In The Beginning...

[Teahouse Keeper]

Well? Introduce yourselves or something.

This is the Teahouse Keeper who likes Sour Cream & Onion potato chips and milk shakes. You?

[Fallenone]

mmm, Sour and Cream...my favourite too.

Name's Fallen1. Underachiever and bum at the moment, opinionated dolt at times and doomsayer all the while. ;D

Enjoys soccer, anime, manga, comic strips.

Cheers!

[HiLife]

Hello hello, Hilife here signing in. Hehe.

[Esioul]

Erm, who are you? I got sent this link in an email and I know you got my email off the chronicles forum.

[Teahouse Keeper]

Hi Esioul! Welcome! I am the creator of this site

Yes, I sent you the email after visiting the Chronicles site (great site by the way!!). I'm very much into Fantasy & Sci-fi and hope like-minded individuals such as yourself will come here, have fun, enjoy and relax

You can discuss film, books, games, anime, manga/comics and everything else pertaining to F&SF or other genres! Everybody is welcome!!!

Actually, I created this site with half an intention to turn it F&SF, so some of the categories reflect that (for instance, Cover Art and Artists). Ultimately, I decided to open the site to everybody who shares the love of books, writing, art, gaming, film, tv, manga/comics, swapping...

As you can see, the Teahouse needs jazzing up!! Tell everybody about it! I hope you continue dropping by!! Enjoy your stay here

[Esioul]

Hello, I've decided to register. I'm Esioul, I'm a student and I'm from England. I thought it would be fun to be around for the birth of a new forum, rather than appear when everyone already knows each other and has formed cliques. So hello. Um, I like speculative fiction, and what my friends call 'old stuff'. I also like writing... although I can't say I'm any good at that.

[justarius]

From England? I studied in London for the past 4 years before returning this year to Singapore.

Speculative fiction? What's that? ;D

[natsuk0]

hi.... hmm.. me?? im sec 4 ths yr. aww>< 'o' coming.. stress... hmm, me love chicken rice^^ n milk... haha... yumyum... i love anime... esp p.o.t n naruto... i collect anime merchandises 2 ;D.. they r my beloved bt is oso e 1 tt cause me 2 b broke TT.TT i love 5566 2... they rox!

[Esioul not signed it yet]

I think you may be joking with me, Justarius.. but spec fic is sci fi/fantasy. It's quicker to call it spec fic. I know nothing about anime- I've never seen it. We only have terrestrial tv here.

[Teahouse Keeper]

Hi Natsuk0 Glad to have you here! Welcome, welcome! So, you're sec 4 this year...how's the stress level? Hahaha...Where do you purchase your anime merchandise?

Esioul, I'm very glad you decided to stay Are cliques common in other forums? You mentioned you like "old stuff". What might that be?

Glad to hear you like writing too! Well, if you like, you can always post your inspired works here It would be fun.

Also, I'm surprised you've never seen anime. Perhaps you have seen it but didn't think of it as such? Inaccurately speaking, anime is Japanese cartoon. The term "cartoon" is inaccurate because it's different from the typical type of cartoons that we know

Anime deals with many different themes and it's surprising the kind of stories that come up. Compared to other animation, the Japanese variety is very different, bold, more beautiful and artistic.

If there are movie rental shops in your area, perhaps they have anime for rent?

[Esioul]

I've seen the odd Japanese cartoon that reached our televisions, but I heard that these aren't regarded as being very good anime, and that there are better Japanese cartoons around. I might try renting some- anything you reccommend as being a good start?

Cliques can be very common in forums, yes. As for 'old stuff', I suppose things written over a hundred years ago. At the moment I'm reading things like Anna Karenina and Sir Walter Scott, that being old stuff.

[Teahouse Keeper]

Well, so far, what kind of anime have you seen on television? Most certainly, there are plenty of great anime around. I guess "good anime" is pretty subjective, although there are obviously bad anime that make no sense whatsoever.

Have you heard of Spirited Away by Hayao Miyazaki? This guy has done fantastic work and has a great following even in America. Besides Spirited Away, he also did Princess Mononoke, Castle in the Sky, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Totoro and some others. I'm pretty sure your rental store will carry these titles since they are popular and have had great reviews everywhere.

Spirited Away is about a 10 year-old girl called Chihiro who stumbles upon the spirit world when her parents make a wrong turn while on their way to a new town. Her parents are captured and Chihiro must first become a part of this strange new world before she can save them.

