Category Archives: Franchises

May 6, 2011

Something Positive about Some Anime

By omo

I’m watching way too many anime. And I don’t know what to cut. I don’t even want to cut, but it’s robbing me sleep, and while that’s fine now and then I don’t know if I’ll live for 3 months like this. Well, it’s not so serious; I just want my 7hr of sleep and all the other social perks that comes with living it up, you know?

Thinking about it, there are a lot of pretty interesting shows doing something right this season. I’m going to try to say a little bit about all the shows that I really want to follow, and can be cut. If a show is not listed here it means I am not watching it, or I can’t cut it, or if it’s Hoshizora Kakeru Hashi. Because that show…I have nothing to say about it, even if I am kind of watching it. Also, Moshidora is over already, so…

After writing up the list, I noticed the more I write about something, the higher chances that I am more attached I am to it than a show with a shorter point. It’s not always the case but that’s just how it ended up.

30-sai – Practical advice in a humorous form. If Moshidora is Drucker High School, 30-sai is your gossipy older sister or married friend who is trying to help you out.

A Channel – It’s just quirky enough to stand out.

AnoHana – Anal hair styles, and Jintan’s t-shirts (tho they could be more sarcastic). More seriously, it does a good job showing how circumstances amplifiy positive and negative emotions, and it’s almost like being mesmerized by a cell screensaver. Less seriously, I want to see “Team Menma” cosplays where a bunch of Yukiatsu cosplayers line up with pride.

[C] – Tomatsu makes a fiery pokemon, she’s fun to watch.

Blue Exorcist – It looks really good.

Deadman Wonderland – The only thing pushing this show forward is the mystery element, but it is a pretty good one because it is covered up by the weirdly large setting they have in place.

Hen Zemi – In a Qwaser sort of way, but more close to home in terms of how over the top some of these characters can be.

Hidan no Aria – I keep talking about the Segue + Uzi combo, but that’s so clever I can’t stop myself.

Kaminomi – As others have said, the best thing was how Saori Hayami’s Haqua worked out as well as it did, contrary to expectation (or lack of in my case).

Lotte no Omocha – Besides the fact that Horie’s character got her boobs milked, the iyashikei focus is a nice touch. It kind of makes me wonder why this hasn’t happened earlier, the iyashikei x harem angle.

Moshidora – The daily presentation is helping a lot. I don’t think my attention span would have survived 10 weeks. Nor is it fair to ask for that much for a (even if it is inspiring) display of Drucker management basics. I think two weeks is about right from a syllabus planning perspective.

Nichijou – It’s funny, and there is at least enough number of gags per episode to not miss any one single week.

OreTsuba – The narrative style presents a very weird premise with a lot of intrigue via its nonlinear presentation of life as is from independent third-person perspectives that are connected plot-wise. Of course it is still an act of deception via omission, but at least it ordered things right so that when it does tell you the trick, it makes sense and carries dramatic impact.

Seishun Otoko – The Seishun point system. It adds a “game” layer that is fun to wrap your mind around, kind of like seeing Mahoro’s expiration date but without the cheap emotional play.

Sket-dan – If anything, pacing is  fast and on the dot for this Jump manga adaptation.

Steins;Gate – Okarin is very likable, kind of like Wah but actually crazy and use Real Facts to back up his statements. It works well with the overall mood of the show.

SoftTeni – Cute girls doing amusing things.

Tiger & Bunny – It’s the better superhero anime this season, mainly because it’s the traditional, character-driven drama that anime is best known for outside the violence and porn perception of the west.

Leave a comment | posted in Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae o Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai., Hanasaku Iroha, Modern Visual Culture, Moshi Kouko Yakyuu no Joshi Manager ga Drucker no "Management" o Yondara, Seikon no Qwaser, Sket Dance

May 3, 2011

Cheers for Managers Everywhere

By omo

I enjoy Moshidora, otherwise known as a relatively stale, sponsored-by-NHK affair. I think the below explains why. I mean, why I enjoy it. If a show can naturally illustrate the problem with Drucker-style management, it’s quite something. And I quote:

It’s not really funny. It’s not trying to be, I don’t think, but as a drama it doesn’t really make sense. The lead character is supposed to be the one who manages everything, but she’s infinitely worse at it than pretty much everyone else. Hell, the short-haired girl picks up a copy of Management and is a genius statistician so I’m not entirely sure why they even need Minami anymore. She doesn’t seem to contribute anything that can’t be replicated by her friends (being good at management tasks, slapping whiny little bitches) or the coach and team captain (knowing something about baseball).

Did I Miss Something?

She doesn’t even manage anything! She just says random bullshit and somebody else does all the work for her! Then she takes all the credit!

Wait, fuck, she’s an amazing manager.

I laughed, because I was thinking the same thing. It goes on–by episode 5 the management team has ballooned from 2 to 4, one “promoted” to management from the players. That’s like, 1:2 management to player ratio (counting the coach as a manager). It’s true to concept, but the ridiculousness highlights the downsides of that style of management. I’m not even particularly concerned about the “negative enforcement loop” thing, because that’s just being unnecessarily cynical. There are plenty of problems even if you are quite positive about the whole affair. And what’s more, in order to go on, they end up recruiting more people, thinning out from a bunch of other people who has their dreams crushed.

