Category Archives: Modern Visual Culture

December 15, 2013

Commenting on Koebuta Rush

By omo

So Paranda describes what many seiota have been observing for the past, oh I don’t know, 5 years? I quote:

Seiyuu ended up being divided into two factions by fan opinions. The “jitsuryoku” camp contained seiyuu with true voice ability that get casted based on their own strength. The other camp contained seiyuu tainted with various unflattering speculation: they’re just idols, failed mainstream wannabes, casted from the couch (makura eigyou = pillow trade), they have a monotone voice (bouyomi), they’re only popular because of the agency’s monstrous PR power (gorioshi = Gorilla Push), and so on.

Within all of this bubbling resentment, the word “koebuta” ended up getting thrown around to describe fans that entered into the fandom because of the latter group. What it implies is that they like the idol aspects of seiyuu more than the voice acting.

The ones on the receiving end of the word took it in stride, and some even began calling themselves the term with pride, considering the detractors as elitist old farts. Besides there’s nothing wrong with liking seiyuu for other reasons so who cares?

I tried to leave a comment but his aging blogging software can’t handle the spam so it’s difficult. Besides, blogging the comment instead lets me rant on a little more.

(Let’s just say when I started blogging with this set of categories in 2008 or whatever, the category name “Seiyuu, Idol, Pop” existed, as is, for a reason. Also, all of this applies only tangentially to the other gender side of the fandom, although it isn’t too different. It’s a different can of worms I guess.)

/cracks fingers

The big picture in regards to seiota, at least as a reflection from marketing and fandom, is actually more complicated. Having seen in person more 90s seiyuu idol types in the past few years, it’s very clear that many seiyuu are general “personalities” in the entertainment industry sense of the term. People like Hisakawa Aya or Mitsuishi Kotono can fully be normal idols if they got the right break or if they won their respective gene lotteries; they carry themselves like showa idols. That’s because back then if you are a female and you work this business by acting or singing or whatever, there is just that one way to do things.

[As an aside, massive prop to the original 17yo because she’s able to continue to play the game.]

Today’s seiyuu idol is different than 90s style seiyu idol because what goes for “idol” has changed drastically. Think AKB48. A lot of people in the mainstream don’t think much of the average AKB48 girl, because they are basically simple, hard working entertainers, with as much talent as a girl next door. But that is just a perception–it’s not necessarily the reality of the situation. It’s both a matter of perceived talent (I think Ootsubo, TKTT, Ohashi and Ogura are all very talented entertainers and maybe even voice actors for example, FWIW) and the medium they express themselves, or play out their idol-job-ness-whatever. Today’s seiyuu idol is more down-to-earth, closer to the koebuta touch, but at the same time it shows off their weaknesses and quirks, because after all they are girls next door as far as charm goes. At the same time, because the demand for the overall package is higher, the talent doesn’t have to excel in the primary disciplines as long as she can make it count in other areas. And the more demanding you are on your idols while exploiting them in more facets via more media, more venues to produce the idol, odds are you will get idol talents who are well-rounded but may not excel in the core disciplines of anime voice acting. Well, it’s not to say they can’t do a good job–it’s just a matter of what fans perceive as good.

I mean for every Iwao Junko or Kouda Mariko you have a Satsuki Yukino or Mayumi Tanaka. To me the gap between those people as voice actors are pretty narrow, but some simply just got idol appeal so they got to go a step further career-wise. It’s just how things have always rolled.

Today’s seiyuu idol reflects today’s market reality. In the age of koebuta I don’t really think it is a problem, you know? It’s the same as saying there is nothing wrong with liking Hanazawa Kana or Hikasa Yoko as idols or singers. It’s the same with liking Tomatsu Haruka or Takagaki Ayahi as entertainers, because they are actually good at something, and voice acting is one of those more forgiving occupations where even if you can’t make the cut with RL acting (yeah sorry Kotobuki, you just can’t act), you can still do all right. And it is a great marketing vehicle for these people on the side.

But for the Hasshiis out there, well, good luck.

At the same time, there’s a lot of room for hard stats and context. I wrote what I did with what little that I do know. I think the way the voice acting industry plays out is part of that, as far as seiota factions go. It’s easy to be a certain type of seiota just because there are people, historically, who did it just on the side and you can follow them. But today’s mix media franchises and idol production systems complicate the picture. It’s okay to go all idol on a voice actress I guess, but it’s always a little bit weird to hear a Shindou Kei story or stumbling upon Shikaco’s gravure pics. Or deal with the HiranoÂ AyaÂ nonsense. And I guess that’s the hurdle we have to get over with. I also want to know how these seiyuu idols are typically cultivated. I guess part of that is how seiyuu schools do in terms of admissions and auditions, the pure seiota stuff.

