October 09, 2008
Some Things are Constant
Idiot fanboys are one of them....
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October 05, 2008
Gurren Lagan...the End
UPDATED
Except for dinner with a friend, I spent all of yesterday studying for my
upcoming exams. Despite this, around 3 AM I found myself quite unable to sleep. Thus, I got up, opened the copy of Gurren Lagann that's been sitting on my shelf for over a week and popped it into the iMac, intending to watch an episode or two.
This was ill considered, for the people at Gainax had nefariously used the DVD as a delivery vehicle for an advanced, bioengineered, fanboy-optimized, formulation of crack.....
more...
Except for dinner with a friend, I spent all of yesterday studying for my
upcoming exams. Despite this, around 3 AM I found myself quite unable to sleep. Thus, I got up, opened the copy of Gurren Lagann that's been sitting on my shelf for over a week and popped it into the iMac, intending to watch an episode or two. This was ill considered, for the people at Gainax had nefariously used the DVD as a delivery vehicle for an advanced, bioengineered, fanboy-optimized, formulation of crack.....
more...
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September 26, 2008
Black Lagoon Second Barrage
The first and second volumes of the second season of Black Lagoon came in.
For those unfamiliar with this show, it is despite its name, annoyingly Creature free.
Rather, it concerns 4 modern day, free agent pirates who operate out of a seedy town in northern Borneo. The audience identification character, Rock, is a former Japanese salaryman who was initially kidnapped by the pirates but, upon having his ransom paid, elected to join their crew...because...modern Japan is...you know....not genuine and shit....or something. (actually he was in a tough spot, but he's still the poster boy for Stockholm syndrome).
The show is violent, grim and surprisingly interesting. The near nonstop action does not get too stupid and the shows characterizations are intruiging. The first 3 volumes had a surprising ammount of character development.The animation was top notch, the music engaging and the stories engaging.
Black Lagoon was one of several that died with Geneon so I was happy to see it picked up by Funimation, and even happier to find that , at least for the first two volumes, they are using Geneons dub team (I assume that Geneon had the first two discs in the bag).
As to the content of these 2 discs, I'm a little nonplussed. The storyline with the two children of the damned is just over the top disturbing on several levels and it is really really gratuitous. The next arc is satifyingly action packed, while the last arc, incomplete at the end of disc 2 is less so...but looks to be serious pathos.Gut punches all around, very well drawn and well animated gut punches mind you.
This dub is hands down the best I've ever heard.
In fact after switching between the two audio tracks, I'll go so far as to say its better than the Japanese version. This is in no small part because of Venus Terzo's superb performance (via ultravoice) as the demented, murderous, implacable, mute, chainsaw wielding, goth chick.
That those last 8 words were used together give an idea of the level of win this show occasionally achieves.
For those unfamiliar with this show, it is despite its name, annoyingly Creature free.
The show is violent, grim and surprisingly interesting. The near nonstop action does not get too stupid and the shows characterizations are intruiging. The first 3 volumes had a surprising ammount of character development.The animation was top notch, the music engaging and the stories engaging.
Black Lagoon was one of several that died with Geneon so I was happy to see it picked up by Funimation, and even happier to find that , at least for the first two volumes, they are using Geneons dub team (I assume that Geneon had the first two discs in the bag).
As to the content of these 2 discs, I'm a little nonplussed. The storyline with the two children of the damned is just over the top disturbing on several levels and it is really really gratuitous. The next arc is satifyingly action packed, while the last arc, incomplete at the end of disc 2 is less so...but looks to be serious pathos.Gut punches all around, very well drawn and well animated gut punches mind you.
This dub is hands down the best I've ever heard.
In fact after switching between the two audio tracks, I'll go so far as to say its better than the Japanese version. This is in no small part because of Venus Terzo's superb performance (via ultravoice) as the demented, murderous, implacable, mute, chainsaw wielding, goth chick.
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Oh...So THAT'S the Problem.
Steven Den Beste explains my life....
This is doubly troubling as I am now far too old to date highschool girls...glasses or no.
It sucks to be me.
If a high school girl wears glasses it means she's smart and sexy and repressed, a volcano of passion waiting to explode. If a guy wears glasses it means he's a dork. Everyone else who needs vision correction wears contacts.
