Category Archives: Modern Visual Culture

March 1, 2014

The IM@S Bonfire

By omo

If I was a mild IM@S fan before going to Japan to watch the IM@S movie and their live show, I am no longer such a thing. Arguably I could not have been a mild IM@S fan given somewhere between 20-50% of my motivation of going to Japan this time was to see these two things, which can appear as an irrational behavior in most normal contexts. I say fan’s gonna fan, right?

Thing is, when I first watched the IM@S anime not-so-long ago, it didn’t appear to me as some top-tier anime made to advertise the franchise. I thought it was competent, featuring sparks of brilliance but overall typical A-1 Pictures late-night anime fare. Well, that actually says a lot, given this became one of the first anime that Studio Trigger that we now know worked on?

Discussing with some friends about Sakuracon tonight, I found that the Seattle-based con managed roped in two relevant animators as this year’s guests: the always amusing Koji Masunari, and sakkan and designer Toshifumi Akai, as a part of Magi’s promo at the con. Immediately my eyes honed into their contributions to Anim@s. It’s just that state of mind. And it’s not just that–I whipped out episode 23 from Crunchyroll right there and then and watched it. Despite the jetlag (or because?). Despite that not 5 minutes ago I was about to go to bed because I was tired, and it’s almost 1 AM.

The funny thing is, the entire episode kept my attention. Just a few minutes before putting my sleep schedule out of whack, I was watching an arguably inferior anime. I was close to zoning out while watching the show, so it was a good time to stop for the night I thought. But nope, that IM@S bonfire lit under my butt keeps me warm and going. What started as a freaking seed has blossomed into something more, perhaps something a little bit scary now. We’ll see where this takes me.

Episode 23 of The Idolm@ster anime is probably the second most depressing episode, and it’s depressing in a “Lost in Translation” kind of way. It’s got the Masunari touch. The way the scenes show the upper body motion. The way Yukiho sits in the green room, meditating to the music. The way Haruka camps out in front of her computer in her room. I totally forgot Little Match Girl made its anime debut here, and it becomes juxtaposition and yet somewhat touching in a very different way to what was going on in Haruka’s mind. And this is because the Yukiho we all love to hate or hate to hate has come so far along.

Everything comes together in this nub of an episode where Haruka doesn’t fall to the ground. It’s both the cause and cure of insomnia.

PS. If I was more motivated I would’ve pulled out their individual pieces from the Backstage M@ster book and look at the paw prints Masunari put in there. Of course, what ended up happening was that I googled the book and it turned up a couple “unboxing” type videos where the youtuber just go through the book, and what I found was that there are now a print run of this book that doesn’t have the Ogi Star Memories add-on. And for fact-checking purposes I got my copy out of the shelf anyway. At any rate, beware. Don’t get that version, if you want to buy the most definitive print reference for Anim@s. Get the one that has the Ogi Star Memories (the obi will indicate so). I am pretty sure that particular doujinshi is still over $100 street price-wise. Maybe you can get it less if you shop around?

All the more amazing when I just found it lying on A-Button’s counter a week ago.

PPS. The full sheding from Yukari’s SSA show can be found here. He goes into way more details than I can remember, and I sat next to him for the 2/15 show anyway!

EDIT: See the comments, but also https://twitter.com/digikerot/status/440942124369190912 for the first and subsequent editions of the book.

4 comments | posted in Idolmaster, Modern Visual Culture, Seiyuu, Idol, Pop

February 26, 2014

Gundam Build Fighters: The Other Side of Shiny?

By omo

The thought came across first when the second ending visuals came on for the first time for Gundam Build Fighters. I was watching the show on my way to work as I typically do, on the train. The extra ~$30 I pay a month goes to exactly this–better-than-the-competitor’s LTE coverage down the Northeast Corridor, so I can watch anime on the go without having to set up some kind of auto-torrent-re-encode-plus-sync system, thanks to the magic of simulcast.

It’s the same idea behind why I liken the IDOLM@STER movie costumes as Gokuseifuku a la Kill La Kill. White background, single-colored stars. It glitters while I was thinking about the connection between these things. Well, maybe not so much thinking and noticing there’s some connection.

sample

It didn’t really click until I read the investor report from the Bandai Namco group for fiscal year 2013 where the spotlight on Bamco’s unique IP puts IM@S back to back with Kamen Rider and Gundam, as some of the biggest drivers within Bamco’s portfolio. It’s quite telling if you actually read what it says, like:

  • In Japan it’s about on par in terms of name recognition as Gundam
  • A focus to target anim@s Ps via social games

So, what about Gundam Build Fighters? I think it fits Bamco’s vision for the business to a tee. It bridges the kind of generational gap between kids and adults. One way it does that is by adding that video game element to the series in a very straight-up sort of way. This has two effects. One, you can have the tournament/arena setup that we see in the show, providing pretty satisfying battles (ones with clear losers) on a regular basis without killing all your cast in the process. Two, it gives the gunpla aspect new life by clearly painting a vision for the gunpla builder. In that sense, we’re now gamifying the gunpla aspect by giving it the ability for people to customize using official components (which is also a money driver kind of a thing).

