Overrated/Underrated Manga and anime

I don't think Shakugan No Shana is overrated. In fact, I don't think it's even rated, much. Most people are pretty ambivalent towards it.

(I happen to like it, but still.)

Play Again? Y/N

And this is why the concepts of "overrated" and "underrated" are worthless, depending on who you interact with, any given series can and will be either "overrated" or "underrated". I mean, FMA:B is most certainly not something I'd call underrated by any means: it has fans out of the wazoo, and people all over the internet gush about how good it is, and how better it is than the original anime, yet your experience seems to be different, because you're calling it underrated.  ^*

^{For reference, I prefer the original anime}

However, not to rain on everyone's parade, I'll post a few series I consider Need More Love:

• Rah Xephon
• Infinite Ryvius
• Blue Literature

edited 27th Aug '10 8:58:18 AM by Noimporta

Noimporta said much better what that guy on the previous page was saying... I think, if that's what that guy's point is as— no wait it isn't, nevermind.

My FF.net account

Psyren is so underrated (at least in Japan) that it's in perpetual danger of being cancelled.

Currently taking a break from the site. See my user page for more information.

An underrated franchise would definitely be Da Capo.

My FF.net account

@mellon: *brofist*

edited 27th Aug '10 9:15:05 AM by KSPAM

I've got new mythological machinery, and very handsome supernatural scenery. Goodfae: a mafia web serial

Just a comment, I don't at all dislike Neon Genesis Evangelion (hell I LOVE Studio Gainax). I just think the show is way too popular, even though it's justified.

You are displaying abnormally high compulsions to over-analyze works of fiction and media. Diagnosis: TV Tropes Addiction.

^^ I think it's strange that it's only me, you, and burinnu who gush about it noticeably in this forum >___>

edited 27th Aug '10 9:44:11 AM by melloncollie

Mushishi Needs More Love.

See what Noimporta said? My response is basically that with more swearing.

They give birth astride of a grave, the light gleams for an instant, then it's night once more

You'd think more people would gush about something as over-the-top awesome as Hellsing.

I've got new mythological machinery, and very handsome supernatural scenery. Goodfae: a mafia web serial

Overrated:

Neon Genesis Evangelion: One of the best and most important animes ever made. Yes, it's STILL overrated.

Suzumiya Haruhi: Again, very good show. Horribly overrated.

Code Geass: It's a good show, with a couple of noticeable flaws, again, overrated by it's fans.

Angel Beats: Although I wouldn't even call that one good.

Monster Again, Monster is a great show, one of my favourites, but it has some pacing issues and suffers occasionally from some half-arsed writing. Individual SCENES are usually fantastic, but the narrative as a whole often does not "fit" together as well as it should.

Haibane Renmei A beautifully animated show that at least tries to tackle some serious issues. Too bad it ends up in a kind of over-aesthethizised nothing.

Underrated:

Princess Tutu: 'nuff said.

Infinite Ryvius: Needs More Love, it's got a very interesting narrative structure, fascinating and believable characters, and an awesome score.

Gundam Seed Destiny: The show has flaws, and I'm the first to admit it. The writing often goes off the rails, the use of Stock Footage borders on the ludicrous, and it's generally not that good... but the show deserves some credit for the initial characterization which I found VERY intriguing, and a few of the plot-twists which were intensely satisfying.

B Gata H Kei: Talk about exceeding expectations. The premise makes it sound like a ludicrously sexist pile of trash... But the end-result is funny and heart-warming. The characters have agency, and most of all, are treated with respect by the narrative. And did I mention it's hilarious?

"No, the Singularity will not happen. Computation is hard." -Happy Ent

Not necessarily, but I think it's odd how it (Hellsing) supposedly sells really well and how much the Wiki in general gushes over it, but there aren't many fans on this forum. Not a lot of people with the merch IRL either, even though there's plenty of Narutards with headbands and Bleach fans.

edited 27th Aug '10 10:07:28 AM by melloncollie

I'd pay top dollar for Alucard's hat and zoot suit. That is, i would if I was anywhere near good-looking enough to do it justice

I've got new mythological machinery, and very handsome supernatural scenery. Goodfae: a mafia web serial

I was actually going to post Hellsing on the overrated part. It's just not that good.

"No, the Singularity will not happen. Computation is hard." -Happy Ent

I've got new mythological machinery, and very handsome supernatural scenery. Goodfae: a mafia web serial

B Gata H Kei...Yeah, it needs more love.

People might have gathered this, but badassitude for it's own sake really does not interest me.

"No, the Singularity will not happen. Computation is hard." -Happy Ent

Narrative standpoint!(Generic fightin+gratuitous badassness)=Generic fightin

I figured it's supposed to run on Narm Charm, kinda like how 300 and Army Of Darkness do. Funny thing, because I actually don't like 300...

I think I posted in the wrong thread. My issue is more "why don't more people like Hellsing" and less "It's good quality".

edited 27th Aug '10 10:27:24 AM by melloncollie

Underrated:

Saber Marionette J. Definitely the best 'pure' harem anime of the 90s. (The manga, OTOH, was... meh...).

El Hazard, most definitely. It was much better done than its big sister series Tenchi Muyo, at least at first. And I like most of the Tenchi material. Better than SMJ too, although I don't count it as an actual harem franchise.

Outlaw Star. Deserves more love. And a revival.

