Let's Watch A Series Together!

[J.]

Here's the problem, Fictonians.

Every con I go to I'm reminded of two things -- how behind on anime I am and how much more I enjoy discussing it with other people after watching it. I'm certain wherever you may be located, you can at least scrounge up some real-life friends from meatspace to share the viewing experience with, but, well...

...that really doesn't help poor old me way out on the East Coast, does it?

But! Here at Fictonia, we are about SOLUTIONS. So here's mine. Let us board members bond over the shared experience of watching something together!

This doesn't just have to be for anime, either. Video games, manga, whatever floats your boat. All I ask is that whatever content is suggested is:

1. LEGAL. Let's support the system bringing us these things so they can bring us more.

2. FREE. Money's tight for a lot of us right now, and nothing burns quite like spending cash blindly on something that may not be your cup of tea.

Other than those two ground rules, game on! Ideally the full run of the series should be available as well, but we can work things out on a case-by-case basis. Feel free to toss any suggestions in this thread. Perusing Funimation's online library, here are some I'm interested in:

Baccano!
Ergo Proxy
Romeo X Juliet

Oh, and should this become a regular thing, I'm also open to suggestions for the name of this little discussion group. I'm thinking something like 'The Fictonia Entertainment Fictionauts' Club'.

[Note: I had briefly considered the name 'Fictonia Adventurer's Guild' before realizing that acronym would look terrible on a t-shirt.]

[binksthecat]

I love this idea, and im all down for having a t-shirt made with 'the fictonia entertainment fictionauts' club" as for the 3 you listed, i havent seen baccano or ergo proxy yet. but romeo x juliet was one of my top ten best animes.

[Alec]

Raedell has said that Romeo X Juliet is very good. I must admit, the opening was very touching and the first episode intrigued me. Perhaps I should give it a shot after I finish The Closer. (kinda hard to art and read subtitles at the same time, though.)

[Adam]

I am totally down for this! I am happy to support which ever anime gets chosen, I just like watching anime! On a side note, should it be Fictionauts, or Fictonauts? I like Fictonauts better since it plays off the site name more.

-Adam

[J.]

Shall I count two votes for Romeo X Juliet so far, then? What little I've seen of the series looks gorgeous, and such high praise makes me even more curious about it.

[ TIMEFRAME ]

When we get this properly started, I'm thinking we should be able to get through about 2 half-hour episodes per week. Certainly everyone can devote at least an hour every seven days to anime, right?

Additionally, if it's cool with everyone else I'd like August to be our start date for whatever series gets chosen. I'm hoping for at least two more suggestions besides my own contributions, so this will give us more time to gather selections and vote on them.

Speaking of which...

[ SOURCES ]

I'm hoping to build a library of free, legal anime that we can check at will. Hulu's Animation section overlaps with Funimation's (and requires signing up to see the more adult-oriented stuff), but I'll drop it here for completeness' sake.

Plus it reminded me of Desert Punk and Vandread; two other series I've yet to finish.


[ NAME ]

On the topic of 'Fiction'-naut VS. 'Ficto'-naut...I'm willing to put that to a vote as well. Still, I say consult the English expert in your life, Adam. If she says 'Ficto' makes more sense we'll go with it. As of now, it makes me wince like the word 'unobtainium'.

[kikiroll]

Fabulous idea! Wahah I'm excited!
[TIMEFRAME]
I can easily do the 2 episodes a week.

[SERIES VOTE]
I already own the first couple volumes of Ergo Proxy and Boccano!, but Romeo x Juliet hold's the most interest for me. I've wanted to see it forever but kept waffling xD But thanks to binksthecat I'm sold!

I just bought Jin-Roh (second copy I lost the first oops), Kannon and the final two volumes of Mushi-shi.

[T-SHIRTS]
T-shirts! Whoot!

[Chris]

What's wrong with "Fictonian?"

Also, I don't know anything about those series. So, I'll yield to everyone else's opinion.

[Tsuki]

Oh I like this idea~ XD I'm totally down for Romeo X Juliet, I've been wanting to see that for some time now.

[J.]

Fictonian is good enough, but the difference between a regular Fictonian and a Fictonaut (ok, fine, it's starting to work for me) is like the difference between an American and an Astronaut! One drives cross-country, the other one drives cross-country wearing a diaper!

...

The point is, why not have a title as bold as the crazy realms of entertainment that we're exploring? But whatever, apparently I'm the only one with a sense of romance when naming something.

Right then, back on topic. I'll leave the choice open for the weekend, but it seems Romeo X Juliet has the lion's share of the votes!

[jessejames]

I like the idea, but my vote is for Ergo Proxy. ;D

[page806]

I love this idea. I haven't seen any of the suggested animes. So i'm down for whatever is chosen.
But is it bad that i like "Fictonia Adventurer's Guild" as the name better just cause it has "Guild" in it and that makes it seem like fifty billion times cooler?

[Tsuki]

I actually like the sound of guild also XD

[kikiroll]

I vote guild! We should have rings with secret symbols on them too! mwaha-cough-hah *ahem* Like the Freemasons.

>:3 hahah

[Ann]

I fourth guild! for some reason it makes me feel like we're going to go do a dungeon raid and grind for loot...

[J.]

Okay, fine...perhaps the Fictonian Guild of Adventurers? I refuse to call it the Fictonian Adventurer's Guild (because I can't be the only one who sees what word it would abbreviate to be, right?)

JesseJames, it seems you're overruled on EP for now -- but maybe it can be a future Guild excursion?