Topic: RossRoy's Random Viewings

[Tom]

Different you say? Wow! At first, I could barely keep up! It's such a hyperactive show! There's what? 1,000,000 mini-episodes per 24-minute episode? (slight exaggeration )

Hyperactive? And here I thought the series could be paced too slowly for you
I think I have explained it in my review. The original manga was a 4-panel comic you find in daily newspapers. And I think this is reflected well in the series. Also one 25 minutes episode was originally five 5-minute episodes (aired during the week), with all bundled to one episode airing on Saturday.

I also know where you got your current avatar from (though you might've mentioned it before, I can't remember)! And guess what? I think she'll turn out to be my favourite character too

Yes, Nyamo is one of my favorites in this series

She'll get tough competition from Sakaki though. She got me, right from the start, when i-forget-her-name wants Kaorin wants to ask her to join the astronomy club, but never actually asks, and Sakaki just says "I wish she'd invited me"... that's so me!!)

Yes, Sakaki is the obvious fan-favorite. But I have one character, without which I think the series would only be half as fun. And that is Tomo. She won me over in the episode where they first visited Chiyo-chan's summer house (the scene with the key).
Another character, which I like, is Kagura. She joins the group in the second school year. She may seem like a rip-off of Sakaki mixed with Tomo, but somehow I found her more interesting.

from 3:05 -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQEkRbsMAqQ

Aaaahhh! Ears bleeding! 
I am joking. It wasn't as bad as some other dubs. Except for the terrible voice of Chiyo, this part was watchable.

[RossRoy]

I think I have explained it in my review.

You probably did. I did read the review back then, but I didn't read it now before watching, so I didn't remember. I did go on the internet afterwards and found out about the 5-minute episode, 1 per day during the week, and then the replay of all 5 into a single episode on the weekend. And I actually like that format now!

from 3:05 -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQEkRbsMAqQ

Aaaahhh! Ears bleeding! 
I am joking. It wasn't as bad as some other dubs. Except for the terrible voice of Chiyo, this part was watchable.

I know I know.. I thought about warning you in advance, but then you wouldn't have gone and watched it

I just remembered.. I had a really big "WTF" moment during the first episode. Twice actually. When Chiyo does her "cooking is so fun" segment. I actually said aloud "WTF" hahaha!

[Tom]

I just remembered.. I had a really big "WTF" moment during the first episode. Twice actually. When Chiyo does her "cooking is so fun" segment. I actually said aloud "WTF" hahaha!

This scene is some kind of deal breaker. I remember, when I first watched this episode, I had my first big laugh there. I don't know why. This scene has the potential to turn off most viewers if the opening didn't already. The opening is one of those, where you think WTF the first time you see it, but it really grows more and more on you every time you watch it. After the third episode I couldn't get it out of my mind anymore.


Here is something which I also have watched many times. An AMV based on Azumanga scenes. I usually do not watch many AMVs, because most of them are not worthwhile to watch, but this one I really enjoy (doesn't include any spoilers):
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=23197757

[RossRoy]

This scene is some kind of deal breaker. I remember, when I first watched this episode, I had my first big laugh there. I don't know why. This scene has the potential to turn off most viewers

It was really odd and it came out of nowhere.

The opening is one of those, where you think WTF the first time you see it, but it really grows more and more on you every time you watch it. After the third episode I couldn't get it out of my mind anymore.

I thought the opening was really odd, but it does set the tone of the series. You know right then and there to pretty much expect anything and that the show has the potential of going completely crazy!

Here is something which I also have watched many times. An AMV based on Azumanga scenes. I usually do not watch many AMVs, because most of them are not worthwhile to watch, but this one I really enjoy (doesn't include any spoilers):
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=23197757

Pardon my ignorance but... What's an AMV?

[Tom]

Pardon my ignorance but... What's an AMV?

Anime Music Video.
A video made by fans using a music track and setting it to scenes of one or more animes.
Most are not worthwhile to watch. But sometimes you encounter one, which really is just perfectly edited. Or tell a good story or have otherwise an original idea.

[RossRoy]

I'm halfway through Volume 4 of Azumanga Daioh now, and I'm enjoying it thoroughly. But against all odds, my favorite character has changed. I'm liking Osaka more and more each episode. She pretty much has all the best moments, and she single handedly makes me laugh the most. The facial expressions (or lack thereof) they give her are priceless. And her totally out of the blue remarks... I love them! 

