Category: Anime

Seven Mortal Sins

June 23, 2018
AnimeMovies & TV

The Seven Mortal Sins (which is the conflict avoiding name of Hobby Japan’s Seven Deadly Sins franchise) is rated TV-MA for a reason… the cast is entirely made up of well endowed women who’s most frequent activity is losing their clothing one way or another. It’s all in good fun though as the anime knows exactly what it is and what it’s doing, occasionally poking fun at itself and larger entertainment tropes.

A wonderful example of this comes in episode 6 (Sloth Online) where Maria loses her armor, only to have it replaced with the skimpiest of outfits and when she complains, Belphegor (Sloth) tells her that the skimpier the armor the more effective. Not just funny commentary in general, but for those who remember it’s predecessor Queen’s Blade it’s almost like a little Easter egg.

Anyway… if you’re looking for this sort of thing… and you know who you are… this is an excellent example. There’s a plot, there’s plenty of action, there’s plenty of “sexy time” as Azazel of High School DxD would say… and you don’t get too many choices in this genre. I mention DxD because although this is super-fan-service-heavy, I wouldn’t want you to confuse it with the place we see most fan service these days: the harem. Both shows are fan-service shows, but Seven Mortal Sins is not a comedy and definitely NOT a Harem (although it has a Yuri aspect that may develop into a harem in future installments, that’s certainly not the focus). There are always plenty of Harem anime around… usually several a season, but this sort of action fan service show is actually pretty unusual. That’s why if you’re interested you should give this a look.

If you end up enjoying it (and it’s really a lot of fun as long as you’re looking for the fan service aspect) you should definitely check out the Queens Blade series that preceded it several years before. That has a lot more entries, unfortunately a little less focused in some areas, and unfortunately un-concluded, but still definitely worth your time if you enjoy this one.

Ergo Proxy

June 6, 2018
AnimeMovies & TV

So last week we looked at a movie masterpiece… now how about a TV series masterpiece?

This is something I don’t re-watch very often… well, that’s not exactly true. I re-watch the first few episodes a couple of times a year. I just don’t re-watch the entire series more than once every few years. Let’s talk about why, but first… if you don’t have it, grab Ergo Proxy on DVD while it’s still cheap!

Ergo Proxy is one strange anime. It’s not based on a manga or game or light novel and as such you’ve either seen it or you haven’t. It’s a bit cyberpunk and post-apocalyptic and philosophical… in fact, it’s damn hard to characterize. The first 8 episodes are pretty straight forward. There’s a mystery, a conspiracy, authorities and rebels and factions. People run around and things get shot and characters are in danger. It’s the middle third where things take a shape left turn into the bizarre. Truly… from an episode comprised solely of one character’s delusions to the infamous game show episode, it’s hard to tell what’s supposed to be real and what’s only happening inside one of the characters heads. These episodes can really test the patience of the viewer, which is why I don’t  re-watch them all that often. It’s true that they contain important plot points, character development and story information, but they are challenging to say the least.

The final third is where things start to come together. That’s not to say they don’t have their fair share of the bizarre, but they clearly move back to a more traditional narrative structure. Even so, the story remains convoluted and challenging, and even when everything is laid out at the end, the viewer (at least this viewer) is left with lingering questions about the nature of some of the story.

Ergo Proxy is a unique story, filled with questions and answers. Many narrative questions get answered (or at least the answers are implied for the viewer to reach conclusions about on their own) but many of the philosophical questions are unanswerable, and the viewer is left to consider them. The story is impactful, and the manner of telling amplifies that impact. Characters progress through a journey and we travel along with them, going from a disinterested observer who doesn’t like and barely cares about them, to a member of the party saddened by even the apparent villain’s defeat in the end because none of these characters are the hero… none are villains. They’re all deep three dimensional beings that come to life in a sea of circumstances beyond their control as they sail the stormy surface, occasionally diving deeper, only to be thrown back to the surface again.

I know there are a lot of new anime this year. There’s a lot of good anime coming out every season. But if you haven’t seen Ergo Proxy, you owe it to your self to experience one of the greatest anime ever made, not because it’s original and not because it’s “classic” but because you may never see anything else that will have quite the same impact.

