I'm still waiting for someone around here to be a Xenogears fan. BTW, the cutscenes are all anime or CGI. The Vas are pretty decent too. I would've killed to cast the voices and put in more talking though. More on my voice pics later.

I just beat Ramsus at Babel Tower. The only thing that bugs me so far about Xenogears is that the dungeons are frustrating and make me want to hurt things }

I have it on reserve at my local video store, for when they decide to sell it... (along with parasite eve 1 and 2, chrono cross, vagrant story, threads of fate and ff tactic)- anyone notice a trend in the games I buy?

Wouldn't it be cool if they made Metal Gear Solid into and Anime?

I've never played it, so no comment.

If any game deserves an OVA it's Xenogears. Note I said OVA. A movie would just be so, so horrid. I mean, come ON Square, you have a bunch of the scenes already for the freakin game! MAKE AN OVA!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now the competition begins....

To keep this anime related, Big O is a pretty cool show, I watched some episodes the other day, its actually a good dub and Roger Smith is pretty cool. I have some VCD's but have yet to watch them, So I cant comment on the Japanese version.

Nightwing's Anime Fact: Voice actors for Beast Wars and Beast Machines provided a lot of voices for the English translation of Dragon Ball Z. Such as:

Ian James Corlett (Cheetor) as Goku
Paul Dobson (Tankorr/Obsidian) as Zarbon
Brian Drummond (Jetstorm) as Vegeta
Scott McNeil (Dinobot, Rattrap, Silverbolt, Waspinator) as Piccolo
Alec Willows (Tarantulas) as Burter

What's an RSAA?

Odd anime sightings:
Tiny Sailor Moon graphic novels at Waldon Books. Almost bought them.

Tenchi Muyo RPG ant Wizards of the Coast. Might buy.

SD Tenchi PVCs at KB Toys. Have some already.

A War Planets DVD in the anime DVD section. I went beserk and put it in the musicals section.

A Samurai X VHS with a Rurouni Kenshin cover.

Random Smart Ass Award. See how many you can get just by being a jerk.

I guess you have to post something particularly sarcastic or humourously observant to receive one.

I also have been watching The Big O. It is one slick series. Can't wait for more new episodes (episode 11, Daemonseed, airs tonight @ 12:30am).

Yeah.

I saw SFII the Movie. Probly the best game movie I've seen. And of course, the Chun Li Vega fight is one of my all time favs in anime. Which remindes me: what's everyone's top 5 fav fight scenes from an anime?

In no particular order (and not sure what constitutes a "fight") I say:
-Chun Li vs. Vega (SFII)
-Ryu vs. Fei Long (SFII)
-Jubei vs. Gemma (NS)
-'Akirafied'Tetsuo vs. the city of Neo Tokyo (Akira)
-Ken vs. EVERYONE (FOTNS)

A fight scene can be anything where 2+ characters (people, mecha, animal, etc.) battle.

Here's mine:
Vega v. Chun Li (SFII Movie): Several good points in this fight. 1. Good Villain: Vega is quite the psychopath, but doesn't seem like a gibbering knife boy. He was sincerly planning on skinning Chun Li like a rabbit and enjoying it too. 2. Good Fighting: I love fights that use terrain as weapons. Any fight that features a lampstand as a weapon gets kudos in my book. 3. Chun Li fighting in a nighty and undies. Oh what, like you male viewers didn't notice too. 4. The music during this fight in the dub is perfect. Just perfect.

Tallgeese v. Heavyarms (Gundam Wing):Had Heero chose to use the Wing Gundam, this would have been a better fight. As it is though, this fight is one of the best mecha fights I've ever seen. Sensor tricks, massive firepower being thrown in the air, hella cool manouvering, big plot point revealed, and one of my favorite lines ever. "IT'S A GUNDAMMMMMM!!!!" Ok, so that wasn't really in the fight, but it was in the same area and time period.I want a Gundam game where Tallgeese can do manouvers like that without having to do a special combo.

