Viewing Journal: Tsubasa Chronicle (episodes 1 - 26)

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

Journal

Syaoran, a boy who wants to become an archeologist, and Sakura, a princess from the Clow Kingdom, are childhood friends with a close relationship. On a fateful night, Sakura lost all her memories as a result of a conspiracy to obtain her powers. In order to regain her memory, Syaoran seeks help from the witch, Yuuko. Yuuko tells Syaoran that he has to travel from one alternate reality to another to collect fragments of Sakura's memory. However, even if Sakura regains her memory, she will have no recollection of Syaoran. Traveling together with them is Kurogane, a warrior who was exiled from his country, and Fye, a magician who wants to escape from his King. With the help of a magical creature, Mokona, they set off on an exciting journey through time and space. (Source: ANN)

I usually try not to review a show unless I've seen the entire thing, or at least plan to see the entire thing. But since I've watched a good portion of this show, I figured it might be useful to any readers who are considering the series to know what it is like through the first 26-episodes. The answer is: pretty boring and tedious to get through. That's because -- despite the possibility that things may suddenly start developing at a breakneck pace from episode 27 on -- there is very little development in terms of the plot and the characters up to this point.

To start, it's worth noting that -- as fans of the all-female manga-creator group CLAMP probably already know -- the characters in this series were actually re-used from other CLAMP titles, but here they play totally different roles. So you might see one of the apocalyptic warriors from the X anime (the only CLAMP-related anime I've seen in full) but when you see him in Tsubasa, he is a humble shop owner. It's something that CLAMP fans will surely get giddy over; but for people like me, it's an interesting side note, but otherwise it doesn't add anything to the story.

However, there were a number of things that did catch my interest and made me want to keep watching. First there's the fact Sakura, Syaoran, and their crew have to gather all of these feathers, each one representing one of Sakura's memories. I had to wonder what kind of secret lay in her memories, and what would happen once she got them all back? Secondly, there's the whole concept of traveling to different dimensions. What would each new world be like? And what kind of role would the feathers play in that world? And lastly, there's the whole conspiracy that caused Sakura to loose her memories and send the group on this journey in the first place. Who are the conspirators and what are their grand plans and ultimate goals?

But after the first 26 episodes, hardly any of those things developed any satisfying way, if at all. Sakura's memories didn't seem to have any particular significance other than to highlight the fact that she did NOT remember Syaoran (which we already knew anyway). The journey to the different worlds could have had more potential, but the story in each world dragged on for way too many episodes, and in the end it didn't seem to have much point to it in terms of advancing the overall story. And the villains that initiated Syaoran and Sakura's journey don't show up much, and when they do the hardly ever offer any new information, and what they do offer doesn't bring us any closer to understanding what their grand scheme is. All in all, the story doesn't seem to be going anywhere, or if it is going anywhere it is taking its sweet time getting there.

Then there are the characters themselves. At first they seem like they could develop into something interesting, but up to this point, they have not developed much at all. The people they are at the beginning are very much the same that they are now. They haven't changed and we don't know much of anything more about their pasts or goals. And even that wouldn't be all that bad if there they were interesting enough to keep me entertained in the meantime. But their personalities are basic and cliche -- the boy-hero, the strong soldier, the happy-go-lucky guy, the saccharine moe girl, the cute animal mascot -- lacking any quirks, mannerisms, or idiosyncrasies that might have made them more interesting and less predictable.

The one key element that I think the show hinges on is the relationship between Sakura and Syaoran and the fact that Sakura will never remember him even if she gets all her other memories back. It sounds all tragic at first, but the story plays this angle up so much that it starts to seem more melodramatic and sappy than tragic. And it becomes essentially a moot point later on when Sakura starts to develop feelings for Syaoran despite having no memory of him. It becomes increasingly obviously they are going to get back together sooner or later, so any dramatic impact is lost. And again, since those characters are defined by that one tragic element and never develop any additional depth in their characters, the constant reminders of how great Syaoran and Sakura are handling such heartache gets redundant after a while and essentially looses any emotional effect.

And speaking of flat characters, that's also a good way to describe the art and animation. The character designs themselves are consistent, clean, and simple, but lack any dimension making them look 2-D, even for an anime. And the animation was also very basic and was not particularly dynamic. On the plus side though, some of the costume designs are interesting, and the color palette for the backgrounds and some of the lighting effects are often impressive and appropriately dramatic.

The music is provided by Yuki Kajiura of Noir and Madlax fame. I usually like her work; but in this show her music, surprisingly, did not enhance anything. It may be nice to listen to on a standalone CD, but it did not add anything to the show itself.

So all that having been said, here's what I think the show should have done (assuming it's one goal was to keep me watching):

1. Keep the "price" of retrieving Sakura's memory under wraps (like maybe Yuuko would have told Syaoran, but he kept it a secret from everyone else) until later in the series. That would have added a layer of mystery and a whole lot more tragedy once it was revealed.
   
2. Characters should not be in any one world for longer than two episodes... at least for the first 15-or-so episodes. That way we get exposed to something new on a regular basis.
   
3. Provide some kind of hint as to the overarching story after the characters leave a world. That way you'd get an idea that the story is moving in a definite direction.
   
4. Get Production IG to do the animation (though they did produce the movie version, so I'll have to see how that one turned out).

So anyway, that's my two cents. I may one day go back to this show if I hear that it gets incredibly awesome right after episode 26, but somehow I seriously doubt it. One thing I did hear was that even after all 52 episodes, the story still doesn't come to a conclusion, so there is really no motivation for me to keep watching. After all, there are plenty of other shows out there to watch and precious little time (these days anyway) to do it.

Viewing Journal: Beck (complete)

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

Journal

Tanaka Yukio, better known by his nickname Koyuki is a 14 year old who feels disconnected from life in general. Through the act of saving a mismatched dog, he meets guitarist Minami Ryuusuke, and becomes involved in Ryuusuke's new band BECK. Koyuki's life starts to change as the band struggles towards fame. (Source: ANN)

There is no shortage of shows involving teenagers discovering that they have an innate talent for something, and -- with the help and encouragement of those around them -- "working their hardest" to develop and increase their abilities until they become the best in the world. It's a formula that works well most of the time because friendship, encouragement, triumph, and rise to greatness are all uplifting themes that most anyone can get behind, Beck being no exception. But Beck also has the added benefit of being about a rock band, which makes it more relatable than most.

Koyuki is a normal 14-year old who one day happens upon a freakish-looking dog, and through it meets up with Ryuusuke -- a guitarist who is working to start a new band. Koyuki begins to learn some guitar and develops his singing talents and eventually ends up bringing the new band Beck/Mongolian Chop Squad stardom in Japan with hopes of making it big in the US.

I think the biggest draw of this show is the fact that it actually seems plausible. Sure, some of the characters and plot threads are unlikely to exist in reality, but the general idea of someone going from being a nobody to being a rock star is plausible because there are so many real stories of rock bands who made that happen. Plus Koyuki's feeling of detachment and his desire for freedom and expression through music are also easy for most people to relate to because music is such a universally understood medium of expression.

The show also does a good job of maintaining a relatively subtle tone. One way it does this is by eliminating any background music in its soundtrack; so the only time you hear music is when the bands are playing. This kind of technique was also used in the Paradise Kiss anime and in both cases was successful in giving the show a realistic and genuine feel by allowing to characters and drama to stand out on their own without the crutch of background music.

