October 8th, 2008
The early 50s. Yoriko Kusumoto, the daughter of a dollmaker, is befriended by the mysterious, intellectual (and slightly delinquent) Kanako Yuzuki. Kanako offers Yoriko freedom from her cramped, impoverished lifestyle by taking her to swanky cafés and talking Buddhist mythology at her, filling her head with stories of celestial beings and reincarnation (including the rather creepy idea that they are concurrent reincarnations of each other, and that when one dies she “becomes” the other). Whilst their friendship deepens and drives a wedge between Yoriko and her mother (not helped by the strange moving doll that Sadegawa, their lodger, gives Yoriko), Kanako herself becomes creepier and creepier, strangling Yoriko to prove their faith in each other and tying a string to her that will cement their bond after death.
Kanako asks Yoriko to meet her at a train station one night, and is strangely distant and melancholy - so melancholy, in fact, that she jumps in front of a train as Yoriko notices a strange mark on the back of her neck. The train carries a Detective Kiba, haunted by memories of the war, and he begins to question an inconsolable Yoriko - but Kanako may not be as dead as she should be. And what of the bizarre singing head in a box we see before the credits sequence, and the bespectacled man that knows Kanako who looks at it?
Mouryou no Hako has appeared with next to no hype whatsoever, which I find a slightly odd situation. Based on the second of the popular “Kyogokudo” novels and made into a live action film last year, it seems bizarre that before this episode aired the only promotion we had was some line art, a couple of double page spreads in Newtype et al and a five second long teaser trailer of people’s heads turning. With CLAMP character designs and Madhouse animating, plus a spot on NTV on Tuesday nights, I thought there’d be some buzz around this show but it’s sunk into oblivion. Which is a pity, because (if the length of this entry wasn’t a clue) it’s my favourite show of the new season so far, and the only one that’s inspired me to a full length post.
Firstly, it’s a massive relief to discover that the first episode is decently animated. Madhouse have their usual ludicrous number of shows airing this season and I always worry that they’ll churn out something a bit crap (I had thought this show might get the same treatment as, say, Himitsu did earlier this year), but the inbetweening is very smoothly done and there’s some rather nice detailed work for the girls. More impressively, the atmosphere of the photography and colouring is brilliant - with so much of this episode taking place at night the way the use of light in particular is impressive. This is the first time as series director for Ryosuke Nakamura, but on the evidence of this first episode it seems he’s got a good sense of how to ratchet up the creepiness of the show and keep us interested in the rather wordy dialogue.
So with the technical aspects of the show out the way (oh, the music is nice and the acting is very good - nothing that really makes me froth with excitement but it’s fitting and appropriate), the plot is what’s really got me interested. I love a good mystery, and with so much unexplained in this first episode there’s a lot for me to sink my teeth into - and we haven’t even met three of the four main characters yet. We’ve got heads in boxes, freaky dolls, lesbians coming back to life after being hit by trains, freaky dreams of dead soldiers… it’s intriguingly weird without being horrifying or overly pretentious, and essentially I’m fascinated to see where the story goes.
Of course my opinion may well change over the course of the series (I don’t know how long this is scheduled to run for) and no doubt the show only looks this good because it’s the first episode - with SIX other shows starting this October season there’s no way Madhouse has enough cash to support them all properly. But in the spirit of underdogs everywhere I’m championing Mouryou no Hako as a show you should keep an eye out for if you weren’t planning to watch it already.
Posted in Currently Watching | No Comments »
September 29th, 2008
To counteract my laziness, I’m joining the masses and have signed up for Twitter.
http://twitter.com/BluWacky for bitesize comments when I remember to use the damn thing. Preliminary Hakushaku to Yousei thoughts included!
Posted in Currently Watching | No Comments »
September 28th, 2008
Dear peoples of the internet,
I know you all think I’m dead. I can see it in your metaphorical digital eyes.
The Ass is still very much alive in spirit, though. Tonight I plan to marathon through Antique Bakery (did you even know I was watching Antique Bakery? I hope you are all appropriately intrigued by what I will say!). I did have plans to finish off Natsu no Sora, but having just spoiled myself for the ending I’m really not sure if I want to bother any more - but that’s for another post, methinks. And there’s a few other shows ticking over in my mind including the rather magnificent Xam’d. So rest assured I am STILL not totally out of anime yet - I’m just too lazy to watch it, is all.
Anyway, as it’s traditional and ALL the cool kids are doing it, herewith the lamest Autumn preview ever. I can’t be arsed with pictures, so you’re getting a list in chronological order of airing of what I at least intend to watch an episode or so of. Be amazed at my terrible, idiosyncratic taste!
