1. Anime:
- I am definitely turned off by long anime series. Why, you ask? Well, longer series usually consist of several useless fillers that interrupt arcs (I hate it when there's a cliffhanger then a filler and then the story continues. At least have the fillers in between arcs. >.>").
The longer the series, the more fillers there are; the longer the series, the more time it takes for the story to properly develop - I find it ridiculous that it takes such a long time to tell a story. Two hundred or so episodes is absurd, especially with nearly half of them being fillers.
Also, most of the time, the series will be dragging on - the creator will just keep adding more and more and more and it becomes unnecessary.
Another thing is the time consummation - really, twenty-five minutes per episode (+ loading, downloading, commercials...) and times that by the amount of episodes there are currently released. Gah, it's just too much - that's why I enjoy manga better; I can read a volume in that time and be much further in the story.
And lest we not forget the wait for a new episode. Really, the only thing good about having so many episodes is if you get into the series really late - if you start watching when it starts, then what? You have to wait for the release of every single episode. Also, televised series often tend to replay the same episodes - they get to a certain point and then restart at the beginning. Not fun at all.
I've pretty much given up on long series - I was barely able to sit through the eighty Naruto fillers and instead of watching Shippuuden, I just went straight to the manga. As for Bleach, I gave up on the anime soon after I began it - I just stuck with the manga. It's kind of...idiotic that there's fillers in Bleach that don't even involve the main character. =__=
- I generally prefer short series. About thirteen to twenty-six episodes is good for me. Shorter series don't really have enough space to drag, add fillers or take time to develop the story. It has to be done in a way that can be easily comprehended in a short amount of time and that can still be enjoyable to the audience. Shorter series are more difficult to create due to the fact that it's simple and straight to the point. If the anime successfully manages to produce a good story and plot, as well as good characters in only a few episodes, it's worthy of praise.
Shorter anime series are also not time consuming at all. >.>" You can pretty much finish a series in five hours - ten hours, at most. I definitely enjoy the shorter series more than the longer series. ^-^"
Manga:
- I don't really mind longer manga series - the only thing difficult for me is purchasing them at the bookstore (my bookstore tends to only have the first few volumes and the newest volumes; e.g. Last time I went, they had One Piece 1-3 and 18-20. I need volume four, dang it! >.<"). Longer manga does tend to drag on sometimes though - like Naruto. I've currently stopped reading it since too much was happening too fast and a lot of what was happening was just plain...ridiculous.
Anyway, longer series CAN be pretty good, as long as they don't drag - with manga, it's not as time consuming as anime so I don't have to worry about that. Though, another thing I can't stand - online reading: new chapter. Once a week. -_-" Or, buying manga: new volume. Every two months. -______-" It's frustrating. DX
- short manga is great. Lately, I've really gotten into oneshots and they're all pretty well done. The only thing I don't like about shorter manga series is...the fact that after it's done, you want more. >.<" Shorter series are easier for me to obtain, which is always a plus, and it definitely has no time consumption for me. >.>" One to twelve volumes is a decent amount for shorter manga. ^-^"
(b) No, I would not. I don't judge manga or anime based on art, especially since some of the ones I've discovered that don't have the greatest art, have the greatest and most emotional stories. If I were to judge anime and manga based on the artstyle, I wouldn't read or watch half of the things I do.
For example; I nearly didn't read the first two volumes of the manga Doors of Chaos due to the fact I didn't like the way the noses were drawn (I'm very picky about noses; don't ask >.>"). Fortunately, I gave the manga a chance and I thouroughly enjoyed it. >.>" Unfortunately, there hasn't been a new volume out since about...last May. =___=
Other examples:
One Piece - Hated the art when I first saw it and I thought it just seemed ridiculous. That's why I refused to read it - now that I have started reading it though, I do enjoy it and I find that the art isn't really all that bad; it's just unique.
Dragonball Z also doesn't have the best art, but that never stopped me from watching it. >.>" I've always loved it, despite the artstyle.
