Toon Zone Talkback - "Ikki Tousen Complete Series": Teenage Kicks

[Speedy Boris]

This is the talkback thread for "Ikki Tousen Complete Series": Teenage Kicks.


Sex!

Now that I've got your attention, vote for Bart!

[Beat]

I still would have rather this been on Adult Swim than several of their later shows.

Nice to know that Romance still inspires material to this date.

[soundmonkey44]

I never really liked this series, Im a man of violence & Comedy, Not romance & Ecchi, but my best friend loves this series, every time I tell him its not that great, he tells me my head must be screwed on wrong. I will admit though there are some funny moments. Overall It may not be great but i guess at least its entertaining, & better then the SMUT on TV these days, LULZ!

( It also made me fell weird while watching it. I think it had somthing to do with the panty shots or other fanservice elements.)

[Lightning Tiger]

I love this anime (though the manga's better, lol), boobs and ridiculous fights and comedy and mystical plots (sort of) mixed together are just my thing.

[HellCat]

It lost me when it started to act profound. Alot of anime directors seem to miss that you need to like the characters in order to care about them, not just throw in a ton of angst and melodrama to try and do the job for you. Granted the show has a very limited run but it never really made me care.

[Marvin Tikvah]

There was angst and melodrama in this show?

Sorry, I think I was completely distracted by all those schoolgirls pounding the hell out of each other and revealing to the world what type of undergarments they wear.

[garfield15]

Yeah, people watch this for it's plot and character development, sure.

(When I realized what it was, I kinda stopped watching after like 6 episodes )

[HellCat]

There was actually some discussion whilst the review was in progress as to if I was being too harsh towards anyone who had previously watched it. Going in I knew the show's reputation, but both myself and the News team were keen to give it a fair review. In complete honesty, I think there are worse titles for fanservice. Ikki Tousen isn't exactly subtle, but only on rare ocassions did it strike me as being fanservice driven.

[Funkatron]

Originally Posted by HellCat

There was actually some discussion whilst the review was in progress as to if I was being too harsh towards anyone who had previously watched it. Going in I knew the show's reputation, but both myself and the News team were keen to give it a fair review. In complete honesty, I think there are worse titles for fanservice. Ikki Tousen isn't exactly subtle, but only on rare ocassions did it strike me as being fanservice driven.

Just saw the official Fuyni trailer of this on Youtube ><

Not going to link it (since it is waaaaaaay NSFW, PM me if you want to see it) but its pretty much all the Raunch of the show condensed into one minute and set to the background music of a typical booty shaking music video you'd see from a rap star. Fits well, actually.

"Shake your butt cheeks!"

[HellCat]

Originally Posted by Funkatron

Just saw the official Fuyni trailer of this on Youtube ><

Not going to link it (since it is waaaaaaay NSFW, PM me if you want to see it) but its pretty much all the Raunch of the show condensed into one minute and set to the background music of a typical booty shaking music video you'd see from a rap star. Fits well, actually.

"Shake your butt cheeks!"

..... I don't know what my opinion is anymore!!

Thank God my next review should hopefully be Gundam 00. Things have been too depressing lately.

[GWOtaku]

Towards the end, certain characters who do terrible things including blackmail, rape and murder are forgiven under the logic of "It's not you, it's the soul you're carrying". One character in particular is told all he has to do is say sorry and is then happily welcomed back into the lives of those he'd manipulated in various ways. That's a very weak resolution and just goes to prove that the show falls into the same trap as almost every other anime in the last 15 years, believing it can wallow in trashy elements while trying to redeem itself by sprinkling in some philosophy and character angst.

Objection!

*desk slam*

But yeah, this is a problem with a lot of shows that get labeled as ecchi. They try to compensate but the staff try to compensate with too little, and the result is the impression that it's just a disguise for what it really is. FUNimation's marketing is brutally honest and more sincere when all's said and done.

Knowing that rotten behavior is whitewashed with this warrior spirit nonsense makes it even worse.

Screw this, I'm streaming Fist of the North Star. I grow fond of this rallying cry.

Edit: In terms of Funi DVD releases though, I bet that Kaze no Stigma kicks the everliving hell out of this show.

[Speedy Boris]

One wonders how many people in the audience have even read the novels which the show is loosely based upon. But I do give them points for trying something like that instead of ONLY high schoolers beating the tar out of each other.

It should also be noted that while some characters DO use their destinies as an excuse to do bad things, some try to steer away from their "fates". To me, that sort of thing is almost always interesting, the whole "free will vs. predestination" thing.

[HellCat]

As I understand it, Romance of the Three Kingdoms is fairly well known in Asian society and its not uncommon for homes and business to have idols of certain characters whom are believed to bring prosperity.

Personally, I have a shelf and a half of Gundams based on it >.>

[Speedy Boris]

Originally Posted by HellCat

As I understand it, Romance of the Three Kingdoms is fairly well known in Asian society and its not uncommon for homes and business to have idols of certain characters whom are believed to bring prosperity.

Personally, I have a shelf and a half of Gundams based on it >.>

Well, I more meant non-Japanese audiences.

[HellCat]

Originally Posted by Speedy Boris

Well, I more meant non-Japanese audiences.

I realised after the post It does help that they explain the story and have character profiles at the end. Though if I hadn't been versed in it since 2007, I do have to wonder what I'd have made of Ikki Tousen.

[GWOtaku]

Romance of the Three Kingdoms has seen several different anime adaptations from what I understand--ones that actually try to recount various parts of the saga. However, AFAIK, the west hasn't ever seen them with the exception of a loose story such as this. But yeah, it's huge in Asia.

[HellCat]

On the character fate I criticised- apparently in the manga, said individual does successfully commit suicide.

[airfighter]

It's hard for me to say much without actually seeing the show first, but then again there's really no sense that I'm missing much either.

I would probably recommend watching something like Godannar over this. You'll still gets lots of fanservice, maybe even a lot more, and plenty of (Super Robot-based) action, but the characters should be easier to like, the story is simple enough and whatever conflicts are present end up being resolved more appropriately. Never really looked into any of the Ikkitousen series but that's the feeling I'm getting.

I'd also look forward to that potential Gundam 00 review though, for whatever it counts.

[GWOtaku]

Godannar had a story? "We must destroy evil monsters!" barely counts. People who like super robots shouldn't settle for less than GaoGaiGar and Gurren Lagann. There fanservice really is just a part of the show, not the point. Beneath that and more classical stuff like Giant Robo and Tetsujin, there's an overwhelming amount of mediocrity.

No offense, but I think that show was absolutely terrible and caught up in stereotypes. It's doomed to be forgotten along with the likes of Gravion. The fanservice is probably worse and more common in that than in this show also. I would actually watch Ikki Tosen instead if I were forced to choose, personally.

[garfield15]

Hey Gravion was not that bad.

(The first one wasn't great but Zwei was relatively good for a Super Robot show anyway)