This is doubly troubling as I am now far too old to date highschool girls...glasses or no.
UPDATE: It also implies that all the cute 30 something girls with glasses are, in fact, dorky traps.
( Thanks Steven! That could have led to...awkwardness! WHEW!)
It sucks to be me.
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September 13, 2008
You...You Spilled Gainax on My Robot Show!
The long awaited paycheck arrived...the first one in 5 weeks...and after the
filling up the pickup of peril....with what must have been vintage wine or something... and getting the last book for school I walked out
of a local store with Gurren Lagaan Volume 2. Today was spent studying,
composing E-mails in Japanese and fretting about Ike, but at 6pm I hung it up
and 
popped in the much anticipated DVD.
Like volume, one volume 2 is a very reasonably priced 2 disc set containing 9 episodes. Unlike volume one however, the marketing department very sensibly put teh Yoko on the cover of volume 2.
I had been quite taken by the first volume and was looking forward to 9 episodes of teh Yoko, giant fighting robots, adventure and teh Yoko...
What I got was 8 episodes of satisfying giant robot battles, a goofy albino Moe Maiden, adventure, heroism, a basically satisfying wrap-up of most plot threads and not quite enough of teh Yoko.
Oh, and one episode of patented Gainax Gut Punchery....
My biggest problem with the show is the crass stupidity and pig headedness of a lot of the cast, which frequently leads to seemingly unnecessary plot complications this is not as annoying as it could be due in part to the fact that said problems are usually resolved by thoroughly amusing giant robot battles. I should mention that the bombastic character Kamina comes off much better in this volume than he did in the first disc
image via Concrete Badger
Now I'm a bit put
off by the Moe' thing (which Pulpjunkie describes as "a girl as
a pet" ) and Nina is so Moe' it is jarring, but the character is actually
quite deep and strong in an utterly different way than teh Yoko.
The goofball nature of the series combined with the genuine drama and pathos is an odd mix that has rarely been pulled off, being reminiscent of Van Dread in a way. All in all it was a very satisfying and quite enjoyable 8 episodes. I was impressed.
Then suddenly... I was reminded this was a Gainax show...and the show began chanelling Josh Wheadon.
There is a clifhanger.
We'll leave it at that....
...while we contemplate the obligatory beach episode...and teh Yoko
popped in the much anticipated DVD. Like volume, one volume 2 is a very reasonably priced 2 disc set containing 9 episodes. Unlike volume one however, the marketing department very sensibly put teh Yoko on the cover of volume 2.
I had been quite taken by the first volume and was looking forward to 9 episodes of teh Yoko, giant fighting robots, adventure and teh Yoko...
What I got was 8 episodes of satisfying giant robot battles, a goofy albino Moe Maiden, adventure, heroism, a basically satisfying wrap-up of most plot threads and not quite enough of teh Yoko.
Oh, and one episode of patented Gainax Gut Punchery....
My biggest problem with the show is the crass stupidity and pig headedness of a lot of the cast, which frequently leads to seemingly unnecessary plot complications this is not as annoying as it could be due in part to the fact that said problems are usually resolved by thoroughly amusing giant robot battles. I should mention that the bombastic character Kamina comes off much better in this volume than he did in the first disc
This show is indeed very goofy on its face but there is a
surprisingly poignant side to it too.Nia Teppelin the Erie pale outsider with
the jigsaw eyes introduced at the end of volume 1 is an effective foil for and
observer of the rest of the cast, alien in her outlook, her decency and
forthrightness are not only admirable but, at the end of volume1, had saved
everyone's behind, however she is so socially inept and awkward that she
frequently comes off to the cast as callous or thoughtless.
image via Concrete Badger
The goofball nature of the series combined with the genuine drama and pathos is an odd mix that has rarely been pulled off, being reminiscent of Van Dread in a way. All in all it was a very satisfying and quite enjoyable 8 episodes. I was impressed.
Then suddenly... I was reminded this was a Gainax show...and the show began chanelling Josh Wheadon.
There is a clifhanger.
We'll leave it at that....
