Monthly Archives: November 2007

November 16, 2007

From Xenoglossia to Repeating Themes in Soundtracks

By omo

A lot of people didn’t think iDOLM@STER: XENOGLOSSIA was any good. Well, it wasn’t; but looking closer you can see that it’s not consistently bad or mediocre, but a mixed bag.

I actually finished (if one can call watching just the first episode and 18-26 “finished”) watching the show a few weeks after it finished airing. A recent fansub of the last episode came out finally, so I’m sure for some of you this show is still a little fresh in the mind.

The mixed bag is most impressive in the high quality of production value. In fact it’s pretty good throughout the episodes I’ve seen. The choreography is average for mecha but pretty enjoyable when it’s just a bunch of dressed loli flinging axes and other instances of non-mecha stuff. There’s a lot of good visuals that goes alongside with good production value, at least.

But what made me want to blog about this mixed bag is the music. There are some parts of the show where it’s plainly invisible while accompanying the show, but there are parts of the show where the music shines. Just by looking the role of the music in the show, it reminds me a lot of Mai-Hime.

Mai-Hime is one of my two most favorite Kajiura soundtracks, but the music for that show was a lot more repetitive than other Kajiura’s works as many of them are rearrangements of the main theme. The focus on a central theme expounded across the series (and on the OSTs themselves) was the way Mai-Hime BGM worked. Xenoglossia, likewise, focused on a handful themes and Tsuneyoshi Saito’s various arrangements were quite good.

Well, I guess for the soundtrack buff, Xenoglossia is going to be a hit and miss because most tracks on the CD are straight out of the show, and the show, well, is mostly silly. There are some pretty great tracks, though, especially if you like piano or a slightly more jazzy style. There are some more classically orchestrated stuff as well, and for me those are a cue when they pop up in the show, to pay extra attention to the music.

Oddly enough I didn’t care much at all about the main theme (which is aptly the first instrumental track on the first soundtrack), although it seems to be penned with the idea that it’s going to pluck your sentimental strings or whatever as a fan of Xenoglossia might feel when they relive the more emotional moments of the show. I thought the various arrangements are much easier to listen to even if they aren’t as… interesting.

But overall, the two soundtracks to Xenoglossia are pretty solid, as far as anime soundtracks go. Tsuneyoshi Saito also worked on some notable shows like Fafner, Nazca and Denno Coil, so that should give you an idea what sort of stuff he writes. I think there is some FF6 music with his name on it, too. Xenoglossia is probably the odd one out from Saito’s collection?

4 comments | posted in English Language Modern Visual Fandom, Modern Visual Culture, Seiyuu, Idol, Pop

November 13, 2007

Captive Audience

By omo

I think the first 8 minutes of ef – a tale of memories episode 6 is made of pure win. It is the sum of a delightful dialog that I have been trying to have with the rest of you in these past few years, boiled down in a very pointy and simple, directed scene about living for yourself and living for others, tersely paralleled with a creator’s dilemma in his artistic pursuit.

The subtle irony presses on even in the soundscape. Tenmon’s accompaniment with Makoto Shinkai’s early days is not without meaning. The simple chords (or whatever those wiggly lines next to them are called) pierces a slightly heated, poorly acted, but lively dialog. What leaks out was that subtle, fourth-wall prodding that have been pressed through the scenes of this anime series since episode 1. The writing and the dialog talks about a weird, artsy show like ef itself. And the people who make and appreciate them.

The episode started patently out of the DVDs of Soul Taker; flat-pressed rail road crossing, a silent parting only dressed by a roaring locomotive; but it is a declaration of war rather than an unconfessed complex.

But how does a girl figure into all of this? I’m sure a lot of you are rather more interested in the plot elements. Kyousuke was always “that special something” which made the ef anime different than anything else out there for me, so it is good to see the main romance story involving him.

The sharp declaration, the clever, alter-perspective recap to connect episode 5 and 6, well, is electrifying but also a little wacky. I guess I will have to live with that.

As the episode progressed the intensity of the direction dwindled. With Chihiro we see a lot of softness (although it makes good material to spike up things like with that sheep, those painted glass, a singular reaching arm). It’s that Renji-puppy-love, maybe. His mom is definitely a pretty lady that is also pretty funny. A little less funny was his neighbor-friend. And probably way less funny is Renji’s adviser. I guess they’ll save that for his back story with Yuuko.

