Viewing Journal: Ergo Proxy (complete)

Series Overview DVD Info Trailer Rating: Overall= D+ Story = D+ Video = B+ Audio = C

Journal

In a future where the world has been ravaged by a nuclear apocalyse, there exists salvation in a domed city named "Romdeau", where humans and their android servants, the autoreivs, live in. Under the implementation of complete management control, it is a paradise where feelings are literally discarded, and the governing council dictates the way of life the citizens should live. But this utopian landscape is soon broken by a series of mystifying murders. Re-l Mayer, a female inspector from the Citizen Information Bureau, along with her autoreiv partner Iggy, are tasked to solve the murder cases. She is soon attacked by a creature drawn to her which is neither human nor android, and learns about the mysterious phenomena called "Awakening", an event which draws her further into the case...and to the world beyond the limits of Romdeau. (Source: ANN)

Watching the trailer and opening animation, this looks like it's going to be an awesome show with dark sci-fi action and drama. As it turns out, it does have those elements, but the tone, theme and symbolism are all done with such a heavy hand the it makes from some awkward storytelling. A lot of what happens in the show seems more like it is intended to push the show's tone and themes, and as a result it sacrifices having relate-able characters and a comprehensible plot.

One of the oddest things about the story is that there is a lot of very straightforward, even blunt explanation compacted into the first episode or two. But then much of the rest of the show is hard to follow, because there is little to no comprehensible explanation as to what is happening or why. Then, in the last couple episodes, it frantically tries to explain everything again. As a result, the beginning seems odd but somewhat promising, the middle is just cumbersome to get through, and the end doesn't have enough time in between all the lines of expository dialogue to build a satisfactory climax and resolution.

Another issue that I had it that the show is so forceful and blunt with its tone and themes that they actually distract form the story. For instance there's one episode where Pino visits a theme park where everyone is fascinated with her "spontaneous smile." So they all repeat over and over again how wonderful her smile is, and at some point I was just like "I get it, natural emotions, don't be manipulated, whatever! Now move on."

On the plus side, I did like the character designs. Let's face it, Re-l's eyeshadow is probably the biggest part of what makes this her look cool. The autoreivs organic and somewhat disturbing designs are also impressive.

As I mentioned before, the opening animation is awesome and is enhanced all the more with the song by Radiohead. The rest of the show's music worked well within the show, but wasn't especially noteworthy in itself (IE, I'm not rushing out to buy the soundtrack).

So in summary, at first glance this show looks like it has a lot of promise. But ambiguous storytelling and a heavy-handed tone end up making this a chore to watch.

Viewing Journal: Bleach (episodes 26-51)

Series Overview TV Broadcast Info DVD Info Trailer Rating: Overall= B Story = B Video = B Audio = B

Journal

Ichigo's journey to save Rukia continues, as he and his companions develop and increase their fighting power and skill in order to battle the members, lieutenants, and captains of the 13 Soul Reaper squads. Meanwhile, the squad captains learn that there is more to Rukia's imprisonment and planned execution than meets the eye, as a plot is unfurled that will eventually turn the entire Soul Society upside down.

I think I'm starting to understand how all those Dragonball Z fans must feel, because this Bleach story arc certainly is taking it's sweet time moving forward. When it started, I thought the whole thing about Ichigo going to save Rukia would last a few episodes before it moved on to other things. But as it's turns out, the story arc that started at the end of last season, still hasn't wrapped up by the end of this one.

Of course, I understand why it's taking so long. First of all, there are a ton of characters to introduce. And once they are introduced it needs to delve into their pasts, explain their fighting styles and techniques, and display all the wacky forms their zanpaktuou swords can take. Then there are all the episodes-long battles that take place where characters (especially Ichigo) will come near death, only get back up, dust themselves off and end up victorious.

That's not to say that all that character development and the intense fighting aren't incredibly cool. In fact, those elements are exactly what keep me watching. I said in my review of season 1 that I couldn't wait to find out what all the different soul reapers would be like and how their different swords would help them fight; and in that I have not been disappointed. The whole concept of how their swords have their own souls -- and their own personalities -- and work in unison with the soul reaper brings a fascinating new dimension to the show. And the fighting techniques and weapon designs just ooze creativity and originality.

Then there's Ichigo himself, the kid who seems to come near death at least 5 or 6 times in this one story arc only to recover each time to become all the more powerful. Most recently he is training with the spirit of his zanpaktuou as well as that inverse version of himself to attempt to reach "Bankai" -- a kind of super-elite power. I'm looking forward to seeing how that element is resolved, and seeing what his new zanpaktuou will end up looking like.

The animation and art have remained consistently high quality throughout its run. I still enjoy the original character designs of the soul reapers. And the animation during the battles is colorful and add to the intensity of the fights.

I haven't really noticed the music much in this season. I think it's pretty much the same as last season though and it seems to match each scene well. I don't particularly like the opening theme as much as last season, and the ending theme.... ugh... My wife, who is not a big anime fan but who seems to be enjoying this show, mocks the ending theme just about every episode. ^_^;

So despite the drawn out story arc, this show remains well-worth watching. And I'm looking forward to see what happens in the next season.

On a related note, Adult Swim has apparently stopped running Bleach after episode 52 in favor of showing Death Note (another awesome show you must watch). What the heck? I guess I'm going to have to start looking into Bleach fansubs after all.

Viewing Journal: Animation Runner Kuromi (complete)

OAV Overview DVD Info Trailer Rating: Overall= B+ Story = B+ Video = B Audio = B

Journal

After being inspired by the fictional anime, "Luis Monde III", Mikiko "Kuromi" Oguro goes to animation school and and finally lands the job of her dreams at Studio Petit. Upon arriving, she meets the head of production. Unfortunately for her, he dies soon after meeting her and passes his position unto her. Now that she's head of production of "Time Journeys", it's up to her to rally up the lazy animator's and finish the second episode in a week. (Source: ANN)

If anime production is really run like it is in Animation Runner Kuromi, then it would seem that everything just just total stress and chaos all the time. But this 2-episode OAV presents that insanity with a tone of lighthearted fun that makes it easy to enjoy.

For fans of anime, this OAV can be at least somewhat insightful because it shows that animators have to answer to some harsh realities. Not that this is exactly a documentary, and I'm not sure how much of it is technically accurate, but even looking at it as a sort of parody or caricature of the true nature of animation production can be enlightening. If nothing else, it presents what kind of factors can lead to variation in animation quality; such as what artist is working on a particular scene, exporting in-between animation overseas, and especially time constraints.

Another challenge that Kuromi has to conquer is dealing with all the different personalities of the animation staff. For instance, her major issue is getting all of the key animators to complete their work. It seems that most all of them have some excuse for why they can't get the work done, and the one guy who does consistently have everything ready on time is a horrible artist, so the director has to redo all his artwork anyway. Kuromi has to learn how to work around these personalities to keep "Time Journeys" on schedule.

Of course, the educational benefit of the show (if there is any) isn't the only thing that makes it worth watching; it's seeing how Kuromi is going to topple all of these seemingly insurmountable obstacles to complete the production so the series can air on schedule. It's also fun to watch the wide variety of colorful characters with quirky personalities and how they each deal with the stress. I especially liked how the animation director Aoi tried to give up smoking in the second episode and as a result she would unconsciously stick random objects in her mouth to deal with it.

