More than a year since my last update, yes? Sadly, nothing has really progressed. Monster took forever to get moving, so I eventually lost interest. A handful of comedies passed my way without much of note, including Birdy the Mighty. But there is good news on the horizon! Anno has finished Rebuild of Evangelion 3.0 and it shall be released this fall! Since Eva is quite possibly my favorite anime and favorite television series, and since You Can (Not) Advance was one of the best films I had seen in a while, I am terribly excited. The animation quality was astounding, the story compelling and wrenching as always, and the blending of music and animation simply superb.
The weakest part of most anime and popular media in general these days is the ending (The Book of Eli is a significant exception). Eva draws out perfectly the pain of being, but, since modernity has abandoned the faith, must create something new for salvation; thus the final applause scene of the anime was a bit of a letdown, as it seemed little more than a mediocre understanding of popular psychology. I have only found the Church and the noble paganism of ancient Greece to answer the complete problem of man's being, and though the former is far mightier than the latter, even the latter, with its heroic depiction of man, would do; sadly, we are three millennia past ancient Greece, and the closest shortcut to return, Nietzsche, fills most democrats with horror. Their solution is to strip Christianity of everything sublime, leaving only the 'nice' parts: "treat others as you would be treated", etc. A noble sentiment in its place, to be sure, but if you strip such a moral claim from its context of the saint, the faith, and metaphysics, such an attitude becomes contemptible, as Nietzsche saw.
Perhaps Anno will do something spectacular with the conclusion of the Rebuild tetrology. I hope something noble and sublime is produced. Till then, I shall enjoy the ride, and hope You Can (Not) Redo gets released in American theaters.
3.11.2011
A Flicker
While aimlessly surfing the net instead of preparing homework, I came across news that the light novel The Disappearance of Suzumiya Haruhi had been adapted into a full-length film. Since The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi is one of my favorite anime series (and definitely my favorite comedy), I eagerly streamed it.
Needless to say, I was not disappointed. The animation was fantastic, even through 480 resolution via YouTube; made expressly for fans of the series. The most surprising aspect was its length; this movie is almost three hours long, enabling it to be an meticulous, exact adaptation of the novel. The actors were either reprising their roles from the anime series or were extremely similar in tone; I could scarcely discern differences between the voices in Disappearance and Melancholy.
There is no need to describe the eventually time-convoluted plot. It suffices to say that it is everything a Haruhi production should be; rather intelligent, cute, and an absolute riot. There is a reason I love that series and Disappearance was exactly what a fan of the anime would hope for. Some complain about the pacing, and indeed it takes Kyon quite a long time to discover what is going on. I, on the other hand, immensely enjoyed it, being used to the elaborate pacing of classic black & white movies. There is little action but wonderful humor. I enjoyed almost every second.
Now maybe I'll watch Monster. Maybe not. It might be time for me to be distanced from anime anyway, but this is a good way to begin my goodbyes.
Needless to say, I was not disappointed. The animation was fantastic, even through 480 resolution via YouTube; made expressly for fans of the series. The most surprising aspect was its length; this movie is almost three hours long, enabling it to be an meticulous, exact adaptation of the novel. The actors were either reprising their roles from the anime series or were extremely similar in tone; I could scarcely discern differences between the voices in Disappearance and Melancholy.
There is no need to describe the eventually time-convoluted plot. It suffices to say that it is everything a Haruhi production should be; rather intelligent, cute, and an absolute riot. There is a reason I love that series and Disappearance was exactly what a fan of the anime would hope for. Some complain about the pacing, and indeed it takes Kyon quite a long time to discover what is going on. I, on the other hand, immensely enjoyed it, being used to the elaborate pacing of classic black & white movies. There is little action but wonderful humor. I enjoyed almost every second.
Now maybe I'll watch Monster. Maybe not. It might be time for me to be distanced from anime anyway, but this is a good way to begin my goodbyes.
12.07.2010
Torrent Pattern
I have not seen anything since Requiem for a Phantom. I begin to suspect the quality material is running out, in my despair turning briefly to live-action television, watching Terminator, Chuck, and The Unit. These are now almost exhausted but I have no anime to replace them. The top choices I had all failed: Gantz, Fafner, Fantastic Children, and possibly even Full Metal Alchemist and Heroic Age. But even that one seems but an Eva knock-off. If there's mecha anime it'd better be bloody brilliant to assault the Eva Throne.
