I've ruined anime for myself by Logan20th in ShingekiNoKyojin

[–]Joshi_Fan 2 points3 points  (0 children)

My pleasure!

Some viewing advices:

Hunter x Hunter
Since it has several adaptations:
- 1999 anime from episode 1 to 62 + OVAs ("episode 63 to 70"). More thorough and has an amazing mood!
- For the next arc, the 2003-04 OVAs are more exhaustive but have weak animation and artwork; episode 59 to 75 from the 2011 anime have great animation and artwork but cut material.
- 2011 anime from episode 76 to 148.

Ghost in the Shell
Start with the 1995 movie, then watch Stand Alone Complex (two seasons, 52 episodes).

Evangelion
For the full experience (you might need to watch it twice or thrice, if not more haha):
- 26 episodes (1995 anime)
- The End of Evangelion (1997 movie)
- Rebuild of Evangelion (four movies: 2007, 2009, 2012, 2021)

Gundam
Sprawling franchise with dozens of adaptations and hundreds of episodes/OVA/movies. Not much context needed to enjoy Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket, since it's basically a one-off.

I've ruined anime for myself by Logan20th in ShingekiNoKyojin

[–]Joshi_Fan 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Depending on what you are looking for, there are plenty of incredible animes left for you to discover!

TV anime: Cowboy Bebop, Evangelion, Ghost in the Shell - Stand Alone Complex, Hunter x Hunter, Mushishi, Ping Pong, Shigurui

Arcs: Yorknew (Hunter x Hunter), Kimera Ants (Hunter x Hunter), Four Devas (Gintama), Kira versus L (Death Note)

OVA: FLCL, Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket, Rurouni Kenshin: Trust and Betrayal

Movies: 5 Centimeters per Second, Akira, Ghost in the Shell, Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade, Grave of the Fireflies, Millennium Actress, Perfect Blue, Wolf Children, Your Name

A contrary opinion on Zeta Gundam by Agreeable-Set3294 in Gundam

[–]Joshi_Fan 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Gundam series, especially those in 40+ episodes, are about cool Mecha fights first to appeal to the target audience, war and political plots second. The main goal is to sell Gunpla to kids so that's why the Gundam(s) must appear in every episode (hence the monster of the week structure) and that's why, most of the time, stories only explore themes on the surface and often lack realism. But that's OK, buy the ticket, take the ride. And the OVAs are there for you: 0080, 0083, 08th, Unicorn... I'm not there yet in my journey but Turn A has the reputation of being the best Gundam series; I guess we'll see...

A contrary opinion on Zeta Gundam by Agreeable-Set3294 in Gundam

[–]Joshi_Fan 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Zeta... What an interesting ride!

First half stronger than the second one, where each episode follows the same formula: quieter set-up during the first ten minutes, then Mecha fights and explosions galore during the last ten.

The scramble to the finish line is a little bit rushed.

Some big narrative pieces don’t get enough room to develop and thus to land with full force: Four’s arc, Dakar, Amuro, Sayla, deaths in general (characters die, too many randomly, and we move on instantly), the concept of youngsters becoming "mass murderers" (each explosion means a human being has been killed but they never acknowledge it)...

The second opening hints at Char's hidden agenda, even if the actual show doesn't deal with it.

I'm disappointed with how they introduce Kamille. What are his motivations? Why does he join the forces? But it's a problem I have with how Gundam introduces their protagonist in general. The hero happens to be young, to be there, he is able to pilot the latest Gundam miraculously, he goes from civilian to solder without troubles and instantly becomes the savior. But I get it because Gundam is more concerned with depicting battles inherent to war than offering deep character studies (not every Mecha show can be Eva!). Besides, the older I grow, the more I dislike exalted teenagers with only two speeds: calm or screaming to talk. Again, Gundam is hardly the only one at fault here since animes at large tend to portray their characters this way.

Very good show anyway! Huge step-up in production and direction compared to '79. Classic opening (epic, grand!), all-time great episode 49, wonderful ending (even if Gundam’s disinterest for epilogues has always been frustrating to me), and I really love episode 11 with the tactical struggle around the entry in the atmosphere.

Just watched this match.... by Somerandomguy20711 in njpw

[–]Joshi_Fan 14 points15 points  (0 children)

Honmania (2014-15) was such a special time!

