Kimagure Orange Road

[dbml]

After 48 episodes, 8 OVAs and a movie, I will never again doubt that things from the '80s are the best.

I went into this series hearing only great things about it. How it was a great romantic comedy that never gets boring. After reading the synopsis... I thought, Damn. This does sound good! What's not to like about a comedic love triangle with delinquents? Sounds kinda like Toradora! Boy was I in for a surprise. It wasn't as good as Toradora... it was better!! I never thought I'd see a rom-com that would surpass Toradora, but KOR did.

It's completely episodic, other than the last 2 episodes. And it's seriously funny! Only series that I laughed harder watching was GTO. I loved every single character... even the annoying one. And Jingoro, that cat is hilarious! I also proclaim that Madoka is mine. Tyvm.

Best. Series. Ever. 11 out of 10! Anyone who loves rom-coms and hasn't seen this, I beseech you to watch it! And watch it nowwwww! Anyone else seen this gem of an oldie?

On a side note, I'd like to know how in the hell that me, a guy that loves action above all else... now has 2 romantic comedies and a romance drama as his top 3 series O_o Wth me... get with it.

[Nikaido]

I've only seen the second movie of that and enjoyed it very much. Perhaps because of the time travel aspect (yes, I'm a Back To The Future fanboy).  I've been meaning to look into it but totally forgot. Thanks for reminding me.

Also the dubbing for the second movie was decent. Not good mind you, just decent.

[dbml]

Heh, I still haven't seen the second movie actually. Since by that point the love triangle has ended. I'll pick it up later and watch it though.

Oh yes, the time traveling is great! There's quite a few episodes of it in the main series. You'll like it

[wylie]

I've only read the manga... how different are the anime+movies ? Do they have filler or do they add to the manga? Also at which point do they end?

[dbml]

I don't read manga personally, but apparently the anime and the manga aren't very similar (in the anime Kyosuke isn't a drunk, Madoka is a bit colder and Hikaru... well, she's still annoying) and the ending is completely different. I'm not sure exactly what you'd consider to be "filler" in a slice-of-life series though

[KyraMaverick]

I downloaded this during freeleech but haven't started it yet. I've been on an 80s kick with City Hunter.

[Nikaido]

I downloaded this during freeleech but haven't started it yet. I've been on an 80s kick with City Hunter.

The Jackie Chan movie was actually pretty good too. Heheh, Chun Li.

Ok, I have this set to start downloading once Berserker (dual-audio) is done.

[wylie]

I don't read manga personally, but apparently the anime and the manga aren't very similar (in the anime Kyosuke isn't a drunk, Madoka is a bit colder and Hikaru... well, she's still annoying) and the ending is completely different. I'm not sure exactly what you'd consider to be "filler" in a slice-of-life series though

lol 
Well I mean if it wasn't covered in the manga then I would classify it as filler.

[isukianime]

If you liked this I highly recommend Maison Ikkoku. It's even better. The only problem with Maison Ikkoku is that the first 10 - 11 episodes will make you want to drop it, after that it's awesome.

[dbml]

lol
Well I mean if it wasn't covered in the manga then I would classify it as filler.

Ah. Well I can't help you then Personally I only saw one or two "filler" episodes, where there was no development of the characters... and nothing happened within the love triangle. They were still funny as hell though, all the same.

If you liked this I highly recommend Maison Ikkoku. It's even better. The only problem with Maison Ikkoku is that the first 10 - 11 episodes will make you want to drop it, after that it's awesome.

I heard that it was very good. I'll get around to leeching that monstrosity at some point. lol

[maxxjulie]

i own the animeigo box set.  i bought it blindly for like $250 i think back when it was only available through their website.  best blind buy i've ever made.  the first movie is the most gut wrenching thing i've ever watched.  i watched it once and never again. 

[dbml]

i own the animeigo box set.  i bought it blindly for like $250 i think back when it was only available through their website.  best blind buy i've ever made.  the first movie is the most gut wrenching thing i've ever watched.  i watched it once and never again. 

Expensive.. but yes, good buy And you're telling me, the movie was exactly that. It was glorious though! It was so realistic and painful... loved every second of it.

[maxxjulie]

it's good and realistic, but too much for me.  it's like take one of my favorite anime characters ever and make a movie about stabbing her in the heart for 90 minutes straight.    jesus christ.  grave of the fireflies is like watching the hangover in comparison for me.

[dbml]

Ah, I see. We liked different characters then.

