I get this (although strangely with Champloo even with its period setting I love the dub). That's why FMA works though because its world is very much European in construction.

God that English dub is fucking AWFUL. Too many characters and not enough voice actors so they recycle a bunch too. And the ADR writer is like a D-list script writer.

No one is saying they aren't. We were talking about the dub actors in the good dub. They're quite good in both versions.

Pretty much. Helps to have a smallish cast of major voices. English dubs run into the most trouble when there are a huge array of characters because we don't have a particularly deep stable of voice actors. I'd say Funimation probably does the most consistent job reversioning stuff and they're headquartered in Dallas. Interestingly Ed Blaylock (who does Fuhrer Bradley in both FMAs) is one of the local classical radio station DJs and its hilarious to hear him on the radio.

Yeah I can't even watch the English dub anymore, the only character it really comes close to nailing is Rukia, though she sounds older than a "15" year old girl should sound her voice at least fits her personality, probably the only one that's even comparable to the original.

Finished 3 anime so far this semester: The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Elfen Lied, and Angel Beats.

Didn't care too much for The Melancholy. The story seemed like it would go somewhere interesting but then ended up doing nothing (although it being out of order could be part of what hindered my appreciation for it). There were some interesting characters at least, even if they just follow familiar anime archetypes.

Elfen Lied started out tremendously boring, and had way too much goreporn in it for my tastes. But the story wasn't too bad I guess, so it was a decent show.

Angel Beats was a good show, although I felt it would've been much better if it was stretched out some (it was only 13 episodes and felt a bit condensed). There was also some absolutely wasted screentime in it (same with The Melancholy). Really sad story though, although not quite Clannad-level heart-wrenching.

To elaborate on the wasted screentime, I hate when animes have musical performances in them when it isn't really relevant to the story (both Angel Beats and The Melancholy had this where certain characters would perform a song on stage. It happened multiple times in Angel Beats, to my frustration).

I'm starting to watch Mushishi. Just sublime. Travis Willingham is the absolute perfect voice for it.

Mushishi is brilliant. I watched it during my free period every day until I was done. I love it.

Does anyone know of a good Steampunk styled anime?

Started watching Spice and Wolf and Serial Experiments Lain in the meantime.

Spice and Wolf

Not a series, but the film Steamboy is quality.

Only one episode in but not liking Spice and Wolf at all thus far. I just wanted to watch Reddit's top 20 anime for myself (it's one of five that I haven't seen, along with Madoka Magica, Ghost in the Shell: SAC, One Piece, and K-On).

Also I'll check that out, thanks.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRHJntLYMh0[/youtube]
anime meets jazz (Sakamichi no Apollon)

Great show. It got me into Jazz incidentally, particularly Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. Also it's end theme music is one of the best slices of pop I've ever heard.

Man, I've been rewatching NANA and it is so damn good. Particularly the characterization and the three-dimensional quality all the characters have -- and the drama itself is possibly one of the best -- anime and non-anime shows included. I don't often feel like I can relate much to 'drama' TV shows, it's more an escape but NANA really goes in depth and shows the vulnerability of the characters so expertly and respectfully.

Another brilliant music anime, and a strong contender for my top ten. Compared to the widely touted BECK, Nana has much better songs which helps give the, admittedly occasionally soap opera-ish, plot that much more emotional punch. I totally agree on the character depth. With the exception of Nana Komatsu, who I find to be insufferable for the most part, the characters are brilliantly written. Yasu is probably my favourite of all of them. The dude's a boss.