Category Archives: Franchises

December 29, 2010

You Know It’s Been a Good Year for Comedy When…

By omo

Author is writing about people’s perception of 4koma presentation and breaking things up. I think it is a matter of personal interpretation but the switch between a seamless medium and 4koma is part of the tricks of the trade of comedy and presenting manga. After all, all manga begins on a blank piece of paper. “Koma” is added to give presentation its structure, and we stop at 4 identical framing for various other reasons, to give it even more structure.

The same applies in anime as well. Seitokai Yakuindomo mimics that by giving those “second joke” cuts with flying stamps, transiting from scene to scene, or strip to strip. On the other hand Lucky Star is almost entirely devoid of it. Thinking back to Azumanga Daioh, the first otaku anime 4koma smash hit, does it make sense?

And why AzuDai, even? It’s just my lens in which I view the situation. Azudai is broken up into 5 segments per episode, where as you can see a similar kind of breakdown in SYD. More so when the punchlines are flying in the air. Not so much in Lucky Star. But that is a stylistic choice. I mean, Lucky Star feels a lot more like K-ON (that’s 4koma too), and that’s because both are similarly presented. And who cares about transitions in K-ON?

Look at Working!! for example, does that feel like 4koma to you? Now that is where AzuDai is. A much more perfected blend of television narrative with jokes that hits like sewn-together sitcom punchlines, that it is textured without trying very hard, because you were laughing when the story changed from frame to frame. The original 4koma material is like dough for this new baked good.

But I think that’s not to say it is the only way or even the best way. Seitokai Yakuindomo is meant to flaunt its panel-switching cuts since it is a running joke as well; it doesn’t hide its transition, but rather uses it as a joke. Of course people who gets turned off by that seemingly-seamless-seam-switching might enjoy it more. It’s not so much that I would be laughing when the anime changes from strip-to-strip: I was too busy trying to process the joke and on-screen text to notice.

However, I find it hard to believe that Lucky Star is underrated. It’s gotten so much hype during its hay days that few shows deserves, if any. Maybe among Author’s reads, I suppose.

Leave a comment | posted in Azumanga Daioh, K-ON, Modern Visual Culture, Seitokai Yakuindomo, Working!!

December 28, 2010

Crunchyroll Rolls a Squid’s Hat

By omo

Whose idea is it to run promos on Christmas weekend…

But hey, if they’re cool seiyuu vids with autographed prizes to go with, you can roll it whenever you want! I think it’s pretty awesome that CR is doing all these things. It’s like NISA’s thingy with AX but this is fine too, if even more fair to those people who can’t go to cons (read: most people).

More importantly, if you are a CR user you would know that their anime contests 90% of the time are some kind of “collect x badges!” or some other random crap thing you get by running the video and get badges within a certain time frame. Which is totally not helpful for people who are watching something already. Something like this seems at least fun for everyone and possibly more fair, lol.

See this thread for the contest rules and information on how to do it.

Also see this interview. LOL. Get your share of Hisako Kanemoto, who’s made two big splashes this year and at least one more next year(?) in Makoto Shinkai’s new film.

Leave a comment | posted in English Language Modern Visual Fandom, Ikamusume, Modern Visual Culture

December 24, 2010

Akari’s Pet Peeve

By omo

With wrapping up of Amagami SS we have first witnessed the arc-based treatment of a non-cumulative narrative, or more commonly called omnibus, format for your average multi-branching ADV game.

The girls are fine, and as I said before [would link if my blog is up w] each will appeal to someone, neither variable may be the same. Even the last bonus girl Risa is quite amusing in the sense that even what she did is horrible it is portrayed in a humorous light, and even in its composite-recap nature adds to characterization of the six protagonists earlier.

I just don’t want to hear people cry how she gets a better ending than Rihoko. Because it makes Akari go yandere.

No, more seriously, Rihoko is doing her token osananajimi thing, which is perfectly okay if she puts herself in the friendzone, because that is where she likes it best. It is similar to Risa’s perspective, except Rihoko is truly selfless. Because it would be up to Junichi to take it to the next level, at his leisure. Rihoko doesn’t want to stress him at all, and she really doesn’t. Because as long as you are together…what does it matter, right?

To-Heart is over 10 years old now, but it is still the best representation of a core aspect of bishoujo anime/game/culture today. Give it a whirl if you haven’t.

Leave a comment | posted in Amagami, Modern Visual Culture

December 23, 2010

Asking John about Kara no Kyoukai

By omo

Ask John about Kara no Kyoukai, and he will give you actually a fairly balanced view of things, if a little too retail oriented.

I don’t know if he is right or wrong about the nature of American otaku and how the Rakkyo series fits it. I personally believe that he is probably spot on to compare Rakkyo with Oshii, but how many times did he use the word pretense? I mean who am I? Some self-titled anime expert? Who doesn’t even know ‘Rakkyo’? I mean it’s on freaking Wikipedia. Not a lot of people liked Innocence, as far as I can tell. Basically, I think it’s too off the beaten path even in America. What sold in the 80s and 90s was not what ROD OAV was.