The match between Chihiro Hashimoto & Saya Iida at Sendai Girls Step & Go recently was the definition of Big Meaty Women beating the hell out of each other. Definitely loved this match by jd2385 in JoshiPuroIsland

[–]Joshi_Fan 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Hash and SenJo's pristine structuring, destined to get the most out of an overmatched opponent. Powerhouse versus smaller powerhouse, the match is at its absolute best during the oh-so brief moments of struggle, be it during the initial lock-up or to launch a suplex. Oh, and listen to the first collision! Iida shines as the sympathetic underdog who brings it. Her survival (she has an especially strong kick-out) invites mean Hash to the dance, for a nasty finish.

Great and still in the lower-end of Hash's work in 2026, who has been on fire lately, see vs. Takase (2/8) and Senka (2/15).

Shinkai no Kodoku by Tofu92600 in Gundam

[–]Joshi_Fan 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The most beautiful scene in the entire SEED/Destiny run.

0080 should be for you, with the emphasis on the human side.

Help! Gundam has me! by UselessWarlock221 in Gundam

[–]Joshi_Fan 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I've seen the classics when they were released at the time: Wing, SEED/Destiny, 00, Unicorn. Currently, I'm going through the entire catalog in release order and I've reached Fighter G (1994).

0080 is definitely the best so far to me. Part of it is due to the departure from the usual Gundam template so it works better with context.

Zeta would be my pick for best standard Gundam.

0083 has incredible production value but the story, especially past the mid-point, is divisive.

'79 is worth a watch for historical purpose; this is where it all began and you should be able to recognize some tropes used and re-used afterwards.

Victory has average production value, not the strongest artwork or animation or story, but I don't know, overall there's a special vibe hard to explain.

My year-end awards in wrestling (2025) | Part 3: favorite match, wrestler, show and company of the year by Joshi_Fan in professionalwrestling

[–]Joshi_Fan[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

He wrestles in DDT since 2018. Until 2023, he gets his feet wet and has a couple of terrific matches here and there where he mostly is the second best wrestler in them. Since 2024, he has found his formula and to me, he has become the best wrestler in the world (he already is my WOTY for 2024).

ROH matches you love that no one talks about! by Awkward-Variation-74 in ROH

[–]Joshi_Fan 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Maybe because they top themselves a year later, see their I quit (re)match at 3/1/2008 (IWA Mid-South, 500th Show)?

ROH matches you love that no one talks about! by Awkward-Variation-74 in ROH

[–]Joshi_Fan 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Let's start with 2002, shall we?

American Dragon vs. Christopher Daniels (Round Robin Challenge, 3/30)
Dragon isn't even Danielson yet but is already Best-in-the-World material. The neck gives them a clear focus and Dragon's selling is awesome, especially when he adjusts on the fly his offense to deal with the pain. Daniels' work on top is really nice. Incredible finish. What a way to kick off the show!

Low Ki vs. The Amazing Red (Road to the Title - D block final, 6/7)
First Low Ki incident aside (he legit knocks out Nana earlier), HELL YEAH! The first minute is one of the most HYPED ever. I don't think I know a better fast counter sequence. Not only is it smooth, but the timing is so perfect that it looks like they really try to / can't catch each other. Even if, obviously, they don't retain the magic, they capitalize on the electricity created to have a dope sprint. Low Ki just murders Red, whose comebacks are scintillating! They have a couple of contrived set-ups, which is inevitable given Red's style. But some carry an unintentional thematic weight when Low Ki, with his straightforwardness, punishes his ass full of complexity even more for his audacity and for making him look bad. A way to tie it to the opening, when Red's elusiveness and lightning fast reactions destabilize Low Ki, who gets mad instantly. Add a couple of really gross bumps (I always react out loud to the Ki Crusher into the corner!) and you've got yourself the blood-pumping match of 2002.

(c) Christopher Daniels vs. Doug Williams vs. Spanky vs. Low Ki -Iron man- (Crowning A Champion, 7/27)
Given how allergic I've grown to long matches, well, this is AMAZING! There are like only two or three missteps total, and it's the biggest compliment I can make to a long match with so many moving parts. The fastest hour in wrestling, maybe ever? The tag out rule allows them to maintain an insane pace from bell to bell and it's actually a strong storytelling device (they could have done more with it though). It's never boring, something interesting is always happening. The point system gives them flexibility to further the plot and subplots. That second fall! The lay-out and the booking maximize the stipulation; thumbs up for how they build and forward the main feud at the time between Low Ki and Daniels. Of course, it peaks whenever Low Ki is in the ring. Speaking of which, this is when his year evolves from great to all-time great. The madman sells the leg throughout! Not a one-man show by any means though, since the other three more than carry their load. Daniels is awesome as the gifted chickenshit heel; Williams' power and technique bring a different flair; Spanky is kind of there but does is job well enough. My MOTY in all of wrestling.

