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Summer Anime 2015 |OT2| !? Love Live is not real!

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It's ok. You just need to learn to accept that some people have horrible opinions

Post time skip One Piece isn't that great tho....at least...

...until he appears.

I am aware that he appears briefly before the time skip, but still.

He is the fucking coolest villain One Piece has ever had.
 
Umaru 09

A trial between brothers in Ace Attorney style, and a very quick Monokuma laugh in there too. I always love the very last skits, those are always the best.
 

javac

Member
yq5z2EU.jpg
Space Adventure Cobra is a 1982 anime series directed by the legendary Osamu Dezaki, director of many animated classics such as The Rose of Versailles, Ace o Nerae!, Oniisama e, Ashita no Joe and Takarajima. Space Adventure Cobra is an adaptation of the 1978 manga of the same name, which actually concluded a year after the TV series that I’m reviewing here wrapped up. At 31 episodes long, Space Cobra tells the story of Cobra, a famous space pirate whom adorned with his Psychogun, a weapon attached to his left arm that is powered by his own will and accompanied by his assistant, the equally illustrious Amaroid Lady they travel from place to place and from planet to planet, across the galaxy and beyond in order to feed his thirst for adventure, hot girls and action. During your time aboard the Turtle, the name of his advanced spaceship, you’ll follow the mighty Cobra as he both hunts and is hunted by the most deadly of guilds in the galaxy and along the way you’ll encounter the ultimate weapon as he battles humanoid cyborgs, a one-eyed lady who becomes a giant, you’ll see him break in and out of maximum security facilities, become the number one Rugball athlete in the galaxy and you’ll see many cigars smoked and evil plans foiled, all in a day’s work. Space Cobra is a pulp Sci-fi series that combines traditional spaghetti westerns with spy films such as the James Bond series. It’s an epic Sci-fi romp that spans the entire galaxy, charming in its sincerity but grand in its scale.

As with both Macross and Takarajima, the soundtrack is composed by the late Kentaro Haneda. It goes without saying that the soundtrack is outstanding and really elevates the series. The opening theme for Space Cobra, titled Cobra is sang by Yoko Maeno and is an eccentric piece that really gets your blood pumping as your sense of adventure is heightened. The ending piece, Secret Desire is also sung by Yoko Maeno and is equally beautiful, both relaxed and jazzy it’s a great way to cap off each and every adventure as you wind back and reminisce. The soundtrack reminds me a lot of Takarajima, with many of the pieces sounding almost identical, and yet each track is incorporated with finesse, setting the mood perfectly. Speaking of audio, it would be unwise of me to avoid talking about the voice acting here, which in the end turns out to be yet another key pillar that pushes this series towards new heights. Nachi Nozawa, the voice actor for the indomitable Cobra does a fantastic job of making him a force to be reckoned with, as well as a silly goofball not unlike Ryo from City Hunter and other similar series. Not only is his silly laughs contagious, but his roar is intimidating.

When it comes to the visuals, Cobra does not disappoint. As with many of Dezaki’s series, Space Cobra is adorned with a painterly visage, one that although shows its age all these years later, still looks as lively as ever. It trades fine detail for a more vibrant and fun aesthetic, one that still looks great due to the inspired character designs. As with his other series, the patented pastel freeze frames are used here to great effect. The postcard memories are utilized seamlessly and make for memorable moments in each episode, usually signalling the start of the commercial break and the end of an episode. The art in Space Cobra is imaginative and beautiful, often psychedelic in its depictions of space travel, with dark blacks depicting the deep and isolated space while bright and florescent colors are used when traveling at fast speeds, and the contrast of the two is very appealing to the eyes, almost a clash of generations as the painterly skies are pierced with futuristic flashes. An assortment of camera angles are used in order to manipulate the viewer’s sense of space and orientation and a great sense of lighting is employed in order to add atmosphere to each and every frame. As I mentioned above, the character designs by Akio Sugino are impeccable, with each one demanding your attention. The girls look voluptuous and beautiful while the villains are all inspired and visually interesting, menacing in their demeanour not unlike villains out of Star Wars. It goes without saying that Akio Sugino is one of my favorite character designers of all time and Space Cobra reminds me just why I feel that way.