Sometimes that’s a bad thing. I’ve seen lots of anime that “have an impact” only to find out that the impact is emotionally negative. It’s easy to tear at the heart and leave the viewer emotionally raw because they’ve been effectively abused. This is not that. Even though the story is not uplifting through most of the series, and the characters adventures can best be described as trials, the series is positive and hopeful. After watching this, I think about it’s themes and characters for days afterwards, and am always happy when I finish the series. Unfortunately it’s difficult work. Slow in parts, negative in many ways, depressing on surface levels and narratively complex, just as it does for the characters, it demands effort from the viewer to get to the end, but the journey is oh so worth it!

Don’t miss this one.

Ghost in the Shell: The Abomination!

June 2, 2018
AnimeMovies & TV

Warning… this is going to be a consideration of the live action Ghost in the Shell movie in light of the anime franchise (no manga references here).

Ghost in the Shell - Live Action For those who don’t know… the Ghost in the Shell live action movie was released in 2017 and stars Scarlett Johansson. It’s available in 4K, Blu-ray and DVD formats and was greeted with some skepticism and controversy by the anime community.

Casting a white actress to play the lead caused a stir. After the plot was revealed, this was expounded upon due to the main character’s racial history, but for me that sort of thing never mattered. I have always been more concerned with faithfulness to the original anime franchise.

Before I get into it I should preface this with my historical relationship to Ghost in the Shell. I first saw the original anime in a movie theater, on it’s initial US release in 1995. After that I bought it on DVD, and have re-bought it several times as newer versions with better audio or remastering have become available (Blu-ray).

I have also purchased and watched both season 1 (DVD) and season 2 (DVD) of the TV series Stand Alone Complex as well as the movies derived from them: Laughing Man, Individual Eleven and Solid State Society. Ditto for the movie sequel Innocence as well as the OVA prequels Arise (1-2 and 3-4). So that’s what I have in mind when I think about the Live Action version of Ghost in the Shell.

I’d like to start off by saying that I did have a preconceived notion of what I’d get, not from the trailers or reviews, but just from knowing Hollywood and the way previous anime adaptations have gone (I’ll try to do something soon for Kite as that truly gets overlooked). That’s not to say that I expected the movie to be bad… but I didn’t expect it to be faithful to the anime (in story or tone or themes). I just expected a Hollywood action movie that happened to have familiar characters running around doing Hollywood action-y things.

Before I get into my criticism, let me say that if you know nothing about Ghost in the Shell, the movie is exactly what you’d expect, Hollywood action sci-fi. In this regard it’s fine, and I can recommend it… but only if you do NOT know anything about Ghost in the Shell. If you’re a GitS fan, I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed… to see why, read on.

The Critique

Unfortunately for GitS fans, we don’t get familiar characters in a new story, nor do we get a pale imitation (retread) of the original. Either of these would be bad, but… somehow what we got is actually much worse. This movie steals the characters names and puts them on different characters entirely, while lifting scenes from the original movie almost verbatim and then twisting them into different contexts to serve a different story entirely. It’s an uncanny bastardization of names and places and scenes glued onto different characters and scenarios that leaves you wondering if the makers ever spent a day watching any of the anime… maybe they wrote the movie from the fan wiki?

Let me use the seminal Star Wars to demonstrate… imagine a new Star Wars movie in which Han is a shy techie, Luke is a mafia enforcer and Leia is an evil sorceress… then imagine these characters are re-enacting the trash compactor scene, but the reason they’re there is not to rescue the princess, but because they were caught stealing R2 and 3PO. Seriously… it’s like that.

First: Characters

The Major – Live Action: Major is the character’s name (because she has no other to serve the plot). She’s a victim who can’t beat the bad guy and can’t get her own shit together enough to even manage her team… oh, wait, it’s not her team, it’s someone elses’ and she’s just a tool… sorry, I forgot.

The Major – Anime: The major has a name, it’s Motoko Kusanagi. She’s never a victim and is often several steps ahead of the rest of her team… yes, I said HER team because she hand picked each and every one of them, and they are the best of the best.

Aramaki – Live Action: Aramaki actually executes someone… ‘nuf said?

Aramaki – Anime: The head of Section 9 is a daft political operator who skillfully manages the socio-political environment to shield his team and facilitate their operations. He doesn’t get his hands dirty… that’s what the team is for!