Perhaps this is for the best and my anime interest will slighten and decline. Or maybe I shall discover more later. Either way, this site shall see some inattention paid awhile till that happens. That said, I want some more good anime! I'll try one more time: Monster: it creeped me half to death and it's geared towards adults, not sex-obsessed adolescents. Perhaps it has some promise.
8.23.2010
I Get More Sentimental Every Year
There is nothing better than a happy ending. I love tragedy of course, in film no less than literature. But I find the older I get, the more a closing of hope, peace, and even joy fulfills and uplifts the soul. In such case is the anime Requiem For a Phantom. It appears to be completely nihilistic and an absolute fulfillment of the first half of Psalm 73, for the wicked prosper, the just suffer, and the violent bear it away. In the midst of nihilist whirlpool are two innocents struggling to live. Their master, a German-born and educated psychologist/neuroscientist (his nationality cannot be an accident) is so convinced by the "murderous and violent world" that his sole purpose is to erect a stage and watch his creations exemplify the aimless, purposeless world in their battles among each other. A touch of insanity there, surely.
It seems much of anime these days, particularly the darker, more serious material, is overwhelmingly existential or nihilist in outlook. Characters fight and die finding purpose in the various worlds and usually create their own reason for existence in the face of brutal reality. If the anime writers have not read Ecclesiastes, they certainly know similar material - Schopenhauer, perhaps.
Requiem was terrific. Chases and fight scenes are so prevalent in anime that it is rare for me to be actually concerned, but the tension went through the roof more than once and I was on the edge of my seat during some of the fights Reiji and Elen endured. I am a sucker for catharsis and reconciliation and episode 25 had one of the best scenes of that sort I have seen in a while. Naturally the animation was great and the characters extremely well-developed. The drawbacks are mostly the suggested nudity, which added almost nothing to the plot and seemed little more than fan service. That is how it is, I suppose. It is definitely one of the darkest series I have yet seen, for the constant infighting between mafias, crime lords, and the underworld, meaningless and vain though it is, seemed to me to be an image or suggestion of the struggle for a meaningful life simply. That we can have such meaning is at very best uncertain, Requiem seems to suggest.
In any event, it was a terrific series and I hope there are more of that serious caliber.
It seems much of anime these days, particularly the darker, more serious material, is overwhelmingly existential or nihilist in outlook. Characters fight and die finding purpose in the various worlds and usually create their own reason for existence in the face of brutal reality. If the anime writers have not read Ecclesiastes, they certainly know similar material - Schopenhauer, perhaps.
Requiem was terrific. Chases and fight scenes are so prevalent in anime that it is rare for me to be actually concerned, but the tension went through the roof more than once and I was on the edge of my seat during some of the fights Reiji and Elen endured. I am a sucker for catharsis and reconciliation and episode 25 had one of the best scenes of that sort I have seen in a while. Naturally the animation was great and the characters extremely well-developed. The drawbacks are mostly the suggested nudity, which added almost nothing to the plot and seemed little more than fan service. That is how it is, I suppose. It is definitely one of the darkest series I have yet seen, for the constant infighting between mafias, crime lords, and the underworld, meaningless and vain though it is, seemed to me to be an image or suggestion of the struggle for a meaningful life simply. That we can have such meaning is at very best uncertain, Requiem seems to suggest.
In any event, it was a terrific series and I hope there are more of that serious caliber.
12.29.2009
In Which I Choke Upon My Foot
To those who know of my anime interests, I appear a "purist" - I watch anime in Japanese and in Japanese only. Until now, I have condemned dubbing as moronic and a waste of my valuable time. Even the dubbing of Miyazaki's films did not please me. I have always defended the superiority of Japanese voice acting and did not even think it possible for an American dub to be remotely equal to Japanese audio and subtitles.
