Category Archives: manga

The Pre-Prequel: Eureka Seven: Gravity boys & Lifting girl

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While this site isn’t called Eureka Maniax, it would have been a close second. I really, really like Eureka Seven, and I’m always eager to get my hands on anything E7-related.

Eureka Seven: Gravity boys & Lifting girl is sort of an unusual title, in that it is part of the greater Eureka Seven canon, but its place in the timeline is as a prequel to the Eureka Seven PS2 games, New Wave and New Vision.

GB&LG takes place during a time of peace, before the Ref board was even considered for use on LFOs. Sumner Sturgeon, 14 years old and youngest son of the prestigious Sturgeon Family of military officers, has spent his whole life being spoon-fed through privilege, but he wishes to be known for more than just his last name. Ruri, also 14 years old, is a girl with an incredible talent for Ref-ing (or Lifting as it’s called in the English translations), but who has to disguise herself as a boy named “B.B.” as women aren’t allowed in competitions. An abrupt meeting between Sumner and Ruri sets both of them on their respective paths to adulthood as Sumner chases the images of B.B. and the girl and the independence they represent, not knowing both are the same person.

Volume 1 of GB&LG focuses primarily on their daily lives as 14 year olds in a time of relative peace. Volume 2 sees them grow to adulthood and  enter the military, setting up the beginning of New Wave. Renton was also 14 years old when he first met Eureka and joined Gekkostate, and this is a very deliberate move on the manga’s part.

Overall the manga has a very nice slice-of-life feel to it that the original anime is missing simply because of the context of the series and the utter importance Eureka and Renton have to fate of the world in the anime, where even fairly episodic chapters have much greater ramifications. Obviously, that also applies to GB&LG to some extent, especially because its events trigger the PS2 games which in turn influence the anime, but not much of that is seen. The focus is on mainly the characters and not the world around them.

In this respect, I like Volume 1 more than Volume 2, as Volume 2 feels rushed and disjointed, as if it’s racing to position all of the characters in time for New Wave. It gives no time for the events, big and small, to really sink in, as the reader is instantly whisked off to another place and possibly another time within a few pages. It’s something that I think would have been better served being split into two separate volumes.

That said, I do recommend it, and I like it more than the Eureka Seven manga adaptation. However, don’t expect the story to be as epic as either the main anime or manga, because it isn’t. Treat it like a normal story of school kids, who barely know of LFOs, trappar, or their true natures.

The Causes and Effects of Closely-Released English Manga?

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While looking in the bookstore the other day, I saw that the English version of Mousou Shoujo Otakukei (otherwise known in the US as “Fujoshi Rumi”) had its second volume out.

Then I noticed that the Japanese release of Mousou Shoujo Otaku-kei is only up to Volume 3, though obviously the story has progressed further at this point in the actual Comic High.

I wonder then, just how often is this happening nowadays? How often is the English release of a manga only 1-2 volumes off from the Japanese release? It seems like a really weird position to be in, though in many ways beneficial.

This also brings up another question: How many manga these days are being licensed within only 1-2 years of the original Japanese release? Doesn’t it seem a little too soon? Not to knock Mousou Shoujo, but it never seemed like the HOTTEST NEW THING straight from Japan, though I have to admit that it’s gotten better.

This also makes me wonder if part of the reason manga does well where anime DVDs don’t is that, in some cases, the releases aren’t that far off so people don’t miss out on too much?

Actually, it’s probably because you can immediately look at a manga in the store to gauge whether or not it’s worth buying on a per volume basis, while DVDs have no such luxury, as even netflix has to be an active decision rather than just “browsing for anime.”

Do Not Over-Japanese Your Translation

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That is to say, I have developed a new pet peeve: Seeing manga and anime translations which try to make the dialogue more Japanese-sounding.

I don’t remember exactly where I saw it, but I recall seeing an English-released manga which translated one girls scream as “Kyaaaaa!” This is common, of course, except for one problem: She didn’t say “Kyaaaaa!” in the original Japanese text.

I don’t mind honorifics in translations or anything like that, but when you go out of your way to add things which weren’t even there then it is a step too far.

Why I Like Raoh, Part 1

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I remember the first time I saw Raoh, with that huge stallion between his legs. I was in awe. This would begin a long journey where I found and understood myself.

A lot of Raoh’s appeal can be summed up in the battle where he stabs through his foot and Toki’s foot at the same time. I doubt anyone would argue with me when I call it the greatest foot kebab scene in anime and manga history. Raoh is willing to sacrifice his own foot, his most cherished companion since infancy, just to teach his younger brother a loving lesson (though Raoh forgets to mention at the time that Toki is his brother. Oh, Raoh, you’re so aloof).

Raoh, receive the fist that contains all of my love.

Anime Blog Awards

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I’ll let the people running it explain it in their own words.

“Given the exponential growth of the anime blogosphere, the number of quality blogs with insightful opinions and perspectives are ever increasing. Yet a majority of the blogs out there remain isolated, lacking a sense of community and meaningful interaction. The Anime Blog Awards was created in order to bridge that gap by recognising worthy bloggers and their achievements in various fields.”

It’s an interesting idea, and though I’m not sure if I will participate in it, do not by any means let that keep you from voting. This sort of audience participation is what I think this community thrives on, provided it doesn’t become too political.

So if you are a blogger who blogs about blogs anime, then let it be known which blogs you think represent us the best.

http://animeblogawards.com/

It starts April 1st, so get nominating.

