Wonderful Days are coming
 

I'm an animation nut, be it foreign or domestic, and stumbled across this one that will probably hit here next year. A little too much CG for my liking, but its quite beautiful overall if the trailer says anything.

http://wonderfuldays.co.kr/english/

Well it's sure not Sleeping Beauty or Bugs Bunny.;)

      There's an anime shop in town that does a great job of importing stuff through second string suppliers quite cheaply. Just picked up the first season of Narutu Other than the fact that I had to read it to the kids, and some poor translations it was great.

Naruto is, hands down, my favorite. It seems very silly during the first episodes, but I was floored at what happened to the story between episodes 14-19. I won't reveal much, but the story takes a turn to the extremely serious. Very, very good stuff.

And its got kitsune things in it, too. :D

      Actually the set I got contains the first 21 episodes, so I'm down. I need to order the next set... My favorite is probably Trigun. Though I've not seen how much Cartoon Network cut for it's showing of the series. I owned the whole series on VHS a year before they started and now have it on DVD as well. I'll admit it doesn't look as good though. As for visuals, I assume you've seen Princess Mononoke? (sp?) If you don't mind gore in your visuals the Hellsing series ain't bad, as long as you don't need an ending that makes sense.

      By the by, the fox spirit reference didn't slip past me.

I've only seen Trigun on Cartoon Network, so I don't know what changes they've made and Cowboy Bebop is one I actually enjoy more in English. I begged Cartoon Network to not bring Naruto over unless they subtitle it -- the translations and dubbing, I fear, would ruin the story.

Mononoke was very good and Miyazaki's other creation, Spirited Away, was extremely well done!

By the by, the fox spirit reference didn't slip past me.

This pleases me. :D

I like the dark anime and watch anime unleashed on Tech TV on the weekends - its the only show that I have my PVR tape regularly.

My favorite is Soul Taker (link goes to disk 1) and I just ordered the full 4 DVD set. Its very dark and the imagery is very esoteric.

I recently rented Spirited Away and loved it.

Just visited the sites for Wonderful Days and Narutu and they both look great too!

Spirited Away is the only movie my kid likes that Case and I can tolerate more than once a week. Its saved our sanity more than once. And hearing a two-year-old run around the house yelling "THE RAAAAAA-DISH SPIRIT" is a hoot.

      I don't get tech TV ... damn it.

      Perth, Miyazaki also did Castle in the Sky. The art is not as good, but kids tend to love it. It's long too, just the thing when a parent needs to catch his/her breath. I'd also suggent checking out Princess Mononoke, not for the kid however. Has some bloody moments.

Yeah I have Princess Mononoke, and I'll save that one for when he's a bit older. Castle in the Sky has caught my eye a couple times in the store, but I haven't gotten around to picking it up yet.

Miyazaki was somehow involved in one about a girl who finds out someone is checking out the same library books as her. There's a cat figurine called the Baron or something. I watched it with some guy on his laptop on a flight to Chicago. IT was subtitled, but, damn, I can't remember the name of the film and I can't seem to find it available online. I would love to get that one.

Miyazaki produces his films under Studio Ghibli

For all of your Studio Ghibli needs: www.nausicaa.net

Perth, concerning the cat movie by Studio Ghibli: Whisper of the Heart

      Damn Beef, you are good. I haven't seen that. I'll definately be keeping my eyes open.

I was an anime junkie in my previous life, with the bookshelf full of DVDs to prove it :)

Great find Kitsune - kudos. The score was as beautiful as the animation. I like the cg/classical animation cominations that are coming out lately - allows for a more dynamic approach. My favorite animes back in the day were things like project a-ko, ranma 1/2, the original Vampire Hunter D etc...

Thanks Beef! Now I just have to find a place to buy it. I'm gonna hit Google, but any links would be welcome. :)

And hey presto! Only question is whether they are a reliable company.

It hasn't been officially released on DVD in Region 1 yet, but should eventually come out from Disney - Disney made a deal with Studio Ghibli a couple of years ago to release a number of their movies...I'm not sure if Whispers of the Heart was part of that agreement, but it most likely was...nausicaa.net has the details.

If you want the movie now and have a region-free DVD player, or a spare DVD player to set to Region 2, I would recommend ordering it from CD Japan: www.cdjapan.co.jp
They have a good selection, and are a reputable Japanese media distributor.

The site can be difficult to navigate sometimes, so here's a link to the DVD: Whisper of the Heart
BTW, its Japanese title is Mimi wo Sumaseba

Now, if you don't care about an official release, you can probably pick up all of Studio Ghibli's releases on bootleg DVDs on ebay for like $10

Oh yeah... I got the Galaxy Express 999 series that way. I'd be happy to pay for an official release, even from Region 2, as long as it has English subtitles, but it doesn't appear that any such is forthcoming so I went the bootleg route.

So will a region 1 player play region-free dvds? The site I linked to says the following in its FAQ:
But some of the info I have googled implies otherwise.

Yes, in general a region 1 player will probably play region-free discs. (Some region 1 discs are released so that they will not play on a region-free player, but that's not the same.)

HOWEVER, I would tread lightly on the statement that "import titles are usually region-free." Import titles that are, shall we say, informally produced, are usually region free. Official, authorized releases, are usually region-coded.

      Dude, Captain Harlock rocks!

Yeah I know... I can't see why they haven't released more of the Galaxy Express etc. series in the US. I've got to think it would sell well.

Its those character designs! Rounded noses will never fly I tell you! NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS!

Thanks to Insoluble, I was finally able to see Wonderful Days. Its really bizarre to see an anime and hear Korean instead of Japanese.

My opinion of it: The CG was really great! Usually, I don't like tons of CG, but it was handled really well in this and they integrated it nicely with the animation. The soundtrack was pleasing to the ears and character animation wasn't too bad, although some of the characters were fairly freaky looking.

For some reason the plot didn't jive with me and I don't know why. It wasn't horrible, but it also didn't grab me, either. They never really developed a background for the suffering of the lower class of people, nor established why the upper class split off and formed an isolated group.

My only other complaint: the really impressive song used in the trailer is found no where in the film. Damn.

Next on my list: ChronoSphere, more Naruto, and Read or Die ...if I have any spare time, which I don't, these days. Sigh.