Category Archives: Franchises

November 30, 2014

The Derem@s Anime: Leading Up To

By omo

This is just otaku doing what otaku do often, and sometimes best: excessively nitpicking in an irrational way:

They cause some concern: the new anime is no different from the old one.

For starters let’s ignore why he thinks it’s no different from the old one. Let’s talk about rather what exactly is not different. To me Anim@s is a character-driven, series of dramatic set pieces that drives an overall theme forward along. The plot orients around what typically passes for idol industry–development of entertainment talents oriented as musical artists. Will Derem@s be the same? Probably. We’re not going to pilot the Kisaragi here.

But how can it possibly really be all that different? You can’t take the idol out of IM@S–not even out of Puchim@s, which is so far from the Anim@s in terms of outlook and concept. I think Author should just rest assured that there are no Rika or Mika, no Uzuki, Shiburin, or Mio in Anim@s. How can you have same flavors of character stories if the characters are so different?  How can baked turnip taste like leftover turkey?

I’m not sure there is any real reason to assume we’ll get a GBFT, mainly because unlike those two shows Derem@s is just a different concept to begin with. Let’s use the leftover analogy: you might heat up leftover turkey and it could be good, but that would be a half-hearted way to eat after Thanksgiving. Do what my family did: bake a second one. I assure you it will not be at all like leftover. Doubly so when the second turkey is actually a turducken in disguise (well, we actually didn’t). When the work is created with conviction and can stand on its own, I don’t think it’ll be a problem at all. And for the CG anime project to be successful it has to be like that. Take a cue from Bahamut–the two Mobam@s games are wildly successful financially, I don’t see how they can really botch it after getting the production formula down via the various Anim@s projects.

And it seems they are baking a new turkey. They’re putting the limits at 14, which is perfect (if Anim@s is any indication) and will curb concerns about “how do you even do a Cinderella Girls TV anime” issue. The point about taking place in the same world is probably just a way to establish some continuity in character cameo and make collaborations possible (after all 765pro characters are in both Mobam@s games), and not some indication that they are are actual sequels. The fact that they have not said they will be sequels puts it to rest to a degree.

Which goes back to my first assumption: what the heck is the guy thinking that Derem@s is anything like IM@S to begin with? Maybe it’s just a matter of perception. I mean, I suppose it’s not impossible to confuse a pachinko machine with an arcade cabinet.

2 comments | posted in Idolmaster

November 28, 2014

Shirobako 08 or Why Hibiki Is Bad at Naming Animals

By omo

When I saw Iguchi called out the stray white cat in Shirobako 08, I knew now we are in prime Hibiki hour. I’m not saying Shirobako, the TV anime about making TV anime, is making a reference to a video game/anime character. I’m just saying Nyajiro is just a hair better than Nyantaro, because that would be a sin for this anime. Ok, so Nekokichi is still a worse name, but oh well.

She and stray cat

Ema’s ailing problem is her inability to animate a life-like cat in a moe cartoon. Can you imagine the issues people had animating this cat in a life-like moe cartoon? Not saying anyone is moe in Shirobako or anything, but it’s a possibility. I mean, talk about animating a blob on a crumbled sheet of paper. It’s nice that the CG team is on this?

What did you say?

First off, what the hell is gestalt destruction?

If that’s what ails Ema, petting and examining a cat actually can help. Kao-chan-neesan however has a better idea. Or at least, a more tried-and-true therapy method.

BLACK FRIDAY THERAPY

It is totally possible to do a deep thematic dive into Shirobako, because it’s grooved like so, you can trace it from one point to the next. Or just enjoy how she freeloaded at Aoi’s the episode prior, eating her can of sea urchin, drinking Aoi’s drinks (from the carton!) and using her expensive shampoo (sure was lewd!). But now she kind of retracts from those hints. Must be a family thing.

Which means maybe it’s time to enjoy some Dost. I don’t know, I like his books but it’s a big commitment.

3 comments | posted in Shirobako

November 22, 2014

Project Itoh Hype

By omo

I let loose a silent cheer when the news of noitaminA’s adaptation of his works came to the fore earlier this year. It wasn’t clear what works the late-night anime segment was going to bring us, so hearing that his biggest two (outside of MGS) works are coming is even more of a cause for cheer. Or maybe it’s the two I’m familiar with?