The Theatrical Nature of Anime

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American movies and television in general involve very little soliloquy as one would see in theater. I’ve been told before that if a movie or television series has a person talking to himself that it’s not considered good. After all, movies and television aren’t theater, right? Also, internal monologues used as voice overs are apparently a no-no as well.

With this in mind, I watched Gundam 00 Episode 24, and watched as Setsuna F. Seiei spoke to himself, alone in a room, for about five minutes. And I liked it that way.

I’ve known for a long time that when comparing anime to American entertainment, there are some things which are very different. I’ve thought of plenty of possibilities: plot, character archetypes, story progression, even simply visual aesthetics, but upon seeing Setsuna speak to himself, I came to realize that perhaps anime relates more closely not to television or film, but to theater.

I suspect that it may partially have to do with anime often times being an adaption of manga works, where still images and word bubbles work together to provide greater amounts of information, where internal monologue or long exposition are almost necessary to truly get what’s going on with a character, perhaps due to manga’s relationship to written text.

Another similarity I see involves the criticism of the Sunrise-style 52 episode shows which take 13 episodes to develop into their true plot. The criticism leveled at this method is that it takes too long to get anywhere, which I think may say more about attention span of viewers than anything else. This reminds me of Shakespeare’s plays which can go on for 3-4 hours in one sitting. And yes, I have found myself dozing off during them as well, despite the fact that I didn’t necessarily find them boring. Count me among the guilty.

I realize that I like the theatrics of anime, be they melodramatic 70s shoujo or a more down to earth style of storytelling such as in Honey and Clover. Not that I don’t like other forms and methods of storytelling, even the American style, but  I really wouldn’t have it any other way.

Mildly Ornery Girl in Snow

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Lately it seems most of my drawings designed to help me relax have involved girls in winter coats. I wonder if a certain Fred can relate.

Drawn with a mouse because why not.

Double-sided Devil: Watching Anime and Learning Japanese

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I’ve studied Japanese for a few years. I studied in Japan for half a year. It’s been two years since I stopped studying Japanese in school, though I still try to keep up with things. My Japanese has more than a few holes in it, and I don’t get enough practice speaking these days.

And all this time, I have been an otaku.

The otaku in the Japanese classroom is considered by some to be one of the most unpleasant aspects of taking Japanese classes. I don’t really believe this to be true, because the real culprit isn’t being an otaku, it’s having no actual desire to learn the language. Even if it’s not something you plan to pursue well into fluency, throwing around baka and sugoi doesn’t benefit anyone.

That said, I believe anime CAN help you learn and improve your Japanese. Being an otaku does not put you at a disadvantage. It does not impede your education as long as you know what to watch out for.

Do not take the words spoken in anime as any indication of what is formal or even informal or friendly speech. A lot of anime does not try to accurately portray Japanese society, but rather tries to reflect upon it. There’s really no steadfast rule here. You basically have to learn how to filter out anything that is too unusual, or to learn it but to keep in mind that it’s unusual.

Learning vocabulary also falls into this category. You have to take what you learn and refine it. For example, memorizing special attacks and technique names alone won’t help you in any normal or academic situation, but I think they can give the aspiring Japanese-learning otaku and introduction to the difference between on and kun readings, as well as kanji compound formation.

The best way to put it perhaps, is to say that if you have the drive to learn the language, any usage of it no matter how odd can benefit you as long as you let it and know how to let it.

Oh, and I don’t think anything needs to be said about reading raw manga and learning from there.

Back to the Basics

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I learned a little about myself recently: The title of this blog is very appropriate.

I haven’t really talked much about Genshiken in a while, and it’s expected. The second series is over, the manga is long over. I’ve talked about it numerous times in this blog.

But then recently one morning, I was suddenly struck by the lighting called Ogiue.

The sheer presence of her character moves me to evaluate myself and try to improve, in a number of ways. Sometimes it doesn’t work out, but hey, this is fiction, and Ogiue, as realistic and complex she may be, is not real (as much as I might sometimes prefer otherwise). The events of her life are incorporated into the greater goal of a good story.

So Ogiue Maniax. I talk about Ogiue.

Because I CAN”T HELP IT.

Con Identity

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I have been to very few cons, and I can hardly call myself a “con-goer.”

Hell, I can list the cons I’ve been to easily: Lunacon 2002, 2003, and I think 2005. I-Con 2003. Otakon 2006 and 2007. Tekkoshocon 2006. PAS Spring Anime Fest once or twice if that counts. New York Anime Festival.

That’s my entire history with cons both anime and non.

In my sparse experience though, I go to cons for mainly two reasons: panels and friends. I don’t think this is too different from other people, though there may be some disagreement as to which panels are worth the time. I prefer industry panels with Japanese guests, such as artists and directors. Probably my favorite panel so far was Otakon 2006 where the director of Madhouse whose name I keep forgetting despite promising not to was a guest. I try to stay away from cosplay and amv’s because they’re not really my thing, but I have nothing against them.

With what amounts to similar groups of fans going to each and every con, I begin to wonder what separates them, aside from geographical location. Why are the big cons the way that they are, and how do they differ from each other? I know some cons are considered big cosplay cons, and others big amv cons, and others are purely professional.

I find myself planning on going to Otakon again this year, without fully knowing the guests. Is it maybe becoming a habit? I’m not exactly sure what appeals to me about Otakon after all.