a hero is one of the most emotionally satisfying payoffs to the first chapter/episode of any shonen series and is a strong way to begin a long-running series built on optimism and heroism.
"Diablo"
"What It Takes To Be a Hero"
"After You've Gone"
"Mellow Maromi"
"What It Takes To Be a Hero"
"Diablo"
"After You've Gone"
"Mellow Maromi"
Do you still plan to vote GSF? Avaitor?
Yes, I'm sorry. I get so easily distracted lol
Pass. I cannot find any legal way to watch Urusei or Paranoid Agent.
Ok.
Results:
Trigun #12: "Diablo" - 9
My Hero Academia #2: "What it Takes to Be A Hero" - 8
Paranoia Agent #10: "Mellow Maromi" - 5
Urusei Yatsura #44: "After You've Gone" - 8
There's a tie between "What it Takes to Be A Hero" and "After You've Gone." Someone is going to have to break the tie before we can move on.
I'll change my vote to this:
"Diablo"
"After You've Gone"
"What It Takes To Be a Hero"
"Mellow Maromi"
Thanks!
"Diablo" and "After You've Gone" move on to round 3! This concludes round 2! The next round will be up shortly.
Each match of round 3 will feature three episodes, and only one episode will move on to the next round.
Round 3: Match 1
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/f69c33beaa0a8446024ae563173304b6/tumblr_oqf8lpp1qS1r6toezo1_640.png)
Trigun #17: "Rem Saverem" (https://www.funimation.com/shows/trigun/rem-saverem/uncut/)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/04adb5d3cae09bf26c2253eec0cd4fff/tumblr_oqf8lpp1qS1r6toezo3_640.png)
Yu Yu Hakusho #69: "The Power of Taboo" (https://www.funimation.com/shows/yu-yu-hakusho/the-power-of-taboo/uncut/?lang=english)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/b9f595e405f4deed27e8e292e6a9f54a/tumblr_oqf8lpp1qS1r6toezo2_640.png)
Ashita no Joe 2 #47: "His Youth...Now Turned to Ash" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/champion-joe-2/episode-47-now-the-youthful-days-are-burned-out-650929)
:wth:
Sorry, I was home and didn't log on while I was there.
And reverse of listed.
Pass.
Reverse Avaitor.
"Rem Saverem"
"His Youth...Now Turned to Ash"
"The Power of Taboo"
"His Youth...Now Turned to Ash"
"Rem Saverem"
"The Power of Taboo"
"His Youth...Now Turned to Ash"
"The Power of Taboo"
"Rem Saverem"
Results:
Trigun #17: "Rem Saverem" - 10
Yu Yu Hakusho #69: "The Power of Taboo" - 8
Ashita no Joe 2 #47: "His Youth...Now Turned to Ash" - 12
"His Youth....Now Turned to Ash" moves on to round 4! The next match will be up shortly.
Round 3: Match 2
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/8361a9d21ec4350f3206534ca1051f04/tumblr_oqs0yhlBnM1r6toezo3_640.png)
Urusei Yatsura OVA #12: "The Obstacle Course Swim Meet" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5S9GeQ1eEw)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/bf5541fd4047c3a7d42d79400fa607bd/tumblr_oqs0yhlBnM1r6toezo1_640.png)
Digimon Adventure #21: "Koromon's Great Battle in Tokyo!" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/digimon-adventure/episode-21-home-away-from-home-680127)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/caaa2d39fc1ae75964528e62a1a76e92/tumblr_oqs0yhlBnM1r6toezo2_640.png)
Trigun #24: "Sin" (https://www.funimation.com/shows/trigun/sin/uncut/)
Reverse of the order listed.
Same as the doctor.
Same as Spark.
"The Obstacle Course Swim Race"
"Sin"
"Koromon's Great Battle in Tokyo"
Spoiler
UY OVA #12 is my favorite episode of UY because it encapsulates almost everything I love about the show in one frenetic half-hour.
Trigun #24 is an important turning point in the series, where after a series of failing to save people, Vash is confronted with the idea that their deaths were his fault, and is finally forced to kill someone himself, destroying the last vestige of Rem's ideal that he had clung to.