The animation quality is top-notch. The designs are simple and colorful adding to the fun tone. The music also adds to the upbeat tone.

So overall I really loved this show and recommend it for any animation fan who is curious about what life at an animation studio might be like, or anyone who is just in the mood for a lighthearted, short series with a well-rounded and quirky cast that is easy to cheer for.

Don't comment... Just watch 'em dance

I just started watching The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, and just wanted to commemorate the occasion with this. Enjoy. [HQ version]

And for even more coordinated moe goodness... [HQ version]

New Evangelion movie trailer + series recap

A new trailer for the Evangelion 1.0 movie is now available. A higher-quality version is available at Stage6.

And for those of you who haven't seen the series and original movie in a while, here's a recap (don't blink). High-quality version (recommended), again, at Stage6.

Be careful who you post about...

Recently I received a couple of blog comments that took me totally by surprise. The first was from a guy who I posted about who was cosplaying at Otakon 2006, seemingly naked, with just a blue dot covering his privates. He comments:

Actually Sir, I was wearing other clothing beneath my cardboard dots. Amazingly enough flesh colored fabric is avalible. [Ben]

The latest one just came today on a post I did a few months ago about a guy named Nate Metcalf who -- apparently unaware -- was dressed just like Nabeshin (or Lupin III if you want to go a step further) while a contestant on Jeopardy. He comments:

As the "crazily dressed guy" in the photos, I'll admit I'm flattered and a little creeped out to find myself on this blog. A friend did a google and sent me the link.

For the record, I've never seen or heard of Nabeshin in my life. Not even an anime fan.

Talk about life imitating art [nate]

I'm a little freaked out myself, but probably encouraged even more. I mean, just when I thought nobody ever reads this stuff, I get comments from the very people I post about. Go figure.

AMV of the Day: Ranma Kickin' Ass

I haven't seen much Ranma ½, but I still love this video.

Viewing Journal: Lupin III - The First Haul

Overview DVD Info Trailer Rating: See below

Journal

Arsene Lupin III is the grandson of the master thief Arsene Lupin. With his cohorts Daisuke Jigen and Goemon Ishikawa XIII and his love interest Fujiko Mine, he pulls off the greatest heists of all time while always escaping the grasp of Inspector Koichi Zenigata. [Source: ANN]

I have not seen a lot of Lupin III other than Miyazaki's Castle of Cagliostro and a handful of TV episodes, but I have always been curious about it since it is such a classic. After seeing this collection of five Lupin movies, I can see where the appeal for the character comes from, but the success or failure of any particular story ultimately lies in the hands of the individual director.

Lupin III is a classic James-Bond-type character but with even more of a free spirit since, as a criminal, he is not bound by the limits of the law; and, as a manga/animation, he is not bound by the laws of physical or logical plausibility.

Lupin's free-wheeling, consistently good-natured confidence is what makes his character so appealing. He is a thief, but he is a "gentleman" thief, and as such only steals from those who deserve to be stolen from. In the end he may or may not get the treasure but regardless he'll usually help a person or two along the way.

The rest of the regular cast consists of Lupin's sidekick Jigen who reminds me of cross between a sharp-shooting cowboy and a pulp-movie private eye. Then there's Fujiko who is like Lupin's version of the Bond-girl. Then there's the master samurai Goemon, who adds the eastern flare to a mostly Western cast. Finally there is Zenigata, the bumbling international police detective who has dedicated his life to trying to catch the thief.

The only problems I had with this cast is that for some reason the writers seem compelled to include all of them in every movie. For some of the movies, I think the story would have flowed a lot better and felt much less awkward if it just focused on just Lupin and maybe a sidekick or two. Zenigata is one character who could have definitely been left out of a couple of the movies, but I guess they want him in there so you never forget that Lupin is in fact a criminal after all.

As for the movies themselves, how good they are depends on the approach that the director decides to take. Some focus on action, some on cliches, others on comedy. But I think the best results come when the story, tone, and characters are consistent. In this collection, the ones that do that the best are The Pursuit of Harimao's Treasure and Dead or Alive. But just to be fair, I'll go over them all individually...

Voyage to Danger
Overall= D / Story=D / Video=D / Audio=C-

Out of all of the movies in this collection, I liked this one the least because it is constantly pulling its punches, resulting in weak action and characters.

To start with, the villains are not nearly as strong or ruthless as they need to be for an action/adventure movie. They are constantly falling for any number of cliches. For instance, at one point Lupin asks for a final request (to smoke!) before the villain kills him, and he actually grants it! which then gives Lupin a chance to escape. Then there's the tired cliche of the villain going gaga over the sexy girl, which allows her to infiltrate his operations.

Plus, scenes that start off as suspenseful have cliche or anti-climactic pay-offs that are supposed to be funny but end up being disappointing, if not annoying. And I know I'm not supposed to take this too seriously, but the whole part with Lupin stealing the submarine stretches even my suspension of disbelief threshold. Of course, you could argue that that it is all done in the name of parody, but if so it's still ineffective because there is no sense of self-mockery that you need in any good parody. You could also argue that it's just good campy fun, and, when done right, that kind of thing can bring a lot of energy to a show. But here the cliches and weak storytelling deflate any potential energy out of those scenes. And regardless, characters still need to be consistent in order to make it entertaining.

The animation in this movie is also substandard. The movement is jerky and the art is downright unattractive. So yeah.. wasn't too crazy about this one.

Dragon of Doom
Overall=D+ / Story=D+ / Video=D / Audio=C-

After watching this movie for a while I started to notice some consistencies between this and Voyage to Danger. They both had crappy animation, anticlimactic suspense scenes, the mind-numbingly illogical plot lines, and the same tired cliches (I guess having a final request for a smoke is a supposed to be a running gag?). So much so that I eventually started to wonder if they both had the same director. As it turns out they do. That was a relief since it meant that the other movies, which have different directors, could possibly be better, which they are.

The Pursuit of Harimao's Treasure
Overall=B- / Story=B- / Video=B / Audio=C

This is the first movie in this collection where I could actually start to understand Lupin III's appeal and potential. It's no more believable than the other two, but at least this one is much more of an obvious action/comedy making it a lot of fun to watch. The villains are weird and ruthlessly evil. They do have weaknesses, but those weaknesses are consistent with the tone of the movie and the character's personality.

Another thing that I like about this one is that it presents Lupin as an actual thief instead of a treasure-hunter-for-hire. So it actually makes sense when Zenigata comes chasing after him. Of course, as a result Lupin is less of a sympathetic character (at times he at least seems to kill some cops to escape); but that didn't make it any less fun to watch.

The animation is also a lot better. It is both simple and dynamic and meshes well with the action/comedy plot.

The Secret of the Twilight Gemini
Overall=C- / Story=C- / Video=D+ / Audio=C

This one is a adventure story. It has a decent story, but nothing about it stands out as exceptional. It goes back to presenting Lupin as more of a treasure-hunter than an actual thief, so someone new to the Lupin III franchise might wonder why the cops are always after him. (As my wife said, "Why are they chasing after him? He doesn't seem like such a bad guy.") The art and animation are detailed, but not particularly attractive. But, again, it's a relatively good adventure story, so from that perspective it's worth seeing.

