Anime Vice Site Mashup

Winter Watch: Recorder and Randsell #5

Guest_Author — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:00:00 -0800

Welcome to Winter Watch, a look at the latest anime season. Atsushi is playing a demon for the winter solstice bean throwing. What could go wrong?

Episode 5: Atsushi and the Bean-Throwing Festival
Summary: Atsushi has to dress up as demon for the winter solstice bean throwing. Atsushi is proving to be a very good demon, almost too good.
Air Date: Feb. 02, 2012 / Available on CrunchyRoll for Free Users: Feb. 09, 2012
Run Time: 3:00

Warning: This article may contain spoilers. We suggest you watch the episde HERE first.

Played out?

For the day of Setsubun (a Buddhist ceremony on February 3rd in which beans are thrown at a demon doll to ward odd evil/bad luck) Atsushi needs to dress up as a demon for school. He goes to his next door neighbor Take for a costume. Oddly enough, Take the perfect costume. At school Atsushi is such a good demon, he scares every single kid in school and manages to make his teacher uncomfortable again by falling on top of her. Afterwards he is again thought of a pervert when showing Hina-chan his performance of a demon. Atsumi returns the costume to her neighbor only to find out that the guy is unemployed and his mother blames the actual devil.

This time around the events in the episode didn't feel too crammed but they weren't all that funny. To be honest, I feel like the notorious boobs-in-the-face situation is played out. While Atsushi's innocence was something to laugh at, it didn't really serve a purpose for the story other than: it was there. The siblings' neighbor, Take, is an interesting character. He seems to be this show's Ms. Bellum (from the Powerpuff Girls), since you can never see his face.

Verdict

At the end of those three minutes, it is just that: another three minutes of Atsushi and Atsumi. I don't feel a whole lot of satisfaction, but I don't feel like I've wasted my time either. Accusing Atsushi of being a pervert has been used too much now. I truly hope the gags get better.

Watch on CrunchyRoll

-- Geo (sora_thekey) 24/7 geek! -- Follow me on Twitter: @sora_thekey

Winter Watch: Waiting in the Summer #4

Guest_Author — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:00:00 -0800

Welcome to Winter Watch, a look at the latest anime season. The third installment of the Please Teacher franchise continues with some rather romantic developments.

Episode 4: Sempai was Amazing
Summary: Kaito and Ichika try to act like nothing has happened, but it proves hard. After school, Kaito is picked up by a dark haired beauty. Ichika’s imagination goes into overdrive and she becomes fiercely determined to save Kaito!
Air Date: Feb. 01, 2012 / Available on CrunchyRoll for Free Users: Feb. 08, 2012
Run Time: 23:42

Warning: This article may contain spoilers. We recommend watching the episode HERE first.

HOTD cameo!

Finally! This episode is exactly what I have been waiting for! Continuing from the last cliffhanger, this episode creates an awkward environment between the two main characters. In very few words, Kaito admits to Ichika his feelings for her. This leaves Ichika confused segueing to the rest of the episode's huge amount of jealousy, awkwardness and hypothetical situations. Both Ichika and Kaito feel confused on how to proceed with their relationship. This is more so, since they live together. Therefore, they go to their friends for help. Set in hypothetical terms, they explain to Tetsuro and Remon their situation. 'A likes B, but B doesn't know how she feels about A'. Yet C is helping them grow closer together, even though C is unaware of her participation (C being Kanna). Manami Ogura, Tetsuro's older sister, is introduced in this episode. Ichika is the last to know who Manami is, so she only sees her as the competition for Kaito's affection.

Near Death Experience

Once all of the confusion and misinterpretations are resolved, Kaito and Ichika rekindle their friendship by simply studying for their school finals and not focusing on their feelings for each other. Setting stage for the summer. This episode ends on a high note. Not only because it hints at what might happen in the rest of the series, but because the introductions are finally over.Rinon gets some pretty funny scenes and a near death experience. I'm finding this anime a lot more comfortable with the comedy, but the overactive daydreaming still bothers me.

There was no mention of the movie that they are filming. This however is okay since summer had not yet begun. I still don't understand why Mio is in the series. I found it weird that Kanna's overactive jealousy departed from her character altogether. I like her better this way. Too bad this makes her oblivious to what 'A' and 'B' are feeling. Now that I am comfortable with all of the show's characters, I can't wait to see what they come up with for the movie in the next episode.

Verdict

Last week I mentioned that so far the episodes felt like the characters were still being introduced. Now it's clear that the creators were aiming for that. After four episodes in, the summer finally begins. The title "Waiting in the Summer" makes sense now. I can't wait for the next episode.

Watch on CrunchyRoll

-- Geo (sora_thekey) 24/7 geek! -- Follow me on Twitter: @sora_thekey

Why Do Guys Like My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic?

Guest_Author — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:12:00 -0800

Article

What exactly is it that makes this show so great?