The one unfortunate thing is that there isn't much of an ending to the show. The last episode is mostly just a bunch of music-related visuals with Koyuki's voice in the background narrating what the band is doing. My guess is that -- as with so many anime with similar endings -- either the show's writers didn't have an ending planned, or it ran out of material to pull from the original manga, or both.

As for the animation, it's pretty bad. The character designs and animation vary between episodes, but the majority of the time they are sloppy. The only parts that really stand out as being better quality are the times when the bands are playing on stage. It's disappointing, but still didn't keep me from enjoying the story much.

There are a couple of interesting things to note about this show. The first is the fact that the characters -- in the original Japanese dialogue anyway -- will occasionally shift from speaking Japanese to speaking English because two of the characters were raised in America. It's amusing because their accents are so thick when they speak English that if it weren't for subtitles I wouldn't have any idea what they were saying. This is made all the worse when they start swearing in English, which looses some of it's effect because the voice-actors didn't seem to know how to act as well in English as in Japanese.

The other thing that I thought was interesting was how character's reactions to Koyuki's singing -- and Beck's music in general -- compared to the actual quality of the music itself. Back before I saw the anime and had heard of the Beck manga I thought, "How can you have a manga about a rock band? There's no way to hear the music!" But now that I've seen the anime version I can see where the story would actually work better in manga form. That's because in the anime, Koyuki's singing, even at the best of times, is pretty bad. (He reminded me of someone who would have gotten kick off of American Idol in the early rounds.) But regardless, the characters in the anime would react to Koyuki like he was the greatest thing since The Beatles. In manga form this wouldn't be a problem because you couldn't hear the music, so it would be easier to accept that his singing was great as long as you used your imagination. (Though I do have to say that I did enjoy the opening and second ending songs. And if you listen closely you'll catch a Pillows song in the last episode.)

Musical quality discrepancies aside though, I really did enjoy the Beck anime if for no other reason than I generally like stories that involve rock bands. I'm not sure that everyone would like it though since the general storyline is unoriginal and it's animation is sub-par.

Viewing Journal: Irresponsible Captain Tylor (complete)

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

Journal

Justy Ueki Tylor thought a career in the United Planets Space Force (UPSF) would give him an easy life: enlist, get a desk job, spend the rest of his life in quiet, boring comfort. No sooner does he take the qualifying exam than war breaks out with the Raalgon Empire, and circumstances quickly conspire to land this volunteer off the street in command of the cruiser "Soyokaze." Now Tylor faces two uphill battles - against the Raalgon fleet that wants to kill him, and against his own crew, who expect him to conform to some standard of military discipline. But as the war rages, Tylor's easy-going ways might have a better chance of converting his crew than vice-versa. (Source: ANN)

This show takes some getting used to. In the beginning it is hard to accept how Captain Tylor gets to be captain of his ship. It's not that I expect hardcore realism from a sci-fi comedy anime, and I know that much of Tylor's success is supposed to be due to "luck"; but even given that, the reaction of the characters seem unnatural and contrived in order to land him into the captain's seat of the Soyokaze as quickly as possible. The reasons that the commanders of the UPSF use to give Tylor command of a ship don't make sense, and then even after he gets command, the way that the commanders from both the UPSF and the Raalgon Empire overreact to his antics are unconvincing and inconsistent with their personalities.

That all being said, once all the pieces are in place: Tylor is captain of the ship, the higher-ups are focused on getting rid of Tylor, and the Raalgon leaders are interested in kidnapping him -- and once you've gotten over the fact that everything up to that point made no logical sense -- then it's actually a pretty fun show to watch. It's not that it is any more realistic or believable at that point; it's just that the characters react more naturally and consistently to the situations.

The main draw of the show is how it tries to blur the line between how much of Tylor's success is due to luck and how much is due to his conscious strategy. As first everything seems to be due purely to luck, but as it progresses it becomes increasingly unclear, and Tylor starts to seem like a stronger character.

As for the visuals, this is an old-school anime, so it's from the days before digital animation. As a result the art is much more detailed and spontaneous. I've really started to get interested in these kind of old-school sci-fi anime because it seems like there is so much more creativity and fun in the designs. Of course, there's no re-mastering here so the quality of the video is not as crisp and clear as you'll get in modern anime, which I'm guessing is enough to turn a lot of viewers away.

The music is mostly typical 80's type of anime music: cheesy and campy but still fitting. There is also some music that is pulled from well-known movie soundtracks which is used in the last few episodes making for some funny moments.

So in the end, I'm glad that I watched this show. Even though the first few episodes were kind of ridiculous (and not in a good way), overall it was a fun show to watch.

Reading Journal: Battle Royale

Book Overview Rating: Overall= C+

Journal

As part of a ruthless program by the totalitarian government, ninth-grade students are taken to a small isolated island with a map, food, and various weapons. Forced to wear special collars that explode when they break a rule, they must fight each other for three days until only one "winner" remains. (Source: Amazon)

About a year and a half ago I watched the live action Battle Royale movie and loved it. So when I heard that the original book version was being translated and released in the US, I had to see how the two compared. And after finishing the book, I'll say that it's definitely an interesting read, but not nearly as entertaining as the movie.

The story of Battle Royale plays out like a combination of Lord of the Flies meets 1984 meets The Running Man. It takes place in an alternate history Japan where, as part of a military research program, a class of forty-two unwitting students are taken to an island, given random weapons, and told to kill each other within three days. The last student standing is labelled the victor and granted a dubious award, but if more than one student is left after the allotted time, everyone dies.

The initial draw of the book is the question of "what would you do in that situation?" And to its credit the book does a good job of showing forty-two kids, each with distinct personalities, history, emotional baggage, and philosophies on how to approach the game. In fact, part of what kept me reading was to see (1) how each character would deal with the situation, and (2) how each character would bite it in the end.

The real value of the book is in it's role as an allegory for youth. It's meant to show that this is in fact how real kids view the world: that they live in an oppressive world in which they have little control, and that adults simply use them and push them into a cutthroat, kill-or-be-killed educational system. I can see where this would be all the more true in Japan where so much more stress is put on succeeding in school no matter what. I found it particularly enlightening how the students in the book, in order to find some level of freedom and rebellion in under the restrictive government, turn to contraband music and literature smuggled from America.

So purely from those ideas and insights, the book is definitely an interesting read. But the entertainment value in terms of the suspense and thrill that you would expect from such a violent story is limited by the author's awkward, amateurish writing style.

The first chapter opens with the line "42 students remaining", which is actually a great way to begin because right away I was hooked with an adrenaline rush since I knew that by the end that number would dwindle down. But as the story built up to the point where I expected the action to really get going, it was suddenly interrupted by an ill-timed flashback; and it continued in that vein throughout. Now, I'm not faulting the flashbacks themselves, it's just that I've seen other authors who are able to use that kind of character development to enhance suspense; but here it tends to disrupt the pace of the action and destroy much of the suspense.