Dead or Alive
Overall=B+ / Story=B / Video=B+ / Audio=C

Now this is what a Lupin III movie should be: a fun action/adventure storyline with a strait-up bad-ass villain, and Lupin attempting to steal a countries' national treasure. Plus all four of the Lupin quartet are there from the beginning so there's no need for awkward, forced introductions later on. The action is frantic and makes for some exciting fight and chase scenes. Lupin may have have some unbelievably outlandish means of getting out of situations, but at least they are logical given his situation. For instance, my favorite one is near the end when Lupin, having lost his gun, fires a bullet by wedging it into a crack and then throwing a knife at it. Not remotely plausible, but cool nonetheless.

The treasure this time is protected by a nanomachine security system whose technology may be wild, but which makes from some wickedly cool action scenes. The animation looks a little dated, but even so has a level of detail and dynamic movement that you don't see much these days.

The reason that this movie sticks out is probably because it was directed by the original creator of Lupin III, Monkey Punch (yes, that is the name he actually goes by). The guy obviously knows how to handle his own characters to bring out their full potential.

Conclusion

So Lupin III has a lot of potential, but the quality of any particular movie is still hit or miss. I'd recommend this pack only if you are a Lupin III completist. But for those who only want to see the good stuff, I recommend The Pursuit of Harimao's Treasure and I highly recommend Dead or Alive.

Many thanks to The Question for letting me borrow this pack.

Viewing Journal: Shakugan no Shana (complete)

Series Overview DVD Info Trailer Rating: Overall= C+ Story = C+ Video = B- Audio = C+

Journal

Sakai Yuuji, a high school student who expected his normal life to last forever, is dead. When he was on his way home he witnessed a shocking view as the world suddenly froze: people were engulfed by blue flames and a monster resembling a large doll swallowed them. Just as the monster prepared to consume Yuuji, a sword-wielding girl in black attire with flaming red eyes and hair that burns like embers saved him from the monster. The girl called herself a "Flame Haze" who hunts the "Guze no Tomogara", creatures from another world. As Yuuji noticed a blue flame in his chest, she called him a "Torch", a temporary replacement, saying that the "real" Yuuji's existence had already ended. Unfazed, Yuuji befriended the strange girl, named her "Shana", and joined her fight against Tomogara and other Flame Hazes. (Source: ANN)

A short review this time because, although this show has a dark and original plot with lots of dramatic potential plus a good amount of action and impressive visuals; there was one thing that hampered my enjoyment of it. That being the "cute" moe-type personality of Shana.

Shana starts out seeming like she is going to be this bad-ass fighter. And for a time she is, but then after a while she starts to dull down and become weak. I know that this is supposed to be because of her relationship with Yuuji, but even when that wasn't a factor she came off as weak. I think the show does this to make Shana seem vulnerable, but the price was that it failed to cash in on the dramatic potential that could have resulted from a stronger character.

Plus despite the original plot and interesting ideas presented in the show, a lot of the character relationships were common anime stereotypes that you'd find in any high-school drama. There's the love triangle, the boys fawning over the older woman, the boy who has girls fighting over him but doesn't even realize it... These stereotypes dull the edge of what could have been an otherwise striking storyline.

So in the end, I would say this is worth checking out if you are looking for something original and dark. But be wary that the novelty of the plot can wear thin after you are exposed to the romantic cliches.

Viewing Journal: The Hidden Fortress

Movie Overview DVD Info Trailer Rating: Overall= D+ Story = D+ Video = D+ Audio = D+

Journal

The film begins with two luckless peasants, Tahei and Matashichi escaping the aftermath of a battle. In a hidden valley, they meet and try to help General Rokurota Makabe , whose mission is to help and protect a princess. The peasants try to help but mostly impede his mission. They are later joined by a farmer’s daughter, whom they acquire at an inn from a slave-trader, or procurer. Together, the five make an arduous and desperate trek through enemy territory, transporting a treasure of gold that the princess and the general hope to use to rebuild the princess's military to one day retake her land and rebuild her realm. (Source: Wikipedia)

I saw this at Otakon this year. The only reason I wanted to see it was because I'd heard that it was the movie that Star Wars was based on. But as it turns out (after a small bit of online research) all Lucas got out of this movie was the idea of telling the story from the perspective of the "lowest" characters (R2D2 and C3PO in the case of Star Wars).

The Hidden Tower is an Akira Kurosawa movie, which automatically makes it a classic since he is a legendary Japanese filmmaker from the '50s (or there about). And I'm sure that back in the day some of his movie-making techniques and style were cutting-edge, but watching it from my seat at Otakon, I was pretty bored.

At least the first half of the movie was boring because the plot just trudged along so slowly. Much of it just seems like dead air because it lingers too long on a lot of scenes. For instance, there's one where the movie's "lowly" characters, Tahei and Matashichi, are trying to climb up a hillside but keep slipping among the rocks (while, predictably, their leader took a shortcut and ends up waiting for them on the other side). It was amusing at first, but they just kept slipping down and trying to climb back up and slipping down again so that after a while I just wanted to say "Okay I get it already, they're nimrods, can we get to the next scene already?" There's another scene where there is a duel between the general Rokurota and another general named Tadokoro. The fighted was long and not particularly exciting and seemed like there was no choreographical planning involved at all... just two guys running around trying to slash (unsuccessfully) at one other with spears.

The characters were pretty flat as well. The two "lowly" characters from whose perspective the story is told, Tahei and Matashichi, don't seem like much more than comic relief with no real character development. Rokurota is your stereotypical tough-guy-hero. And then you have the princess who seems to do nothing but glare at people the entire movie, which is especially disturbing with those slant eyebrows she sports.

Actually the only character I liked at all was the old general that the princess and Rokurota met in the hidden tower. After some thought I realized the actor also played the role of the lead samurai in Seven Samurai. He plays that wise/amused demeanor just perfectly (maybe I should check out some other movies he's been in...).

So I was ready to pass out about half-way through, but thankfully the second half picked up the action and moved the plot along at a relatively brisk pace, catching my interest a bit more. I still wouldn't say that the second half was good enough to warrant a good review, because my standards are at least slightly higher than "at least it was good enough to keep me awake."

So while it wasn't the most entertaining two-plus hours I spent at Otakon, I'm still kind of glad I watched it if for no other reason than so I can say "I watched the movie that inspired (certain aspects of) Star Wars ... but Star Wars is better."

Viewing Journal: 5 Centimeters Per Second

Movie Overview DVD Info (Not yet available in US) Trailer Rating: Overall= A+ Story = A+ Video = A+ Audio = A+

Journal

Tono Takaki and Shinohara Akari are close friends who, upon graduation from elementary school, are parted because of family movement. Their deep feelings for each other keep them in contact, but they worry they may not meet again. Then, one day, Takaki decides to visit Akari.........This is a movie in three parts that follows the thoughts and relationship of 2 young people as they meet and part, both from their point of view and from people around them. (Source: ANN)

At this year's Otakon, I was lucky enough to be able to catch a showing of Makoto Shinkai's latest masterpiece 5 Centimeters Per Second. I was just blown away by the movie's simple, but emotionally and visually rich storyline. Shinkai fans will find the theme very familiar as it seems to be the subject of all of his works -- that being the struggle to maintain a relationship even when people are separated by distance and/or time; but what Shinkai does, he does exceedingly well and this is probably the pinnacle of his storytelling talents.