Since I started writing articles on My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, I've seen a variety of reactions. These range from praise and approval to distaste and, for lack of a better word, hate. However, a lot of people simply wonder what makes the show so great. What's the big deal? Why are teenage and adult men watching it? What's the appeal? So I'm here to do my best to answer those questions.

Warning: The following article is lengthy and filled with candy-coloured-cartoon-ponies. You may experience sudden joy, eye-opening or general mouth-smiling, none of which I will apologise for. If you are uninterested in the subject matter, feel free to leave now. Curious? Read on...

Not just for kids?

The lines separating things that are considered "for kids" and "for adults" are blurring more and more all the time. Even within the Whiskey Media family of websites, we have grown men building LEGO space ships and playing collectible toy-based video games.Still, many people can't get past the fact that this show was created for a young, mostly female audience. So how then, on the internet, has it amassed a predominantly male teen to young adult fan base?

Honestly? It's not at all what you'd expect for a "little girl's" cartoon. Think of it as you might think of animated Disney films. Were they primarily made for children? Yes. Can they also be enjoyed by adults? Absolutely. A lot of the confusion and distaste towards Friendship is Magic simply stems from the "My Little Pony" brand in general, which is actually quite understandable. What do you think about when you hear My Little Pony? You think of little girls playing with dolls, two-dimensional characters, and tea parties. That's not what this show is.

The main draw is inarguably the characters. They're different, they're interesting, they don't even always get along... they're actuallyflawed. At one point or another, each of the main characters basically has a full-on mental breakdown. Considering this is a cartoon all about friendship (which sounds corny as anything, I know) there's plenty of negativity thrown in, to the point where the show actually gets... kind of dark on occasion. Take this clip for example, suggesting the reason Pinkie Pie appears so happy and cheerful on the outside is because on the inside she's actually frightened of everyone laughing at her:

It's actually very easy to relate to the characters; Twilight Sparkle buries herself in her studies and as a result is initially quite anti-social, scoffing at the idea of making friends. Applejack works too hard and is often too proud to let others help her, to the point where she nearly works herself to death. Rainbow Dash can be a show-off and egotistical but deep down she's worried what people will think of her if she isn't the best at everything she does. Rarity... you get the idea. The characters actually have issues, they aren't perfect, and people can relate to that. Regardless of age or gender. It makes the characters much more believable.

Of course if the show was only about character flaws it would actually be pretty depressing, but it helps reel things in. The characters even develop a little over time, learning and overcoming most of their flaws. Most of the time viewers love the characters for all their little quirks. The show is well-written and the characters are entertaining and in many cases just plain funny.

As for the actual content of the episodes themselves, they're not all tea parties and sleep overs and pillow fights like you might expect. They actually revolve around the happenings in the ponies' home town and the rest of their world. They have have families, friends and jobs just like you and me. It's actually not so different to lots of the "slice-of-life" anime shows out there.

Production Values

Lets not beat around the bush here: this cartoon is fantastically made in just about every aspect. From a visual perspective everything looks colourful, engaging and full of life. It's flash-based, which means it could have ended up looking quite static, bland and lazy, but the designers and animators give everything buckets of personality, especially thanks to the facial expressions of the characters. It actually looks quite similar to Panty & Stocking, though considering that anime was based on things like The Powerpuff Girls, that's actually not a big surprise (Lauren Faust, the creator of Friendship is Magic, previously worked on The Powerpuff Girls).

What's arguably even better than the visuals is the audio. Especially the voice acting, with talent like Tara Strong (Twilight Sparkle) at the helm--who's extensive voice work can be seen here--it's not hard to see why it's so good. Plenty of cartoons have good voice acting though, but how many of them have fantastic musical numbers like this:

There isn't singing in every episode, which is good because this isn't supposed to be Glee: The Animation, and honestly if they did do a song every week I doubt they could put anywhere near the same amount of effort and care into each song. Not only is the music great, but it's spawned an insane amount of remixes, mash-ups and original music on the internet, like this and this and eventhis.

Parodies, homages and references

Okay, this is where the show gets "geeky" and lots of this stuff is for the older viewers, or at least, it's appreciated by older viewers in a way that the "target audience" simply won't get. The writers of Friendship is Magic include dozens of references to celebrities, other TV shows, movies... stuff that just flies right over younger heads while still keeping the show entertaining for everyone. Listing them all would make this article a million miles long, but there's a list here you can check out.

Here's my personal favourite. Happen to be a Star Trek fan? This may blow your mind a little: the antagonist for the two-part season 2 opener is a character named Discord - the mischievous spirit of chaos and disharmony. Sound familiar?

Yes. That's the voice of John de Lancie who many of you know as the character "Q" from Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Voyager playing... well basically playing Q from Star Trek. To see that in any cartoon is awesome. If you're more of a Star Wars fan,check this out. To read about the I Love Lucy homage and The Music Man homage from recent episodes, check out my articles hereand here.