Also, it’s a matter of technology too. Not many showa idols tweet. It’s like the one BIG thing I left out in my Madoka Rebellion write-up: the first 5 minutes of the screening was my favorite 5 minutes of the movie, as the seiyuu cast introduced themselves and the film to the oversea viewers. Giant AIPON OMG HNNNNNG. I bring this up also because thanks to high definition theatrical projection, and my 2nd row seat, I can see the bumps and skin imperfections on these girls with high zoom details. You ain’t gonna get that on your NTSC TV set back in 1989. Not even if you splurged for LD.

To answer Paranda’s question, if he is 60-40 then I’m probably like 90-10, but at the same time I enjoy all the koebuta stuff too, even if it’s to a lesser extent. I mean, HUGE AIPON OMG HNNNNG. The real difference is that I generally don’t like idols in the Momusu or AKB48 sense. I’m more about the White Album style of idols!

Bonus question: what the heck does this mean in the context of Million Live and Cinderella Girls? I mean, it’s like accidentally meta.

1 comment | posted in Modern Visual Culture, Seiyuu, Idol, Pop

December 13, 2013

Year in Review 2013: The Junior High Second Year Bridge Across Escapism, New World Disorder

By omo

When I was watching episode 10 of Yuushibu the thought dawned on me: this is about a new world order. If we take the narrative about the lost generation of Japan to heart, the young adults of Japan has to prime themselves to a new reality where job security is an unicorn and living the life their parents do 40 years earlier is just how things not going to be–until they find the wind beneath their wings. It’s the reality today’s Millennial are dealing with in America, but things are trickier out in Japan.

The big picture view is that Asia, on the whole, are still banging out explosive growths. You can say China may have “landed” but it’s still growing hella fast. India is probably going to get caught up. On the other hand Japan is like the edge of a Red Giant, where fusion go beyond helium and into the heavier elements, eventually crunching back into something more suitable for a dying star. I guess things may go to hell if China and India crash hard enough? I guess that’s kind of a grim analogy.

But that’s exactly how it feels for our protagonists who had to swallow their dreams and go live a part-timer’s life working in a big-box electronics store. And in some ways this is what is truly adult about that sort of a story, it’s not about people living their dreams, doing anything they can. It’s about finding out about yourself as you find a place for yourself in the world. Like a good football defense: bend but not break.

In Hatarake Maousama, the story plays itself out differently but the concept is the same. A fantasy big shot learns to be a great McD assistant manager. But here’s the thing: if you make it as a shift manager at a Wal-mart or Best Buy, you can surely make a decent living? It’s a real salary, although you may have to work a lot of off hours. It’s like Yuusha’s job doing customer service for DoCoMo. I don’t know, but some of these jobs are not entirely terrible.

It’s a much more telling story for All A, I guess.

Here’s exactly the thing. Torn between, say, an inaka narrative, where we always give a lot of face for farmers, doing service jobs or even blue-collar type jobs in today’s cities and suburbs just don’t get the same kind of respect, even if said jobs are often much better and preferred than farming. Or any of the traditional arts of the land–brewing sake for example. Unless you got electron microscopes for eyes? I am not sure what makes the disenchanted feel better. However as far as head tricks go, you can do worse than Yuushibu and Hatarake Maousama. You can do worse than Kyon in Haruhi or Goto in Samumenco. You can do worse, only because it’s like everybody is doing it. Log Horizon? Outbreak Company? LOL Maoyu?? Maybe this is me looking like a hammer because everything seems to fit like a nail, but in 2013 everything looks like it.

All of this just goes and point out Yet Another Reason WhyÂ SAO is problematic. It’s the difference between a new world and an old one: it’s a world where the meek conquers the strong as lion rest next to the lamb. As far as fantasies go, it’s a classic, and herbivores sure eat it up. And this is also why nobody is procreating; it’s some new world order.Â (Versus just jamming it in as if you haven’t done it for two years. Virtually.)

And of course, unless you’ve seen Yuushibu up to episode 10, you might not know what I’m even talking about. Let’s just frame it real-quick-like–domesticated devil queen heiress decides to apply big box retail to the demonic world in a stereotypical fantasy hero-versus-maou setting, people think she’s a fool, but the idea comes across brilliantly.

And this is why Love Lab is one hella good anime that y’all should watch.

Year in Review 2013 Index:

3 comments | posted in Hataraku Maou-sama!, Introspectives, Maoyu Maou Yuusha, Modern Visual Culture, Yuusha ni Narenakatta Ore wa Shibushibu Shuushoku wo Ketsui Shimashita.

