Favorite SCI-FI anime & manga or manwha?

[RemSaverem]

What are your favorite Sci-Fi anime & manga or manwha, & why?
Do you have favorite portrayals of utopias or dystopias? Favorite inventions/processes/situations you'd love to see come into reality you first saw in an anime/manga?
Have you noticed any western sci-fi books/shows/cartoons/comics/films/etc. that remind you of various equivalents or that may have been inspired by or may have inspired counterparts from Japan/Korea?
With what might you fill in the blanks in the following sentence?
If you like ____________, you'll like ____________
where the first blank is anything from western sci-fi and the second is anything from anime (etc.)
Thanks!

[@random]

Favorite eastern sci-fi: Crest/Banner of the Stars (anime, from light novels). I loved Jinto, Lafiel grew on me quickly, and I loved the Abh motivations for ending war forever. Even if it did throw a nasty screwball at the fans in the third season, it has some of the most touching scenes I've ever watched - I dare anyone to remain dry-eyed through the juxtaposition of Lafiel's revelation with the conclusion of Lexshue's battle, in particular. (If you can't tell, I'm trying really hard to avoid spoilers.)

As far as the rest... not much comes to mind, to be honest. I'm not familiar with enough sci-fi (in either the eastern or western worlds) to draw direct comparisons. Well, that and in my very limited experience, the two tend to diverge in theme. Take Blue Gender, for example - it looks very much like Aliens at the start, but where it goes is completely different. Or To the Terra - standard psy-fi theme, but by the end the only western work I can think of that it resembles would be Julian May's Pliocene Exile series. And Argento Soma has a lot of superficial similarities to the original Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, but it tells a completely different story.

[RemSaverem]

Those are absolutely fascinating details. I'm going to print your post and look up everything you mentioned!
Anyone else?

[Venusgate]

Crest of the Stars was arguably what got me into anime as I tried my best to sneak downstairs and watch it on Anime Unleashed.

Blade runner really reminds me of the Ghost in the shell series

Firefly has a lot of elements of the Trigun series or cowboy bebop.

Red planet actually reminds me of a series called "planets"

oh, and the blue peopoole Avatar movie reminds me alot of Nausicaa, haha


It's sort of hard to compare sci-fi anime to western t.v. series (like star-trek), as all sci-fi anime i've seen is never anythng short of a massive plot that may last a long time, but is not really serialized wtih off-shoot episodes or filler.

[RemSaverem]

I'd love to read some Firefly/Bebop crossover fanfic!
I've only read one, so far, and it was about River & Ed getting along (makes sense: child prodigies with odd ways of viewing the world who are both female yet bust gender boundaries with some of their ways of being in the world).

Any other recommendations? Any series you'd enjoy crossing over?

Blade Runner/GitS, interesting...I can see it, yes.

Thank you!

[jaybug]

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep This is the novel Blade Runner was taken from, note the copyright date, 1968.

Oh, what was the one where this school was doing a training cruise aboard a navy ship, and war broke out. Then all the cadets had to take responsibility. I can't remember. But it was I think more western in their concept of was fighting. It wasn't some teen going to save the world all by themselves thing. Wait, ha ha, I found it under my Netflix queue. The name is Starship Operators.

Crest of the Stars, and Banner of the stars I liked also. There is now a third season, for those who want to see.

Neon Genesis Evangelion was good. But it still made me think of what was typical Japanese monster movies. Big huge eat the world monsters.

Chobits, Elfen Lied, sometimes even Tenchi Muyo stuff, Cowboy Bebop, GiTS, I even liked Big O, R. Dorothy looked a bit like my ex-wife.

I thought Voices of a Distant Star, the Place Promised in Our Early Days, and 5cm per Second, were simply breathtaking. In that vein I liked also The Girl Who Jumped Through Time much also.

I guess I could say ask Wuntvor, he seems to like most of what I like. And if he doesn't remember the names, he probably has the titles, somewhere. Hopefully he won't get lost searching through his massive archives.