Digimon Adventure #21 is a well-directed episode where Taichi struggles with returning to the safety of his home and continuing the fight in the digitial world, also setting up Kari's prominent role in the series going forward
Same as LRY
Results:
Urusei Yatsura OVA #12: "The Obstacle Course Swim Meet" - 9
Digimon Adventure #21: "Koromon's Great Battle in Tokyo!" - 8
Trigun #24: "Sin" - 13
"Sin" moves on to round 4! The next match will be up shortly.
Round 3: Match 3
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/a94ee952791208dd6866140450619383/tumblr_oqwjoey1HR1r6toezo1_640.png)
Fate/Zero #24: "The Last Command Spell" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/fatezero/episode-24-the-final-command-spell-596237)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/fb54bac558e5205fe1a82295d6caff72/tumblr_oqwjoey1HR1r6toezo3_640.png)
Trigun #12: "Diablo" (https://www.funimation.com/shows/trigun/diablo/uncut/)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/d9648cc9159b952d33f4b4e6447bf6b8/tumblr_oqwjoey1HR1r6toezo2_640.png)
Cowboy Bebop #26: "The Real Folk Blues (Part 2)" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/cowboy-bebop/episode-26-the-real-folk-blues-part-2-719537)
Opposite of listed.
Clever boy, Lum.
Will vote sometime tomorrow.
Oh boy, it's the bloody-faces round.
I'll go same as Spark.
The Real Folk Blues
The Last Command Spell
Diablo
I think I'm actually gonna vote.
Same as Avaitor.
Same as Avaitor
I'll do flip Avaitor's bottom 2 if I don't get to rewatch the episodes in about 8 hours
Edit: Just finished rewatching them all. Yep, won't change my order. I finished with Diablo and that episode still gets to me. My first Trigun episode and what made it became the 2nd or so anime series to be my favorite show at the time.
Same as Avaitor
Results:
Fate/Zero #24: "The Last Command Spell" - 11
Trigun #12: "Diablo" - 10
Cowboy Bebop #26: "The Real Folk Blues (Part 2)" - 21
"The Real Folk Blues (Part 2)" moves on to round 4! The next match will be up shortly.
Round 3: Match 4
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/01add845ad6a7ad6ed644443e0c7b361/tumblr_oradglw1re1r6toezo1_640.png)
Ushio & Tora #39: "The Fate of Ushio & Tora" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/ushio-and-tora/episode-39-the-fate-of-ushio-and-tora-702269)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/b26f779ab5f759b83c22ebe24d7860ff/tumblr_oradglw1re1r6toezo3_640.png)
Death Note #25: "Silence" (http://www.viz.com/watch/streaming/deathnote-episode-25/665/dub)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/97994f67e0ea481a7c411ddd71fe0265/tumblr_oradglw1re1r6toezo2_640.png)
Blood Blockade Battlefront #12: "Hello, World!" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/blood-blockade-battlefront/episode-12-hello-world-731047)
Same as listed.
The Fate of Ushio & Tora
Hello, World!
Silence
Probably the toughest round yet.
Same as EK.
Pass. Only saw two episodes of BBB...and one was a confusing preview episode
"Hello, World"
"Silence"
"The Fate of Ushio & Tora"
Spoiler
BBB #12 - An epic finale that delivers on the thematic throughlines of the show in a bombastic and thoughtful fashion.
DN #25 - Masterfully directed and dripping with tension and anticipation right up until L's death.
U&T #39 - A satisfying final battle with a poetic ending about the nature of life and death and the memories left behind.
"Hello, World"
"The Fate of Ushio & Tora"
"Silence"
Results:
Ushio & Tora #39: "The Fate of Ushio & Tora" - 12
Death Note #25: "Silence" - 8
Blood Blockade Battlefront #12: "Hello, World!" - 10
"The Fate of Ushio & Tora" moves on to round 4! The next match will be up shortly.
Round 3: Match 5
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/b6794f72fd73e0a64223aff5f42d2702/tumblr_orny1s3y7B1r6toezo1_640.png)
Ashita no Joe #52: "Farewell, Rikiishi Tooru" (https://ww1.gogoanime.io/ashita-no-joe-episode-52)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/d0a94a738262c0476e15e2c55b7eb668/tumblr_orny1s3y7B1r6toezo3_640.png)
Yu Yu Hakusho #73: "The Doctor's Disease" (https://www.funimation.com/shows/yu-yu-hakusho/the-doctors-disease/uncut/)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/96739d30f3d6e56549c7f34b4e642315/tumblr_orny1s3y7B1r6toezo2_640.png)
Trigun #26: "Under the Sky so Blue" (https://www.funimation.com/shows/trigun/under-the-sky-so-blue/uncut/?lang=english)
Lum, You mitherfucker....:srs:
Same as listed.
