Monthly Archive for April, 2006Page 2 of 3

Running in Circles, Chasing our Tails

6 Comments |
April 13, 2006
| Television

For awhile now, I’ve been wanting to write an “In Defense of Da Capo” post, but I just can’t do it. Deep down, I have a lot of appreciation for the show, but, you know, that ending… it’s not so much a steaming pile of crap as it is a complete and utter disappointment.

I should make it clear: Nemu’s not the problem. She might not be my favorite character in the world, but there’s nothing particularly objectionable about her personality-wise. And if Jun’ichi wants to spend the rest of his days (legally) screwing his not-related-by-blood sister, I’m cool with it. May they screw happily ever after.

Aisia’s not the problem, either. In fact, she’s the only thing that made the second season genuinely interesting for me. Unfortunately, as far as the story is concerned, she’s nothing more than Sakura 2.0 - and that’s where the wheels come off. When jealous Sakura tried to ice Nemu in the first season of Da Capo, it was an explosion of win and melodrama. When Aisia pulled the same stunt in the second season, it was an explosion of “wait, haven’t we done this before?” It doesn’t help that she’s half-assed about it. Trying to make everyone happy? Pfft. At least admit you’re hot for some brotherly love too.

Of course, love conquers all, and after a couple episodes of Jun’ichi and Nemu forgetting something awfully important (see: Da Capo, First Season, Episode 18, “Jun’ichi bonks Nemu”), Aisia bids Hatsunejima adieu, and everyone returns to their poor, pitiful senses. Sakura hits the road, Jun’ichi settles for a lifetime of Nemu’s miso soup, Aisia teleports back to Norway (or wherever the hell she came from), and the rest of the cast runs off and joins a convent. The End.

Seriously. That’s it.

Obviously, it’s just the first season ending without the GOOD STUFF. And it’s not like the first season had GOOD STUFF to spare. I suppose the second season should be commended for putting the kibosh on any Kotori x Jun’ichi nonsense (hey, I adore Kotori, too, but it wasn’t meant to be), but, aside from introducing a bunch of characters no one cares about, what did the second season achieve that the first season couldn’t have handled with a couple of extra episodes?

I’ll always feel positive about Da Capo, but that ending is going to sour my memories for years to come. How such an otherwise enjoyable show could amount to so little in the very end absolutely baffles me.

Spring Season Supplement

2 Comments |
April 11, 2006
| Television

A few more first episode thoughts…

Nana - As much as I love the movie, I can already tell this is going to be the better adaptation. It’s so much more expressive. And, considering that Nana has been one heck of a cash cow for Shueisha these past few years, I suspect Madhouse has all the financial resources necessary to make this star shine. It definitely looks that way from the first episode.

xxxHOLiC - Unlike BeeTrain’s Tsubasa, this has all the charm I expect from a CLAMP show. That’s good, of course… Chobits was starting to get moldy. Unfortunately, the first episode felt a little… well, dry. Also, I think I expected more from the animation. It’s not a bad start, though.

Ouran High School Host Club - The Triumph of the Haruhis continues. If Marimite had been directed by Akitaro Daichi, I suspect it would have turned out a little something like this. With so many good shows this season, I’m reluctant to crown Ouran High School Host Club undisputed heavyweight champion of the world, but it has what it takes.

Utawarerumono - I generally don’t go for fantasy stuff, but I think this has potential. All of the RPG elements are there, from the premise to the dialogue, right down to the music. It’s competently done, however, and I have to admit I find Eruru adorable. The show has been a long time coming, too (the original game is several years old), so the material has had plenty of time to mature. Hopefully, that’ll make for a nice, tight adaptation.

Strawberry Panic - I expected something ridiculously over-the-top, but this turned out to be fairly low key. It seems a bit slow, but I have a feeling the show is much better than the first episode would indicate. I’m mildly interested, at least. Shimuzu Ai helps.

Joshikousei GIRL’S HIGH - Yamasaki Girl’s Academy is a garden for maidens. Or not. Seriously, given everyone’s initial horrid reaction to the first episode, I expected this to be ten different shades of suck. Instead, I kind of enjoyed it. We see enough perfect high school girls in anime, so what’s wrong with watching them act like the idiots they truly are once in awhile? It’s part of what makes School Rumble work, after all.

Wonderland

6 Comments |
April 11, 2006
| Television

A blast from the near past, I know.

Okusama wa Mahou Shoujo has occupied the top spot of my “to watch” list for quite some time. Since it aired on television while I was in Japan, I never got around to watching it. After returning to the States, I had a difficult time tracking down episodes; none of the existing torrents worked, and the one group that fansubbed the show had no IRC presence to speak of. I finally managed to locate the show a few weeks back, however.

J.C. Staff shows are teh win. You know the feeling of waking up to a bright, sunny morning, throwing open the windows, taking a deep breath, and greeting the world with a smile? Hopefully, you’ve done it at least once. Well, that’s the feeling I enjoy when watching a J.C. Staff show. There’s a sort of latent sentimentality that’s difficult to describe in words. Ai Yori Aoshi has it. Mahoraba has it. Someday’s Dreamers definitely has it. And, of course, so does Okusama wa Mahou Shoujo.