Space Cobra stands out from a visual standpoint and its unique atmosphere can be attributed to the visual effects and cinematography techniques. Cobra is slick, sexy and visceral, loud and punchy in places, and stoic in others. As with many series from the late 70’s and early 80’s, many of the visual elements could be chalked down to cost cutting and time saving measures, however in the end the final result is a fantastic looking series that shines on Blu-ray, with its beautiful backgrounds, fun character designs and brilliant uses of color all accumulating into a series that looks as fun as it is to watch.

For an action series, I have to say that the series can often fall flat when it comes to the action due to the seemingly invulnerable Cobra, unphased by his obstacles. The villains are defeated in imaginative and eccentric manners, each one feeling like a video game boss, impossible at first sight but situated with weak spots that Cobra has to uncover from coxing his enemies out of otherwise impenetrable barriers to playing the long game and waiting for the perfect moment before striking. In this sense, the excitement itself comes from the ways in which he beats his enemies and not the hand to hand combat itself, or the shootouts due to the fact that Cobra can bend and control his shots from his Psychogun removing any sense of tension. This is countered by the creators making a few of the enemies invulnerable to his Psychogun. I guess in the end, cannon fodder will always be just that, while the bosses themselves are the real meat. Speaking of which, the sidekick, Lady as fun as she is to look at and as cool as she is a character, doesn’t really develop as the series progresses, and although she’s with Cobra throughout every step of the series, no deeper relationship is established between the two main characters. I love Cobra and Lady, but Ryo and Kaori they are not.

There’s a lot of variety in the stories and settings that inhabit Space Cobra, which makes sense since they’re traveling across the galaxy. From an all-powerful genie who wants to persuade Cobra into joining him with a harem to breaking out of maximum security prisons to fighting in a fixed wrestling match in order to get closer to the big bad himself. One of my favorite arcs takes place halfway through the series and concentrates on a sport called Rugball which in essence is a game of Baseball with the physicality of Rugby, a game where the players are allowed kill each other, with one episode in particular having a literal Gainax ending. Variety is on Space Cobra’s side, with only a few episodes dragging on and even those entertain. All of this helps keep Cobra, a seemingly simple series on the outside fresh and exciting, making me eager to watch the next episode and stay up just a little bit longer.

My tastes have always skewed towards this era of animation and Space Cobra embodies many of the traits that I love. It’s both fun and wacky. The show itself is not inherently serious, like the protagonist himself, Space Cobra is very straight forward and fun, however it does try to get more serious when the time calls for it. It’s not going to get the waterworks going, but you’ll definitely care for the characters and you’ll have immense amounts of fun hanging around with this group of space pirates. Space Cobra is a fantastic series, one that doesn’t take itself too seriously and just wants to entertain its audience for the 31 episodes that you’ll be spending with it. The animation dazzles, keeping you hooked, the soundtrack is a delight, you’ll often find yourself tapping your feet to the beat of the music, the visuals are a treat and the characters are simple but entertaining. You won’t come away from Space Cobra feeling like a different person, not revolutionary nor game changing, and neither deep or existential it sticks to what it does best and will stick with its viewers for a long time as a journey across space and time itself into the unknown.
9/10
 

Sterok

Member
Now that I've been drawn into Aikatsu, I'll need to look into more idol shows someday. See what they're like and if they're really worth the hype. After watching different stuff first of course. I can only take so much girls singing and dancing at once.

Umaru 9

Kirie has worst brother. Taihei still thinking about his passion. Sylphyn dropping some sagely advice there. All that effort for one lousy pudding.
 

