Second-Chance Anime

Okay, I got to thinking again . . .

Sometimes I watch an anime show (or a few episodes) and think "Enh . . whatever" and go on with my life. But then I see the show again in some manner and realize, "Hey, this is pretty good."

So here's my question: What anime shows are "second-chance" shows in your experience? (And why?)

When you saw these shows again, they were better than you first thought. For some reason, you like it much better the second time around.

I'm not talking about shows you really liked and they seem to get better every time you see them. (In my case, that'd be something like Big O or Last Exile.) These are what you would call "masterpiece" shows. I'm not talking about those kinds.

I'm talking about something you really didn't think much of the first time around, but it piqued your interest when you saw it again.


The most recent "second-chance" anime I've seen is the .hack//SIGN series. (This is the original series showed on Cartoon Network with Tsukasa and friends.)

When I first saw this show from time to time on CN, I thought it was a slow yawner, a lot of standing around and talking. And with an unlikeable main character.

But now that I'm watching the show again (courtesy of my local library), I'm enjoying it a lot more. The story does have some interesting concepts. The slower pace gives it a sleepy feel. And I enjoy some of the characters - like Mimiru and Bear. Also, the animation is high quality, beautiful settings, sharp character designs. And the music creates a neat fantasy gaming, mystical, mysterious, somber quality. Great use of the pan flute.


So what shows have you seen that deserve a second chance?

Cowboy bebop......On it's first few AS runs (Way back when) I thought that it was a bloodier version and a rip off of OLS. It took me a while to get into it....like 2 years after it's first few runs....But now look at it....it's now one of my favorite anime.

Last Exile. The dub made me want to puke.

Here's another question: Are there any anime shows out there that you didn't think were so great after seeing them a second time?


One that comes to my mind is Gundam Wing.

Yeah, it's an okay show. I like Duo. And Quatre (sp?) is a nice voice of reason at times - when he doesn't go nutso and blast a space colony. And the mecha designs are some of the best I've seen.

That said, it goes on forever(!) with supposed political intrigue and sides switching and peace preaching. The last ten or so episodes are the best - when the five pilots actually become a sort of team in space and take on both sides of the war.

When I first watched Gundam Wing, it was one of the first anime shows I'd seen on Cartoon Network. I liked the giant robots and was reminded of Robotech. But I watched it recently within this year and it went a few notches lower on my AQOS - anime quality opinion scale.

Heheh Big O.

Saw it on toonami but didn't make the effort to watch every episode until I saw it on Adult Swim.

One series that comes to mind is Sister Princess. Believe it or not, I did not like what I saw when I saw two episodes back in December. It looked really silly and I wasn't too fond of the English voice acting. I stopped thinking about it until I looked at images and any other info on this series on the Internet. I bought the first DVD on my birthday (with the money I recieved for my birthday). I didn't see the first two episodes before, so I started to get interested in this series. After that, I went and got the next three DVDs, and now I've become a fan of Sister Princess. There's only three more DVDs before I finish the series.

As for the second question, I'll say Dragonball Z. When it came out years ago on Toonami, I was really into it. I remember always waiting to find out what happens next. However, as years got by, I watched it again, and I'm not much of a fan anymore. I still watch a little from time to time (the uncut version), but not as much as I used to.

What anime shows are "second-chance" shows in your experience? (And why?)

The only show I really gave a second chance to was Yu-Gi-Oh manga. When I first read it, I thought it was as bad as the Duel Monsters series. Then, I started to like it alot more. Plus, gotta love the potential yaoi shipping. XD

I also gave .Hack a second chance. When I first saw it, I was bored to death, then I really got into it near the middle.


Are there any anime shows out there that you didn't think were so great after seeing them a second time?

Excel Saga. I loved, LOVED Excel Saga when I first started buying it. Then recently, I started watching it again and it got...boring. Sad.

Soul Hunter. A friend of mine stopped by our local Best Buy and bought the complete collection for about $30. Curious, I watched the first episode. Shocked and horrified at the basic plot and heinous voice acting, it became the object of my ridicule for many months to follow...that is until I borrowed it. I don't know why I borrowed it, but remembering the Dub, I decided to watch it Subbed. It actually turned out to be an excellent series. And here I was laughing at it for so long. I've been trying to track down the complete collection. I might buy it online one of these days. I highly reccomend it... but watch the Sub.

quote:

Originally posted by DominusofDeath Last Exile. The dub made me want to puke.

Wha? I like LEs dub.

Anyway 2nd chance... Anything Gundam. I just to think it was just giant robots bunch o nonsense etc. But then i watched 0080. And damnit, it was great. Now ihave most of the UC Gundam thats out in the US, plus im picking up the UC movies as they come out in the UK and SEEd as it comes out in the UK.

Betterman.

At first I thougt it to be one of those "Eva" clone rip-offs, but then as I watched, it sort of grew on me a bit.

The first couple episodes are actually a total hoot, and I fell in love with the scientist girl (genuis women in glasses, whoda thunk), who actually became a key to the ending.

Seriously, it's a series with some suprises, and I'm glad I gave it a second chance.

As for ones that fall off my radar, Lain does that to me. Thought it became TOO existential. Evangelion is another one. Overhyped to the maximum. The first half wasn't too bad, but it doesn't give the the hint that things are about to get to the level of Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.

Seriously. >_<

Well lets see for me I would have to say Esclaflowna (sp?) Because I saw some of the english dub and it was horrible horrible. They chose the wrong type of voice actors for the cahracters and edited so much out of it that half of the story did not make any sense. But when I got the guts to watch the rest of it subtitled it was amazing I really loved it.

As for the Esclaflowna (sp?) Movie ehh well I am not sure when I'll try to watch it again but I'll try defently a whole lot different.

-Beth