"Under the Sky so Blue"
"Farewell, Rikiishi Tooru"
"The Doctor's Disease"
Spoiler
Trigun #26 is a great, intense finale that puts to rest the long conflict between Vash and Knives, and Vash's internal moral character arc of what he should do to stop him. In the end he makes a choice that allows him to stick to his morals while putting an end to Knives' plans, and decides to follow his heart from now on instead of just Rem's guidance.
AnJ #52 is a heartbreaking episode wherein Joe finally comes to grips with the fact he killed Rikiishi and breaks down, even running away from people who extend their hands out to help him.
YYH #73 is a well-directed episode that makes clever use of Kido's shadow powers and has a great time-sensitive set-up where Yusuke has to stop a man who can't feel pain or be knocked out before everyone in the hospital succumbs to his poison, leaving him with few options except to kill him.
Ashita no Joe
Yu Yu Hakusho
Trigun
Believe me, I don't take any pleasure in ranking Trigun last. All three of these are top contenders for me. It's all Lum's fault, really. :thinkin:
Opposite of EK.
Same as EK
Same as LumRanmaYasha.
Results:
Ashita no Joe #52:"Farewell, Rikiishi Tooru" - 14
Yu Yu Hakusho #73: "The Doctor's Disease" - 10
Trigun #26: "Under the Sky so Blue" - 12
"Farewell, Rikiishi Tooru" moves on to round 4! The next match will be up shortly.
Round 3: Match 6
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/df3dac7ec970b0e913eb7f057f80f3ef/tumblr_ortue1SVL91r6toezo2_640.png)
Trigun #23: "Paradise" (https://www.funimation.com/shows/trigun/paradise/uncut/?lang=english)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/c7d8e47c2824d5fa33802aee1cd1ecd1/tumblr_ortue1SVL91r6toezo1_640.png)
Maison Ikkoku #92: "Wedding Bells for Kozue! Is Godai's Love Eternal?!" (http://ww1.cartooncrazy.net/watch/maison-ikkoku-episode-92-english-dubbed/)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/7cb23cf08a68957ecc4b9a491135f290/tumblr_ortue1SVL91r6toezo3_640.png)
Ushio & Tora #19: "The Demon That Turns Back Time" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/ushio-and-tora/episode-19-the-demon-that-turns-back-time-686633)
Trigun
Tora
Maison
These are some tough rounds.
Same as Dr. Ensatsu-ken.
Reverse EK.
Same as Avaitor
What Spark said.
"Wedding Bells for Kozue! Is Godai's Love Eternal?!"
"Sin"
"The Demon That Turns Back Time"
Spoiler
MI #92 is the satisfying culmination of Godai and Kyoko's turbulent romance, as Godai finally makes his feelings clear to Kyoko in a way she cannot misinterpret. He and Kozue are also able to break off on a happy note, both of them having found real, reciprocated love in their lives. The final scene, Godai reflecting on what Kyoko is like and what she means to him, is one of the most iconic quotes in the series, encapsulating the whirlwind of emotions love elicits and how just a single smile from the one you love can fill someone's heart with joy. Beautiful.
Trigun #23 is the tragic culmination of Wolfwood's character arc, as he tries to embrace Vash's way and spares Chapel, only for that decision to ultimately cost him his life. Wolfwood doesn't regret that choice, but the choices he's made previously in life that led him down this path, wishing he could've found alternative solutions outside of killing to solve his problems. Wolfwood was never afraid of death, but at the end he pleads to keep living, having found so much worth living for. But alas, it's not meant to be, but he dies at peace with who he his and how he was able to save his soul thanks to Vash and co.'s influence.
U&T #19 is a great lore-building episode that provides interesting insight into the Beast Spear's origin and introduces Hakumen no Mono in a frightening, horrifying manner that establishes how devious and deadly a monster he really is.
Results:
Maison Ikkoku #92: "Wedding Bells for Kozue! Is Godai's Love Eternal?!" - 12
Trigun #23: "Paradise" - 13
Ushio & Tora #19: "The Demon That Turns Back Time" - 11
"Paradise" moves on to round 4! The next match will be up shortly.
