Parting is NOT Sweet Sorrow; Go Figure(s)
Ξ March 15th, 2012 | → 15 Comments | ∇ Slice of (Real) Life, The Anime Annals, The Little(r) Ones |
First, a moment of reflection on the disaster that befell Japan on March 11th 2011, and the loss of 20,000 souls and cherished family members. I hope that the rehabilitation and rebuilding efforts are fully successful and continue to improve their way of life to be even better than it had been before the calamity. Out of ruin and chaos can rise an improved infrastructure and stronger building considerations, and people will have become better persons in dealing with each other beneficially in a calamity of this scale. I’m certain that Japan will be doing its best! Our thoughts are still with you 
Now, for more trivial news:
NEWSFLASH! R.I.P Nyuu, Lucy and Nana:
Man, it’s been cold. Not temperature-wise but reality-wise. They’re really gone. I had the dubious pleasure of walking two miles in constant rain to the Post Office today to ship off my pair of Elfen Lied figures, which I had to sell to cover the rent. Adding insult to injury is that I only got about half of what I was hoping for for them. But I have a roof over my head for another month, so that’s good.
That’s not really much of a consolation though, as the figures were very precious to me, being that Elfen Lied was my proper initiation into anime (i.e. not by way of the commonly-shown juvy shows that most westerners associate with anime). Plus, I had to hassle and hustle to get them since pre-orders weren’t accepted from outside of Japan, and only 1,000 of each were made so they sort of vaporized upon release. I was so happy to get them! It’s among my most-favorite shows, and I really do enjoy having figures displayed to represent characters from significant and beloved series.
They really have cheered up the places they’re in, not to mention me. Just kills me that I had to sell Nyuu and Nana. If you pre-ordered both figures you received a bonus pack as well, with Lucy’s interchangeable face for Nyuu and “papa’s ribbon” for Nana (a necktie which she used to cover her horns). So, Lucy’s gone, too.
But I have to figure that since publishing my novel is my first priority, if we do well enough I’ll be able to replace them in the future. Good to have priorities. At least I still have Kanon‘s Ayu and Makoto, and Fate/Stay Night‘s Saber and Sakura 
IT FIGURES:
But it sure sucks seeing all these new figures coming out that I want; I’m doing my best not to look at anything that requires money, since (a) I don’t have any, and (b) why increase my aggravation? It really pisses me off that I can’t buy anything other than necessities for survival, and seeing spendy shit constantly dangled in front of me is uselessly annoying. I’ve found that it’s pretty easy to ignore useless and annoying things, and you save money and sanity by doing so 
THE 2012 WINTER ANIME SEASON (Upcoming) REPORT:
I’m working on a report on the 2012 Winter Anime Season shows that I watched, and that’ll be forthcoming shortly (in my timeline LOL). I’ve actually been thankful that there were only five series I felt like tracking (in addition to the remaining four from Fall 2011, Shakugan no Shana Final, Chihayafuru, Last Exile: Fam, and Mirai Nikki. (I kinda put Bakuman 2 on hold until later.)
This season’s pickings include Ano Natsu de Matteru (rom-com, slice of life), Another (horror), Black Rock Shooter (sci-fi action), Kill Me Baby (wacked-out comedy), and Nisemonogatari, (indescribable) which more than makes up for the absence of any others to this list. I’ll put synopsis links up for those shows when I post the article; I included Nisemonogatari‘s for reference because of the very next section…)
MONOGATARIAN:
Being a huge Bakemonogatari (and its studio, SHAFT) fan, I was already on board when this sequel was announced. And I’m thrilled that my favorite secondary character from Bake has been featured in the sequel! That would be Shinobu Oshino, a 500-year old vampire who… doesn’t look like one:
In season one (Bakemonogatari) she had about 6 appearances, none of which lasted much more than a couple of minutes. Very quiet ones, as she never spoke. She just sat in a corner at Oshino’s place, making you wonder just what the heck is up with her? (That’s one thing I love about Akiyuki Shinbo’s work with SHAFT; no hand-holding: they’re always making you think and wonder!)
A lot of viewers missed Shinobu’s appearance in episode one of Bakemonogatari, so I’ll say no more than that. But seeing Nise has made me really want to re-watch Bake again Another thing I love about SHAFT-works – they always bear re-watching!
Another reason: check out the combined genres and themes from Anime News Network’s description (caution: links will take you to ANN, not that that’s a bad thing):
So. Just puttin’ this out there…
Yeah… I wouldn’t mess with her, at all.
THE 2012 INTERNATIONAL SAIMOE LEAGUE bit:
So Shinobu’s the girl I’m supporting in this year’s International Saimoe League, even though she hasn’t got a chance in hell going against the more-popular girls. But Nisemonogatari has gotten some decent reviews and buzz, so who knows? Can’t depend on the voters, that’s for sure LOL! She is pretty damn moe though, and a bad-ass, unbeknownst to most! I’m sure that her “talents” will be revealed over these last couple of episodes
But in terms of realistic contestants, I’m going to pull for Toradora‘s Taiga and Shakugan no Shana‘s Shana for the win and the Tiara. While I love Angel Beat‘s Kanade (aka Tenshi), everybody else does too, so I tend to leave the popular ones to the masses and stick with my tried-and-trues. Even though Kanade will probably win it all, which won’t make me sad Plus, she plays piano, and that’s a plus:
Ah yes… I fondly recall the first moment I saw Tenshi and loved her right away, caught as she was in the cross-hairs of a sniper rifle :-O She’ll likely take it all this year, unless lame political manouvering conspires to hate-vote against her, which is kinda what I expect to happen. Back-lashing will be forthcoming, I’m sure, since she was so dominant in last year’s ISML (though she didn’t win). Many voters will likely turn on her for that; lots of them favor disrupting a contest to suit their own selfish needs; such is life; Internet, Real, or otherwise. Great, fucking politicking in my moe contest, ugh. So grade-school. Such misfortune!