Ultimately, Chihiro's journey is both magical and enriching for both Chihiro and the viewer! It's something that's unrivaled by any other anime so far. I've watched it 3 times and it's still great every time. In fact, my love affair with anime began with Spirited Away!

The artwork is of a very rare, beautiful and detailed quality that's unique to Miyazaki. Also, the music score is fabulous, particularly the end theme song.

Personally, I prefer watching anime with Japanese dialogue and English subtitles. I think the original Japanese voices are always superior to the English dubbed ones. Not sure what you prefer, however

Another anime that you might want to check out is The Last Unicorn. It's an American and Japanese production I think. The art is Japanese but it's voiced by American actors/actresses. It's a pretty old anime that's very good.

*nods* Yes, I see what you mean by "old stuff". You read the classics. I'm not usually into classics although I have sometimes picked a few—H.G. Wells, 3 Musketeers, a bit of Jules Verne. What do you like about "old stuff"? What's their appeal for you?

[Esioul not logged in yet]

I like anything that seems to be written well- by that I mean a good writing style (flows well, with good attention to the combinations of sounds, not too jerky, and preferably original), interesting characters and themes. For me that can include anything from the classics to more modern things like fantasy. But I'm quite picky about books- if I think a book is badly written I quickly give up on it.

I like Jules Verne- that one where they go into a volcano, can't rmemeber the name of it. Read that a few years ago. I reccommend R L Stevenson to you if you like Verne- I recently read 'Kidnapped' and loved it. I'm reading Anna Karenina now, I adore Levin... ok I know I'm insane.

Heh, I've seen the Last Unicron- I didn't realise that was anime. I thought stuff like Pokeman or whatever it is (all the kids a few years younger than me used to be very keen on that) was typical of anime, but I see there are many different forms of it. I enjoyed the Last Unicorn, and liked the art very much.

[justarius]

Guest-Esioul said:

I think you may be joking with me, Justarius.. but spec fic is sci fi/fantasy. It's quicker to call it spec fic. I know nothing about anime- I've never seen it. We only have terrestrial tv here.

Nope, me ain't kidding with you, just that I've never heard the term speculative fiction before, though in retrospect, I might have associated it with fantasy/sci-fi writing.

You should try watching anime (most of it is downloadable from the web), it's simply fantasy/sci-fi in a cartoon form, which amazingly don't really detracts from some of the very serious themes some of the anime deals with.

And the Teahouse Keeper has made a good recommendation in 'Spirited Away'. I've watched it in the UK in fact in one of the major cinemas, so there's a good chance you can pick it up there.

I like Jules Verne alot too, together with HG Wells. I think the book you are referring to is part of the Professor Challenger's series (which I've read a long time ago), though the exact title escape me at the moment.

[natsuk0]

Teahouse said:

Hi Natsuk0 Glad to have you here! Welcome, welcome! So, you're sec 4 this year...how's the stress level? Hahaha...Where do you purchase your anime merchandise?

stress lvl.... hmm... actually im still quite relax nw... i jus found out tt i havent start revision... i tink i better start soon.... anime merchandise hmm... i mostly go 2 KKnM 2 gt them.. hehe.. they really haf alot of great stuff bt since im nt tt rich, i decide 2 stop collecting poster, idol cards n pencil board... i find them useless.... bt sumtime i do go 2 sum online store frm s'pore 2 check out more merchandise....

[Teahouse Keeper]

Oh Esioul, you've seen The Last Unicorn! Yes, that's anime aka Japanese animation The artwork is very Japanese, especially the backgrounds which are like Japanese paintings. It’s beautiful in a different way compared to other anime. The appearance of the human characters are however, quite westernized. I like the wizard called Schmendrick! He’s neither handsome nor cute but he is very human in his efforts to become a real wizard.

I just discovered that the Japanese studio that animated Last Unicorn is the predecessor of Miyazaki’s Ghibli studios! www.animemojo.com/news/articles/86.asp

Pokemon is just one type of Japanese animation that's more for children. A lot of anime deals with very adult themes that other animation wouldn't touch. For instance, homosexuality, incest, erotica, murder, revenge, love, war, good versus evil, what it means to be human...

Say, have you seen The Flight of Dragons? Again, the characters are westernized but the artwork is Japanese. Story and music are great.

The Jules Verne book involving the volcano is Journey To The Center Of The Earth. I haven’t read it but that should be it. I only recently read some chapters of Around the World in Eighty Days and it was quite hilarious although long-winded. The older books tend to go about things in a very roundabout manner It takes some getting used to.