And seeing the various teaser trailers coming out reminds me that different people have different takes on his works. IIRC Viz’s Harmony came with a little afterwards that mentioned in passing how Itoh spent much of his final years in the hospital. Japan, after all, likes to commit their patients much more so than the west. And that passing familiarity with the feeling inside the hospital walls is a part of his repertoire in expressing whatever he was gunning for.

Invariably, I guess, I made the connection between that and other fictional works where the protagonist(s) end up dying of some fatal diseases or what not. There are a few people can relate to, I hear they’re a little popular. But in a way, what Itoh Project brought us is a much more moderated and mature take. It’s what most of us would write if we were in his shoes. The ending to Genocidal Organ especially was hilarious and appropriate fit to that mentality, even if it might not fit the rest of the book as much. Well, you can decide for yourself.

Guns, needles, whatever. Hype, though, nonetheless.

PS. It confused me for a second but noitaminA is calling these adaptations “Project Itoh” which is a word play on “Itoh Project.” The two novels are written under Itoh Project, as a matter of reference. (Insert just as keikaku TL note.jpg here.)

Leave a comment | posted in Genocidal Organ, Harmony, Modern Visual Culture

November 21, 2014

The Devil in the Details

By omo

Chii Sweet Home is the most difficult anime ever

As I was watching ME!ME!ME! last night, I thought about Shirobako. That’s not unusual these days, that every Thursday my mind kicks into Shirobako mode, starting out in the morning as matome blogs and Japanese twitter start to fill in with other viewers who are either anticipating it or have watched it. The day rolls on as the first wave of EN viewers tweet their reactions and responses, following up later in the day with viewers who have normal day jobs and can only watch it after work. I had somewhat of an abnormal day so I wasn’t able to catch up to Ema’s struggles until late.

Looking at ME!ME!ME!, that Animator Expo clip, it is a music video done by a budding animator that worked on a bunch of post-Gainax products–Panty Stocking, Khara’s Eva 3.0, what have you. It struck me in a way that is both poetic and sufficiently cred-hawking that separated the work from what typically passes as sexually aggressive and violent cartoons from Japan. The story might just be about the corruption of moe in how what we hold on as dear memories with our earlier 2Ds have transformed us (as in, a certain otaku subset) into dead people, being force fed of all this sexually gratuitous media over the years. It’s not something you can easily describe and come out as not condemning. It’s kind of like walking around Akiba and being handed tissue papers with scantily clad cartoon girls on the wrapper. It’s kind of like seeing Yaraon showing eroge PR posts in your news feed. It’s like, well, /a/ and 2ch, with a side of Sad Panda.

Poetic, because I found ME!ME!ME! to be a nice illustration of spiritual death. Regardless of its value at cultural criticism, at any rate, the barrage of tittays to the Japanese subcultural consciousness in this section of modern visual media induces some reaction for people who are sensitive to that type of content. And the only reasonable ways to combat it are either to ignore it, or grow indifferent.

That’s just one read. There are many ways to interpret ME!ME!ME!, and I think that’s what makes this particular entry in Animator Expo particularly artful.

But what about Shirobako? I think it comes down to the concept of monozukuri. In the same way, crafters make their art speak through its own being, in that sense that an anime is a sufficently malleable medium that one or one hundred people can come together and create, that there is a body of voices in the work as well an individual voice, in which each design or cut or scene or line of dialog or piece of music come together to express. It might be a pulse-thumping video where a bunch of tits are shooting anti-air weapons at you, or a struggling young adult trying to make it in her dream career. The details say a lot. Like how NunuIguchi took RuruEma’s donut. It’s got so much stuff imbued in that momentary exchange in which leaves us (or at least me) falling behind trying to unpack it. Or rather, in the usual case, food for thought after the weekly dose is over. Will we get a follow up? I hope so.

How hard was it to write and direct, and to animate something like this? I don’t even want to know. Yet it is right here, laid bare in front of us. The spirit of SHIROBAKO is screaming like the all-cap letters in English script it is written in (officially).

1 comment | posted in Modern Visual Culture, Shirobako

October 25, 2014

Autumn 2014 Coverage

By omo

I haven’t watched everything I wanted to yet (this almost goes without saying these days), but here goes.

Shirobako – This show is by far my most favorite thing this season. Chalk it up to my aniota senses, but if there was an anime made for the anime otaku, this is it. It’s not to say non-anime otaku will not enjoy it, or that all anime otaku would, but I get the feeling for people who don’t just enjoy watching anime, but also the craft of it, it’s a special treat. It’s the memo our TV anime industry guys writing for the rest of us.