Vash the Stampede v. Monev the Gale (Trigun): I just love fights that go all over town. And this one certainly does that. From start to finish, this fight keeps you on the edge of your seat. This fight, no, the whole episode is a turning point in the series, because now Vash will be forced to make discisions that normal bounty hunters don't usually trouble him with. As always, the manga version of this fight just rules. First of all, Vash's cybernetic arm gets blown off. Second, Monev dosen't have the twin arm gatlers, he just has that huge gatling cannon he uses at the bank. Either version rules. Also, we see Vash's severly pissed off side, and I for one really thought Vash was going to shoot Monev in the eye. Probily would've been better for Monev; a point blank shot to the head seems much less painful than having your uni-legged corpse nailed to a cactus by...ugh...E.G. Mine.

Son Goku v. Perfect Cell (Dragonball Z):
Now THIS is a good fight. Son and Cell just go all out in a match that puts every other thus far to shame. This fight was great because it was SO evenly matched...looking. Goku vs. Vegeta, Goku gets slapped around like a red headed stepchild. Goku vs. Frieza, Frieza wials on Goku before getting his "100% Power" tail (what's left of it handed to him. But this fight. BAM BAM BAM; blow for blow, neither asking for quarter nor giving it. Each technique was matched; each manouver countered; each trick foiled. Guys, DBZ dosen't get much better than this.

Kenshin Himura v. Aoshi Shinomori (1st battle) (Rurouni Kenshin TV): Aoshi basicly beats Kenshin around like a lame puppy. Up until now, Kenshin has more or less beaten everyone without taking many hits. Jinai only cut his arm. Sano didn't lay a hit one him. Hanya did some damage, but passed out from a "delayed shot" so commonly used in anime. One of my favorite scenes in this is when Kenshin strikes and Aoshi yells "TOO SLOW!" If someone says Kenshin is slow, then Kenshin is in for a beating. Although, to his credit, Kenshin kept hitting poor Aoshi with his own sword hilt. In the throat. Ouch. Of course the real main event of this is the Oniwaban group vs. Kanryu's Gatling Gun. Still thoguh, this fight shows why Kenshin is considered to have some of the best swordfighting around.

BTW, when Viz decided to release DB manga Uncut, did that also apply to their DBZ manga?

------------------
Consider it...a lesson.
-Legato Bluesummers, Trigun

[This message has been edited by Legato Bluesummers (edited 04-26-2001).]

Top 5 favorite fight scenes... My, this will be interesting.

I'll admit, I love anime in all it's forms- but I tend to gravitate twoards 80's action series, simply because I find them the most interesting available. Hokuto no Ken (Fist of the North Star) ranks as my favorite anime of all time- for a few reasons-, and Dragonball is a lot of fun to watch... Assuming it's in Japanese, anyway. Devilman (All versions, both old and new) is the last top 3 contender, and it's a great series in itself. Certainly, there is a lot of anime I'm not nearly well aquainted enough to judge, though I would like to, that are known for incredible battles. (Violence Jack, Sailormoon, Rurouni Kenshin, and Street Fighter 2 are just a few of the series I'd love to get my hands on.)

So, in no particular order... Oh to heck with it, there IS an order! I simply can't list my favorite battle of all time like it's just some... Ordinary battle. So, here we go;

Number 5) Satan versus God, Devilman Lady TV show. I honestly can't say a whole lot about this one without giuving MAJOR spoilers for anyone who hasn't seen the series yet... But Devilman Lady, Satan, is the hero in this battle. It takes about half the final episode, and this is good- Armageddon should be a nice, drawn out, epic battle. The Devilman Lady TV show certainly did not let me down. The battle had a great setup, we had SEVERAL original Devilman refferences (God looking suspiciously like Silene in 'her' battle mode, the final blow mirroring the defeat of the Original Devilman), and best of all, the ending is not a rehash of the 70's Devilman manga... Seeing one does NOT mean you have a clue how the other will end. I was a little dissapointed that Takeshi had nothing to do with the final battle, (If you see the series, you'll know why) but I understand and even appreciate why they decided against it. Overall, it was a great fight, and it even had an unexpected outcome- something I'll always love from a TV show. It was also a major change from the previous episode- both sweet in it's soft beauty and creepy in it's perversion. (This series has been picked up by ADV, but is currently only available on Bootleg VCD from Malaysia with Chinese subtitles, or with English subtitles by Ctenosaur, as well as a 3 DVD set with Chinese and English subtitles from China.)

