GURPS Anime...what should be in it?

[David L Pulver]

Originally Posted by Mark Skarr

Because you would have to have large chapters dedicated to all the various genres. Anime isn't a genre. Many of the chapters would need their own, sub-chapters. Going back to Mecha, you could have a discussion of all the different type of Mecha anime. Let's look at just a few and how well they differ:

• Gasaraki = Supernatural Horror + Mecha.
• Neon Genesis Evangelion = Teen Drama + Judeo-Christian Mythology + Mecha
• Mobile Suit GUNDAM = Military Drama + Paranoia + Mecha
• Rah Zephon = Comming of Age + Music + Mecha
• GUNDAM Wing = Boy Band + Mecha
• Armored Trooper VOTOMS Season 1 = Military Drama + Mecha
• GUNDAM 00 = Supers (with Mecha)
• Armored Trooper VOTOMS Season 2 = What? Hunh!? + Mecha
• Macross = Military Drama + Romantic Musical + Mecha + In space!
• Sakura Wars = Dataing Sim + Steampunk + Mecha
• Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann = Mecha + Post Apocalypse + CMoA + Galaxys as throwing stars!

Simply comparing Macross to Mobile Suit GUNDAM there are so many differences between two "funamentally" identical shows that the discussion could fill (and probably has, in Japan) many volumes. Heck, even comparing the various incarnations of GUNDAM would be worth it's own book.

Getting a comprehensive book on Mecha in Anime would be quite diffficult. Not insurmountable, but if you wanted to safely cover all your bases you'd have dozens, or hundreds, of different scenarios to detail. GURPS Mecha really only covered the semi-military drama anime. It left a lot of ground open. I loved the book, and still have my copy. I'll probably go get the PDF version as soon as it becomes available.

I certainly want to do an expanded version of MECHA as soon as I finish other planned projects. I did cover more than just military stuff in the 3e book, which actually would nicely deal with most of what you mention above, but a 4e book could emphasize a lot more of the non-traditional aspects (and probably wouldn't have the super-detailed Vehicles-based construction system eating space!). Recent mecha non-traditional shows I've thought highly of: BOKURANO ("let's make Evangelion look happy), MACROSS FRONTIER (wee! two idol singers and a kabuki star/mecha pilot), and RIDEBACK (dancer on a transforming motorbike)

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by David L Pulver

Multigenre "Anime Games" such as Big Eyes, Small Mouth that try to handle every (action) anime genre are simply multi-genre GURPS/HERO generic games and some attached sourcebook material and anime style art.

QFT. My first campaign using BESM was based on Lord of the Rings. And not an anime adaptation of LotR; the straight LotR out of the books—or, at least, an alternate universe version thereof. I picked BESM because its very visually based mechanics fitted Tolkien more easily than GURPS's more engineering-based mechanics. But really, BESM is a universal game with some helpful notes on anime tropes.

Bill Stoddard

[Mark Skarr]

Originally Posted by David L Pulver

I certainly want to do an expanded version of MECHA as soon as I finish other planned projects.

And I would love to help on such a project.

Originally Posted by David L Pulver

I did cover more than just military stuff in the 3e book, which actually would nicely deal with most of what you mention above, but a 4e book could emphasize a lot more of the non-traditional aspects (and probably wouldn't have the super-detailed Vehicles-based construction system eating space!).

That would be awesome. I loved the 3e book. It was a lot of fun to read and use.

Originally Posted by David L Pulver

Recent mecha non-traditional shows I've thought highly of: BOKURANO ("let's make Evangelion look happy), MACROSS FRONTIER (wee! two idol singers and a kabuki star/mecha pilot), and RIDEBACK (dancer on a transforming motorbike)

I haven't seen Bokurano and I'm only just starting Rideback (MonkeyFist has seen both). But, I have episode 25 of Macross Frontier on my laptop, netbook, PDA, PSP and PS3 . . . just in case I need a pick-me-up and don't know what I'll have with me.

[edit]
No, wait, I have seen Bokurano. I just didn't remember the name. That was a nice, messed up show!
[/edit]

[D-Man]

I don't know much about Anime, but if I were to do a supplement book that fit in a genre like Anime I would get every episode of the say top 10+ Anime shows of all time and watch them and take as much away as I could. Adding that info to others in the "know".

Just a thought.

[Ragitsu]

Thankfully Martial Arts can help out Cowboy Bebop.

[robkelk]

Originally Posted by MIB #0325

I don't know much about Anime, but if I were to do a supplement book that fit in a genre like Anime I would get every episode of the say top 10+ Anime shows of all time and watch them and take as much away as I could. Adding that info to others in the "know".

Just a thought.

Every episode? Sazae-san has been running three stories weekly since 1969 - that's over 5500 episodes and counting. (Over 6000, if they really haven't missed a Sunday.) Even at one paragraph per episode, there'd be no room to describe the other nine top anime.

Besides, nobody's translated Sazae-san into English, as far as I know...

[Mgellis]

Originally Posted by Mark Skarr

• Gasaraki = Supernatural Horror + Mecha.
• Neon Genesis Evangelion = Teen Drama + Judeo-Christian Mythology + Mecha
• Mobile Suit GUNDAM = Military Drama + Paranoia + Mecha
• Rah Zephon = Comming of Age + Music + Mecha
• GUNDAM Wing = Boy Band + Mecha
• Armored Trooper VOTOMS Season 1 = Military Drama + Mecha
• GUNDAM 00 = Supers (with Mecha)
• Armored Trooper VOTOMS Season 2 = What? Hunh!? + Mecha
• Macross = Military Drama + Romantic Musical + Mecha + In space!
• Sakura Wars = Dataing Sim + Steampunk + Mecha
• Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann = Mecha + Post Apocalypse + CMoA + Galaxys as throwing stars!

You left out Demonbane. :) That probably falls under the heading of Mecha + Romance + Occult Conspiracy + WTF!? Why is the Necronomicon the heroine of the story!? How the hell did that happen!?

(No, I'm not making this up.)

[robkelk]

Originally Posted by Mgellis

You left out Demonbane. :) That probably falls under the heading of Mecha + Romance + Occult Conspiracy + WTF!? Why is the Necronomicon the heroine of the story!? How the hell did that happen!?

(No, I'm not making this up.)

He left out Bubblegum Crisis, too. (Mecha + the dystopian parts of cyberpunk)

[Mark Skarr]

I left out a lot, but I did it on purpose. I left out Code Geass, I left out Crusher Joe, I left out Voltron, I left out Tranzor Z/Mazinger Z. David Pulver listed two other ones that I left out: Bokurano and Rideback. I couldn't possibly hope to list every Mecha Anime show and give a two or three GURPS book breakdown for them all.

Hentai titles though . . .. MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

[Kuroshima]

And don't forget The Vision of Escaflowne (Mecha+Romance+Tragedy)

Sincerely, one of my favorite anime series (though I would not touch the OVA with a 10 foot pole)

Now, I agree that Anime in general is a little big for a single GURPS book, but a specific anime genre could get the Action/DF treatment.

Also, I'm surprised that no one has mentioned In Nomine Anime