Which is to say, if we were to describe the genre of game Gundam BF is trying to depict, it’s not really a fighting game (even if the gameplay turns out that way). It’s closer to a social-mobile game in which players spend all their time and effort building their gunpla, perhaps to just admire them (this is what Sei was doing until he met Reiji) or to relive them like “proper otaku” (this is what Ral-san was doing, as with the old fogies that Reiji schooled). Or in Gundam BF’s case, explode your master grade++ gunpla in moments of glory in battle. All these things exist only in some kind of weird context that you do with mobage as well.

All they’ve left out is the infinite money sink hole that is the kuji process.

I mean, it is not really that close to, say, Million Live, but the formula is there. You can’t customize your idols, and you can’t really build them up beyond what the game provides the framework for. For gunpla OTOH, masterful crafters can actually do something unique and special by adding their own touches. But in the digital version of such a game, you might as well be equally limited.

PS. I’ve returned. I have 3 posts queued up and to be written, on top of the backlog now haunts me and the posts to be written for other obligations. orz indeed.

PPS. I don’t know about you, but I think Wing Gundam is top idol.

PPPS. If it’s with you, Imber.

2 comments | posted in Gundam, Idolmaster, Modern Visual Culture

February 11, 2014

The Trip, 2014

By omo

I never got to wax much nostalgia about my trip last April when I went to see that PA Works show, along with Coorie and Tamayura. I traveled for about 10 days and did the otaku mecca thing, while focused on taking it easy, eating (and didn’t even do much of that beyond local recs) and hanging out. Watched a couple anime movies, at least. It was actually quite a blast, but I definitely could’ve done more if I was more organized or adventurous.

Makoto goes traveling on a Jitensha w

This year I’m going with a herd of other foreigners and in the span of about also 10 days, I would have hit up 2-3 theater greetings, probably will watch the same two anime movies like, in four different occasions (funny considering I could also watch Buddha 2 or the new Tiger & Bunny film that’ll get a theatrical run in a month), will attend a radio recording, plus at least five concerts. FIVE. Maybe more if I want to do that underground idol thing. So most likely this means I won’t have time to try my luck at Kancolle cafe, just a couple days for shopping, and who knows how many places I can go eat? I get the feeling those things will take care of themselves however.

Here’s the event list, at least the confirmed ones. A few are not yet and are marked TBD:

There are a ton of events that I wished I could attend, either because it runs against one of the other events, or because I can’t get the proper tickets (like WUG handshake sessions…or Yui Ogura handshake sessions…or Milk Lariat S conflict with KOTOKO…or Kanon 2014 conflict with IM@S with Yanagi Nagi live etc).

And that’s just events! There are tons of other stuff on the agenda, none perhaps less epic than the chronicles detailed here. But I will do my best with the whole enjoy Japan thing. Food, scenery, shopping, you name it. Definitely want to revisit A-Button and Garten once.

Anyway, if this blog stops updating the next 2 weeks, you know what’s up. Actually I will still be updating the non IM@S stuff here, so watch for that; but as you can see there’s not a whole lot of that.

4 comments | posted in Conventions and Concerts, Introspectives, Modern Visual Culture, Popular Culture, Seiyuu, Idol, Pop

January 26, 2014

Truth in Reporting: Winter 2014 Report Card Meta Edition

By omo

I am watching them anime. Other than Buddy Complex being the most notable omission, I think I’m ready to roll.

I just want to take a minute to point out Miao’s thin slicing this season. It’s your formulaic ANN-style review trolling which is to say, it’s based on narrative truths that reasonable people find agreeable rearranged without sense (or all the sense, on the other hand). I want to just highlight it for that–this is a relatively “weak” season in a long time. I think part of it has to do with a general shift in late night TV anime. Just compare it with 2010 (or even 2011). But ranking it seems like a futile exercise at best, so there’s no symbolic gesture of not putting Nisekoi in the first spot.

FWIW, he called Wake Up Girls Movie an OAV.

New shows (and long-absent sequels):

World Conquest Zvezda Plot – I’m on the hook for this show. The magical reality unnerves me. It’s uncomfortable. It’s too good to drop. Its vintage too accomplish to expect a “turn off the brain and have fun” show. Except when I try to run this by the grey matter, it is giving me all kinds of warning signs.

Wake Up, Girls – My favorite of the season. I’m not sure if I like them as an idol group however, even if by all means the anime has done its job. I also like how they sneaked in that Tohoku disaster reminder in there. Also blogging over at Jtor.