I just want to see which girl is HONESTLY voted the moe-est, not some simply-attractive character from a series that more people simply watched probably for its fanservice over its substance. But w/e floats their boat *shrug*
Some things about fandom I really don’t get, like the appreciation of “traps”, which to me are just cynical tools and a hopefully-passing fad; it sure figures that more are popping up these days. (Traps = “girls” who are actually boys that some studios create so they can go “hahahamadeyoulookaren’tweclever”, I guess). I wouldn’t really know since I won’t watch a show that needs that sort of gimmick to work (or for crude fanservice either, for that matter).
(Pictured above are chibi-versions of Tsubasa, Nadeko, Sugura, Mayoi, Hitagi, and… Shinobu… sitting by herself in a corner again. *sigh* See? I told you that’s all she did! In season 1, anyway 
)
No, *I* prefer the fanservice provided by Studio SHAFT. Nisemonogatari features extremely well-done fanservice; even squirmy at times it’s so effective! It never takes over the story. Well… except for a certain lenghty “toothbrush scene” that will no doubt become legendary! Well-done, as expected By the way, the following Promotional Video is only half as long as it says due to a repeat so it’s not quite as well-done, but still. And as with every anime from Studio SHAFT, the Pause key is your friend
ISML AND THE UNFORTUNATE FADING OF THE KEY/KYOANI GIRLS:
In ISML I always vote for my core of Key-cuties (courtesy of Kyoto Animation): Misuzu, Ayu and Nagisa, from AIR-TV, Kanon (2006) and Clannad, respectively. If you are a Visitor to Alastor’s who is unfamiliar with anime, and you want a story that is funny, heartwarming, magical/metaphysical, dramatic, and emotionally powerful, combined with beautiful animation, directing, and sound, then any of these three shows would make great introductions to the medium. I’d recommend them in reverse order; by the last episode of Clannad ~After Story~ you’ll have definitely seen the light. Then watch Kanon 2006 and AIR. You won’t ever view anime in the same light you once did
If you figure you won’t ever be watching it, then check out this wonderful-but-spoilerish synopsis-style AMV that uses the full version of “A Girl’s Fantasy” from the OST, and maybe you will reconsider after watching this moving overview. I’d suggest reading the short synopsis at ANN, then watch the video so that you get half an idea of what’s going on. Hopefully, you won’t figure anything out LOL!
Clannad fans will love it; this is the song that plays when scenes of The Illusionary World are shown (with the Girl and the Junk-Boy). So, MAJOR CLANNAD SPOILERS AHEAD! (And generally speaking, don’t ever randomly watch any YouTube videos of these “KeyAni” shows because they are RIFE with spoilers, as the plot-lines are twisty and surprising; knowing in advance what will happen will ruin the effect! If you’ve any inclination towards watching these shows, rent or buy them and then you won’t be spoiled. Like if you watch this one:
Too bad that the popularity of more recent shows overcasts the fond remembrances some of us have of these characters. Not me though. I’m fiercely loyal to “my girls” no matter how “old” they or their series have seemingly become. I say “seemingly” because the stories (and characters) are STILL great; after all, it’s not their fault that humans’ perceptions and memories are so shallow. So, please enjoy this great AMV featuring the stars of AIR, Kanon (2006) and Clannad; see if you can glimpse what makes these shows (and characters!) so great. It begins with plenty of heart, and a lot of expressing what is in it… you can feel it:
Oh, I said “memories” which reminds me to add Yuuko Amamiya to that “always vote for in ISML” list! She appears in this ”prologue” video for ef-a tale of memories, another fantastic favorite of mine (that I’m always talking about LOL), another fantastic SHAFT show (my favorite work of theirs), and another favorite girl who also happens to play piano (a bit better than Tenshi)! She has a back-story that is quite memorable and her gripping depiction of it, her awful revelation(s) of it, intense. Another “brave girl” who totally won me over:
Some characters are so well-written, so deep, and emote so wonderfully (courtesy of their talented seiyuu) that they become timeless. AIR‘s Misuzu is a good example, voiced by the late Tomoko Kawakami (who also voiced the Girl From the Illusionary World in Clannad). That’s why it irks me to see them forgotten so easily and quickly by anime fans who greedily gobble up shows as quickly as they come out and digest the older series out of their system and consideration too quickly. Sad. Sign o’ the times, I guess, and that’s sad too.
Be happy, and hear something beautiful: from the AIR OST, a version of “Natsukage” as sung by Tomoko Kawakami, who very sadly passed away last year, so very prematurely. This stands as a wonderful testament to her significant contribution to anime not only for Misuzu’s role but for those of many others she has portrayed.
And on that lovely note, I’ll say good night. Please feel free to leave a comment if you feel so moved; all are welcome
on March 19th, 2012 at 1:55 am
——
First, a moment of reflection on the disaster that befell Japan on March 11th 2011, and the loss of 20,000 souls and cherished family members.