Round 3: Match 7
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/27220d912601b87dcf41fb06d264baff/tumblr_orxeeydPcv1r6toezo2_640.png)
Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid #9: "Her Problem" (https://www.funimation.com/shows/full-metal-panic-the-second-raid/her-problem/uncut/?lang=english)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/5da24fc27096743f9f4ea61d1cef0e19/tumblr_orxeeydPcv1r6toezo1_640.png)
Urusei Yatsura #44: "After You've Gone" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTBH8AQ84mY&t=1243s)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/dcd3e81a6d425cddee4688d20e01767e/tumblr_orxeeydPcv1r6toezo3_640.png)
Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid #13: "The Continuing Day By Day" (https://www.funimation.com/shows/full-metal-panic-the-second-raid/the-continuing-day-by-day/uncut/?lang=english)
"After You've Gone"
"The Continuing Day By Day"
"Her Problem"
Spoiler
UY #44 is the most iconic episode of the series, being the first time Ataru realizes how much he's come to take Lum for granted and how deeply he cares for her. The scenes where Shinobu comforts him and the "Kokorobosoina" sequences are incredibly poignant in how far Ataru has come from how he was in the beginning of the series.
FMP:TSR #13 is a great culmination of Sosuke's character arc where he stops just following orders because he's supposed to, rejecting his former identity as a soldier and embracing who he is and what he wants.
FMP:TSR #9 is an excellent character-focused episode where Kaname manages to use ingenuity to get herself out of a life-or-death situation without Sosuke's help, in spite of her fear and insecurity.
"The Continuing Day By Day"
"Her Problem"
"After You've Gone"
Same as LumRanmaYasha.
Same as Avaitor.
Same as Spark
Results:
Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid #9: "Her Problem" - 7
Urusei Yatsura #44: "After You've Gone" - 11
Full Metal Panic: The Second Raid #13: "The Continuing Day By Day" - 12
"The Continuing Day By Day" moves on to round 4! The next match will be up shortly.
Round 3: Match 8
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/9ebc00b3efe21607572cd4a548bcaeeb/tumblr_os2hteM4oO1r6toezo3_640.png)
Ushio & Tora #36: "To The Promised Night" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/ushio-and-tora/episode-36-to-the-promised-night-702263)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/80186e74f587acbc78f3148571795245/tumblr_os2hteM4oO1r6toezo2_640.png)
Rurouni Kenshin Trust and Betrayal #4:"The Cross-Shaped Wound" (https://ww1.gogoanime.io/samurai-x-trust--betrayal-ova--episode-4)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/996d70b63763f9f15b53a76fdc27e919/tumblr_os2hteM4oO1r6toezo1_640.png)
Neon Genesis Evangelion #24: "The Beginning and the End, or 'Knockin' on Heaven's Door'" (https://www.watchcartoononline.io/neon-genesis-evangelion-episode-24-english-dubbed-2)
Kenshin
Tora
Eva
"The Cross-Shaped Wound"
"The Beginning and the End, or 'Knockin' on Heaven's Door'"
"To The Promised Night"
Spoiler
RKT&B #4 is the tragic turning point for Kenshin's character, where he realizes the blood on his hands and experiences losing a loved one, and must see the war through to the end so that he may later embark on a path of redemption.
NGE #24 finds Shinji finally meets someone who demands nothing of him and loves him unconditionally in Kaoru, who tragically turns out to be an angel that he is forced to kill, sending him into a spiral of depression that leads him to the world-ending choice he makes in End of Eva.
U&T #36 is a bittersweet conclusion to Hyou's grudge with Gurren, delivering a satisfying beat-down of the demon but costing him his life. Damn does him envisioning his family welcome him home as he passes away always bring a tear to my eye.
Reverse of listed.
Same as listed.
Results:
Ushio & Tora #36: "To The Promised Night" - 7
Rurouni Kenshin: Trust and Betrayal #4:"The Cross-Shaped Wound" - 10
Neon Genesis Evangelion #24: "The Beginning and the End, or 'Knockin' on Heaven's Door'" - 7
"The Cross-Shaped Wound" moves on to round 4! The next match will be up shortly.