Heroic Age, isn't so bad. But I don't know if I will be able to finish it. Netflix lost the last discs. And CoalGirls, well it sucks to download 66 GB from them, as in it can't be done.

I'll try to post more as I remember them.

I can't believe I forgot to write down Vandread. It isn't as if I didn't see it going through my Netflix rating history. It's not as if I didn't buy the discs.

I was loving Ride Back totally, until they killed it way too early. I think they were expecting to run the usual 26 episodes, but it was killed at 12, so they just hacked out a shorter story to fit 12, after about episode 10.

Dennou Coil. That was really neat. More for the whole family than many sci-fi shows.

[RemSaverem]

Wow. By posting these inquiries I have tapped into the goldmine that is forum members' collective memory! I will have to keep all these lists on hand and try to track down all these gems!

[@random]

Crest of the Stars, and Banner of the stars I liked also. There is now a third season, for those who want to see.

For reference, if anyone wants to give the series a try, the order of the anime is: 1) Crest, 2) Banner, 3) Banner II, and 4) Banner III. The first three are available dubbed and subbed, but Banner III is only available as a fansub.

I really liked Banner of the Stars III (favorite moment: Jinto looking rather intimidated by his "harem"), but I don't know if you could call it a season so much as an OAV epilogue.

The light novels do keep going past that point (Banner IV, then Passages I and Passages II), but the series producers seem to have decided that Banner III made for a clean ending. To be fair, they're probably right if the (admittedly very poor) Baka-Tsuki fanslation of Banner IV is any indication. Unfortunately, the light novels haven't been commercially translated or adapted past Banner II - Tokyopop gave it an honest try, but apparently sales were low and they gave up.

Dennou Coil. That was really neat. More for the whole family than many sci-fi shows.

I just keep hearing about this one from all corners... I think I will have to give it a try.

[RemSaverem]

Hm. Wow. The Banner/Crest series might be more of a time investment than I can make for at least a month or two......Thanks, though!

[KogaRyu]

GANTZ is by far my favorite SCI-FI Manga.

[RemSaverem]

GANTZ is by far my favorite SCI-FI Manga.

Thanks! Our panel at Orycon was awesome. It was really early in the con, and they had told us there might be no one there, but there were actually like 20+ people, and we even recruited an extra panelist!

[Rathany]

Himitsu: Top Secret.  I had just complained about neither the anime or manga being licensed in the Say Anything thread.

It's a near-future Sci Fi murder investigation series.  It's about a forensic team that uses a new technology that can download data from a person's brain after they have died, if they can get to the brain fast enough.  This is based on very rudimentary existing technology that can see visual data in a living brain.  The series' main character is a lip reader, so he look at the visual data and can interpret what people around the victim are saying to the victim.  

It deals with a number of interesting issues in Japanese society.  What is said to the victim can be 'seen', but the victim is almost always voiceless.  The victims' privacy is completely violated, but the murders' isn't.  

This series is made out of some of my favorite things and I have never gotten why isn't not more popular in the US.  It runs in Melody, the same magazine as series like Oooku.  

I am not sure what a good western equivalent is.  But if you like thinky, crunchy near-future Sci Fi with just a hint of a slashy subtext, this is for you

[@random]

^ That sounds messed-up in a good way, if that makes any sense.

(If it helps to explain, I'm a fan of GSG, which is similarly messed-up in a good way. It explores some of the same "does doing evil in a good cause make it okay?" issues of applied science, and the impact on individuals' lives.)

[Rathany]

GSG is ... Gunslinger Girl, I'm guessing?

Though, it occurs to me that REM likely wanted this info *before* OryCon. *headdesk* 

[@random]

Argh, on both counts.

Sorry I forgot to use the correct name - somewhere along the way I started thinking of it as GSG because "Gunslinger Girl" is such a poor fit.

[Washougal_Otaku]

My favorite sci-fi is Blue Seed.

Reason 1: It starts off appearing to be a basic humans vs. monsters kind of series.  However, as the series progresses, it becomes more clear that there's a serious message in the plot, which leads me to the next couple of reasons.