All these references just top off an already very enjoyable cartoon, it's a bonus for the older fans.

Of course there's only so much I can say about a show and what makes it good or bad, so if you've read this far and you're interested, check some episodes out on YouTube. Still not interested? Then perhaps the show just isn't for you and that's fine too, it's not for everyone. Either way, don't let "society" tell you what you can and can't watch. Life's too short for it to matter.

I'll leave you all with a quote I've recently taken a liking to, which you may or may not agree with, but I actually think it's quite profound:

Critics who treat 'adult' as a term of approval, instead of as a merely descriptive term, cannot be adult themselves. To be concerned about being grown up, to admire the grown up because it is grown up, to blush at the suspicion of being childish; these things are the marks of childhood and adolescence. And in childhood and adolescence they are, in moderation, healthy symptoms. Young things ought to want to grow. But to carry on into middle life or even into early manhood this concern about being adult is a mark of really arrested development. When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed if I had been found doing so. Now that I am fifty I read them openly. When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up.

― C.S. Lewis

Daniel Newton moderates Anime Vice and runs the community twitter @AnimeVicers. Find his personal twitter and more here.

Quick Picks: 2/7/12

Guest_Author — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:05:00 -0800

Welcome to the weekly Quick Picks. I have compiled a list of the manga and anime releases for this week with a little commentary by yours truly.

This time around I made sure to include Amazon and Right Stuf's prices on the lists below. This way you understand that the Suggested Retail Price (SRP) is not always what you will end up paying for your anime and manga. Now, let me tell you what my picks are:

Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Promise

1) We all like Avatar: The Last Airbender, right? Dark Horse Comics is releasing the first volume of a brand new series called The Promise. The first part of this new series picks up after the third season of the animated series:

"This series of digests rejoins Aang and friends for exciting new adventures, beginning with a faceoff against the Fire Nation that threatens to throw the world into another war, testing all of Aang's powers and ingenuity!"

Bakuman Vol. 9

2) My favorite manga is Bakuman and VIZ Media is releasing the ninth volume of this awesome series this week:

"With Aiko Iwase teaming up with Eiji to get a series in Shonen Jump, Moritaka and Akito have another major rival to contend with. Can the duo get their series serialized and succeed in Jump this time? And when Akito has to ask for permission to marry Kaya, he'll have to face her father, a master in Karate!"

The Secret World of Arrietty Film Comic

3) VIZ is pushing The Secret World of Arrietty (Miyazaki film) a lot this week by releasing two film comics, an art book, and a picture book:

"Arrietty isn't your ordinary fourteen-year-old girl - she's small enough to make her home under the floorboards of a typical house, "borrowing" what she and her family needs from the giants in whose shadows they live. A young boy named Sho befriends Arrietty, but when adults discover the Borrowers, Arrittey and Sho must work together to save her family."

Xam'd

4) For my anime pick, I want to highlight a series I had never heard of until today. Sentai Filmworks is releasing the "complete hit series from studio Bones", Xam'd:

"Set on a peaceful island during a violent terrorist attack, a young boy is suddenly transformed into a metal-cased mercenary. But with this great power comes even greater danger. Aiyuki must discover how to master this remarkable new power - or risk having this mysterious fusion of rock, metal and magic destroy him!"

Now that you know about my four (quick) picks, look through the list below and tell me yours.

Manga Releases

Title	Publisher	SRP	Amazon.com	RightStuff.com	Date
Ai Ore!: Love Me Vol. 4	VIZ Media	$9.99	$9.99	$7.49	02/07/12
Avatar: The Last Airbender Vol. 1 - The Promise Part 1	Dark Horse Comics	$10.99	$8.55	$8.24	02/07/12
Bakuman Vol. 9	VIZ Media	$9.99	$9.99	$7.49	02/07/12
Bleach Vol. 38	VIZ Media	$9.99	$9.99	$7.49	02/07/12
Blue Exorcist Vol. 6	VIZ Media	$9.99	$9.99	$7.49	02/07/12
Bride of the Water God Vol. 10	Dark Horse Comics	$9.99	$9.99	$7.49	02/07/12
Drawn of the Arcana Vol. 2	VIZ Media	$9.99	$9.99	$7.49	02/07/12
Devil and Her Love Song Vol. 1	VIZ Media	$9.99	$9.99	$7.49	02/07/12
Haruka Vol. 15	VIZ Media	$9.99	$9.99	$7.49	02/07/12
Hayate the Combat Butler Vol. 19	VIZ Media	$9.99	$9.99	$7.49	02/07/12
Kamisama Kiss Vol. 7	VIZ Media	$9.99	$9.99	$7.49	02/07/12
Library Wars: Love & War Vol. 7	VIZ Media	$9.99	$9.99	$7.49	02/07/12
Natsume's Book of Friends Vol. 11	VIZ Media	$9.99	$9.99	$7.49	02/07/12
Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan Vol. 7	VIZ Media	$9.99	$9.99	$7.49	02/07/12
Otomen Vol. 12	VIZ Media	$9.99	$9.99	$7.49	02/07/12
Pokemon Adventures: Platinum Vol. 4	VIZ Media	$7.99	$7.99	$5.99	02/07/12
Sakura Hime: The Legend of Princess Sakura Vol. 6	VIZ Media	$9.99	$9.99	$7.49	02/07/12
The Secret World of Arrietty Vol. 1 - Film Comic	VIZ Media	$16.99	$11.31	$12.74	02/07/12
The Secret World of Arrietty Vol. 2 - Film Comic	VIZ Media	$16.99	$11.43	$12.74	02/07/12
Slam Dunk Vol. 20	VIZ Media	$9.99	$9.99	$7.49	02/07/12
The Story of Saiunkoku Vol. 6	VIZ Media	$9.99	$9.99	$7.49	02/07/12
Tegami Bachi: Letter Bee Vol. 8	VIZ Media	$9.99	$9.99	$7.49	02/07/12
Toriko Vol. 8	VIZ Media	$9.99	$9.99	$7.49	02/07/12
Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's Vol. 2	VIZ Media	$9.99	$9.99	$7.49	02/07/12

