Older Anime

In addition to watching the current crop of anime shows, I have also been looking back on shows and movies from years past.

True Tears (2008)

Shinichiro is a student living in what would be a dream come true for most high school boys, but for him is mostly a frustration. A well liked girl in school named Hiromi has lived in his house for a year along with his family. Her father was a close friend of the family, and when he died they immediately took her in. She is popular and well liked, always smiles, is talented in sports- but Shinichiro knows there must be tears inside her. Having an artistic tendency, he makes watercolours of her and thinks about wishing to ease her tears. Yet he cannot bring up the nerve to talk to her even in his own home. She, too, is quiet and withdrawn in their house, quite unlike at school. Shinichiro is also distracted by teasing from his friend Nobuse for watching Hiromi from afar, a curse of bad luck from a strange girl named Noe, and being forced to perform Muhiga dancing. By helping Noe he hopes to ease his own problems, yet he seems to have difficulty helping himself.

I ended up watching all 13-episodes back to back. It's not a brilliant show (the first episode is especially weak), but it kept me interested enough to keep putting in the next DVD. The story treads no new ground and the secondary characters handily outshine the lead. It's melodramatic, and I tend to like melodramas, so that certainly played a role in the entertainment value. The artwork is probably the best part of the show.


Please Teacher! (2002)

Kusanagi Kei, a high-school student living with his aunt and uncle, has an encounter with a female alien. This alien is revealed to be a new teacher at his school. Later, he is forced to marry this alien to preserve her secrets. From there, various romantically-inclined problems crop up repeatedly.

When Ano Natsu de Matteru | Waiting in the Summer started broadcasting in early 2012, many brought up the similarity between it and Please Teacher! So I thought I'd give the older show a try. Frankly, other than both female leads being red-headed aliens and they have a squishy spaceship control module, I don't see the similarity. The plot-lines are completely opposite and I felt both the story and characters in Ano Natsu much stronger. While the final episode of Ano Natsu pretty much destroyed the show for me, up until then I was really liking it. I watched the first four episodes of Please Teacher!, but felt no desire to watch the remaining nine.


Please Twins! (2003)

Maiku Kamishiro's past has always been somewhat of a mystery to him. The only clue he has to who is family might be is an old photograph showing two young children, a boy and a girl, playing in a small pool outside of a blue house. In an attempt to find his family, he moves to this blue house and begins working as a programmer. He's living a comfortable life until the day two very different girls show up at his door, both in possession of the same photograph, and both claiming to be his twin. With no way to prove who is a relative and who is a stranger, Maiku allows both girls to move in with him until they know for sure.

The indirect sequel to Please Teacher! (it takes place in the same locale and has some of the same characters), I watched this one first because it arrived first. I found this show a fair bit more entertaining that the original. It's a harem anime (at least for the first 9-10 episodes), and as such it has the standard harem tropes and clichés, however it does not wallow in them anywhere to the level I felt Please Teacher! did (as a Romantic Comedy). The story was stronger and the new characters added improved upon those in Please Teacher! Of the two, I'd recommend skipping Please Teacher! in favor of Please Twins!


Perfect Blue (1998)

Pop idol Mima quits her group in order to pursue an acting career. But not everyone is happy especially a crazed fan that stalks her. People around her are being murdered and Mima starts to lose her sanity.

I'm a huge fan of Satoshi Kon's Millennium Actress and Paprika, so I thought I should go back and see where it all began. And I was not disappointed.

Somehow, it seems wrong for you to be referring to an anime series from 2008 as "older." I know you just mean "older than the currently airing stuff" but it still seems wrong somehow. Shows from 2008 are still pretty recent even to me, and I haven't been watching anime anywhere near as long as you have.

Hm, now I feel like watching Ghost in the Shell.

Ah, Perfect Blue. Such a great thriller in the best Hitchcockian tradition.

I don't even consider stuff from 1998 to be old. Now if you want vintage, I'll go break out my Mazinger Z collection.

