Monthly Archive for June, 2007

It Is A Mystery

15 Comments |
June 30, 2007
| Otaku

Imagine the following…

A young man is walking down the street. He’s lost deep in thought. Without warning, he finds himself in an embarrassing situation. He’s walked face first into a telephone pole. Or perhaps he’s stepped into a gutter full of dirty water. Or, even worse, he’s inadvertently shared his thoughts with the world at large. Confessed his love to a trash can. Unleashed his frustration on the sky above.

But he’s not alone. Nearby, a surprised child, out for a stroll with his mother, points and calmly inquires, “Momma, what’s wrong with that man?” His mother, frightened for her child’s safety, grabs him by the arm, whispers, “Don’t look at him,” and scurries away. The audience laughs and the young man hangs his head in shame. Cue eyecatch.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve always wondered… what’s the origin of this gag?

Two Feet, Firmly Planted

15 Comments |
June 29, 2007
| Film

One of the nice things about my job is that, in exchange for working an extra hour each day, I get every other Friday off. You’d be amazed what a three day weekend every other week does for your mind, body, and soul. It’s like getting two miniature vacations each month.

Anyway, this being my off Friday, I used the afternoon to watch Whisper of the Heart, and while doing so, I was reminded of how weird an anime fan I can be at times. See, unlike most anime fans, I don’t worship Studio Ghibli. That’s not to say I dislike the studio’s work. Rather, I’ve never had reason to place their films up on any sort of lofty pedestal. I admit that their films are some of the best the medium has to offer, but there are other studios out there doing similarly impressive work. A single Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo has as much value as two Ghibli films combined, I think.

But, as for why this thought came to mind while watching Whisper of the Heart… well, suffice it to say, it’s one of my favorite Ghibli films. It’s one of only three Ghibli films that I can rewatch again and again and get a little something new out of each time. The other two films? Only Yesterday and Umi ga Kikoeru. Of course, there’s something that sets these three films apart from the rest of the Ghibli lineup: they’re grounded in reality. Well, that and the fact that not a single one is directed by Hayao Miyazaki (which is another subject in itself). But it’s because they eschew fantasy for the real world that I love them so darn much. There’s nothing epic about them. Their charms are found in their characters and the little events that shape their lives. Sure, they have stories, but those stories more or less provide a framework around which the characters go about their days and nights. And, yes, they have themes, but those themes never weigh the films down or get in the way of what simple story is there, waiting to be told. If you sit up and take notice, that’s great. If you don’t, no problem.

Of course, these are the elements of any classic slice-of-life story. And, as you no doubt already know, I’m a slice-of-life freak. So, it shouldn’t come as any surprise that I prefer these three particular Ghibli films to their more fantastical counterparts.

Unfortunately, all three films were made within a few years of each other in the early 90s, a mere deviation from the fairy tale lined path Studio Ghibli has otherwise followed. And, even as other studios and directors pick up the slack, I can’t help but wonder if Studio Ghibli will ever ground itself in reality once again and produce another slice-of-life film that I can sit back and enjoy on a lazy and sunny Friday afternoon. Kondo Yoshifumi, who directed Whisper of the Heart and was expected to be the future of Studio Ghibli, died unexpectedly in 1998. However, word on the street is that Only Yesterday director Takahata Isao is finally working on a new film, so…

Lazy Summer Preview

9 Comments |
June 23, 2007
| Television

As usual, I haven’t given much thought to the coming anime season. However, in keeping with tradition, here are the shows I’m most looking forward to…

Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai - My relationship with the first season was kind of complicated. Sometimes, I was really in to the show. Other times, I was bored to tears by it. However, if I look at the first season as a whole, I’d have to say that it was a fun ride. I always liked the characters and the spooky secluded village setting, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want answers to the kajillion mysterys presented in the first season, so… well, I guess I’m secretly excited about the second season. Don’t tell anyone, though. Oyashiro-sama will eat me.