Anime Releases

Title	Company	SRP	Amazon.com	RightStuff.com	Date
Akira (DVD)	Bandai Entertainment	$19.98	-	$14.99	02/07/12
Arakawa Under the Bridge - Complete Season 2 Premium Edition (DVD/Blu-Ray)	NIS America	$69.99	-	$51.99	02/07/12
Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion - Complete Season 2 (DVD)	Bandai Entertainment	$49.99	-	$29.99	02/07/12
Gasaraki - Complete Series (DVD)	Right Stuf International	$49.99	$31.99	$29.99	02/07/12
Mobile Suit Gundam 00 - Complete Season 1 (DVD)	Bandai Entertainment	$49.98	$29.99	$29.99	02/07/12
Mobile Suit Gundam 00 - Complete Season 2 (DVD)	Bandai Entertainment	$49.98	$29.99	$29.99	02/07/12
Mobile Suit Gundam 0079 - Complete Collection 2 (DVD)	Bandai Entertainment	$49.98	$30.49	$29.99	02/07/12
Mobile Suit Gundam UC (Unicorn) - Part 2 (DVD)	Bandai Entertainment	$29.98	$20.99	$17.99
Sengoku Basara: Samurai Kings - Complete Season 1 Limited Edition (DVD/Blu-Ray)	FUNimation	$44.98	$34.99	$26.99	02/07/12
Sengoku Basara 2: Samurai Kings - Complete Limited Edition (DVD/Blu-Ray)	FUNimation	$64.98	$44.99	$38.99	02/07/12
Tales of the Abyss - Part 3 (DVD)	Bandai Entertainment	$29.98	$20.99	$17.99	02/07/12
Tales of the Abyss - Part 4 (DVD)	Bandai Entertainment	$29.98	$29.99	$17.99	02/07/12
Xam'd - Complete Collection (DVD)	Sentai Filmworks	$79.98	$46.99	$47.99	02/07/12
Xam'd - Complete Collection (Blu-Ray)	Sentai Filmworks	$89.98	$89.98	$53.99	02/07/12

Miscellaneous Releases

Title	Publisher	SRP	Amazon.com	RightStuff.com	Date
The Art of Secret World of Arrietty Art Book	VIZ Media	$34.99	$22.39	$26.24	02/07/12
The Secret World of Arrietty Picture Book	VIZ Media	$19.99	$13.16	$14.99	02/07/12

-- Geo (sora_thekey) 24/7 geek! -- Follow me on Twitter: @sora_thekey

EUREKA SEVEN #30 -- Watch & Learn

Tom_Pinchuk — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 06:00:00 -0800

As a note - - I don't crush on a lot of toon babes, but I've got to say that new bob Talho cuts for herself isn't doing her any favors.

Ha! As somebody with a number of relatives who’ve gone to polytechnic institutes, digs at engineers make me snicker in a very fond and special way. Yes, the mecha team taking daily breaks to head bang to an out-of-date track blasting on the loud speakers is likely one the keenest insights into real human behavior that this show has ever offered. Just so spot on.

Then again, it took that gag to finally make me realize how the commercial bumpers are designed to look like the cover of a record’s A Side and B Sides - - after 30 odd episodes of repetition - - so maybe I shouldn’t be goofing on anybody for being out of touch.

A more serious tract, then…

== TEASER ==

While we’re talking about realistic insights into human behavior, I’ve got to say that Holland and Talho’s relationship has been feeling a lot more authentic lately. Why’s that? Because they’re arguing incessantly!

