Edoropolis Emporium

Has anyone other than myself here seen Azumanga? It's like an anime with absolutly no plot, but manages to be an awesome show non-the-less.

What it is, is a bunch of highschoolers and thier abnormal english teacher and its all really funny.

Here's a picture of one of the many scenes in which Ayumu is being crazy...
(http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/9826/osakaplain4wv.th.jpg) (http://img245.imageshack.us/my.php?image=osakaplain4wv.jpg)

I would say more, but I would give away the whole story!  ;)

Uh oh! Get Kyo in here!

Burkey

I read one of the mangas. I liked it :)
"Osaka" hehe.

i've seen the first OVA volume myself, and i have to say, it was quite entertaining  :D shame i haven't seen it in a year, though.

Yes, watched them all, loved it.

Awesome bus!
But I don't think that Chiyo is the one people come to see for the show,
it's all about Osaka. How can a 10 year old beat a dilusional mastermind?
(and you thought I was going to say Sakaki)

OK then, here's the Osaka Bus

Osaka rules  ;)

I've greatly enjoyed Azumanga Daioh since I first started reading the manga. ^_^
The anime isn't that bad either. If anything, moments are close.

^_^ I've really got to get more of the DVD's.

Woooo Yeah, Osaka!

Why does Japan have all the cool stuff? And why does North America have crap?

I don't think so, those are the only 2 I have.

In my opinion, it's because America's really loosing touch with its creative side.
Japan I think is a more nurturing arena for comics, and animated series.

Their stories usually are quite clear and easy to follow, or at least catch up on. For some reason, shows based on comics are just hard to make here. It may be just me, but it seems like 95-99% of all North American shows never start from the beginning. We always get thrown right into the action, and are left to either wait for a flash-back episode, or just plain guess what has happened.

Also, the shows always seem to just drag out and get bland. Some shows I feel deserve either an ending that brings everything to a close, or at least an ending that leaves things open. Instead if ratings aren't good, the shows are just dropped like a bad habit.

Edit:

Also, for some reason folks would rather read about their local news-casters, or some crappy sit-com on their busses. It takes real appreciation to appreciate an Osaka bus...

I agree with you partly, but I don't think American/Canadian kids are any dumber than kids in the rest of the world.  At least, they don't start out that way...

The problem here is cartoons=commercials.  Its all about making a quick buck selling toys or at least commercial time.  Creativity takes the back seat to marketing. 
That's why Japan has Azumanga and we get Loonatics. 
That's why when the occasional good North American cartoon comes along, it's doomed to fail.  It's not that a show like Invader Zim didn't have fans, it just wasn't what marketing was looking for. 
Most of all, North American studios (TV and Movies) are afraid to try anything new.  They'd rather stick to the sort of thing they've done before than take any risks.  (That's why there are so many sequals.  That's why "That 70s Show" spawns "That 80s Show", and "Cheers" leads to "Cramer") Everything is done by committee.

Certainly you mean "Frasier"? :)

Anyways, there was only one spinoff that was done well, Good Times, which was actually a spinoff of a spinoff of All in the Family. (The best TV show of the 70's).

Yeah that's it.  I don't actually watch any of these shows.  I gave up on network TV long ago.

Good choice. The only thing I ever watch anymore is TV Land or Family Guy.

NA tv sucks, minus the cool stuff
like family guy, and american dad, and the simpsons and stuff like Robot Chicken (who could forget Linus perfoming occult rituals?) and Harvey Birdman.

NA tv is going down the drain, and Japan is there to enlighten the world with new ideas.

Yay for American political correctness.  :(

EDIT:
Oh yeah, to stay on topic,

What was your favorite scene in Azumanga Daioh, (manga or Anime)

Mine's when Ms. Yukari, Sakaki, Kaorin and Tomo fly down the road in the yukarimobile, and make the faces at the Ms. Kurosawa car.

Harvey Birdman is the coolest adult cartoon CN has made. I remember the two Space ghost new shows, Cartoon planet and Space ghost from coast to coast, Cartoon planet was funnier.

and, i watch some Nick shows, as well as like Fresh Prince, Cosby Show, and Jeff Foxworthy, as well as the original Looney Tunes and Popeye. i'd watch SWAT Kats too, but that's been taken off digital cable recently  :'(

from what i've read, i can tell you this: the quality of animation isn't the only thing Japan has a reputation for. i've read about many anime and manga with totally original plots and synopses, from Urusei Yatsura to Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo!

SWAT Kats...ahh the memories. I thought it was so cool that two guys just built a jet from junkyard stuff.

By the way, I recently heard some of the Azumanga Daioh soundtracks. Only a few songs though.

Yeah, SWAT Kats was a cool show, haven’t seen it in more than ten years, but I have good memories of it.

Like SPC it had a beginning and a end. Is not like it would be cool if they did more episodes after they rescued the whole planet from aliens and got their jet upgraded with “Out of this world” technology. But think I missed the final confrontation with the main villain, Dark kat. Or maybe it never happened in the show because it was going to be canceled so they did the two alien invasion episodes to give it a good end.

American TV is great..

Everybody Hates Chris, My Name is Earl, Family Guy, American Dad, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Arrested Development, old Simpsons, and these are just TV shows that are currently still airing new episodes. I can't account for our past in television right now because I'm in a hury, but don't diss American TV.

Anime can't thrive in the same way here as it does in Japan because of culture issues. Anime is always going to be a niche market.

Us cursed American's and our closed mindness towards other cultures.

It's always fun thought to see all the differences between places.  America is a huge place with wide roaming fields and urban centers, Europe is basically one huge village and South East Asia is like one giant Urban center where people actually use mass. Transit/bikes to commute. 

Wow! I can't believe that I missed a topic about Azumanga Daioh!

To answer Valkyrie's question, my favorite scene is where Kagura tries to help a foreigner with his bags.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kn2ogbiOuk&search=azumanga%20daioh%20foreigner (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kn2ogbiOuk&search=azumanga%20daioh%20foreigner)

As to North American cartoons...
Some are good, but most are just plain awful.

Now if you excuse me, I'm going to go watch The Tick.  :)

Hellop.....   hellop?    HELLOP ME!!!!!

My fave Azumang Daioh episode so far was their junior year culture festival where Chiyo dressed up as a penguin.