The great ones pass....

Some of you may have inferred that among my less productive interests is Japanese Animation. Jinzo Toriumi is a person who helped make that hobby possible.

In the late 60's and early 70's Tatsunoko studios produced and released a string of animated TV productions that made anime a cultural force.

Inspired in part by the American comic books that the founders obtained from US Servicemen, shows like Mach GoGoGo(Speed Racer) and Gatchaman were far ahead of their contemporaries in art, animation quality and writing. The creative team that Mr. Toriumi was a part of caused a surge of interest in the then small Anime industry and other companies put more money in their animation departments. Toriumi was one of that original team He joined the company in 1965 and was a writer on some of the most important series of the early years of Anime.

The members of the Tatsunoko team were NOT the originators of Anime in Japan, but via their extremely popular shows, they had become a major catalyst for the industry. For a few years they were the gold standard and other companies strove mightily to catch up, by the early to mid 80s this had reached critical mass and the Anime explosion of that era was a result.

Like many of the original creative crew he left in the early 80s, in his case to work for Sunrise.

Although Tatsunoko is pretty much just a subsidiary of a toy company now, the members of Tatsunoko's initial creative team eventually  founded Studio Pierrot, Production IG and XEBEC, which are, even today, major creative and production forces in the world of anime.

Jinzo Toriumi helped to make a vast ammount of what we enjoy today possible. Few have made such a difference, fewer still have made one for the better.

Posted by: The Brickmuppet at 06:28 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 309 words, total size 2 kb.

One of the most respected of the actual MilBloggers, Major Andrew Olmstead, was killed in the line of duty yesterday. His final post is here.

The Major led from the front.

Via everybody....

Posted by: The Brickmuppet at 09:48 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 36 words, total size 1 kb.

Damn....

Benazir Bhutto, the first female Prime Minister of any Islamic nation, has been assassinated.

It took 4 tries but the bastards finally got her.

More here, here and here.
She may have been the best chance to pull Pakistan from the brink.

Posted by: The Brickmuppet at 10:00 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
Post contains 46 words, total size 1 kb.

Evel Knievel has died.

Knievel, a barnstorming motorcycle stuntman who gained as much notoriety from his spectacular crashes as his successes, was indeed a loon, but he was a brave and talented loon. He dressed in red white and blue which he wore like a like a superhero, complete with a cape!  Despite his ostentatious outfits, and the hucksterish nature of his profession, he was a rare dash of sincerity and optimism in a revoltingly cynical and despondent time.

Posted by: The Brickmuppet at 06:46 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
Post contains 82 words, total size 1 kb.

Via Colleen Doran comes the unhappy news that Doug Marlette, creator of the syndicated strip Kudzu, has died in an auto accident.

 In addition to Kudzu, Marlette was a Pulitzer Prize winning political cartoonist as well.

Posted by: The Brickmuppet at 10:28 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 39 words, total size 1 kb.

From the Warships 1 Discussion Boards.

Rear Admiral Eugene Bennett Fluckey has passed away. He was one of the most decorated US submariners of WW2 and won the Congressional Medal of Honor for his courage in attacking a Japanese munitions convoy with a submarine in water only 30 feet deep.

Rank and organization: Commander, U.S. Navy, Commanding U.S.S. Barb. Place and date: Along coast of China, 19 December 1944 to 15 February 1945. Entered service at: Illinois. Born: 5 October 1913, Washington, D.C. Other Navy award: Navy Cross with 3 Gold Stars. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as commanding officer of the U.S.S. Barb during her 11th war patrol along the east coast of China from 19 December 1944 to 15 February 1945. After sinking a large enemy ammunition ship and damaging additional tonnage during a running 2-hour night battle on 8 January, Comdr. Fluckey, in an exceptional feat of brilliant deduction and bold tracking on 25 January, located a concentration of more than 30 enemy ships in the lower reaches of Nankuan Chiang (Mamkwan Harbor). Fully aware that a safe retirement would necessitate an hour's run at full speed through the uncharted, mined, and rock-obstructed waters, he bravely ordered, "Battle station--torpedoes!" In a daring penetration of the heavy enemy screen, and riding in 5 fathoms of water, he launched the Barb's last forward torpedoes at 3,000-yard range. Quickly bringing the ship's stern tubes to bear, he turned loose 4 more torpedoes into the enemy, obtaining 8 direct hits on 6 of the main targets to explode a large ammunition ship and cause inestimable damage by the resultant flying shells and other pyrotechnics. Clearing the treacherous area at high speed, he brought the Barb through to safety and 4 days later sank a large Japanese freighter to complete a record of heroic combat achievement, reflecting the highest credit upon Comdr. Fluckey, his gallant officers and men, and the U.S. Naval Service.

As commander U.S.S. Barb he took a ship with a mediocre war record and made it one of the most decorated of all US Submarines. In just under 2 years under his command, the ship sank more tonnage than any other submarine, over 80 enemy ships including a cruiser, a destroyer and a carrier! On his own initiative he put a a landing party on Karafuto (now Sakhalin Island), which  destroyed a railroad bridge and a train. (This was the ONLY US amphibious assault on the home islands and it was accomplished without loss!) The Barb was (unsurprisingly) the only US submarine to have a train on her battle flag.
See there...at the bottom center...
Fluckey also earned 4 Navy Crosses, the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit and numerous other awards, which made him one of the most decorated American servicemen of all time. He retired in 1972 a Rear Admiral, having served in several highly important positions after the war, including head of Naval Intelligence.

Update: Much more at Eaglespeak

Posted by: The Brickmuppet at 08:30 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
Post contains 513 words, total size 6 kb.

Mr Wizard has died.

HT: Jerry Pournelle

Posted by: The Brickmuppet at 07:49 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 11 words, total size 1 kb.