Seitokai Yakuindomo 2 – I marathoned the OVAs or whatever they’re called just before episode 1. So I went in with a lot of feels and fresh memory. I wonder if this is why nobody licensed it, by the way–the book publisher must own the rights of episodes 13-18. Is this the new licensing hell (say hello to YZQ)?

Wizard Barristers – So far so good. Miss Piggy is a very nice touch. What kind of a man gets nicknamed Hachi Mitsu? A Honey & Clover dropout?

Witch Craft Works – I am glad to be able to lay my eyes on this show. The manga is a terribly boring thing but the anime is a blast to watch; the comedic timing and direction are great. It is fun also to see by how much can the anime exceed its source material. Manga usually is created by one person or a small team of people; maybe half a dozen even for some weeklies, plus some editorial staff. On the other hand up to ten times more people work on an anime adaptation. Odds are any anime production team have at least enough creative power and experience to do the same, simply because so many more people work on any given project, and the core creative team are made up of some or all fire-tested veterans. So what happens when a lame but popular manga gets animated? Speaking purely from a point of view of “animators are people who draw a lot” I think this is what actually happens.

Nisekoi – Similarly. Although it isn’t comedy but just well-executed character drama, see also Bakemonogatari. You know Shaft.

Sakura Trick – Surprisingly engaging in the yuri fanservice way. Not sure if there’s enough to keep me interested, because unless they escalate it’s all a little boring. And if they do escalate every episode, they would be spending half the episode kissing each other by episode 12. Not that is a problem I think.

ImoCho – Okay, it’s actually kind of fun watching the timid, confused and probably traumatized girl trying to climb out of it. I’m rooting for her. It’s also kind of fun watching an anime trying to depict this communication gap between the two step-siblings. I wonder which kind of boys would take note?

Nobunagun – Surprisingly fun to watch but I think this anime belongs to the 1990s.

Nobunaga the Fool – I would watch this if it was actually faster paced. Right now it’s like Horizon S1 eps 1-4, which is just kind of confusing, dreary, but minus the shock factor of huge balloon boobs and the trope pandering. Jeanne is attractive looking and all but so far she is not really a part of anything because the show hasn’t revealed anything that interesting. It’s gotta hurry it up before it loses all its viewers. Needs its clinching moment.

Space Dandy – It’s hard for me to watch–I canceled my DVR service some time last year so it’s week-late Hulu for me. On the other hand maybe it allows me to try watching it like a normal person, which is…I guess people my age group generally don’t watch Toonami. I mean, I don’t remember the last time I was watching cable TV on a Saturday night other than the Space Dandy premiere. Anyway, it’s okay, I’ll probably ride it out if there’s an easy way to watch it.

Noragami – I would be repping this hard if it was on CR. I guess I will give Funi’s EVS some prop for having actually a good enough lineup, but what can they do to earn back my trust? I guess they did have that great holiday sale. I suppose the worse I could do is pirate it, because it sure is better than not watching it at all, right? Maybe? I guess it’s important to note that I basically don’t buy shows I haven’t seen before (other than, say, Mardock Scramble, because I read the book).

Nourin – I can take it or leave it. It’s one of those shows that I would probably watch it if it’s on CR. I guess maybe next year or next sale, EVS or not. 

SoniAni – Kind of like, the show I would drop except if I don’t watch all these shows on EVS, I would have time for this. So I do have time for this. And it’s hardly the most horrible anime. It’s like the most model anime, heh.

Pilot’s Love Song – Same. This show is weird in that while watching it, I’m okay. But after I’m done watching that week’s episode I kind of regret the use of my time. Probably would dropped it a long time ago if not for said EVS issue since this is a CR show.

D-Frag – EVS problem but it’s a pretty okay show. Very “bro” I guess. I think the problem is that it’s a little to convoluted and if you miss the internal logic it’s not that fun to watch.

Chuunikoi Ren – 2chuu2koi as I’d like to call it, but this is a nice change. Much more interesting right off the bat than season 1.

Inari, Konkon, Koi Iroha – I’d pirate this any day.

Mahou Sensou – Dropped because I don’t have the time. Seems okay though.

Hamatora – Dropped because I don’t have the time. Seems okay though. Actually fun to watch in episode 2, if a little predictable.

Houzuki no Reitetsu – Good, solid comedy. Dropped because I got over my Dilbert phase back in the 90s. This stuff is kind of like remaking it for kids going into the workforce in this decade. As an anecdote, when I find some kid at work who falls into all of the usual Dilbert traps, I just sigh and “berate” him directly. Watching Hozuki is like a waste of time.