Manga such as I-O-N (oneshot), Vampire Knight and St. Dragon Girl. I am not particularily fond of the art styles, but I still gave them all a chance and found that they were pretty good. XD
I have come to accept art as it is and try not to judge a book by it's cover (literally in the case of manga! ^_^"). I have a few friends who refuse to read certain manga because they can't stand the art - too bad for them though. They don't know what they're missing. >:D
>.>"
So, no. I wouldn't stop reading/watching if it had an older fashioned or unappealing art style. ^-^"
2. (a) My recommendation is the manga Pretty Face.
It's one of my favorite [completed] manga which I found thoroughly enjoyable.
- it's about Masashi Rando, a young karate expert who acts all high and mighty since he is undefeatable. Unfortunately, he and his school's karate team are in a horrible bus accident and it is believed that Rando is dead. A doctor, Manabe, takes the time to heal a young person who was in the accident - this person's face was completely destroyed, and need to be reconstructed. Manabe found a picture in the pocket of this young person, a picture of a young girl. Manabe assumes the picture is of the young person. He then reconstructs the face to that of the picture.
A year after the bus accident, the patient wakes up; it is, of course, Rando who now has the face of the girl he loves [Rina Kurimi]. Rando leaves the clinic only to discover that his parents moved since his 'death' and meets face to face with Rina. It turns out that Rina had a twin sister who left two years beforehand; Rando then has to play the role of Yuna Kurimi throughout the entire manga without being discovered (and thus being put in jail for being a major pervert XD).
- the manga contains plenty of ecchi and nosebleeds; come one, a horny teenage boy surrounded by half naked girls. Of course it's going to happen. >.>
- it's hilarious; gender benders do tend to be funny. ^-^" It's great how many times Rando almost gets caught. XD The humor between Manabe and Rando is pretty awesome too! >:D
- the romance is really sweet. >.< There is actually quite a decent love story in the manga, and I thought it was adorable.
- people constantly get clobbered by Rando. XD
- good story and plot - catches the attention of the readers.
- good story and character development. >.>"
And I could go on. DX
(b)>> no; the manga was released in May 2002 and ended in June 2003. [was released 2007 - 2008 here though >.>"]
>> well, I don't really have a favorite genre. It's Shonen Jump Advanced but it's really more directed to a shoujo audience, I would say. >.>" I suppose shoujo is currently my favorite genre...so...I guess yes? XP
>> yep, for sure. Humor + fights + boobs + love = orgasm.
>.>"
>> the art is mediocre; it's not horrible nor is it extravagating. It's pretty simple yet enjoyable.
>> It is short - six volumes long and is completed.
>> I finished reading it last July but recently reread it at the end of April. ^-^
3.>> Supernatural ::
Not my favorite, but I'll say Heaven's Will.
It's a oneshot which basically revolves around a young girl who can see ghosts and a 'ghost hunter' who can supposedly excorsize these ghosts (he's actually a crossdresser - he dresses as his sister for he blames himself for her death. He also has a vampire/wolf as a pet).
What I disliked about it was its length - it could have been a pretty decent manga if it had only been a few volumes longer. It felt so incomplete at the end; other than that, it was pretty decent and had a good story, good characters and nice art. ^-^
>> Demons And/Or Vampires ::
Demons:
Gaba Kawa. Also a oneshot which I recently read. It's about a demon who comes to earth with the want to meet and have another demon who is well known. Upon seeing this other demon, she has no interest in him; instead, she falls in love with a human which in the end result in her destruction.
It's pretty good for a oneshot and the ending doesn't leave you hanging; it's really sweet and simple. ^-^
>> Optional Bonus Question:
>> What is your favourite written novel/book? XD
From recent books:
The Street of a Thousand Blossoms by Gail Tsukiyama.
It's basically the story of two young boys living in Japan; before the war, during the war and the aftermath of the war. (WWII)
It's a pretty nice story; the writing isn't the greatest, but the way the author portrays the story is really nice. I may have even cried...once or twice...>.>" It was sad, okay? TT_TT