Monthly Archive for March, 2006

Motto Motto

2 Comments |
March 29, 2006
| Television

I go away for a few days and return to news of a Kanon remake and a second season of Honey & Clover. I should do that more often.

Regarding Honey & Clover, I was pretty much satisfied with how the first season ended. Had that been it, I would’ve died happy. Still, deep down, I really missed the show, and always hoped for a second season. I don’t know if the second season will capture the magic of the first… in fact, I really don’t care, as even a “bad” episode of Honey & Clover is like rainbows and kittens riding cotton candy clouds. I’m just happy more is on the way.

As for Kanon, ever since Air, fans have been murmuring about the possibility of a remake. So, in some ways, the news doesn’t surprise me, even despite the fact I had serious doubts it would ever happen. It seemed awfully pie in the sky, that’s for sure. To be honest, I’ve always felt the first season turned out well (I bought the R2s, after all), but I’ll also admit that it’s far from perfect. Storywise, Nayuki got the shaft, as did many of the other girls. And, let’s be honest: the character designs aren’t as ugly as some accuse them of being, but they’re definitely not attractive. With Air, Kyoto Animation proved that “puni” can look good, so I expect to be impressed. I definitely liked what I saw in the recently released promo video. “Last Regrets” still gives me goosebumps…

So, good news all the way around. More Honey & Clover, more Kanon, and, of course, the best news of all… I’m back!

One Man’s Filler…

3 Comments |
March 24, 2006
| Miscellaneous

… is another man’s character development.

A busy weekend looms, what with the house being ready and all (I can almost taste the broadband), so here’s some crap to fill space until my triumphant return…

Moyism is back in business with a new anime blog, Zero Thoughts. It’s a curse, I tell you.

Over at the AnimeOnDVD forums, they’re discussing slow DVD sales. I have some thoughts on the subject, but the skinny is that I’m buying less due to the advent of cheap collections and the fact my DVD library has ballooned to a size that I no longer hurt for stuff to watch. I’m trying to pay down my credit cards, thank you very much.

KOTOKO is set to perform at A-Kon in June. I briefly considered making the trip down there, but then realized, 1) I don’t care all that much for KOTOKO. I’VE, yes, KOTOKO, no, and, 2) Even when I lived in Dallas, I always had a habit of skipping A-Kon. I’m giving serious thought to attending AX in July, however. I have friends in L.A. I’d like to visit, and with the Fourth of July and my birthday falling during the convention, there’s extra incentive to pay a social call.

That video I was working on? Haven’t touched it since making that post. Jinx! I need to get busy next week… once I’m done playing interior decorator.

I haven’t seen the mountains in a week. When it’s not snowing down here, it’s snowing up there. I’m starting to think the mountains I saw when I first arrived were nothing but an elaborate illusion. I actually moved to Goodland, Kansas.

Mai-Otome is getting better. In a “worse is better” sort of way.

Portrait of Normality

8 Comments |
March 21, 2006
| Television

You know, if there’s one show currently airing that I’m genuinely sad to see coming to an end, it’s Canvas 2. The show wasn’t even on my radar when it first premiered, but after reading positive comments on a number of anime blogs way back when, I decided to give it a try. I’ve been hooked ever since. In fact, it’s probably the only current show I anxiously await new episodes of. Who’d have thought?

I’m not entirely sure what makes Canvas work so well. It doesn’t seem to rely heavily on its bishoujo game origins, that’s for certain. Sure, there are cute girls galore (just watch the OP), but, with the exception of Elis, they’re little more than supporting characters. The adults receive far more attention, especially in later episodes. Hiroki and Kiri are the real stars.

In fact, recent episodes dealing with Hirkoi and Kiri’s “will they, or won’t they?” relationship have been delightfully soap operaish. It’s like Kiminozo without the angst. Or Da Capo without the incest. Sometimes, it’s nice to watch relatively normal people working through normal problems. That very normalcy, I think, is what helps Canvas stand out from the crowd. How ironic.

Of course, no matter how much fans hope for an Elis x Hiroki ending, I think it’s been fairly obvious for some time now that the show’s cruising toward a Kiri x Hiroki ending. Of course, if it were up to me, it’d be Kana x Hiroki all the way. Hiroki passed up a sweet (illegal) opportunity there.

The Fansub Factor

18 Comments |
March 19, 2006
| Industry, Otaku

I’ve never cared much for discussing fansub politics. The topic usually sends me running for the hills. But, this got me thinking, so… here comes the hate mail.

First, let me lay a few things out…

I watch a lot of fansubs. I own about 300 anime DVDs, mostly R1, some R2. I own a small amount of character goods and other assorted memorabilia, most of which were purchased when I lived in Tokyo. I’m not the type to “collect” stuff, anime or otherwise. I’m neither rich nor poor.

So, why do I watch fansubs? Or, to be more specific, why do I watch anime episodes distributed illegally over the internet? Because, as an anime fan, I care more about the Japanese “scene” than I do the American “scene”. In other words, because I care most about what’s current, I watch what’s current. North American barbarian that I am, downloading anime episodes distributed illegally over the internet is pretty much my best and only option for keeping up with what’s current. Subtitles are an added bonus, of course, but if I only cared about translation, R1 DVD releases would suffice.

So, why do I buy DVDs? Or, to be more specific, why would I buy DVDs of shows already distributed illegally over the internet? The quality differential is important, obviously. Any person who claims “fansubs are better than DVDs!” is full of shit. But is that enough? Of course not. To address this issue, I consult my patented “Rewatch Rule”, which goes a little something like this…

“Will I ever want to watch this show again?”