December 13, 2013

The Sidonia Maneuver

By omo

News broke today when Netflix finally got in the anime simulcast game. I use the term simulcast loosely to describe going direct to Japan to procure this content. Previously, Netflix offered anime content in North America via local distributors and licensees. I’m not sure if an usual licensee is in the mix of this, but so far it seems like a Netflix special.

There are a few other attributes worth noting. First, this is a world-wide stream, and will be dub-localized to their respective regions. We know there will be an EN dub for UK and US/Can. But what about other non-EN regions like Mexico, South America and the rest of Europe?

Second, the PR seems to word it so it implies the whole series will be available in Summer 2014. This seems to mean that it’s not a simulcast as we know it, but a … simul-marathon-cast? Basically, for weekly viewers, the Netflix stream is bullocks. For users who marathon shows, however, this is just as good. It may not make a lot of sense coming from a CR/Hulu type consumption pattern but here at Omonomono I watch anime every ever which way, and it fits the typical Netflix TV consumer pattern–when you put on 24, you want to watch it all.

Too bad this is Knights of Sidonia, not another season of Aria. Oh wait, you probably won’t want to marathon a show like that either.

This reminds me of how simulcasting is a part of the marketing aspect of a show. By doing it after it’s all over you kind of lose part of that marketing impact. I mean if it’s screening the whole three months you get three month of free WOM buzz. Worse, if the show tanks from the Japanese TV airing, now you just have a product nobody is going to bite. And they’re dubbing it!Â I mean when Funimation decided to go all in with Space Dandy, that show has all the creds to be something salable in the long run. I wonder what Netflix is trying here in terms of Sidonia. I’m sure the story (the manga seems my bag of tea, actually, though I’ve yet to read it) is fine, but it’s done by a 3DCG firm so it’s likely going to rattle conventional viewers, as in the people who will be talking up the show before the Netflix stream.

More importantly, who is going to do the home video deal? I guess Netflix could, but LOL? Netflix furthermore has its own original programming agendas. If House of Cards is a guide, then it just means in Summer 2015 Sidonia will be available in all your usual venues, plus some unusual ones (Amazon on demand?). How will it be priced?

Obligatory: How much of this has to do with the Chernin Group buy-in of CR? Heh.

Maybe I should revisit this if Knights of Sidonia is actually any good, because until we know it’s worth watching, this is all just nonsense.

Leave a comment | posted in English Language Modern Visual Fandom, Knight of Sidonia, Modern Visual Culture

December 11, 2013

Year In Review 2013: Toys for Naughty Kids

By omo

Let me start with this: I by no mean look down at people who publicly declare their hankering for some pankering in the form of PVC. But it’s a little bit distasteful when your lolipedo waifu is already stripped down to her skinny undies and now you complain that her raven locks are draped across her chest because it’s actually the tasteful sculpting decision? Instead of whining why don’t you do something about it, like hire someone to make a makaizou version?

What I want to say is that figure collection brings your desires to the fore. It is a purifying fire to be a serious figure collector. What drives people buying figures has a lot to do with how well (read: poorly) they control their desires and impulses. It’s not a cheap hobby to get into and once you go beyond casual there is a mountain of headaches to deal with. But as they say, for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Meanwhile here’s a target if you’ve got tomatoes. With the power of MFC, after a few years of serious figure collecting I know, for instance:

My favorite anime character design in a figure probably has these 5-6 traits: long, blond hair in twintails, wears thigh-highs and has ribbons somewhere. Maybe blue eyes. I really can’t disagree with this assessment.
I have a thing for Type-Moon (you all know this right).
I like GSC, Alter, Kotobukiya and Max Factory (you might also know this). By “like” I mean own the most in that order.
While Saber sits atop my “most figures from a character” list (that one is easy), the next 4 are Rin Tohsaka, Miku Hatsune, Ciel (Tsukihime) and Rinko Kobayakawa. It’s not a surprise but man how did I end up with so many Ciel figures? And I probably could do better with Rinko, although what’s out there is slim picking. Pretty sure all but one of my Arcu figures are actually Phantasmoon…
I own more flat chests than large breasted figures. (Probably because Miku counts as flat, I don’t know, she’s squarely in between.)

And I looked, where’s the “cast_off” tag? I guess I just don’t own enough of them.