4) Akira Fudo versus Amon, Amon: Apocalypse of Devilman OVA. The sad part is, before I watched this, I had recently sat down to "Heavy Metal 2000", something I would not wish upon my worst enemy. By the Gods, it was horrid... The Amon OVA was everything that I had wanted from HM2000 and more, particularly the final battle. The fact that it's divided into several segments (Amon's confrontation, Devilman's "Death", Akira rembering who he always fought in the first place, etc.) makes the battle wonderfully deep, eithout becoming too confusing. The "Battle Theme" is a nice, grinding, Heavy Metal piece that was well used. The battle itself made me smile and hold back a tear when Devilman stands up, tears streaming down his face, and has his wonderful monologue. (Using the EXTREMELY Rough subs, and my own basic knowledge of Japanese, I've found it to be something like this, beginning after Amon, the 'Devil Half' of the Devilman, taunts Akira/Devilman for Crying over a woman; "I had tried to forget how to be human... However, I never discarded my human heart*! You could never understand... And now, I know that I could never lose again!" Scenes like this always get me. Also, in this context, 'Heart' could also mean 'Soul'- but I prefer Heart, as it's both literal and makes sense.) And then, after that, it gets quite interesting... The entire battle takes place inside of Akira's head, but it's still a winner take all battle, and from the moment Amon launches the punch at Akira's face... And is stops dead... Well, you can smell the carnage. Even Amon Punching right through Akira isn't enough- Devilman grabs the arm, breaks it,and procedes to Punch Amon again... And again... And again... Totalling over 125 hits! I'm serious- And they're all Normal Speed. It sounds ridiculous, but it must have been SO satisfying, and it works on film... The fight plays out as very rough and bestial, so if you're looking for 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' type battles, keep moving, but if you like brutal, loud, street fights between demons, this is truly the way to go. (This OVA is currently in limbo, but Manga Video is trying to pick it up. There is both a Ctenosaur sub and a Chinese DVD with both Chinese and English subs, but the Chinese DVD translation is, well... Rough, at best.)

**Please note that both of the above Devilman anime do NOT coinside with their manga (Devilman Lady and Amon; Darkside of the Devilman, respectively). The Devilman Lady TV show is not really based on the manga at all, and while the new Amon series both have the same basic idea- Amon taking control of Devilman after Miki's death- they both diffe
r greatly.

3) D versus Master Lee, Vampire Hunter D OVA. This was the first anime I ever saw, a tape given to me by my father when a censored version of the english Dub was played on TBS in 1994. He had tried to tape the cult classic Heavy Metal, even though a TV edit would have removed AT LEAST 20 minutes, but set his VCR wrong and ended up with Vampire Hunter D and Robot Carnival (Another personal favorite). This was the thing that would slowly turn me into what I am now, seven years later. The final battle was a beautiful thing to behold, particularly considering how much younger I was then. Sure, parts didn't make sense, with all the violence being cut for US TV, (Hey? When Did D's sword impale Lee, anyway?) it was still exciting, gory, and creepy- the best we can hope for a sort of adventure/horror like this. I still feel that it could have been better had there been an actual swordfight, to show us how skilled D really is- but who knows, maybe the new movie will finally show us. This ranks as a classic for me, as it was I was inducted to- my 'Gateway OVA', so to speak. Plus, it was direcyed bt Toyou Ashida, a plus in my book. (The Vampire Hunter D OVA is currently available on subbed and dubbed VHS, and a special edition DVD by Urban Vision Entertainment. I highly recommend the DVD.)