(click to show/hide)

I seriously loved Madoka. Hikaru on the other hand, I was all over the place with. She was very cute and happy-go-lucky, but she annoyed me so much, especially with her laugh. Towards the end of the series though, she had grown on me quite a bit and I began to like her as well. But when she revealed her true colors in the movie, I didn't like her anymore. She was seriously two-faced, pretending to be oblivious to how much Madoka and Kyosuke liked each other, when she knew they did and purposefully tried to stay between them. What she went through was painful to watch... and I don't think she deserved it that badly, but I did NOT want her to end up with Kyosuke. So I was pleased with how the movie ended. That movie really took a page out of some of the high-end tragic dramas though, like KgNE or the Ef series... as that was painful to watch.

Oh. And Grave of the Fireflies was so sickeningly depressing. Ugh. I hated it. That was far, FAR worse than this movie

[Ixarku]

If you liked this I highly recommend Maison Ikkoku. It's even better. The only problem with Maison Ikkoku is that the first 10 - 11 episodes will make you want to drop it, after that it's awesome.

I agree with your first statement, but personally I liked KOR better -- it's one of my favorite animes of all times.  I saw it for the first time in the mid-90s.  The first movie is definitely gut-wrenchingly painful to watch… it’s almost as bad as going through a real-life breakup!

I thought that Maison Ikkoku had more realistic characters, but it was way too long and drawn out.  Watching Maison Ikkoku recently for the first time, I had to marathon it in parts just because some of the story arcs were so frustrating that I couldn't stop in the middle.

I was also amused that Toru Furuya, the voice of Kyosuke in KOR, was also the voice of Amuro Rey from Gundam, and Hiromi Tsuru (Madoka) also did Asuna's voice in Maison Ikkoku.

I’m curious if anyone has any suggestions for other shows along the lines of MI or KOR.  I’m watching Marmalade Boy now.  That one’s entertaining so far, but I’m only 30+ episodes into it.

[isukianime]

I’m curious if anyone has any suggestions for other shows along the lines of MI or KOR.  I’m watching Marmalade Boy now.  That one’s entertaining so far, but I’m only 30+ episodes into it.

http://bakabt.me/128251-hana-yori-dango-am.html

this is supposed to be very good too.

[kenshin-dono]

wow i remember seeing summers begining, i guess thats the very last movie. A LONG time ago. Like when it came out on VHS here in the states. I remember having no idea WTF was going on but thinking it seemed kinda interesting.I really dont remember much of it other than thinking that it seemed like a lot of important stuff was going on that i couldn't get so i just forgot about it

I didn't know there was a long tv series, oav, and other movie to it o_O

Are you seriuos? As good as GTO? Thats one of my favorite shows, its hilarious.

I find it odd you guys are saying the movie is sad as hell.. you mean the first one, not summers begining right? I dont remember it being particularly sad. I thought this was a comedy o_O

interesting that someone mentinos hana yori dango. I d.loaded that durring freelech because i heard its a classic, and the pic of the chick flipping off the camera on the torrent here sold me ;P I had completely forgotten about Maison and this though. This will be the only place to find it probably, theyre so old i cant picture them being up on torrents or even IRC anywhere

[dbml]

Are you seriuos? As good as GTO? Thats one of my favorite shows, its hilarious.

I find it odd you guys are saying the movie is sad as hell.. you mean the first one, not summers begining right? I dont remember it being particularly sad. I thought this was a comedy o_O

GTO = best comedy. KOR = best romantic comedy. First KOR movie = serious drama.

[Ixarku]

http://bakabt.me/128251-hana-yori-dango-am.html

this is supposed to be very good too.

Thanks, I'll check that one out.

So it has occurred to me that, were shows like KOR, MI, MB etc not anime, I probably would not even be remotely interested in them.  I was watching Marmalade Boy with my roommate recently, like 20something episodes into it, and the conversation went something like this:

"We’re not gay for watching this, are we?”
“As long as we don’t watch the dub, we can pretend that we’re studying Japanese.”
“Yeah, I was thinking the same thing.”
“Oh, shi--!  The dramatic music started!  Something’s about to happen!”

[dbml]

So it has occurred to me that, were shows like KOR, MI, MB etc not anime, I probably would not even be remotely interested in them.
....
"We’re not gay for watching this, are we?”
“As long as we don’t watch the dub, we can pretend that we’re studying Japanese.”
“Yeah, I was thinking the same thing.”
“Oh, shi--!  The dramatic music started!  Something’s about to happen!”

I agree. It's unlikely I'd watch them as well. Anime romance > movie romance