Most Strange

CONTEXTUALISING PUELLA MAGI MADOKA MAGICA

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 25 Mar 2014 00:02:00 +0000

(Reblog from my other joint blog, The Action Points Podcast)

“Why are they always 12 year old girls?”

They’re 16, but close enough.

Dad didn’t beat around the bush. He got straight to the point. Allow me to explain.

I’ll sell Puella Magi Madoka Magica to anyone who’ll listen. It’s an emotional romp through the tropes of the Magical Girl genre, where all is not as it seems. It’s a philosophical look at cultural views on altruism and even spiritual salvation. It asks questions of the genre: Why are young girls given magic powers? What is the mechanism behind it? What is the potential when a child engages in physically demanding battles? What would the world look like if Jesus was a magical girl?

Wait. What?

I didn’t come here to talk theology (but pleeeease, please talk theology with me) but only because I want this to be relatively spoiler-free. Suffice to say, the Madokaseries offers a lot to those who are willing to give it a chance, not least of all a stunning set of futuristic architecture and bursts of glorious surrealist imagery (particularly in the third movie) a la the 1968 Beatles film, Yellow Submarine.

But what if you’ve never seen a Magical Girl anime? Or never read manga in the genre? What if you don’t know your Sailor Moon from your Tokyo Mew Mew, or your Cardcaptor Sakura from your Black★Rock Shooter?

The Magical Girl genre usually tells stories of a girl (or girls) with magical powers and a uniform (often frilly), who uses these powers to fight evil in the universe. These girls may be operating in secret, or lead a glamorous double life. Often idol singers, or just school students going through the motions, magical girls have to balance their private lives with the massive battles they’re duty-bound to fight.

If this sounds all sounds gendered and silly, it’s because it is. Much like the Boys’ Own publications or the Babysitters’ Club books, we have a genre created with an age and gender in mind. Originally a way of celebrating femininity and glamour mixed with magical wish fulfilment, the Magical Girl genre has evolved, but still moves between sub-groups within the Japanese notion of age-and-gender-genres.

The four (five, if you include “Children’s”) genres are as follows:

Shounen (boys): This is manga or anime aimed at boys or men, generally 10 and up. It is the most popular genre and usually contains action, a male lead and physically attractive (read: exaggerated) female characters.

Shoujo (little girls): Shoujo doesn’t need to be all frilly dresses and men in tuxedoes, but rather it usually has a focus on either romance or emotional development. It’s generally aimed at girls from 10 to 18.

Seinen (young men): Generally aimed at older men, Seinen manga and anime often deal with more serious themes. They can be light hearted, but they often have more graphic violence or sex.

Josei (ladies): Easily my favourite genre, Josei manga and anime often focus on more adult themes like depression, life-goals, the mechanisms of romance and the changing stages of life. It’s aimed at women 17 and up.

These groupings actually refer to the target audience. Because many stories are written with these distinctions in mind, they can be thought of as genres. It’s certainly not necessary for a title within these genres to be bogged down with sexism, despite the prevalence of problematic gender-based characterisation. The best way to tell which grouping a manga belongs to is to check which publication it was originally serialised in, as these magazines are usually genre-specific.

If we understand the framework these genres have offered over the years, we can see the evolution of the Magical Girl genre. For example, if we want to take a Magical Girl story and sexualise the characters, but don’t include any sex, then we have shifted to a Shounen story. If we add tragedy and dark themes then we can produce a Seinen tale. If we shift to the post-prime warrior, where she must build a new life after being the heroine and must navigate the intricacies of adult relationships, then we’re getting into Josei territory.

None of these are fixed things, and with certain tweaks, these stories cross genres. Many Magical Girl anime and manga series are straight-up Shounen because of the sexualised imagery and action-focused plot. Without diving into the cultural differences surrounding sexualised imagery, it’s fair to say that Japanese society is more accepting of sexualising younger girls (and boys – there’s Shota & Loli, which I encourage you to wiki, but NEVER Google).

Finally we return to Puella Magi Madoka Magica. There are action scenes typical of Magical Girl anime. They have transformation sequences, often resulting in brief flashes of stylised nudity. They have specific powers, which in some way reflect each girl’s nature. The girls must wrestle with how their powers might affect their personal relationships. There is a higher power bestowing these gifts (great power, great responsibility, blah, blah). However, it is in the way these elements are explored that we see why PMMM is a deconstruction of the genre.

The mechanism by which these powers are given out calls into question the nature of a “Magical Girl”. The way each girl is able to fight with strength beyond her physical abilities is explored. Each element and trope is discussed, offering dark undertones to separate it from the often fluffy fare usually associated with MG’s. Essentially using MG’s as a vehicle for wider discussions allows it to break down the elements that make up the genre and subvert the audience’s expectations.