——
Many things to comment on in this blog post, but I wanted to link to something I just stumbled across. Having been recently reminded about AKB48 (gee, I wonder who did that?), I was looking around for some translated blogs, just for fun, and found an entry by Minami Takahashi, the “captain” of the group, from 3-11. It seems fitting.
http://blog48.livejournal.com/2741099.html
More on your other items later… it’s late and I should be in bed. I will say though, “Yay me, I finally did it!” I broke out the DVD I had Kanon saved on and started watching. Just finished up the Makoto arc earlier today. I’m getting so much more out of it this second time around… I barely remember far too much of it. And so much of what you said about KyoAni rings true. What a truly magical time it was discovering those treasures. Can’t believe that was four years ago.
on March 19th, 2012 at 12:52 pm
Thanks for the link to Minami’s Blog; it was very touching. It’s heartening to see caring people in action helping their brethren out after such a tragedy on this (or any) scale…
I’m glad that you’re giving Kanon 2006 another go; I got SO much more out of it when I rewatched for the first (and second!) times.
While it’s true that Makoto’s arc delivers the gut-punch you can’t recover from, the ending was much more powerful the subsequent times I’ve watched it (around ten at this point!): Ayu digging through the snow to the point her fingernails cracked; Yuuichi waking up gasping to the realization that he knew where to find her (i.e. his trudging through the snow-storming forest to their “school”); the almost 2001-ish quietude of his “rescuer’s” place, all white… it really is such a well-thought-out show.
I found that with Clannad and its “After Story” that KyoAni refined their storytelling technique to perfection. Re-watching *that* show will definitely give you more to digest than your first time around.
There’s so much detail and foreshadowing in these stories that we can’t help missing so much at first watch, for instance the very subtle look of delight on the ever-stoic Mai’s face when she’s dancing at the Ball. And if Key hadn’t made the visual novels in the first place, I doubt that we would have the three masterpieces we do today.
It’s all about the humanity; that’s what appeals to me, in spite of the wonderful fantasy in these three shows
Bravo
I’ve been watching anime now since May 2007, and no other medium has given me so much, aside from Music which is another form entirely. It satisfies my constant need for Story, and characters I can care about, not just watch cavorting around doing stupid shit. Not that there’s anything wrong with that
And WHEN I want to see characters randomly cutting up, there’s anime for that too! One-stop shopping; nothing quite like it
on March 20th, 2012 at 5:27 pm
Continuing on (looong post and there’s no TLDR version at the end)…
Wow, I must say, I’m shocked that you had to sell your Elfen Lied figures. I remember when you got those. I was a bit envious at the time. I do hope that things take a turn for the better for you… soon.
I have all of my figures packed up in their boxes. Just woke up one day last year and decided I was tired of my living room being decorated with anime stuff. That and dusting them all the time was a chore I no longer took any pleasure in. Only things I have out now are my Japanese LE Higurashi DVD art boxes and my figure of Suzu (Nagasarete Airantou)… no idea why her. Maybe because my favorite color is blue. And I really did like her a lot. And it’s such a happy, cheerful expression of her. It’s this one… http://www.hlj.com/product/WAVNF-42 … discontinued, even a couple years ago, I found her in some offbeat online asian toy shop.
Heh, interesting that you posted about Bakemonogatari. I downloaded a blu-ray version of it a couple weeks ago. I dumped a bunch of gigs of anime, stuff I had downloaded but knew I’d never finish watching or that I would replace once BD rips came out. I watched episode one of Nisemono the other day. That put a smile on my face. I get such a kick out of Hachikuji. Or rather, the interactions between Hachikuji and Araragi.:D Funny thing, I liked all of the girls in Bakemono… EXCEPT Senjougahara. Well, I didn’t dislike her, she just never really did anything special for me. But after seeing that first episode of Nisemono, I had to stop right there and go rewatch Bakemono, which I finished up yesterday. Senjougahara made a much better impression on me this time. Sengoku is just too lovable. I wanna’ take her hooooome.
Highly memorable characters and that SHAFT visual style is really attention grabbing. Shaft + Shinbo = amazing work. Seriously, it’s such a minimalist style, but it’s done in a way that makes it seem complex and deep. Such vibrant, crisp artwork and world completely devoid of anyone other than the principle characters and the “oddities” surrounding them. It feels surrealistic but somehow normal at the same time. I’m really looking forward to Nisemono. More of Shinobu, you say? Cool!
Shana III – Hmmm… It is, of course, good to see more of Shana, but I’m feeling like I’m having to trudge through much of what is there. The whole epic final battle thing isn’t doing much for me. So many new characters and all of the freaky monsters is just… meh. But, that hasn’t stopped Shana from shining through just enough to remind me why I have loved her so much in the past. Just watched episode 15 a while ago, I should get through the rest before the final episode is released next week.
Angel Beats – Never finished it. Got to episode four or five, maybe? I enjoyed the amazing production quality but Yuri reminded me too much of Haruhi Suzumiya and I just never made any connections with the other characters. Probably wasn’t fair to Kanade as I never got far enough into the story to see more of her development.
——quote:
Too bad that the popularity of more recent shows overcasts the fond remembrances some of us have of these characters. Not me though.