The episode ends with some tender moment between Kei and Kyousuke, and Kei and Hiro, and showing you why ef is taking advantage of the anime format by doing some cool stuff that wouldn’t be so easy to do.

5 comments | posted in ef, Modern Visual Culture

November 11, 2007

A Girl’s Last Regret

By omo

…is not getting to know November 11 a little better.

Eternity approaches. The feeling of solitude escapes its frail shell through the cracks of the oncoming holiday season. Weather changes from warm to chilly; perhaps your coworker has caught a cold and you try your own best to beat the bug. At any rate, all of this is to pass through the flight of time. In a blink of eye we will be reading Jeff Lawson’s post about his favorite anime being better than yours, along with everyone else that partake in the half-trollish, half-festive tradition. The urge to recall what happened early this year fills you invariably with happy and sad memories at the same time, or worse, a chilly void of “wow, what have I been doing with my life?”

Eternity is here, in some sense. For girls like Chihiro Shindou eternity has been severed into pieces; each night’s sleep leapfrogs her from one small reality to the next, guided by written continuity from the hands of an equally fragmented author. A little sheep grazes at the lawn it is chained, perhaps, to its eventual death. However, what that little sheep fails to realize is that life keeps going. She may be limited by her chains but the sum of herself is more than the recollection of self. It’s the fact that eternity is here. It’s the story about memory, and how we perceive them and express them.

Pop quiz: Why did Nayuki asked Yuuichi if he remembers her name?

Answer: Kanon 2006 FAILS.

But good o chap Jack Simon will live on with those who remember him. And I think even if he doesn’t exist as a real person, he is pretty inspirational as an icon of those who can keep his cool all the while doing the thing he has to do.

6 comments | posted in Darker than Black, ef, Kanon, Modern Visual Culture

November 6, 2007

The Crossroad of Politics and Fandom

By omo

I went and voted today. In the US customarily state and federal governmental elections take place the first Tuesday after the first Monday of each November. Federal elections take place on even years (2006, 2008, etc), so today I only voted on state stuff…some propositions and some state legislature seats, plus some county and township nonsense.

Why did I vote? Because the day before I thought to myself: “So I spent a couple hours a day the past three months, bothering foreign proxies and internet denizens just so I can have my say about some retarded Higurashi bitch. Oh hey is down syndrome the new moe or what? Oh right, yeah, maybe I should go vote down those ludicrous tax proposals tomorrow. That actually makes a real difference. And for crying out loud it’s easier to vote for that than to cast a vote for Saimoe.”

So 2ch, thank you for making this young adult care about politics.

And as I said before; sure, to compare Gundam 00 with a Tom Clancy’s average work (like…Rainbow Six…) is probably comparing the lint in your pocket to… the change in your pocket, but at least Gundam 00 tries. I know there are some people who don’t want “real life” in their escapism. Trust me, I feel that way sometimes too. But variety is the spice of life, or some nonsense. I can imagine why some high power politician would read Rozen Maiden. Who’s the puppet in the Alice Game, now?

We don’t need a liberation front or anything like that. There can be identity in unity, but a loose coalition of ordinary rebels united through their beliefs rather through superficial labels is more genuine. Sure, the former might give you tax exempt status… but the latter is something people can really get behind with because it’s honest. Friends and families, for example. Plenty of otaku-ish people are at the right age to mate and raise families. That’s a good start. Reaching out to other folks around you? That is also good stuff. Go vote. Save money. Buy more anime. Watch more anime. Join the fandom. Win at life, not run from it.

Leave a comment | posted in Christian Living, Modern Visual Culture, Popular Culture

November 5, 2007

The Great Race, or Niger Please?

By omo

They’re in the lead, indeed.

They’re really a bunch of… fungi. GET IT?

Actually the better part of this post will be about Baccano, or how I’m going to watch it when it’s all subbed. Because an ensemble film…works better as a film. Not in a serialized work. But that’s just me and my shortened attention span.

But between this and that heap of praise, there’s only 20% or so chance that Baccano will disappoint me. I dunno about you–go find out yourself.

3 comments | posted in Modern Visual Culture, Moyashimon