Plus, the characters themselves seem more like one-dimensional stereotypes for kinds of students instead of fully fleshed-out, believable characters. It's like an extended version of the cast of Breakfast Club where you have the jock, the nerd, the rebel, and the princess, along with the arrogant rich boy, the coward, the idiot, and of course everyone's favorites: the stone-cold stoic killer, and the psychopathic bitch. This can be amusing at times, but limits the level of empathy, and -- as a result -- limits the potential for suspense.

There were other things about the author's writing style that I wasn't crazy about. For instance, he is pretty blunt when describing things. So he's more likely to say something like "the red blood flowed from his head" as opposed to "the crimson fluid oozed out of his gaping wound like lava through the caverns of hell." Not that I need poetry, but I think adding more color to the language makes a book easier to read. The other thing I don't like is that the point-of-view will spontaneously shift from one character to another in the middle of a chapter, which can be confusing and, again, break the pace. Though instances like that tend to happen less as the book goes on, which give me the impression that the author was developing his writing skill as he went.

For those who have seen the movie, I do think this book is a worthwhile read just because, though inferior for entertainment value, it does add a lot of description to the characters and setting that helps make a lot more sense out of what is going on. First of all, as mentioned before, just about every single character gets some level of description of their background and personalities, but more importantly there is a lot more explanation of the world in which the story takes place and the real purpose and origin behind the program-o-death. In the movie there was some explanation, but it didn't seem to make much sense; but here, thankfully, it's more fleshed-out.

On the flip side, the movie does a better job at keeping the pace of the action and suspense by cutting back on the flashback sequences, including just enough to give the story some depth. And although many of characters are just as much stereotyped in the movie as in the book, the movie does a better job of playing up the camp-factor, making the stereotypes seem more like intentional exaggerations instead of limitations in the writing.

So overall this book has a fascinating premise, but the execution is so flawed as to limit its full potential. I mentioned in a previous post that my enjoyment of the movie version may have been due to low expectations, so it stands to reason that my high expectations for the book might be the reason behind my lack luster review. But I don't think so.

Evangelion 2.0: Division preview trailer

The preview was released with the Evangelion 1.0 movie DVD. (Here's my review of the first movie.)

UPDATE: Looks like the movie below was removed by the Youtube fun police. No worries though, as it's still available via the mavericks at CrunchyRoll.com.

UPDATE 2: I will not be denied! Crunchy Roll seems to have taken the fall, but now we go all the way out to Portugal to satisfy our need for Evangelion 2.0 goodness. And with subtitles no less. Enjoy. (Source: Sapo Videos)



Now it's interesting to do a sided-by-side comparison with that fan-produced remake:

Yoko Kanno and The Seatbelts live concert

If you know me, you know what a HUGE Yoko Kanno fan I am. Needless to say I would give any number of body parts to have seen this live concert featuring Yoko Kanno herself with the Seatbelts -- the band behind the music of Cowboy Bebop. For now I can just watch in awe... and you can too...

Full Concert(s)
(I'm not sure if these are two separate concerts or just two halves of the same one because they repeat a couple of songs between them. But whatevah...)

• Part One
• Part Two

Individual Songs

• Tank!
• What Planet Is This?
• Want it all back
• Blue
  (One of the best CB songs out there.)
• Piano medley with Yoko Kanno!
  (This is so awesome I may weep openly.)
• Bad dog no biscuits
• Call Me, Call Me
• Mushroom Hunting
• The Real Folk Blues
  (I could do without the boa, but otherwise incredible.)
• Ask DNA / What Planet Is This?
  (This is the end credits for the concert video.)

Detroit Metal City live action movie to feature Gene Simmons

Makes me proud to be a Detroit native... or not.

I'd never heard of this Detroit Metal City manga before the live action movie was announced (there seems to be an anime in the works too), but according to ANN, KISS front man Gene Simmons is a fan and has a key roll in the film and former Megadeth guitarist Marty Friedman also plays in a short scene with Simmons.

I'm not exactly waiting in eager anticipation to see this one, but simply because it has "Detroit" in the title it does pique at least some interest. It'll be like... the Japanese version of 8 Mile!

A short teaser trailer can be seen below.

Viewing Journal: Mind Game

Movie Overview (Not yet available in US) Bittorrent Download Trailer Rating: Overall= B- Story = C+ Video = A- Audio = B

Journal

Nishi has always loved Myon since they were little. And now as adults, he wants to pursue his dream of becoming a manga artist and marrying his childhood sweetheart. There's one problem, though. She's already been proposed to and she thinks Nishi is too much of a wimp. But upon meeting the fiancé while at her family's diner and accepting him as a good guy, they encounter a couple Yakuza (Japanese mafia), only to have Nishi grasp a certain revelation. And, with his newly aquired look on life, adventures abound as he, Myon, and her sister, Yan, escape the Yakuza into a most unlikely location where they meet an old man... (Source: ANN)

The first half of this movie is incredible. It is odd, frantic, and fast moving, and so different that I didn't want to take my eyes from the screen just because I wanted to see what would come next. You have everything from Yakuza soccer players, a trip to the afterlife with a randomly shape-shifting god, to an impossible wild car chase down the streets of Tokyo. And if it was able to keep up that pace, this movie may have been one of the coolest things I'd ever seen. But then Nishi, Myon, and her sister are suddenly and inexplicably swallowed by a whale.

So then I'm thinking, okay, that's a bit out of the blue, but what the heck, let's see what further wackiness befalls the heroes. But the problem is that nearly the entire rest of the movie takes place inside this whale, with the characters goofing around, eating fresh fish, contemplating what is going on in the outside world, and Nishi and Myon building their romance. It's still entertaining, and the characters do some pretty goofy stuff as they try to pass the time, making for some cool visuals; but compared to the fast pace of the first half, the plot in this second part seems stagnant. But then comes the climactic escape, which is so outlandishly intense and wild that it nearly makes up for that stagnation.

But then that's mostly where it ends. There are a bunch of scenes that show life and how it ends up for the characters, and then -- as if out of fear that things have ended too nicely -- it wraps up with a vague final couple of scenes that to me were kind of a let-down, but I guess appropriate given the overall tone.

Though regardless of how well plotted it is, the visuals are what really drive the movie. They're colorful and very abstract -- similar in style to Tekkon Kinkreet. But it takes it a couple steps further by varying the style on occasion, even going so far as to use real-life shots of the actors faces in at certain parts. At other times it shifts to cartoony animation, or to a more freeform style. It's not a random shift though, because the style matches and reflects the tone of the associated scene. And the overall experience is something so different from any other anime I've seen -- in a good way -- that the experience alone would make it worth multiple viewings.

In the end, though, I think the real appeal of this movie is that it is so different. With so many similar storylines and art styles in anime, it's refreshing to see a movie that can breaks free from the pack and do something original -- and do it relatively well. I wouldn't call this a masterpiece in filmmaking but it is an overall fun ride and well worth checking out.

Ghost in the Shell live action movie in 3-D

Via ANN:

The American film production company DreamWorks has revealed that it has licensed the rights to adapt Masamune Shirow's Ghost in the Shell cyber-police manga into a 3D live-action film. The story of an elite paramilitary unit in future Japan has already been adapted into three animated films and two television anime series. DreamWorks has released the second animated Ghost in the Shell film, Innocence, in North America. DreamWorks also released Millennium Actress and produced Transformers, another live-action science-fiction film with Japanese roots.