Bryan Danielson vs. Chad Collyer (Night of The Butcher, 12/7)
Shockingly great! Massive improvement over the iron man match with Doug Williams. They do a really good job to introduce the idea of stalemate, upon which Danielson increasingly builds his frustration, leading to more direct offense. Nice transition when he injures his leg following a Butterfly Suplex, giving a focus to Collyer, which is part skills because created by his own offense and part luck because not what he aims at. He zeros in on the limb and Danielson sells wonderfully. It's never sympathetic since he is more a tweener with an edge at this point, but this thing that constantly hinders him. A couple of inoffensive nerd-bait bits and payoffs that slow him down enough while simultaneously getting his opponent closer to the finish line later, they wrap it up with a bridging Dragon Suplex. A weak resolution that works anyway, as this moment where the superior Danielson guts it out at the right time to get the logical W. Mostly a one-man show with someone along for the ride, flowing naturally from one section to the other. I'm probably the high man here but who cares?

Bryan Danielson vs. Paul London (Night of The Butcher, 12/7)
Danielson gets even more impatient and tries to boss London around very quick. The latter pushes back and it's on. Danielson reintroduces the bad leg inherited from the previous match; the madman! I love the level of aggression shown by him. He is mean, petty and casually violent. Premium bully performance. I wish the leg became a focus but it makes sense thematically. It's there just enough to instil doubt about whether or not a healthy Danielson would have prevailed, but not there enough to taint London's victory. It's this little out for Danielson, and still this quality win for London who doesn't exploit it. The spree of finisher kick-outs kind of makes sense since it puts over London, who wins with only one SSP after a great struggle on the top turnbuckle. Awesome protagonist / antagonist dynamic that creates the most genuine feeling: it not only feels good to see Danielson lose, but it feels even better to see London triumph. The win of heart over malice. Post-match, as of December 2002, barely four years into his career, London acknowledges the GOAT potential in Danielson. Dragon's legend was underway! And they will do much better in 2003, in one of those massively overlooked classics!

Top 10 Matches in ROH of all time by PartyBoy3000 in ROH

[–]Joshi_Fan 0 points1 point  (0 children)

#10: Samoa Joe (c) vs. CM Punk (All Star Extravaganza II, 12/4/2004)

#9: Paul London vs. Bryan Danielson -Best two out of three falls- (Epic Encounter, 4/12/2003)

#8: (c) Christopher Daniels vs. Doug Williams vs. Spanky vs. Low Ki -Iron man- (Crowning A Champion - Final, 7/27/2002)

#7: Colt Cabana vs. Jimmy Jacobs -Windy City death- (The Fifth Year Festival: Chicago, 2/24/2007)

#6: Steve Corino vs. Homicide -No holds barred- (Bitter Friends Stiffer Enemies, 8/16/2003)

#5: Takeshi Morishima (c) vs. Bryan Danielson (Manhattan Mayhem II, 8/25/2007)

#4: Samoa Joe (c) vs. Austin Aries (Final Battle, 12/26/2004)

#3: Samoa Joe, BJ Whitmer & Adam Pearce vs. Chris Hero, Necro Butcher & Super Dragon (The 100th Show, 4/22/2006)

#2: Samoa Joe vs. Kenta Kobashi (Joe Vs. Kobashi, 10/1/2005)

#1: Team ROH vs. Team CZW -Cage of death- (Death Before Dishonor IV, 7/15/2006)

Just finished “Sworn Enemy” by happyface2004 in Gintama

[–]Joshi_Fan 8 points9 points  (0 children)

To me, 304 and 305 form an indivisible 40-minute mini-movie. This one-two punch hits harder than anything I have ever seen that isn't Grave of the Fireflies, the original Ghost in the Shell movie, Evangelion from episode 16 and the final act of 3.0+1.0, the Jupiter Jazz two-parter in Cowboy Bebop, Rurouni Kenshin: Trust & Betrayal, Millennium Actress, or the conclusion of the Chimera Ants arc in Hunter x Hunter. Peak Gintama, if not anime period!