Zero no Tsukaima: Futatsuki no Kishi - I enjoyed the first season a lot more than I ever thought I would, and as the credits rolled on the final episode, I remember thinking, “Gee, I wish they’d make more of this.” Well, my wish has been granted, so I’ll definitely be watching.

Doujin Work - I’ve heard good things about the manga from people I trust. I’ve also heard it described as a an otaku-centric show that bridges the gap between the goofiness of Comic Party and the realism of Genshiken. I’ve actually been longing for such a show for quite some time now. I hope it delivers.

School Days - You know, when I first heard about the original game, I thought to myself, “this would make for a great anime adaptation.” Whether it’ll turn out to be something good or turn out to be a trainwreck, I can’t say, but it should be fun either way.

Code-E - It surprises me how this show isn’t getting much attention. Perhaps it’s just the meganekko main character, but I’m getting some serious Read or Die vibes… and I know I can’t be alone. Used to be, anime fans couldn’t get enough of this sort of thing. Weird. Regardless, it’s the new show I’m most looking forward to. I hope it doesn’t disappoint.

Moetan - I’m just curious. Honest.

Kenko Zenrakei Suieibu Umisho - After checking out the production staff and the promotional material for this show, I sort of get the feeling it’ll be a sleeper hit similar to Hitohira or Tonagura - both unassuming shows that turned out to be pretty darn good if you actually took the time to watch them. It’s all too easy to miss out on this sort of show.

Tetsuko no Tabi - This looks campy, that’s for sure. But, just between you and me… this sort of thing is right up my alley.

Yoshinoya Knows Alchemy

17 Comments |
June 17, 2007
| Otaku

That can’t be legal.

One of the funny things about Atelier Iris 3: Grand Phantasm is that the main heroine is voiced by Matsuki Miyu. So, every time she opens her mouth, I hear Yoshinoya-sensei. It’s especially funny when she starts screaming out attack names.

Oh, and obviously, I followed through on my previous threat. They didn’t have any copies of Odin Sphere in stock, unfortunately, so I opted to start with something a little more traditional. I can get a lot of hours out of a good dungeon crawler.

Bad Moon Rising

20 Comments |
June 17, 2007
| Administration, Otaku

Obviously, I haven’t been posting much lately, and the explanation for that is fairly mundane: I’ve been busy with other stuff. Of course, “stuff” means all sorts of things: work, other hobbies, watching anime, writing the Great American Novel (or not), etc. I recognize that cobwebs are starting to pop up around here, and that doesn’t make me happy. However, every time I think, “I should give the blog some love and affection,” something shiny catches my eye and off I go. Deep down, I can see the writing on the wall. I’m just not yet willing to accept it.

There’s another thing, though. The anime fan community is getting to be in a weird place nowadays, and it’s starting to concern me. It’s funny, really… for the longest time, I never understood why the Laughing Man icon was so commonly used by Japanese fans to censor faces in photos shot at fan events or on the streets of Akihabara. My opinion is that, if you’re out in public, you should be prepared to have your picture taken. And I still feel that way. However, I’ve come to realize that fans who publish these photos on their blogs and websites censor them out of respect for their fellow brethren. Respect. It’s something the Japanese fan community understands, I think, be it respect for each other, respect for the anime they watch and the people who created it, respect for copyright law, etc. There are exceptions to the rule, of course - the human cesspool that is 2ch, for example - but, for the most part, I think they get it.

The overseas fan community, however… well, I’m not quite so sure. In the past, I’ve argued that overseas fans have gone out of their way to import some of the worst the Japanese fan community has to offer, to the point that you have people walking around proudly wearing their perversions and lack of social awareness on their sleeves like a badge of honor. I suppose it’s easier to be a weirdo outside of Japan. However, there are those of us who, despite being anime fans, lead fairly normal lives both within and outside the fan community, and as the line between what is acceptable and not acceptable in the eyes of the general public becomes increasingly blurred thanks to the tireless efforts of the weirdos among us, it becomes increasingly difficult to keep ourselves “clean” and removed from that which we want nothing whatsoever to do with.

