What other hobbies do you have

Anime is simply "Japanese animation". This has developed into a "style" (Korean anime, etc.), but "anime" = "Japanese". "Anime" does not mean "giant robots".

The best anime, IMO, is in series format. This is primarily because a lot of the anime movies -- with some big exceptions, like The Iron Giant and similar -- are reductions of anime series or try to explain some plot-point that was not quite developed in the series.

Some of my favorites:

* Full Metal Alchemist. Fantasy. Definitely start here if you've never been into anime before.
* Read or Die: The TV. Sorta science-fictiony. This shows the flexibility of the medium. It's about people that took the statement in Computer Boy about "I know oragami!" to the obvious extreme. However, why I list this as one of the top two to start with is because it's very light and fluffy and you will like the characters. It's consistently on most people's top 10 anime lists.
* Evangelion. Science fiction. This is regarded as a) one of the best and most important anime, evar and b) the defining anime for the "giant robot" genre, even though these are used sparingly. 99% of all anime since Eva make some reference (sometimes incredibly blatant) to Eva.
* Cowboy Bebop. Science fiction. First, this crosses over into music and that's all good (see http://www.woodwindforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=854 -- I have lotsa links to the music). It's regarded as one of the best animated anime and one with the best plots. And it's really, really kewl. The makers of this anime went on to make Samurai Champloo. If you liked the animation style in Bebop, you'll like Champloo.
* Elfen Lied. Science fiction. WARNING: incredibly graphic (about 60 decapitations in the first 5 minutes of episode 1; nudity, etc.). This one will just blow your mind, tho. I'm not into "graphic", but it fits for this series.

Once you get into anime more, there's an entire sub-class of parody anime, with Full Metal Panic: Fumoffu, Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi, Excel Saga and Pani Poni Dash being some of the major highlights.

Note that YouTube has a lot of the episodes from the above, online.
 
... and I like movies.

Star Wars: Episode IV. A New Hope. Science fiction. Watch it. The sequels are OK. The prequels aren't.
The Matrix. Science fiction. Watch it. Don't even bother with the sequels.
Groundhog Day. Comedy. Watch it. Bill Murray.
Evangelion: Death & Rebirth and Evangelion: The End of Evangelion. Anime. Science fiction.

The Eva picks require an explanation.

Death is a fairly good retelling of the entire Evangelion TV series. Rebirth is a retelling of the last three or so episodes of the TV series from a different viewpoint. However, it was unfinished by the release date, so The End of Evangelion was released to "finish" it.

So, you need to watch both films to get the whole story.

Eventually, all THREE were combined into Revival of Evangelion, but that movie is impossible to get in the US.
 
I love reading. I find it relaxing but tend to go in spurts.

I used to read a lot of Science Fiction when I was in my college years through about the age of 25 or so. Then I moved into some pure fiction for about five years. All along I've been a dedicated non-fiction reader. These days I pretty much just read non-fiction. Mostly history and politics along with my ever growing collection of jazz books.
 
It's because we're musicians

Funny enough, I don't know any musician who isn't a jack of many trades. I think this follows along the same vein as how grade school musicians tend to excell in their other courses too, not only are musicians the type of people who like to be involved, but the exposure to music tends to expand the mind.
 
I saw a cool youtube (I think it was) video on making chainmail. It was rather interesting.
 
Other than the many music-related things....

Computers, techno gadgets, dusting off my gamer cap for a while, cards, going to the movie theatre, going to see live theatre (especially musicals!), digging my way out of the woodshed and away from the computer to hang out with friends, reading, road trips!!!
 
acglass said:
It's a Japanese Nintendo DS game called Ace Attourney. Perhaps someday it will come out for the Wii, until then, I'll just have to make due with "Rock Band" (once June 22nd rolls around).
Click to expand...

Don't forget Wii music! ... isn't that coming out - later rather than sooner I assume.
 
Cell phones, computers, gadgets, internet...

but the biggest one is probably audio. I have a nice little headphone rig, with some limited edition (#39 of 480) Grado headphones (model HF-1). I have a dedicated source (a Toshiba SD-3950 DVD player... reviewed along side a 1995$ cd player in Stereophile a few years ago, it held up but the reviewer thought the 1995$ one was good enough to justify the extra $$$. I picked mine up for 19.95$. It was DEFINATELY worth 1/100th of the price). I also have custom made cables that go to a dedicated headphone amp.

Actually... i have two sources, two amps, and two high(ish) end sets of headphones here on the desk... I need more ears.

**BRENT**

BTW @Pete... no Orson Scott Card? Harmless omission, or act of defiance? ;)

ADDENDUM: Also... I forgot that I'm REALLY into cars. I'm a bimmer fan who hasn't owned one (yet), and I'm thinking of moving to Germany to be able to run on the Autobahn (at least the good section... with no speed limit). I was an avid autocross enthusiast until my beloved AX/DD was destroyed by an uninsured motorist! (My horn was in the car... I was on my way to a performance. 3 miles away, and 10 minutes til call. I only had one phone # and he didn't answer... they wondered what happened until practice the next week). I don't follow much racing, but I did follow the BimmerWorld sponsored BMW 135i that did pretty well. I think it was a GREAT car. If I had 40 grand for a car, that would be it. Yes, I know for 5 grand more I could have the 330i sedan, which I'd love, but the 1 is just great. I don't have 40k anyways... you know I'd get the 135i and struggle with the kids in the back, and strap the Ref 54 alto in the front with the 4-5k saved... ;)
 
Last edited:
MexicanDragon said:
BTW @Pete... no Orson Scott Card? Harmless omission, or act of defiance? ;)
Click to expand...
Someone I haven't really read too much of.

I liked the "Ender" series -- I haven't bothered with the recent re-writes. I liked the "Alvin Maker" series, too. "Homecoming" was ... OK. After these, I read Lovelock (which he wrote with someone else) and it was monkey hurlage.

Literally.

So, I can suggest him to folks and do, on occasion, but he's not in my top 10.

I think he lives near me, so I have to say good things about him.
 
1. Music of course
2. Dual line stunt kites
3. Computers
4. Golf
5. Swimming
6. Whatever is on the "honey-do" list
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom