CAA: Christian Anime Alliance

Whoa... haven't posted a topic in a while, and then I just got the idea for this one^^ EDIT: Yes, I do realize that I misspelled "thought" but ya know, what can you do when you can't edit you're own topic title^^

Well, most people say "yeah the manga was sooooo much better than the anime" because we all know some anime with their recap eps, and countless fillers sometimes (I've already heard about the Naruto ones in a rant^^) But is there any anime that you actually thought was better than the manga? I myself can name a few^^

-Escaflowne: I'm speaking about the shoujo version, of course, which is currently unlicensed, so NOT the fanservicey shounen version that Tokyopop has. The manga was made after the anime and is... odd and a little hard to follow (unless I really pay close attention) but I just... don't like it as much as the show^^

-Chobits: Even though the anime has fillers and even some recaps, I love the show better than the manga^^ Not only is the content issues somewhat less in the show, but I dunno, Chii's cutesy antics and everything^^ Not to mention, the music and voices and everythign that express the series so well^^ Plus I liked the anime ending better.

-Angela Layer: Ehhh this is only a "sort of". Watching the anime first then reading the manga, things were different. I think in this case, the anime supplied alot more character development for such short of a manga, and even though the characters were really different from the book, I much enjoyed the show^^

For now... that's all I can really think of^^

Genshiken. But I'm being unfair because I only read the first volume of the manga.

Anything with an extremely active/hyper character tends to be arguably better in anime form. Example: Jungle was Itsumo Hale Nochi Guu, or Kodomo no Omocha. DNA^2 was arguably more fun in anime form for me as well. The Ouran host club anime is pretty darn funny in ways that the manga can't accomplish. Initial D. The animation is critical to initial D for me.

Not sure if this counts, but the live action GTO, Gokusen, and Densha Otoko series were all better than their mangas I thought.

umm Wolf's Rain anime was SO MUCH better than the manga...the manga was terrible and really confusing... Also I liked Trigun better than the first trigun series, (the two books not Trigun Maximum)

and though I am really not a fan of either.. Fooly Cooly's anime was FAR better than the manga..

Pretear. The mangas was good, but really short. It was kinda hard to get attached to the characters.

I enjoy the Ouran Host Club anime more than the manga. It's more fun when the characters are animated and you can hear their voices. The manga is good, don't get me wrong, but the anime is more fun to watch.

Shao Feng-Li wrote:Pretear. The mangas was good, but really short. It was kinda hard to get attached to the characters.

You must not like Kei.

In general I like sports animes better then the manga versions since it's more interesting to see the characters actually move.

And this is probably stupid but I always appreciate that in the anime the characters are easier to tell apart, since their hair colors are different and they have different voices.

Well, I could say Cowboy Bebop, but I've never read it. XD I've only heard really awful things about it. Possibly Trigun, because I like the art in the series better than that of the manga. 'Course, I've never read Trigun, so I can't say much for the manga's story. XD Umm...I read portions of the Azumanga Daioh manga, but I found the anime to be much funnier (though I'll admit, I only read bits and peices of the first volume). Still though, like Shiroi said, it's funnier sometimes when you can hear the voices and see the animation taking place before you. That's all I can think of for now, though. XD

Don't quote me on this, but I heard that Princess Tutu was much better in anime form.

The Crest of the Stars anime is much better than the manga, which leaves a lot of little bits of story out. Granted, I think the art of the manga is a bit more satisfying than the anime (which abuses digital technology in order to cut a few too many corners), but I'll take plot over pretty pictrues any day.

Haven't seen the Banner of the Stars anime, though.

Though I don't feel qualified to judge them totally (having not read all of Trigun Maximum) I can confidentally say that I liked the Trigun anime better. Part of it is the art, as the anime is vibrant and flows whereas I disagree with the author's decisions regarding pacing, action, and number of lines. But I also feel the manga is much too haphazard and the humor seems desperate (whereas the anime tended to be at worst stupid).

Trigun, Escaflowne, Cowboy Bebop and even Rurouni Kenshin all seemed to have been much better in the anime versions, for reasons most of you already pointed out (more enjoyable plot line, art, pacing, etc.) Gundam Wing, too.

One you probably *wouldn't* see coming from me, though, is Full Moon. Don't get me wrong, on MANY points the manga is WAY better. But on one very major point, I think the anime got it right:

[spoiler] Eichi. It was hard to feel that same sort of pit-of-your-stomach-angst when you find out early on that he's dead and she knows it as opposed to that awful cemetary scene[/spoiler]

Ashley wrote:...and even Rurouni Kenshin...

On some things, I would say the anime is as good as the manga (like the second arc), but since the first arc is full of filler (though, it is entertaining filler), and since the third arc is nothing but filler, and it's not as good as the third arc of the manga. The anime is good, but I wouldn't say I enjoyed it more than having that final arc in the manga. XD

[spoiler] Eichi. It was hard to feel that same sort of pit-of-your-stomach-angst when you find out early on that he's dead and she knows it as opposed to that awful cemetary scene[/spoiler]

Yesss, that scene was well done in the anime. While I sometimes miss that one scene in the ocean that the manga offers, there aren't many anime that can keep me depressed for a whole day like that episode did. XD

Otogizoushi. Although, theoretically, the manga could improve (only one volume has been released so far), to judge by the first volume, I believe that the anime is superior. Since the anime preceded the manga, this isn't terribly surprising.