When I first started watching, I was encouraged by two friends, but as soon as I hit social media, I was warned by people who had started watching it, or who had read about it. They said that it fetishized violence against young girls. They said that it was violent kiddie porn. They were wrong. Very wrong.

What I found was a thought-provoking, and often moving discussion that skipped between brilliant visuals, interesting philosophical exploration and (sometimes heavy-handed) Christian symbolism. Within the context of where the genre has come from, and what this show aims to examine, we can equip ourselves with the correct lens through which to examine Madoka’s story.

Or you can do no such thing, like this guy did, and still have a blast.

The disappointment of Kazumi and the joy of The Last Of Us.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 01 Jul 2013 04:03:00 +0000

*** WARNING: Discussions of an explicit nature below, plus spoilers for The Last Of Us ***

When approaching the world of anime and manga, there are a few things worth keeping in mind. Most media (just like Western media generally) will fall back on uncomfortable tropes and cliches. People will be stereotyped because of race, gender and age, and unhelpful/dangerous "ideals" will be presented. And as with any cultural background, a whole new set of problems arises. In order to best appreciate the medium, a working knowledge of these issues helps to get to the essence of the story, without being too bogged down by the shocking characterisations and uncomfortable visuals around every corner.

Today's post is about how very happy I was with The Last Of Us, and how very disappointed I was with the first volume of Puella Magi Kazumi Magica and for largely the same reasons. I think I'll start with the bad.

Kazumi starts off with a naked, teenage girl in a box. Enough said? I wish. This girl is the essence of cutesy. She steers clear of the helplessness depicted by many other "moe" characters, but of course she doesn't get off completely. She's an amnesiac. One that loves cute clothes, eating everything on her plate, and hates it when people have bad skin and when women try to do men's jobs. Ouch. I might be being a little harsh, but not much.

This comes from the IP that turned the magical girl genre on its head, with a gritty depiction of the reality of this trope. How do these powers manifest? What must be given up in order to wield such power? ~~And how can we still appeal to the loli-lovers?~~

Within the first half of the book, she's forgotten to wear a skirt, (which exposes her underwear, but when she DOES wear a skirt, it's clear she isn't wearing any because half of her bottom is exposed from above anyway) and she's had run ins with two witches with problematic representations. One is a woman trying to succeed in a man's profession, and the other is a cosmetics salesperson who preys on girls with ugly skin and damaged hair. This is hardly progressive stuff, but please. I've been dying for more Puella Magi, and now this?

Let's talk about some good things. I was very pleased with the brief discussions of our own ability to be drawn into and taken over by depression (a running theme of the series) and the other two girls in the witch-fighting trio are girls with drive and ambition. There you go. A balanced review? Hardly. But it's the best you'll get.

For all the aforementioned reasons and more, The Last Of Us represents a better look at how characterisation should be handled. These aren't just characters breaking the mould, these are characters for whom race, gender, age and sexuality have no bearing on their potential and demeanor. The best character is the 14 year old Ellie, a product of the post-apocalyptic world who has seen horrors and knows what she needs to do to survive. There isn't time for fear. All these characters exist in a world 20 years after the collapse of mankind at the hands of a strain of cordyceps that attacks humans, adding a great pseudo-scientific spin on the zombie apocalypse trope. They don't have time or energy for terror and grief, which is ultimately the main character flaw of our other main character, Joel. Without wanting to be too spoiler-heavy, the cliche of the white, male hero is turned on its head in a glorious and unsettling way. Stick it out to the end, people. The payoff is marvelous.

The leader of the main organisation trying to right the capsized boat called humanity, is a young, driven, black woman, and one of the very few characters with a still-functioning sense of morality. There is at least one (living) homosexual character in the plot, and he is gruff, resourceful and jaded. His sexuality is only referenced by a few mentions of his "partner" and a side-splitting scene involving Ellie and a magazine; a moment which makes up one of several poignant set-pieces that emphasize the need to hold on to what humanity remains.

This is a story about dealing with grief, resourcefulness in the face of terror and ultimately a tale which leaves a bitter taste in your mouth, with little hope for humanity (not their survival, but their worth, generally). This is not a happy tale, but one as thought-provoking as it is well-executed.

I'd like to see more genre-defying IP's like The Last Of Us, and less like Puella Magi Kazumi Magica, thank you. You may not constitute the essence of a typical Magical Girl fare, but you're riddled with cliches and sexism, Kazumi.

Tumblr Blog of Daily Sketches

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 26 Jun 2013 06:05:00 +0000

Wooo. You are correct, I have started a tumblr blog of daily sketches. I will be uploading one sketch every weekday to my tumblr.