...while we contemplate the obligatory beach episode...and teh Yoko
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September 04, 2008
Huh?
What, gentle readers, is this?
What, gentle readers, is this?
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September 02, 2008
Beyond Maladjusment
In the previous post I mentioned that one of the girls in Lucky Star (Konata) is an Otaku and slightly maladjusted.
As far as maladroit fandom goes....there are levels.
As far as maladroit fandom goes....there are levels.
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The Costs of Not Watching Lucky Star
I just watched Lucky Star volume 3.
Lucky Star is a show that ought not to interest me in the least. Yet this show has grown on me...like a fungus.
Based on a 4 panel strip, this slice of life show focuses on the antics of 3 normal if awkward Japanese teenagers...and a slightly maladjusted otakuette. A collection of short skits, with topics ranging from dessert consumption etiquette, to the dark results of child star exploitation (!?), the show is reminiscent of Peanuts more than anything else.
It is also a costly thing to miss.
Recently, I went to Japan, and suffered a bit of a mishap my first night there. The guest house I was to be staying in had burned down and I found this out shortly before the trains shut down. While in Chofu station waiting for a transfer I spied what I mistook for a cybercafe, so, thinking this area had to be cheaper than Shinjuku I left the station...and what proved to be the last train out.
"Relevancy?" you ask?
Now if I had watched Lucky Star volume 3....I would have learned that Chofu is an expensive and hoity toity yuppieville, thus I would not have left, I would have gone clear to Shunjuku and not paid nearly twice what any other hotel cost me on the whole trip, just to get out of the rain....which would have been most useful given that the mishap cost me a large chunk of my available funds.
So...watch Lucky Star, buy it AS SOON as it comes out...don't wait!
It's important, and there WILL be a test.
Lucky Star is a show that ought not to interest me in the least. Yet this show has grown on me...like a fungus.
Based on a 4 panel strip, this slice of life show focuses on the antics of 3 normal if awkward Japanese teenagers...and a slightly maladjusted otakuette. A collection of short skits, with topics ranging from dessert consumption etiquette, to the dark results of child star exploitation (!?), the show is reminiscent of Peanuts more than anything else.
It is also a costly thing to miss.
Recently, I went to Japan, and suffered a bit of a mishap my first night there. The guest house I was to be staying in had burned down and I found this out shortly before the trains shut down. While in Chofu station waiting for a transfer I spied what I mistook for a cybercafe, so, thinking this area had to be cheaper than Shinjuku I left the station...and what proved to be the last train out.
"Relevancy?" you ask?
Now if I had watched Lucky Star volume 3....I would have learned that Chofu is an expensive and hoity toity yuppieville, thus I would not have left, I would have gone clear to Shunjuku and not paid nearly twice what any other hotel cost me on the whole trip, just to get out of the rain....which would have been most useful given that the mishap cost me a large chunk of my available funds.
So...watch Lucky Star, buy it AS SOON as it comes out...don't wait!
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September 01, 2008
What to Watch?
Between school, work and physical therapy, I'm not watching all that much this month, but if you get the itch, Pulpjunkie has a quite large list of DVD reviews and speculation up.
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August 28, 2008
Reproduceable Violence
Pulpjunkie links to these two interesting Hanna Barbara Terrytoon pilots from the late 60s. Both were created by the late Iwao Takamoto.
(how does one FORGET about the Chasm of Doom?)
By far the more interesting of the two is Sally Sargent, the tale of a High school girl who moonlights as a government agent . According to the comments at You Tube, the show was to be the flagship show for an adventure programming block.
While there were no horrible deaths ala' Johnny Quest in either episode, there was a great deal of violence and peril. Both shows, but particularly Sally Sargent, ran afoul of the public outcry against violence in kids shows which hit the US in the late 60s as a response to the social unrest of the time. In '68-'69 people were twitchy about pipe bombs. The silly supposition was that the violence was happening because kids were mindlessly repeating what they saw on the TV...and not...you know...because Bill Ayers is just an evil bastard.
This trend against any reproduceable violence only got worse as time went on and led to the generally insipid mess that was the US Animation scene from about 1969 until the late 80s. Particularly ironic given that Tatsuo Yoshida (the creator of Gatchaman Speed Racer and other shows that really started the anime industry) claimed both Marvel Comics and Johnny Quest among his inspirations.