So imagine my surprise when I watched Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex and preferred the dub to Japanese! I still cannot quite believe it, but I really do prefer the English-speaking actors, especially with respect to the Tachikoma. The Chief in particular is excellent in English and it really does enhance the experience of watching if one must not spend a second reading the subtitles, especially in a wordy series like Ghost in the Shell.
At any rate, I enjoyed the series and am watching its sequel, Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd Gig, and afterwords I shall watch the third film, Solid State Society. That shall sate my science fiction side, I think, and I shall be ready to move onto a new semester and a new series.
I do so love the Tachikoma.
So imagine my surprise when I watched Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex and preferred the dub to Japanese! I still cannot quite believe it, but I really do prefer the English-speaking actors, especially with respect to the Tachikoma. The Chief in particular is excellent in English and it really does enhance the experience of watching if one must not spend a second reading the subtitles, especially in a wordy series like Ghost in the Shell.
At any rate, I enjoyed the series and am watching its sequel, Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd Gig, and afterwords I shall watch the third film, Solid State Society. That shall sate my science fiction side, I think, and I shall be ready to move onto a new semester and a new series.
I do so love the Tachikoma.
12.25.2009
Gunslinger Girl
Fortunately I was not disappointed. The second season, though inferior to the first, had a unified story and the characters were well-drawn; the relationships between the units and their handlers was treated well, and the intensity went through the roof more than once. Overall, I was pleased. The few elements that marred the season were largely fan-service based: sketchy quick scenes of medical examinations (I really do not need to see a 12 year old girl half-dressed) and drawing Triela taller, more like a mid-adolescent and less like a child: in my opinion, increasing her sex appeal in the wrong direction. But these are minor complaints; there is no hint of inappropriate behavior between the girls and their handlers so I can be mostly okay with the presentation.
Taken as a whole, Gunslinger Girl is a fabulous series. It is alternately light and dark, intense and fun, serious but never superficial. The finale (if one were to call it that) is a tour de force on multiple levels. I will never hear Beethoven's Ode to Joy the same way again. The OVA was also good, perfectly characteristic of the manner in which the anime presents itself - brief action and long scenes of reflection.
Now I must find some new material. As stated before, quality anime is becoming difficult to find, for so much is opprobriously stupid (lighthearted is too generous). I dislike most anime comedies (Haruhi and AMG! are the only exceptions; the first because it is intelligent, the latter because of its treatment of love), so things like Love Hina or Clannad are out. I may miss out on some decent material but the reward is the paucity of bad anime I have seen - most anime I decry is praised by many others - Hellsing and Vampire Hunter D (not to be confused with Bloodlust, which I adored), for instance. Zach recommended Requiem for a Phantom, and I think I may agree. I wish a third season of Gunslinger Girl were written though. That is mostly what I want to watch and I am saddened that I have finished.
Taken as a whole, Gunslinger Girl is a fabulous series. It is alternately light and dark, intense and fun, serious but never superficial. The finale (if one were to call it that) is a tour de force on multiple levels. I will never hear Beethoven's Ode to Joy the same way again. The OVA was also good, perfectly characteristic of the manner in which the anime presents itself - brief action and long scenes of reflection.
Now I must find some new material. As stated before, quality anime is becoming difficult to find, for so much is opprobriously stupid (lighthearted is too generous). I dislike most anime comedies (Haruhi and AMG! are the only exceptions; the first because it is intelligent, the latter because of its treatment of love), so things like Love Hina or Clannad are out. I may miss out on some decent material but the reward is the paucity of bad anime I have seen - most anime I decry is praised by many others - Hellsing and Vampire Hunter D (not to be confused with Bloodlust, which I adored), for instance. Zach recommended Requiem for a Phantom, and I think I may agree. I wish a third season of Gunslinger Girl were written though. That is mostly what I want to watch and I am saddened that I have finished.
12.12.2009
New Semester, New Series
Five days till the semester is complete. During these sixteen weeks I have watched little anime, but what I have seen is largely fantastic. Samurai Champloo was first, hosted by the Anime Club (which is now concerned with Hellsing), and I watched Area 88, Murder Princess, and Gunslinger Girl. The last was the best, and the worst is probably Hellsing, though my taste in anime is far more strict than most. A glance over my anime list will betray a penchant for serious, often dark or disturbing, thought-provoking material. Very little light-hearted media of any kind - Haruhi stands out like a bloodstain on snow.