Rage of Bahamut – Mappa really pulled out the stops for this one. I really don’t like the main dudes so far but the show is really good overall. I did try out the mobile game some years ago (around the time when Kamiyama did those commercials). So far this is nothing like the game.

Vanadis – It’s another pulp swords & fantasy story, and it’s got both what I like and dislike about this category of anime from Japan. I’ll stick with it a bit but well-endowed valks only go so far in 2014. Chaika might be filling my quota for this.

Celestial Method – Solid show featuring the usual little girls and their CVs. The big hook for me is that Nansu takes the lead–perhaps the most capable of the Torahamo group. And I think as long as the story goes that way it will be a watershed moment for her in my book. Given the nature of the story it’s not for everyone, but it works for me so far.

Akatsuki no Yona – Solid show I would watch. Dropped after 1 ep because it’s not for me and I won’t have the time.

Amagi Brilliant Park – Kyoani male fanservice vehicle. If you think of the theme park in Amaburi like this anime, the entrance fee is validated when you see the four fairies do their schtik. Or whatever Bunta-kun’s actual name is. Or both. That said no simulcast means perpetual omo delay on watching this. It’s no Hyouka so I’m not holding my breath on the other stuff. Ayako doctrine x2 this season is a good thing.

Cross Ange – If the cavity search is to get people to talk about Cross Ange, it worked perfectly. I keep saying, though, that an anime which premise is sexy ladies riding transformable flying-bike mecha in skimpy outfits fighting dragons that shoot lasers and MIRV fireballs can not go wrong. Cross Ange dares me on this point, but I think it knows where it stands on things.

Twintails – Fun show. May help combat my lack of sentai intake; actually at this point there are no other draws for this besides that sentai angle and the usual seiyuu factor. Hearing Marei say lewd things is actually not that lewd? She’s really good at it.

G-Reco – I like it a lot, but not enough to keep watching weekly. Will try to catch up hopefully once we approach 1-cour, especially if I hear good buzz.

Gundam Build Fighter Try – Not as engaging for me on the uptake compared to GBF, and I have mixed feeling for the main character (the ero aspect aside). I even have mixed feeling for the other main characters, but the trio concept is novel. I guess I never really took to Reiji anyway. Still, the concepts and fight scenes are good, so I might stick with it. Having it on Youtube makes things easy.

[Insert complaint about FUNi’s website here.]

Your Lie in April – Good stuff, but short of sublime. At episode 1 it has not gotten my attention yet, at least episode 2 did better.

Log Horizon S2 – Despite the somewhat sketchier production values, it’s more of the same, which is good, because it was already good.

World Trigger – JUMP trigger warning more like.

Trinity Seven – Demon Lord harem high school concept with Harami lead is a sure sell. It knows not to drag its wet feet here so at least it’s passable entertainment.

Yuyuyu – Reminds me of Kyousogiga, which is a mixed blessing. Will stick with it till 3. Madokagellion is fine as is but I think it’s going to skew a little.

Girldfriend (Kari) – Fun fluff, seiyuu quiz. Say it with me everybody, CHLOE LEMAIRE.

Fate/stay night UBW – This is the version that hopefully would solve the “need to play the game to enjoy content” problem Type-Moon has.

Inou Battle – It’s true to the spirit of chuu2, and the way Trigger takes on a “sit in the club room all day” type anime is intriguing. Enjoyable, but ultimately a futile thing to try to watch. I’ll forge on a bit more at least.

Garo – It’s pretty cool on episode 1, but not sure if I can spare the time to follow. I suppose now as good as any.

Still to watch: Psycho-Pass 2, Seven Deadly Sins, Terraformars, In Search of the Lost Future.

Continuing on Chaika, Log Horizon, Ace of Diamond.

Shorts – Karen Senki, Yukarin waifu anime (I Can’t Understand What My Husband Is Saying), and SeHa is AOTS.

PS. Real AOTY is the iM@S movie, right? Right? Having the ability to rewatch parts or all of it on demand is a power I need to wield more responsibly.

PPS. Real destroyer of my free time is SSA blu-ray OMG I can watch this all day (and I will)!

5 comments | posted in Garo, Gundam, Idolmaster, Log Horizon, Modern Visual Culture, Rage of Bahamut, Shirobako