SAM:
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We warned you before, and now we're back. Our topic this week, is a couple
of really great shows whose names have fallen by the wayside.
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Legend:
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And with us today is our special guest, Tenchi Muyo!'s own Ryo-Ohki!
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Ryo-Ohki:
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Miya!
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* SAM shakes his head.
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SAM:
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Sorry Bart, but on my way here, I met up with Fujin and she wants to be our
special guest.
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Legend:
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You sure? I mean, we're already over budget, and it's not often that one
finds a guest who will work for carrots.
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Ryo-Ohki:
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Miya!
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SAM:
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Look, do you want to be the one to tell Fujin she can't come?
Besides, she's doing this for free.
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Fujin:
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RAGE.
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SAM:
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I gotta warn you that she gets scary when she's mad, y'know.
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Legend:
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(glancing nervously at Fujin) Well, free's free, right? I'll just get
this cabbit out of here, and we'll get started.
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SAM:
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Sure. Why don't you just set her down in the corner with a basket full of
carrots or something.
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Legend:
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Alrighty.
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* Legend does so.
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Legend:
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Well then. Our first series -- and, admittedly, the reason I came up with
this idea -- is that fun but elusive title known as Here is
Greenwood.
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SAM:
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What is Greenwood? you might ask. It's the name of the high school dorm
where most everything takes place. And by everything, I mean everything.
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Fujin:
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INFORMATION.
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Legend:
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The main character is a hard-luck high school student named Hasukawa, who
falls hopelessly in love with his older brother's fiancée. His three best
friends are a girl named Shun who turns out to actually be a guy, and a pair
of older students who basically run the dormitory -- when they're not
playing pranks on Hasukawa. Now, sure, this is an odd situation for a guy to
be in, but you're probably thinking that it sounds pretty typical for an
anime series.
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SAM:
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Unfortunately.
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Legend:
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And I'll admit -- it is typical, to some extent.
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Fujin:
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KIROS.
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SAM:
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Among others, including half the cast of Fushigi Yuugi and
Kenshin.
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Legend:
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What makes Greenwood shine out above all the rest, though, is not its
storyline or art, but its cast of characters. Despite the fact that the
situations are often downright zany, the characters feel so real that
you can really get involved in the story. With romance, comedy, a little
drama, some pretty obvious pokes at other anime series, and an ending that
will leave you feeling glad to be alive, Greenwood is one show that
is simply not to be missed. Take it from me.
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SAM:
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Yeah, I'd agree with that. Personally, it was the tribute given to Miyazaki,
in which the characters replay the clocktower scene from Lupin: Castle of
Cagliostro, that sold the series to me. It's a pity it's only 6 OAVs
long.
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Fujin:
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WATCH.
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Legend:
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Next up is a series by famed anime and manga artist Kosuke Fujishima.
You're Under Arrest, a show about two woman police officers in Tokyo,
has the same lighthearted plot and distinctive art style that are present in
Fujishima's other work, Oh My Goddess!
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SAM:
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While the art and character designs and just about everything else about the
two shows are remarkably similar, there are some big differences. First off,
no random goddesses or demons pop up in YUA, and there is no magic.
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Legend:
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But, despite the mundane-sounding plot, You're Under Arrest is
definitely worth the time to watch. Check it out when you get the chance.
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SAM:
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Also, for those of you out there who think Belldandy's a crybaby, you'll be
glad to know that the two main characters of YUA are both female and
are not your typical passive/demure/your-wish-is-my-command women. Natsumi
and Miyuki are both simple police officers keeping the streets safe in a
city where (for once) there are no serious crimes, no murders, no
conspiracies, and no strange spiritualistic whacked-out things happening.
And they're popular with the local preschoolers and cats to boot.
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Fujin:
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MIYA.
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SAM:
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Yeah, well, I'm sure they'd be popular with the local cabbits too, except
there aren't any around. It's still a damn cool OAV series.
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Legend:
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Our next underappreciated anime series is the wonderfully funny
Irresponsible Captain Tylor. It follows the adventures of Justy
Tylor, a spaceship captain who achieved his position through a combination
of charisma and dumb luck.
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SAM:
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Y'know, my only experience with that show was the five minutes I saw while
in Korea. It was strange. Very strange. But maybe that was just the Korean
dub.
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Legend:
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It would also depend on what episode you saw. Suffice it to say, it's a
rewarding experience if you watch it from beginning to end. The humor is
great, the characters are likeable, and the plot, while farfetched, is quite
fun, as long as you don't try to take it too seriously.
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SAM:
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I dunno. All I remember is seeing Tylor seduce a female virtual personality
program by tickling it...
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Legend:
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Well, that part is admittedly a bit odd, but still. It's a good series.
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SAM:
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Sounds cool to me.
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Fujin:
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RECOMMEND.
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Legend:
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And, moving on... Last, but not least, we have Gainax's Wings of
Honneamise. It was with this amazing film that Studio Gainax established
itself as a maker of high-quality anime.
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SAM:
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Wings is to the Japanese, almost what Casablanca is to us here
in the States. It's a bit hard to describe all of what the movie is about,
but I've heard it best described as a tale of the human spirit triumphing
over all odds.
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Legend:
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It's a story about a man named Shiro Ledat, and his desire to fly in space.
More serious than the other shows we picked out, this one is widely
considered one of the best pieces of Japanese animation ever made.
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Fujin:
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DREAMS. HOPE.
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SAM:
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Fujin, that was almost poetic. In many ways, the movie is about both of
these things. In the beginning of the movie, the Royal Space Force branch of
the Honneamanian military is the laughingstock of the world. It may sound
sappy, but they manage to persevere through it all to achieve an impossible
goal. The best part of the movie is that it doesn't pretend to have the
panacea to the world's problems, or even some of them. Instead, it's about a
group of people trying their best to expand the boundaries of humanity, even
though they don't truly understand why. It just needs to be done.
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Legend:
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Definitely a film that any true fan of anime -- or movies in general --
should see.
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Fujin:
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AFFIRMATIVE.
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Legend:
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So, in closing... these shows, while they may not have as much recognition
as ones such as Ranma, Tenchi, and Eva, they are every
bit as worthwhile.
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SAM:
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Of course, there are always a lot of other shows out there that aren't as
well-known as Pokemon or Sailor Moon, but are still great.
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Legend:
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So, watch and enjoy. We promise you'll like them.
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Disclaimer: If you don't like them, take it out on Jae, and not me.
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SAM:
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Oh great, thanks Bart. Anyway, enjoy tonight's show (which includes none of
the above shows), and now that you're done reading this, go pour money into
concessions.
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Fujin:
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FAREWELL.
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Ryo-Ohki:
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Miya!
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Legend:
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Peace.
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