Reason 2: One of the morals is to take care of Mother Earth.  Now, I'm not an environmentalist, but I do believe that there needs to be more done to preserve our resources if we as a species are to survive.

Reason 3: The other moral is: "Japan, remember who you are as a people."  There's a strong cry to the Japanese to keep in touch with their heritage that is seemingly disappearing with time.  This is heavily obvious in the earlier episodes once you see the later episodes, like, 16 on, or so.

Reason 4: Lots of Japanese culture is in this series.  There's so much, that the characters go into details, explaining it to even the Japanese viewers who may not be familiar with some of the tails and myths of ancient Japan.

Reason 5: A great deal of geography.  I love this subject, so I've been trying to find where everything is at.  (Okay, I kinda stopped after awhile, but I'd like to try again).

[RemSaverem]

@ Rathany: head does not need to touch desk. I wanted this info generally, in addition to for our panel, and I'm pretty sure Guy & I will hold others, regardless, perhaps even at MEW. That sounds intriguing, and, in fact, I could picture a cross-over of Himitsu: Top Secret with Torchwood.

Might be considered a SPOILER FOR TORCHWOOD:

Scroll for spoiler:

Imagine if an investigative body needed the info but didn't get there in time, so they had to have Torchwood bring one of "the gloves".

@ Aaron, wow, thanks for taking the time to outline all of that. I find geography fascinating, working in a travel clinic (and for other reasons). You bring up an interesting point. If a human wants to protect other species and elements, but solely for his or her own survival, it would seem from your statement that you would not consider that person an environmentalist, even if that person engaged actions that would be considered environmental activism. For example: Two people are both protesting the building of a logging road. But one is doing it via a tree-sit and opposes all old-growth logging. And the other is doing it with an angry letter to the editor about how the building of the logging road would disrupt hunting season and make the money they spent on moose and bear tags wasted. The first clearly considers him or herself an environmentalist. The second, possibly does, possibly does not. But they both want the same end: no new logging road, which would have the same result: protecting trees, and thereby, the watershed, and thereby, fish, agriculture, folks who drink from the watershed, etc. So I'd be glad for the actions of either one. And since the powers that be that actually make decisions are often more swayed by those who have money and who vote, it could actually be there are times the latter, even if not considering him/herself an environmentalist, more sways whomever decides where to place such roads. (Did you know there were some ballot measures this last election about getting the given state to officially declare the public's right to hunt and fish?) Just a thought....

[Washougal_Otaku]

(Did you know there were some ballot measures this last election about getting the given state to officially declare the public's right to hunt and fish?)

I did not.

[RemSaverem]

(Did you know there were some ballot measures this last election about getting the given state to officially declare the public's right to hunt and fish?)

I did not.

ttp://www.ncsl.org/?tabid=21237
It may surprise everyone (except Guy), but even though I am vegetarian, and even though I was a pacifist and environmentalist activist for a decade, and even though I abhor the idea of hunting *just for sport*, leaving the carcass behind, I support the idea of there being (state) constitutional protections of the right to gather one's own food. I would like to see comparable measures about, e.g., the right to glean, to wildcraft (pick medicinal herbs growing wild), and the right to gather; it is so tragic that unfathomable quantities of fruits and nuts go unpicked from trees and shrubs (and the ground beneathe them) while people are starving. To link this back in with the thread topic, Guy gave a workshop at Orycon about building one's own constitution if one is writing an original sci-fi or fantasy novel. Somehow, something catastrophic has happened, or a coup has transpired; you're somehow in charge of building the new legislation / rules for the survivors. Where do you start? What rights to you enshrine? I didn't get a chance to attend the panel, and I'm wondering what anime or manga might have comparable scenarios, and if they start with such basic rights as being able to acquire sustenance.