Here's a sample:

See you around!

Lots of love,

Evan

Drawing More Cats

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 10 May 2013 06:40:00 +0000

Or are there just more drawings of a few cats?

I love drawing these kitties! Now to make a living out of it...

Take care,

Evan

Drawing cats

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 10 May 2013 04:43:00 +0000

I've been inspired by my wife's beautiful sketches, and the lovely comic, Cats Are Weird, by Jeffrey Brown.

I'm going to draw some cats.

Too late! I did it already!

Enjoy.

Drawing again

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 07 May 2013 00:49:00 +0000

I miss drawing. Once upon a time I drew !chickens to go with every post and even added some to worksheets for my students. Time to practice!

Here's a koala for no reason:

Take care.

Dragon's Crown and Those Breasts

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 05:32:00 +0000

There's a certain context missing to the debate/discussion around the sexism in Dragon's Crown. If you haven't read the articles or seen the trailers, here's a recap: Dragon's Crown is a 2D brawler with stunning artwork, but heavily (to the point of being grotesque) sexualised female characters. Were' talking disturbingly large, exposed breasts with child-like faces. Nothing we haven't seen out of shonen manga, or... so much anime.

Jason Schreier wrote up an interesting article, with some potentially childish language. He needed to fired off a follow-up article as an apology for some of his terminology, but mostly to draw attention to the homophobic response given by the lead artist, George Kamitani.

Mr. Kamitani, upon hearing the suggestion that his art direction was comparable to that of a 14 year-old boy decided that the best way to get his own back was to draw some homoerotic artwork in the style of the game and suggest that such a tone was probably more up Mr. Schreieder's alley. Obviously an excellent response. Wait, what?

Now, that homophobic slur might seem shocking to some in the context of their own sensibilities. Or perhaps not.

It didn't surprise me. And not just because HUGE breasts were present in their last fantastic title, Muramasa: The Demon Blade.

If you've watched much anime, particularly those aimed at older teens/young adults, you'll know that homosexuality as a punch-line is a staple in many shows. My recent watching and re-watching of Ixion Saga DT, OreImo and Nodame Cantabile reminded me how far a culture that is generally getting more progressive has to come in their depiction of homosexual characters. Regardless of your ideas on homosexuality, these shows often don't offer human dignity to their gay characters.

Now we have some context for the response, but let's look at the original issue that Schreier and many others raised: Those giant breasts. If you watch the trailer linked to earlier, you'll see the problematic depictions of the Amazon and the Sorceress. The perceived issue is one of inclusion and image. Either we're reinforcing impossible, negative stereotypes of what is attractive, or we're catering to the male gaze by having our females as sex objects and our men as power fantasies, thereby excluding many women from enjoying the game. I see both of these issues as problematic. I also see my own inability to fully enjoy such gorgeous artwork on the grounds of particular character designs personally difficult. My wife felt ill just looking at the trailers.

The context for these games is a gendered Japanese games industry. Their games industry mirrors the rest of their popular media. Manga is cordoned off into groups based on an audience's gender and age. There is shōjo, shōnen, josei and seinen, and that's without delving into the popular erotic, audience-based genres. What we're given here is a shōnen game: It has sexualised female characters, violence, skill-development along with other elements common to the broad genre. It's very much like the pulp comics popular in the middle of last century, catering to male fantasies, often to the exclusion of a female audience. We're a long way from seeing our own media completely breaking free of the tropes that hold us back artistically (New Girl's recent depiction of Angie the stripper as a character with potential, which ended after three episodes with a "stripper steals your stuff" gag was a personal reminder), so it comes as no surprise that this Japanese game aimed at young men follows the tropes of a well-established and often troublesome genre. The sexualisation of children is another feature of the shōnen manga and anime that often comes up.

This particular incident is a reminder that sexism and homophobia is alive and well. It's more common than just a set of giant boobs in a videogame. The roots are much deeper in social behaviour and what is normalised by the media we consume. What is more concerning than the fantastical violence of our media is the everyday behaviour depicted. We're told that women are a prize to be owned, men will save the day and gay people are a joke.

Hear it from a teacher: Just spend some time in a high-school yard to hear what "girls can't do" and why "he's such a fag" and you'll see why sometimes things are more important than "prudes being prudes".

Bioshock Discussion Post-Mortem

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 06:02:00 +0000

So here's where I stand: We have gaming developing in two (or more, but we'll stick with two for the minute) directions. One offers entertainment from narrative-heavy immersion and the other from satisfying game-play mechanics. I think after our discussion, Bioshock Infinite works hard at both, which creates a jarring effect where the entertaining combat feels as at home in the shining narrative as having to win a basketball game to see the second half of a spoken word performance. I think a strong game-play focus can be paired with a strong narrative, but for my eyes, it has to look a little different if it wants to achieve more.

