The problem with anime.

[ZiP]

The problem with anime (in my opinion) is that you cant understand an episode of an anime series (E.G. D-ball Z) without watching it from like the first episode
(with the exeption of Tri-Gun, and maybe Cowboy Beebop).

Is it just me or is that true?

[Stephen]

The same could be said for many things though....like books...if there is a 5 book series and you read book 3, without any of the others...you cannot expect to understand it.

[Debitt]

But a continuing plot is what really sets apart anime from plain old cartoons we get here in the US. Would you rather each episode be a separate random event that doesn't include any deeper meaning or character development?

[Ashley]

Definately character development. If I wanted random animation with shallow, easy-to-understand characters, well I'd still watch looney tunes. But I think that's more of the appeal of anime--it's more like teenage/adult sitcoms. Realistic characters and believable interactions, relatable situations, etc. Sure episodic series like Bebop are fun, but I generally prefer plot and character focused series, like gundam wing. But bebop's good, don't get me wrong.

[SwordSkill]

not all anime series are continual (although they do more or less culminate together near the end). some series have episodes that stand on their own, like GTO, Galaxy Angel, You're Under Arrest, Akazukin Chacha, and Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (the beautiful thing about GITS: SAC is that the series is divided into two storytelling lines: one is a line of independent episodes - that's why it's called "Stand Alone," and the other follows a continual plot - that's why the other half of the title's "Complex"). just my opinion, but just because a series is comprised of independent episodes doesn't necessarily mean they can't be profound.

[TheMelodyMaker]

The nice thing about Hamtaro, like I said in its thread, is that you can jump in any time in the middle of the series and start watching from there and still basically understand what's going on with no previous experience. Sailor Moon and The Bush Baby were different; I had no clue what was going on until I started each of them from the beginning.

*sigh* I've probably just repeated what's already been said... -_-

[Bobtheduck]

The problem with anime (in my opinion) is that you cant understand an episode of an anime series (E.G. D-ball Z) without watching it from like the first episode
(with the exeption of Tri-Gun, and maybe Cowboy Beebop).

Is it just me or is that true?

And that, my dear Zip, is exactly what I Love about anime, and Japanese TV in general. Shows that don't change from one episode to another and don't have a progressing plot from beginning to end are called "Episodic." That's shows like "Cowboy Bebop", "Ranma", "Urusei Yatsura", "pokemon" and, ahem, nearly every animated show in the US, and every live action show as well.

Many anime fans like anime because they are more like long movies than what we're used to TV shows being.

_________________
百三十四　(sorry, I just love this thing too much!)

千四十万円　(if any of you can give me that, I'd be very appreciative! That should pay for a game degree and an animation degree! Nah... It's just a fantasy)

任天堂　（do you know what that one is? A kanji word EVERY gamer should know)

[ShiroiHikari]

I don't like to watch an American cartoon where things don't change...there's like, no story progression, no character development...I think that's part of why anime appeals to me so much. There are often long, complex stories, and realistic characters.

Haven't you ever noticed when like, they do a cartoon series about, say, a Disney feature-length animation...and they don't pick up where the movie left off??? There's like, no continuity...but enough about that, this thread is about anime ^_^;

I think the stories and characters are a big part of why anime rocks ^_^v

[Bobtheduck]

I think Kodocha started off "serial" and became "episodic" (is serial the opposite of episodic? If not, what is?)

You have to watch every episode, and every episode makes you want to watch the next, until the 20th ep... Then it takes a big break, I guess... Actually, I haven't seen past 18, I think it was... I'm just basing it on what people told me. I've heard it gets very episodic after ep 20. It may pick up again with a continual plot later on, but the show lasts 102 eps, so it's gotta be somewhat episodic, at least for a while... IE, it goes in arcs with fluff in between.

Two other anime that are very episodic are "Cat Girl Nuku Nuku TV" (which doesn't have the fanservice of the OVAs) and "Rumiko Theater" made by manga master "Rumiko Takahashi." Every episode is like a very small movie... Self contained short stories that don't connect in any way (at least not as far as I saw, but there may be a connecting point later on) That show was excelent, and it was clean up to what I saw and definately different. Most of the episodes were much more real than things like "Ranma" and "Inu Yasha." I hope it comes to the US, but it may be too subdued... It's too bad... Hidden in the pottery is an incredible story.

Hmm... Though I'd gone so long without it, the dictionary can be fun... It made me realize that I had two types of stories going in my book... An episodic story, and a serial story. Learn something new every day. (improov mi werd pauer.)

[DrNic]

The problem with anime (in my opinion) is that you cant understand an episode of an anime series (E.G. D-ball Z) without watching it from like the first episode
(with the exeption of Tri-Gun, and maybe Cowboy Beebop).

Is it just me or is that true?

I'd say thats true. All the animes I've seen from half way through seemed like a load of gibberish... *cough DBZ cough*... the best way to make sure you dont miss an episode is to buy them on DVD...thats probably why I never have any money

[blueraven]

I prefer an actual storyline. But I do like it when I can just jump into a series and understand it all ^.^ But all the same, storylines are great and for me make it worth watching at times, even if the whole "plot" isn't very visable until the last few epi.

[HikariChan]

i agree. i like it when during the whole series its like questions. like a mystery and the main character trys to figure out something and you think its going to end one way but then its a big suprise! usually i like drama at the end.

[RefractedAhav]

The problem with anime (in my opinion) is that you cant understand an episode of an anime series (E.G. D-ball Z) without watching it from like the first episode
(with the exeption of Tri-Gun, and maybe Cowboy Beebop).

Is it just me or is that true?

some times I think some threads are that way.

[Kireihana]

some times I think some threads are that way.

LOL!

I like this in anime too. I love watching the story progress and characters develop. The only thing is, if you miss an episode, you could be in trouble. But that's what the internet is for, my friends. I hopped into .hack//SIGN and that is an easy one to get confused in.

[Kokhiri Sojourn]

I think that this can be a problem and a strength. Of course, if someone can see every episode it is great, and they get the full story and content of the series, but inevitably, people will miss episodes if on TV, or they may not want to buy an entire series of DVD's for a combined estimate of $200. Seeing storyline develop is great, though.

The hard thing for me is actually seeing series, because they aren't out on TV much. I hate buying them blindly, hoping that I will end up liking them. But that is a different subject altogether.

I think in some instances, this can be the case. I think Cowboy Bebop is a bit of an exception, and maybe the first few eps. of Witch Hunter Robin. But on the whole, it is definitely something to ponder.

[Kisa]

Thats what makes it more interesting though. Like Ashley said, otherwise we'd still be watching the older cartoons (not that theyre bad, just less deep). I like the deeper stories put to animation. Anime is great that way and it actually draws you in more!