Shenmue Dojo

I totally agree with you. I hate to be "that guy" saying they don't make them like they used to, but its true. And its not nostalgia either. I mean there are some great series/films that come out now, but most are just meh. I mean compare what was huge back in the 80's and 90's versus the stuff people watch now. Everything has just become so generic nowadays, same stories we've all heard before lead by the same cast of characters with new names. Same with games.

edit: just saw your post lol

To my understanding, when the japanese go to make an anime (games i'll get to in a sec), I dont think a worldwide market is really considered. I think as big as japan is, their country is small and they are one of the smaller first world countries. I think japan has to make something thats going be successful there, I mean anime is very popular alot because its from japan, and the japanese take a very original approach to their animation and stories and THATS what everyone likes, its. so. freaking. creative. Just spices up an old/warn out genre some times, and the spectrum doesnt include just anime. It may twist sci fi on its head, it may do the same to fantasy, or a "slice of life" type anime, or a comedy plenty of animes in all those genres that are completely different from what you would normally expect from other media in the same genre separate from anime. Thats why I think they HAVE to first make it profitable for their own country because thats honestly what the rest of the world likes.

Now gaming is a different story because gaming didnt start in japan. The japanese just have their own versions of certain genres (and they created a few on the way). Some of what I just said above applies to gaming, but gaming is alot more popular and they usually make the decision during early development whether a game is going to be made for their home market or for world market. Also, some japanese games come out else where before in japan now (god bless them), so other markets are ALOT more important in japanese game development.

Also I think thats why the japanese struggle with gaming now a days, do you see western devs developing a game with success in japan in mind very often? Hell no, cause our markets are so much bigger, if its sucessful there great, but many big devs here dont worry much about how many copies they sell in japan. There is so much more pressure on japan to make a successful game.

I often don't make recommendation but here are two new anime series airing right now.

Aldnoah.Zero (Mech anime - Music in it is incredible)
http://kissanime.com/Anime/Aldnoah-Zero

Akame ga Kill! (Fantasy/Magic)
http://kissanime.com/Anime/Akame-ga-Kill

I really hate to be a square, but is there any need to recommend them on an illegal streaming site through which no profits will ever go back to the original creators? Especially when both of those shows are available to stream legally, even for free, on Crunchyroll, through which profits will go back to the original creators:
http://www.crunchyroll.com/aldnoah-zero

http://www.crunchyroll.com/akame-ga-kill

If you are enjoying those shows, you should try to support them, or at least not promote your illicit means of viewing. Otherwise we'll have no anime industry left.

ooohhhh that sounds awesome. Can I go into giddy cowboy bebop fan boy mode now? if such a thing is allowed haha. I am curious what is going to top the amazon version now.

I used to meditate, or fall asleep listening to this song. I remember one night I was at my buddies house stayin at his place, and I had loaded it on my PSP and I just listened to it all night to get to sleep. I would love to get my hands on some high quality remastered versions, this song, blue, tank, digging my potato, jupiter jazz, real folk blues... man oh man... Sometimes I really wonder just what they put into this show to make its story characters and atmosphere touch so many people, it just has that feeling, the last episode, "You're gonna carry that weight". Idk its just an incredibly impactful message when all is said and done,

No shame in having a run through of the DVDs now, so you can properly understand the improvements once the blurays come out. Also, december is still a few months off.

Havent seen Cowboy Bebop in awhile. Would love the bluray.