The Team – Live Action: Aside from Batou, they may as well be cardboard cutouts… I understand it’s a movie and there’s only so much time, but they are poorly represented.

The Team – Anime: Although the same short length in the original movie, each member of the team at least appears to have a unique role, and though we get no back story and little development, there’s a sense that each is integral to the overall success of the group.

Next: Setting

Again, in service to a specific plot device, the entire world of GitS has been changed into something barely recognizable… here’s a description of each.

Live Action: Humanity’s future is indeed bright when people can be augmented with synthetic organs to save or extend their lives, and have cybernetic implants that allow them to remotely operate a car, or surf the web without even a smart phone.

Anime: Humanity’s future is in question. Human augmentation with cybernetics has progressed to such an extreme that it’s difficult to say where humanity stops and a machine starts. A number of people are nothing more than brains operating robot bodies, and artificial intelligence is making it hard to tell the difference. Does 3 pounds of gray matter… make you human?

I could say a lot more about this, but watch them both to draw your own conclusion.

Finally: Plot

The live action plot touches on some classic GitS themes and seems to ask some common GitS philosophical questions, but the character pollution and setting shortcomings make it painful to watch as a fan. The setting created for the movie would be appropriate for a prequel set 50 years in the GitS past, perhaps… when cybernetic enhancement is just beginning to be explored by humanity. Of course you’d need a host of different characters to pull that off.

In classic GitS the plot revolves around solving crimes. That is what Section 9 is, after all… a counter terrorism investigative unit. Crimes against Section 9 members are the result of their investigations (they’re getting too close to a powerful corrupt government official or corporation, for example). They aren’t personal. Making the Major the crime, removing her from the team (as a tool), stealing a host of GitS plots and mashing them together and sticking the Major in the middle of it feels lazy. It doesn’t feel like GitS, but a parody or imitation not intended as a sincere form of flattery.

Conclusion

If you do NOT know Ghost in the Shell from manga or anime… you should give this a go. It’s a perfectly fine Hollywood action / sci-fi movie. A bit slow for the run and gun crowd, but most people are going to enjoy it and it’s little twists and turns. That being said, if you haven’t seen the original anime and you have any interest in doing so, PLEASE watch it first… I guarantee you if you watch it second, it’s impact will be diminished.

If you’re a fan of the Anime (any aspect of it) you’re likely to not only be disappointed, but actually offended. The worst part is not the defective setting or the bastardized characters (although they are painful)… it’s the recreation of famous scenes from the original in a way that somehow threatens the original masterpiece.

I can’t quite explain it other than to say this… watch the major waking up scene in the anime first. Consider the silent, bleak, high-contrast scene of just a few seconds and what you learn about the major from it. Now watch the recreation in the live action movie. It says nothing and serves no purpose other than for the film makers to say “look what we did there… did you catch it? We totally stole that, aren’t you happy now?” No… No I’m not happy about it, because you just showed me an alternative version of a masterpiece and it’s defective in every way. And the consequence is this… anyone who sees the defective live action version first will have the impact of the original superior version lessened by that familiarity.

In other words (and this is specifically directed at the recreation of all of those famous scenes)… if you couldn’t do it right… you shouldn’t have done it at all. Find something else to do. Find something your own to do. Don’t steal a genius’ works and pass them off as your own even if you think it’s an homage… because it’s not when you can’t do the original the justice it deserves!

Finally, watch the original… it’s truly a masterpiece worthy of all of the accolades it’s received over the many years it’s been with us. At $10 for the DVD/Blu-Ray it’s a terrific bargain. That being said, it’s not an action movie and it’s sensibilities may be a bit difficult for today’s audience. Also, many of it’s ideas and themes which were groundbreaking back in the day may also be a bit tired by today’s standards. Still… it’s excellent and should not be missed.

After watching it… then you can go on and watch the live action version. It’s really a different movie and it’s not bad if you’re not a huge fan of the original (which you may be after one sitting, but probably not). If the anime doesn’t make you gush with excitement and force you to run out and tell everyone you know how amazing it is… you’ll probably be able to enjoy the live action version for what it is… a completely different movie “inspired” by the brilliance of the original, and if you look at it like that, I guess there’s nothing wrong with trying… it’s just not the same.