Gun X Sword. Probably the best giant robot show you haven't watched yet.

Tora Dora. Yeah. I went there.

Rightly rated:

Cowboy Bebop. A true classic.

Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei. Brilliant despite ist stagnation flaws (less noticeable because of the very nature of a pure gag series).

Mahou Sensei Negima (manga). The best harem of the 00s and the 10s so far, despite starting from a highly flawed premise for a harem. And despite being handicapped by a beginning not fitting an action series, it's become the most awesome Shonen epic right now (other than One Piece).

Highschool Of The Dead. It makes no apologies for what it is, and flaunts its strenghts with pride. It's pure, bomabstic, over the top, ridiculous high octane fun, and I think it delivers excellently at it.

Overrated:

Bleach and Naruto. Oh, sure, they are the 'die-hard' fandom's laughingstock by now, but the casual fans are still so devoted to them it boggles the mind.

Serial Experiments Lain. My God, what a bore.

The Melancholy Of Haruhi Suzumiya. A good series, but it didn't deserve that much hype. It'd have been nice to see where would it have gone WITHOUT having the female lead groping a big breasted bunny girl in the firt few episodes.

Code Geass. So sad, because it had so much potential. But it got devoured by itself. At the end it was nearly a parody of itself at its heights of glory.

edited 27th Aug '10 10:42:26 AM by OverMaster?!

I wish I had other people to fangirl with over Mononoke; Medicine Seller is one of the most genuinely mysterious 'mysterious protagonists' ever, the characters being forced to confront their true feelings and thoughts makes the viewer simultaneously interested and uncomfortable as they confront the hypocrisies of their own life by proxy, the art is gorgeous, and the Sword of Form/Truth/Regret is the coolest fucking excuse to keep the protagonist from just killing the monsters I've ever seen. I don't know why this series didn't get a full 26 episodes; clearly it has more to say than Matantei Loki Ragnarok did.

Likewise? Eve No Jikan. A robots-are-people-too anime with a real emotional stake beyond will-he-get-to-date/bone-her is something even CLAMP didn't explore as deeply as they should have. This one gets a great big Furiko Fuck Yeah.

Ghost In The Shell 2 was a lot better than the first one, even if it did take a more traditional action-movie slant.

Gungrave the anime's nifty gangster-picture feel is overshadowed quite a bit by the supposed suckiness of the games, and that miffs me.

X/1999 the TV. -_- Look, manga-fans, we can argue about what got cut until the cows come home, but the fact of the matter is that the show has an ending and the manga has a break-off point.

Glass Mask and Ashita No Ousama are both outstanding examinations of theatre in very different ways. And no one. Ever. Talks about them. >_<

Irresponsible Captain Tylor. I don't know how this series ever got swept under the rug; back when I first started out it was one of the series considered standard viewing, like Tenchi or Ranma or Yu Yu Hakusho or Bubblegum Crisis or something. And now that I watch it I can see why - this shit is awesome. Just read Starship Troopers and need something to get the taste of Heinlein out of your mouth? Here's your sorbet.

On the slightly less positive side of things... Cowboy Bebop is a pretty damned good series, I freely admit. But c'mon. It's not as good as everyone says it is. It'd have to be the second coming of Tezuka-sensei and Sidney Lumet to live up to its hype.

Azumanga Daioh didn't ring true for me the way it did with everyone else. I didn't find it as funny as Lucky Star or even Schindlers List (yes, there is comedy in Schindlers List. No, it does not help).

Overrated? One word: Nanoha. Dear god was I mis-sold on this one.

edited 27th Aug '10 10:59:44 AM by FurikoMaru

A True Lady's Quest - A Jojo is You!

I won't touch the main topic, as that would degenerate into me shouting at people who aren't as fussy as me.

I'd agree with you Ryvius probably could stand to be better known (though frankly there aren't that many late 90s anime which still have a considerable fanbase anyway) but I have to disagree with you on the last bit. Ryvius' music seemed to me the turd on an otherwise tasty layer cake. Maybe its awesome on wheels by itself as an OST, but I found the show's music fairly standard and plodding, and the strange hip-hop flavoured intrusions so awful and narmy that I struggle to conceive why anyone thought they were a good idea.

They give birth astride of a grave, the light gleams for an instant, then it's night once more

I'm gonna keep it as a Rule of Three for now, just to keep things small.

Overrated: The big 3. Naruto and Bleach really don't deserve the massive amount of hype that both get, and while I agree that One Piece is the superior of the 3, I also think that people put it on way too high of a pedistal.

Underrated: Mahou Sensei Negima, Ranma One Half, and Case Closed. Ranma 1/2 does continue to have a strong fanbase if the fanfics have anything to say about it, but it got massively overshadowed by Inuyasha, which I believe is the inferior of the two. I really like Case Closed when I was introduced to it a couple of years ago, and it's sad that it's short run on Adult Swim kept CC from making as big of an impact as I believe it should. And Negima? Oh man, I can spend hours creating a list of reasons why Negima should be getting more spotlight than it currently is.

edited 27th Aug '10 12:30:02 PM by Watchtower

Overrated: Gurren Lagann

Underrated: Excel Saga manga (I actually don't like the anime all that much), Hellsing, Occult Academy, Eden Its An Endless World, Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service, Boogiepop novels and anime

I'll turn your neocortex into a flowerpot!