[Tom]

Osaka is also the favorite character of a friend of mine (tied with Sakaki). Although she has great scenes, she never was a favorite of mine. I would rate the six girls like this:
1. Tomo
2. Kagura
3. Sakaki
4. Chiyo
5. Osaka
6. Yomi

This tells how good this series is to me. Even such a great character like Osaka only manages to get place 5, being surpassed by four others. And this is not even including supporting characters like the teachers or Kaorin.

[RossRoy]

I wish they'd given more screen time to Kaorin.. but then, with the type of character they make her out to be, it would probably get really old really fast to see her lose all sense of reality every time Sakaki is around hehe

[Tom]

I wish they'd given more screen time to Kaorin.. but then, with the type of character they make her out to be, it would probably get really old really fast to see her lose all sense of reality every time Sakaki is around hehe

They enhanced her role a little compared to the manga. There she had an even smaller part.

[RossRoy]

I would rate the six girls like this:
1. Tomo
2. Kagura
...

Seems you prefer energetic girls!

I prefer the darker, calmer ones, hence Osaka and Sakaki being my favorites

[Tom]

I would rate the six girls like this:
1. Tomo
2. Kagura
...

Seems you prefer energetic girls!

I prefer the darker, calmer ones, hence Osaka and Sakaki being my favorites

I usually do also, but here these two characters cause the most fun in my opinion. In the beginning, Sakaki was also my favorite.
But my favorite character overall is Nyamo (see my avatar). And she counts as calm (or at least rational), doesn't she?

[RossRoy]

And she counts as calm (or at least rational), doesn't she?

Until the second visit to Chiyo's summer house that is 

(click to show/hide)

That's where she gets drunk on Sake and talks to the girls about "adult relations"

[RossRoy]

   Azumanga Daioh: Class Album
   

Original Title: Azumanga daiô Year: 2002 Country: Japan Director: Hiroshi Nishikiori Rating: TV-PG Length: 26 x ~24 min. Video: Full Frame 1.33:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital 5.1, Japanese: Dolby Digital Stereo Subtitles: English

   

Chiyo-chan	Osaka	Miss Sakaki	Yomi	Tomo

   

What they say
In Miss Yukari's English class, every day is an adventure.

First off, there's the airhead teacher herself. She may have graduated from high school, but she sure hasn't left. And with the arrival of two transfer students - a ten-year-old prodigy and a space cadet - it's going to be an intersting class! Between handling enormous assignments, dodging murderous volleyballs, and eduring endless rivalries, summer vacation should serve as a welcome break for the weary student - unless your teachers come with you! Getting through three years alive with this motley crew is going to be an adventure!

My Thoughts
Osaka: I've always wanted to trip on a banana peel and fall on my face!

That was great! The series was a nice change of pace from what I'm used to. I usually watch anime where they stick to a story that is told through the length of the series. Here, without going too deep into the format of the series (which Tom explains much better than I ever could), we very loosely follow the girls as they go through the 3 years of high school. But, despite that, each episode is selfcontained. There's no real overarching plot or anything, but there are some references to previous episodes, but nothing serious.

The series is a comedy through and through. From the animation style, to the character designs (as you can notice from the covers above) everything is geared toward humour. And it worked for me. I found the whole series hilarious. While I do have my favourites, Osaka was consistently the funniest to me and they just can't feature Sakaki enough to satisfy me, all the characters have their "moment", even the supporting characters.

All in all, a great, light, fun and humorous series. I loved it!

.5

[Tom]

Time for another series 

Looking at your collection you have still some other great anime. I don't know, if you watched any of these yet, but I can really recommend:
Elfen Lied
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
Gunslinger Girl
and of course
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

[RossRoy]

Time for another series 

Looking at your collection you have still some other great anime. I don't know, if you watched any of these yet, but I can really recommend:
Elfen Lied
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
Gunslinger Girl
and of course
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

I have yet to watch any of those yet.

I'm currently watching Ah! My Goddess: Flights of Fancy (I think I like it even more than the first series!), then I was going to watch The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, and then take a little break from Anime and watch a few movies, or a TV series or 2.

But then, I've also had my sight on Madlax. I loved Noir when I watched it, and Madlax, if I'm not mistaken, is pretty much the same people from what I read. That or Gad Guard.