Given the talent available at the time, one can only speculate where US TV animation would be today if standards and practices had not strangled it just as the Japanese animation industry was coming into its own.
UPDATE: Pulpjunkie corrects me in the comments. These were not Hanna-Barberra shows, but rather the last gasp of Terrytoons. More here.
(how does one FORGET about the Chasm of Doom?)
By far the more interesting of the two is Sally Sargent, the tale of a High school girl who moonlights as a government agent . According to the comments at You Tube, the show was to be the flagship show for an adventure programming block.
While there were no horrible deaths ala' Johnny Quest in either episode, there was a great deal of violence and peril. Both shows, but particularly Sally Sargent, ran afoul of the public outcry against violence in kids shows which hit the US in the late 60s as a response to the social unrest of the time. In '68-'69 people were twitchy about pipe bombs. The silly supposition was that the violence was happening because kids were mindlessly repeating what they saw on the TV...and not...you know...because Bill Ayers is just an evil bastard.
This trend against any reproduceable violence only got worse as time went on and led to the generally insipid mess that was the US Animation scene from about 1969 until the late 80s. Particularly ironic given that Tatsuo Yoshida (the creator of Gatchaman Speed Racer and other shows that really started the anime industry) claimed both Marvel Comics and Johnny Quest among his inspirations.
Given the talent available at the time, one can only speculate where US TV animation would be today if standards and practices had not strangled it just as the Japanese animation industry was coming into its own.
UPDATE: Pulpjunkie corrects me in the comments. These were not Hanna-Barberra shows, but rather the last gasp of Terrytoons. More here.
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July 18, 2008
Could it Work?
Wonderduck inflicts upon us a clever piece of art, which, once the eyes stop bleeding, begs the question, "Could this work?".
Could a slice of life show about a bunch of guys work in the same way?
I'm sure a similar show with a mixed cast could...it was done well over here with Peanuts.
Could a slice of life show about a bunch of guys work in the same way?
I'm sure a similar show with a mixed cast could...it was done well over here with Peanuts.
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How Did This Happen?
I now hold in my shaggy little palms...volume 5 of Welcome to the NHK.
(Which I am told does not exist)
The logo and box all indicate an ADV product.
2 possibilities jump out at me.
1: I have inadvertently used my entire lifetime allotment of "swell"...on producing a nonexistent cartoon DVD out of the ether....as opposed to hair.... or a cure for cancer....superpowers...or something of greater monetary value than $19.99...meaning it's all downhill from this point.
2: It's A SINISTER CONSPIRACY!!
# 2 seems the one to hope for....
(Which I am told does not exist)
The logo and box all indicate an ADV product.
2 possibilities jump out at me.
1: I have inadvertently used my entire lifetime allotment of "swell"...on producing a nonexistent cartoon DVD out of the ether....as opposed to hair.... or a cure for cancer....superpowers...or something of greater monetary value than $19.99...meaning it's all downhill from this point.
2: It's A SINISTER CONSPIRACY!!
# 2 seems the one to hope for....
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July 14, 2008
A Few Random Thoughts on :Trivial Fluff (Anime Division)
The weekend was completely nonproductive. Due to weather, exhaustion and psychological trauma inflicted by an online quiz, I contracted a passing case of hikikomoriism and pretty much did not accomplish any of my yardwork and watched more anime in 2 days than I have in 2 months.
Fluff follows....
more...
Fluff follows....
more...
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July 12, 2008
Very Cursory Gurren Laggan Review
19.95 for the first 9 episodes of what is a very highly regarded show. OK...sure.
I'm really not impressed with the art style or the animation.
Hmmm...2 male leads...one is an idiot...one is a nebbish.
feh...
OK, the Nebbish hero (?) is a digger in a Dystopic underground village...
It's like Logans Run meets Dirty Jobs....
Good grief...is there such a thing as "Gainax Opening"?
This show was heavily hyped.
This makes it is clear that the popular culture has passed me by. I think I'm gonna...wait..what..?
more...
I'm really not impressed with the art style or the animation.