Round 3: Match 9
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/102a6ad2d70347cd06400794edfee7bd/tumblr_os4x3xL6t21r6toezo2_640.png)
Yu Yu Hakusho #52: "The Death of Genkai" (https://www.funimation.com/shows/yu-yu-hakusho/the-death-of-genkai/uncut/)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/8849868cb9e414ef70fa2e60fa88c006/tumblr_os4x3xL6t21r6toezo1_640.png)
Neon Genesis Evangelion #16: "Splitting of the Breast" (http://www.animetoon.org/neon-genesis-evangelion-episode-16)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/be8917cec9773b77d4b202e66097977e/tumblr_os4x3xL6t21r6toezo3_640.png)
Death Note #37: "New World" (http://www.viz.com/watch/streaming/deathnote-episode-37/661/dub)
Same as listed.
New World
Death of Genkai
Splitting of the Breast
Hmm...same as Spark. I probably need to rewatch the Genkai episode/
Reverse of Spark.
"New World"
"Splitting of the Breast"
"The Death of Genkai"
Results:
Yu Yu Hakusho #52: "The Death of Genkai" - 10
Neon Genesis Evangelion #16: "Splitting of the Breast" - 9
Death Note #37: "New World" - 11
"New World" moves on to round 4! The next match will be up shortly.
And here it is, the last match of the quarter-finals!
Round 3: Match 10
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/113b420a471a65fe0ce5154e781b4be7/tumblr_os8p2wOSYG1r6toezo2_640.png)
Mobile Suit Gundam: War in the Pocket #6: "War in the Pocket" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8m53e-oGw_w)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/8e63154f68f89bb1fe3e52b8bf1783dc/tumblr_os8p2wOSYG1r6toezo3_640.png)
Yu Yu Hakusho #74: "Sleep, Doctor, Sleep" (https://www.funimation.com/shows/yu-yu-hakusho/sleep-doctor-sleep/uncut/)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/6a5332b0462207ac4537e7a7944e8c49/tumblr_os8p2wOSYG1r6toezo1_640.png)
Mr. Osomatsu #1: "Osomatsu-kun Returns" (https://vimeo.com/181454343)
Sleep, Doctor, Sleep
War in the Pocket
Osomatsu-kun Returns
Same as Spark.
Same as listed.
Sleep, Doctor, Sleep
Osomatsu-kun Returns
War in the Pocket
"War in the Pocket"
"Sleep, Doctor, Sleep"
"Osomatsu-kun Returns"
Results:
Mobile Suit Gundam: War in the Pocket #6: "War in the Pocket" - 11
Yu Yu Hakusho #74: "Sleep, Doctor, Sleep" - 13
Mr. Osomatsu #1: "Osomatsu-kun Returns" - 6
"Sleep, Doctor, Sleep" move on to round 4! This concludes the quarter-finals. The semi-finals will start shortly!
For the semi-finals, both matches will have five episodes, and two from each match will move on to the final round.
Round 4: Match 1
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/761292bd9e46de54c7103cc4a927e262/tumblr_osdcm6xERd1r6toezo1_640.png)
Ashita no Joe #52: "Farewell, Rikiishi Tooru" (https://ww2.gogoanime.io/ashita-no-joe-episode-52)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/a4a322041eb8a1247c63fa7f50613eef/tumblr_osdcm6xERd1r6toezo3_640.png)
Trigun #23: "Paradise" (https://www.funimation.com/shows/trigun/paradise/uncut/?lang=english)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/66c1d4763eebbbe0a75a3f5c60abaed9/tumblr_osdcm6xERd1r6toezo5_640.png)
Cowboy Bebop #26: "The Real Folk Blues (Part 2)" (https://www.funimation.com/shows/cowboy-bebop/the-real-folk-blues-part-2/uncut/?lang=english)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/c5c3f14c400c5691053ab4aca0efa9a6/tumblr_osdcm6xERd1r6toezo2_640.png)
Rurouni Kenshin: Trust and Betrayal #4: "The Cross-Shaped Wound" (https://ww1.gogoanime.io/samurai-x-trust--betrayal-ova--episode-4)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/8e70f14174553f9fad0c95a2802dd6fe/tumblr_osdcm6xERd1r6toezo4_640.png)
Trigun #24: "Sin" (https://www.funimation.com/shows/trigun/sin/uncut/)
Hoo boy....