John Blade

Member
Space Adventure Cobra is a 1982 anime series directed by the legendary Osamu Dezaki, director of many animated classics such as The Rose of Versailles, Ace o Nerae!, Oniisama e, Ashita no Joe and Takarajima. Space Adventure Cobra is an adaptation of the 1978 manga of the same name, which actually concluded a year after the TV series that I’m reviewing here wrapped up. At 31 episodes long, Space Cobra tells the story of Cobra, a famous space pirate whom adorned with his Psychogun, a weapon attached to his left arm that is powered by his own will and accompanied by his assistant, the equally illustrious Amaroid Lady they travel from place to place and from planet to planet, across the galaxy and beyond in order to feed his thirst for adventure, hot girls and action. During your time aboard the Turtle, the name of his advanced spaceship, you’ll follow the mighty Cobra as he both hunts and is hunted by the most deadly of guilds in the galaxy and along the way you’ll encounter the ultimate weapon as he battles humanoid cyborgs, a one-eyed lady who becomes a giant, you’ll see him break in and out of maximum security facilities, become the number one Rugball athlete in the galaxy and you’ll see many cigars smoked and evil plans foiled, all in a day’s work. Space Cobra is a pulp Sci-fi series that combines traditional spaghetti westerns with spy films such as the James Bond series. It’s an epic Sci-fi romp that spans the entire galaxy, charming in its sincerity but grand in its scale.

As with both Macross and Takarajima, the soundtrack is composed by the late Kentaro Haneda. It goes without saying that the soundtrack is outstanding and really elevates the series. The opening theme for Space Cobra, titled Cobra is sang by Yoko Maeno and is an eccentric piece that really gets your blood pumping as your sense of adventure is heightened. The ending piece, Secret Desire is also sung by Yoko Maeno and is equally beautiful, both relaxed and jazzy it’s a great way to cap off each and every adventure as you wind back and reminisce. The soundtrack reminds me a lot of Takarajima, with many of the pieces sounding almost identical, and yet each track is incorporated with finesse, setting the mood perfectly. Speaking of audio, it would be unwise of me to avoid talking about the voice acting here, which in the end turns out to be yet another key pillar that pushes this series towards new heights. Nachi Nozawa, the voice actor for the indomitable Cobra does a fantastic job of making him a force to be reckoned with, as well as a silly goofball not unlike Ryo from City Hunter and other similar series. Not only is his silly laughs contagious, but his roar is intimidating.

When it comes to the visuals, Cobra does not disappoint. As with many of Dezaki’s series, Space Cobra is adorned with a painterly visage, one that although shows its age all these years later, still looks as lively as ever. It trades fine detail for a more vibrant and fun aesthetic, one that still looks great due to the inspired character designs. As with his other series, the patented pastel freeze frames are used here to great effect. The postcard memories are utilized seamlessly and make for memorable moments in each episode, usually signalling the start of the commercial break and the end of an episode. The art in Space Cobra is imaginative and beautiful, often psychedelic in its depictions of space travel, with dark blacks depicting the deep and isolated space while bright and florescent colors are used when traveling at fast speeds, and the contrast of the two is very appealing to the eyes, almost a clash of generations as the painterly skies are pierced with futuristic flashes. An assortment of camera angles are used in order to manipulate the viewer’s sense of space and orientation and a great sense of lighting is employed in order to add atmosphere to each and every frame. As I mentioned above, the character designs by Akio Sugino are impeccable, with each one demanding your attention. The girls look voluptuous and beautiful while the villains are all inspired and visually interesting, menacing in their demeanour not unlike villains out of Star Wars. It goes without saying that Akio Sugino is one of my favorite character designers of all time and Space Cobra reminds me just why I feel that way.

Space Cobra stands out from a visual standpoint and its unique atmosphere can be attributed to the visual effects and cinematography techniques. Cobra is slick, sexy and visceral, loud and punchy in places, and stoic in others. As with many series from the late 70’s and early 80’s, many of the visual elements could be chalked down to cost cutting and time saving measures, however in the end the final result is a fantastic looking series that shines on Blu-ray, with its beautiful backgrounds, fun character designs and brilliant uses of color all accumulating into a series that looks as fun as it is to watch.