[Washougal_Otaku]

Honestly, I can believe that you'd support something like that.  I, for one, have never hunted; I want to take a gun course first, then arrange for a time to go with my father.  I know that my father woukld support this, because it's something that I've heard him talk about for years since the first time he ever took me fishing (which was about 20 years ago).  He DEFINATELY eats what he kills.

[RemSaverem]

I have fished before (though not in years). I'd have to do some serious reverence to the spirit of the animal I was going to eat and find ways to use the skin and other parts to feel okay about hunting (plus learn how to cook meat from that kind of source).

As for the thread per se, Guy talked about Nadesico and brought an art book from it, that seems like one I would like to check out.

[Washougal_Otaku]

You can eat the skin of some fish; other than that, I think you can make a wallet, or something... as for bones, good luck with that.

NADESICO!!!  That was the anime that I was tossing around in my head!  I second Guy's recommendation.

[Man of the Public]

If you like REAL science, characters that are honestly relatable, and actual human drama in your scifi, then I suggest Planetes. It is the story of a crew whose job it is to clean up the debris in the orbit between the earth and the moon to prevent any accidents. This isn't a tale of action but one of character growth and understanding, there are a few more political aspects to the show but the main draw of the show is the characters who feel and act like real people.

If you want one of the greatest space operas ever told, a tale of warring factions, a young man's journey into becoming the greatest miltary and political mind of the star system then check out the truly epic Legend of the Galactic Heroes (or LOGH for short). This story is not for the causal anime or scifi fan with over 110 Ovas to it's name, it is one of the longest animes I have ever seen. In my opinion this is the only anime that is fitting of the title of epic, for it is one in the most classical sense of the word.

And to finish off one for people who like a lighter hearted action tale: Space Pirate Cobra. This title is simply fun to watch. With a main character who is best described as Lupin the 3rd meets Han Solo.

[RemSaverem]

*guffaw* I would not previously have imagined a Lupin/Han hybrid, thanks for that.

I am definitely going to have an epic rainy season if I keep being able to afford netflix and find all these gems!

[Washougal_Otaku]

*guffaw* I would not previously have imagined a Lupin/Han hybrid, thanks for that.

I'm a little creeped out by that, to be honest...

[Man of the Public]

Well Planetes does have an english dub, I do not know if it's on Netflix. LOGH on the other hand had never been imported to the states so you will have to use fansubs, but they are of great quality and complete. And the many adventures of Cobra are a mixed bag, a few ovas have been dubbed but all of them are of questionable quality, the most recent Cobra series has not been dubbed yet but I do know the fansubs are complete and of excellent quality.

[RemSaverem]

Thank you for the clarification.

[jaybug]

Planetes is or was on Netflix. That's how I saw it. Way cool.

Moolight Mile Season 2 is starting to be released by GotWoot. They've done ep. 1. at least.

I'm reading a series of novels by Wen Spenser, that relies heavily on the author being a bit of an otaku. There's oni, tengu and now a frozen kappa in the books. Oh, and elves and quantum theory. Even if it's set in Pittsburgh, Pa.

[RemSaverem]

Planetes is or was on Netflix. That's how I saw it. Way cool.

Moolight Mile Season 2 is starting to be released by GotWoot. They've done ep. 1. at least.

I'm reading a series of novels by Wen Spenser, that relies heavily on the author being a bit of an otaku. There's oni, tengu and now a frozen kappa in the books. Oh, and elves and quantum theory. Even if it's set in Pittsburgh, Pa.

I'm interested in Quantum Theory, due to "What the Bleep Do We Know?" and the like.

[Washougal_Otaku]

Well Planetes does have an english dub, I do not know if it's on Netflix. LOGH on the other hand had never been imported to the states so you will have to use fansubs, but they are of great quality and complete. And the many adventures of Cobra are a mixed bag, a few ovas have been dubbed but all of them are of questionable quality, the most recent Cobra series has not been dubbed yet but I do know the fansubs are complete and of excellent quality.

Wouldn't that depend on which fans did the dubbing?  I'm sure that there's more than one person/people who've subbed it.

Tokko is a great sci-fi horror anime; definitely worth watching.