Variety reports that Universal and Sony also negotiated for the rights, which the Production I.G anime studio was pitching for the manga's original publisher Kodansha. What turned the dealmaking in DreamWorks' favor was co-founder Steven Spielberg's enthusiasm for the project. The entertainment trade newspaper quotes the acclaimed director and producer: "Ghost in the Shell is one of my favorite stories. It's a genre that has arrived, and we enthusiastically welcome it to DreamWorks."

Avi Arad (formerly of Marvel Studios as well as of the Spider-Man and X-Men movie franchises), Arad's son Ari, and Seaside Entertainment's Steven Paul brought the project to DreamWorks and will produce. Jamie Moss (Street Kings, Last Man Home) has been assigned to script the project.

Most of the time I just shake my head and shrug (in my mind) when I read about American companies vying to create live-action movies out of anime or manga. Part of that is because most of the time those kind of projects never come to fruition -- and the ones that do are titles that I don't really care about one way or the other. But, if the upcoming Speed Racer and Dragonball movies end up being huge financial successes, all those other live-action anime projects -- from Monster, to Battle Angel, to Evangelion -- are sure to come out of the wood works by the droves.

Ghost in the Shell is probably my all-time favorite anime/manga franchise, and the possibility of seeing the complex storyline and detailed technological concepts simplified to pander to US audiences really bothers me.

Plus there's the fact that what works in animation doesn't necessarily transfer equally well into live action. Animation -- being a totally contrived and artistically stylized medium -- allows for more flexibility in an audience's suspension-of-disbelief threshold. Transferring an animated movie to live action would only highlight the gaps in believability of the original story unless some key adjustments are made. And those adjustments could ultimately undermine what made the qualities that made original so great. And what would really suck is that if the live action movie turns out horribly, audiences would assume the worst of the original anime and manga worsening the already low-esteem mainstream audiences have for the two mediums, which would then lead to riots, war, pestilence, and the general breakdown of civilization.

Well, maybe not that last part. So maybe I'm taking this a bit too seriously; but the way I figure it, keeping expectations low is the surest way to head off disappointment.

Insignificant observation of the week

Is it just me, or have more anime reviews been employing the term "deus ex machina" ever since Appleseed: Ex Machina was released? Discuss....

The Ghibli film that could have been: Little Nemo in Slumberland

Little Nemo in Slumberland was a comic strip from the late 1800's / early 1900's -- back in the days when comic strips had a good deal more panel space to work in, resulting in some of the most creative art and writing to ever graze newsprint.

So anyway... An animated film based on the strip was released in Japan in 1989 and then in the US in 1992 (and on US DVD in 2004) and involved a long and arduous production phase (the details of which can be found on Cartoon Brew), and among the big names involved were none other than Ghibli veterans Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata. Although they were not involved in the final movie's production, they did create a short but incredible test film which can be seen below.

(Source: AICN)

Genius Party Beyond trailer

Umm.... Wow:

Genius Party Beyond trailer

(Source: AnimeNation)

Redline trailer from Tokyo Anime Fair

A camcorder recording of the sci-fi automobile racing movie Redline, from the Tokyo International Anime Fair.... The detail of the art is incredible (if you can make it out from the poor-quality video).

[Update: Seems the trailer was removed form YouTube, but you can still find it on CrunchyRoll. Below is an older trailer from about a year ago.]



(Source: AnimeNation)

Do you like Mudkips?

So I went on my DeviantArt site today and discovered that my avatar had been changed to this animated gif that says "So i herd u liek Mudkips??" And, the gullible shmuck that I am, I started freaking out thinking, "Holy cripes! My deviant art site's been hijacked!"... that is, until I realized that it's April Fool's Day and it was all just a temporary joke.

So after coming to that epiphany, I googled the term Mudkips and found out that it's a Pokemon (which I've never watched) character. And according to Urban Dictionary the phrase itself is something that was born off of the infamous 4chan website after someone posted the following (probably fake, but still funny) story. And just so you know ahead of time... No, I do not like Mudkips...

Today being Halloween, I decided to fuck with the major retard at school when I came out of science for break. He was dressed as Ash. Knowing this was going to happen, I brought a Mudkips doll. Thus I started the conversation, making sure no one saw me.

"So I heard you like Mudkips..." "Mudkips? I LUUUUUUUUUUUUVE MUDKIPS." "O RLY? So, would you ever fuck a Mudkips, that is.." (he cuts me off before I could said 'if you were a mudkips') "OF COURSE." "Well I just happen to have a Mudkips here, and."

Before I finished the sentence, which would have resulted in me hitting him across the face with the doll, he grabbed it. In one swift motion his pants were down and he was violently humping it. Not to get between a man and his Mudkips I started to walk away, because there is no way I'd be caught wrestling a half-naked crazy guy humping a Mudkips.

Needles to say, within 5 to 10 seconds, some girls saw him and started screaming. I coolly walked into a restroom, pretending nothing had ever happened; not that I had intended that outcome, but now that it was in play I didn't want to be involved.

I came back two minutes later, and like any wanton act on school grounds there was now a huge crowd round him. He was still fucking it and baying this real fucked up 'EEEEEEEEEEINNNNF EEEEEEEEEEINNNF' sound. Suddenly a scuffle broke out in the middle, meaning he probably did something stupid.

I asked someone what had happened. A girlfriend of one of the football players tried to get him to stop, but he bit her for trying to take it away. Someone called in a few football players (all dressed up like Road Warrior) who proceeded to pummel the shit out of the guy. Meanwhile the school police were freaking out and having trouble getting in to the situation.

A few minutes later the intruder alarm went off and we were shuffled into classrooms. Over the intercom the principal announced that someone had thrown a
flaming plush toy into the library. Uh.. what the hell.

So we were kept there and about 30 minutes later the principal came on again. This time he was saying that whoever was behind the beating should turn themselves in. All of a sudden this woman began yelling "I WILL SUE YOU FOR DAMAGES. YOU LITTLE PUNKS, I'M GONNA SUE..." and it was cut off.

I asked an office later what had happened. Apparently his mother had come to pick him up and threatened to sue for the beating and 'whatever else happened.' The school threatened to counter-sue because of lewd conduct, inciting a riot, and starting a fight.

So I ask you: do you like Mudkips?

I hath heardth that thou liketh kips of the mud.
Mudkips. I heard you like them.

The ultimate cat fight

Feeling as if your life is suffering from a severe lack of "girls beating the bejeezus out of each other"? Then this ought to keep you satiated for the next couple of decades...

Montyoum's Dead Fantasy 1   [ HQ version ]

Dead Fantasy 2   [ HQ version ]

(Source: AICN)

Soul Eater trailer

Weird, goofy, cartoony, and violent... I've never heard of this Soul Eater anime before, but it looks pretty cool.

