Gankutsuou (The Count of Monte Cristo)

[blind51de]

I've recently gotten into this very worthy animated futuristic adaptation of The Count of Monte Cristo. This unlikely but excellent story is looking to be one of the best anime of the year, next to FMA (but that's just my opinion).

Highly recommended! Even the book, which is the ORIGINAL vendetta-revenge epic story written in the 19th century, is worth its long read.

Five episodes out so far, and I'm on #3 as of right now. The animation is vivid, and takes little time to adapt to (ignore the first few seconds of the first episode).

Oh, and if you've only seen the movie version that came out a few years ago, it's not a quarter as good as the original story. (As much as I liked the movie, average as it was).

[Arilou]

Personally for me the only "real" adaptation of the Count is the french one starring (who else?) Gérard Depardieu... :D

[gohmaking]

I too would also highly recommend this anime for its great story and animation.

[mow]

what the hell? an anime with the conte de mont cristo as the concept? do you have any links for webpage wehre i can see some of the artwork, i love tha book!

[mpthread]

Isnt the plot of Gankutsuou based more on Alex a side character in the novel of the count of monte cristo, still it is a good anime

[blind51de]

Yeah, they grouped several of the minor characters into a clique. Not a bad idea considering it would be much harder to keep track of them.

Albert is one of the more important minor characters, if you know the story, but the anime won't be following him for too long.
Just so you know in advance, they did not make Dantes/The Count an alien.
Here's a fanlisting site with screencaps: http://lunar.as-world.net/

[Oskar von Reuental]

Ultra bumpage from forum limbo!

Anyone watched the whole thing? Thoughts? Comments? Whatnot?

I am currently on the fifth episode and I like it so far. Perhaps, that is because I read the book. I can also up the first few eps for people who might be interested.

/hopes that someone actually replies :oh

[Ruri]

Ultra bumpage from forum limbo!

Anyone watched the whole thing? Thoughts? Comments? Whatnot?

I am currently on the fifth episode and I like it so far. Perhaps, that is because I read the book. I can also up the first few eps for people who might be interested.

/hopes that someone actually replies :oh
Please! :wtf

I adore the book, so I'm going crazy at the idea of an anime for it! :spaz

[Tsuuga]

This series is good. Really.

Much better than that piece of crap Moby Dick anime adaptation.

[blazingshadow]

so where are the links for the episodes? i mean what's the point if you don't post them?

[Oskar von Reuental]

-EDIT-

links are all dead! :nuts

[Ruri]

You're so awesome. T__T

[blazingshadow]

thanks.12345

[EMPRA]

Great i love this story, such a classic :amuse ...

[Tehol Beddict]

I just watched the first episode of this a little while ago, on point out from baal's generous ul sig link.

I gave a sort of half assed "hi, I've been wake for 36 hours, so I don't really know what the fuck I'm alking about" review in my fc, but no one in there has seen it/likes it [unappreciative bastards xD], so I s'pose I'll just copy it over here.

If I am allowed to base my opinion solely on the first episode:

First off, let me just get that fact that I fucking loved the first episode out of the way, since it's a very general statement.

Style. The beginning made me raise an eyebrow, but I figured it would have to be trying something pretty big if it started out that conspicuously [what with the rainbow tecno rave and all xD], so I gave it a full ride anyways. And I was pleasently surprised. The style is sublimely intense, the texture prints as stasis backgrounds contrasting with the intentionally over-plain traditional foregrounds force a change in focus that is very refreshing. At first glance, I thought the art was just done poorly, but I quickly saw that it's meant to stand out as just that, since you don't really have any reason to want to look at it, your glance sort of slides off and back to the focus, and once there, the still green screen texture prints hypnotize your gaze. The lush colors [not bright, but lush. lots of golds and browns, but very deep and rich] of the attraction points also serve as contrast to the dull blob pastels of everything else. The effect was almost total mezmerization.

I've only seen the first episode so I can't say much about the characters as of yet. I think they'll end up being a little overstated, though. For instance, I loved the count's va, but I wish he would have talked a tad bit less, pushed a bit more subtly; it would have given it more presence, I think. [though I loved his style] And I think that I'm getting a bit of a cliche vibe comng from albert, but we'll see how that pans out.

The story shouldn't be much of a problem, I'm pretty lenient, and I love the source material, so at worst it will be a wash.

Umm...can't say much else, since it's still on first ep status. The ed was fucking balls, I really dig it. Not so much the op though, at least not yet [usually takes me a while to get into an op or an ed, but we'll see about that too].

[watched them a few more times, and I don't think the op is going to grow on me xD The ed is still hot though. Sounds like somone amped up a track from the hellsing ost for it, which makes it awesome even without the visual components.]

My major problem with this is that I'm anxious about the consistency of the style quality. Is budget shit going to restrict it to only highlight moments, or will the majority of the frames maintain the original look and feel? I've seen too many animes that had a strong stand on art in the beginning lose contact with it later on in the series. Right now, that's easily the main selling point for me in this show, so I hope that's not the case. I guess we'll see when I watch the rest of them tomorrow xD In any case, if that style goes to shit, I'll probably lose interest, since the rest of it seems like it will be leaning on that strength.

This easily makes it into my list based off its intro though.