2) Son Gokuu versus Ouji Vejiita, Dragonball Z TV show (Japanese Episode 29-35). The Vegeta saga ranks as my second favorite in all of Dragonball (After the Freezer saga), but the battle with Freezer isn't nearly as good, mostly because it runs far too long. Yes, a final battle should be nice and long- but anything over 10 episodes is a bit much. (Sure, you could argue 'Gokuu/Freezer', then 'SSJ Gokuu/Freezer', but anyway... Keep in mind I'm a fan of Hokuto no Ken, where a fight never lasts more than 2 episodes- and usually ends up with someone dead.) Certainly it wasn't as drawn out as the Cell saga... But anyway... The fact is, these episodes were my first real introduction to Dragonball, and I treasure these SLP Anime Labs tapes, even with all their "Bluetha's" and the almost constant use of the F-word. These tapes introduced me to the beauty that was Dragonball, not the US series that I can't stand to listen to. (If you enjoy the dub, that's fine and dandy- Just please accept that I do not.) Watching Son-kun and the Evil Saiya-Jin smack each other around Kungfu style was incredible, in both it's beauty and it's coldness, but seeing Vejiita as a rampaging beast gave the fight a brand new meaning. Of course, Gokuu is put out of comission for thr last few episodes of the saga- but that's when Toriyama's genious starts to shine through. Even after reading every one of Yajirobe's appearances in the DB manga, I wouldn't have guessed him to cut of Vejiita's tail. And of course the ending... Oh yes, the scene that made me check out Japanese DB in the first place, the scene where Gokuu pleads with Kuririn to let Vejiita live, Kuririn with a sword over the head of their hated enemy as he crawls, nearly lifeless to his ship... The raw emotion by Mayumi Tanaka and Masako Nozawa, the music by Shunsuke Kikuchi, the words of Toriyama Akira... It all combined to make me believe that 'Cartoons' were as valid a dramatic device as anything else.

And now, can I have a drumb roll please...

... Okay, fine. Go on, you stupid crickets, make a fool of me...