SUPAAA ROBOTO MAZINGAAA ZEEEEEEEE

I go back and watch Noir every now and then. That and Yu Yu Hakusho are pretty much the "oldest" I have aside from the remixed Robotech, but I can't really consider than an anime any more than I can Transformers.

FearTheLASERFACE wrote:Hm, now I feel like watching Ghost in the Shell.

Got the second season soundtrack on right now. They didn't make a mistake with that entire series.

The Anime News Network Podcast did a set of shows dedicated to their personal top 10 anime of the 1980s, the 1990s and the 2000s. Those were interesting trips down memory lane for me.

They're also planning to do one for the 1970s, though about the only things I can remember from then was Uchiuu Senkan Yamato and Galaxy Express 999.

Recently finished eX-Driver and its movie sequel.

I think a series that good could have gone on for longer.

Oooh... now I'm feeling a jones for Bubblegum Crisis.... Mmmm, Nene-chan...

Officer_Charon wrote:Oooh... now I'm feeling a jones for Bubblegum Crisis.... Mmmm, Nene-chan...

the question is which one the original or 2040. As for old anime I might have to breakout my uncut version of outlaw star with the hot springs planet episode or Robotech, or maybe some good old Gundam UC 79

Although the debate can be had that 90's era anime is "not old enough", to many of us it is still childhood nostalgia that grips us at our core. I can still remember my first experiences with Japanese Animation and a big hearty thanks to Kiskaloo for starting this thread as it's giving me an excuse to dig up my VHS collection. So it's time for a tribute to Streamline Pictures!! So without further ado... first up

Twilight of the Cockroaches(1987)

-To say that this film is hard to explain is an understatement within an enigma. The most prominent feature of this live action/animation hybrid film is that you get to see and in a most powerful use of auditory effects, hear the world of the roaches. It's about life, death, trust, betrayal, and a whole host of other emotional concepts that blend together rather seamlessly.

-Ever since first seeing it in 1991, the concept still seems fresh as somehow it continues to relate to the troubles of today. Though some parts seem whimsical (a talking poo here folks) if you are a fan of the surreal, I wouldn't be surprised if you watch this film over again just to see what you might've missed.

NEXT WEEK = AKIRA (1988)

MP5 wrote:Recently finished eX-Driver and its movie sequel.

I think a series that good could have gone on for longer.

It is a great, fun series... though I'll admit I probably like it most for the concept and cars...

...and the Alfetta still has little eX-D decals just ahead of the rear wheel arches

Alfisti wrote:

MP5 wrote:Recently finished eX-Driver and its movie sequel.

I think a series that good could have gone on for longer.

It is a great, fun series... though I'll admit I probably like it most for the concept and cars...

Seeing as how the movie introduced the concept of international eX-Drivers, I would think a current re-make can and should explore the possibility of an eX-Driver international school in one of the gulf countries where all the new-money types get to run around with supercars on a daily basis. I would also like to see a possible rotating fleet, because while the Super 7, Stratos, and Europa are all well and good, one would think they'd have reserve vehicles in case their primary cars get trashed or need something bigger. I certainly thought responding to those rogue manual vehicle drivers with something like a Boss 429 Mustang would have been fair play.

...and the Alfetta still has little eX-D decals just ahead of the rear wheel arches

Where can I get those? Or were those custom made?

remembering the law of Ueki as the first Anime i saw....

his green hair...ten sacred weapon...damn..i need to watch it back...sooo much nostalgia....

FearTheLASERFACE wrote:Hm, now I feel like watching Ghost in the Shell.

Well we do have Ghost in the Shell Arise coming later this year.

crazyidiot78 wrote:

Officer_Charon wrote:Oooh... now I'm feeling a jones for Bubblegum Crisis.... Mmmm, Nene-chan...

the question is which one the original or 2040. As for old anime I might have to breakout my uncut version of outlaw star with the hot springs planet episode or Robotech, or maybe some good old Gundam UC 79

The original, despite it's many flaws. I really dug the storylines of the OAVs.

Just found out that Funimation re-released "Haibane Renmei" on DVD last september as part of their Anime Classics series. It looks like they bought up a bunch of the old Pioneer/Geneon and ADV stuff and are remastering them to an extent. One review of Renmei said the quality was a lot better than the original Pioneer release. They also have "Noir" for those who might be interested in viewing that series.