Rikiishi
Sin
The Cross-Shaped Wound
The Real Folk Blues Part 2
Paradise
Sin
Paradise
The Real Folk Blues Part 2
Farewell, Rikiishi Tooru
The Cross-Shaped Wound
The Real Folk Blues Part 2
Paradise
Sin
Cross Shaped Wound
Farewell
"Farewell, Rikiishi Tooru"
"The Cross-Shaped Wound"
"The Real Folk Blues Part 2"
"Paradise"
"Sin"
"Farewell, Rikiishi Tooru"
"Sin"
"The Real Folk Blues Part 2"
"Paradise"
"The Cross-Shaped Wound"
"Paradise"
"Farewell, Rikiishi Tooru"
"The Real Folk Blues Part 2"
"The Cross-Shaped Wound"
"Sin"
Spoiler
Trigun #23 culminates Wolfwood's character arc in a tragic yet cathartic way. It was the first episode of the show I ever watched and remains my favorite.
AnJ #52 is a heartbreaking exploration of Joe dealing with the guilt of Rikiishi's death, ultimately running away from the people who reach out to him.
CB #26 is an iconic finale where Spike finally confronts his past and affirms that he was truly alive, dying satisfied.
RK:T&B #4 depicts the tragic origin of what inspired Kenshin's pacifist ways as a rurouni, having finally experienced the pain of loss and realizing no one has the right to take another's life.
Trigun #24 pushes Vash to his breaking point, forcing him to break his no-killing rule and becoming disillusioned with Rem's teachings in the process.
Results:
Ashita no Joe #52: "Farewell, Rikiishi Tooru" - 22
Trigun #23: "Paradise" - 18
Cowboy Bebop #26: "The Real Folk Blues (Part 2)" - 19
Rurouni Kenshin Trust and Betrayal #4: "The Cross-Shaped Wound" - 13
Trigun #24: "Sin" - 18
"Farewell, Rikiishi Tooru" and "The Real Folk Blues (Part 2)" move on to the finals! The next match will be up shortly.
Round 4: Match 2
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/fea0bb046d89bc4caa3362c628c65a04/tumblr_oshf6f5FYr1r6toezo4_640.png)
Full Metal Panic: The Second Raid #13: "The Continuing Day By Day" (https://www.funimation.com/shows/full-metal-panic-the-second-raid/the-continuing-day-by-day/uncut/?lang=english)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/3823b878389b3793214549dd8c5ff0c7/tumblr_oshf6f5FYr1r6toezo1_640.png)
Ashita no Joe 2 #47: "His Youth...Now Turned to Ash" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/champion-joe-2/episode-47-now-the-youthful-days-are-burned-out-650929)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/72bd580887e8050ccfc587ac91ec70d2/tumblr_oshf6f5FYr1r6toezo3_640.png)
Yu Yu Hakusho #74: "Sleep, Doctor, Sleep" (https://www.funimation.com/shows/yu-yu-hakusho/sleep-doctor-sleep/uncut/?a=1)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/1af37ce3e0273e38ee72221259c76043/tumblr_oshf6f5FYr1r6toezo2_640.png)
Ushio & Tora #39: "The Fate of Ushio & Tora" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/ushio-and-tora/episode-39-the-fate-of-ushio-and-tora-702269)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/c9100aaa7d2feea7353c61e27676d3bf/tumblr_oshf6f5FYr1r6toezo5_640.png)
Death Note #37: "New World" (http://www.viz.com/watch/streaming/deathnote-episode-37/661/dub)
Oh man. I don't even know.
The Fate of Ushio & Tora
Sleep, Doctor, Sleep
New World
His Youth... Now Turned to Ash
Continuing Day By Day
I'll need some time to think about this one.
"His Youth...Now Turned to Ash"
"Sleep, Doctor, Sleep"
"New World"
"The Fate of Ushio & Tora"
"Continuing Day By Day"
Spoiler
AnJ 2 #47 - The most iconic anime ending of all-time.
YYH #74 - An extremely well-directed and well-animated fight that was one of the highlights of Akiyuki Shinbo's early career, and perhaps his best work as an episode director on YYH.
DN #37 - The cathartic and satisfying fall of one of the most devious villain protagonist in anime history.
U&T #39 - Mediates on the relationship between man and nature via the metaphorical symbolism of the yokai becoming the foundation of Japan, and a satisfying conclusion to Ushio and Tora's journey with resolution for practically every character involved.