I haven't read Robert Louis Stevenson but I've watched those "Treasure Island" films. I'll be sure to pick up "Kidnapped" when I next visit the library.

You mentioned Levin...I can't seem to put a full name to it.

Actually, like Justarius, I didn't really think of Speculative Fiction as F&SF. Is the term "speculative fiction" more commonly used than F&SF?

What about Wilkie Collins? The one who wrote Woman in White? I only read his collection of horror stories and they were surprisingly good.

At the moment, I'm reading Dragon Venom (third book of the Obsidian Chronicles) by Lawrence Watt-Evans. Fabulous writer!!! I only just discovered him! It's really quite amazing the way he lets the events unfold and the characters grow in the most natural way...

Natsuk0, are the exams here already? What's KKnM? I didn't know there are online anime merchandise stores here. Which online stores do you visit or buy from?

[natsuk0]

hmm... 'o' will start in nov... haiz, ard my bday... guess i cant celebrate ths yr bday... bt my prelim gonna start soon... mid aug.. haiz, n 2 tink i havent touch my bk @ all yet... KKnM is a shop in s'pore tt sells anime merchandises original frm jap... surprise tt u dunno... haha, cox alot of 'real' anime fans will noe.... its quite pop. esp among e mad anime fans.... i go 2 sum jap online shop 2 check 4 new items avail... 2 jus set aside sum $$ 2 buy it b4 it reach s'pore.. sumtime, if i haf extra cash, i'll visit anime-confetti or anime rainbow 2 gt sum of e stuffs.... they r e 2 online local store wich i go quite often 2 buy merchandises.... bt i still prefer KKnM more la....

[Teahouse Keeper]

Wow, Natsuk0, your prelim start so early. So fast. And you haven't touched your books yet?! Alamak. Better hurry! But must also keep calm....must breathe in, then breathe out...breathe in, breathe out...hahahaha...

No, ah...I meant to ask what's the full name of KKnM. Where is it located?

Actually, I'm not a very "real" anime fan...I don't collect anime merchandise and only recently became crazy about anime.

I guess you must work to get $$ in order to buy your anime stuff? Wow, your room must be crowded with posters and everything!

[ChaTeAubRianD]

hi! i'm chateaubriand and umm.... well, i love anime especially the ones made by yuu watase. i also love writing but sometimes i just can't find the right words when i'm writing something. i also like sour and cream flavoured chips.^-^

[Teahouse Keeper]

Oh! Chateaubriand, you like sour cream potato chips too! Yeah...the Yuu Watase anime would be Ayashi no Ceres, Fushigi Yuugi...are there others? I'm not sure about her latest manga...is Alice 19th her latest one? From reading some interviews and some of her manga, I think that Yuu Watase is quite cute...she has a fun sense of humour and her drawings of men have a very unique beauty.

Yeah, the problem with writing is that somehow, what you're writing is different from what you're seeing in your head. I get that all the time and it frustrates me a lot

[pippichan]

Hi, everyone! Pippi-chan desu. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu! I like manga and anime, especially Get Backers I think the story's very awesome. I like writing, too. I hope I can post my stories and fanfictions here so you guys can read them.
To Teahouse keeper, thanks for inviting me to join in!
Arigatou.

[Teahouse Keeper]

Great to have you here, Pippichan Yeah! I LOVE Getbackers too!! I haven't finished watching the series at the moment....

Yeah, just post stuff you like. Look forward to seeing your works

[pippichan]

Teahouse keeper, glad to hear you like Get backers too. Who's your fav characters? I like Ban and Kazuki the most!
Haven't finished watching the series, yet? What's episode you saw last?

[Teahouse Keeper]

I'm at episode 40 and don't have the complete set. Is Getbackers still showing in Japan at the moment? Are downloads available?

I think Ban and Ginji are equally cute! Their personalities match very well. Ban can be quite hard-hearted because he is always concerned about money. On the other hand, Ginji is too soft-hearted and don't think about money at all. Together, they form a great team and it's very hilarious watching them argue and fight. I really love it when Ginji changes into the cute form. Sooo...CUTE!!! And it's really cute when Ginji calls his partner "Ban-chan" in that cute voice.