Viewing Journal: Kamichu! (complete)

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

Journal

Yurie Hitotsubashi was just an average middle school student living in the city of Onomichi on Japan's inland sea in the easygoing times of the 1980s. She spent her days worrying about exams and trying to get Kenji, the clueless boy she likes, to notice her. Then during lunch one day she suddenly announces to her friend Mitsue that the night before she had become a goddess. Their classmate Matsuri quickly latches on to Yurie’s newfound divinity as a way to promote her family’s bankrupt Shinto shrine. She hopes that replacing their hapless local god, Yashima-sama, with Yurie will make the shrine more popular (and profitable). Now, with Matsuri as her manager, Yurie has to grant wishes, cure curses, meet aliens, and attend god conventions. All the while attending school and working-up the courage to confess to Kenji. (Source: ANN)

Kamichu is about a young girl who one day becomes a god; but not the Mount-Olympus, throw-fire-bolts-from-the-clouds kind of god. She is still the same person that she always was -- she looks the same, acts the same, and has the same troubles that kids her age always have. It's just that she happens to also be a god. And everyone around her seems to be just fine with that.

Kamichu tries to use the concept of girl-become-god to highlight the innocence of youth, with varying success. When it's at its best, the show plays out like a slice-of-life anime with a twist. Even though Yurie is a god, she is not sure what kind of god she wants to be. She's shy, hesitant, whiny, and lazy; and probably would never have ended up using her god-powers if not for the constant prodding of her new-found friend Matsuri and the occasional responsibility of having to answer people's prayers. The fact that Yurie is so hesitant to use and abuse her powers keeps the tone of the show low-key. As a result, much of the show is calming, quiet, and at the best of times can elicit a youthful nostalgia.

There are a couple of other reasons the show has such an understated tone. First of all there is relatively little interpersonal conflict. Everyone in the town seems perfectly happy accpeting that Yurie is now a god; so there's no issue with her having to either keep her powers secret or convince people that she isn't lying. And even though she is a god everyone treats her pretty much like a normal girl, just one with an exceptional talent. Save for one episode, no one worships her; instead they treat her more akin to someone who was known for getting good grades or being good at sports. So in that respect, it's kind of like Ghibli's Kiki's Delivery Service -- where Kiki's a witch, but everyone treats that like it's an everyday occurance.

And while we're bringing up Ghibli movies, another good comparison would be Spirited Away. That's because, like Spirited Away, this movie has a whole host of odd-looking gods walking around. Of course, only Yurie can see them (though nobody in the show doubts their existence); but there they are just hanging out and being weird. Like a shark that is on the docks fishing. Or a little spirit that is always rolling a soda can around. The hodgepodge cast adds a fun element to the show, and since they are all acting so casually it keeps the tone light.

One thing that might make or break the show for some people is that it has so many Japanese cultural and religious references that a US audience wouldn't understand. There's all the gods for one thing, but on top of that there are terms and traditionals and certain visuals that I wasn't familiar with. Even the mechanics behind how and why Yurie becomes a god in the first place is never explained at all, and I wonder if the actual reason for it is implied in some way that a Japanese audience would pick up on, but which went right over my head. So on one hand all these cultural references can be fascinating, but for other people it might be confusing.

So that's how it is when the show is at it's best; but it's far from solid gold, and there are two main reasons why. First, there are some episodes that deviate from the simple, slice-of-life tone and end up being -- for the lack of a better word -- stupid. The most obvious example is episode four. First of all, it involves an alien which totally breaks with the slice-of-life tone. Then, it seems like it tries to balance this sci-fi element by making the alien obnoxiously cute. Then it gets the military involved and -- well it's just all over the place. Those kind of episodes that make Yurie's god status so blunt and break the easy-going mood may well drive some people away from the show entirely.

The other thing that I didn't like is that the puts so much stress on the cuteness of the characters. I know that the whole point is to have an immature and weak character with superpowers, but I can only watch a character hesitate, and mumble, and blush so many times before it gets annoying, if not downright nauseating. In fact, I think the only show I have seen characters blush more was SaiKano -- where it was actually part of their permanent character design. Although, that being said, the second half of the show balances out the cute/shy/moe element by adding some amusing storylines with a bit more conflict, which allows Yurie's character to become a little stronger.

As far as the animation, it is consistently solid throughout. The character designs themselves are pretty standard anime designs, but the animation itself is relatively smooth and I didn't notice any episodes where the quality dipped.

The music is appropriately cheery but subtle, in keeping with the tone of the show.

So overall I'd say that this is a good show if you are looking for something low-key to relax with. But you really have to watch it all the way through to get the most out of it because some episodes may turn you off.

One more note I wanted to add is that this show is very family friendly, and I'd have no problem watching it with kids of any age. Can't say that about a lot of anime, so I thought I'd point it out.

Trigun movie coming in 2009

Promo image courtesy of Alafista

According to AnimeNation, the fourteenth and final volume of the Trigun Maximum manga in Japan announced that an all new Trigun animation is scheduled for release in 2009.

From the article:

According to the Japanese Moon Phase message board, the advertising "obi" on the freshly released Japanese Trigun Maximum volume 14 manga includes a confirmation that "Trigun the Movie," an original story motion picture promising "Vash vs Wolfwood!?" will hit Japanese theaters next year. The movie will be animated by Madhouse, directed by Trigun television series director Satoshi Nishimura, and written by Yasuko Kobayashi, the screenwriter of the Gilgamesh and Guyver TV series.

Akira live-action movies set for summer 2009

That's right! "Movies" plural. And with a target summer 2009 release date. It looks like they are going to be based more on the actual manga than the anime movie, which is a wise choice since the manga is a lot easier to understand.

From the article:

Leonardo DiCaprio and Warner Bros. are set to team up for a series of live-action motion pictures based on anime artist, Katsuhiro Otomo's masterpiece, Akira . According to The Hollywood Reporter, Gary Whitta has been hired to write the adaptation, which DiCaprio will produce through his Appian Way production company. The films are being fast tracked for release in summer 2009. Each feature will be comprised of three of the books in Otomo's series.

Akira set in a neon-lit futuristic post-nuclear war Tokyo in 2019 where a teen biker gang member is subjected to a government experiment which unleashes his latent powers. The gang's leader must find a way to stop the ensuing swathe of destruction. The anime classic originated in 1988 as manga and then was made into an animated film by Katsuhiro Otoma, which is considered by many fans of Japanese animation to be among the finest works in the genre.

Warner Bros has the rights to Akira up until several years ago when they allowed the rights to lapse. They regained them after a spirited bidding war. Warner's executives are describing the double-bill as Blade Runner meets City Of God.

Warner Bros. and Leonardo DiCaprio's Appian Way has not yet announced when production for Akira is scheduled to begin.

Source: Super Hero Flix

Reading Journal: The Twelve Kingdoms - Volume 1: Sea of Shadow

Book Overview Rating: Overall = A-

Journal

For high-schooler Yoko Nakajima, life has been fairly ordinary--that is until Keiki, a young man with golden hair, tells Yoko they must return to their kingdom. Once confronted by this mysterious being and whisked away to an unearthly realm, Yoko is left with only a magical sword; a gem; and a million questions about her destiny, the world she's trapped in, and the world she desperately wants to return to. (Source: Amazon)

I watched the Twelve Kingdoms anime a couple of years ago and loved it; but the one thing that always bothered me was that the anime only told a fraction of the story from the original novels. Now, thankfully, all seven volumes from the original book series are being translated and released in the US, and the first proves to have all the qualities that I loved about the anime and more.