1) Kenshirou versus Shin/King, Hokuto no Ken TV show (Episode 22). This is the pinacle of fights for the Anime for 3 reasons- It shows us exactly where Ken and Shin stand as human beings, it's the classic Kungfu style showdown that HAD to happen, and it also marks the end of the anime being... Well... Pretty bad. (There's enough bad filler and re-writing in the first season to give the Garlic Jr. saga a run for it's money as the worst piece of tripe Toei Animation ever created.) Basically, episode 1-5, 6-8, 11-13 and 22 coinside with the manga, with ONE scene from episode 16, totalling less than a minute, to add to the list. The rest was all filler and re-write... And it was pretty bad filler, too. So, why am I even bringing all this up? Because Ken and Shin were supposed to fight Episode 5, meaning the whole season revolved around this last battle- Toei animation decided that Ken fighting Shin to win back his fiance' would be more dramatic a finale than Ken fighting the giant mutant, Devil Rebirth, and while I'm hard pressed to argue that, I can still say that the second season (Not available in the US) was worlds better.
The battle itself is set up wonderfully. Bat and Lynne finally make it to Southern Cross, the fabled city in the Eye of the Devil, hiding as the remainder of Shin's body guards clear out. Lynne insists that Ken isn't dead, while Bat tries to talk Lynne into some common sense- there was no way that Kenshirou could have survived the last lame anime-only setup TOEI thought would be cool. We know better, and as Lynne continues to be prophetic and cryptic, Bat has it, and just tells her, flat out; He's not coming back. At that moment, Lynne's anime-only puppy (Peeru... *Cringe* Well, at least he was kicked in episode 6, that made it worth it...), starts barking and wagging his tail. Beyond all odds, a man walks into the empty city, bathed in sunlight. Yes, it's Ken himself- no immitations accepted! We have a great scene of Ken's Little Buddies running up to pat him on the back, hug him, or wag their tails and look cute, but he's seemed happier to see them. Ken trudges to the open gates of King's Palace, and Bat explains to Lynne that they have to stay there, and let Ken do what he has to. (Yeah, right- in the manga, Bat was watching the whole thing from the hall, and Lynne had not become part of the group. But that's Okay... I'm talking about the anime.) Ken makes his way through the Southern Cross Palace, showing the last of Shin's bodyguards a new world of hurt. I think that this scene should have been replaced with a scene showing how empty Southern Cross was, but it could have been worse- they could have given Shin another very fat man for his bodyguard. Thankfully, Toei animation decided that one from episode 4 (And he was from the manga, no less!) was enough. So, finally, it's Shin and Ken, at long last. *YIPPIE!* About time these two titans kicked each other's booty. Actually, the last episode before this had a great shot at the end of the two fighters standing in space, with their respective Martial Arts school symbols behind them, and their auora's flaring, while below them was Southern Cross, the shadow of the Shinu Kami (Grim Reaper) hanging over Southern Cross. I'll admit, of ALL the bad filler season 1 had, the least irritating was episode 21- besides, Ken finally killed Joker in that episode. About time.
Anyway, Shin explains that Yuria (Julia), Ken's fiance, has forgotten him. She makes no movement twoards Ken, or at all for that matter, and he sees it to be true. We're treated to the flashback of Julia being forced to proclaim her love to Shin (For about, oh, the 10th time this season), and watch Shin torture Ken and put the seven wounds in his chest. Ken, for the first time in the series, save for the ever persistant flashback... Cries. This is the first real emotion he's ever shown us since survivng Shin's execution technique, and Kenshirou says that he only cares that Julia is safe. Shin has had enough from Kenshirou, and in a dramatic leap with his capr flying, launches his attack. Ken is constantly on the evasive, both men relying on raw skill and trying to let their opponent tire themselves out. Shin gets a good swipe in, opening Kenshirou's chest. Ken wipes his finger across his chest, licks his own blood off of it, and spits it away in boredom. Shin is enraged by this, and goes back to the offensive, only to be slapped away by Kenshirou. In the anime, we also get to see Shin once again use the "Nanto Gokuto Ken"- South Dipper Hellbound Fist, but this time... It has no effect.
Shin lands, and finds his shoulderpad has cracked. Kenshirou says that he hasn't struck Tsubo, (Pressure point, basically) and Shin charges once again for his rudeness. Ken catches his hand, and the two stare each other down...
*Commercial break*
Shin pulls away, stating that he can see than Kenshirou is no longer the man he left to die. A final assasin hired by Shin comes out of hiding, with an axe aimed at Ken's skull. Ken side-steps the attack and pushes the man's tsubo, making his head bloat up and explode. (In the manga, the body falls back and rains blood onto Bat, who he silently freaks out- it was actually pretty funny, if gore no longer offends you, and the movie had a scene very much like this, when Ken saves Lynne.) Shin seems amused, saying that Ken is tenatious as a pitbull. "What would happen" he wonders, "If your source of tenancy were to be exausted?" Shin pulls away, and rushing to the still silent Julia in her throne, pierces her breast with his hand until he's pushed so far through her chest that the chair cracks. (In the manga, anyway.) Julia falls forward, her eyes closing, and Shin comments on how, even in death, her face is beautiful. Shin cackles, asking what will happen now that Ken's obsession is dead. Kenshirou's tears quickly turn to a scream of rage, his jacket being ripped apart by his auora... Like it does in every episode of the first season, but with new animation. (At least the manga was a little more consistant- Ken didn't magically have a new outfit every chapter.) "Shin, you are already dead!" he cries, and Shin uses his last Ace against Ken. Shin's hand goes RIGHT through Ken's, but does not destroy it. Ken merely makes a fist around Shin's hand, breaking it. Ken swings his opposite fist twoards Shin's chest- Shin tries to block it, but ends up having his hand oblitherated. (In the TV show, we only see the 'Hand shattering' for 2 frames of animation- and the VIZ manga is reversed... Making this a VERY hard scene to keep consisnant.) Kenshirou uses the "Hokuto JuuJi Zan"- North Dipper Cross Symbol Slash- leaving Shin to die wearing his own crest depressed into his body. Shin sits before he dies, asking how Kenshirou could have beaten him. "Rage overcame obsession" he replies, and states that Shin has 3 minutes to live. (In the manga it's 1 minute... But I have a little trouble buying that.) Turning back to Julia, he sees that what's before him is nothing more than a doll, made in Julia's image. (If I get ONE disgusting comment from bringing this up...) Shin smiles, but cannot hide his tears for very long. Shin tells Kenshirou that the doll was made after Julia killed herself by jumping from the palace, (Where this fight takes place) and manages to stand and walk to the same window, lamenting over the fact that the greatest city of the New Age is now nothing more than a monument to a beautiful woman. Shin reveals that everything he had ever done was in Julia's name, and that it was all an attempt to win her love... Yet it was never to be.
Finally screaming the name of the woman he and Ken both loved, the wounds on his body explode- and make Shin a gory mess. He had such a pretty white outfit, too. But, this is Hokuto no Ken, and you're allowed some great last words, even after you've been mortally wounded. He turns to Kenshirou, and declares that he can accept this to be his time to die, but he refuses to be killed by Ken's inferior technique. Shouting "Saraba, KENSHIROU!", he leaps from the palace window, just as Julia had, and finally brings an end to his own reign of terror, King of Southern Cross- along with another big secret to the grave. (No, I won't tell you what it is- Get the original manga and find out what secret still looms over Julia.)
With the battle over, Kenshirou exits the palace, and carries Shin's lifeless body to the center of the city, Bat (And in the anime, Lynne and Peeru) following, while "Yuria... Towa ni", the haunting TV show ending theme, plays in the back ground. The finale of this epic battle is Kenshirou, wearing a burlap shirt to cover his wounds, buries Shin in a coffin, draping his symbol over him (In the anime anyway) while an instrumental version of the previous song plays. When asked Why he would go through so much trouble "For a Man like him", Ken replies "Because this man loved the same woman I loved".
And so ends Chapter 10-12/Episode 22/Season 1. (This episode has been translated by Manga home Video, both in a sub and dub format. Be warned, the english dub, released as "Fist of the North Star" in the states, replaced the original score with... British Techno. The script, however, is almost perfect, and while some of the voices are quite good, Shin included, some of them are downright terrible. Thankfully, Volume 8- this episode in particular- was handled in an at least tolerable manner. Most of the rest of the series, unfortunately, was not. Well, Volume 8 also has the Manga Video voice for Rei, so... *Cringe* The Viz translation isn't too shabby either- I just can't stand manga that's been reversed.)