Seriously, it turns out that the reason there’s been all this tense build-up about Renton’s sister’s history with Gekkostate simply because she was Holland’s ex. That’s why Talho got so testy about Renton would be putting “her blood” into him during that critical transfusion? At first, it seemed anti-climactic, but now I realize how brilliant it is for its prissyness. Brilliant and true.

I suppose the next lingering character mystery’s going to pertain to Maurice, who’s been gradually drifting away from his Mama. He isn’t with the other kids after that hilarious film reel (with its long overdue exposition,) and that would seem to bring full circle an arc that started when he got in trouble for getting lost in the streets however many episodes back. That slap Eureka gave me carried a lot more significance in the long run!

Watch this episode, "Change of Life’" here and decide for yourself, then read my comments on the previous episode here.

Tom Pinchuk’s the writer of HYBRID BASTARDS! & UNIMAGINABLE. Order them on Amazon here & here. Follow him on Twitter: @tompinchuk

YU YU HAKUSHO #30 -- Watch & Learn

Tom_Pinchuk — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:00:00 -0800

Hiei somehow looks less intimidating in this pic.

Oh shit! When Lemmy's Australian cousin in the Lord Humungous’ gang comes stumbling into the ring with a fixing to beat your ass, you know the real trouble’s going to start raining.

I don’t know if they always succeed at it, but I’ve got to admire the show’s indefatigable efforts to keep some measure of tension throughout an arc that’s about as straightforward as you can get in respect to episode-to-episode plotting. The regular recitation of facts and stats is such an endearing trope of shonen - - something immediately translatable to boys memorizing all the figures of card games and RPGs - - and this show damn well uses it to not only pump up every new enemy, but to also add extra angles of danger to events that have already past.

You know, like the big switcheroo about how the blonde guy wasn’t actually the leader of this opposing team. Or how Hiei’s swarthy Black Dragon Hyper Combo was really more of a desperation move he performed while wearing a poker face. It really calls to mind the nigh-filibuster of a dungeon master who’s hurriedly trying to come up with some on-the-go explanations for how every single facet of a campaign is as interesting as it could possibly be.

== TEASER ==

That really shouldn’t come off as a criticism of the show, per se. Whether I’m laughing with the show or at the show, I’m still smiling while I watch this - - which is more than a lot of supposedly sound entertainment can boast. This show’s made by some dudes with a sense of humor the perfectly aligns with my own, because I’m just cracking up with each display of escalating, absurd power. Especially the aforementioned unleashing of the Black Dragon Hyper Combo. There’s all this fear and tension, and then… ZAP! The opponent’s just smoked right out of existence. Guess we don't need to worry about him anymore, huh?

Look up this episode, "Dragon of the Darkness Flame" and decide for yourself, then read my comments on the previous episode here.

Tom Pinchuk’s the writer of HYBRID BASTARDS! & UNIMAGINABLE. Order them on Amazon here & here. Follow him on Twitter: @tompinchuk

BLEACH to Enter the Final Arc

Guest_Author — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:06:00 -0800

It was in August of 2001 that Tite Kubo's BLEACH first began publication in the Weekly Shonen Jump magazine. The sword-swinging franchise later spanned into an anime, four films, and various video games. Some readers may have been curious why the past few weeks have gone without any new chapters. Well, the tenth issue of Weekly Jump finally has some answers. Kubo has announced that his creation will be entering it's final arc.

BLEACH finale preview

While there is no word given on how long this final arc will be lasting. We really do have to wonder who the next villain will be. It's hard to imagine they could create a more broken character than Aizen forIchigo to overcome. He really had been the only serious antagonist the series ever had.

As I've been reading various accounts of this dramatic news. I haven't seen anyone discussing how this will also be the end of the great Shonen Trilogy (One Piece, Naruto, and BLEACH), as we know it.Shonen Jump does have tons of new series each week, but I'm just not aware of anything that could fill that gap of crazy action BLEACH is famous for. There is some irony in how BLEACH was the last of the trilogy to begin, and it's the first to come to a close.

The only thing that has me a bit worried is that while Kubo is great at his action sequences. He tends to lack in his epilogue. -- What ever happened to Nel Tu? Are you sad to hear about this finale, or are you like many others who felt BLEACH could have ended before the Fullbring Arc?

Source: ANN

-Kristoffer Remmell (FoxxFireArt) is a freelance graphic artist, writer, and over all mystery geek.- Follow for news updates: @AnimeVicers/ @ FoxxFireArt

CASTLE IN THE SKY -- Retro Review

Tom_Pinchuk — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:00:00 -0800

Ghibli’s latest joint, THE SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTY, is coming stateside soon. In anticipation of that, I figured it’d be fun to catch up on as many titles from the studio as I can, since I know my exposure’s woefully incomplete (to count, I’ve only watched PRINCESS MONONOKE, CASTLE OF CAGLIOSTRO, SPIRITED AWAY and GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES.)