Hmmm...2 male leads...one is an idiot...one is a nebbish.
feh...
OK, the Nebbish hero (?) is a digger in a Dystopic underground village...
It's like Logans Run meets Dirty Jobs....
Good grief...is there such a thing as "Gainax Opening"?
This show was heavily hyped.
This makes it is clear that the popular culture has passed me by. I think I'm gonna...wait..what..?
more...
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July 07, 2008
Look an Elf!
Art by Tony Taka and is from the PS2 game Shining Tears.
(TonyTaka link NSFW)
Art by Tony Taka and is from the PS2 game Shining Tears.
(TonyTaka link NSFW)
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Funimation / ADV/ Geneon Shuffle
Ubu Roi has a good overview of the Funimation buy-up of ADV and Geneon titles with some informative updates and comments.
(Thanks to PulpJunkie for the links)
(Thanks to PulpJunkie for the links)
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July 06, 2008
The Upcoming "Season" of Late Night Cartoons Aimed at Japanese 14 Year Olds
Some of the upcoming anime shows that were/are premiering in the next few weeks.
Slayers Revolution...included for completeness sake, hardly worth mentioning.
Mission E...sequel(?) to Code E...Yet another excuse to watch the rest of Code E which I thought had much promise.
Ikkitousen Great Guardians....Let me say quite loudly for the benefit of any EEOC officers, Liberal Arts professors, and insecure female graduate assistants that I am deeply and profoundly offended by the very existence of this pathologically pointless and prurient show...that is my story and I am sticking to it.
Strike Witches...the toy add was sublime.
Can the series live up to that? Doubtful...
and yet...
The toy add was SO sublime ..
Can the series live up to that? Doubtful...
and yet...
The toy add was SO sublime ..
Mission E...sequel(?) to Code E...Yet another excuse to watch the rest of Code E which I thought had much promise.
Ikkitousen Great Guardians....Let me say quite loudly for the benefit of any EEOC officers, Liberal Arts professors, and insecure female graduate assistants that I am deeply and profoundly offended by the very existence of this pathologically pointless and prurient show...that is my story and I am sticking to it.
World Destruction...More lighthearted cheer from Prodution
IG. A girl has the super power "destroy whole world"...which naturally comes
with the 8 point limitation " destroys whole world". Complications ensue..
(Update: Wonderduck has thoughts)
(Update: Wonderduck has thoughts)
Detroit Metal City...The Manga reportedly involves a Garage
Band that switches from Swedish pop (!?) to Heavy Metal with sinister results.
I'm unsure if this is a comedy, a drama, or an afterschool special.
Chocolate Underground...looks like another Shirow "kids
show". The food police are cracking down on chocolate consumption with the reserve and good sense we see from the DEA and ATF...the kids rebel....this could be fun.
(Update: You Tube added, still not the OP, but a 5min clip)
(Update: You Tube added, still not the OP, but a 5min clip)
Birdy The Mighty-Decode...Birdy the Mighty for the 21st
century.
Utraviolet-Code 44...They made an anime based on
Ultraviolet? Well it looks stylish.
Slayers Revolution....Some derivative D&D type show.
Likely of no interest to anybody.
RoboDz Kazagumo Hen...Kids robot show which is interesting
as it is a Toei/ Disney co-production (no trailer available)
Hidemari Sketchx365....Apparantly not just a slice of life
show...the whole fricking pie graph.
lawd that is...cheery...
lawd that is...cheery...
Antique Bakery...Shounin Ai...with bread...and
dough...and...I'll leave it at that....
Telepathy Shoujou Ran...no info..I assume telepathy is
involved and so are girls and flowers.
Update: OP Added
Update: OP Added
Yakushiji Ryouko no Kaiki Jikenbo...(Ryokos Case
File?)...Tokyo police paranormal investigations..
Finally, there's some show called Slayers
Revolution.
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July 02, 2008
Rats! More Trouble at ADVision?
Via Chizumatic comes the news that ADV is again having problems. It seems they have put several titles, including the excellent Welcome to the NHK on indefinite hold.
Founded in 1992 by John Ledford and Matt Greenfield two Texas anime fans, ADV is one of the more established and prolific outfits to focus on licensing anime here.