For slice-of-life fans, these shows are hard to beat. I know they make me long for Japan. Even though I called Tokyo home, work took me to many a small seaside town not unlike the one depicted in Okusama wa Mahou Shoujo. From the bustling shopping districts to the quiet, shady temples, the green mountains to the blue water… well, there’s the sentimentality kicking in.

It’s funny, really. I have so many thoughts about the show itself - the story, the characters, the animation, the music. But, you know, there’s that feeling. And as I sit here, 6,000 miles away, where the trees have yet to bloom and the blankets are still on the bed, there’s a distant rumble of thunder, and I can’t help but think, “I really need to bring the laundry in before it gets soaked.”

DJ Clow (in the hizzouse?)

10 Comments |
April 7, 2006
| Otaku

There sure is some weird shit on my hard drive.

This Story is a Work of Fiction

14 Comments |
April 6, 2006
| Television

I probably shouldn’t have watched the first episode of School Rumble S2 and the first (or is it?) episode of Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu one after the other. Ah, the melancholy of a sprained diaphragm.

Sukuran was more of the same… but with more budget? Perhaps. The OP was kind of so-so, but I dug the ED. Needs more Eri, though.

But Haruhi? Oh boy. If you haven’t found the time to watch this yet, you really should. I can’t wait to see this cast of mental cases in action in future episodes. And I want more dancing!

What else? Hmm… well, I can’t think of a transition, so here’s a shot of the sky…

Mai-Otome: Death & Rebirth

11 Comments |
April 5, 2006
| Television

I can’t really offer any “deep” thoughts about Mai-Otome - not yet, at least. The show is such a Frankenstein of a monster that, no matter how deep I dig, I’ll never manage to get to the core of anything. I’m happy with the ending, I think, and my overall opinion of the show is positive. I definitely enjoyed it. The thing is, I think I enjoyed it just as much - if not more - on a meta “what is Sunrise up to?” level as I did for the content itself.

I will say that the mechanics of the ending were kind of clunky, as if the writers had just about run out of gas. Actually, given the “one step forward, two steps back” nature of the second half of the series, I wonder if they weren’t running on fumes for quite some time. Arika’s final words to Nina in space are evidence of this, I think, seeing as they were just a rehash of the lyrics to the ED theme. Believe in your dreams and keep moving forward? Saio sen jiko yo? Was that the point of the entire show? It’s not a horrible message, that’s for sure, but it’s far from original. And the fact that it essentially resolved the entire story proves more corny than heart-warming.

But, I’ve seen a lot of anime over the years, so I’ve seen my fair share of good writing, mediocre writing, and just plain bad writing. I’ve seen every “trick” in the book, so to speak. It’s gotten to the point where cliché no longer annoys me as much as it amuses me - and, obviously, I’d rather be amused than annoyed - so, just as I found the cliché-ridden Mai-HiME ending acceptable, so do I find the Mai-Otome ending worthy. In fact, the legacy of its predecessor may make Mai-Otome even more tolerable, seeing as, deep down, I expected a goofy, happy ending. “Fool me once, shame on… shame on you. Fool me… you can’t get fooled again,” as His Majesty would say.

I do hope, however, that this will be the end of the Mai franchise. As much as I enjoyed both shows, I say so with a heavy heart, but I don’t think you can reinvent these characters a third time and expect it to work. Hell, it barely worked the second time around. If the coming Mai-Otome OAVs reflect the tone of the first half of the series, that’s great. If Sunrise plans to use the OAVs to resolve the ending, on the other hand, they’ll probably be pushing their luck. Others will no doubt feel differently, but I’d rather they go ahead and lay the whole thing to rest in its current form.

So, what about the ending itself? A few thoughts…

I’ll be honest: I couldn’t stop laughing. I think the only scene that had me pursing my lips was the one in which Arika prepares to toast her mother, and even then, I started busting out again when this popped up. Yoshino Hiroyuki is such a goof.

Despite the promise of hot Otome action (no, not THAT kind), there were probably only three good fights in the entire series. And, as a friend points out, one involved the tentacle monster! Unfortunately, the last episode didn’t offer much, either: “OK, WE’RE GONNA FIGHT NOW! Whoops, something happened. OK, NOW WE FIGHT! Dammit, you stole my kill! EAT THIS! Whoops, there goes my Robe. LET’S GET READY TO RUMBLE! Aw fudge, someone just blew up the world.”

Akane and Kazu never got it on? The way they went rushing out of the shrine in Episode 13, you’d think they’d have done it in the bushes on the way to the car. Twice.

Nagi made a great villain. Dude’s really not evil… just a clueless narcissist. At the end, I half expected him to strike a pouty face and go “I’M SO VEWY SOWRY… it was Sergey’s idea!”

It’s funny how the Otome all have these skimpy Robes, yet, by virtue of being Otome, they’re all… well, you know.

“I’ll never forget this, Yumemiya Arika! And your little Queen, too!” … *SPLAT* … “Just kidding!”

I still don’t understand the deal with all the cats.

For a minute there, I thought Miyu was going to bukkake the moon.

Sucks to be Erstin.

Nina gets a bad haircut and gets to spend the rest of her days watching over a brain damaged Sergey? BAD END.

Actually, I guess it could have been much, much worse…


“It was all a dream? That’s the last time I eat Mai’s five-alarm curry ramen before bedtime.”

Bravo, Sunrise!

25 Comments |
April 4, 2006
| Television

Hear that? That’s the sound of a million fanboys crying in agony.

That’s enough for me!