If anything, Minami’s background as an ex-player weakens that sharp satirical view, which may detract from the overall concept. Well, it is educational for a smart apple, but I’m not sure any of them is watching this show. Still, honestly, that’s more enjoyment than I get out of your average anime.

Well, it is still educational. I mean, think about it: whose children grow up to want to be a manager? I guess now a boy whose parents tuned him to this NHK’s little special might want to grow up to date a manager instead. Or, perhaps more shockingly, become a manager himself? That move may get him teased and bullied in school, but it could land him a job after graduation, so all is well. The surprisingly progressive angle is just sprinkles on the icing on the cake, I guess.

Leave a comment | posted in Modern Visual Culture, Moshi Kouko Yakyuu no Joshi Manager ga Drucker no "Management" o Yondara

April 28, 2011

That Anime Character Contest I Get Involved in Every Year…

By omo

I have been running a little game over at Megatokyo forums (LOL) for the past few years. Few refers to some number I lost track of, but probably greater than 5. This year, for a change, I wasn’t running the game. But somehow I am now, again.

Long story short,  you get a forum account, you find a poll that has the person(s) you like, and you vote for that person. There’s a schedule of when things happen, and there is a bracket prediction contest in which the winner gets a box of random junk from me and several other people who have stuff to give away. In years past it consists of mostly DVDs, CDs, figures, books of all kinds, stationary, and what weird things you may find in your daily CD Japan email subscription for their goods store. In years past I mail the thing on my own dime, but only as far as Romania. Or was it in some Latin American nation? My geography is not so good. Of course others contributed to the pot via helping out on shipping.

The final round ends in another day or two, and it boils down to Kuroneko versus Homura. I think Kuroneko also headlines Japanator’s “saimoe” contest. That one has a sample size not too different than the one I’m running, maybe 10-15% fewer voters show up there.

I think that is probably going to be a good indicator of Korea’s Best Moe. How will 2ch’s annual Saimoe unfold, that’ll be hard to tell. But I think Homura and Kuroneko are both going to be forerunners, and Kanade will also make a strong show. What are some other “big” polls running out there along the same rules? AnimeSuki does one too, right? And I kind of ignore ISML just because it runs on for way too long and requires too much book keeping.

Personally Ruri Gokou may be the first pure otaku type that I liked since…may be as far back since Hikaru Amano. Man, that’s a long streak. I don’t know how I was largely immune to the girls’ charms from Genshiken, but I was. I typically dislike those otaku-type characters, too. Maybe for once, snark is being done right.

Leave a comment | posted in English Language Modern Visual Fandom, Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica, Modern Visual Culture, Ore no Imouto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai

April 22, 2011

So, That Magical Girls Genre Subversion…

By omo

Spoilers for Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica ahead.

Break!

Continue reading

Leave a comment | posted in Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica, Modern Visual Culture

April 22, 2011

Things I Learned From Anime: Spring 2011 Edition

By omo

Good ideas:

  • It’s not okay to catch giant salamanders in the stream, naked.

  • You can beat yourself up over your inner weakness, not because it makes you weak but because it makes you want to kiss some video game nerd.

  • It’s always good to pay Matsurika.

  • Don’t visit your elementary school at night.

  • Don’t run inside a supermarket.

  • Be nice to the crêpe lady.

  • To modulate the smell of your fart, do it in the bath.

  • You don’t just eat meat, you defeat it.

  • Ninja Warriors are better than normal wars.

  • Segues make great weapon platforms.

Bad ideas:

  • To neutralize someone much stronger than you, take away their favorite field hockey stick. It will make them totally weak. (inb4 Sket Dance is a much better magical girl subversion than Madoka.)

  • It’s okay to call your girl your asset. In fact only winners do this.

  • The world is a much better place if crazy people wrapped themselves in futons.

  • As long as you provide insightful examination to the inner qualities of the real-life individuals, it’s okay to write them into your slash light erotica.

  • You can get away with fake yuri breast-sucking as long as you are a magical boy in drag, in an all-girls school. (This one isn’t so bad isn’t it.)

  • Virtual reality makes you learn stuff faster.

  • It’s okay to carve graffiti into things you don’t own as long as you are a little kid.

  • Chasing a wild monkey will lead you to fateful encounters.

  • Physical touching makes a strong first impression. Be sure to poke that person’s face.

  • Hire your shoujo manga editors based on their looks.

  • Drink Pepsi Nex.

  • Combine a prison with an amusement park.

Special Madoka Bonus Idea:

  • Madoka Died For Your Sins.

Happy Easter? I guess? LOLOL whoever thought Madoka had anything to do with Good Friday LOLOLOL. I am missing a few shows, so forgive me. In fact I am still not done with watching ep1 of all the shows I want to check out…

1 comment | posted in English Language Modern Visual Fandom, Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica, Modern Visual Culture, Sket Dance