Category Archives: anime

Living Light 2.0: The Angels of Rebuild of Evangelion

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I have always considered the Angels of Evangelion to be at the pinnacle of monster design in anime and the giant robot genre. More than the Mecha Beasts of Dr. Hell, the Mechasauruses of Emperor Gore, the Dolems of Mu and so many others, the Angels inspire fear and discontent with their unorthodox, downright eerie designs that make you question the facts of their existence. With the Rebuild of Evangelion, it turns out that the Intelligent Designer decided to get another PhD, as we are now treated to highly improved revisions of the Angels we know and love.

Whereas the Angel’s core in the TV Series was akin to a glimmering gem, this vital organ has been re-imagined as a fleshy, amorphous, organic substance that has been tempered and forged into an object that resembles solidified blood. The bodies of the Angels themselves have been given similar treatment. When alive, they resemble sculptures molded by a divine hand, but upon death their natures as living beings are revealed as they collapse into a pile of undefinable viscera.

The relatively static Shamshel, the second Angel that Shinji must face and the namesake of my online alias, is given new life. Shamshel’s relative immobility is contrasted by the undulation of its many ribs, evidence of a Perfect Design where the living and un-living blend together. Its partially translucent torso also reveals an unknown liquid bubbling inside, giving further evidence of it being alive.

The most drastic change comes from Ramiel. I was a fan of the simple diamond design of its TV incarnation, but Ramiel has been re-imagined into a being who also toes the line between the organic and the artificial but in an entirely different way. Ramiel is not limited by how we perceive space, and as it transforms into various geometric structures it does so with a surprising amount of life and personality.

One unusual thing about the Angels in Rebuild of Evangelion is that their numbering system has been bumped up by one. Whereas Sachiel was once the 3rd Angel, it is now the 4th and so on. The movie also hints at the fact that there will be fewer Angels than in the TV series, so we’ll be seeing a few of the lesser ones getting the cut.

Zeruel and Bardiel are shoe-ins, but sorry Matarael, no one likes you.

Dai Gurren Dango Dai Kazoku: Kyoto Animation’s Clannad

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Oh, Furukawa

More than any other company in the world, Key associated with the concept of moe. It is responsible for revolutionizing the visual novel with its heavy emphasis on tragedy and empathy. The heroines of Key games are deeply flawed (some might say too flawed), and to care for them is to feel the pain of your own existence. Their fantasies come with a price.

Kanon and Air, two of Key’s most famous works, were adapted into animated series by Kyoto Animation with great success. They remained faithful to their original source material while adapting them to fit the needs of the television series format. In 2008 they took on the third of the “Seasons” tetralogy (each major Key game takes place in a different season of the year), Clannad.

Clannad is the story of Okazaki Tomoya, a young man in his senior year of high school, whose aspirations in life have been rapidly fading away ever since he had a falling out with his father a few years ago. A chance meeting with Furukawa Nagisa, a shy, soft-spoken high school girl with a love of anthropomorphic snacks, and her desire to re-establish the defunct Drama Club puts Tomoya on the path to rediscovering what it’s like to have hopes and dreams.

The gentle Furukawa Nagisa, the starfish-obsessed Ibuki Fuuko, the introverted genius Ichinose Kotomi, the athletic and aggressive Fujibayashi Kyou, and the dangerously powerful Sakagami Tomoyo comprise the main heroines of Clannad with significant story time devoted to all of them. Behind them is an even larger cast of secondary and minor characters, chief among them being Sunohara Youhei (Tomoya’s best friend), Fujibayashi Ryou (Kyou’s twin sister), and Nagisa’s parents. However, don’t take my brief descriptors as evidence of the characters being shallow or underdeveloped. They are all given time and room to express the many facets of their characters, even the minor ones.

Delving into the characters’ pasts can at times become overly reliant on exposition, and though I am a fan of exposition in general I’ve found the best moments in the show come from when Clannad does not present you with all of the facts. The most notable example that comes to mind is a moment where Youhei, in an angry outburst, hints at the reasons why he and Tomoya became best friends. No more explanation is necessary to understand Youhei’s character at that point in the story.