For those interested in getting some of the "Classics" here's a link: http://astore.amazon.com/funanimeclassics-20?node=11&page=1

Officer_Charon wrote:

crazyidiot78 wrote:

Officer_Charon wrote:Oooh... now I'm feeling a jones for Bubblegum Crisis.... Mmmm, Nene-chan...

the question is which one the original or 2040. As for old anime I might have to breakout my uncut version of outlaw star with the hot springs planet episode or Robotech, or maybe some good old Gundam UC 79

The original, despite it's many flaws. I really dug the storylines of the OAVs.

OC agreed the original ended to soon

I haven't had a great deal of luck with anime TV series that were released prior to 2000, but one I did really enjoy was The Irresponsible Captain Taylor. It could probably be described as a comedic space opera.

Sorry for the delay, but life obligations (and boobs) just seem to keep getting in my way. So without further ado;

Akira-1988

-For many of my generation, this classic gem of a film was their gateway into the world of Japanese Animation. Not everybody had seen Wicked City, Galaxy Express 999, or even Demon City Shinjuku; but if you ever mentioned Akira in the early 90's, you were pretty much 'in the club'.


- The plot of this film is classic storytelling at it's finest. Basic fundamentals such as "show, don't tell" and "rich, but simple" are so much a part of the narrative that a lecture on plot progression could be made from this film alone. Akira begins with an ambiguous explosion consuming Tokyo in 1988 which then continues in the rebuilt Neo-Tokyo where a biker gang led by the fearless Kaneda, rides through the streets of Neo-Tokyo defending their turf. During the biker battle; the smallest member, Tetsuo, comes into contact with a runaway psychic who attacks Tetsuo in self-defense. This in turn awakens Tetsuo's own psychic abilities.

-Now here is something I just know I'm going to get flamed for. This title alone was at the very heart of the sub vs. dub debate in the 90's and in many ways still is. Especially in the case of being re-dubbed by Animaze and Pioneer in 2001. To note, the 2001 dub is in fact better written with a more literal translation for the Japanese dialogue, better recorded with the availability of Dolby 5.1 SS, and better performed featuring American VA staples Johnny Yong Bosch and Wendee Lee just as they were taking center stage in the VA circuit.

-However, I personally like the original Streamline/Kodansha dub more so than the better produced re-dub mainly because of the script. Though it wasn't his work originally, it became the template that Carl Macek would use to develop a hallmark style that still echoes through the industry today. The characters simply don't appear as if their being performed, rather the script and the way in which it was written lends itself to the characters feeling much more organic. When first seeing Akira then just as now, watching the 2001 dub feels like watching a production(a very good production) whereas the 1988 dub feels as if I'm watching a recreation of the events in someone's life.

For action buffs and drama fiends alike, I can't recommend this film enough. I recommend the region free international release Blu-Ray. It contains not only the original Japanese, but both the Streamline 2.0 dub from 1988 and the Pioneer 5.1 Dolby dub from 2001.

NEXT WEEK - Vampire Hunter D (1985)

Piero wrote:I haven't had a great deal of luck with anime TV series that were released prior to 2000, but one I did really enjoy was The Irresponsible Captain Taylor. It could probably be described as a comedic space opera.

That show was awesome, I have it on DVD box-set.

Gunbuster (1988+1989)

When 16-year-old Noriko Takaya enlists in the Girls' Space Corps to become a spaceship pilot, she has an ulterior motive: to avenge the death of her beloved dad, whose spacecraft disappeared years ago after being attacked by insectlike aliens.

The absolute bomb a quarter-century ago, if it was released today...Jesus H. Christ. The original "guilty pleasure", this show hits all the tropes and cliches. Heck, it was probably the source for most of them. Still, it remains a work that is more than the sum of it's parts. A strong story, beautiful animation and a catchy soundtrack (to this day, it is the only CD I own that hits the absolute limits of the format: 74 minutes in length and 99 tracks).

I did love Gunbuster... if only for the jogging, shadow boxing mecha.

Alfisti wrote:I did love Gunbuster... if only for the jogging, shadow boxing mecha.

Don't forget the "Gainax Bounce" - now a staple of every anime.

Aria the Animation (2005)

On the planet Aqua lies the watery city of Neo Venezia, a tourist hub in which people travel around in gondolas. Professional gondoliers known as Undines are well-revered as they act as tour guides for the people. Akari Mizunashi is a gondolier in training and also an employee of Aria Company. She gets to meet all sorts of people as she takes them on the gondola rides, from friendly mentors to special individuals, all this admidst the beautiful scenic backdrop of the entire city.

The first of three anime adaptions of the manga of the same name, the tempo reminds me of Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou, though more happens in an episode of Aria than YKK. Like YKK, the animation style is a bit crude, but it has a soft, almost watercolor effect. The characters are as pleasant as the city they live in and the general theme is a slice-of-life show - but what a nice life it is. This is a city and planet I could certainly retire to. There is a strong comedic undertone, but it's a pleasant kind of comedy - the one that elicits a smile or mild chuckle. There is no wackiness or zaniness to it, which would be out of place, IMO. All in all, a very pleasant way to pass four hours.

Kiskaloo wrote:Aria the Animation (2005)

On the planet Aqua lies the watery city of Neo Venezia, a tourist hub in which people travel around in gondolas. Professional gondoliers known as Undines are well-revered as they act as tour guides for the people. Akari Mizunashi is a gondolier in training and also an employee of Aria Company. She gets to meet all sorts of people as she takes them on the gondola rides, from friendly mentors to special individuals, all this admidst the beautiful scenic backdrop of the entire city.

The first of three anime adaptions of the manga of the same name, the tempo reminds me of Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou, though more happens in an episode of Aria than YKK. Like YKK, the animation style is a bit crude, but it has a soft, almost watercolor effect. The characters are as pleasant as the city they live in and the general theme is a slice-of-life show - but what a nice life it is. This is a city and planet I could certainly retire to. There is a strong comedic undertone, but it's a pleasant kind of comedy - the one that elicits a smile or mild chuckle. There is no wackiness or zaniness to it, which would be out of place, IMO. All in all, a very pleasant way to pass four hours.

Ah yes, ARIA... still one of my top contenders for "all time favorite anime"... 52 episodes of absoutely nothing happening, but in such a whimsical manner that, after half an hour of watching nothing happen, you kinda want to watch another half an hour of nothing happening. It's definately a character driven show and one of the ones I wound up buying the DVDs for... and a whole heap of other merchandise.

To be honest I've not watched it in awhile, but only because if I did I would get nothing done all day... this goes for the soundtrack as well, which is beautiful but has a similar effect.

...Fortunately the anime finished in line with the manga story, as both Athena's voices (singing and VA) died shortly after the completion of the series due to illness.

Arakawa under the Bridge (2010)

Kou Ichinomiya has always lived according to the creed of his wealthy, successful family: never be in debt to anyone. But one day, under the Arakawa Bridge, his life is saved by a homeless girl named Nino. In order to pay her back, Kou promises to be her boyfriend; and thus begins his new life under the bridge.

I watched a fansub of the first episode of this when it originally aired and it didn't float my boat so I dropped it (I'm also predisposed to dislike SHAFT projects). The live action TV drama was released in 2011 and I decided to give it a try and ended up really enjoying it.

Fast-forward two years and my local library had the Box Set so I decided to give it a second chance. And I have to say it was pretty good, though I think the drama explored the characters deeper (though the character of Stella was significantly changed in the drama, they stayed pretty true to everyone else). This is an NIS America release so the Blu-rays are absolutely gorgeous - SHAFT never looked so good.

I also picked up the sequel set - Arakawa under the Bridge × Bridge - and will have a review of it up later this week.

Arakawa under the Bridge × Bridge (2010)

In the dry riverbed of Arakawa River, undefeated elite Kou Ichinomiya (aka Rick) met the lovely homeless girl Nino, a self-declared Venusian. Their awkward love stirs up trouble among the other strange inhabitants of the riverbed.

This was one of those pleasant surprises where the sequel was significantly better than the original. I enjoyed the first series, but I really enjoyed this one. It was off-the-hook ridiculous, but in a massively funny way. They made Nino a much more interesting character, added a lot more P-ko time (she's my favorite) and it felt much more like an ensemble show then the first one. SHAFT also really upped the ante on the animation quality and again, NIS America did a brilliant transfer with the Blu-rays.

Blue Submarine No.6 (1998-2000)

The once famous and well respected scientist Zorndyke has bred a new genre of living being, one that thrives on the oceans and lives to destroy humans. Zorndyke believes it is time that the humans were relieved of their rule of the earth. It is up to Blue Submarine No. 6 and the rest of the Blue fleet to put an end to Zorndyke's madness and creations.

One of the early efforts at blending 2D and 3D animation, it's a mixed bag in that department due to the lack of cel-shading of the 3D models. However, neither animation nor music are the strong points of this show. The story and the characters (and Range Murata's character designs) are.

Kiskaloo wrote:

FearTheLASERFACE wrote:Hm, now I feel like watching Ghost in the Shell.

Well we do have Ghost in the Shell Arise coming later this year.

Apparently the new Motoko design is unliked,even by the producers of the show !

Mr. Horse: "No sir, I don't like it."

Vampire Hunter D (1985...ish)

"This Story Takes Place in the Distant Future."
"When Mutants and Demons Slither Through a World of Darkness"

- For a kid raised on Star Wars; that opening tag line was all that was needed to hook me in and plant me down for my introduction into te world of Japanese Animation. Vampire Hunter D is best described as a post-apocalyptic western and given it's original release date could very well the forebear of the sub-genre.

- One of Vampire Hunter's D's hallmarks is the soundtrack. A unique blend of orchestral hyms, eerie tones, and a Japanese lullaby tossed in; the soft assault of sound continues to resonate to this day. In particular D's theme "Parting is still recognized today as one of the most identifiable film movie tracks.

- Also to note one of Vampire Hunter D's unique aspects is that unlike many western dubs produced in the late 80's to early 90's; Vampire Hunter D has yet to be redubbed with the original remaining unchanged apart from remastering for digital transfer. Though success eluded many after the fall of Streamline Pictures; the English voice cast did in fact enjoy a reunion of sorts thanks to the Digimon series.

- Also; for fans of 'Dirty Pair'; keep an eye out for a cameo from Kei and Yuri.

NEXT TIME- WICKED CITY

I love the original D. Had it on LaserDisc and now on DVD. And the soundtrack CD was a favorite.

Awinnell wrote:

Kiskaloo wrote:

FearTheLASERFACE wrote:Hm, now I feel like watching Ghost in the Shell.

Well we do have Ghost in the Shell Arise coming later this year.

Apparently the new Motoko design is unliked,even by the producers of the show !

Not a fan either. Seriously hard to beat the design GItS:SAC gave the character.

to be fair, she is supposed to be much younger in the new series

Awinnell wrote:to be fair, she is supposed to be much younger in the new series

I thought that too when I first saw it; but it looks more like they took the young Motoko model and tried to give her the seriousness of the OAV and SAC series. I've read the manga and young, headstrong, and impulsive Motoko worked damn fine.

If her image is representative of how the new series is going to portray her; than I have to say I'm going into the series on tiptoes with a rescue rope wrapped around my waist.

Awinnell wrote:to be fair, she is supposed to be much younger in the new series

In one of the series she had to transfer into the body of a young teen and she looked pretty good, so how bout we do that again?

Cowboy Bebop (1998)

pike Spiegel, a bounty Hunter with a dark past, lives on bounty to bounty, barely making it each time, or not making it at all. His partners Jet Black, Faye Valentine, Ed and Ein the dog all help him in his adventures from planet to planet.

The show has been recently released as a Blu-ray box set in Japan. Since the show was animated and filmed in standard definition so up-converting it to 1080p makes it look about as good as it ever will, but it lacks the impact of something filmed in 1080p (like the K-On! movie). While the physical release is Japanese-only, the group OZC has added the dub and the sub from the US DVD set, which is a nice touch (this is one of those shows I first saw with the dub, so that is how I prefer to watch it).

Mars of Destruction (2005)

Some time after a space mission to Mars ends in destruction, strange monsters called "Ancients" begin appearing around Tokyo. A group of specialists consisting of three girls and one troubled young boy must fight the Ancients until they can come to understand exactly what it is they are fighting. When one of the Ancients tells them that they are the true invaders of Earth, they must search within themselves to grasp what truly is reality.

Is this the worse anime ever made? Having not seen everything, I cannot say, but I have to believe it's a serious contender. I will say that it has supplanted M.D. Geist as the worst anime I have personally had the misfortune to witness.

A 20-minute OAV evidently made in support of a PS/2 game of the same name, it was evidently animated by a real studio (ironically named idea Factory - hint, this was a really bad idea, guys), but the CG animation quality is poor even for a freshman art student production. Hell, I've seen dating game dialogue scenes with more movement.

The character designs for the girls are kinda cute - one reviewer compared it to well-executed fan art and I have to agree. However, absolutely no time is spent on developing the characters and their names are only mentioned once. The voice acting is universally terrible - even Minori Chihara just phoned it in. What little soundtrack there is consists of Casiotone versions of Chopin and Beethoven - usually played during the fight scenes.

The story is mostly non-existent, generally incoherent and totally ludicrous. And there is a "twist" ending so bad that it would make M. Night Shyamalan blush with embarrassment.

Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team (1996)

U.C. 0079 - In the middle of the One Year War, Ensign Shiro Amada is transferred to South East Asia to command Kojima Batallion's 08th MS Team, a small army of soldiers piloting RX-79[G] Gundam Ground type units. During the skirmishes in the jungle, he confronts ace Zeon pilot Norris Packard and falls in love with Aina Sahalin, a pilot involved in testing Zeon's top-secret mobile armor. This relationship leads to the Federation doubting their trust in Shiro. Now Shiro must prove his loyalty in the battleground or die a traitor.

I was not a fan of Gundam until Cartoon Network broadcast this show in 2001. To be honest, I'm still not a fan of Gundam, but this is one of the installments I liked.

The reason I am watching this show again is that a Blu-ray box has been released and OZC is re-muxing it with the English-language dub (which is how I first saw the show). Actually, the Japanese audio tracks are out-of-sync so you have to watch it in English. As with Bebop, it looks pretty darn nice in Blu-ray even though it is an SD show.

The Wolf Children Ame and Yuki (2012)

Hana is a 19-year-old student who falls in a "fairy-tale like" love with a "wolf man". Over the course of the 13-year story Hana gives birth to two children—older sister Yuki, and younger brother Ame, or "Snow and Rain". At first the family quietly lives in city trying to hide their wolf heritage, but when the "wolf man" suddenly dies Hana makes the decision to move to a rural town, far from their previous city life.

Absolutely incredible, but then Mamoru Hosoda is the genius behind two (now three) of my favorite anime movies - (The) Girl Who Leapt Through Time and Summer Wars. If you are fan of his work, you owe it to yourself to see this. I just pre-ordered the R1 Blu-ray (a bargain at $20).

I've been rewatching Allison to Lillia recently after it came up during discussion in the Summer 2013 thread.  It's a 2008 anime based on the novel series Allison and its sequel series Lillia and Trieze.

The series is set in a world with one huge continent that is divided in two by mountains and a river.  To the East is the Roxche Confederation, to the West the United Kingdom of Bezel Iltoa or "Sou-Beil."  The peoples of the East and the peoples of the West have a long history of hostility and conflict, with the last major battle fought a mere ten years before the beginning of the series.