Haven’t You Heard? I’m Sakamoto

December 4, 2017
Anime

OK… here’s a truly unique comedy… one in which the main character isn’t really a character at all: Haven’t You Heard? I’m Sakamoto (DVD / BD). Sakamoto may be the titular character, but this is a classroom comedy where most of the class makes up an ensemble cast of relatively ordinary people. The comedy comes from their reactions to the enigmatic, caricature that is Sakamoto.

As an example, we get to know the mother of one classmate, the thug life of several others, and the dreams / hobbies / fantasies of several others, but we never even get Sakamoto’s first name. We know nothing about his family life, or even if he has one. We never see his house, or anywhere he goes besides the school. He may as well be an alien from outer space, or a shared delusion. It’s really all about how the ordinary people of the class react to the extraordinary Sakamoto. To that end, the comedy is hit or miss. There’s a lot that’s amusing, sometimes simply for its novelty, but very little is laugh out loud funny. The art is adequate, but plenty of things not essential are relatively crudely rendered. The music is forgettable. What sticks with you after the show ends is the premise: How do mere mortals react to a deity in their midst. To that end, it’s a fun show. Others have said it’s hard to take large doses of this at once, but I had no trouble bingeing the whole 13 episodes in a weekend, 9 straight on Sunday. It’s a good show, and despite the initial negative reactions of some classmates, never truly mean spirited. In fact, it’s not only pleasant and likable, but heartwarming. Sakamoto’s presence enhances the lives of all around him without him really trying or them even being aware of it. It’s not until the end that the class even realizes it, expressed in the 13th episode OVA which is half clip show and half new material. But even the clip show part is played for the comedy it’s worth.

This isn’t the best comedy and it’ll be very taste specific, but for people who appreciate it, it’s truly worth a watch. Watching this show puts me in mind of Cromartie High School which came many years before and is quite different, but in some ways similar. If you’re a fan of comedy and of the unusual, give this a try… it may become one of your favorites.

Myriad Colors Phantom World

November 25, 2017
Anime

Get ready for some H-A-P-P-Y…! Myriad Colors Phantom World is probably best described as a fantasy slice of life. The main cast is one guy and four girls, but it’s not really a harem anime. There is some fan service, but it’s generally minor and only really becomes an issue in the OVA. The show follows a group in a high school club who use special abilities to protect people from “phantoms”. What they are is never fully explained, and these aren’t save the world scenarios, more like save the pet rabbits. So, there’s no heavy drama, no high stakes, no real enemies, and all that makes this show… nice. That’s right, nice. And no, that’s not a bad thing. There’s a little romance, a little action, a little drama, but mostly it’s character and happy-happy fun times.

It’s not easy to binge this whole thing. There are 14 episodes (including the OVA) and I was able to handle 4-5 at a time. That’s about a movies’ worth at a clip. Every character gets a story and the group gets several to coalesce and bond. It’s generally a good time for everyone involved. Even the group’s curmudgeon comes around and gets their happy on by the end.

So, this is a great anime if you’re recovering from the drrrrama, or want something mellow to relax to. Because it’s new it’s a bit pricey, especially for a 14 episode run. If you usually go for dramas or comedies or action or fan service, it is none of those things… but it’s so nice and fun and pleasant that it may be the thing you need between all of those things. Give it a try. I’m sure glad I did.

Tokko

October 28, 2017
Anime

Today, I have something a little different… an old anime I re-watch from time to time: Tokko. Unfortunately like so many older anime, this one is out of print and the privateers are out to take advantage of younger fans that didn’t have the opportunity to buy this when it first was released. It’s a short (13 episode) series that has a sort-of conclusion that isn’t very satisfying, but at least it’s not a cliff-hanger or something. It looks like they were planning to go further and ran out of money or time (due to bad planning). In fact, the story is very smooth and fluid for the first 8-10 episodes and suddenly gets jerky… as if they were planning a 26 episode run and were told 8 episodes in they were only getting 13.

It’s a classic demon fighting anime about a special police unit that combats demons from another dimension. What makes it a little different is the political machinations. There’s more than just the demons and fighters, there are a few other groups moving around in the shadows as well. Unfortunately the anime doesn’t get too deeply into most of them, but their presence and implied impact on the story adds a dimension a simpler plot line would not be able to realize.