Clannad is Key improved through years of experience. It doesn’t break any genre conventions, as it is still, at its heart, an anime based on a relationship-heavy visual novel, and it has its cast of cute, moe female characters, but it and the people at Kyoto Animation did try some new things to set it apart from the other Key adaptations.

Clannad, while still very much a conventional Key-style moe drama, does do a few things different from its predecessors. Aside from a few exceptions, there is less emphasis on the supernatural. Also, Kyoto Animation structured it differently compared to Kanon and Air. While there is a strong focus on each of the main heroines and the series can be divided into chapters, the girls do not suddenly stop mattering when their story arcs finish. Nagisa’s story is the most notable, as it is developed throughout the series, from episode 1 on. It clearly puts her in the position of the Clannad heroine, though based on any remote amount of information or even the events of the first episode this should not be a surprise or a spoiler to anyone.

The character designs in Clannad are much like the ones used in Kanon and Air, and they are the most prominent aspect associated with Key, even more than their penchant for supernatural tragedy. There are no surprises in this regard, though the school uniforms are much better designed compared to the ones worn in the previous two major Key works, and the spring-time setting of Clannad results in a more subtle atmosphere for backgrounds and overall artwork. The series also has a surprising amount of animation for a show so heavily based on words, but at this point it’s par for the course with Kyoto Animation.

Clannad is not entirely based in sorrow and anguish, and in many respects it is lighter on the tragedy than the previous Key series. It has more than its fair share of comedic moments, most notably with Fuuko, and it blends the lighter and heavier sides of its story with a sort of deftness that’s not easy to achieve. More than likely, this is the result of both Key and Kyoto Animation gaining experience working with these types of narratives.

If you’re not a fan of the Key-style moe, then Clannad is probably no exception. Clannad is the flavor of Key distilled and refined, and those who treasure its taste will be pleased.

An anime by any other name…

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Today I thought about what is one of my favorite instances of the Pokemon anime: the sequel to Mewtwo Strikes Back. I don’t mean the second movie, I mean the special released in America as “Mewtwo Returns.” However, when I talk about it, I usually refer to it by the English name given in its Japanese release, “Mewtwo Lives.” Further still, the actual Japanese title is “Mewtwo! Ware wa Koko ni Ari” or literally “Mewtwo! I Am Here.”

That’s three titles for the same work. This happens pretty often with Pokemon too, such as in the aforementioned second movie (Lugia Bakutan, Revelation-Lugia, and The Power of One) and in the case of To Terra/Toward the Terra/Terra E, though that’s a somewhat unusual case. Usually I follow a hierarchy of English Name Given By Japanese followed by Japanese Name and possibly the American-given name if it makes it easier to understand. In that respect, I still say “Erementar Gerade” instead of the more sensible “Elemental Gelade.”

It can get kind of confusing though, and I wonder at what points exactly should I conform to convention for the sake of others. Do I from now on refer to Mousou Shoujo Otakukei as “Fujoshi Rumi?” I know that when writing reviews or academic papers, the American release title takes priority over everything else, which makes perfect sense, though I find myself somewhat resistant to using it.

Though I am thinking of referring to “Muteki Choujin Zambot 3” as “The Invincible Zambot 3” rather than the literal translation of “Invincible Superman Zambot 3.” I know it’s based on the Italian title of “L’Invincible Zambot 3,” but I think it has a nice ring to it and isn’t as awkward as using “Superman” in the title. This also goes for “The Unchallengeable Daitarn 3.”

“The Invincible Zambot 3.”

We’ll see.

PS: Zambot 3 really isn’t invincible at all.

Zetsubou Sensei Makes Ogiue Reference

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In Zoku Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, the titular Zetsubou Sensei is in despair over various “strays” being chased out.

Let’s take a closer look.

And based on the fact that Zetsubou Sensei has made references to Genshiken in the past, I can only say that this is definitely the case.

You’ve won this round, Kanokon

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It’s the kind of show which won’t last long in the memories of anime viewers, the kind of show that will have come and gone. Certainly not the kind of show that would result in a long post from me explaining how it relates to other anime.

And yet, Nozomu’s little stunt, where she consciously tries to achieve the “toast-in-mouth-late-for-school” look is endearing. The last time I saw such conscious pandering with this very specific method was episode 26 of a certain show.