——
Same here. KyoAni really did stand out back then, didn’t they? Not just the artwork and animation, but the whole production value thing – the story telling method, directing, editing, pacing… everything. That was at a time when I had just started to expand my interest in anime. I had been a fan of the medium for years, but my “watched list” was really small. I never imagined that I would find so much that would become so emotionally captivating. And those three series that you mentioned felt like falling into a deeper level of the experience.
I know I won’t get back to the level of fandom I once had, but it’s nice to come back and dip my toes in the water now and then. Thanks for the nudges.;)
Aaaand…. Don’t know if you, or any other of your readers, may find it worthwhile, but…
A bit more on AKB48, so I beg your indulgence. I’m not really as much of a fanboy as I might come across as. I hadn’t even seen anything of them for months before stopping by here and following the link you gave. But, when I do look into what they’re up to it really gives me a high and I go on an AKB48 binge.:D
Oh, and before I forget, here’s a different vid of the candy commercial. A better one, I think.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuTQvES7AVc
In case you might have the chance to pass it along elsewhere.
I’m glad you were touched by Minami’s blog post. I felt a lot of sincerity and humility in it. Aside from Tomomi Itano there are only a few girls I can pick out of the line up. One of them being Minami Takahashi. I’ve always thought there was something about her that stood out. Very commanding stage presence (in spite of being one of the shortest girls), self-confidence, and I love that signature piled-hi-ponytail she wears with the long side bangs. It does help that I got a first press bonus from the only CD of theirs that I own, a pencil board with Minami on it.
http://i44.tinypic.com/14m7woo.jpg
Anyhow, that blog post of hers got me interested to see what I could find on her. I figured she had some kind of higher standing in the group when I read a blog post from Tomomi on their return from the Los Angeles anime con sometime back. She mentioned how “Takamina Papa” had been keeping them all focused. It was only on this current foray of mine that I actually saw where she was cited as the group’s captain.
I found a very interesting vid that focuses on her, looks like a documentary, or pieces thereof. I was very moved by it, even though I can’t understand what’s being said and know what’s going on exactly. I don’t think you need to in order to get the impression that she is well loved and highly respected.
warning: there a many tears being shed in this video, it’s a serious view behind the scenes. As I think about it, you know, and I mean YOU KNOW, that with that many teenage girls interacting with each other, under the circumstances surrounding show business, there is going to be some drama. Thing is, I think Japanese culture provides a way to handle all of that with dignity and respect. At least, that’s how I see it.
She obviously wears her feelings on her sleeve, but I think that’s a good thing. Judging by that sincere blog post of hers I imaging she feels a great deal of responsibility towards AKB48 and carries a heavy load at times. She turns 21 next month and, like others, has been there since age 15. That’s a lot of investment into something through such a formative time of their lives. It’s a welcome sight to see her unafraid to release some emotion the way she does. I’m feeling a lot of respect and admiration for her myself after watching this.
And so… a candid look at Takamina.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VafWrO3S5po
Sheesh… I hope I didn’t exceed any kind of text limit.
on March 21st, 2012 at 7:33 pm
Oh, tl;dr posts don’t bother me (he said with a poised -and non-ironic- look). Nise is great and a fine companion/sequel to Bakemonogatari.
I felt the same way about Senjougahara; probably related to her aloofness. I do like her quite a lot though; she’s very clever, sharp as a tack, sexy, analytical and (mostly) carefree. Not my (anime) type, I guess, as her kind of characters usually come in second compared to their “cuter” co-stars (see Kyou and Tomoyo for similar examples).
THIS JUST IN: Most guys like cute things :-O
Okay. We know this; just puttin’ it out there xD
Speaking of Shinobu, did you happen to catch her in episode 1? Don’t wanna spoil it any further, just a Q
(HINT: Not at Oshino’s)
If you enjoyed Hachikuji she’ll get in a few more tussles with “Arararaargi”-san before it’s all over. And… that toothbrush scene between Araragi and his sister… well. Write back LOL
Like I did with Clannad’s Ushio in last year’s International Saimoe League, I’m going to champion Shinobu as this year’s “little dark horse”. Not to win it all, as the -monogatari series are kinda niche, but to make a good showing.
Supposedly, the next -monogatari will be a movie that serves as prequel to Bake, and will feature Shinobu’s story involving Araragi’s vampirism. Should be awesome!
As for Shana 3, I’ll bet you’re marathoning episodes, as I felt that watching it that way rather than weekly might emphasize its weaknesses, namely not enough Shana and too many pointless battles and characters. Still, it’s Shana, so I can’t dislike it
Anderuh… you *have* watched Madoka, haven’t you?
Might be too surreal for you, but SHAFT/Shinbo/Urobuchi so GOGOGO. Definitely marathon it!
Angel Beats! was good but I echo your sentiment. Kanade had me hooked from the start; the rest did little aside from some of their poignant back-stories regarding their previous earthly lives. I did like Yui quite a lot; she proved to be a good character much in the vein of AIR’s Michiru.
And agreed; that KyoAni “triple crown” of AIR, Kanon (2006) and both Clannads really succeeded in blending every element to perfection. It’ll be interesting to see how Hyouka will turn out this Spring season. New ANN article on it: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/anime-spotlight/2012/spring/hyouka
Oh, and you’re still “IN” anime fandom xD Just like your frequency of movie-watching might go, you’re just not watching many these days. Doesn’t mean you’ve “fallen out of love” with movies, you just haven’t been drawn to many lately.