But as I mentionedÂ earlier, naughty figures (as in, figures exposing naughty bits) is an explosive new area of growth in the PVC fixed-pose figure market. And maybe it’ll bleed into the action figure side (see: figma/nendo/etc). For the longest time the quality of the average adult-entertainment-type figure is pretty low; they would focus on actual ero titles and make figures that are outright, uh, exploitative. The build quality is terrible and they would be priced > 10k yen. That still happens today, but now there is a new group of figures with naughty bits slowly creeping towards the mainstream in the form of more artistically appealing limited runs (like Native’s special order figures) or just characters from popular fanservice titles (yhelo thar Tama-nee, Ikkitousen, Queen’s Blade, etc) in which depending on how explicit it gets, various parts of the figure can be removed or replaced to make them revealing. While they are likely still expensive (partly because they are also more complex), the workmanship has improved drastically.

And this is in a way the reflection of market realities. Sex sells, and this newer porn-on-a-stick market shouldn’t surprise anyone. Looking from a different angle, the proliferation of 3D printing tech and better VR could also usher things in this direction. Things may have gotten a start a couple years ago but we’re surely in second gear with this cast-off stuff, if not third. I mean the blatant eroge stuff is now not even terribad (nsfw) (ok it’s still kind of bad). It has definitely gotten to the point where I buy cast-offs because the figure concept and sculpt quality is driving the purchase decision, not because you can get naked with it. I suppose you can always get naked with it, no matter what it is…

Otaku dirty laundry may not be pretty, and when it comes to airing said dirty laundry there are options! Even the most kimoi otaku have choices.

Year in Review 2013 Index:

4 comments | posted in 3D-2D Modeling, Introspectives, Modern Visual Culture

December 5, 2013

Year in Review 2013: Introduction

By omo

It didn’t feel like Christmas until the calendar turned the corner on American Thanksgiving, which is really the main signal for American to switch gears from “normal” to “holiday.” Given this year Thanksgiving was at its latest possible date, the whole holiday feel sprung on me very suddenly. But it didn’t hit home until I saw this in the news.

People have already been rolling up the holiday preps. I see people doing end-of-year blogging (at least writing it, not publishing it) and what secret santa things. I will do my two cents worth of sprucing up the holidays here.

Looking back in 2013, it’s a year when a lot of things came together. On the internet, I’ve been doing more writing than ever, and a lot of it is on Japanator. For better or for worse I’m kind of writing for them in a capacity that I imagined I would for the longest time. I guess this does mean I am now forced with the choices of cutting something somewhere so I can write more consistently. For better or worse, I am also watching more anime now than ever, which just means my novel reading has come to almost a halt. I think I finished 2 books in 2013. Blame it on LTE technology, I guess. And video games. Having all three Shiny Festa games on the iPad, or that I own a Vita now, or having the opportunity to crash through Project Diva and Ni no Kuni, stuff like that.

In some ways I wish I could’ve seen 12 Ghibli films in a month, again, but instead I will spend time getting ready. Or getting L@DY as they say. Thing is, I’ve been doing this crap for too long to shortchange the depth and passion of the Producer fandom. iM@S Ps. Nerds who love idolm@ster. Whatever. That has been kind of a thing this year more so than 2011 or 2012.

But that hasn’t been a theme, if you get what I am saying. What has been a theme is that slowly what excited me beyond anime and manga has consistently been simply things that enhanced the experience. Like meeting a seiyuu I like or going to a concert full of music from shows I loved. Both of these things happened this year (and somewhat surprisingly, every year in recent times). I mean, Otakon 20, man. If I didn’t already jumped the shark back in 2009 this would have been one awesome memorable Otakon, not that it wasn’t awesome. Cons are still tiresome but that is about as tiresome as not getting sleep; I could have skipped out on sleep to marathon some crap anime or play some video game, too. What I’m saying is just that, the totality of the fandom experience for the monetary enabled, hardcore otaku overseas has narrowed closer to the Japanese, in recent years, by some significant amount. And the simulcast business is just a small piece of that pie.

It’s just easy to point to Daisuki and Anime Sols, I guess, because they are entities out there promoting themselves. But this Producer-wannabe (I feel unworthy to truly partake in this fandom, but I will still make some business cards) is trying to board an airplane comes February to go see M@STER OF IDOL WORLD 2014. Having made a similar trip in 2013, it really kind of unsettles me in that I am not sure if, well, I will be ready for two Japan trips within 12 months. It feels that the logistic and legal hurdle between Japan and its distributed works are slowly but surely eroding. I guess that’s great if your business operates on hauling butts across the Pacific in giant flying metal cages. Or the Atlantic as I met my first UK Producer this year, heyo.

The “World Is All One” aside, I did have a good time in 2013. I just wish I could do my next trip not just purely to hit up concerts, as this trip is shaping out to be another “stay in Tokyo the whole time” kind of thing. I guess I could sight see on a day trip to go to… Mt. Takao or something. LOL. I mean they have a Yama no Suzume trail right? Right?

At least that hike is short.

Year in Review 2013 Index:

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