[Burning_Cyclope]

Where can I get the rest of the episodes? I've checked on both A-Kraze and A-kEep's ebpages, but neither of them have a downlaod link for the whole series (or single episodes, either)

[Nekomimi]

No clue where you can find it online since I watched my friends DvDs of it... :oh



But anyway I really enjoyed the show. Bits of it were so-so, but the awesome animation always helped to carry me through those rough spots. :P

[Tehol Beddict]

I've got no clue either. I hope that doesn't turn out to be problematic in the near future >_>

You'd say the style/animation is fairly consistent then? That's exciting :nod

[edit]

Gankutsuou Torrent 01-08 (http://torrentspy.com/torrent/610361/Ani_Kraze_Gankutsuou_00_08_Season_1)
Gankutsuou Torrent 09-16 (http://torrentspy.com/torrent/610363/Ani_Kraze_Gankutsuou_09_16_Season_2)
Gankutsuou Torrent 17-24 (http://torrentspy.com/torrent/610366/Ani_Kraze_Gankutsuou_17_24_Season_3)

[Nekomimi]

Yes the animation is extremely consistent. I can honestly say I never noticed any kindof drop in quality throughout the show really. The costumes are just absolutely gorgeous and the character designs arent bad.

Like I said it does tend to drag here and there, but not for too long. :amuse

[Tehol Beddict]

That makes me extremely happy. I'd watch the show based entirely on that, as long as it had decent mechanics otherwise, or even just pasable. The fact that it's the count of monte cristo is just a great bonus at this point.

[Jh1stgen]

mmm ... what is this anime bout?

[Nekomimi]

:blink



Oh comeon JH...You know about the count of monte cristo...right?



its just basically a altered version of that that story...It kindof uses it as a backbone to layer on anime trappings. :amuse

[Jh1stgen]

Oh comeon JH...You know about the count of monte cristo...right?

ehhhhh? >.< *scatches head

Please elaborate :wtf

[Oskar von Reuental]

I'll answer for Kitkat. (by copy/paste of course ^^;)


The Count of Monte Cristo (Le comte de Monte Cristo) is a classic adventure novel by Alexandre Dumas, père. It is often considered Dumas' best work, and is frequently included on lists of the best novels of all time. The writing of the work was completed in 1844, and released as an 18-part series over the next two years. Dumas collaborated with other authors in the writing.

The story takes place in France, Italy, and islands in the Mediterranean during the historical events of 1814–1838 (the end of the rule of Napoleon I of France through the reign of Louis-Philippe of France). It is primarily concerned with themes of justice, vengeance, mercy and forgiveness, and is told in the style of an adventure story.

Dumas got the idea for The Count of Monte Cristo from a true story, which he found in a memoir written by a man named Jacques Peuchet. Peuchet related the story of a shoemaker named Francois Picaud, who was living in Paris in 1807. Picaud was engaged to marry a rich woman, but four jealous friends falsely accused him of being a ███ for England. He was imprisoned for seven years. During his imprisonment a dying fellow prisoner bequeathed him a treasure hidden in Milan. When Picaud was released in 1814, he took possession of the treasure, returned under another name to Paris and spent ten years plotting his successful revenge against his former friends.

Trying to escape his uneventful life, Albert, the son of a renowned general from Paris, makes a journey with his friend Franz. During his travels, he meets an immensely wealthy nobleman named The Count of Monte Cristo. Living in luxurious hotels, surrounded by beautiful women and strong bodygaurds, the charming but enigmatic count fascinates Albert. Albert invites the count to join the high society of Paris. However, unknown to Albert, his father had once framed the count and took the count's fiancee as his own.

[guiltyspark7750]

very good series, I finsihed it in a day. Music was great, made me want to be a french aristocrat. Actually because of this anime, a few of my friends and I are going to an opera in a few weeks. I shall be showing up with a cane, top hat, and large cloak! :-p hehehe

[Shuriken_Thrower]

I just love this anime.It's excellent in every way ^_^ My favorite characters being the Count and Haydee.The book was my all time favorite and then anime did it justice,even though it had changes(most signifigantly at around the end)

For those who havent seen,I highly recommend it.Think of it as a Count of Monte Cristo in Space ^^

P.S-I forgot to mention the gorgeous art and coloring style using Photoshop textures and layering.

[Taleran]

I was almost afraid this board didn't have a topic for this masterpiece and that would have saddened me



too much awesome in one series, all the characters were done well (still nothing on the book though), still an amazing series that keeps you entralled right till the end.

[Kiba_Luvr]

This is is such a beautiful series. I just love looking at the phenomenal art in this series, the art designs are so rich in color it almost wants to make you cry.

[Yakushi Kabuto]

Watched the first two episodes awhile ago, and upon seeing the boxset I just had to buy it. So now I'm slowly watching the entire series. I forgot how beautiful the patterning is and the way the people are outlined in different colors, not solid black, works so very well. And the Count's voice is just so...oohhh, oozing such charisma should be illegal. And oh my god, that song, that I remember from a lovely flash game with a giraffe, is in the series. xD; Franz and Albert's friendship is very sweet, I'm growing more and more fond of Franz, I suppose I do tend to like the neglected best friend of the protagonist.