What makes this stick out from his other movies is that this one, while touching slightly on space exploration in the second part, is a realistic story that could easily take place today. And while his other two works are told within the framework of a sci-fi story, this one focuses almost entirely on the characters. As a result there is no distraction from being engrossed in their emotional anxiety, making this as involving of a show as you'll ever see.

Shinkai has always been a master of visuals, but here he kicks the animation up a few notches -- having leaned a few things from his initial, fan-produced Voices of a Distant Star. This is probably the first romance movie that I would say you absolutely have to see on the big screen in order to appreciate fully. Even the most mundane of urban settings are presented with such vibrant color and detail that you'll need to watch it a few times over to absorb it all.

The last part involved a short story followed by a beautiful song mixed with scenes from the movie as well as some other scenes from the lives of the characters. The combination of the music and visuals was an unexpectedly intense climax to the movie. When it was all over I stood up and had to recover a little because I felt a little emotionally drained afterwards.

Overall this is a movie I would suggest any fan of cinema should watch just to see what the medium can accomplish even with such a simple boy-girl-romance storyline.

Reading Journal: Death Note (complete)

Manga Overview Book Info Rating: Overall= A+ Story = A+ Art = A+

Journal

Shinigami own notebooks called “Death Notes” which are used as killing devices. Whoever’s name they write down in a death note will die within 40 seconds. Shinigami Ryuk dropped his Death Note in the human world where it’s found by honor high school student Light. With the death note actually having directions in it for its use, Light discovers he now has the power to discreetly kill people, and with this new power he plans to change the world in his ideal world by killing off criminals. Eventually the governments of the countries around the world notice the unusual amounts of deaths of their criminals, and figure out someone is behind them, but they have no way of discovering it themselves. That’s when they hire L, a master detective, to find out who is behind the murders. (Source: ANN)

I'm having a hell of a time trying to figure out what to write for this review, but that's not because I have ambivalent feelings about this manga. On the contrary, there are so many great qualities of this manga that I can't think of where to start... But I'll give it a try anyway.

First of all there is the original story line... Not only is the story's concept intriguing, but the entire follow-up throughout all 12-volumes constantly keeps you guessing as to what is going to happen next. Even just looking at the title "Death Note" may give the impression that this is going to be some kind of Gothic horror genre. And although there are some of those elements in here, that's not what keeps fans enthralled. What keeps them coming back are the two main characters -- Light and L -- who have to constantly try to outwit one another in order to gain the strategic upper-hand. This manga uses reasoning like other manga use action. It will go through a character's thought process as they try to consider every possible scenario before making a move. That makes for some dense dialogue, but also makes for some electrifying tension because you are always trying to think of what loopholes might have been missed or how L or Light (or Near and Mello later on) will counteract each others' strategy. It pulls you into the story because you not only see what the characters do but why.

The characters themselves make the story worth reading as well. Not only are their quirky and extraordinary personalities enthralling, but they are also complex characters that evolve throughout the series. Watching Light as the Death Note corrupts his initially well-meaning intentions; and watching L as he develops a camaraderie with Light adds even more depth to the story. And although the story involves themes of good vs. evil, there are no absolutes in either category. There are fans of the manga who root for Light and those who root for L, because neither is inherently the good guy or bad guy.

And those characters come all the more to life with the manga's superb artwork. It's clean and dispenses with the standard manga character design stereotypes (e.g., big eyes, outlandish body proportions). Not only does each character have a distinctive look, but each also has a distinctive posture. Nowhere before have I seen a manga artist have such a firm grasp of using body language to enhance personality and dialogue. Takeshi Obata's artwork undeniably makes reading even the most dialogue-heavy moments a joy.

I've heard both good and bad reviews about the stories final chapters, but in my mind it ended perfectly. Though probably individuals' reactions will depend on which character they want to win (since it could go either way...many times over). There is -- as is par for the manga -- a lot of dialogue to trudge through, but the reward at the end is well worth it. The best review of volume 12 I have read thus far describes the end of Death Note as "like observing an elaborate dominoes set-up and then seeing it collapse in twisted but elegant patterns. You marvel at the time and patience it took to set it all up, are amazed to watch the dominoes fall in rhythm and then feel a little disappointed that it's all over."

There is certainly a lot more to be said about this story because there are so many twists and turns -- some of which are extremely controversial among fans (sometimes justifiably so). But taken as a whole, this is an incredibly original and engrossing story for fans of manga and non-fans alike.

Trailer for NEW Evangelion movie

The first of 4 brand-spanking new Evangelion movies. This first one is a re-telling of the first part of the TV series. Awesome new animation quality.

Release in Japan schedule for September 1.

5 Killers trailer

A new US co-production: 5 Killers.

Best shampoo comercial EVER!

Animated by Production I.G.

Viewing Journal: Paprika

Movie Overview (Currently in theatres) Trailer Rating: Overall= B+ Story = C+ Video = A+ Audio = B+

Journal

In the near future, a revolutionary new psychotherapy treatment called PT has been invented. Through a device called the "DC Mini" it is able to act as a "dream detective" to enter into people's dreams and explore their unconscious thoughts. Before the government can pass a bill authorizing the use of such advanced psychiatric technology, one of the prototypes is stolen, sending the research facility into an uproar. In the wrong hands, the potential misuse of the device could be devastating, allowing the user to completely annihilate a dreamer's personality while they are asleep. Renowned scientist, Dr. Atsuko Chiba, enters the dream world under her exotic alter-ego, code name "PAPRIKA," in an attempt to discover who is behind the plot to undermine the new invention.

This movie seems to elicit some rather polarizing reviews. Those who love it tout it's lush visuals and entrancing dream-logic storyline. Those who hate it say that the plot is simply too hard to understand. And after having seen it myself, I can certainly say that both of those observations are true; but the fact that the story is hard to understand is kind of the whole point considering that it attempts to blur the lines between dreams and reality -- or more accurately, it tries to totally merge those two worlds into one. And the movie does a fantastic job of showing the illogic of dreams, but unfortunately it does so at the expense of its story and characters.

To start with, I have never seen dream-sequences presented quite so accurately in a movie as they were in Paprika. Most movies just seem to string a bunch of random crazy scenes together and call it a dream sequence. But in Paprika, while you still have wild crazy seemingly random visuals, it does an especially convincing and accurate job of showing how one dream flows into the next with an eerily natural fluidity. In fact, while watching those scenes, it called up to mind some of my own dreams and the way one thing will be taking place and then suddenly I'll be somewhere else altogether but it will all seem perfectly reasonable and natural at the time. That fluidity -- mixed with the incredibly dynamic and colorful visuals and light-hearted music -- made the dream sequences in Paprika especially fun to watch.