The story in this first book can be broken down into three main parts: First Yoko meets Keiki and is whisked away to another world. Then she ends up getting lost in the new world and has to fight her way through all kinds of physical and mental battles in order to survive. Then eventually she finds out why she was forced to come to this world and what she needs to do. That's mostly the same story as was in the anime, but the major difference is that this version focuses entirely on Yoko. That means that her two fellow students -- Asano and Sugimoto -- are totally absent in this version. But that works out well since it allows the story to be told from one consistent point-of-view, giving it the ability to focus on Yoko's personal development.

And that personal development is a huge part of what makes this a great story. The person Yoko is at the beginning of the novel is very different from who she is at the end. The anime has that same kind of development, but the book goes into greater detail to describe Yoko's emotional reactions and mental reasoning, so it's easier to follow exactly why she makes certain decisions throughout the story. This mostly occurs during the second part, when Yoko is trying to figure out who to trust and whether or not it's worth fighting to stay alive. I think some people will think that this middle portion is boring compared to the action packed beginning and the revelations from the end, but personally I love it when a story goes into depth about what a character is thinking because it adds depth to her character. Plus it keeps me from having to question she does certain things, making her easier to empathize with and understand.

The other thing that makes this story so impressive is the intricately developed world in which it takes place. You can tell that the setting -- much of which is based on Chinese mythology -- was fully realized before the author wrote a single page. The world of the Twelve Kingdoms runs under a very specific set of rules, and to break those rules warrants divine punishment. It's like the gods were trying to create a world that worked under a system that allowed humans to have free will, but also kept it from falling into total chaos. So as a result, everything from the way that the land is divided to the social hierarchy is extremely organized. The political structure has a series of checks and balances that are meant to ensure that only the most qualified rulers are chosen and that they make the decisions that are best for the people. But despite all that, it still doesn't keep some rulers from becoming corrupt and some countries from falling into chaos. It's almost like the author is commenting on the fallacy of humanity, saying that even when gods create a fool-proof system, people will still find some way of screwing up. But thematic analysis aside, the more I learned about the world of the Twelve Kingdoms, the more fascinating and engrossing it became.

Since I'd never read a translated version of a novel before, I was worried that the translation from Japanese to English might make for some awkward writing, and that some concepts might get lost. But as it turns out, this book is very well written. It is a very fast and easy read even with its depth and details.

The one major disappointment was the ending. It builds up to what you expect to be a huge battle, but then it skips any description of the fighting or invasion of the castle, and instead goes right to the resolution. My guess is that the author had spent so much time showing Yoko's personal struggles, that she had used up her page allotment and she was forced to wrap up quickly. Although, I supposed that the argument could be made that the victor of the battle is a foregone conclusion so any further description is unnecessary; but given that the rest of the novel is so detailed in showing how the action unfolds, it is jarring to have it end so suddenly.

Despite that though, overall I loved this book and can't wait to read the remaining six volumes. Whether or not you are a fan of anime, I think this is a well-developed story from beginning to end that has believable characters and a lot of depth that almost anyone could enjoy. Very highly recommended.

Batman: Gotham Knight - first look

Reading Journal: Genshiken (complete)

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

Journal

College freshman and ACG lover Kanji Sasahara settled down his extracurricular activity in Genshiken (The Society for the Study of Modern Visual Culture) in order to become a true and thorough otaku. Meanwhile, Saki Kasukabe, the girlfriend of another freshman Genshiken member (also a bishounen) Makoto Kohsaka, was dragged into Genshiken's otaku-ish activities reluctantly, yet her resentful attitude towards otakus is changing without her notice. (Source: ANN)

When I first started reading Genshiken it was a shock to my system, because I didn't expect to be able to relate so much to so many of the characters and in so many different ways.

And Genshiken really is all about the characters. There's no overarching plot; it's just a group of otaku hanging out together talking about anime and manga and doing things that otaku like to do, from building models to going to conventions to commenting on their favorite shows. It does an especially great job of highlighting and explaining different types of otaku quirks, habits, and mannerisms in the context of a comedy with realistic characters. So in that way, it's kind of like the otaku's version of Seinfeld, where Jerry's apartment is replaced by the Genshiken clubroom.

The thing that distinguishes this from other similar otaku-focused stories like Otaku no Video, is that the comedy doesn't come so much from parody or satire; instead the comedy a natural result of the characters' personalities and how they all interact with one another. It's neither mocking nor endorsing anime/manga fandom, it just showing anime fans and how they are. So you don't laugh at them because they are otaku, you laugh because -- otaku or not -- the situations they end up in and their reactions to them are funny. And a lot of it is the "yeah, I've been there before" kind of humor that almost anyone could relate to. For instance, there is one chapter where Madarame and Kasukabe are in the clubroom when Madarame notices that Kasukabe seems to have a nose hair sticking out. He spends the rest of the chapter trying to figure out whether it is actually a hair or a piece of lint, and whether or not he should tell her.

But even more than the comedy, it's how much I could relate to the characters that really hit home. In fact, I think that except for maybe Madarame and Kasukabe, I could find something to relate to in just about every character, and not just their general personality but specific thoughts they had or specific situations they've been in or reactions they've had. That makes the manga incredibly cathartic because those characters were expressing ideas I've always had but never actually verbalized.

And that catharsis is intensified all the more because of the manga's theme of "acceptance". Kasukabe, as a non-fan, has to learn to accept the Genshiken because she is in love with one of the members. Sasahara finds acceptance for from the club for his love of anime, manga, and video games even though he has always been embarrassed about said fandom. Oguie has to accept otaku because, despite the fact that she hates them, she is in fact one of them. This theme makes for a kind of wish fulfillment for otaku readers because, let's face it, justified or not, Japan or US, the interests of otaku are often regarded by most people as odd -- if not freakish. And for an anime/manga fan to find a group of people, like Sasahara did, that not only accept but also encourage those interests is like a gold mine. And reading about such characters feels a lot like hanging out with any group of good friends.

As for the art, it fits the manga perfectly. The details put into everything from the setting to the characters and their clothes make the manga fun to read but without forcing you to linger so long on a page as to ruin the pace of the story. The character designs are relatively realistic, which is good because it makes it easy to distinguish the characters from the anime that they watch.

So overall, I'd say that this really is a manga that any true anime/manga fan would love. For me, I'd definitely say that this is one of the best manga I have ever read and I am really going to miss it. Non-fans probably won't be able to empathize quite as much, but they may find it useful to help understand how a lot of otaku think.

Reading Journal: Neon Genesis Evengelion - Angelic Days (complete)

Manga Overview Book Info Rating: Overall= B- Story = B- Art = C-

Journal

In this alternate retelling of Neon Genesis Evangelion everything is different. Shinji and Asuka have grown up together as childhood friends, Rei is the new kid at school, Misato is their teacher, NERV is just beginning to assemble teenagers for their experiments, and the second impact never happened. The story proceeds as a romance rather than an action series, with love triangles a-plenty. (Source: ANN)

I'll start out by saying what this manga is not. First, although it does begin with the alternate-universe scene from the series, the manga is not a sequel or prequel or tied in any direct way to the timeline of the original Evangelion TV series. Second, this manga will not give you any insight into the unsolved mysteries of the series' storyline, so fans who are hoping to uncover revelations into the series' plot best look elsewhere. Third, there is not a lot of action in this manga. There is a short battle or two, but it certainly won't satisfy those looking for high-intensity Eva/Angel action.