For an action series, I have to say that the series can often fall flat when it comes to the action due to the seemingly invulnerable Cobra, unphased by his obstacles. The villains are defeated in imaginative and eccentric manners, each one feeling like a video game boss, impossible at first sight but situated with weak spots that Cobra has to uncover from coxing his enemies out of otherwise impenetrable barriers to playing the long game and waiting for the perfect moment before striking. In this sense, the excitement itself comes from the ways in which he beats his enemies and not the hand to hand combat itself, or the shootouts due to the fact that Cobra can bend and control his shots from his Psychogun removing any sense of tension. This is countered by the creators making a few of the enemies invulnerable to his Psychogun. I guess in the end, cannon fodder will always be just that, while the bosses themselves are the real meat. Speaking of which, the sidekick, Lady as fun as she is to look at and as cool as she is a character, doesn’t really develop as the series progresses, and although she’s with Cobra throughout every step of the series, no deeper relationship is established between the two main characters. I love Cobra and Lady, but Ryo and Kaori they are not.

There’s a lot of variety in the stories and settings that inhabit Space Cobra, which makes sense since they’re traveling across the galaxy. From an all-powerful genie who wants to persuade Cobra into joining him with a harem to breaking out of maximum security prisons to fighting in a fixed wrestling match in order to get closer to the big bad himself. One of my favorite arcs takes place halfway through the series and concentrates on a sport called Rugball which in essence is a game of Baseball with the physicality of Rugby, a game where the players are allowed kill each other, with one episode in particular having a literal Gainax ending. Variety is on Space Cobra’s side, with only a few episodes dragging on and even those entertain. All of this helps keep Cobra, a seemingly simple series on the outside fresh and exciting, making me eager to watch the next episode and stay up just a little bit longer.

My tastes have always skewed towards this era of animation and Space Cobra embodies many of the traits that I love. It’s both fun and wacky. The show itself is not inherently serious, like the protagonist himself, Space Cobra is very straight forward and fun, however it does try to get more serious when the time calls for it. It’s not going to get the waterworks going, but you’ll definitely care for the characters and you’ll have immense amounts of fun hanging around with this group of space pirates. Space Cobra is a fantastic series, one that doesn’t take itself too seriously and just wants to entertain its audience for the 31 episodes that you’ll be spending with it. The animation dazzles, keeping you hooked, the soundtrack is a delight, you’ll often find yourself tapping your feet to the beat of the music, the visuals are a treat and the characters are simple but entertaining. You won’t come away from Space Cobra feeling like a different person, not revolutionary nor game changing, and neither deep or existential it sticks to what it does best and will stick with its viewers for a long time as a journey across space and time itself into the unknown.
9/10

Man....you make me want to start looking into this anime. Do you think is it worth the money to buy the DVD collection for this show?
 

javac

Member
Artwork:
Durarara!! x 2 Volume 1 [AoA]
Release date: 9/29/2015
Run Time: 150 min
Episodes: 1 - 6
Audio: Japanese / English
Subtitles: English / Spanish
Format: Two-disc set (2 BDs)
Price:
BD @ Rightstuf.com: $79.98
DVD @ Rightstuf.com: $49.98
Bonus Contents:
♦ Cast Interview Video
♦ Textless Opening
♦ Textless Ending
Bonus Materials & Package:
♦ 16-page Deluxe Booklet
♦ Illustration Post Cards
♦ Package Illustrated by Takahiro Kishida (Character Design)
♦ Clear Cases with 2-sided Wraps
eqFBXiH.png


6iPq6wf.jpg
 

javac

Member
Man....you make me want to start looking into this anime. Do you think is it worth the money to buy the DVD collection for this show?

