"Mesdames and Monsieurs, good evening ..."
You guys fans of Japanese animation (don't leave!)? My wife and I enjoy all things animated, so we watch an occasional Anime now and then, but to be clear, we're extremely picky. We hardly get through the first episode of most series we check out, but this one not only made the cut, it's now among my favorites, for several reasons.
Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo is a vibrant adaptation of Alexandre Dumas' (obviously) The Count of Monte Cristo, which has always stood out as one of the finest revenge novels ever written. We've been a fan of this tragic story the moment we've known of it, but what makes Gankutsuou stand out is, well, the unique way it went about telling the story. While it maintains the look and feel of the French aristocracy, the setting is science fiction, and there's a slight mash-up of vampire, too. To top it off, the main character is Albert - you know - the son of Mercedes. And with richly applied artistic liberties of secondary characters and a script that doesn't hold back any punches, this is an intense take on the novel at 24 episodes.Seriously, it's that awesome!
The art was both an eye-trip and a wonder, since the artists went with a solid, photoshop background for its layers. For example, if a character wore a yellow robe with red spades on them, the spades and yellow fabric were always stationary, no matter how the character moved. That fact alone makes this entire series stand out.
As for content, it has everything: a quest for revenge, dark family secrets, blooming romances, evil demons, other worlds, dueling mechas - you name it. I'd say this isn't one for the kiddies, though (a bit scary at times). I tried to find a trailer, but it's a no go. You'll have to take my word for it. Thanks for the recommendation, Netflix.
I'm David, and you won't see me coming ...
(This is the credit-less ending - best I could find)
Oh my gosh! I love it. Only my closest friends know that I used to have a huge Yu Gi Oh! obsession... Dang, Yu Gi rocks. Those episodes where he and Pegasus battled... the BEST... Uh oh... I just outed myself...
ReplyDeleteI'll have to check it out!
ReplyDeleteI saw that show a while ago. I never gave it a chance. I'll have to check it out again! ;)
ReplyDeleteSounds amazing! Where can I find it?! Is that on Netflix?
ReplyDeleteOh! It is on Netflix. I'll be watching this next week, for sure.
ReplyDeleteHmmmm... I've watched almost every adaption of Th Count. Richard Chamberlain was my absolute favorite - I met him in person!!
ReplyDeleteBut, I haven't seen this one and I'm going to add to my list on NetFlix.
How cool is that? I've got some kids who are crazy about anime. I'll have to tell them.
ReplyDeleteI love anime. But at our house it has to be approved by our kids. They wouldn't let me try this one out. Maybe I'll try to watch it alone.
ReplyDeleteSounds really good! I'll have to look it up :)
ReplyDeleteI'm an anime fan. Maybe my kids will fall in love with this and I'll be 'allowed' to watch.
ReplyDeleteIf they're of the PG-13 appreciation age, go for it. :)
DeleteSounds interesting, we'll have to give it a try.
ReplyDeleteI don't have much input on this as I haven't seen it but it looks right up my alley. But since you are a fan of all things animated, what is your opinion on the Frank Miller animated film "The Dark Knight Returns" done of his graphic novel that is on DVD/Blu-Ray as of yesterday (I think)? I saw it on Amazon and wanted to buy it. The reviews say "The best Batman movie ever" which is hard to believe given that I like Nolan's interpretation.
ReplyDeleteHaven't seen it yet, but it's on our rent list. :)
DeleteI think I'll watch it this weekend.
DeleteAwesome! I'm always on the lookout for good anime, but I'm in the same boat with you where I get partway into an episode and have to turn it off because it's so bad.
ReplyDeleteI'll have to look into it. I have Count sitting right here next to me for a near future re-read.
ReplyDeleteHave you seen Cowboy Bebop?
Thanks for the recommendation. I have Netflix, so maybe I'll check this out. Did you see the movie adaptation of TCOMC years ago? It was very different from the book. I'd be curious to see how this one plays out...
ReplyDeleteI must tell my daughter about this. We're both fans of The Count and she loves animee.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing, David! You know I'm geeky enough to appreciate a decent anime. I'll check it out. :)
ReplyDeleteI haven't read The Count of Monte Cristo (yet), but this sounds like a really good series!
ReplyDeleteThis looks amazing, we don't get Netflix over here, but there are ways around that on the internet. Thanks for sharing, I'll be checking this out for sure!
ReplyDeleteI love anime, but the style of this one turned me off. Granted, I probably didn't give it a proper chance, turning it off during the first episode. Perhaps I should try again.
ReplyDeletetag, you're it. see my blog if you want to play. :)
ReplyDeleteI will risk alienation and stoning by saying...I don't get anime. It just seems over the top melodramatic and odd. There. I said it. Do with me what you will.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds so cool! Me and my husband LOVE anime, so I'll have to check this one out. One of my favorites is Trigun. So fun!
ReplyDeleteSounds awesome! I love the Count of Monte Cristo in pretty much all its forms.
ReplyDelete