Despite all that, most of the major ideas are still here -- the Evangelions, NERV, Adam, the Angels, even Seele -- but they serve more as the context under which the characters develop their romances as a "kids trying to be kids during hard times" kind of story. Hints of mystery and intrigue are still here though; for instance, NERV's reason for their experiments on the children, and the origin of the white giant Adam. Plus the origins and intentions of Kaworu (whom fans will be happy to hear gets plenty of face time in this manga) and Rei, and their connections to NERV add to the intrigue. But again, these mysteries are more there to advance the romantic struggles and introspection of the characters than anything else.

Of course, the thing those fans will mostly react to -- for better or worse -- are how the characters' personalities are altered. Hardcore fans will vilify this as a bastardization of the original series since the manga lacks much of the series' angst. But those critics aside, I think this manga will fulfill a need in a lot of Eva fans because the characters are so much more open and... well... sane. The personalities are all still the same -- Shinji is still trying to please others and Rei is still unsure of herself -- only they have less neurosis, more extroversion, and overall a more relaxed, sometimes silly tone. Personally, I loved the emotional angst in series as much as anyone, but I still think that Angelic Days' alternative take was a refreshing change of pace.

The first four volumes cover Shinji and the gang during the days of the Angel attacks; but after that story arc wraps up, the fifth volume flashes back in time to tell about the budding romance between Gendo and Yui, then the final volume flashes forward in time to show everyone when they are older and basically ties up all the romantic threads that were covered in the first four volumes. Those last two volumes were a good way to wrap up the story, but since they don't have the backdrop of Eva and the Angels like in the first four volumes, they seem more like strait love stories.

The art of the manga is disappointing; but I think that is mainly due to the fact that it is so different from the original TV series and manga. Sure the character designs are familiar enough where you can tell who is who, but the style isn't as clean and the facial proportions just seem out of whack.

So in summary, Angelic Days is essentially Evangelion-lite, with hints of the some of the qualities of the series, but is as much -- if not more -- interesting in how it deviates from the original than how it is similar. The best way to think of it is as a fairly well done doujinshi that uses elements from the original series to create an "if only..." type of story. Whether or not you enjoy it depends on how much of a hardcore Evangelion purist you are and how much you enjoy shojo romance. As for those who have never been exposed to the original series, I can only imagine what your reaction would be.

Reading Journal: Blame! (complete)

Manga Overview Book Info Rating: Overall= C Story = C Art = C

Journal

In the post-apocalyptic future, the complex networks of machines have created chaos and the human world was destroyed. The robots known as the "Constructer" continued to build a meaningless structure with no one to guide them. Soon these cities reach out to the outer planets and another breed of life form emerges. Follow the journey of a strange man, name Killy, in his search for the understanding of the chaotic world being run by Silicon lifeforms out to destroy him and every living thing in their path. (Source: ANN)

I did not particularly like this manga, but despite that I just could not stop reading. Much of that is due to the fact that it is so easy to read. I don't mean that the plot is easy to understand, because it isn't. The plot essentially involves a character named Killy going around an unimaginably massive structure shooting these huge semi-organic creatures called "Silicon Creatures" with his compact-but-insanely-powerful Graviton Beam Emitter while withstanding their onslaught with a superhuman healing capabilities all the while searching for something called "Net Terminal Genes" which will allow him to access the Megastructure's network dubbed the "Netsphere". That's about as much as I was able to comprehend across all ten volumes of this manga, partly because there is little to no dialogue to explain what is going on. And what little dialogue there is involves cryptic terminology that is never fully explained (at least as far as I could tell). Character and plot development take a back seat to the action. Characters show up, then leave or die, then come back in another form for reasons I could never understand, all the while Killy stoically goes about his business babbling about "Net Terminal Genes" and blowing stuff up.

And the artwork didn’t do much to clarify things. Well, actually the art is pretty cool taken by itself. The visuals are dark, and at times look more like a rough sketch than completed artwork, sometimes being extremely detailed and other times extremely minimalistic in order to emphasis the scale of the Megastructure. The dark artwork fits nicely with the dark, ominous setting without being too angst-ridden or moody.

But even though the art style is impressive, it makes it very difficult to follow the action. It's like there will be a bunch a panels, but I could not tell how they were all connected. You'll see Killy in one panel, and a Silicon Creature in another, and some kind of blur in another and then an explosion, but what any of that stuff has to do with each other is vague. It is especially difficult given that the plot and characters’ motivations are so obscure to begin with.

So if everything is so confusing then why the heck would I say that it is easy to read? Well, for one thing, since there is so little dialogue, it is easy to breeze through a volume in a few minutes, even if you might not understand what happened. And even though the action can be difficult to follow at times, it's still hard not to get caught up in all the unrestricted destructive fun of it. But the main thing that attracts me to this manga is its sheer scale of concept.

Killy goes throughout this metal dungeon and for a while it's hinted that at some point he will reach the surface. But the more I got into the story the more I realized that there actually is no surface; and though the total size of the structure is never definitely given, some online research revealed that it could be as large as the Jupiter's planetary orbit! That gargantuan scale gives artist/writer Tsutomu Nihei plenty to play with in terms of setting designs. In fact this is probably the first manga I've read almost purely due to the setting alone. In each volume, I couldn't wait to see what place Killy would wander into next because each "room" or "level" is so different from the one preceding it. The fact that Nihei is a former architect probably contributes to the boundless imagination of the setting. Plus, given that scale the idea that "constructors" are constantly adding onto the Megastructure, and the Netsphere and Authority somehow manages it all, fascinates the heck out of me.

So in summary, Blame! is purely cerebral storytelling with plenty of action with a larger-than-life scale. So while I was not particularly impressed by the lack of character development, the confusing plot, and hard-to-follow action scenes; I am still likely going to pick up the prequel and sequel volumes and maybe even the anime at some point (if they are ever released in the US) simply because I am fascinated by the world of the Megastructure itself.

Viewing Journal: Le Chevalier D'Eon (complete)

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

Journal

During the time when Louis XV still ruled France, a certain woman was found dead in the coffin floating through the Seine river. D'Eon, the woman's brother, determines to seach for the killer of his sister, Lia. But there are some strange movements in France. And things become more strange when Lia's soul enters D'Eon's body... (Source: ANN)

I have mixed reactions to this show. I like the way that it incorporates real historical settings and characters because they give it a sense of legitimacy. Plus whenever I watch these kinds of period series, it always makes me curious about the real historical references (which is conveniently satisfied by the DVD extras the talk about the real-life version of the characters) and just how possible the events in the story really are.

The art and animation added to the sense of realism and authenticity. The setting and costume designs were ornate and detailed and at least appeared to be authentic for the period. The characters designs were very realistic, especially with regards to their facial expressions, which were complex without being exaggerated like you see in other anime. The action scenes were also animated with a great deal of detail, especially the fencing scenes which looked to be expertly choreographed.