Now you have the thrill of discovery awaiting you when you investigate all those series you’ve missed
AKB48 would just be another acronym I’d buzzed past but for your mention of them awhile back, so when I saw them mentioned in the news thought of you and so posted it just in case you popped in. Good timing!
That clip was touching in parts; we can only imagine how pressure-packed the life of pop idols must be. Remember Satoshi Kon’s Perfect Blue? *shudder*
As always, thanks for visiting and taking the time to comment. No text limitations here! Whatever THOSE are (he said with a poised look)
on March 21st, 2012 at 9:35 pm
Ahaha… I appreciate your tolerance for my long-windedness and side-tracking ways. It gives me something to do.
Well, I’m not likely going to be exploring ‘all’ the anime I’ve missed, but I’ll keep an eye out for anything that might look interesting.
No, I did not see Madoka. I do see it’s a 12 ep. series so I might give it a go. I’m curious about anything that throws horror and tragedy into the mix. Don’t want to commit to anymore as I’m watching those other three. That’s a lot for me these days.
Speaking of unusual Magic Girl stories, Uta Kata puts a somber spin on the genre. Just reading the first paragraph on the wiki for it should tell you it’s something different.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uta_Kata
I found an AMV that uses it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WfwDVs4Jjw
Not a great AMV but it’s enough to get a feel for the series. The song fits the theme of the story very well. Hadn’t heard it before, but I really like it. I like the character designs, they have a unique quality about them.
Oh, and was going to mention something else regarding music and vampires. I played one of those free Korean anime style MMOs recently, Rusty Hearts. Not really my thing, side scrolling fighter game. Was fun and different for a while. The background for one of the characters – guy gets bitten but fights off the full transformation, his fiance has a tragic accident, he bites her to save her life but loses track of her, in his sorrow he uses the power of his own self-will to stay stuck in limbo between vampire and human. So as the game opens and fades in you see the words,
“I can still taste your blood, warm and metallic…”
“I feel it in my veins, covering my heart in rust…”
The theme song, a portion of which loops at the character creation screen, is what I would put in the category of “hauntingly beautiful.” I find it calming yet forboding at the same time. You posted the vid of Natsukage, with the Re-feel (piano) version for Natsukage being one of my favorite musical pieces EVER, this comes close to evoking the same kind of sentiment… but on a more melancholy level. It strikes me odd that I’d find something so gratifying in such a place. May not do anyting for you but here it is.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2mvT1ddiBc
on March 23rd, 2012 at 6:45 pm
Here’s my fave five from 2011: Madoka, Steins;Gate, AnoHana, Fate/Zero, and Mawaru Penguindrum. Any of them are worth checking out for completely different reasons.
I’m re-watching Madoka at the moment in two sittings; marathoning eps really is the only way to go, especially with this series. The gradual ratcheting up of the drama is so delicious; the suspense so acute the further in you go…
LOTS gets missed the first time through, and there’s lots to see the subsequent times through. I love those series that devote so much thought and detail to nearly every frame; those are the ones that usually move me the most.
Watching episodes week-to-week completely breaks up that tasty pacing, which is best felt one episode to the next, one after the other. I stopped at ep 6, but it was VERY hard LOL Gonna finish the last 6 tonight.
Shaft and Shinbo really outdid themselves and went all-out on Madoka (including the misleading trolling pre-air LOL). It’s kinda the opposite of their -mongatari work; where the latter is stark and architectural, the former is quite frenetic and fantastic. The script is a very dark and disturbing take on Magical Girls by Gen Urobuchi (Fate/Zero, Phantom/Requiem), and guaranteed, you won’t forget it! Give it the four-episode test; I’m sure you’ll be hooked at that point
I did a little research on Uta Kata and may check it out when I’m feeling adventurous xD Too many Magical Girl tropes are mildly annoying to me, like talking weaponry, insane overpowering, needless/gratuitous nude transformation scenes, cloyingly cute animal sidekicks, syrupy sentiment and so on. Of course, all of those things pretty much make a MG show, so… LOL
BUT: All it takes is a good story and characters to negate all that. Again, Nanoha is a good example. Not among my favorites, but a very good show. After I watched its movie “re-make” I found myself appreciating Fate Testarossa a lot more; I dunno why the movie version’s telling of her back-story hit me a lot harder than the series did, but it did. Respect.
By way of contrast, Madoka eliminated the talking weaponry, and as for the “cute animal sidekick”… well… we now have a Kyubey (spelled many different ways; I like “QB”). And OMG that little… let’s just say “headfucker” and leave it at that
Anyway. When you have time you owe it to yourself to see for yourself. And ignore any hype (including mine LOL)!
That Rusty Hearts tune was lovely. True that you can find beauty in the unlikeliest of places xD
And yeah… Natsukage breaks my heart every time I hear it; partly because of AIR/Misuzu and partly for Tomoko Kawakami’s passing (Misuzu’s seiyuu and vocalist on that version). I hear her performance in Revolutionary Girl Utena was a classic; have you seen it? I may check that out at some point, in the future, time allowing…
There’s still MANY undiscovered gems out there; thanks for sharing some
on March 24th, 2012 at 3:01 am
I did see AnoHana, thanks to one of your reports. It was good, no regrets in spending the time on that one. And no need for a four episode test on Madoka, I watched the first episode and that was enough to hook me. I’ll be watching the rest.