The down-side to this is that Satoshi Kon (the movie's director) seems to focus so much on presenting fluid visuals and convincing dream-logic that he sacrifices the movie's story and character development. The story itself is a pretty simplistic who-stole-the-dream-machine mystery. But even a simplistic plot isn't necessarily a bad thing as long as you fill it out with plenty of character development to give it some emotional depth. But Paprika just seems so bent on showing as many dream-sequences as possible that it forgets to develop the story and characters to the point where it would give those sequences some real cathartic impact.

The other point that I think the story missed on is that it didn't build anticipation at all. Paranoia Agent (another Satoshi Kon work) had a similar theme but did a better job of gradually building one odd event on top of another until the very end where it was an all out hallucination bonanza. In Paprika, the very first thing you see is a dream sequence, and the from then on the dream-logic never lets up. The problem with this is that, as the movie moves on, these scenes start to get old. So by the half-way point it seems like the movie has shown us all its tricks and without a strong story or characters to take over the visuals start to loose their charm.

But even with those criticisms, I still have to say that this is one of the most original and visually fun movies I have seen in the theatre in quite a while. So I still give it high marks and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys dream-logic-type movies.

Viewing Journal: Paradise Kiss (complete)

Series Overview DVD Info Trailer Rating: Overall= A- Story = A- Video = A- Audio = B+

Journal

Yukari is a typical high-school student who listens to her parents and attends school everyday. As she starts to question her way of life, she encounters a group of fashion design students who has a clothing label known as "Paradise Kiss". The group needs to find a model to showcase their designs in an up-coming fashion show and decides to pick Yukari instead. Initially, Yukari was reluctant to be associated with this seemingly eccentric group, but eventually, she realises that they are really nice people. Furthermore, their passion and enthusiasm to follow their ideals and dreams make Yukari realise that she has not been enjoying her life and this motivated her to pursue her own dreams. (Source: ANN)

This is a show that takes place in the world of fashion, but there really isn't a lot of talk about its technical side. Fashion is more like the means though which the main character -- Yukari -- develops from a "by the book" student into someone who follows her own will. And it tells that story extremely effectively. This is the first show in a long time where after one episode ended I couldn't wait to get to the next one, not because I wanted to see what happens next, but just because I liked watching the characters develop.

Part of the show's effectiveness lies in how realistic it is. The characters are believable, but they also have such a creative edge to their personality that whenever Yukari goes to see them it sees like she is stepping into a totally separate world -- one where people follow their passions instead of the rules of the world. And it's that passion along with their reliance on each other that really draws you into into the story.

The visual designs also add to the theme of realism and originality. The character designs are each unique and intriguing and reflect the creative side to their personalities. But the most unique part of the art is the costume designs -- which if I remember correctly were actually designed by a real fashion designer (though I don't have a source on that at the moment). It's especially noticeable since in most anime the characters always wear the same thing (to make it easier on the animators I'm guessing), but here they change clothes constantly, and one character even goes so far as to have a different hair color and style each time she shows up.

There isn't a lot of music throughout the show's soundtrack, but as it turns out, that actually works in its favor and gives it a lot more credibility in my eyes because it doesn't rely on music to enhance a scene and manipulate the audience's emotions. The characters elicit enough of a response in themselves. That's not to say there was no soundtrack to it, though most of it seemed to come in the form of a character's radio being turned on in the background or something, which again added to the realism.

The opening and ending themes are awesome, and I watched both in every episode. For some reason I just couldn't resist watching the OP because it seemed to put me in just the right mood to start each episode. The ending is something that you have probably heard before: "Do You Want To" by Franz Ferdinand (kudos to Geneon for working through that licensing nightmare). The song starts in the last few seconds of the each episode and then transitions into the EP. It's a great technique that I haven't seen so successfully employed since Gankutsuo. The final animation is a blast to watch too, as the main characters dance around in SD form.

If I had to find one flaw in the show I would have to say that it is that the story is so rushed. For instance, in the first few episodes the relationship between George and Yukari develops awkwardly. At first she doesn't like George at all, then all of a sudden she is all over him and I was never sure when that switch took place. Things got all the more rushed near the end. The last episode especially seemed to cram a good 3-episodes worth of material in. Conflicts arise and are resolved in a matter of minutes, giving me the impression that the show was scurrying to cover as much material from the manga as possible. As a result you don't get enough time to absorb and react a scene before the next thing happens. But even given the rushed nature, it was still all really good stuff and the ending was still for the most part satisfying.

So overall I think this is a great show for anyone who enjoys a creatively-executed, realistic drama with intriguing characters, or anyone who is just looking for something a little different.

Viewing Journal: TANK S.W.A.T. 01

OAV Overview (Not yet available in US) Bittorrent Download Trailer Rating: Overall= D Story = D+ Video = D Audio = D

Journal

TANK SWAT 01 is a work from Digital Tokiwa Village Project, "a government initiative aimed at fostering independent CG animation." It uses some of the characters from a Masamune Shirow manga called Dominion Tank Police, mixes them up in a slightly different dynamic, and presents a short 30-minute story using CG animation with "cell shading" techniques.

Since this story is was so short and strait-forward, I can't really judge much on the character or plot development. The main reason I gave it such a low grade on story is because I don't like how the characters and setting deviate from the original Dominion anime (which was one of the first anime I ever saw). But even all that aside, the biggest issue that I have with this is the use of cell-shade animation.

I have never liked cell-shade -- at least when it is used on characters. It can be used well when it animates mechanics like cars or machines, but when it is used on characters it just sucks the life out of an anime.

Cell-shading is a compromise that tries to combine the best elements of of CG and hand-drawn animation but ends up with the worst. I don't care how much they refine the CG technique, the use of computer algorithms to give characters a solid the shape and realistic movement, will never have the level of abstraction, spontaneity and flexibility that gives traditional hand-drawn 2D anime so much of its energy and fun.

Alternately, when an audience sees CG they expect the visuals to look solid, if not realistic. So the use of cell-shade to render the characters makes the visuals look cheap, like the creative staff was too lazy to fill in the details in the characters' design.

And the fact that this show uses Shirow's Tank Police storyline illustrates all the more the limitations of CG. The original anime has a lot of over-the-top destruction and mayhem which gives it so much of its high-energy fun. TANK SWAT 01 tries to include that element of parody-like destruction, but when comparing it with the original anime, the action and characters just seem lifeless.

Viewing Journal: Ghost in the Shell: Solid State Society

Movie Overview TV Broadcast Info DVD Info Trailer Rating: Overall= A+ Story = A+ Video = A+ Audio = A+

Journal

A.D. 2034. It has been two years since Motoko Kusanagi left Section 9. Togusa is now the new leader of the team, that has considerably increased its appointed personnel. The expanded new Section 9 confronts a rash of complicated incidents, and investigations reveal that an ultra-wizard hacker nicknamed the "Puppet Master" is behind the entire series of events.

Thank you God for Ghost in the Shell. I just have to get that out of the way because my guess is that this is the final GitS animation and I want to make sure to give thanks to the divine power that put Production IG, Kenji Kamiyama, Yoko Kanno, and Masamune Shirow on this earth to create another mind-blowing anime which left me in awe yet again.