OK, so it’s not very original. It sure as hell ain’t patented. What it means, however, is that my DVD collection is stocked with the shows I love - shows I watch again and again, until the ridiculous amount of money I spent on them no longer seems like such a big deal.

Of course, this also means I no longer waste time “collecting” fansubs. After all, if a show’s worth rewatching, I’ll buy it on DVD. If I plan on buying it on DVD, why save the fansubs? The only exception to the rule would be shows worth rewatching that stand little chance of being licensed for R1 release. That’s not a very common combination nowadays, however. If it’s good, chances are, it’s coming out on DVD… someday.

I’ll be honest… people who brag about the size of their DVD collections bug me. But that’s nothing compared to people who brag about the size of their fansub “collections”. You have 500 GB of fansubs? Umm…wow? You must have a lot of money to blow on hard drives. Or blank CDs. Good for you?

I don’t know about you, but I prefer to watch anime, not hoard it. Hoarding is for small rodents and people with obsessive-compulsive disorders.

Spring Season Outlook

7 Comments |
March 15, 2006
| Television

It’s a good thing every anime series I’m currently watching will be ending this month, because this year’s Spring season is loaded with new shows, many of which are worth a close look. So, what am I looking forward to?

My allergies have turned my brain to mush today (it’s oozing out my nose!), so this will be very “stream of consciousness”. In other words, “poorly written and dull”…

Cream of the Crop

ARIA The Natural - It’s funny how a show so utterly pointless could be so enjoyable. They could produce five seasons of ARIA, and I’d watch to the very end. Hopefully, the animation budget will be a bit larger this time.

School Rumble S2 - For that matter, they could produce five seasons of School Rumble, and I’d watch to the very end. This is one of the best comedy series to come out of Japan in recent years, and one of a few select shows I truly wanted to see a second season of. Definitely excited about this.

Joshikousei GIRL’S HIGH - Let’s see… there’s a high school. And there’s girls. Therefore, there’s high school girls. You do the math.

Nana - I think the success of the live action film is proof the original manga is friendly to adaptation. On the other hand, Madhouse really screwed the pooch with Paradise Kiss (and Beck, for that matter), so I have my concerns. Perhaps they’ll get it right this time.

xxxHOLiC - I caught the movie in a theater (full of fangirls) on opening day this past Summer, and really liked what I saw. Following the Tsubasa debacle, I’m a bit wary of CLAMP adaptations, but with Production IG at the helm and BeeTrain nowhere to be found, I’m pretty optimistic. If the TV series can capture the feel of the movie, xxxHOLiC should be a winner.

Yume Tsukai - This is a case where character designs and artwork capture my curiosity more than premise. More important, however, is the presence of Hisakawa Aya, Kawasumi Ayako, and teh Mamiko. Bring on the seiyuu interview DVD extras!

Ah! My Goddess S2 - I’m still watching the first season as it’s released on DVD, so I’ll actually pass on this initially. I don’t want to get ahead of myself.

Everything Else

Utawarerumono - I have a natural soft spot for Leaf properties, so I plan to at least give this a look.

Love GeCHU - Miracle Seiyuu Hakusho - With a title like that, how could I NOT be interested? On second thought… yeah, it’ll probably be stupid. Still, shows involving seiyuu (Miracle Seiyuu?!) intrigue me for some reason, and the character designs are easy on the eyes, so… keep this a secret, OK?

Kamisama Kazoku - Premise is kind of “blah”, but the artwork looks nice. Could be a nice filler show. Sometimes, those turn out to be surprise favorites.

Ouran High School Host Club - I’m a bit conflicted on this one. It looks like it could be pretty amusing, but I’m getting more of a yaoi vibe than a shoujo vibe. There’s no problem with the former, necessarily, but it’s far from a turn-on. Lots of potential, though, and BONES’ involvement is a major plus.

Strawberry Panic - A dormitory full of lesbians? Um… I would never stoop to watching something so lascivious. Nope. Not gonna happen. What of my reputation?

Spring Break (I Wish)

2 Comments |
March 13, 2006
| Otaku

I thought this long month in a motel would be fraught with boredom, but, in reality, I’ve been running around like a chicken with my head cut off. Crazy. But, even though I’m behind on anime blogging - and watching, for that matter (I guess this hasn’t been such a big problem after all) - I have managed to make some progress on a music video I first began a couple months back.

It’s been almost two years to the day since I last released a “serious” music video - that is, excluding all Marimite videos set to old Journey songs - but the idea for this particular video has been bouncing around in my head for a painfully long time. So, it’s only natural that I finally make it happen. Then, I can rest in peace.

The working conditions here aren’t especially conducive to getting things done, however, so I doubt I’ll have the video finished any time soon. The new house is almost ready, though, so perhaps I can knock the sucker out in a week or so once I’m settled in. I work fast when comfortable (and when the creative juices are flowing).

As for the content of the video, I’ll leave that to speculation. Nothing special about the above image. Nope, nothing at all.

For Hazumu

11 Comments |
March 8, 2006
| Otaku, Television

For Hazumu
by Soro Asuta

Hazumu is a friend.
I know he’s been a good friend of mine.
But lately something’s changed
that ain’t hard to define.
Hazumu’s turned into a girl
and I want to make him mine.