Tactics, but not what you're thinking about.

[mercy_angel_09]

randomdiversion recommended the manga/anime series tactics to me.  The how's and why's of the recommendation are not necessary - it's all rather complicated and if you're particularly ambitious you can read through my blog and try and figure out where the recommendation came from - but I'm really quite satisfied with it.

I'm always up for new things that are recommended.  That's how I first learned about Fushigi Yugi, Ouran High School Host Club, Hellsing, Excel Saga, Full Metal Panic, Saiyuki, and Inuyasha, to name a few.  I have managed to find a few titles on my own - Sailor Moon, Escaflowne, Last Exile, Ranma 1/2, and Fruits Basket - but the bulk of the anime/manga I've seen came as recommended.  Tactis is no different.

Tactics is a comedy series firstly, as noted by the art style, but also in the storytelling.  Kantaro is a bit of an anti-hero.  He's kind of a wimp and a crybaby, he loves money, and is a bit of a slacker.  Even Haruka, the tengu, is a bit of an anti-hero as well - he's a pretty face for sure, but he's rather passe about his existence and just hangs around Kantaro for an apparent lack of anything else to do.  He follows Kantaro around as youkai have a habit of following a human who names them.  And since Kantaro can see the youkai that others are oblivious to, he's named a few.  For example Yoko, a kitsune who is often found hounding Kantaro about household expenses and when she becomes especially mad can't contain her ears. 

I don't want to get too into it, but I do rather like it.  I even watched a few episodes of the anime (fansubs) on Veoh.  While the anime and the manga aren't alike (characters is about all they have in common from what I've seen/read so far) they're both funny.  Though, I do have an odd sense of humor so while I find something hilarious, everyone else might not.  But if anyone was wondering, it's at the very least worth checking out.  I've rather liked it so far and I'm thinking I'm going to see if I can find the graphic novels the next time I'm in B&N.

Comments

[genetic-drift.livejournal.com]

What would you recommend for the complete anime newb that at most has seen an episode or two of a friend's Robotech DVD? :)

[mercy-angel-09.livejournal.com]

You can finish watching Robotech, for starters. :3 From there you can probably move on to anything from the Macross franchise (I highly recommend Macross Plus because it's beautiful and the music is amazing) but MOSTLY it hinges on what you're interested in.

Comedy? Romance? Action? Horror? Mystery? Mecha?

I have recs for almost all of those, so let me know what you're interested in and then I'll give you a more detailed recommendation.

[genetic-drift.livejournal.com]

Okay, Probably Mecha (that's giant 'splodey robots, right?), then romance. The rest, I'm more "ehn" about. :)

[mercy-angel-09.livejournal.com]

Yes, mecha is the giant 'splody robots. :3

So I still recommend Macross Plus. Escaflowne is a great blend of mecha and romance. Most of the Gundam titles also great mecha titles with hints of romance, and my favorites are Gundam Wing and Gundam SEED. Full Metal Panic! is a mecha/comedy title with hints of romance.

In the romance genre Fushigi Yugi is good, if not a bit over the top saccharine at times. Ouran High School Host Club is a favorite of mine as well. Most of my favorite romance titles are also comedy titles, though if you want to get into manga (comics, essentially) I can give some more dramatic and historical titles.

[randomdiversion.livejournal.com]

NOEIN has a bit of everything in it, but is mostly sci-fi. It involves conflict between parallel dimensions.

Any movie by Miyazaki Hayao will be excellent. My favorite of his is Princess Mononoke. Conflict between nature and 'progress'.

Grave of the Fireflies (Hotaru no haka) is excellent but very serious, and realistic in all ways except that there are ghosts at the start and end. Be sure everyone watching has a box of tissue paper handy. Social safety networks break down near the end of WWII and kids fall through the cracks.

[mercy-angel-09.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah, Miyazaki films are excellent. Naussica blew my mind, and Princess Mononoke is a really interesting parable about humanity's relationship with nature. But my absolute favorite is Howl's Moving Castle.

[randomdiversion.livejournal.com]

As a minor title, bookstores tend not to carry it on the shelves, but you can order it in English from most of them (volume 8 is about to be released), or in Japanese (volume 12 should come out at the beginning of next month I think) from Kinokunia.

Mangafox has scanlations in English of volumes 1-6, which you can read for free. Some of the translations are a bit mediocre; the character Sugino is male but is referred to as female for a couple of volumes because the english translation was made from a korean translation which got the gender wrong.

VEOH has high quality fansubs of the anime.

[mercy-angel-09.livejournal.com]

I actually have been reading it via MangaFox, but I would like to get the actual graphic novels. It wouldn't be the first time I've had to order hard to find manga from B&N.com, I had to get most of Fushigi Yugi that way.

I have been watching it on Veoh, and maybe, one day, when I actually have the funds I'll buy the DVDs. Though who knows, maybe I'll be able to pick it up at AnimeExpo for a good deal.

[randomdiversion.livejournal.com]

List price for the DVDs new is $45, so anything less than that should be considered reasonable.

[mercy-angel-09.livejournal.com]

I was pricing them a few nights ago. Sometimes the dealer's room has some good deals on boxed sets (my friend picked up the entire Hellsing tv series for 30 bucks or thereabouts). Maybe I'll get lucky.