I'm not sure if you'd like it. It's not a story heavy series, and not really a modern space opera as much as it's a pulp sci-fi with silly wacky adventures across the galaxy. I doubt that its for everyone, like many of the shows from that era. The characters aren't strong in the traditional sense but are endearing and fun. In any case, it's available on DVD at rightstuf in two parts. The covers look more serious than the show itself is, but if the aesthetic looks appealing to you, you might enjoy it.
 
Overlord 09

Oh my god that was so fucking satisfying. Fuck you Clementine.

And the way this episode went he totally was angry the adventurers were dead. The little things he did last episode and this one were subtle enough that all together it shows how he actually felt.

Maybe being undead deadens his ability to recognize emotions and the impetus for his reactions? He still definitely feels things but there's that weird reaction that calmed him in the beginning. So maybe he feels them but not overtly anymore?

And Jesus could his maid be any more boring?
 

Line_HTX

Member
Deep down, we all want some love nectar friend.

It's just about finding the right person, who wants to share their love nectar with yours.

Also, I just rewatched episode 14 of Space Dandy.

Still amazing.

14 is amazing, but the planet of Death and the dancing episode are the best ones. You get hit with all the feels and then hit with the funky.

Dating episode is great too.
 

kierwynn

Member
Started another show despite being in the middle of a bunch already oop

Angel Beats 1-4

I knew nothing about this show going into it besides the fact that it is supposedly very sad. Well, having actually started it and seeing what the premise was, I can certainly see the potential for some sad stuff to happen. I enjoy that there is a good mix of humor in the show, though I do think sometimes it's a little excessive/feels out of place (particularly since pink haired girl joined the mix). Overall, though, it's been interesting and a lot of the characters are fun and interesting. I'm anxious to hear more of the characters' stories from their previous lives.
 
Maken-Ki Two - 01

Ha, so they did keep it more to the point in the spirit of the second OVA. Everything is more bouncy, nude, and less... subtle (if you can even call it that) than the first season, where at least nudity was a somewhat rare instance.
Also pretty much every female character seems to be constantly blushing now. It's gone to the point where I just start laughing out loud. The effects and animation were nice, with the ground slam and the great punch. Feels sort of wasted in a show like this, but hey I ain't going to complain.

Good amount of Chacha so automatically 10/10. Thank you Xebec.
 

John Blade

Member
I'm not sure if you'd like it. It's not a story heavy series, and not really a modern space opera as much as it's a pulp sci-fi with silly wacky adventures across the galaxy. I doubt that its for everyone, like many of the shows from that era. The characters aren't strong in the traditional sense but are endearing and fun. In any case, it's available on DVD at rightstuf in two parts. The covers look more serious than the show itself is, but if the aesthetic looks appealing to you, you might enjoy it.

Sound like a show I could watch on a side when I am watching something serious. Doesn't sound too bad to tell the truth and might be something I don't mind watching when I don't need a strong story/plot driven show. I will look in RightStuff for this and maybe ebay to see if they is a cheaper for it. Did you saw the movie for this?
 

Cornbread78

Member
Akikan ep.3-9
The most amazing thing about this show is that it can change from a horrible action comedy to a SoL anime with double love triangles and lots of drama. Yeah, this show is amazing in all the wrong ways, lol.
 

Cornbread78

Member
Started another show despite being in the middle of a bunch already oop

Angel Beats 1-4

I knew nothing about this show going into it besides the fact that it is supposedly very sad. Well, having actually started it and seeing what the premise was, I can certainly see the potential for some sad stuff to happen. I enjoy that there is a good mix of humor in the show, though I do think sometimes it's a little excessive/feels out of place (particularly since pink haired girl joined the mix). Overall, though, it's been interesting and a lot of the characters are fun and interesting. I'm anxious to hear more of the characters' stories from their previous lives.


Excellent choice to watch, it's definitely one of my favorites! It does have a flaw that pissed people off that you will get to, but enjoy the ride and the music!
 
Rofl I came here to ask anime gaf to pray for my soul because I decided to try out Love Live tomorrow, just to find out the new OP has it in the title. Planets must be aligned, irreversible fate and what not. Might turn out to be a Moon Princess from the future a this rate.
 