All caught up on Shana III. Now for the finale. Still not all that keen on this season, but it has had it’s moments and some interesting plot twists. This does make the first time I’ve ever watched three full, 24 episode sets of any series. Feeling kinda’ glad it’s over, though.
Down to the final episode of Nisemono. Too tired now, will get to it tomorrow. I will never think of a tooth brush the same way ever again.
The tooth brush scene itself was arousing, but what really made me feel like I needed a cold shower was the way Karen started encouraging Koyomi to keep going after Tsukihi ran out of the house. Is there such a thing as innocently seductive?
On another note… there was an interesting story on the Yahoo News headlines today about a girl who looks like a living doll.
http://shine.yahoo.com/parenting/15-old-living-doll-youtubes-controversial-star-223500233.html
It surprised me because I’d actually seen her on Youtube.
Lately I’ve been listening to some of the young gals who do “whispers”. There’s a whole community of people on Youtube who do them. They’re meant for relaxation/mediation and that’s what I’ve been getting out of them. I find some of them to be very calming and soothing.
I happen to come across one of a girl doing a “dermatologist roleplay”. I couldn’t care less about skin care, but I really liked her voice so I bookmarked her. I usually turn the volume down low enough for them to just be audible without actually hearing what they’re talking about.
So, browsing from there I somehow stumbled upon the living doll girl and watched this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_gqCzxynCQ
I found myself rather intrigued. I liked her tiny-voice-over-mime-style of presentation. There’s a bit of creativity in it. Now, I was watching her from the perspective of, and familiarity with, cosplay and as such was able to appreciate the moe aspect of what she was doing. I think she’s cool.
All that to say this… I found that Yahoo article disturbing because of it’s insinuation of some of her fans being pedophiles.
“The case of Venus Angelic is uncomfortably exploitative, as there is clearly a sexual undertone to what she is doing,”
Say what?
There’s also something there about people who buy life size dolls. Hmph.
Good thing I don’t do social media or comment on Youtube vids. One of my favorite whisperers is this girl.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TheR7lXk-sY
I think she’s 16 or 17. Do I play her vids because I’m looking for a cheep thrill? Not at all. I simply love the sound of her feminine voice. There’s a quality to it that soothes me. I do happen to think she’s cute and I find some of her expressions to be awkwardly charming.
One of the best things I came away with from my saimoe experience was an eloquent definition I came across for moe:
“An appreciation and admiration for the beauty and vitality of youthful femininity.”
Simple, isn’t it? No, really, that’s all there is it to it.
I know the creeps are out there, but it bugs me when I know I, a 50 something, can’t openly express my appreciation for girls like Venus Angelic, or idols, or whomever without having to worry about being the target of creepy labels.
Bleh… whatever.
To end on something more cheerful… Speaking of idols… here’s the latest single from AKB48.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7g44Cv_9UY
It’s different because they aren’t doing a dance routine. From what I’ve been able to find, the girls actually spent four months learning to play the (very simple) parts for this. Most impressive to me is the girl on drums, Yuki (Yukirin) Kashiwagi. She’s doin’ alright! And I think I have a new girl to add to my list of faves.
It’s K-On! times four!
on March 25th, 2012 at 12:54 pm
I have to thank you again… for giving me that AKB48 link that got me into watching some more of their stuff. You might be getting tired of hearing about them, and I promise this is my last mention of them, but… I have to… I just have to.
The girls did three days of concerts at the Saitama Super Arena this weekend, and the first day was streamed live. Over three hours of free concert from the FREAKING SAITAMA SUPER ARENA! Capacity of 25,000… SOLD OUT!
Here’s a sample.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKxiUK4R-dI
I wouldn’t have known about this had you not posted that one link to the “candy commercial” that got my enthusiasm rekindled. I only found out about this yesterday, so I didn’t get to see the live webcast, but at least I got to watch the whole thing on the same weekend it was performed.
About that other video I posted last time, Give Me Five, that PV was obviously made with a canned studio recording. If there was any doubt about whether or not the girls play the instruments, they put that to rest with the opening number. Which, I think was rather risky for such a major venue. Musicians they are NOT, and it was… well, a performance only a fan could love.
I have to admit, there were some parts that had me cringing. But, you know… they’re just so damn cute, and that had to take a LOT of guts for them to do that because I’m sure they are very much aware that they are not musicians. They still had me smiling. I actually felt very proud of them.
I love those girls. They make me feel happy. This has actually put some excitement into my weekend.
on March 25th, 2012 at 3:31 pm
Forgot to address the Elfen Lied figures comment… Yeah; I can’t believe I had to sell them either. The worst part about being (basically) impoverished is having to sell my few treasures. I *loved* my little figures of Nyuu and Nana; they made me feel happy. So hard to get, too. All of that wasted now
REALLY pissed about it. Anyway, I have pix…
I’m glad it only took you one episode to feel interested in Madoka; you won’t regret it, though I humbly suggest the aid of a forum to help make some sense out of the Higurashi-like story. AnimeSuki, for instance, in their Madoka sub-forum: http://forums.animesuki.com/forumdisplay.php?f=107
That “Living Doll” vid was “unavailable”; probably a bit too controversial! I prefer keeping dolls and real girls separate anyway; seeing a person becoming less lifelike is somewhat unsettling to me
But the article is typical hand-wringing over lurking bogeymen and painting even those slightly interested in the subject as “pedophiles”… that type of fear-mongering is all-too-typical these days, and I righteously ignore them.