Besides Ban and Ginji, I also like Akabane very much. He's so funny!! I like his voice a lot and it's fun when Ginji and Akabane are together. I love the part at the hospital where Akabane gives Ginji a slice of apple

Yeah, I like Kazuki too. His threads are very interesting. Shido is also very interesting although it's quite strange when he turns into an animal His relationship with Madoka is very sweet and lovely. He's a really nice guy.

[pippichan]

Unfortunately, I don't think it's still showing in Japan. And I don't know where you can download it, either. Gomen ne.
Episode 40, eh? You haven't known the character named Cruz Masaki yet, I presume. Or have you? I slightly forget abt the episodes arragement. ;D He's the last of four kings of VOLTS.
Do you read the manga also? The manga has 24 volumes and I can't say it's ended.

[Teahouse Keeper]

Ah...I did a little checking online and found that GetBackers ended in Japan in 2003. Also, because it's already licensed, downloads are not available anymore. Mmm...I think I may have the complete set after all. I'm not sure because I rented the series from a shop and it looked as if it wasn't the whole set

Anyway, the total number of episodes is 49. You mentioned Cruz Masaki...I looked him up and it seems he's called Kurusu Masaki I haven't seen him yet, but he will appear in episode 49.

Kurusu Masaki is the last king of Volts? Initially, I thought the 4th King was Teshimine Takeru (the guy who found young Ginji in Mugenjou)...Then I went to this website called GB World. Under the section called GB Mysteries, there's a list of unclear stuff about GetBackers. It seems the identity of the 4th king is unknown...aa.1asphost.com/gbworld/mysteries.htm#volts

I think you may have visited the site before. Here's the main page: aa.1asphost.com/gbworld/index2.htm

Mm, I don't usually read manga because the rental shops only have them in Chinese and it's hard for me to read in Chinese. Unfortunately, I don't know Japanese, otherwise I will definitely read! So far, I've only read 3 Yami no Matsuei manga. I think I prefer watching anime

Is the Get Backers manga very good? I heard the anime is better than the manga.

[pippichan]

I've visited the website some time ago. Yeah, it's said there that the identity of the last of four kings is unknown. But in anime, it's revealed that Cruz (Kurusu) Masaki is the the fourth king.

Makubex finally found a way to separate Lower Town from Babylon city's power. That's why The Gods of Mugenjou considered him as dangerous. They sent Masaki to stop Makubex. Then, Ginji and Ban came back to Mugenjou to get Makubex back from Masaki's custody.

The actions in anime is easier to understood, I think. But in manga, the drawings are more detailed. Personally, I think the manga and the anime complete each other.

[Teahouse Keeper]

Ok!! Finished watching GetBackers! Hahaha...yeah, the 4th Volts King is Cruz/Kurusu Masaki. "Kurusu" sounds like Cruz when they say it quickly...I'm still not sure whether it's Cruz or Kurusu Anyway, Cruz appears for the first time in episode #43 and everyone's shocked to discover that he's not on Ginji's side anymore.

Overall, GetBackers was really great to watch...But it felt as if the anime people didn't really know where to go with it. Although some episodes were hilarious, they really didn't mean much. The Mugenjou episodes were also quite similar.

Still, I really like Ban and all the other characters! The ending was really great!....Akabane walking down the street, Shido being overwhelmed by Madoka's shopping stuff, Himiko riding up beside the GetBackers' car, Kagami taking photos and naughtily smiling at Himiko's picture which he had secretly taken

Yeah! I always feel that the action in manga is quite confusing because I can't see what's going on. All I see is a lot of ink and it's just not clear what happened.

Hmm...so the GetBackers manga and anime complete each other...that's very interesting to hear

[pippichan]

Oh, you've finished watching Get Backers! Yokatta! I'm glad to hear that! ;D

Yea, they complete each other because there's a story that the manga doesn't have but the anime has it. And vise versa.

For example, the first episode of the anime told us how Ban and Ginji met Natsumi. But in manga volume 1 we're only introduced to Ban and Ginji. Natsumi had already worked part time in Honky Tonk Cafe.

In manga, there's a story abt Ban and Ginji asked to retrieve a giant manekineko which led to a mad physician who put men into comma and sold their inside organs. Creepy, huh? We didn't have that in anime.

[Teahouse Keeper]

Whoa, fabulous! Thanks for the elaboration Pippichan! I see what you mean Mm, I think it's important to show how Natsumi met the guys and how she started working at Honky Tonk. I'm surprised that part is not in the manga.

The manga story about the mad physician sounds interesting How different are the anime and manga stories?