What I didn't like so much were the more fantasy-type elements. The show starts out building up a good sense of authenticity as to its historical setting and characters, but then at the end of the first episode it introduces these zombie characters called "gargoyles". That whole zombie element really ruined a lot of the show for me because you have this realistic historical adventure/drama interspersed with what can only be described as a campy horror cliché. There were other inexplicable visuals that were meant to represent the magical element to the show -- like how the words to the Psalms would come out and surround whomever the spell-caster was trying to control, or how D'Eon's hair ribbon would just suddenly fall out whenever Lia's soul would take over his body. These visuals just seemed blunt and out-of-place compared with the more realistic parts. Of course, without the fantasy elements, there wouldn't be much of a story, but I just wish they were handled with a bit more subtlety.

So in summary this is a well-plotted adventure/drama with realistic characters and top-notch animation. Unfotunately the magical/horror elements distract from the realism and can detract from the quality of the story. Overall though, I did enjoy the show and would recommend it for those who enjoy historical fiction.

Viewing Journal: The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (season 1)

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

Journal

On the first day of high school a beautiful girl named Haruhi Suzumiya introduces herself as having "no interest in ordinary humans". She asks for any aliens, time travelers, sliders or espers to join her. Watching her weird behaviour is Kyon who sits in front of Haruhi and is the only person who talks to her. When Kyon comments about Haruhi's joining every club in school and then quitting he unwittingly gives Haruhi an idea to start her own after school club. Thereafter Kyon and several others find themselves dragged, literally, into the Save our world by Overloading it with fun Suzumiya Haruhi's Brigade (the S.O.S. Brigade for short). (Source: ANN)

To be clear, this is a show directed at anime fans. It is intentionally full of all kinds of cliché storylines and characters from moe to tsundere to child detectives and RPG gaming. But it is presented in such a self-aware manner that they act as a parody of themselves by highlighting just how ridiculous such clichés are.

But it is the way that parody is executed within such an original concept that really makes this show rise above other similar anime. As the show eventually reveals, Haruhi's boredom is a dangerous thing because she unknowingly has the power to unconsciously manifest the things that she desires to happen. It's a power that could have cataclysmic consequences if not kept in check, so the members of the SOS Brigade need to keep Haruhi entertained enough to prevent her from destroying and recreating the universe according to her own whim. That story concept could be used to do show kinds of crazy stuff, but for the most part her powers end up manifesting with such subtlety that the characters have a hard time determining what events happen on their own and which are a result of Haruhi's power. And as a result, the show seems more like a regular high school comedy sprinkled with odd occurrences than an all-out magical fantasy. And while I can't say that this make the story more realistic, it does make it seem more grounded and adds a subtle tone of sci-fi mystery to parody which makes it interesting as well as hilarious.

Of course, the other thing that makes this a great show is Haruhi herself. Even without her powers, she is like a force of nature who drags people kicking and screaming into her schemes for achieving self-amusement. Watching the way that she obnoxiously manipulates characters in order to get her way is really what drives the show's character-driven comedy. The other characters also rise above their cliché personalities in order to have genuine and reasonable reactions to the wacky events that Haruhi drags them into. And the unspoken romantic tension between Kyon and Haruhi is another thing that adds a layer of genuineness of the characters.

As far as the art and animation, it ranges from very high quality to above average. The character designs are -- as you might image -- cliché to fit their purpose, but they are also detailed and colorful enough to make them engaging.

The soundtrack for the show is phenomenal. The musical scores during each scene fit perfectly, but what really makes the show are the actual songs that are played during the ending animation (or the full-length version) and during the (chronologically) final episode. Each of which illustrates just how fun this show really is.

One issue that is most controversial issue among fans is what order to watch the show in. When it was originally broadcast in Japan, the episodes were shown out of chronological order. The regular version of the US DVD release only allows you watch the episodes in chronological order, but if you get the special editions you have the added option of watching them in the original broadcast order (subtitled only). I decided to watch them in the original broadcast order and am glad that I did. I think it makes for a better build up and climax due to the order in which the show reveals certain mysteries and the way it develops the characters and their relationships. So I think as long as you are aware that you are watching them out of order, that is the most satisfying way of viewing this show.

So all in all this is a highly entertaining anime that is just plain fun to watch, especially if you are an anime fan. It hooks you with its parody and its genuine and wacky characters and original concept will keep you coming back for more. Recommended for otaku everywhere.

A couple of extra notes... First of all, the last DVD has a scene from what seems to be a similarly themed show called Lucky Star. The scene includes the Haruhi cast and can be seen here. My guess is that fans of Haruhi will end up liking Lucky Star too (though I haven't actually seen it, that's just my guess). I'm not sure of the US release date.

Also, in case you are wondering why I have this review labeled as "season 1", it's because a second season is currently being produced. I'm not sure when it will be aired in Japan though, so stay tuned.

Viewing Journal: The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

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

Journal

When 17-year-old Makoto Konno gains the ability to, quite literally, "leap" backwards through time, she immediately sets about improving her grades and preventing personal mishaps. However, she soon realises that changing the past isn't as simple as it seems, and eventually, will have to rely on her new powers to shape the future of herself and her friends. (Source: ANN)

This is a spectacular character-driven drama and is probably one of the -- if not the best movie I have seen all year (that being 2007).

Part of what makes this movie so easy and enjoyable to watch is that, unlike most time travel stories, it doesn't have the characters traveling across great spans of time or trying to alter world history. The time travel involves leaping back hours, or at most a few days in order for Makoto to make her own life easier so she can do things like sleep in without being late for class, or allowing her to ace tests easily, or avoid awkward social situations. And because the story focuses on short-term time travel and simple every-day events, it is much more believable and easier to relate to. That simplicity also allows the movie to focus fully on the characters and their actions and relationships without having to be distracted by a grandiose plotline. All of this simple, believable, character-driven drama gives the story plenty of emotional range, with both fun (and funny) moments, as well as moments that are dramatically intense.

The animation is simple but the movement of the characters are detailed and extremely realistic. It ranks right up there with the best of studio Ghibli in terms of animating the most minute details of a character's life in order to add depth and realism (which makes sense since some Ghibli staff was involved in making this movie). The artwork is simple with fluid and soft line work that adds to the relaxed easy-going tone of the movie.

That's not to say that the movie is perfect, as it does have a few flaws that distract from its tone. The most significant flaw is that it deviates from that simple every-day storyline in order to give an explanation for the time travel. Personally, I would have been happy if it would have been something like the movie Groundhog Day, where they never really explain why she is able to travel through time since that is not as important as what she does with the ability and how it changes her. But as it is, the movie does add an extra layer of complexity to the plot by bringing in another time-traveler, and as a result makes for an awkward sci-fi shift in tone.

And this issue is compounded all the more because the events that follow are confusing and at times self-contradictory. Plus there are plot threads that are never fully explained (i.e., what exactly is the significance of that painting for the people of the future?). But personally I was able to mentally work my way around these flaws, because the successes of the movie still far outweigh its shortcomings.

One thing that people may be confused about is Makoto's aunt, whom Makoto goes to for advice. The story never explains who this aunt is or why she is so knowledgeable about time travel. As it turns out, this movie is actually a sequel to a live action movie from 1983, which is in turn based on a novel. This anime movie takes place 20 years after that original movie, and the aunt is supposed to be the main character from that live action movie. You don't need to see the original film to appreciate this anime version, but understanding where her character comes from does help alleviate some confusion.

So in summary, this movie is just incredible and even with its flaws ranks right up there with 5 CM Per Second as one of my top picks of 2007. Highly recommended for all audiences.