===============================
Anime. Watching. At my house.
===============================
:CreationDate: 2011-04-11 20:38:36
:Id: anime/london
:tags: - anime
I have several weeks' worth of anime that I want to watch. But
watching it alone is no fun. So I call on my Twitter followers, the
readers of my website, and their trusted friends: let's meet at my
house, and watch some.
Details:
* I'm in London UB5, DM_ or `e-mail`_ for the actual address
* a Saturday, most of the day: get there before noon, go home when you want
* lunch included, especially if you bring some
* feel free to bring your own anime (DVD, or USB-connectible storage)
We usually meet on the third (or sometimes first) Saturday of each month.
Next meeting
============
July 21st.
The mailing list
================
If you want to receive e-mail about upcoming meetings, `write me`_ and
I'll add you to the mailing list.
What we watched
===============
April 2nd
---------
* `Freedom <http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=4708>`_
May 7th
-------
* `Fractale
<http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=7873>`_ up to
episode 5
* `Puni Puni Poemi
<http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=65>`_
* `Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt
<http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=7529>`_
episode 6 (`review </anime/review/panty-stocking>`_)
June 5th
--------
* `Fractale
<http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=7873>`_
from episode 6 to the end
* `Oruchuban Ebichu
<http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=150>`_
episodes 1-2
* `Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt
<http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=7529>`_
episodes 7-8 (`review </anime/review/panty-stocking>`_)
July 2nd
--------
* `Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica
<http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=8069>`_,
up to episode 3 (`review </anime/review/madoka-magica>`_)
* `Sayonara Zetsubo Sensei
<http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=5083>`_, first episode
* `Meitantei Holmes
<http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=617>`_, first episode
* `Robot Carnival <http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=1163>`_
August 20th
-----------
We were only two, so we watched some random stuff that nobody would miss.
* `K-On! <http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=6257>`_,
first 2 episodes (`review </anime/review/k-on>`_)
Four high-school girls forming a band. More or less. Klutzy main
character, plenty of moe. These first episodes are mostly showing
the setting and the characters.
* `Super Gals
<http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=475>`_, first 2
episodes
Gals in Shibuya. Funny with slightly jarring serious moments. I seem
to remember the manga mixing them better.
* `Charming Figures of the Magical Girl Trio
<http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=3633>`_ (OVA)
20 minutes total, of which about 5 are actual new animation, and the
rest are collages from three mahou shoujo series. If you have never
seen `Creamy Mami
<http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=521>`_, `Persia
<http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=499>`_, and
`Magical Emi
<http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=1444>`_, this
will make no sense at all. If you have seen them, it will just be a
bit boring :)
* `Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt
<http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=7529>`_
episodes 9-10 (`review </anime/review/panty-stocking>`_)
This one keeps getting more and more surreal.
September 17th
--------------
* `Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica
<http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=8069>`_,
up to episode 5 (`review </anime/review/madoka-magica>`_)
The main character is still not a Magical Girl, people keep getting
hurt, and I trust Kyuubee less and less.
* `Sayonara Zetsubo Sensei
<http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=5083>`_, up to
episode 3
Against all odds, Itoshiki & Fuura manage to do some good
deeds. People still behave in incomprehensible ways.
* `Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt
<http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=7529>`_
episodes 11-13 (`review </anime/review/panty-stocking>`_)
Episodes 11 and 12 are the usual randomness. Episode 13 would be a
story-arc-end, if there had been any arc to begin with. Half of the
premises are implied, and a seconds season in promised.
October 15th
------------
* `Space Battleship Yamato <http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1477109/>`_
This is a live-action movie, not an animation. It tells more-or-less
the same story as the first season of `the anime series of the same
name
<http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=648>`_. The
acting is rather average and the pacing is horribly slow. The
visuals are quite well done, though, and the aliens look alien
enough.
* `Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica
<http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=8069>`_,
up to episode 8 (`review </anime/review/madoka-magica>`_)
I'm not going to put plot spoilers here, but I have to say that we
guessed some of the big twists an episode or two in advance, mostly
by assuming that Kyuubee is way more evil than we thought he could
be. Right on the money…
* `Jungle wa Itsumo Hare nochi Guu
<http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=228>`_
episode 1
10 years old slapstick-comedy series, I had forgotten the sheer
craziness of it.
November 13th
-------------
* `Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica
<http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=8069>`_,
to the end (`review </anime/review/madoka-magica>`_)
Oh my. They won. Kyuubee was even more of a bastard that we could
have imagined. And Homura's backstory is a very good one. Just watch
this series!
* `Gamera: Guardian of the Universe
<http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113142/>`_
Yes, really. Not anime, not even old enough (it's from 1995!) to
excuse the ugly props and the confusing story line. Also, the
music was quite horrible and out of place, I hope it's just the
edition we had. Quite the waste of time.
December 17th
-------------
* `Eve no Jikan
<http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=5132>`_
Very nice mini-series, from the same author as Pale Cocoon (see
below), on the possible social consequences of the introduction of
Asimov-style humanoid robots.