FMP: TSR #13 - Sosuke's character arc culminates here as he comes into his own and starts living for himself, becoming "a real man" instead of soldier for hire.
"His Youth...Now Turned to Ash"
"Sleep, Doctor, Sleep"
"The Fate of Ushio & Tora"
"Continuing Day By Day"
"New World"
Same as VLord. This round is nuts.
I think I'll same EK.
Same as Spark.
Results:
Full Metal Panic: The Second Raid #13: "The Continuing Day By Day" - 9
Ashita no Joe 2 #47: "His Youth...Now Turned to Ash" - 24
Yu Yu Hakusho #74: "Sleep, Doctor, Sleep" - 24
Ushio & Tora #39: "The Fate of Ushio & Tora" - 21
Death Note #37: "New World" - 12
"His Youth...Now Turned to Ash" and "Sleep, Doctor, Sleep" move on to the finals! This concludes the semi-finals! The final round to decide the all-time greatest anime episode ever will commence shortly!
Over one hundred episodes were nominated, and now only four remain. All of these are excellent episodes in their own right, but only one can be...THE GREATEST ANIME EPISODE EVER. So without further ado...
FINAL ROUND
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/318499def25ff50ee181547c772e0b76/tumblr_oslbyufJu11r6toezo1_640.png)
Ashita no Joe #52: "Farewell, Rikiishi Tooru" (https://ww2.gogoanime.io/ashita-no-joe-episode-52)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/4cb2dbd7eb6124d32ad36832618bf508/tumblr_oslbyufJu11r6toezo4_640.png)
Ashita no Joe 2 #47: "His Youth...Now Turned to Ash" (http://www.crunchyroll.com/champion-joe-2/episode-47-now-the-youthful-days-are-burned-out-650929)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/6d97321850a9983e8de1f8b4033f6e0c/tumblr_oslbyufJu11r6toezo2_640.png)
Yu Yu Hakusho #74: "Sleep, Doctor, Sleep" (https://www.funimation.com/shows/yu-yu-hakusho/sleep-doctor-sleep/uncut/?a=1)
VS.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/d62ac5d2516bfe156ded8123387e3407/tumblr_oslbyufJu11r6toezo3_640.png)
Cowboy Bebop #26: "The Real Folk Blues (Part 2)" (https://www.funimation.com/shows/cowboy-bebop/the-real-folk-blues-part-2/uncut/?lang=english)
Opposite of listed.
Meanwhile, I think that I'm going to go same as listed.
Opposite of GSF.
I'll explain my choices later.
Same as gunswordfist.
"His Youth...Now Turned to Ash"
"Farewell, Rikiishi Tooru"
"Sleep, Doctor, Sleep"
"The Real Folk Blues (Part 2)"
Sorry for the wait guys. I'll throw in my votes and wrap us up in a bit.
"His Youth...Now Turned to Ash"
"The Real Folk Blues (Part 2)"
"Sleep, Doctor, Sleep"
"Farewell, Rikiishi Tooru"
Spoiler
AnJ 2 #47 - Yabuki Joe was an icon for an entire generation of japanese youth because he was a kid from the slums that through perseverance and hard work, overcoming many obstacles such as social prejudice, a system that aimed to keep him down, depression, guilt, the death of several loved ones, and an exhausting physical and mental toil that has by this episode nearly broken him. The reason this episode, the ending of the series, is so iconic, is that Joe isn't rewarded with a happy ending, but is satisfied simply by making it this far and seeing everything through to the end. Joe doesn't win, he might've even died, but he gave everything he had against the world champion and left nothing on the table, and no regrets to leave behind. That's what makes this episode so powerful. Joe went from a nobody to a champion, proving that no matter you're background or the obstacles in your way, you can achieve your dreams and find contentment in your accomplishments.
CB #26 is where Spike finally confronts his past. The themes are a little more blatant compared to AnJ's episode, where Spike outright says that he doesn't confront Vicious to die and end his story, but to find out whether he's really living and be able to move on. Spike has been stuck in the past, and he needs to start living in the future. The star fading away in space at the end implies Spike has died, but you can also read it as simply the ending of who Spike was, that he is now free to begin his life anew. Even prescribing to the notion he's died, Spike has still escaped his past and reaffirmed his life by defeating Vicious and the demons of the past plaguing him. It's just as triumphant an ending as Joe's, and it'd be no surprise to me if it was inspired by it considering the similarities between Spike's last words and the stylized frame of him at the end. Rewatching this episode so many times over this competition, this has shot up and replaced "Ballad of Fallen Angels" as my favorite Bebop episode and on my list of favorite anime episodes. It's a classic finale for a classic show.