Started another show despite being in the middle of a bunch already oop

Angel Beats 1-4

I knew nothing about this show going into it besides the fact that it is supposedly very sad. Well, having actually started it and seeing what the premise was, I can certainly see the potential for some sad stuff to happen. I enjoy that there is a good mix of humor in the show, though I do think sometimes it's a little excessive/feels out of place (particularly since pink haired girl joined the mix). Overall, though, it's been interesting and a lot of the characters are fun and interesting. I'm anxious to hear more of the characters' stories from their previous lives.

yes the cast its so good, ooyama, matsushita the 5th, fujimaki, noda, TK, takamatsu, naoi, hinata, otonashi, all so good.
 

Line_HTX

Member
Rofl I came here to ask anime gaf to pray for my soul because I decided to try out Love Live tomorrow, just to find out the new OP has it in the title. Planets must be aligned, irreversible fate and what not. Might turn out to be a Moon Princess from the future a this rate.

Are you going ro punish those who talk down on Love Live in the name of the moon?
 

Cornbread78

Member
Rofl I came here to ask anime gaf to pray for my soul because I decided to try out Love Live tomorrow, just to find out the new OP has it in the title. Planets must be aligned, irreversible fate and what not. Might turn out to be a Moon Princess from the future a this rate.


Let the waifu wars begin.
 
Crunchyroll is going to stream S1 of Symphogear now.

This must mean they will be getting G at some point as well, otherwise that would just be weird.

Now I finally have an excuse to check this show I guess. Just a little tip: English subs only as of now, change CR website default language to be able to actually see the episode list.

EDIT: And it seems that To-Love Ru is not avaiable in Brazil, hit a region block page now. :/
 

ibyea

Banned
Started another show despite being in the middle of a bunch already oop

Angel Beats 1-4

I knew nothing about this show going into it besides the fact that it is supposedly very sad. Well, having actually started it and seeing what the premise was, I can certainly see the potential for some sad stuff to happen. I enjoy that there is a good mix of humor in the show, though I do think sometimes it's a little excessive/feels out of place (particularly since pink haired girl joined the mix). Overall, though, it's been interesting and a lot of the characters are fun and interesting. I'm anxious to hear more of the characters' stories from their previous lives.

I haven't watched the whole thing, but I liked the 5 episodes I watched!
 

Articalys

Member
Do they even have other openings uploaded?
Admittedly no -- it seems to be a thing from Dogakobo + Toho more than just Toho, and Umaru seems more well-known/publicized than Mikakunin, and Toho themselves have probably improved in getting the word out since then -- but it's still impressive it shot to the top of their videos so quickly. (For what it's worth, the rest of their top 5 videos are the final pre-broadcast Blood Blockade Battlefront PV, the first Monster Musume PV, and the first voiced Blue Spring Ride PV.)
 
Overlord 09

Oh my god that was so fucking satisfying. Fuck you Clementine.

And the way this episode went he totally was angry the adventurers were dead. The little things he did last episode and this one were subtle enough that all together it shows how he actually felt.

Maybe being undead deadens his ability to recognize emotions and the impetus for his reactions? He still definitely feels things but there's that weird reaction that calmed him in the beginning. So maybe he feels them but not overtly anymore?

And Jesus could his maid be any more boring?
They cut out the one kinda neat thing about her, her race.
shes a bunny girl maid who used her ears as antenna to give status reports back to Albedo when she was in Ains bed with the body pillow
 
That's one thing I'm a bit worried about concerning Overlord.

With only 4 episodes left, I worry we might not see much of the floor guardians in action.
 
I know it may seem a bit hypocritical, since I've been know to enjoy to the fanservice, but how they change Robin's design is gross.

It's gross.

Really Oda? You had to give her huge D tits when she was consistently shown to be lithe in size? It's not like she wasn't sexy before!
 
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