Which is the best Adult oriented cartoon

[Spiderdancer]

So this is a different Ghost in the Shell from the anime movie? The one with the not-overly-original "The AI has developed a personality and cyborgs are people too!" storyline?

[eatmyshorts]

If we're on anime here, Cowboy Bebop is the best anime ever. I hate Invader Zim... :/. Too many goths at my school like it, and I never enjoyed it.

[DTH]

I ain't a goth, but Zim! is ace! Never stop another person's love of a thing stop you from enjoying it for that is just silly limitation.

[ÄlveKatt]

spiderdancer said:

So this is a different Ghost in the Shell from the anime movie? The one with the not-overly-original "The AI has developed a personality and cyborgs are people too!" storyline?

Yup. It's the tv-series. Has a whole new story, and quite a few completely stand alone episodes. Same slew of charachters though, and also the Tachichomas from the original comic.

And while the theme in Ghost the shell the movie wasn't exactly original, I must say that it was beautifully carried out. If you really think that Ghost in the shell was completely unoriginal i'd say you underestimate the scope of the theme.

[Spiderdancer]

It certainly must strike a chord somewhere, or people wouldn't keep writing the "If I'm a machine, do I have a soul?" stories.

I think what annoyed about Ghost wasn't the Mech Person storyline - I of all people am fond of Mechanical Men - but rather the execution. but then, if I'm going to object to every anime with gratuitous female nudity and no male nudity at all, I'd be here all day. Sadly, I liked Appleseed with its corny melodrama far more than Ghost in the Shell. ("Briareos!!!" "Deunan!!")

[eatmyshorts]

As I said DTH, goths at my school like it, and also "i never enjoyed it". Meaning I never liked it combined with a fact that I don't like it more because of the goths. I am not saying you're a goth though. It's all good though buddy, I can certainly see why people would like it, and I don't totally hate it.

[StarOpal]

I thought Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (the show) was better than Ghost in the Shell (the movie) and much better than the GitS 2 movie. A little slow in parts, but the show focused on the other characters too, not just The Major. I also preferred The Laughing Man over The Puppetmaster.

But if we're including anime I have to go with Cowboy Bebop. It's probably the closest thing I've ever seen to an animated show being perfect.

[DTH]

spiderdancer said:

It certainly must strike a chord somewhere, or people wouldn't keep writing the "If I'm a machine, do I have a soul?" stories.

My thoughts on this are that this subject keeps raising its head because the issue of the soul (and whether or not it exists) and the nature of intelligence/sentience are both issues that are personal to a lot of people (nay, everyone?).

What does it mean to be alive? What separates us from animals? What is the difference between a machine and a human? What happens when that line is blurred? How is an intelligent machine different from a human? Where does intelligence end and sentience begin?

These are all questions that sci-fi/cyberpunk explores and only when we actually have a definitive answer will it stop.

(Its my personal belief that we won't ever have a definitive answer, but that's just me. My philosophical/spiritual beliefs are my own and I wouldn't foist them on anyone else.)

Still, I find such things interesting and a different take on it is always welcome.

But you are right, there are a buttload of these stories and indeed, even Battlestar Galactica 2.0 hovers around the issue a little.

if I'm going to object to every anime with gratuitous female nudity and no male nudity at all, I'd be here all day.

Ha!

Neon Genesis Evangelion forever won me over by ironically promising more "fanservice" next episode, by way of mocking the audience most likely to watch it (adolescent Japanese males).

[devilndisguise]

I'm a little late joining the debate. But I'm currently addicted to "The Venture Brothers". It's in Season 2, and my boyfriend has just bought Season 1 so I can catch up and it's great! The opening episode of Season 2 had a Hunter Thompson-esque character that almost had me peeing my pants. If you haven't seen it - ya gotta give it a try!

[Head Mutant]

These are all questions that sci-fi/cyberpunk explores and only when we actually have a definitive answer will it stop.

