NOOOOOO!!! Not "Angel"!

[Raskii]

Originally posted by Angelsyn
Best Anime Ever: Armitage the Third (not the Movie, not the second movie... the OVA series). . . .

Wow. I don't think I've ever heard of ANY of those animes! Well, except for the Armitage ones (I've only seen the movies though) and Ranma 1/2.

Enterprise is probably the closest to the spirit of Roddenberry's original vision, IMHO.

Amen! The first series (yes, the one with William Shatner ) was pretty close to "his vision" too. It just had to much corny-campyness to it to really hold on to the meaning very well.

[Dunthor Warsmith]

Originally posted by Angelsyn
Enterprise is probably the closest to the spirit of Roddenberry's original vision, IMHO.

Personally, I feel that ST:TOS, ST:TNG, and Andromeda take that role, but obviously we have different opinions I loved first&second season Andromeda, because to me it brought back so many of the high ideals that made Roddenberry shows what they were to me.

I enjoyed Enterprises earlier episodes, primarily the first season. The second season was a transition period to this third, where it feels like they have no original ideas. The plots are all very standard science fiction plots, with no or very minor twists thrown in to make it unique. They also seem to be blurring and toning down many of the strong individual characteristics of the characters - normal for any show as it evolves, but Enterprise seems to have done this far faster than most. Throw in the trend lately of revealing the entire show's plot in the previews, which are broadcast right before the show starts (making it hard to just not watch them), and I find it difficult to enjoy Enterprise.

When they changed Enterprise's intro music, from the raw to the refined, it felt like even they were admitting defeat. As the show has evolved, its really gone from feeling like "the current permutation Star Trek show, exploring different ideas in its own way" to "an attempt to increase the Star Trek franchise to bring in additional revenue", for me. Not even Voyager felt like that

[Zeralenn]

There was a show on I liked very much called "Strange Luck" that was only on for one season. It was about a guy who, all his life, suffered true extremes of the RNG.

...Zera

[Aandaie]

Sci fi type shows do horribly in the nielsons. They always have. They do horribly yet are expensive to make, if they are a quality show. Farscape got the axe, Angel got the axe, etc.

I wish that I could like the horrible pile of crap cop and lawyer shows they have on. Everyone with a Nielson box watches those 24/7, I guess.

[Angelsyn]

Originally posted by Angelsyn
Best Anime Ever: Armitage the Third (not the Movie, not the second movie... the OVA series).

Then comes Utena, then Dual, then Excel Saga, then Air Master, then Rose of Versailles, then Tokyo Underground, then Scrapped Princess, then Key: The Metal Idol (might have to move that one up a bit), then Ranma 1/2...

Armitage the Third (OVA series) is available on DVD from Pioneer. It's the Polymatrix (first movie) story, but much more in-depth and a billion times better voice-acting in the Dub.

Dual: Parallel Trouble Adventure is also available on DVD from Pioneer. If you've heard of Evangelion... it's a little like that (kids piloting giant robots), only generally cheerful and funny. Think Tenshi Muyo crossed with Evangelion.

Revolutionary Girl Utena, Movie and TV series, are available on DVD from Software Sculptors. The Movie is the same basic story idea, just told in a very different (almost surrealistic at times) way. It helps to watch the TV series first, btw.

Key: The Metal Idol is available on DVD from Viz... but it's been more than two years now, so many "video stores" probably don't have it. The story is slow-paced at times, and there's a lot of exposition (characters talking to advance the plot/explain the story)... but I love it. Especially the music.

Excel Saga is available on DVD from ADV. Extremely over-the top comedy that is rediculously fast-paced. The American voice actress for Excel strained her voice doing the dub, simply because the character is so manic. The inside jokes (there are lots of those, too) can be easy to miss if you're not a long-time Anime fan... But Excel Saga is still funny, even then.

Air Master, Rose of Versailles, Tokyo Underground and Scrapped Princess are not available in the US. Rose of Versailles is actually fairly old, having been made in the early 80's, I think. The other three are recent series that are very common on the Fan-Sub circut. I think Tokyo Underground is licensed for release in the US (but probably not in production yet), but I know the others are not.

For more information about the Fan-Sub circut, I suggest www.animesuki.com BTW, having a broadband internet connection is best if you're going to get into downloading Anime.

[Quichon]

I can't believe no one has mentioned Record of Lodoss War or Princess Mononoke yet.

Ranma 1/2 is also a good, if silly, series.

I'll just about have to agree with the rest of the posters about Anime. It's totally awsome!

[Angelsyn]

Princess Mononoke is incredible... I like it much more than Spirited Away, which received more awards and aclaim.

Record of Lodoss War is good, but doesn't fall into my all-time favorite list. It was nice to see the "typical adventuring group" made into an anime though.

[Itzena]

Oddly enough, the typical adventure groups from my D&D 'career' tended to be nearer that of Slayers than Lodoss War.

[Melinia]

I have a feeling Wonderfalls will be added to this list. I just heard this morning after just 4 episodes that the show has been canceled. I have yet to catch the show but those who have seen it have raved about it.

[Cantatus]

Originally posted by Melinia
I have a feeling Wonderfalls will be added to this list. I just heard this morning after just 4 episodes that the show has been canceled. I have yet to catch the show but those who have seen it have raved about it.

/mourn Wonderfalls

There already has begun a movement by some viewers to get it released on DVD (which I definitely would buy) or even to have the 9 other episodes aired at sometime. I needn't express my anger over Fox cancelling this show for fear I'd have to ban myself. Fox really needs to learn to give shows more of a chance to catch on. Sometimes word of mouth takes a while.