It's kind of pointless to gush over this anime because you can pretty much just take what I've said about the two Stand Alone Complex series and just add a few extra comments about how Production IG created an even more spectacular visual experience, or how Yoko Kanno created an even more entrancing soundtrack, or how Kenji Kamiyama wove another incredibly detailed and complex plot. Then maybe throw in a comment like "I know I shouldn't give you unrealistic expectations, but you cannot build up this movie too much!" just for kicks. ;)

So gushing aside, what mainly makes this story stick out from the previous iterations is how the characters deal with the fact Motoko has left Section 9. All of the other characters are so attached and dependent on her for much of the original TV series, that it's great to see how each of them tries to fill in the void both personally and professionally when she's gone -- especially Aramaki, Togasa, and Batou. Her absence brings out a lot of characteristics in each of them that were always there in the TV series, but never explicit. And when she returns and they are not sure if she is a friend of foe, they have all the more to deal with because no one wants to go up against the Major.

Another thing that makes this a notable anime is that it touches on some real-life social issues in Japan; namely Japan's aging population and declining birth rate. It mainly uses these issues as plot points and character motivations, instead of as direct social commentary; but even so the mere fact that it brings those issues to light will probably teach the film's global audience something new about the country -- for what that's worth. On a more fanboy-ish note, when I saw the way the elderly in the movie were attached to the "Noble Rot" machines which provided all of their daily medical necessities automatically, I couldn't help but think of another anime that uses that same kind of idea in its plot -- Roujin Z. Now the question is whether that was an intentional homage or just a coincidence?

Speaking of homages, fans will appreciate the multitude of references to the Oshii-directed GitS movies. For instance, Motoko's plunge off off the building at the beginning and her face-off with the "Puppeteer" at the end are both scenes that directly mirror the original movie. Even the climactic battle at the end is reminicent of Innocence, and the very last scene is probably the most blatent reference of all to the first movie.

Altogether, this is one fantastic send off to the GitS anime. It is satisfying on every level and I'm sure I'll watch it again when the DVD comes out and probably a few more times after that just to grasp the intricacies of the plot. Hats off to all of the show's creative staff for providing one hell of an awesome experience.

Viewing Journal: Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid (complete)

Series Overview DVD Info Trailer Rating: Overall= B+ Story = B+ Video = B Audio = B

Journal

This series is set about two months after the events occurred in the Tuatha de Danaan at the end of the original series. Mithril becomes aware of a secret organization that has technology able to counter the ECS (Electronic Cloaking System) mode. This organization, known as Amalgam, also has "Black Technology", obtained from "Whispered" like Kaname Chidori, and like the other intelligence agencies, they intend to obtain more. However, when Sousuke's mission to protect Chidori is terminated by Mithril, all seems to be in place for Amalgam's plans... Like many of its fans know, it is based of the FMP novel "The End of Day by Day." (Source: ANN)

After having finished this latest entry into the Full Metal Panic! continuity, I think it's safe to say that FMP works much better when it either focuses fully on the comedy aspect (as in Fumoffu) or the more serious drama/military action aspect (as in Second Raid) instead of trying to mix in both at the same time (as in the original series).

It did take me a while, though, to make that mental shift from the wacky antics from Fumoffu to the relatively serious story and unexpectedly graphic violence in The Second Raid (TSR). But it wasn't too long because the new villains in TSR have some pretty extreme personalities that are easy to get absorbed into. First you have the wickedly violent twins Xai Yu Lan and Xai Yu Fan, who appear to be numb and apathetic to all the world short of each other and their "sempai". Then you have the insane and giddily sadistic Gates who can be so giddy probably because he kills the source of his frustrations the very second they start to annoy him.

The show brings out some new dimensions from the regular cast members personalities' as well. Sousuke Sagara and Kaname Chidori still start out with some of the same high school antics from the original series, but I think that's just to set things up for the dramatic moment when Sousuke is forced to give up his watch over Kaname and the both of them are forced to deal with their new and frightening situations. Teletha “Tessa” Testarossa also comes off as a much stronger character than in the original series, which I was thankful for because in the original FMP, she seemed so weak-willed, especially for a submarine captain.

Although the plot was engaging, I still had the same issue with it here that I have had in the previous series'. That being that there is not much of any explanation for what the Whispered are or where they come from or where they get their understanding of the "Black Technology". I know that there's probably more explanation in the original novels, but considering that I'll probably never get around to reading them, it's frustrating that the show keeps those mysteries unresolved.

The art and animation are constantly high quality and impressively detailed. And the music is a great compliment to the show, with a appropriately military-action feel to the show's score.

After this show ended I was kind of disappointed because it ended in such a way as to suggest that this may be the last entry into the series. And even putting aside my disappointment with the original series and frustration with some mysteries that are still unsolved, I really think I'll miss the characters who have started to grow on me.

In addition to the original TV episodes, the last DVD of FMP! TSR has an extra OAV episode. The story covers a "leisurely" day on Mithril's Tuatha De Dannan submarine where Tessa is looking for a particular item. It's a pretty nice easy-to-watch storyline that again brings out a few new dimensions to the characters, and overall is a nice little cap to the series.

Viewing Journal: Cutie Honey (live action movie)

Movie Overview DVD Info Trailer Rating: Overall= B Story = B Video = B Audio = B-

Journal

When Honey's uncle gets kidnapped by the evil criminal gang known as "Panther Claw," she must use her magical powers of transformation (fueled by love) to save him. Meanwhile the same crime group has been responsible for a number of other crime sprees across Tokyo. In the process, Honey teams up with the seemingly cold police woman Natsuko Aki and hot shot journalist Seiji Hayami as well as battle the four "claws" of the Panther Claw gang to save her uncle and the rest of the city. (Source: ANN)

This show was a riot! It's a live action version of a Go Nagai manga/anime and was directed by Evangelion mastermind Hideaki Anno. And I have to say that whatever personal issues Anno was trying to work though when he created Evangelion, he seems to have gotten over them by the time he directed this movie. Because while Evengelion used classic anime staples (giant robots) to present an angst-ridden drama, Cutie Honey uses classic anime staples to just have a lot of fun.

This is a campy, fan-service laden, strait-out ridiculous movie, which anybody could laugh with but probably only anime fans can fully appreciate. It's full of scenes that you often see in anime but which (obviously) are done in live action -- like when Honey kicks a bad guy, who then goes flying sky high and disappears in a glint of light; or when the villain "Gold Claw" shoots a seemingly infinite number of missiles from her arm and they all go chasing after Honey (a la Macross Plus). These are cliches that we are used to seeing in animation, but when you see them in live action it emphases just how goofy they really are, and you laugh your butt off because of that very fact.

That's why I say that anybody could laugh with this but only an anime fan can really appreciate it -- because while anybody can laugh at the high energy ridiculous fun, only anime fans will be able to recognize the references. Sure the story is nonsensical, and the costumes are outlandish, but they are also bright and fun and if you take this movie literally you are really missing the point. Because it's all done with a wink and a nod as a kind of homage/parody to its source material in a way that only a true otaku like Anno could pull off.