Now it appears they, like the much larger and better financed Geneon may have fallen victim to the fact that it is pretty damned impossible to really compete with fan-subbers who's overhead consists of Mountain Dew and pretzels.......... as opposed to rights, distribution infrastructure, advertising, translator and tech salaries, taxes, legal fees, printing, inventory and rent or property taxes on the spaces needed to house said overhead.
This is not good.
UPDATE: There is very good discussion in the comments at the Chizumatic post.
ADV's website is currently down.
Founded in 1992 by John Ledford and Matt Greenfield two Texas anime fans, ADV is one of the more established and prolific outfits to focus on licensing anime here.
Now it appears they, like the much larger and better financed Geneon may have fallen victim to the fact that it is pretty damned impossible to really compete with fan-subbers who's overhead consists of Mountain Dew and pretzels.......... as opposed to rights, distribution infrastructure, advertising, translator and tech salaries, taxes, legal fees, printing, inventory and rent or property taxes on the spaces needed to house said overhead.
This is not good.
UPDATE: There is very good discussion in the comments at the Chizumatic post.
ADV's website is currently down.
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June 18, 2008
M. Night Shyamalan's Biggest Shocker Yet
M. Night Shyamalan has produced some of the absolute best suspense films of the last several years. His works are highly regarded for their atmosphere creepiness, quirkiness, and totally unexpected twists.
Now, with "The Happening" Shyamalan hits his viewers with what may be the most superbly crafted "GOTCHA!" of his career.
...a film that sucks ass.
Being familiar with the mans body of work I was utterly unprepared for this.
Thus another feather in the mans cap I suppose.
This is not to say that it is not a creepy film, at least at first...
There are some truly horrific moments, all the more terrifying for their matter of fact presentation. The film , however, doesn't really get out of a sort of one trick pony rut except to preach about the irredeemable ills of industrialized civilization, and, with not a hint of irony, expound on the inherently evil nature of rural people (who as everyone in Hollywood knows are crazy, murderous, or both). There is also provided as comic relief, a befuddled military enlisted man who seems to be based on Gomer Pyle and a crazy, hot-dog-munching hippie couple who are, of course, a fountain of insight.
All of this is paint by the numbers situation normal for Hollywood...which given that this is a Shyamalan picture is really surprising...so you get 2, count them 2 utter surprises in one film!
The above list of Brickmuppet pet peeves would certainly be forgivable if the film were satisfying PC Greenpeace claptrap, but the last 20-30 minutes of the film tends to rather amble along and then just sort of ends....most unsatisfingly I might add... and that is simply not forgiveable.
I could have seen the Hulk...
1.5 Bricks
Now, with "The Happening" Shyamalan hits his viewers with what may be the most superbly crafted "GOTCHA!" of his career.
...a film that sucks ass.
Being familiar with the mans body of work I was utterly unprepared for this.
Thus another feather in the mans cap I suppose.
This is not to say that it is not a creepy film, at least at first...
There are some truly horrific moments, all the more terrifying for their matter of fact presentation. The film , however, doesn't really get out of a sort of one trick pony rut except to preach about the irredeemable ills of industrialized civilization, and, with not a hint of irony, expound on the inherently evil nature of rural people (who as everyone in Hollywood knows are crazy, murderous, or both). There is also provided as comic relief, a befuddled military enlisted man who seems to be based on Gomer Pyle and a crazy, hot-dog-munching hippie couple who are, of course, a fountain of insight.
All of this is paint by the numbers situation normal for Hollywood...which given that this is a Shyamalan picture is really surprising...so you get 2, count them 2 utter surprises in one film!
The above list of Brickmuppet pet peeves would certainly be forgivable if the film were satisfying PC Greenpeace claptrap, but the last 20-30 minutes of the film tends to rather amble along and then just sort of ends....most unsatisfingly I might add... and that is simply not forgiveable.
I could have seen the Hulk...
1.5 Bricks
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June 12, 2008
Wow!
Pixy provides us with this version of Hatsune Miku doing the caramel dance...
No really, you should click on it...
Wait for it....
No really, you should click on it...
Wait for it....
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