Hakushaku to Yousei (The Count and the Fairies)
What - “Fairy doctor” goes questing for a mysterious blue sword with a dashing bishounen count in England.
Why - Girly fantasy adventures in England are always awesome.
Why not - Let’s face it, it’s going to have no budget and the fairy doctor will be a whiny bint, but a man can dream, can’t he?
When - Sundays
Casshern Sins
What - reimagining of classic retro sci-fi show about a cyborg crusader for justice
Why - watch the trailer. Retro near-monochromatic action with melodramatic string music, it’s right up my street.
Why not - I don’t trust Madhouse not to balls up the animation, it doesn’t appear to have a giant mechanical swan like the original 70s show did and I think that’s definitely a major downer.
When - Wednesdays
Kuro Shitsuji (The Black Butler)
What - demonic butler serves prissy young head of household in (you guessed it) England
Why - ENGLAND! ’tis the season to feel patriotic, clearly. Also, Maaya Sakamoto and Mamoru Miyano together again.
Why not - to be honest, this sounds a bit pants really - gothic semi-comedy with butlers and maids? I’m giving it a shot nonetheless.
When - Thursdays.
Yozakura Quartet
What - teenage hero quartet protects city. Yum, originality!
Why - I loves me some urban fantasy, Kou Matsuo (director) is awesome
Why not - altogether now - it’s a bit generic sounding.
When - Thursdays
Tales of the Abyss
What - game adaptation with band of heroes saving the world etc. etc.
Why - I liked the game, I believe Sunrise might do a decent job on it
Why not - game adaptations always suck
When - Fridays
Kurogane no Linebarrels (Linebarrels of Iron)
What - boy with MYSTERIOUS POWER pilots GIANT MECHA alongside MYSTERIOUS GIRL
Why - I have no bloody idea. I think I’ve fallen for the advance hype (and the Maaya Sakamoto ending theme)
Why not - Gonzo, story sounds lame, really no idea why I want to watch this
When - Fridays
Toaru Majutsu no Index (A Certain Magical Index)
What - the plot is too incomprehensible to describe in one line - lots of people with magic powers and shit
Why - …lots of people with magic powers and shit, and JC Staff do good action animation
Why not - I suspect I will hate all the characters because I’ll have seen it all before
When - Saturdays
Skip Beat
What - girl trains to be an idol for vengeance. Plus romance.
Why - apparently the manga’s pretty good, it’s shoujo
Why not - again, it’s shoujo, it will have no budget
When - Sundays
Vampire Knight Guilty
What - sequel to bishounen-tastic melodrama from April
Why - I watched the whole first series
Why not - well, it wasn’t that great the first time round
When - Mondays
Mouryou no Hako (The Box of Goblins)
What - fake exorcist solves bizarre murders of girls stuffed in boxes.
Why - I looooooove murder mysteries, sometimes Madhouse are awesome
Why not - inexperienced staff (first time full series director), sometimes Madhouse are awful
When - Tuesdays
Nodame Cantabile Paris-Hen
What - sequel to popular music comedy
Why - liked the first season
Why not - no good reason why not!
When - Thursdays
Michiko e Hatchin
What - Latino buddy road action drama…thing from Manglobe
Why - Manglobe are awesome animators, at least it’s a bit different
Why not - different doesn’t mean it sounds very exciting
When - Wednesdays
There’s a few other shows I’ll probably check out - Tytania, Chaos:head, Ga-Rei, I’m sure there’s some I’ve missed - but I’ve got way too many shows to catch up on as it is, and it’s the new US TV season (how mindbogglingly awful is Knight Rider? I didn’t think it could get any worse than the pilot film…), and…
*head explodes*
Posted in Currently Watching | 2 Comments »
September 12th, 2008
I’ve fallen off the anime bandwagon again. I went on holiday a few weeks ago with a stockpile of around 45 episodes to watch and didn’t get through any of them, let alone think about blogging (Kaiba has spoilt me this year, clearly). I’m easing myself back into things - I finally got around to picking up all of Noein on DVD the other day and I’m relieved to discover it’s just as wonderful on rewatching.
I’ve just reached the halfway point in Noein - episode 12, and that fight scene. Noein makes me think of Macross Frontier for a lot of reasons - it’s the same animation studio, after all, and I swear that the Fold Space CG in Macross is ripped straight out of the CG “tunnel” sequences in Noein when Haruka crosses dimensions. However, there’s one major difference that might surprise you in particular.
I have no clue what’s going on in Macross Frontier, whereas I was totally clear on where Noein was going.
Now Noein’s a bit of a weird series with all its physics psychobabble etc, so you’re probably thinking I’m a weirdo. It’s also true that Macross isn’t particularly complicated.