I don’t think it’s at all a mistake that this girl with the seemingly emotionless voice would be trying to imitate the most famous emotionless girl of all.

Pastel Explosion: 70s Shoujo Anime Backgrounds

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Having watched just the first episode of the classic anime Ace o Nerae!, my love affair with 70s-era classic shoujo has been rekindled. Not that it really died down in the first place.

However, this isn’t really about the content of the story but rather just the visuals, and not even in regards to the characters. Shoujo anime of that era, including Ace o Nerae!, have incredibly gorgeous backgrounds and just artwork in general, though they suffer quite a bit in the animation department. I think it’s a fair trade-off though, as the action and fluidity of animation or lack thereof are minor losses when we get shots this incredible.


Repeating the flower pattern seen in her night gown into the plaid background unifies the entire image.


This image almost borders on abstraction, but not in the confusing way. I love this style.


Particularly strong use of color here, as the building and trees blend together.


And I can’t say enough about this background. It looks like it was created with water colors, and it works far better than any approach I’ve seen for indicating melodramatic shock.

Shows like Zetsubou-sensei kind of have a similar effect as far as modern shows go, and Nana and Honey and Clover for example also have excellent cinematography, but they simply lack the rough yet gentle edge of classic shoujo.

May 5th, 2008: Genshiken & Kujibiki Unbalance Doujin Event

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Gen-An, the Genshiken/Kujibiki Doujin Event is set to go this Monday, May 5th, 2008. The event will take place from 11am – 5pm in Hanakawado in Taito City, Tokyo at the Taito City Meeting Hall.

Some big names are going to be there, not least of which is Kansai Orange. Not to mention some of the finest Ogiue-drawing artists I know of, such as CAB and Anri of Work Arts.

Sadly, I am not in Japan and I have some serious work to do, so I cannot attend. But if enough people can go, you can carry my spirit to Japan for me.

And I hope everyone who goes keeps a look-out for the kinds of things I’d be looking for.

As for what my preferences are, I’ll give you a hint: Ogiue.

Infinite Loop Feedback: Ogiue Maniax on Ninja Consultant

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Ninja Consultant finally has my interview with them from New York Comic Con 2008.

I apologize for any moments where I am largely incomprehensible. I’m still kind of afraid to listen to it myself.

By the way, I normally don’t pronounce the word “maniac” that way. It’s only when referring to the name of this blog.

Anime Blog Awards 2008, the Voting Truly Begins

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…well, more like it began, and this post is a few days late.

The Anime Blog Awards are asking the anime community for who they think the best blogs are. There are a variety of categories, and you don’t necessarily have to vote for all of them, so feel free to stick to your preferences in more ways than one.

There are two separate votes, one for anime bloggers only and one for the general public. Bloggers can vote in both.

The voting ends May 15th, so you have either plenty of time or very little depending on how you look at it.

The link to the ABA is in my blogroll, and may the best wordy nerds win. As long as no drama arises from this whole deal I’ll look forward to seeing it again in the future, too.

Series Breakdown of Super Robot Wars Z

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…or at least the ones I know about.

Overman King Gainer
I never saw all of King Gainer, but this has always been a sought after title for Super Robot Wars. The highly unique mecha designs and inevitable “Monkey” following a dynamic kill are more than welcome.

The Big O
Big O made its debut on the GBA with SRWD. While the graphics for D were revolutionary as far as the GBA games went, it’ll be great to see it represented in the series proper, with something that can do justice to its clean art style. Also, the voices will really help.

The Big O Second Season
I look forward to this for only one reason: BIG O!! FINAL STAGE!!

Zambot 3
Ah, Zambot 3, one of my favorite giant robot series. Zambot 3 makes its long-awaited return to console SRWs, and just the thought of seeing how they tackle its battle animations has me giddy. I reviewed the show a while back, so make sure to check it out. I am very curious as to how they’re going to incorporate Zambot 3 into the overall plot, as the show itself is incredibly harsh. It also appears that they’re going to let Zambot 3 break off into its component parts, which is a very welcome addition.