YYH #74 is easily the best-looking, most brilliantly stylized episode of the show and probably the episode that really helped Akiyuki Shinbo make a name for himself because of all the episodes he directed (and he happened to be behind most of the show's most iconic moments, such as the Dragon of Darkness Flame and Yusuke's training to use Genkai's spirit energy during the Dark Tournament). The conflict in the episode is indeed a great battle of morals, testing whether Yusuke is willing to kill a human and making him more self-aware about taking lives in general, which leads him to realize he shouldn't be killing demons either by the end of the arc. Really, though, it's the stark-contrast, freaky body distortions, and claustrophobic atmosphere provided by Shinbo's directing, which really cements this as one of the show's most visually memorable episodes and an important historical piece in anime history as one of the shining standout pieces of Shinbo's early career.
AnJ #52 - A powerful piece that shows a character dealing with grief and depression in a heartbreaking and true-to-life way that few anime have ever done as well. It shows it's age in a few areas, but the core emotions are as powerful, poignant, and rare today as they must've been back in the 70s. Definitely another master-class piece of anime, and as worthy a contender as the show's finale to make it this far and vie for the crown of Greatest Anime Episode Ever.
ANIME IS A HUNDRED YEARS OLD...
THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF SERIES...
THERE ARE MILLIONS OF EPISODES...
BUT THERE COULD ONLY BE ONE...
SO 120 WERE CHOSEN...
AND NOW ONLY 4 REMAIN...
ALL OF THEM MASTERPIECES...
BUT THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE...
OUT OF MILLIONS OF EPISODES...
THE BEST OF THE BEST COMPETED...
AND NOW THE KING WILL BE CROWNED...
BECAUSE THERE IS ONLY ONE...
THE GREATEST ANIME EPISODE EVER
THE RUNNERS-UP - A THREE WAY TIE!!!
Spoiler
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/7334dc12164830339d28068b14a22438/tumblr_ot62uwhIGE1r6toezo1_640.png)
Ashita no Joe #52: "Farewell, Rikiishi Tooru" (https://ww2.gogoanime.io/ashita-no-joe-episode-52)
&
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/7ecf44a8ff0aaa10fb88d236fc0aa9d3/tumblr_ot62uwhIGE1r6toezo4_640.png)
Yu Yu Hakusho #74: "Sleep, Doctor, Sleep" (https://www.funimation.com/shows/yu-yu-hakusho/sleep-doctor-sleep/uncut/?a=1)
&
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/e5308e775737dad5dec3981f8b78b551/tumblr_ot62uwhIGE1r6toezo3_640.png)
Cowboy Bebop #26: "The Real Folk Blues (Part 2)" (https://www.funimation.com/shows/cowboy-bebop/the-real-folk-blues-part-2/uncut/?lang=english)
TOTAL POINTS: 14
AND THE GREATEST ANIME EPISODE IS...
Spoiler
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/86354447bf479e225661e92853a1c1a3/tumblr_ot62uwhIGE1r6toezo2_640.png)
Ashita no Joe 2 #47: "His Youth...Now Turned to Ash"
TOTAL POINTS: 18
And that concludes this competition folks! It took over a year, but it was a lot of fun and I'm satisfied with how things turned out. If people are up for it, my next idea would be to do a Greatest Youtube Review competition, since I've really gotten into them again recently. But let me know what you guys would prefer to do!
Excellent! All 4 episodes are incredible, but the winner does deserve it's place.
Personally, I'd like to see a Greatest Western Animation Episode tournament, but it's entirely your call. I do also want Pharass to return to his Comics thread, and I hope to bring back my B:TAS one back.
I'd also love a Western animation one. I'd probably be able to participate way more than this one.
Fun thread. There was a lot of good stuff in there.
Damn, has it really been over a year?
I'm game for a Greatest Western Animation Episode tournament if you guys are. I'll post up the nominations thread later today.
If you do, I'm probably just going to pick episodes from one show. :sly: