Help me expand our animation and comix section

Cafe Society
#1

As some of you know, of the many different jobs I’ve had since I’ve been a Doper, currently one of my three jobs is that I work in a video rental store. My boss has given me near carte blanche to update the store’s stock, create new sections, etc.

I’ve added several new sections, and ordered several buttloads of new titles. I find I need some help, however, with a couple of genres that I’m not terribly well versed in: “Non-Children’s Animation,” and “Comics Movies.”

Now, Comics Movies is easy. It’s just a place to put all the various movies that have been adapted from comics: from *Annie * to *Batman * to *Spiderman * to *Ghost World * to Road to Perdition. I’m not having much of a mindblock in this section, but if you guys could list any and all such titles, to help me make sure I’ve included everything, that would be awesome.

Now, the Non-Children’s Animation section is more of a problem for me. We’ve got quite a bit of stuff: from Akira to Watership Down and everything in between. But I’m not all that well-versed in this genre, so I’d love to collect some recommendations of what to buy to expand the section.

For example: I’ve had 2 customer requests for InuYasha. There’s a shitload of InuYasha; I wouldn’t know which to buy first, or if any of it’s worthwhile. Can those of you who follow this “genre,” as varied as it is, make some suggestions? With some explanation of why you sugget it, if possible; some capsule reviews would be monumentally helpful.

(FWIW, the reason it’s called Non-Children’s Animation is because Adult Animation might imply some Xrated stuff, and it’s very definitely a family store, without an “adult” section, so I’m not interested in Hentai-type suggestions for now.)

#2

Where did I get the idea that you’re a university professor?

-FrL-

#3

I couldn’t possibly list all the comic books made into films, but wikipedia sure can (AFAICT it’s a pretty complete list).

#4

Hmmm—are you looking to add collections of anime series’, or are you more interested in full movies?

(I’ll be back with suggestions, later. Sleep now.)

#5

Get the Anime version of Metropolis.

And the Cowboy Bebop series is great!

#6

You have a lot to choose from! A general hint that might help is that if they made a second movie it prolly has a following and is pretty good. For the very big series, you may want to start with one or two episodes to see if your customers like it. Anything from the Adult Swim on Cartoon Network has generated a big following. I don’t know what kind of clientel you have so I can’t make as many specific recommendations but off the top of my head:

Cowboy Bebop (series and movie)
Trigun
Samurai Champloo
Ghost in the Shell: Innocence (movie)
Appleseed (second movie)
Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust (movie)
Weiss Kreuz
Hellsing (13 episode series)
Gundam Wing/AC
HUnter x Hunter (series)
Saiyuki (start with the series, it’s old enough to be discounted)
Chobits
ALL Miyazaki movies (Totoro, Spirited Away, Porco Rosso, Howl’s Moving Castle, Mononokee Hima)
Full Metal Alchemist
Escaflowne
Oh! My Goddess

That’s the more commercial stuff I can think of. Give us more ideas about the people renting and maybe we can help refine the list.

#7

Um, from the fact that I’m usually drunk at work and I’ll give you an A if you sleep with me? Or that I lied on my resume?

I got nothin.

#8

Read ye this.

#9

You can subtract Porco Roso and Howl’s Moving castle, but you would want to add Laputa: The Castle in the Sky, Kiki’s Delivery Service, and Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro. (Mononoke Hime is known as Princess Mononoke in the US.)

For Inuyasha, unless you’re going to get the full TV series, you’re probably best to just get the movies and maybe the first season just so people can get the introduction to the main characters. (Though Inuyasha’s secondary character cast is quite large and very close to being main characters, so this may be futile.)

I’d recommed:

Cowboy Bebop (TV and movie)
Revolutionary Girl: Utena (TV and movie)
Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust (movie)
Tenchi Muyo (the first OVA series, and the movies)
Samurai Champloo
Stand Alone Complex
Wings of Honeamise
Key: The Metal Idol (no one will rent this, but they should)
Evangelion (TV and movie)
Macross Plus
Memories
Steamboy
Big O

The quality of animation in Japan has taken a nose dive the last few years (except for some standout series like Samurai Champloo and Standalone Complex), due to more pressure by the distributors to do licensed stories instead of original stuff. So be a bit more wary of anything made post 2000. Previous to that, anything that got subtitled was probably pretty good. These days most of everything seems to be getting translated, but there isn’t much worth translating to begin with.

#10

I like Porco Rosso…

See if you can find Cats Don’t Dance. I would also reccomend Spike and Mike compilations.

Edit: they’ve actually released Cats on DVD!

#11

Another vote for Porco Rosso - but maybe make a copy of the original DVD and remove the dire dubbed soundtrack with horrendously mis-cast Michael Keaton voicing Porco.
(The french dub gets it right with Jean Reno).

#12

What’s wrong with Howl’s Moving Castle? If you have hardcore Miyazaki fans, you could also get Neko no Ongaeshi (The Cat Returns).

As per Inuyasha, it’s basically a romantic comedy action anime… if that made any sense. It’s about an acts-tough-but-is-virtuous half-demon who is betrayed by an evil full demon who ruins his relationship with a priestess. Inuyasha is the half-demon, and the priestess sticks him to a tree for 50 years. This is all set in feudal Japan. A girl from present day falls into a magical well and releases Inuyasha from the tree. She is also the reincarnation of the priestess. It’s a little hard to explain… Basically it’s a combination of action versus the demon and romance with the girl. I personally like the show, but it’s definitely not for everyone.

As per anime recommendations in general, it’s usually best for business to carry the newest hip titles. Bleach, Naruto, and Blood are probably all safe bets.

Good luck!

#13

There’s nothing wrong with Porco Rosso nor Howl’s Moving Castle. But I have to imagine that there’s limitted space, and you’re best to fill it in with the major items first.

And I forgot Nausicaa (by Miyazaki.)

So Hayao Miyazaki items by “Must-haveness rank”:

  1. Totoro, Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind, Princess Mononoke
  2. Laputa: The Castle in the Sky, Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro, Spirited Away
  3. Kiki’s Delivery Service
  4. Porco Rosso, Howl’s Moving Castle

Nothing wrong with the #4 items, in particular. Just by that point you’d do better to get some other directors/studios in there.

#14

There’s Heavy Metal, of course. I’ve not seen the sequel, but I imagine it would fit as well.

Maybe the Bakshi stuff like Lord of the Rings and Wizards and American Pop.

And Cool World.

Recently, there’s been Waking Life and A Scanner Darkly.

I don’t know if this fits since it’s been over 20 years since I’ve seen it, but I remember Shinbone Alley having some adult themes in it.

#15

Some of each. Not a HUGE budget, but I want it to be a quality section.

#16

We have a pretty complete Miyazaki collection.

Check.

Cool; will investigate these.

Are these all Japanese? I want to get a good selection of Anime, but I don’t want the entire section to be Japanese. Some obscure non-Japanese suggestions would be cool too.

#17

Thanks; we have all but that last one, which looks interesting. I’m adding it to the list.

#18

Thanks!

#19

I’d recommend this one:

The Tune

#20

Let’s see…for American (or western, at least) animation, I might suggest:

A Flight of Dragons
G.I. Joe (series collection)
The Last Unicorn
Mission Hill (series collection)
The Secret of NIMH

Prolly more…but, I’m tired.