Still it’s a good series. The setup is pretty good and the characters are pretty interesting. I’ll be honest, it’s not worth what people are asking for it new… but it is worth $20… for sure… which seems to be the used price. If you can get it for under $20… and you like some gory demon fight scenes and violence mixed in with a bit of mystery… give it a go!

Is it wrong to try to pick up girls in a dungeon?

September 30, 2017
Anime

Today we have an anime that asks the seminal question “Is it wrong to try to pick up girls in a dungeon?“… and the answer is… Wrong? So wrong it’s RIGHT! (DVD)

This is a very fun and mostly light-hearted feel-good series which follows the adventures of Bell Crenel as he goes from weak nobody who can’t even get accepted into an adventuring guild (Familia) to a renowned hero loved and respected by a widening circle of friends and admirers. The good news is it’s only 13 episodes and has a solid story and reaches a satisfying conclusion. The bad news is that the sequel we’re all waiting for stops following Bell’s adventures and switches to another (albeit central) character all together. I’ll wait to see it before saying more, but after this excellent anime, I was hoping for more Bell and friends.

Let’s see… maybe you want some more detail… This is a fantasy anime… everything takes place in a single town dominated by a giant tower and a massive dungeon. The main source of wealth and resources comes from what can be extracted from the dungeon, and so adventurers (alone or in parties) routinely enter the dungeon to kill monsters and bring back whatever they can. Most adventurers join a guild (or Familia) and these Familia specialize in things like making weapons or fighting. They are usually founded by a deity who oversees the members as if they were the god’s children and expend some effort protecting and nurturing them.

Bell is the lone member of Hestia’s Familia (after being rejected by all the other gods). He starts with no experience, training or equipment and through his hard work and determination (and a good bit of luck and an accident of birth) he works his way up to a solid adventurer. Along the way he meets and befriends a number of people, ranging from local restaurant employees and members of other Familia to a “supporter” who becomes his first partner in battle and a famous weapon-smith who becomes his second.

Bell is the main character and is generally likable. He does have an annoying level of naivete which gets exploited painfully in a couple of episodes, but this is central to the story as it also explains why so many characters feel a need to protect him. Hestia has an equally important role effectively as Bell’s patron god and protector. Perhaps most interesting is the way a character we rarely see plays such a major role. In the first episode, Bell is saved by an adventurer of mythic stature and thereafter, he pursues a single goal almost exclusively: to become as good as his new idol. It’s odd for an adult, but fits with Bell’s fourteen year old character well enough. I just mention it because many anime have the protagonist chasing an idol pattern, but few make it such a large focus.

Anyway, this is a very good anime. I’m looking forward to the next chapter in this very likable world full of interesting and fun characters. Give it a look, won’t you?

Strike the Blood

August 29, 2017
Anime

Why, oh why didn’t Strike the Blood get dubbed?

I love this anime! I’m not sure how many times I’ve re-watched it now, but I’d guess this is the third time in the past year alone. It’s classic harem and maybe that’s why it didn’t get a dub, having so much competition from similar ilk, but honestly. this one stands out above many similar titles for me.

I usually hold out in the hopes that a sub-only release will get an English dub at some point, but in this case I’ve given up hope and just gave in. If they ever do a dub, I’ll happily buy it again for that alone… so, what makes this so great?

The male lead isn’t super-clueless… just regular-level clueless when it comes to the females around him… and he’s not a pervert or jerk… which is saying something in light of a lot of contemporary harem anime. The girls vary quite a bit in personality and appearance and many are fun, competent characters. Most importantly though, this has an interesting setting and story. The show’s mythology is pretty interesting and seems to keep expanding as the show continues. Before you know it, everyone has some back story or development that gives them a reason for being around (other than eye candy). They’re all generally nice characters as well… none is unpleasant. I know that sounds weird too, but there are a lot of characters you can’t wait to see exit the scene because they’re just that annoying.

So is this a mediocre show that’s just not terrible in any way? Because re-reading what I just wrote, that may be the impression you’re getting. I’m not really doing it justice. The truth is really this simple: The story is interesting, the characters are fun, the visuals are good, there is a good mix of action and comedy with just a little drama (not much) and it’s broken up into nice bites. Most episodes are part of a four episode arc. Some are three and even a two episode arc, but there are generally clean breaks between the arcs that let you sit down and watch about 90 minutes at a time… almost like a collection of movies. This makes it east to sit down and watch and get to a good stopping point and then leave and come back the next day for more. Before you know it the 24 episodes in this season will be over and you’ll be wondering if the OVAs and second season will ever get a U.S. release (I sure hope so since there are some mysteries about some of the characters that are not explained here).