Of course, if you asked me, “Do you have a problem with people having these interests?”, my answer would be, “No, not at all.” I’m a reasonable and open-minded person, after all. No harm, no foul. However, if you asked me, “Do you have a problem being associated with these interests?”, my answer would be, “Yes. Most definitely.”

And I know what you’re probably thinking at this point: “Dude, this is YOUR problem, not OUR problem.” And you’re exactly right. It IS my problem. And that’s why, ultimately, I’m the one responsible for finding the proper way to respond. For a long time now, I’ve made efforts to watch my own back. Practice self-censorship. Avoid trouble when I see it. It’s getting more and more difficult, however, and the older I get and the more responsibility I take on, the more diligent I have to be. At some point, I’ll have to say, “Enough is enough,” and take my leave.

I don’t know if I’ve reached that point yet, but I can feel its approach.

Chinese Proverb Goes Here

14 Comments |
June 9, 2007
| Television

Saiunkoku Monogatari is good stuff, and I’m glad I took the time to watch it. Given the show’s volume, there’s so much I could write, but I think it’s better to just say, “I enjoyed it,” and leave it at that. Of course, I’ve yet to dive into the second season, and given that it’s stuck in fansub limbo (due to the licensing, I suppose), I’ll probably hold off for awhile. Whether or not I’ll buy the DVDs, I can’t say. The show is too fresh on my mind to determine whether it’s worth rewatching or not. However, my desire to continue will probably be enough incentive to shell out the money.

I should have thought about this ahead of time, you know.

And, to make matters worse, all of the pseudo-Chinese court politics in the show got me reminiscing about playing the Romance of the Three Kingdoms video games when growing up. So much, in fact, that I’m considering picking up a Playstation 2 in the future just so I can play the most recent game from the franchise. Well, that and other games. Unlike most anime fans, I’ve never been much of a gamer, but I do have a weak spot for old fashioned strategy games and RPGs. I’ve been thinking for awhile now that I’ve been missing out.

Lost and Found

18 Comments |
June 2, 2007
| Miscellaneous

In an average anime season, I only keep up with seven or eight new shows on a weekly basis. So, essentially, this means I watch about two to three hours of new anime per week. I probably spend the same amount of time in the shower every week. Or cooking dinner. Or staring at the wall, trying to figure out WHAT to cook for dinner.

In other words, it’s not a huge time commitment.

Of course, I do watch more than new anime. I raid my DVD collection fairly often, rewatching old favorites from years past. And I do occasionally rewatch fansubs of unlicensed shows. For example, in the past few weeks, I’ve rewatched Planetes, Koi Kaze, Zettai Shounen, and a couple of random OAV series. However, rewatching a show is rarely as fulfilling an experience as watching something new for the first time. I scratch the itch, but I’m never really satisfied.

What to do?

Well, I had a bit of a “Eureka!” moment over breakfast this morning. As I said before, in an average anime season I only keep up with seven or eight new shows on a weekly basis. However, anymore, the average anime season offers twenty to thirty new shows from which a viewer can choose. Of course, the bulk of these shows are pure crap, but it’s safe to assume that there are three or four decent shows from each season that, for whatever reason, I neglect to watch. Keep this up for multiple seasons, and guess what happens? I end up with a huge pile of anime that I probably should’ve watched, would like to watch, and yet haven’t watched. I’m talking about hours upon hours of anime. It’s probably enough to keep me busy for a few months.

So, I guess I should get busy scratching that itch.

What’s batting lead-off, you might ask? I’ll give you a few hints. Josei. Lengthy. Pretty art. Period piece. Has been suggested to me by multiple people on multiple occasions. It’s not my favorite genre, but it looks interesting nonetheless.

First person to figure it out gets last night’s leftover curry.