Read my takes on...

MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO ******* KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE
PORCO ROSSO ******* HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE
NAUSICAA OF THE VALLEY OF WIND

If ever an adventure movie got by almost entirely on its comic relief…

Watching CASTLE IN THE SKY draws to mind flicks from Hollywood’s Golden Age, but not in the way you’re expecting it to. To be sure, the story would fit right into a matinee serial of the era; one that perhaps took scenarios from strips like TERRY & THE PIRATES and LITTLE NEMO IN SLUMBERLAND. The fact that the eponymous flying castle, Laputa, has been lifted so loosely from GULLIVER’S TRAVELS with little-to-no remaining connections to the rest of Switf’s satire certainly recalls the literary adaptations of the era and the enormous creative liberties they usually took. And that gets closer to what makes this so evocative of that specific era of filmmaking - - it very uniquely feels like the end product of the studio system assembly back then.

== TEASER ==

It’s easy to picture this starting out as a straight adventure that was given a punch-up by some script doctor later into pre-production; likely after the producer realized the story was starting to taste too vanilla and needed some sprinkles. The entire plot’s a McGuffin; a simple excuse to put some appealing characters on screen, let them say some cute lines and occasionally drop them into some fun antics. Many, many movies are “guilty” of such, of course, but I haven’t ever seen any revel so blatantly in it outside of Golden Age director Howard Hawks’ filmography. Indeed, much of the time, you feel like you’re simply tagging along with a pint-sized Katherine Hepburn and Cary Grant on a date where all these ancient robots, sky pirates and floating castles are just the triappings of a little flirty roleplay.

Really, it feels like to even describe the plot is to take it too seriously.

This proper young lady, Sheeta, dodges a gang of pistol-packing sky pirates by jumping out of a blimp and down into what looks to be certain, freefalling death. Only a mysterious magic charm on her neck eases her descent to a featherlike pace and then this plucky little miner, Pazu, winds up catching her. The pair quickly resume their flight from the pirates (who wear pink tights that make them seem like an absurd, camp vision of the Merry Men from Errol Flynn’s ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD) as well as an opposing unit of what at first seem to be government operatives. The unit’s dandy leader, Muska, is pretty certain that Sheeta and her pendent hold the key to the legendary floating castle, Laputa, and all the staggering secrets inside it.

Despite impressive slapstick dodging and maneuvering, Pazu eventually loses Sheeta to Muska for a stretch. The subsequent scenes of interrogation and exposition lay out the mythology of Laputa in a fashion toddling enough to invite speculation that anybody not opting to just tune the mumbo jumbo out or take a bathroom break at this point is the victim of a prank Miyazaki’s pulling on his audience. Around this time, Pazu also discovers that the sky pirates have also inexplicably had Sheeta’s best interests in mind, all along (likely because the same prankish animators must have just realized they were more fun to root for than against.) By then, the only proper recourse is to take the story just as flippantly.

What works against CASTLE IN THE SKY? Well, as mentioned, the concept’s a little unimpressively dated. Even 25 years ago, you’d figure a fantasy would need to bring more to the table than just a floating castle and some slinky robots if it really wanted to capture imaginations. Sheeta also has the usual drawback of amnesiacs leads in that she’s a cipher with very little to define her. That’s fine, though, because Pazu packs enough personality for the two of them.

The pair are a real joy to watch together; startling proof that drawings can actually have more palpable chemistry than a fair number of living, breathing, live-action couples. The sky pirates and their two-fisted, pig-tailed den mother are an absolutely hoot to watch, as well. Their Greek chorus of banter makes every scene they’re in that much more enjoyable and, considering how this was the dub I watched, perhaps it’s another case like YU YU HAKUSHO where the translation team’s addition of snark gives drier material some needed extra color.

Oh, and I’d be sorely remiss not to mention Joe Hisaishi’s sweeping score. His work on NAUSICAA was fair enough, despite some sections where the synth percussion sounded a little like a keyboard's demo mode. Knowing that this was the direct follow-up to that, though, you can’t help but be taken aback by what a profound leap up his compositions make in their dance with the animation.

When the gags are the sprinkles on the vanilla, then this music’s certainly the swirling strawberry syrup, infusing even the plainest scenes with an undeniable sense of whimsy, majesty or danger. If CASTLE IN THE SKY is a treat of empty calories by the end - - a blueberry McGuffin parfait, as it were - - then it’s at least covered with the richest toppings in the parlor.

Tom Pinchuk’s the writer of HYBRID BASTARDS! & UNIMAGINABLE. Order them on Amazon here & here. Follow him on Twitter: @tompinchuk

EUREKA SEVEN #29 -- Watch & Learn

Tom_Pinchuk — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 06:00:00 -0800

I hope she blew her nose with a hanky before this...