Daitarn 3
Daitarn 3 was always a bit of a disappointment, as I watched it after Zambot 3, and knowing that they’re considered “cousins” of sorts, I wasn’t expecting the show to be about James (Bond) and the Giant Robot. In any case, the series is more or less episodic, which means it fits well into the cracks of the overall SRW plots. I hope to see all of Daitarn 3’s ridiculous attacks. For those who don’t know, Daitarn 3 had a translation error, in that its cross-throwing attack was called “Daitarn Web” and its capture net was called “Cross Dart.” They actually maintain this error throughout the SRW games, and I hope to see the tradition continue.

Xabungle
I know very little about Xabungle, only that it’s fairly light-hearted, which goes great with Daitarn 3…and not so much with Zambot 3. Oh, Tomino.

Z Gundam
Oh, Tomino indeed. I hear this is going to be based on the New Translation movies, so we really have no idea how this might tie into the greater SRW plot. The real question is whether or not they’re going to use the New Translation character designs.

Gundam: Char’s Counterattack
It’s going to be fun seeing Char completely surrounded by more Char-types than ever before. I love the Nu Gundam and Sazabi, and I look forward to seeing them in action once more. Char’s Counterattack, like with so many others, was the first Gundam anime to really show me the impact and power of Gundam. No one should be surprised, as it is rare that Amuro and Char don’t make their way into SRW games, but let’s still be happy.

Gundam X
A very conventional Gundam series despite being an alternate universe. I also have fond memories for this because the X and the Virsago were some of the first Gundam models I purchased. Gundam X is just one of many series in this game which hint at the fact that the moon will play an important role in this game. As long as they keep Tifa’s anata ni… chikara o! everything will be dandy.

Turn A Gundam
Speaking of the importance of the moon… Turn A Gundam is also a very, very welcome veteran. The best AU Gundam there is, I hope to see fun comments from Amuro regarding some of Turn A’s weaponry, and I really hope that the dynamic kill on Turn A’s ultimate attack is REALLY dynamic, like with up close camera angles and such.

Gundam SEED Destiny
SEED Destiny, one of the best shows of 2004 and one of the worst shows of 2005. I’ve been looking foward to this just so I can see how SRW manages to improve the plot. Cagalli will be avenged, that I will tell you.

Mazinger Z
It’s not really a Super Robot Wars if it doesn’t have THE super robot. Mazinger Z is the gold standard of SRW attack animations as well, so it’ll be a good indicator of how things go.

Great Mazinger
See Mazinger Z comments above, only a little less.


Getter Robo G
SHIIIIIIIIIIINE SPAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARKU!

Grendizer
My only complaint is that for some reason SRW has something against putting Grendizer and Mazinger in the same game. Still, this means we’re going to see an AWESOME Final Dynamic Special.

God Sigma
I like making fun of the song.

Aquarion
Kawamori at his craziest, this show only pretends to be serious but really isn’t. We’ve already seen that they’re going to include the Mugen Punch and the Getsumen Punch, but I also look forward to the ridiculous 3D Attack. It also combines in a fashion similar to Getter Robo, except all of the forms have really powerful finishers. Oh, and I hope people turn down the volume for this game, or they’re going to wake everyone up with the moaning of the Aquarion orgasm gattai sequence.

Eureka Seven
There have been two series I’ve really, really, REALLY wanted to see in SRW. Eureka Seven is one of them (and Godannar is the other). I am so giddy over its inclusion, and combined with the interview where they said they’re going to focus on backgrounds more for this iteration of SRW, I just KNOW that Eureka Seven is the perfect series to show this off. They’d better have the battle in the rainbow clouds. Also, Eureka’s cut-in during the Nirvash’s animation was so amazing it made me melt inside.

Orguss
I never saw Orguss, though I know it’s made by the Macross crew. I’ve heard good things about it, and as always it’s good to see new blood in SRW.

Gravion
Sort of like Big O Second Season, I don’t really care about what they do with the plot or whatever. I am just looking forward to the maid-powered rocket punches. I hope Gravion has a combination attack with Grendizer using the power of Gravity and Anti-Gravity.

Gravion Zwei
This mainly means we’re going to be seeing that saucy girl who works for the military. All right.

Baldios
The Heika meme will be revived full force. I’d like to take this show seriously but the term “Blue Fixer” prevents that.