But I don’t know the names of huge numbers of characters (what’s the guy with the funny hair called who’s carrying on with Cathy? How about all the crew members from the SMS?). And I’m not really sure if anything’s happened yet. There’s been a lot of singing (which is good) and there’s been a few Vajra attacks, but I don’t really have a clue about where the series is going. Is there a point to the Vajra, for instance, or are they just attacking because it’s a Macross series and there has to be transforming mecha in it?
In fact, that whole aspect of the show is passing me by somewhat. Despite first appearances Alto has been incredibly minimised in character development and plot importance terms - he’s almost on the level of a harem lead in his general blandness and unimportance. I’m sure many people are happy that Sheryl and Ranka are the main characters, but I think Alto had the potential to be much more interesting than he really is which hasn’t been realised as yet. The Vajra battles and the SMS side of the story have therefore become superfluous to the battle of the idols - not necessarily a bad thing as both Sheryl and Ranka are entertaining enough, but it’s a little disappointing.
On the plus side, the score is still glorious (and filled with cheesy pop songs!), the infamous Satelight animation means we get some brilliant stuff mixed in with the occasional brain-meltingly awful character designs, and Hiroyuki Yoshino seems to be avoiding his everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach to scriptwriting that usually means there’s far too much going on at any one time. I just hope that in the next few episodes something happens that will convince me there’s a bit more to the show.
Posted in Macross Frontier | 5 Comments »
August 30th, 2008
Hmmmmmmm.
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
It’s not the destination, it’s the journey that counts. Supposedly, anyway. It’s not as if the destination in this case is particularly bad, it’s just… a bit weird.
Yup, I’m not totally satisfied with the way Kaiba ends. “What’s new?” I hear you cry. “It’s anime, most shows end weirdly!”. But it’s been a good few weeks now since the show ended and I’ve watched episode 12 a good three or four times now to try and work out how I feel, and I’m still not really getting anywhere.
At first blush, if like me you watch it raw and your Japanese is poor to put it mildly, it’s a whole great load of mindboggling tosh. Giant blue monsters emerging out of nowhere with evil baby Warps, giant planetoids appearing out of nowhere, Neiro running through some completely unidentifiable storage room releasing giant ethereal hands that are apparently “good”… while the overall tone of the episode makes sense and the end is fairly obvious, there’s so much that appears to be just thrown in because it looks cool. Certain aspects make more sense once you take the time to consider the episode on rewatches, but on the whole it’s dissatisying that a show that has spent so much time carefully making its “world” feel so fully fleshed out just throws a lot of weird shit at the audience for no particular reason.
I suppose there’s little left to really do in this episode. The ambiguities of the story as a whole are mostly cleared up, and the characters’ emotional arcs have been pretty much played out by episode 11 - most of the characters don’t even have emotions any more, so there’s not much you can do with them! Personally I don’t think Yuasa really knew how to end the show - Copy Warp is dealt with effectively, and the Kaiba threat is well established throughout the previous episodes, but I think he thought he needed to throw in the baby Warp because a giant plant that Warp had defeated before wasn’t really going to cut it for a final episode conflict.
Baby Warp, though, doesn’t make much sense. Not only does it make the whole Warp succession thing even MORE confusing than it already was, but all his prattle about negative memories and becoming one with the Kaiba has nothing to do with anything and should realistically mean nothing to the true Warp because the whole POINT of the show has been that Warp isn’t a bad guy and that he has happy memories with Neiro. It’s ridiculous.
…and breathe. Anyway, plot issues and meaningless imagery aside, it’s hardly a BAD final episode. There’s some great animation, good action, and at least the very end is nice in an annoyingly Japanese ambiguous way.
So, the show as a whole. I have to think in terms of the whole show, not the ending, although it’s left a slightly sour taste in my mouth. So few shows show the breathtaking imagination that Kaiba did, nor the impressively secure writing, acting, music… you name it. Yuasa MOSTLY got the somewhat teenage impulses that plagued Kemonozume (in my opinion) out of his system and crafted a sensible, mature sci-fi romance like the show was marketed as. I do think he needs to spend more time on his actual stories rather than plot concepts, though - the more abstract concepts and worldbuilding in Kaiba are dealt with fantastically, but I don’t think he’s very good at properly constructing an overall story.
I don’t have a lot else to say, unfortunately, and I wish I did. I’ll pick up the show in a flash if it ever gets an English language release, but I still can’t quite put into words how the end of Kaiba has made me feel, which is a pity as it’s been by far the most interesting anime I’ve seen this year.
Posted in Kaiba | 1 Comment »