Viewing Journal: Basilisk (complete)

Series Overview TV Broadcast Info DVD Info Trailer Rating: Overall= A Story = A Video = B+ Audio = A-

Journal

The year is 1614 AD. Two warring ninja clans, each supporting a son of Hidetada Tokugawa as the next shogun, send ten representatives each to fight to the death for the possession of a scroll. The prize: the annihilation of the other and the staunch support of the Tokugawa government for the winning clan for the next thousand years. (Source: ANN)

I don't think I realized how great of a show this was when I was actually watching it. Sure I enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone, but I don't think I knew just how much I was enjoying it until it was all over and the haze from being so engrossed in the show had finally worn off. So I had to think about it for a while, but as far as I can tell there are two things that really pulled me in: the well-paced and plotted action, and the subtlety of the drama.

Basilisk is essentially a more violent version of Romeo and Juliet, so it's not difficult to tell how it is going to end. But what is more difficult is telling how exactly it is going to get there. There's a lot of martial arts ninja battles in this show, but the fun comes as much from seeing how those fights are plotted in the overall story as from watching the fights themselves. For one thing I was enthralled watching how each side tried to get the upper hand, particularly at the beginning when the Iga clan seemed like they would be the clear victors. Also, since there are no inherent "good guys" or "bad guys" in this show, you are never sure who is going to come out on top in any particular fight.

That's not to say that the fights aren't a heck of a lot of fun to watch in themselves. At the beginning I just had fun seeing what uncanny ninja "technique" each clan member would unveil next -- like one ninja who could stretch out his limbs like a rubber band, or another who was essentially a human slug, or another who seemed to be immortal (a technique that is especially disturbing once you see how it is accomplished). The fighting is full of surprises and never ever dull because you can never tell which technique will dominate in the end.

But even though there a lot of cool fights, which alone would make this show worth watching, what really puts it above the rest is its emotional, cathartic, and subtle drama.

Basilisk is as effective in what it does not show or say as in what it does. It is full of implications in terms of the action, the plot, and the characters' emotions. And since those implications are seldom explicitly stated or shown, the audience has to make a small cognitive jump to fill in the blanks. This storytelling technique is extremely effective because by forcing the audience to make that mental jump, it stimulates the mind and gets the audience that much more involved and invested in the story. The end of the final episode is probably the best example of this "less is more" philosophy, because it is a subtle and quiet scene but still really packs an emotional punch.

The art and music also compliment the show's theme of subtlety. The color palette involves mostly blue and purple -- which is simple but creates just the right mood. And the music is quiet and perfectly compliments and enhances the drama in the show.

So needless to say, this is one of the best martial arts action/drama anime I've seen since Rurouni Kenshin Trust and Betrayal. It is a well-paced and plotted ninja action Romeo-and-Juliet story that delivered on all accounts and kept me enthralled throughout all 24 episodes.

Nabeshin interview

As a promotion for the US release of Negima Daicon Brother, afro-sporting director Shinichi Watanabe (aka Nabeshin) -- who is best known as the director of Excel Saga -- attended an event in his honor at the Alamo Drafthouse in Houston, Texas. Details on the event, video clips, and the full interview are available at ANN. Here are a few amusing nuggets though...

On directing comedy vs. drama:

The anime that are often said to be “good anime” is oftentimes serious and moving and they make you cry – those are the anime that people tend to say are “good”.

I do want to move the viewers, but what I emphasize is getting a laugh. Making the audiences laugh is in a way, moving them. Not sentimentally, but with laughter.

On his trademark red jacket:

I actually found this red jacket in a store, and I was thinking a blue shirt and yellow tie would go well with this. This guy Lupin the Third, though, stole my idea and is cosplaying as me. I saw some folks where I couldn't actually tell if they were dressed as me, or dressed as Lupin.

On his recent visit to NASA:

I made the afro popular in Chicago and Houston, so I wanted to send that signal into space. I thought they had a rocket here at NASA in Houston, but it turns out that's in Florida.

On his next city to visit in the US:

You know, I'm kind of full of Texas, but I'll visit anyplace you want!

Viewing Journal: Gun Sword (complete)

Series Overview DVD Info Trailer Rating: Overall= C- Story = C- Video = C- Audio = C-

Journal

On the forgotten penal colony/planet of Endless Illusion, a lanky vagabond in a tuxedo named Van wanders the land on a mission of vengeance against a nameless figure known only as "The Claw". His weapon is a metal sash that straightens into a sword which he can use to call down a special type of "Armor" (i.e., giant robot) that he calls "Dan". Along the way he teams up with a young girl named Wendy who is also seeking out The Claw in an effort to find her missing older brother. In their quest they encounter more villains, more Armor, more friends, and plenty of opportunities for Wild-West-type mecha battles.

This show mostly uses bits and pieces from other shows -- like Cowboy Bebop and Trigun -- and tries to piece them together using a basic lonely-wanderer-seeking-revenge story. Some of the references were less rip-off than they were homage though. For instance, at one point we are introduced to a team of old retired Armor pilots who used to be the protectors of their town. This is (I'm guessing) a nod to vintage shows like Voltron or Gotchaman that involved a team of heroes fighting to save the world. There is another scene at the beginning of one of the episodes that is a blatant reference to the final scene in Pulp Fiction. Those kinds of things were kind if amusing if for no other reason than I knew what they were referencing. (Go me.)

The high point of this show is the first episode, which is a great introduction to Van, Wendy, and "Dan". It has some great action and funky-cool characters. Van's personality especially shines in this episode because you see a few of his little quirks like insisting on putting tons of condiments on his food and the fact that he never remembers anyone's name -- both of which are meant to illustrate his apathy toward the world. His and his face-off with the bandits is also a lot of fun to watch.

After that first episode -- although there were some parts here and there that I liked -- for the most part the story is very cut-and-dry, the mecha battles are redundant, and most of the characters have weak personalities making for an overall disappointing series.

The animation and music are fine, but nothing to write home about. The only character design that I thought was worth anything was Van and, I guess, Wendy (there's something about those pig-tails!) but the other characters and even the mecha designs didn't do anything for me.

So in summary this show has a few good ideas scattered within a very basic storyline. There are pieces of the art, characters, and story that I like, but as a whole the show is average and doesn't live up to the spectacular first episode.

Viewing Journal: Eureka Seven (complete)

Series Overview TV Broadcast Info DVD Info Trailer (opening) Rating: Overall= B- Story = B- Video = B Audio = C

Journal

Anime in general has developed a lot of standard storytelling conventions -- things in a story that are consistent across different titles -- and for "giant robot" anime this is even more true. And although conventions can make a show comforting and familiar, they can also make it tedious, predictable, and just downright boring. But every so often a show comes along that tries to weed out those conventions by either twisting them into something more original, or by intentionally breaking them. Eureka Seven -- for better or worse -- is one such show.

