There's not enough bitching

[Brian]

Earth Girl Arjuna is a magical girl who fights for the environment.

It's appallingly inaccurate, unfortunately.

Edit: You know, it's veering a bit from your ideal subject matter, but I highly suggest Planetes.  Janitors ...IN SPACE.  (Better than it sounds.)  If you're willing to go back to Miyazaki, there's also Spirited Away.  It's subtler in both of those, but....

Also, just recalled this one -- Ghibli, but NOT Miyazaki: Pom Poko (very, very awesome).  That's probably what you're looking for.

Somewhat related: http://www.mit.edu/~rei/manga-environmental.html

[Arakawa]

Well, as long as Arjuna doesn't blame everything on aliens, I'd be inclined to give it a look. Unless it's pretty damn good, though, it won't alter my fundamental complaint about the existence of Squid Girl and Tokyo Mew Mew.

(Reading a review, I notice it's actually not too dissimilar to the sort of storylines I was mulling over, with the character who's in tune with nature, to the extent of being forced to experience its pain. However, Arjuna probably won't explore even half of the horrible implications that I could see following from such an idea.)

As for the other Ghibli stuff, that's kind of the problem, is that I've seen most of it, not that I wouldn't mind watching more of it :-) Pom Poko strikes me as the most complicated work of the bunch, because like a documentary it has the luxury of bringing up questions it can't answer... which makes the ending kind of a downer, but it's at least a justified downer.

Now that I think of it, Mushi-shi would also probably be in the running for 'environmentalist' anime. Many episodes have the whole "foolish humans fatally alter the balance of things" thing down pat... in its own odd way.

Curious to see what makes you recommend Planetes in this context, as well.

[thepanda]

I love Arjuna to death, but I wouldn't recommend it for serious environmentalism.

However, Arjuna probably won't explore even half of the horrible implications that I could see following from such an idea.)

Actually, it does this so strongly it becomes painfully anvilacious. Of course, that really is the point of Arjuna to begin with, so...

(The scene after she has gained her power and takes a bite out of a burger still sticks with me. And the one where she is near a field when they're dusting it. Talk about blessed with suck. -_-)

Also, Yoko Kanno on music duties, really conspicuous CGI, a magical bacterial plague that destroys all things made with petroleum, ect   

Oh, hey, TVTropes to the rescue!

[sarsaparilla]

Mmm ... other than what Brian mentioned I can remember that there's Origin, Spirits of the Past which kind of tries to be something like Ghibli lite. It starts well enough but doesn't quite deliver, as it's reduced to a boring shounen power trip toward the end. Or at least that's what I recall.

[Brian]

I'm giving up on the visual novel project.  So:

Screw it.  The lack of support has soured me on it.  Sorry--  I must express disappointment at everyone who said they'd help and then bailed.

Drac, please move the Ranma:VN forum into the 'dead games' archive.  It's moved from 'fun multiplayer project' to 'another job I do after my regular one, only without any co-workers'.

Edit: Or pay.  The stress was almost the same, though.

[Ebiris]

(Reading a review, I notice it's actually not too dissimilar to the sort of storylines I was mulling over, with the character who's in tune with nature, to the extent of being forced to experience its pain. However, Arjuna probably won't explore even half of the horrible implications that I could see following from such an idea.)

It's surely not what you're specifically looking for since it's a book and she's just a supporting character, but the Necroscope series of novels by Brian Lumley (short synopsis, British and Russian psychic government divisions spar during the cold war while alien vampires try to take over the world) has someone who fits the bill. It's been a while since I read them but she's a Geomancer or something like that who's deeply in tune with the Earth and it's condition is reflected in her physical condition - she's horribly old before her time, unfit and cursed with myriad health complaints. Her basic job is to use her one-ness with the Earth to locate Soviet ballistic subs, but in the books she's generally roped into finding otherworldly monsters and horrible magic by the traces it leaves on the environment. In a later book they visit a primitive alien world and she's much healthier there!

I recommend the books in general, they're fun horror/spy stories.

[Sinom Bre]

I've read some of that Necroscope series and enjoyed it, although it's been a few years. I found it a little light on the characterization depth and little heavy on the "the world is about to end, oh, noes!", but overall very enjoyable. The sameness gets a little tiresome after a couple of novels, as a caveat.

I also enjoyed Lumley's Titus Crow trilogy, based on the Lovecraft mythos. One of the better treatments I've seen.

[Yuthirin]

I've read some of that Necroscope series and enjoyed it, although it's been a few years. I found it a little light on the characterization depth and little heavy on the "the world is about to end, oh, noes!", but overall very enjoyable. The sameness gets a little tiresome after a couple of novels, as a caveat.

I also enjoyed Lumley's Titus Crow trilogy, based on the Lovecraft mythos. One of the better treatments I've seen.

Lumley really makes the Mythos enjoyable, doesn't he?

[Yuthirin]

The cable for my laptop has mysteriously vanished. Sigh.

[Anastasia]

I'm in a half asleep daze today. Ugh.

[Arakawa]

Started reading 'Sam and Fuzzy'. Took about five minutes for my eyes to stop trying to read it from right to left. Too many Mangafox scanlations.

[Brian]

*snrk*

Sorry--  I hate MegaTokyo because of Lazy Piro days (long rant, there), but I recall trying to give it a second chance when I saw the book in stores.  Flipped it open straight to the back page and got a, 'You dumb otaku -- you're reading it wrong!' message.

So, I know the feeling, believe you me.

[Dracos]

Hah.  that's an interesting complaint :)  "Too American style!" =3

And I am oddly amused that you are currently the most obscure of the titles too.  I dunno why.  Still, neat to hear others trying it out.

[Brian]

The author of this fic:

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7539904/1/

E-mailed me directly and asked me for my feedback.

...damn my pride.

Once more: As I sow, so too must I reap.

[Arakawa]

Well, what can I say to that fic, but not my cup of tea. I do look forward to the inevitable subsequent speculation about what the writer was hoping to get from (a) writing it in the first place, and (b) submitting it for review to someone with a completely different focus.

And I wish the writer luck in writing a different fic that actually has some kind of idea it can try to live up to. The best case is that they're someone who has an honest suspicion that they're not accomplishing anything with what they're writing, and the review will be confirmation of that. The worst case... I have some thoughts -- not all of them charitable to the writer, so I'll consider whether or not to voice them after the review wraps up.

----

(By the way, thanks to everyone for all the anime/book recommendations earlier in the thread, regarding environmentalism and whatnot. Put a bunch of them on my list of things to consume. Eventually.)