The initial protagonist is Wilhelm Schultz, a bookish seventeen year old boy with a photographic memory and a talent for sport shooting.  He intends to spend a peaceful summer in the vicinity of the school where he resides, but his plans are interrupted by the arrival of his brash and tomboy-ish childhood friend Allison Whittington, a newly minted pilot of the Roxche Air Force who decides to make a stopover at Wil's school while delivering a new trainer biplane.  She and Wil encounter an elderly local man who claims to know the location of a treasure that can end the war between Roxche and Sous-beil.  The old man has a reputation for telling tall tales, but when he is whisked away in a suspicious manner Allison decides to pursue the kidnappers across the border into Sous-beil -and Wil gets dragged along for the ride.

Allison to Lillia is a series I kind of like and one that I wanted to be great.  Unfortunately from what I've gathered the anime does not entirely do the source novels justice.  For one thing it glosses over the fact that Roxche and Sou-Beil speak separate languages.  In the books Wil and Allison were bilingual but not all the characters they met were -the ability of particular character to understand or not understand a language was sometimes important.  The anime's attempts to tone down the source material's violence also result in a number of ridiculous scenes.

In spite of this I still rather like the earlier parts of the series.  From what I can remember, it was largely the later parts of the series  (which I haven't finished watching this time around) that brought the show down.  It might not be entirely the source material's fault as it may be a matter of adaptation, but the second arc seemed to get pretty ridiculous at times.  The fact that the "new generation" of characters didn't seem to match up to the old ones didn't help either.  Lillia in particular seemed like a weak replacement for Allison as the series' female lead.

I'd kind of like to see a more mature and faithful adaptation of the series with a different art style and higher production values, but I doubt that will happen any time soon.  I'm not too hopeful I'll see an english translation of the original novels any time soon either, though a translation of the manga adaptation of the first story arc is available.  Its actually quite similar to the anime in some ways but there are some notable differences.

For the aviation buffs it may be interesting to try to identify some of the planes in the series.  I've managed to identify some of the aircraft in the series, but not all of them (plus there are a few that seem quite different from any real world type I can identify).  Here's a list of a few of the real world aircraft that planes in this seem to have been based on:

De Havilland Tiger Moth
Grumman Goose
Fiesler Fi-156 Storch
Sikorsky S-42
Fock-Wulf FW190D
Dornier Do 18
Heinkel HE 111

There's also some interesting firearms that show up at times in the series, including one that I think was based on the unusual (by modern standards) Steyr M1912 handgun.

Finally got around to watching the second instalment of the Last Exile franchise: Fam the Silver Wing. It wasn't bad, wasn't spectacular either and it certainly had some major flaws, but I enjoyed it well enough. I also got another dose of Range Murata's work, which is always a good thing.

Honestly, I think the biggest problem Fam had was, well... the original Last Exile, which was significantly better. Problematically, though Fam is centred around a different set of lead characters, including the titular Fam, some of the cast from the original also have a major role to play, so you (or at least I) are constantly being reminded how much better the first season was. That the old cast were generally turning up to essentially be awesome most of the time, often to their accompanying first-series soundtrack, really wasn't helping matters.

That said: I was glad that they actually used existing characters to tie the two series together, gave them a proper role, rather than just cameo appearances... and didn't nerf them (completely) in favour of the new crowd. Instead, they let them be as good at their jobs as you remember them being.

Yes, I was not as hooked on Fam as I was on the original (still bought the R1 Blu-ray box set). There is evidently a "bridge" manga that covers the journey of the Last Exile with the original cast aboard back to Earth.

One of the things that I've been doing lately is writing reviews for an anime website - it's a bit of beer money in the downtime between seasons. I recently reviewed the re-release of Patlabor: The Mobile Police , which is celebrating its silver anniversary this year.

I downloaded the Japanese Blu-rays of the original OAV series and have been considering buying the new R1 BRD release.

Area-88.. I liked the series but wish it had continued longer. As Star Trek eventually learned, wars take time to resolve, not just one episode.
The OAV is older, you can tell by the way the era planes are represented (and not just the animation), and is more true to the manga I'm told. It was really good in spite of being slightly darker than the series.

I own the TV seres and the OAVs, but only seen the OAVs - which were very well done on a technical level.

The addition of Kitri was a nice touch in the series.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfq3pNYWJ9c

It's a good point.