Nice of Talho to finally lay it all out for everybody like that.

So Eureka’s like some incarnate Earth spirit? Or a humanoid version of one the mecha hatchlings we saw growing underground in that one episode a while back with the miner who tried to jack the Nirvash? That’s still a little icky, but kudos to the show for coming up with an explanation more creative than her just being another bio-engineered clone or whatever.

I haven’t decided if it’s too great a suspension of disbelief that Renton would go this long without…

A) Knowing about his old man’s world-changing exploits.

B) Somebody bringing those world-changing exploits up for all the time he’s been on Gekkostate.

== TEASER ==

It’s all largely contingent on how sheltered he was while staying with his gramps in those sleepy suburbs, I suppose. Luke Skywalker’s upbringing looks positively worldly by comparison, and he was living in the desert. It’s also contingent on how aware the Gekkostate crew was when they were taking him on board and then how crafty they were about keeping him in the dark. Not only would it be a far more elaborate version of the prank they pulled on him when they sent him out for a “field mission,” it would also be an even deeper manipulation than he experienced while with the Beams. In that case, this adds a chamber of ignorance or two to Renton’s whole journey through the allegorical Platonic cave.

On another topic, I’ve been meaning to bring up RAY=OUT for a while, but haven’t had as good a reason to until this check-up on Axel. It actually is a pretty brilliant flourish to the mythos of this rebellion to have Gekkostate essentially waging their own propaganda assault with a zine. I’ve joked a lot about how the crew’s basically like a REAL WORLD cast in mecha and, when you think about it, this is probably one of the first things the cast would do if they ever started something really political (I.E. a rebellion.)

Watch this episode, "Keep On Movin’" here and decide for yourself, then read my comments on the previous episode here.

Tom Pinchuk’s the writer of HYBRID BASTARDS! & UNIMAGINABLE. Order them on Amazon here & here. Follow him on Twitter: @tompinchuk

Winter Watch: Another #4

Guest_Author — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:00:00 -0800

Welcome to Winter Watch, a look at the latest anime season. Among the many shows being broadcast this season, Another finds itself as the sole horror series in the slate.

Episode 4: Put Flesh
Summary: Kouichi continues his search for answers after Yukari's death. Meanwhile, Sanae redefines what it means to have a dropped call.
Air Date: Jan. 30, 2012
Run Time: 25:00

Warning: This article contains spoilers. We recommend watching the episode here first.

"Yeah, i'm just chillin' in a rusty dilapidated elevator right now. What about you?"

After Yukari's untimely death, Kouichi continues his search for answers to the mystery surrounding Class 3. He seeks out Mei, hoping that she can shed some light on what is going on, but she is unwilling to give him any answers. With freak accidents happening around him, his classmates begin avoiding him and whispering behind his back, but when confronted they still won't explain the situation or the what and why that has them so worried. Turning to an unlikely source for answers, nurse Sanae Mizuno, Kouichi seems like he will finally get some clarity on the issue but a dropped call in an elevator kills any chances of him gleaming information from her.

"If we stare hard enough, problems solve themselves!"

So, I still don't get it. All of this death is swirling around Kouichi's class and apparently Kouichi broke one of the "rules" which led to Yukari's death, yet nobody in the class will give Kouichi the time of day and explain the situation to him. That situation reminds me of Gantz, where people are forced to go on alien-hunting missions where it's kill or be killed but nobody is willing to pull the trigger on the aliens until their crew has been near slaughtered by said aliens. It's as if everyone forgets that it is indeed kill or be killed. The trigger was literal in Gantz and figurative here but the issue remains the same: how many people are going to be killed because Kouichi's classmates refuse to do what needs to be done?

Redefining what a dropped call is.

So on to what everyone was probably curious about after the last episode: will someone die and who will it be? I was wondering how they could out do the umbrella impalement from the previous episode and they delivered not one, but two attempts on someone's life in this episode. Kouichi was able to save his classmate from what would likely have ended up as mass impalement or a severing, but unfortunately the nurse wasn't so lucky. Right as Kouichi was about to get some information about Mei Misaki, we were treated to a call literally being dropped. I feel bad for Sanae too. She seemed like a nice person and, despite the age difference, I think Kouichi might have had a shot at her. Unfortunately, this scene made me laugh hard because all I could think about was a physics-defying conversation I had with a friend who suggested that anyone could survive an elevator crash simply by jumping up at the last second. For the record, this is false.

Verdict

Another good episode. I'm a little upset that the mystery wasn't able to progress any due to the actions (or lack thereof) of the characters but the premise remains intriguing and it's hard to deny that the brutal deaths have led to a fun game of who will get it this week.

Watch on Crunchyroll

- William Taylor ( sickvisionz ) is lazy by nature, procrastinator by trade. You can also find him on Twitter @mrsickvisionz and on Tumblr at In My Lifetime.