Saki – Magical girls meets mahjong, the “we don’t have enough episodes so we’ll compress all that we skipped between S1 and Achigahen in 3 episodes but now we can get down to business” edition. Also a Jtor item.

Ongoing:

Nagiasu – AAAAAAHHHHHH

Ace of the Diamond – This is a pretty okay koshien baseball anime. Literally.

Samurai Flamenco – It’s still interesting enough.

Silver Spoon – Yep. One season is hardly a break.

Magi – Yep.

Gundam Build Fighter – This is the Gundam of our generation.

Tokyo Ravens – Okay.jpg

Log Horizon – Finally, story.

Golden Time – Dropped because I don’t really have the time and can’t really be bothered with that Ghost Banri stuff.

Shorts:

Enjoying them all. Even Pupa (whose OP has that “Fantasista Dolls” effect). I think Strange+ and Seki-kun are neck to neck.

Canon

And that’s all for now!

PS. Several blogs I follow waxed poetic on Space Dandy after watching the first few episodes. Basically they all say the same thing, like what I said earlier on. I guess the thing is, it’s just a TV show, like everything we’re watching, you can take it or leave it, and you certainly don’t have to watch everything. Only tortured fans of the medium would, beyond “a thin slicing.” As long as you’re mindful of the usual disclaimers (ie., judging books by covers etc) you are okay. It’s not about “right enough” but knowing what you are in for and getting things working for those purposes. And I think with that in mind, 11:30 PM is way too early for Space Dandy. Proper late night anime is like, 2AM! Imagine watching an anime about putting your arm inside a cow’s anus at 2AM…

5 comments | posted in Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai!, Gin no Saji, Golden Time, Inari Konkon Koi Iroha, Log Horizon, Modern Visual Culture, Nisekoi, Noragami, Saikin Imouto no Yousu ga Chotto Okashiinda ga., Saki, Sakura Trick, Seitokai Yakuindomo, Sekai Seifuku: Bouryaku no Zvezda, Space Dandy, Super Sonico, Tonari no Seki-kun, Wake Up Girls!, Witch Craft Works, Wizard Barristers: Benmashi Cecil

January 21, 2014

February 2014: True Anime Japan

By omo

This morning I woke up to the news about how AnimeJapan is trying to pitch to a billion different IPs and attract 100ks of visitors. And that is well. I mean putting aside the splinter years of ACE and all that dark history, I think when cons like JX and AX have 100k+ of visitors (turnstile), while Japan doesn’t quite have a con like that (ie., Comiket is not like that), it’s sort of an industry pride issue. I mean, they’re calling it “AnimeJapan” and that can’t be more obvious. AnimeUSA peeps should be like, hur hur hur.

You know they mean business when one slide says basically this:

Anime Japan

I think they’ll hit their 100k count handily. I just hope AnimeJapan retain ACE’s liberal policy of region-free live streams.

But forget about that. I want to write a real life tourism plug for Japan for February 2014. Why? Here’s the list of things I personally want to see (of varying amount of interests, granted):

  • Sapporo Snow Festival/Snow Miku Feestival (Feb. 5-11)
  • Yui Horie’s next live (touring)
  • Love Live @ SSA
  • Ray is touring
  • KOTOKO is touring
  • Mingosu is touring
  • There’s a full-blown Uchoten Kazoku event (fhana!!) (I even could have applied for a ticket w)
  • iM@S @SSA (but you know this)
  • …there’s a MariIro event? LOL
  • ChanYui “Charming Do” promo meet&greets
  • FictionJunction YUUKA lives (with other FJs), and later individual lives for her and Kajiura teams in Feb.
  • Sumipe event
  • Yanagi Nagi live event (FFFFFFFFFFF can’t go, conflicts orz)
  • JAM Project is touring
  • Sakura Taisen Paris team kayo show (FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF I would totally go to this if I can get tickets) (Aipon is even in this) (Feb. 13-16)
  • Sphere 5th anniversary events
  • May’n is touring
  • Aoi Eir is touring
  • Yukarin is touring (with 2-day SSA live)
  • Milk Lariat 6S (lots o anime idols)
  • Yuki Aoi commemorative event
  • Junko Iwao birthday live
  • Chiaki Ishikawa concert
  • Nakagawa Kanon live (Kaminomi event)
  • Sakakibara Yui live
  • Steins;Gate events
  • ….And a lot more I didn’t list.

Despite being the shortest month of the year, February 2014 has way too many good events. And I’m not even listing things like movie screenings (Mouretsu Pirates!) plus not even everything has been announced yet. Granted on a typical month, there are a ton of events going on at any given week, but this is just crazy.

If you had to go to Japan for events, this month is it! Really, I mean, it has something for everybody. And a lot of something for a select group.

Leave a comment | posted in English Language Modern Visual Fandom, Modern Visual Culture, Seiyuu, Idol, Pop