He dotes on Chapter 3, which is the MAGARE episode in which Shiki performs an appendectomy. Well, actually, she kills the infection, not the appendix. Which sums up my opinion of episode 3. Certainly however I can see why someone would like it; the episode itself is well put-together and unlike Chapter 7, the viewer is not left in some kind of overwrought suspense and Mamiko Noto carries a strong performance both as victim and villain.

However obviously Aniplex thinks Chapter 5 is the one that everyone will like, as demonstrated at Anime Boston last year. I don’t blame them, Chapter 3 is a little bit too “otaku-poi” in a similar vein as Chapter 6 (which John also likes, besides the lack of epic fights). Chapter 5 features bleed-through pretentiousness, all the way down to its nonlinear narrative and strange showdown in the last 30 minutes of the movie. But when we’re watching cartoon porn instead of realistic porn, I think pretension is a sought-after quality and we shouldn’t make any pretense about it. The only difference is how one executes such pretentiousness so that critics like John will reach for another page in their biological thesaurus.

Perhaps the bigger issue with this that I’m trying to say is more about our perception (heh talking about perception in a Rakkyo thread) of what anime ought to be. I mean I think what I said applies to a lot of ambitious works, that at some level those works have to pretend. So why get stuck on that? Talk about execution instead. And I think good anime always executes. Those shows talk the talk but also walk the walk.

Which goes back to my assertion about what American fans like–I think a lot of the time we like shows that do neither talking nor walking. Because that’s the least pretentious of them all, and maybe that is the root problem. And when you get someone taking down on shows that aspire to be better as inferior to those who don’t even try, it’s just incredible.

Leave a comment | posted in English Language Modern Visual Fandom, Kara no Kyoukai

December 21, 2010

Sphere Observation

By omo

Just a few minor things to note, probably not exactly the most flattering thing to say about the girls in Sphere so I apologize to the fans I might piss off ahead of the time. As entertainers I have nothing but respect for these girls.

1. There is a reason why people don’t like Ayahi. I think she is nonetheless an important part of the group in both the way it’s presented visually and in the way the four girls sound together. In essence she covers a lot of holes. However at the same time I’m not sure what she brings to the group that appeases the target audience.

2. However there are a couple really good pictures of her in there, in Tentai Kansoku, that works well, in the sense that I didn’t know she can have that look. Namely in the first section.

3. Megane is a great equalizer. However Aki doesn’t look that good with them, not sure why. It’s more like, for boring faces, glasses add something; for great faces, it can equalize or add to. So generally you can’t really lose if you’re a seiyuu.

4. Speaking of looks, Minako still has the best face, in that she expresses well in photos, and can solicit a good range of feelings at least when I look at it. The other girls at best look “pretty” except Haruka, who can occasionally go beyond that. Occasionally.

5. But once we take into the whole package, Haruka still hands down wins. I guess you do have a much harder time to be a model if you are short, which both Minako and Ayahi are. I think they clocked below average even for Japanese girls.

6. In the same way, Aki looks pretty cool in some shots because she is taller, and it gives her body that balance that most seiyuu types don’t have. But I guess she still looks better not trying to stretch that.

7. In the same way, again, Haruka doesn’t do very well when she tries to. I haven’t had the opportunity to look at her photo books but from what I saw from scans, yeah, she tries and it doesn’t work that often.

8. The prom shots are still the best overall set.

9. I like Minako’s twin tail shots in the school outfit set, there’s just something with that hair.

10. Everyone’s seen that picture of Haruka looking calm with the white dress, it is one of those examples when they keep it simple, it comes off very well.

11. Ayahi in the kimono shot is LOOOOL. I thought she also look way better in candid shots.

12. Every musician type doing this kind of “business” should release a photo album/book that records all that stuff-concert tour goods, outfits, pictures from lives. It’s nice!

13. I totally like the title of the book. Not sure if it is, but it feels like a tribute to all the astro references. Like a page from Sora no Manimani (which was one of the first Sphere anime).

Going to end with an image and some discussion. This isn’t from the book, but it’s from one of the promo sets Sphere did this year.

This is one of those not-quite-candid shots where the girls need to express naturally, smile, all that stuff. It’s a fun picture, so it needs to look…fun. I think Haruka’s strength really comes through here since she is the best actress in the group. Aki always look pretty natural, so she automatically passes.

Minako is a little caught in between, but if you’ve seen her film you probably know she really can’t act anyways, so that much is probably just natural for her. However Ayahi is just… well, she’s doing the right thing, but it looks pretty fake. The problem is the way we human beings detect facial expressions. A lot of it has to do with the way you emote with your eyes, how your face muscles move them while you smile. It’s like she needs to do this somewhat, and isn’t doing it.

6 comments | posted in Modern Visual Culture, Seiyuu, Idol, Pop, Sora no Manimani