Kore wa Zombie Desu ka? Season 2 Trailer

PerryVandell — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:30:00 -0800

Brains...

RIDEBACK Piggybacks Right On Over Your Suspension Of Disbelief

PerryVandell — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 10:22:00 -0800

This is a show about a ballerina piggyback riding on a Transformer... and it's too silly for words.

CORPSE PRINCESS Ain't As Over-The-Top As It Should Be

PerryVandell — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 17:00:00 -0700

Pick a tone and run with it, girl.

YU YU HAKUSHO's Just As Sharp Today As It Was In The 90s

PerryVandell — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 17:00:00 -0700

Now, this is how you start a saga properly.

MUSHI-SHI Is Perhaps Too Tranquil To Even Talk About

PerryVandell — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 18:00:00 -0700

Even if it is, indeed, amazing, it's still incredibly difficult to review.

TIGER & BUNNY -- A Superhero Crossover Hit That's

Tom_Pinchuk — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 17:00:00 -0700

Putting buddy cops into capes and tights, this show delivers strong characters and solid entertainment - - even if you've already seen most of this in comics already.

LEGEND OF THE MILLENNIUM DRAGON Trailer

PerryVandell — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 13:28:00 -0700

Dragons! Demons! Time-travel! It's all so pretty!

CLAYMORE Sounds Terrible, But Executes Superbly

PerryVandell — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 16:29:00 -0700

It looks like a bad, late-nite OAV, yet it's actually shrewd and psychological - - it's like it's slicing my brain in half!

VAMPIRE BUND -- Outrageous Satire That's Way Too Icky To Handle

PerryVandell — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 14:03:00 -0700

At times, it's so over-the-top that it's irresistibly entertaining, but I just can't stomach this much "trickiness."

BLEACH: Fade to Black Trailer

PerryVandell — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 10:16:00 -0700

The third Bleach movie is finally coming out in English this November!

GA-REI ZERO Packs A Jawbreaker Of A Surprise

PerryVandell — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 17:00:00 -0700

At first, I though it'd be a more jacked-up GHOSTBUSTERS. But then...

Peace Maker Masters The Treacherous Art of Chibi Humor

PerryVandell — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 17:31:00 -0700

It goes to show the execution is everything... even when it comes to super-deformed schtick and bi-polar mood swings.

HERO TALES Wields A Sword That Cuts Both Ways

PerryVandell — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 17:00:00 -0700

Guess it does need time to properly unfold...

BAKA AND TEST Makes Failing Fun!

PerryVandell — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 17:34:00 -0700

Not sure how this isn't based on a video game, but it's sure fun to "play." Ay-oh!

CASSHERN - SINS -- Beat Some Bots

PerryVandell — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 15:15:00 -0700

Rock the ruin, boom the doom and beat the hell out of some robots - - Tom takes a look at this reboot of the classic anime.

Squadcast 52: The Anniversary Episode

gia — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 20:31:09 -0700

53 - Squadcast 52: The Anniversary Episode

Squadcast 51: The Confessions Episode

gia — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 15:53:00 -0700

52 - Squadcast 51: The Confessions Episode

Squadcast 50: The Live Episode

gia — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 15:25:17 -0700

51 - Squadcast 50: The Live Episode

Squadcast 49: The Wondrous Episode

gia — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 10:17:38 -0700

50 - Squadcast 49: The Wondrous Episode

Squadcast 48: The Remix Podcast

gia — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 15:15:15 -0700

49 - Squadcast 48: The Remix Podcast

Squadcast 47: The Podcast Podcast

gia — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 10:29:37 -0700

48 - Squadcast 47: The *Podcast* Podcast

Squadcast 46: The Misfits Podcast

gia — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 18:58:55 -0700

47 - Squadcast 46: The Misfits Podcast

Squadcast 45: The Global Destruction Episode

gia — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:47:36 -0800

46 - Squadcast 45: The Global Destruction Episode

Squadcast 44: The Airbending Podcast

gia — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:33:49 -0800

45 - Squadcast 44: The Airbending Podcast

Squadcast 43: The Eating Podcast

gia — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 16:57:32 -0800

44 - Squadcast 43: The Eating Podcast

Squadcast 42: 20th Century Daifuku

gia — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 14:27:24 -0800

43 - Squadcast 42: 20th Century Daifuku

Squadcast 41: The Japan Podcast

gia — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 16:19:49 -0800

42 - Squadcast 41: The Japan Podcast

Squadcast 40: Female Fetishes And You

gia — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:53:41 -0800

41 - Squadcast 40: Female Fetishes And You

Squadcast 39: The Violent Podcast

gia — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 12:15:00 -0800

40 - Squadcast 39: The Violent Podcast

Squadcast 38: Australiacast

gia — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 15:42:44 -0800

39 - Squadcast 38: Australiacast