Renton is your average 14-year old boy living in the backwater pillar-city of Bellforest. He enjoys surfing the sky on his "ref board" and dreams of living a more exciting life with his idol Holland aboard the rebel air-ship Gekkostate. Renton gets more than he ever hoped for one day when a giant robot called an LFO -- which also surfs on a giant ref board -- crashes on his grandfather's house. A beautiful girl pilot named Eureka emerges from it and asks Renton's grandfather to help make repairs. Renton immediately falls head-over-heals for her and dedicates himself to being with her forever. Oddly enough, she is a member of the Gekkostate! So when Renton gets permission to become a member of the ship, he's elated. But his love for Eureka has greater implications than just a simple boyhood crush -- implications that could save or destroy the entire planet! (No pressure.)

The story has almost all of the elements of a giant robot anime, like the angst-ridden teenage boy who's father is a legendary military leader and who falls for a young female pilot of mysterious origins; and, of course, the semi-sentient giant robots that are developed from alien technology. But in Eureka Seven these elements are treated a tad differently. For instance, in most anime, the giant robots fight against the very aliens who developed the robots' technology. This show has that element too, but the vast majority of the show concentrates on the robots fighting against each other in a Gundam-style rebel-vs.-military storyline (although I've watched very little Gundam, so maybe that's not an accurate description). Most shows also have a few mysterious metaphysical events with dark undertones thrown in to give the story an epic-but-pessimistic feel. Eureka Seven has that too, like the "Seventh Swell" and the "Amita Drive", but it's not quite as dark or moody. If anything they have more of an bright, uplifting, even optimistic tone to them.

Renton and Eureka's relationship also deviates form the norm in a few ways. For instance, when Renton sees Eureka for the first time, he immediately falls in love with her and tells her so right away. That's a refreshingly honest change of pace from your average romantic anime, where the lead male character will fall in love with the lead female but he will be either too shy or just too scared to admit it to himself, much less to the girl.

Not long after Renton expresses his feelings, Eureka says that she loves Renton too, but follows that up by saying (something like) "I love all my children". By "children" she's talking about the three kids that live aboard the Gekko and call her "momma" even though she's not their real biological mother. This whole idea of Eureka having children adds another element to the relationship because it brings up the whole notion that love not only involves infatuation and romance, but responsibility, which is something that Renton has to learn if he and Eureka are going to be able to stick together. By the way, if all this talk about "relationship" and "responsibility" makes you a bit queasy, they you'll best stay away from this show. Because, although there is some cool action and visuals, "love" is a major theme and is what really drives most of the story.

Now, as much as I like how the show deviates from the standard giant robot anime stereotypes, there are a few things about it that really annoys me. For starters, the first episode really starts the show out with a bang and really got me excited to see the rest. But for the next 15-20 episodes, nothing happens -- or at least nothing that moves the plot forward. It's mostly just Renton doing a bunch of goofy stuff to try to fit in to the Gekko's crew, or the Gekko going and doing some freelance work to earn money. I understand that those episodes are trying to build characterization, but as a result they seemed like filler material because they did little to advance the plot and at the time I couldn't help but wonder if anything of consequence was ever going to happen. Luckily the plot does start to pick up around episode 20 or so, but those initial episodes really tried my patience.

Another thing that really annoyed me was the English voice acting. I usually prefer to watch the original Japanese, but since I watched it on Adult Swim, that wasn't an option. I did, however, watch the first two or three episodes subtitled back before it was licensed, and comparing the two, in the dub Renton sounds whiny and Eureka alternates between sounding too perky or too breathy. Overall the whole English dub makes the dialogue sound really cheesy. That's not to say that the dialogue isn't cheesy anyway, but the English voice actors made it 10 times worse and ruined a lot of otherwise intense moments.

Annoyances aside though, the show's ending was great. Whatever misgivings I had for the rest of the series, the ending made up for it. It was a good dramatic climax and generally tied up all of the loose ends. I still don't get a few things -- like what exactly is the "Seventh Swell" and the "Summer of Love" and how did Renton's dad play such a vital roll in saving the planet -- but that may have just been because I didn't play close enough attention (as is often the case) or because I simply don't remember.

The show is animated by Studio Bones, which has always been consistent in making quality animation, and this is no exception. There's something about Bones' animation style and designs that really softens characters and makes them especially likable and sympathetic. The robot designs are pretty original too. I loved the whole "surfing" robot concept -- at least at first. But as the show moved on and the novelty wore off, the surfing concept started to look a little corny, especially when the plot starts to get a more serious.

The music fits the story in general, but it's not something that I would rush out and buy the soundtrack for. There were three sets of opening and ending animation sequences, but I only really liked the first OP and ED.

So, in summary, although I'm far from being in love with this show, I do have to tip my hat to Studio Bones for making an anime that subtly pushes boundaries while keeping all the elements that make for likable characters and an entertaining story. I'd recommend this show, but only if you are prepared to put up with a boring first half, and are ready to deal with a story that is more about relationships than about action. And definitely only if you are willing to watch it subtitled.

Viewing Journal: My Hime (complete)

Series Overview DVD Info Trailer Rating: Overall= B- Story = C+ Video = B- Audio = B-

Journal

This is going to be a short review because, despite the fact that I did actually like this series, there is not a lot to talk about because it is such a standard, almost stereotypical storyline.

Mai Tokiha and her brother Takumi are on their way to attend the prestigious Fuka Academy when their ferry is suddenly caught in the middle of a battle between two girls with apparently supernatural powers. This is only the beginning of Mai's troubles as she eventually discovers that she too has special powers -- the powers of a HiME.

The plot is relatively straightforward and focused, while at the same time it maintains a certain level of mystery. I'm not saying that the mysteries are especially gripping, but they did keep me curious enough to maintain my interest.

There is a lot of action in this show, but there is also a lot of focus on developing the characters' relationships. The HiMEs' powers comes from feelings they have for the "person most precious to them" so if a HiME looses a battle, that person disappears. As cheesy as that may sound, the show makes it work by keeping the melodrama relatively low key. There are also plenty of love triangles and awkward teenage romance. But it avoids getting too angst-ridden because most of the time the focus is on the characters trying to maintain their friendships instead of building conflict.

The characters -- as with most everything else -- were pretty standard with one exception: Makoto. In fact, a good portion of my enjoyment of the show is due to her character. Part of that is because she has such a cool way of fighting. Basically she spins her giant sword along the ground with sparks flying until she builds up enough inertia to swing it at her enemy... Just trust me, it looks cool. Her personality also made her fun to watch too. Most of the time she acted just like a cat, lazy and affectionate, but once you get her going she's one of the strongest HiME in the show, especially when her "dark" side comes out.

The animation and art are colorful and vibrant and are consistently above-average quality. The music works well with most scenes and does a good job of bringing out the drama in the action scenes, although much of it is recycled throughout the show.

Unfortunately the ending is disappointing. It seems rushed and doesn't explain many key points satisfactorily -- like (spoiler) why Makoto's column showed up when she isn't actually dead, and what kind of power did the star would give to the Prince (end spoiler). It was a decent climax in terms of the action, but since a lot of the elements were unexplained, the drama fell flat. Maybe more will be explained in the sequel -- My Otome -- which is due out in July. (Although now that I actually read the plot summary, it doesn't seem like it will. Ah well.)

Overall though, I really did enjoy this show. It may be low on originality, but the story entertaining enough and the visuals are vibrant enough to make this worth picking up.