Oh, thought of another one. XD Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch. Granted, I only read bits from the first volume, but I found it a little hard to follow. I've personally found the anime to be more enjoyable.

I tend to decide that the form that the series originally started out (manga or anime) is better than its predecessors.

Example:
I prefer the manga version of Naruto and Rurouni Kenshin, due to the preference of art-style and the absence of fillers.

On the other hand, I prefer Cowboy Bebop and Escaflowne anime although I do wonder whether the manga came after the anime.

Of course, there are exceptions.

Ashley wrote:Trigun, Escaflowne, Cowboy Bebop and even Rurouni Kenshin all seemed to have been much better in the anime versions, for reasons most of you already pointed out (more enjoyable plot line, art, pacing, etc.) Gundam Wing, too.

Quoted for truth. Although I must disagree with Rurouni Kenshin (mainly for the Jinchuu arc), I agree with everything else wholeheartedly. Escaflowne and Cowboy Bebop the shows are so much better than their manga counterparts.

S-CRY-ed. The manga was meh...

Cowboy Bebop was alright. It's not supposed to be a novelized retelling of the seires it's just supposed to be bonus missions they left out oft he series. Good manga, but it's all extra stuff. It has nothing on the anime.

Shooting Stars was REALLY good compared to the sidestory manga. The villian "Scorpian" who was aparantly part oft he clan Vicious is involved in, was really cool.

Here here! Though I haven't really read Naruto, I love the Rurouni Kenshin manga style. I really like the mangaka's charcoal pictures too. Not having seen the anime in its entirety, I can't say much about plot comparison, but the manga art, I think, is better than the anime, beside the fact of its lack of color.

Mave wrote:I tend to decide that the form that the series originally started out (manga or anime) is better than its predecessors.

Example:
I prefer the manga version of Naruto and Rurouni Kenshin, due to the preference of art-style and the absence of fillers.

I tend to prefer the originals: if the manga came first, I prefer the manga; if the anime, then the anime. Exceptions are Trigun (anime=manga in my opinion), and FMA and Furuba (FMA takes its time in the anime, and the manga feels rushed; and the SFX are my favorite things in Fruits Basket!)

I really like the manga of Naruto a lot better, and I also find the manga of One Piece and Jing King of Bandits and Nausicaa the valley of the Wind much better than the anime. this could be due to the fact that I really like the manga format.

I for one like the Tsubasa Chronicle anime better than the manga. It is sometimes hard for me to follow what's going on in the manga, while the anime is clear and the animation looks great. Add music from Bee Train, and you've got yourself a great show.

Trigun... I don't feel like I can say this. I haven't finished Trigun Maximum, so I really don't know where the story is going to go. I will repeat what others have said, that the action sequences in the manga can be very cluttered and difficult to follow. It would seem, on the other hand, that the anime took some major liberties with the storyline. So I guess it's a toss-up for now. I need to finish the manga.

[quote="Animus Seed"]I tend to prefer the originals: if the manga came first, I prefer the manga]
I echo this.

And yeah, the Trigun manga's art can look really messy, but I haven't really seen enough of Maximum to compare it's story direction against the anime's.

Anime that I think is better than the manga:

Angelic Layer
CLAMP School Detectives
Cardcaptor Sakura
Magic Knight Rayearth
Yu Yu Hakusho
Yugioh
Sailor Moon
Revolutionary Girl Utena
Naruto

However, it should be noted that in ALL cases, except Naruto, I saw the anime before reading the manga, so it may just be a case of liking the version I saw first, and not necisarily that the anime is better ^^.

DEFINITELY Wolf's Rain...

Heart of Sword wrote:DEFINITELY Wolf's Rain...

AMEN to dat!! XD though I did like the twins... they were cute...

Monster. Both are pretty identical, but Monster is able to use sound and music, which adds to the shock/suspense/creepiness factor that the manga cannot do. (And the Manga came out in the 80s, while the anime only 2 years ago)

Oh and Azumanga Daioh

I'll have to agree with Azumanga Daioh.

And except for the ending, I'd have to say Kare Kano as well. The anime was just....less shoujo and more comedy, and I think the addition of music and motion did a lot to convey the story and emotions. And I just love Yukino's voice actor and the way they animated her.

Hmmmmm......for myself I'd have to say:
.hack Legend of the Twilight Bracer (I liked the manga alot, but it felt like it ended kind of abruptly, and the anime was a little more emotionally involved imo near the end)

Gunslinger Girl (what the heck?! The mange ends at volume three in such a way like there's still a bunch more to tell, and with no real "closure" or point made imo regarding the deeper issues that are initially presented with the girls; the anime wrapped up really good and left with a great feeling of profoundness)

Neon Genesis Evangelion (the manga came out after the show, but the show is just so much more alive and involving having the classic soundtrack, voice acting, etc. The manga just felt somewhat dry)

Naruto (This one's a close tie for me. The fights are done SO well in the manga, and the show follows the manga practically verbatim, until you reach the seemingly unending chasm of filler I'm sure O.o, but overall I like the anime a bit more. I think the humour is captured better, and of course most of the fights look cooler with movement :-p)

Slayers, of course it's quite different. You get a much better feel for characters, and though I haven't read a lot of Slayers manga I don't remember seeing favorites like Zel and Rezo in there.

Angelic Layer, the manga was sweet but short and they fit a lot more into the anime. Plus, it's such a vibrant series the manga didn't do it justice.