Wow... All that for 5 battles. If I may shamelessly mangle a Homer Simpson quite; "I can't believe I wrote the whole thing."

Kuririn

WOW that was alot Kulilin, they seem like cool scenes. Damn ive gotta find Hokuto no Ken anime and manga. BTW im gonna reply to your mail soon (really!)

It was hard to choose but.. My top 5 fight scenes:

-Rufi vs. anyone (One Piece)
-Amuro vs. Char (Gundam)pretty much any of there fights.
-Kenshin vs. Enishi (Rurouni Kenshin)
-Vash vs. Monev the Gale (Trigun) I just realized how amazing that fight scene was when you mentioned it Legato.

Ok, a similar poll: favorite scenes from a manga or an anime AND WHY.

Flash forward- Ten years from now, and looking back

... I still remember the guys on the board...

...Future Trunks and Havok were hired by Irwin... They're said to be working on Series 37 this month...

...Portugy went on to take over the hosting duties from Conan O'Brien... he stars in his first comedy next month along side Adam Sandler: Happy Gilmore 3: Clubs of fire...

... Legato was drafted into the army and Killed in action...
(I had to throw someone in there, you started this topic)
:P

...Kulilin went on to become a famous writer, holding the position of New York Times' best seller for 67 weeks...

I think in the future Kappa will take off a mask and say "I was really Mark hahaha" then he will say something like... "see when your the board administrator you really can do anything HAHA"

Oh no! I know too much, now Kappa will come and shot me in the head...

Yes, what I just said was totally stupid. Sorry, I need some sleep, im only an idiot really late at night.

Flash forward-ten years from now, and looking back-(continued)...

Boy, ten years...

DBT.Com is still up and running...the rebuild is almost done! Ray sends us daily emails threatening to "Deestroy the Boord"...

After curing the AIDS virus and Cancer, Mark(Now a professor at MIT) turned down the nomination for "World President", and has designed a system of interstellar space transportation powered by the cold-fusion device he had designed years earlier.

While FT and Havok are working on series 37 this month, we all know that wave won't be released for another two years...and when they do they will have shiny pants...

Kulilin has held the best seller position for 67 weeks...and still no one has finished reading the book...

Kappa says he promises...for real this time...honestly...to have the rest of the customs update completed before the end of the week.