The episodes of this series were watched thanks to `crunchyroll
<http://www.crunchyroll.com/anime>`_, an ad-supported streaming
service for recent anime titles, with English subtitles.
* `Detroit Metal City
<http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=5587>`_,
episodes 1 to 4.
Shy, melodic-songs loving boy becomes the frontman for a death metal
band. Bad things happen. Hilarity ensues.
* `Pale Cocoon
<http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=4158>`_
Short OVA, about the reconstruction of history through restoration
of ancient archives. A few centuries in the future. Not a totally
original premise, but an interesting take on it.
January 21st
------------
* `Detroit Metal City
<http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=5587>`_,
episodes from 5 to the end.
More bad things, more hilarity. Worthy of been watched. Once.
* `Eve no Jikan Gekijouban
<http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=7249>`_
Summary of the series, with some added details, and an
almost-explanation of some unclear points, *during the ending
credits*.
* `Meitantei Holmes
<http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=617>`_,
episode 10
Yes, a random episode. And we chanced upon the one from which most
of the scenes in the opening titles are taken.
February 12th (Sunday)
----------------------
Just two people, we watched a few music videos that were mostly
forgettable. Nothing interesting happened.
March 3rd
---------
* `Evangelion Shin Gekijouban: Jo
<http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=4847>`_ and
`Evangelion Shin Gekijouban: Ha
<http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=6171>`_
We watched the first two movies of the new Evangelion. The story
matches quite closely the anime series from 1996, especially at the
beginning. Some events are changed significantly, but the "feeling"
is the same. We'll have to wait almost two years before we'll get
the final (fourth!) movie…
March 31st
----------
* `Kumo no Mukou, Yakusoku no Basho
<http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=469>`_
Movie written and directed by `Makoto Shinkai
<http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=creator&creatorid=445>`_.
Alternate history SF, with dreams and quantum mumbo-jumbo. As in
other works of his, the main focus in on the characters' growth and
interactions. Slow and short on explanations, but worth the time.
* `Kachou Ouji: Hard Rock Save the Space
<http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=406>`_ first
episode
A salaryman with an exceedingly sad life get accosted by strange
women who want him to perform the songs he was famous for when he
was a rock star. There might be aliens involved.
April 21st
----------
* `Dai Mahou Touge
<http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=4149>`_, all of
it.
Another "magical girl". Heavy violence: if the main character can't
win by magic, she wins by beating her opponents into a pulp. Not
recommended for the faint of heart; others will laugh.
* `Higurashi no Naku Koro ni
<http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=3574>`_ first 8
episodes.
An isolated village, mysterious murders and disappearances. The
story runs, with some significant differences, six times during the
series. We've watched the first two "repetitions", and we're still
not sure what's going on. We know this: we weren't bored at
all. Even if it does feel like watching someone play a murder
mystery game over and over (the series is based on such a game, and
it shows).
May 20th
--------
* `The Sky Crawlers
<http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=5310>`_
Movie clearly directed by Mamoru Oshii, about life and war. *Very*
slow, but with interesting insights.
* `Higurashi no Naku Koro ni
<http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=3574>`_
episodes 9-13
One more run through the events, with even more differences. Is the
main character completely crazy?
September 22nd
--------------
* `Karigurashi no Arrietty
<http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=7258>`_
* `Re:Cutie Honey
<http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=1662>`_
* `Higurashi no Naku Koro ni
<http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=3574>`_
episodes 14-15
Some back-story. I still can't understand where the whole thing is
going.
October 20th
------------
* `From Up On Poppy Hill
<http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=8141>`_
The latest Ghibli movie, see also `my review
</anime/review/poppy-hill/>`_
* `Hells <http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=6109>`_
Shinichi Hiromoto wrote this complicated and meandering story of a
schoolgirl in Hell. It's got some attempt at ideas about consensual
realities, but it's confusing and it feels way too long.
* `Dragon Half
<http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=149>`_
Very funny adaptation of Ryuusuke Mita's manga, too bad they ony
made two episodes.
March 31st
----------
* `Loups Garous
<http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=7093>`_
Very confused story, badly developed, with random mixing of
unrelated events.
* `Sora no Woto
<http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=6783>`_, first
2 episodes
Switzerland, after a *very* long war, a military post is held by
young girls, who play music. Not sure where it's going, but it's
very pretty to look at.
* `Idol Defence Force Hummingbird
<http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=840>`_
Military defence has been outsourced to the private sector; only the
idol/showbiz companies were willing to take it up. So we have idols
who pilot fighter planes. Slow and not particularly interesting,
surprisingly made in the early '90s: it feels at least ten years older.
.. _DM: http://twitter.com/dakkar
.. _`e-mail`: dakkar@thenautilus.net
.. _`write me`: mailto:dakkar@thenautilus.net?subject=Please+add+me+to+the+Anime+London+mailing+list