Of course they castigate life-sized doll owners because these accusers’ minds are so often in the very gutter they decry that they see perversity and “danger” lurking behind every corner or curb. They strike me as pathetic people. The Internet is full of them, united in their ignorance. Yay :-/
Of course, the Internet is full of predators too, so understandably caution is necessary to protect youngsters from harm. To my way of thinking, ALL predatory people should be eliminated, especially those who prey on children. That shouldn’t even need to be said, but these witch-hunters have guilt-tripped their society into accusing, justifying and passing out the torches and pitchforks to ensure their herd’s cooperation in pursuing their demons, real or imagined, to the sword.
They even insinuate themselves into anime discussions; in every series with a loli-type heroine, you can bet you’ll be seeing “pedobear” comments or the like. Pretty tiresome, already. I just like what I like, and to hell with what others think about it xD
By the way, do you still have Saya, your BJD? Soony sends her regards
Your definition of moe certainly rings true. TVTropes has a good explanation of “moe” that supports it: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Moe
So yeah… enjoy what you like (that provokes positive delight), let your own freak flag fly high (but don’t be obnoxious about it), do your own thing (as long as nobody gets hurt). Works for me
on March 26th, 2012 at 10:43 am
Hmmm… don’t know why the Venus Angelic link didn’t work for you. I just checked it and it’s still there. I only liked it because of the cosplay element. I mean, it is just a girl putting on makeup. She might be annoying to some with her “tiny” voice. I thought was entertaining. I was just surprised that she was singled out as a “controversial sensation.”
However, the video I linked for the AKB48 concert has been taken down already. There are other non-YouTube vids around, but apparently they patrol YouTube for copyright infringement. I posted that one because it was a nice, little seven minute sample.
And, it just happened to feature a girl that stood out to me (out of the whole concert), she did the solo opening for the first song in that clip. Rena Kato (Renacchi):
http://stage48.net/wiki/index.php?title=Kato_Rena
It was just one of those “Whoa, who is THAT!?” moments. Just a 10 second solo part of a pure, innocent voice that made me pay attention. I was surprised to learn that she’s only 14. It was announced on the second day of the concert that she was being promoted from “Research Student” to Team 4, AKB’s newest generation of girls. Here she is right after hearing the announcement:
http://postimage.org/image/umd9tl1b5/
Just too sweet. That even made my eyes a little watery. They work so hard for those promotions. That’s a huge deal. She’s been there for nearly two years.
I find it ridiculously easy to feel affectionate toward some of these girls. Is that an Idol Phenomenon?
Oops, I just broke my promise not to mention them anymore. Damn. I thousand pardons, please, I beg you! Oh well, still feeling the afterglow of the weekend concert, I guess. I spent hours looking for old vids of her performances and appearances last night and she really warms my heart. If I can manage to stay interested in idols over the coming years, it’ll be fun seeing her grow. The girls that have caught my attention so far have been the 5,6,7 year veterans.
Oh, and you mentioned Perfect Blue (see? There is a connection)… yes, I have seen it and remember it being one of the most intense anime movies I’d ever seen. I should watch that again, it’s been maaany years since I saw it.
I do still have my BJDs, but they are boxed up. I may be selling them in the future, not sure at this point. It’s difficult to trust my own moods, so I’m just holding onto them for now.
That TV Tropes entry on moe seems like a good treatment of the subject. They have some amusing titles. Costume Inertia? You can get lost in that place just following all of the links.
Until next time, Ja mata.
on March 29th, 2012 at 10:55 pm
I don’t know too much about the idol processes, but it seems that more emphasis is placed on the personalities of most idols, over prowess or raw talent. Not that these girls aren’t talented, but I see a lot of honest sincerity and joy that seems to connect with those who …well… idolize them.
While it’s fun to see them deal with the various strata of stardom and adulthood at the same time, I enjoy the finished product quite a lot more, such as Yuki Kajiura’s various projects like Kalafina. Man, she sure can pick ‘em! Beauty AND talent, bordering on operatic. Not only are these women tantalizing to watch, their voices…!
Ms Kajiura’s excellence is consistent; her focus is on the composition and how best to voice it. That the voices belong to such gorgeous young women is coincidence, I’m sure!
This is one of the unblatantly sexiest videos I’ve ever seen; no flash, all substance: http://youtu.be/0NqXqqAYbyc
And yes, TVTropes is a time-sink just like YouTube LOL
on March 30th, 2012 at 4:53 pm
Oh dear, I guess I’m going to have to give up on NOT talking about AKyouknowwho. I’ll eventually get it out of my system.
Oh yeah, the idol scene is mostly about personalities and the following that the different girls have by their fans. Talent is icing on the cake. The otaku/wota can be pretty passionate about their favorites. I think it’s very much like saimoe, only it’s real life girls. And in thinking about it, idols are as close as you can get to real life anime girls.
I’d say the experience I felt towards that one girl I spotted/heard a week ago was every bit as compelling as any anime moe experience I’ve ever had. I remember the sound of her voice, the smile on her face, the way her little figure appeared against that huge arena and it puts a smile on my face thinking about it.
I’ve been doing a lot of reading and video watching in the past week about AKB48 and have felt caught up in it myself. I like the whole school girl aesthetic (I’m an “outfit guy” and I just love the variety of their costumes), the catchy tunes and of course, the cute girls.