Samurai Champloo is similar in motif to Bebop: like the latter, it meanders while avoiding the general plot until the conclusion is close, but you love every minute of the journey. Area 88 was a beautifully drawn short series all about fighter jets - decent tale and great animation. Murder Princess (short OVA) was not so hot but could have been worse. Hellsing is a bloody mess, just fan service and ridiculous gore. But Gunslinger Girl! Now that is anime worth seeing.
It is impossible to spoil the plot because there is no plot - just five character sketches loosely tied to a larger theme of counterterrorism and Mob fighting. The implications and issues are profound, the characters real, and the animation quality through the roof. It wrenched me to see those little girls turned into systematic killing machines and wrenched even more to see how their handlers treat them. But I would watch it again in an instant and even buy it at some point. Questions on the ends and means, the power of the human spirit, morality in a covert war, and human cruelty are all raised, though none are answered. As Pan's Labyrinth was the best film I had seen since Citizen Kane, Gunslinger Girl is the best anime series since Claymore. It is an absolute masterpiece. Some called it everything wrong with anime and manga subculture (little girls "taken care of" by older men whilst clutching phallic symbols [why is everything a phallic symbol nowadays?] and whatnot), but they are as wrong as they are stupid. My taste is exquisite and I know Gunslinger Girl to be fantastic. I will probably let Zach in on the good news when next I see him.
I next plan to watch the second season though its animation quality plummeted - a severe disappointment. Afterwards, I found a short list of anime that look intriguing (a short list, for good anime is getting progressively harder to find): Le Chevalier D'Eon, Heroic Age, Gantz, Fantastic Children, Fafner, Full Metal Alchemist, Code Geass, and Devil May Cry. Their title alone interested me, and then they passed the Wikipedia and YouTube tests - I run searches on potential series; first an overview/summary test on Wiki, and then an Internet trailer. If they pass these triple challenges I grant them a pilot, but they had better deliver.
I hope S.2 delivers. I would be very sad if the fabulous first season had a Return of Jafar for a sequel.
Samurai Champloo is similar in motif to Bebop: like the latter, it meanders while avoiding the general plot until the conclusion is close, but you love every minute of the journey. Area 88 was a beautifully drawn short series all about fighter jets - decent tale and great animation. Murder Princess (short OVA) was not so hot but could have been worse. Hellsing is a bloody mess, just fan service and ridiculous gore. But Gunslinger Girl! Now that is anime worth seeing.
It is impossible to spoil the plot because there is no plot - just five character sketches loosely tied to a larger theme of counterterrorism and Mob fighting. The implications and issues are profound, the characters real, and the animation quality through the roof. It wrenched me to see those little girls turned into systematic killing machines and wrenched even more to see how their handlers treat them. But I would watch it again in an instant and even buy it at some point. Questions on the ends and means, the power of the human spirit, morality in a covert war, and human cruelty are all raised, though none are answered. As Pan's Labyrinth was the best film I had seen since Citizen Kane, Gunslinger Girl is the best anime series since Claymore. It is an absolute masterpiece. Some called it everything wrong with anime and manga subculture (little girls "taken care of" by older men whilst clutching phallic symbols [why is everything a phallic symbol nowadays?] and whatnot), but they are as wrong as they are stupid. My taste is exquisite and I know Gunslinger Girl to be fantastic. I will probably let Zach in on the good news when next I see him.
I next plan to watch the second season though its animation quality plummeted - a severe disappointment. Afterwards, I found a short list of anime that look intriguing (a short list, for good anime is getting progressively harder to find): Le Chevalier D'Eon, Heroic Age, Gantz, Fantastic Children, Fafner, Full Metal Alchemist, Code Geass, and Devil May Cry. Their title alone interested me, and then they passed the Wikipedia and YouTube tests - I run searches on potential series; first an overview/summary test on Wiki, and then an Internet trailer. If they pass these triple challenges I grant them a pilot, but they had better deliver.
I hope S.2 delivers. I would be very sad if the fabulous first season had a Return of Jafar for a sequel.
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