Out of all the shows I’ve watched for this column, I feel that DISGAEA is, unequivocally, the one I’m least qualified to review. Oh, I feel that in my bones, because this is so far off from my “demo” that it might as well come from another planet. And I’m sure that’d still be the case even if I played any of the video games the cover so proudly declares this to be based on.
I don’t know… criticizing anything really seems unfair. The dialogue was more on-the-nose a blackhead, the discussions of love and the value of emotions were obvious on to the point of being pedestrian and by the time the space man, his girlfriend and the robot from LOST IN SPACE showed up, I had pretty much checked out. This isn’t all-ages, it’s kids-only and I suppose there’s nothing wrong with that, per se, but it also makes any review I try to write feel like writing a discourse about a picture book.
Technically feasible? Sure. Worthwhile, maybe not so much.
In lieu of getting an deeper into DISGAEA (because, I promise you, I won’t be,) I suppose this would be a good time to take stock of all the pilot episodes I’ve watched out of the DVDs Funimation sent me. So far, I’ve reviewed the first shots of…
- INITIAL D: SECOND STAGE (which I’m not continuing, for damn sure.)
- GANTZ (which intrigued me, despite the consensus that the manga’s better.)
- SACRED BLACKSMITH (which I’m eager to get into since it’s a short OVA)
- TSUBASA: TOKYO REVELATIONS (which is too far along to properly get into)
- REQUIEM FOR THE PHANTOM (which might be the cleanest show to follow)
And then there was a random episode of the highly-controversial, ONE PIECE, which was really just more of curiosity to check since that's Godlen’s area. I’ve got one more show to watch, and then I’ll pick up one of these based on the vote of you lunatics. Considering that DARKER THAN BLACK won second place for the last vote, I might watch that once I’m done with BROTHERHOOD. How do you lunatics feel?
Anyway, watch the first episode of this show below and keep your eyes peeled for the DVD of the complete series that Funimation's putting out...Tom Pinchuk’s the writer of HYBRID BASTARDS! & UNIMAGINABLE . Order them on Amazon here & here . Follow him on Twitter: @tompinchuk
I've never watched Darker Than Black, but I'm always hearing good things about it. Too bad they didn't send you any Strike Witches. It's not to everyone's tastes, but I find it kind of cute. Though, I can see why people would be bothered by it. I just love of the bits of WWII history scattered throughout the series. There are a ton of Easter Eggs in that series if you know your history. One of the things that makes it good is that it's short.
Actually, Sacred Blacksmith doesn't classify as OVA. OVAs are one shots that are sold directly to the market on DVD and not normally aired on TV. That's why they can more often get away with being edgier in nudity. Similar to a direct to DVD movie.
Sacred Blacksmith as aired week after week on TV.
Sometimes OVAs work as pilot episodes. Strike Witches anime started out with an OVA, then it got a regular TV series and a second season.
Other times, OVA are extra content. There was the second season anime of Negima!. A few weeks after that began was a set of OVAs released a month apart. The Negima! Spring & Negima! Summer Specials(though in the US they were sold together in a single package.).
After the second season was over. They started to release special OVA discs that continued the anime story. Negima! White Wing and Negima! Another World. Each disc had three to four episodes on them.
fix that right now.
Anyway i should really get around to playing Disgaea someday.
In terms of what you should watch, I would say go for Darker than Black and Claymore next. Unless you have some other good series you haven't previewed yet, it sounds like Funimation didn't send you much that would work for Watch & Learn on AnimeVice. That and I've watched both of those series already.
Now for what you want to watch, Clearly Darker than Black will be next right after Brotherhood.
REQUIEM FOR THE PHANTOM would also be a good show for you and it will have some good plot twist.
Anyways, let us know when you're going to throw up the poll. I'll wind up picking up, or watching in some way whatever you pick next.
OVA or no, it is about a seventh of the length and FMA and thus, a little enticing right now as a prospect.
Try Darker than Black It could remind you of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_Cards_(anthology) a bit.It has its cutsy bits but mostly its got a darker feel to it .The ova must be watched tween 1st an second season or things just dont make sence at 1st. if you havent yet seen Black Lagoon yet i highly recomend it. Those two are right up their with Cowboy Beebop imho.But darker more sin city-ish .