Producer Yasushi Akimoto (Aki-P) made a stroke of genius in 2009 deciding that the girls would be ranked based on fan votes. To vote, you need to either be a member of the official fan club, or, they release a new single prior to the vote with unique codes in each one. One CD = one vote. You want your girl to have more votes, buy extra CDs.
The top 12 girls get a chance to sing on the next single and priority for TV and magazine appearances.
13-21 have a chance to be in promotion videos, limited TV and magazine.
22-30 chance to sing on B side songs for the single.
The rest go on being part of the rotation for the daily stage shows at the Akibahara theater.
Brilliant marketing strategy and it actually gives the fans a real sense of participation in the direction of the group. The popular girls get the media exposure and become even more popular and more likely to win next time. I plan on buying the next CD to vote for my “Oshimen” (supported member).
Renacchi!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUbdJ_MfnBc
As far as talent… haha… some of them I wonder how they even got there. They fit the personality profile, apparently… which consists of ample proportions of cuteness. There are a few exceptions, of course. The one I’ve mentioned before, Itano Tomomi, did a solo number at that recent Saitama Super Arena concert. Judge for yourself.
http://my.tv.sohu.com/u/vw/15579074
And if you haven’t heard enough… there’s this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=II8huHny-Pg
I predict future saimoe contestants. Check out the epic lineup of seiyuu.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AKB0048
The “Famous Members” are the real names of top ranking girls in AKB48. The “Kenkyūsei” are anime characters being voiced by some of the other members. Interesting arrangement.
Moving on (finally)….
Kajiura-sama? Pfft… completely different world. Refined, polished, powerful. And yes, beautiful. Nice vid, btw. Bookmarked. When you mentioned her, it vaguely rang a bell. A little wiki digging and it came to me… the theme for Le Portrait de Petit Cossette – Houseki (Jewel).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtIwNZ-amXU
Totally cool music. More of that ‘hauntingly beautiful’ stuff.
Heh… looking that up made me realize it was directed by Shinbo. Put another title under ‘reasons to like Shinbo’.
on April 1st, 2012 at 2:00 pm
I forgot to mention that one of the things that stood out to me when I watched that first episode of Madoka was how “Petit Cossette” the music sounded. Having looked up Kajiura Yuki again, now I know why.
She did the soundtrack for it.
And good grief, I just reread my last rambling bunch of blah-blah and it looks like I came across as saying most of the girls in AKB have little or no talent. That obviously isn’t true. They wouldn’t be the national phenomenon they are (they just sang the national anthem for a Tokyo Giants game last week) and have multiple chart topping singles if it wasn’t for all of those “talented” girls. I was thinking in terms of having “talent” vs. being “gifted” as someone like Kajiura Yuki, and the women who sing her songs, obviously are.
For AKB girls… there’s all of that choreography they have to memorize for each different song, every little synchronized hand movement, head tilt and step. For the Akihabara theater shows, they have something like 15 different stage sets with 15+ different sets of songs for a two hour show. They each have to know that choreography for most of those songs because they often fill in on different teams, plus be able to sing while doing all that… so, yeah, along with a lot of hard work some “talent” is most certainly required.
And they do it without having their over-knee socks fall down! Now THAT is talent.
And on the note of “talent”, I’ll leave one more video of one of the girls who was promoted from Research Student at the last concert. A clip from a Live On Demand stream, singing a solo number at the Akihabara theater, she had JUST TURNED THIRTEEN when this show was recorded. Iwata Karen, she’s also one of the girls voicing a character for the upcoming anime.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eT5AtIRaIMs
And I’m really curious as to what kind of character they cast her for because I read someone’s comment about her personality saying she is “an adorkable clown.”
Ok, enough of that. I’ll be checking in for your next seasonal anime review.
on April 2nd, 2012 at 2:17 pm
Yuki Kajiura’s OST for Cossette was probably the main factor in buying the DVD, aside from the haunting anime, of course. I recognized it at once, having had just seen Madlax with her evocative score for that series. Basically, I’ll give any show a shot based just on her collaboration. The combined talent for Madoka was sufficient alone to check it out! Hope you enjoyed it, if “enjoy” is an appropriate word… more like “survive” LOL
That wiki article you linked is what led me to post about the AKB48 anime with your interest in mind; when I saw the seiyuu list I was shocked! Seems they got everyone LMAO!
Also, I see that Marina Inouye was signed; she voiced Cossette in what was her then-debut, as well as singing the ED (IIRC). She’s come a long way, baby!
I’m guessing that it might resemble the recent iDolm@ster series; kind of like a “pick-your-girl-and-hope-she-makes-it-to-the-top” sorta thing. Come to think, you might want to check that show out. Twelve wannabe idols working for a struggling promo company, based on the video games. Too many charas, really, but it’s lively and a good mix of personalities and minor drama.
As for the seasonal review, I’m about to finish the final episodes of the Winter shows and will be posting soon. I haven’t a clue as to the new Spring season’s programming; aside from Fate/Zero’s second half, the only familiar titles are the sequel for Eureka 7 and Shining Hearts, the Kimi to Boku 2 sequel (might pass though the first season was good) and the AKB48 show.
All else is a mystery, but I have noted twelve possibilities to watch out for plus assorted OVAs and special eps, like the DVD OVAs of Mirai Nikki and Another.
There’s always something good to watch if you’re willing to research a little
on April 15th, 2012 at 4:45 am
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