Anyway, if you’re willing to live with subtitles and are looking for a fun, easy harem anime where the focus is on action rather than ecchi, give this a shot.

The Slayers [Season 2]

July 31, 2017
Anime

Next… The Slayers: Next (The second season)

So after watching season one I just had to continue on to season two. It’s the continuing adventures of Lina Inverse and her gang, except now Zelgadis and Amelia are effectively part of the core and we have some new people tagging along. They vary from occasionally present for comic relief (Martina) to critical to moving the story along (Xellos). Sylphiel from season one returns for a while as does Zangulus for the final arc.

This season feels a little more purposeful than the first… there being a single overarching arc that stretches from beginning to end. That being said, it feels like there is more filler in here, especially in the middle as they stretch the story to fill all 26 episodes of the season. When you get to the end, you can see how even the filler serves the overall arc, but while you’re in the middle of it, it’s hard to figure out why. There’s a lot of questing for the Clair Bible… and a bunch of battles with various monsters along the way. A grand plan gets revealed, and a villain is unmasked, but in the end this is not quite as enjoyable to me as the first season. Still, it’s definitely worth watching and I enjoy re-watching it every once in a while.

Since you get all three seasons for the price of one (because this is so old) it’s a no-brainer! Get the three season pack and watch them all! If you’re a fan of sword and sorcery anime with a heavy dose of comedy… you really can’t go wrong. I’ll probably continue on to season three next… let’s find out next time, shall we?

The Slayers [Season 1]

July 25, 2017
Anime

Oh yeah… The Slayers! (But just season 1 🙂 )

You know you wanna watch this one again. The Slayers is classic anime… and I don’t just mean “old”, I mean CLASSIC. Swords and sorcery comedy adventure… heavy on the comedy, including fourth wall breaks and meta-humor. A cast of crazy characters that only get crazier as they bounce off of each other. In spite of some serious themes and plot lines it never gets too heavy and always ends happy (99% of the time). Don’t get me wrong, characters die… sometimes even good characters, but by and large this is an uplifting feel-good anime that you can count on to brighten your mood.

There are five seasons… I’d really call it four, and the last one(s) came out probably 10 years ago now… and the first three were old then, so the animation’s nothing special. In fact it’s full of the anime cliches… but it’s also so old that it’s ALL hand drawn, even the backgrounds.

So, let’s talk about what makes this show great, the characters! (just the core for now)

Lina Inverse is the star of the show (as she’ll occasionally remind you). She’s a 15 year old sorcery genius and all around brat. She has a short temper, thoughtlessly blows up entire towns, kills bandits to steal from them and is occasionally wanted for various crimes. While all that sounds pretty deplorable, she always seems to mean well and is very endearing as a character.

Next is her partner in crime Gourry Gabriev. He’s a strong, handsome, highly skilled swordsman who’s also dumb as a rock. In fact, the exposition is usually Lina explaining things to Gourry… multiple times. It’s a good thing he’s a good-natured and easy going lunk because the rest of the group (especially Lina) harp on him quite a bit for his dull wit.

Not quite there for every adventure, but somehow around for most is Amelia Seyruun, a child princess of Seyruun who wants to be a “warrior for justice”. Ridiculous poses from high places while spouting grandiose introductions seem to be her hobby. She’s a skilled magic user in her own right (and her skills develop through the series) and she’s very valuable to the team. Unfortunately just like Lina she usually delivers more chaos than justice.

Finally there’s Zelgadis Greywords, a part-human, part-demon, part-golum who sometimes comes along for the ride when his goals mesh with the team, and sometimes opposes some or all of the rest when they clash over his personal quest to recover his humanity. Both a skilled sorcerer and swordsman, he acts as the team’s voice of reason and straight man almost all the time.

Between the four of these highly skilled and accomplished, but also dysfunctional individuals we get the painfully funny adventures of The Slayers. If you have never seen this, the first three seasons are super-cheap AND excellent! What are you waiting for?