Honestly, this is one of the things scifi does best, better than any other genre: doing allegories, metaphors and unique ways of tackling modern issues, topics and philosophies. Roddenberry knew that, and even though Star Trek's fallen far off the wagon of being relevant in any meaningful way, it could still be a show that really had something to say about an old topic in a new way in a great way. If you catch my drift (no way).

devilndisguise said:

I'm a little late joining the debate. But I'm currently addicted to "The Venture Brothers". It's in Season 2, and my boyfriend has just bought Season 1 so I can catch up and it's great! The opening episode of Season 2 had a Hunter Thompson-esque character that almost had me peeing my pants. If you haven't seen it - ya gotta give it a try!

Venture Bros. is classic. Some of the episodes from the first season are a tad uneven, but for the most part they're downright hysterical (such as when the doctor has a yard sale to sell all of his father's inventions, and every fruitcake in the world shows up to buy). Doctor Orpheus has to be one of the best characters in modern TV history, with his overacting to everything and that bombastic music that plays when he talks.

I feel strongly enough about this show to do an article about it some day.

Dr. Orpheus: Oh, it must be dreamy to have a costumed nemesis. Chasing you... wringing his gloved hands in concern of your every move.
Dr. Venture: You're kidding, right?
Dr. Orpheus: It just seems so romantic.

[Head Mutant]

Also,

Dr. Byron Orpheus: What powers this device?
Dr. Venture: Oh, you know, the usual stuff.
Dr. Byron Orpheus: Dr. Venture...
Dr. Venture: Well, ok, there might have been ONE foreign part.
Dr. Byron Orpheus: Such as?
Dr. Venture: A, um...
[mutters]
Dr. Byron Orpheus: What was that?
Dr. Venture: A, uh... orphan?
Dr. Byron Orpheus: Did you say... an ORPHAN? This monstrosity is powered by a forsaken child?
Dr. Venture: Well, not ALL of it! I didn't use the whole thing!

[DTH]

Honestly, this is one of the things scifi does best, better than any other genre: doing allegories, metaphors and unique ways of tackling modern issues, topics and philosophies. Roddenberry knew that, and even though Star Trek's fallen far off the wagon of being relevant in any meaningful way, it could still be a show that really had something to say about an old topic in a new way in a great way. If you catch my drift (no way).

The thing is, I do! I used to be a massive Star Trek fan a long time ago. TNG started the decline and Voyager ended it. Enterprise was just an epitaph.

'Trek stopped being about exploring very human issues, about showing us something about ourselves through allegory and metaphor and became mundane sci-fi. Roddenberry wasn't a genius but he knew what sci-fi was about.

The latter day producers of Star Trek knew what made money and therefore, it wasn't so much about telling a story that, you know, might actually teach something and more about making a product.

I realise that entertainment is the biggest market out there and if a show featuring people with funny ears or knobbly bits on their face can grab a piece of that pie, then so be it. But TV can be so much more and Star Trek, once upon time, offered us that.

The Stargate fanchise is going the same way, I am afraid. Although it never offered any lessons, it did entertain and certainly brought something new to the table.

Its a shame it has been scrapped from Sci-Fi Channels schedule. Its looking increasingly likely that SG-1 is gone for good

[devilndisguise]

Dr. Orpheus does rock... One of my favorites...(in his eerie voice...)


Dr. Byron Orpheus: Orpheus! I am known to men as Dr. Orpheus! And mine is to perceive and control the delicate arrangement of the cosmos!
Dr. Venture: They give out Ph.Ds for that?
Dr. Byron Orpheus: [in a lowered voice] Junior college upstate, communication major, minor in women's studies. But I assure you, sir, the doctor title was bestowed upon me by a higher power than a mere college professor!

but I must admit...I'm a die hard Monarch fan! (and the henchmen...I love the henchmen)...I want to go as Dr. Girlfriend for Halloween...but fairly sure no one aroudn here will get it.