During the latest podcast after-party chit chat we had little discussion about "games as art" and it really opened our eyes to the real questions- can football be art? Can chess be art? Can the "game-y" component offer an artistic expression of someone's thoughts, ideas or philosophy? Does the player now become the artist?

And what would we end up with if game-play had to offer artistic expression. My fellow podcaster, Aaron, offered something- perhaps only as a joke. Perhaps not. What if we were to create a quadriplegic simulator? What if your abilities were limited from a traditional game-play perspective? Surely that could offer artistic self-expression through the game-play mechanics present.

I think much of Bioshock's thematic strength, philosophical discussion and science-fiction ideas would lose something without interaction. I don't think it would work as well as a movie. I think a fantastic movie could be made from the events, but I think having the world to explore by choosing where to look, who to talk to and which path to take makes for a more interesting experience than a film would. There's a scare (perhaps cheap) that happens late in the piece that is frightening because of the player's need to react- the player's agency heightens the impact of the scene.

I understand that at this point some people might be feeling uncomfortable. But I love FPS games, I hear you say. I like the challenge of monitoring health and ammo stores, but I also want high production values and characters I care about. I think we can and will always have such games. I don't see FPS games in their current form becoming a thing of the past. They have an incomparable way of tying tests of skill with reward in the form of narrative progression and different challenges, which us gamers love. However, I often feel this lies at the heart of some people's discomfort when it comes to videogames. As I've mentioned previously, it's sometimes hard to take the narrative seriously when you have to do skill checks to hear the next part of the discussion.

A video of the Oculus Rift being experienced by a 90 year old woman offered some insight into some directions that immersive game-play might take. Without HP, mana, ammunition, loot or cross-hairs, can we still call them games?

That's another issue doing the rounds as the dust settles from the reawakening of the "art-games" genre. It's in the name, people. No matter how we evaluate their execution, games like Dear Esther and Proteus ask us to judge them on their artistic sensibilities and the experience of the environment they offer, all without any sense they are testing us, or that we are at play against an opponent. How fun is the game-play? What game-play?

Are they games?

Many people have put forward the idea that we need a re-branding of the medium. Does calling them "games" trivialise them in the eyes of non-gamers? Maybe. Should we call them Interactive Entertainment? Too long, and IE is already taken as an acronym for a terrible web browser.

I don't have answers, but I love the conversation.

Bioshock Infinite, Telling People about Videogames and the Action Points Podcast.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 07:37:00 +0000

Bioshock Infinite - Telling People About Videogames - Hey, Listen

There. That's the plan for this post. Got it? Good.

Bioshock Infinite spoke to me in a way that games haven't done in a while. Almost a Mother 3 experience. I felt things. I marveled at intricacies. I was engaged by the world, the lore and the loopholes. But more than that, Bioshock Infinite opened my eyes to the current limitations of the medium.

It's easier to see how such visually impressive, aurally interesting and thematically powerful set pieces are let down by the fact there are "bosses", sheilds, health from garbage and all the other videogame tropes we know and (don't always) love. These are stat checks in a shooting gallery. We're playing I Spy for ammo when an interesting narrative built around Quantum Physics, oppression, nature vs. nurture, faith, baptism and redemption is playing out around us.

I loved it. Despite what many have said, I found the combat engaging with plenty of strategy and there are several scenes which will stay with me for life, but after trying to show someone else the wonder of Bioshock, I came to realise a few things. Kirk Hamilton puts it well in his article on the violence in Bioshock Infinite. It could have been the game to give validity to our pastime in the eyes of many "non-gamers". But maybe, just maybe it needs to stop being a game.

I would argue that more than the ultra-violence, more than that first act of violence and that policeman's face and more than the juxtaposition of clean air and bright skies against the bloody themes, it is the health packs (pineapples, whatever) and littered ammunition that hold Bioshock back from reaching that specific potential. For many, the idea that it's an arena of simulated violence where we must keep watch over a health bar and ammunition count is enough for them to disqualify it from having anything interesting to offer. They don't play laser tag for the story. They'd probably just see a movie.

I was sitting at a desk with two friends (who happen to be Christian ministers), as one tried to show the other something of the world of videogames by showing him the original Bioshock. The first was very excited about discussions of morality and the idea of how transient and impermanent death is in these virtual worlds, whereas the other couldn't wait to escape. I've had much experience with trying to show videogames to people who generally don't touch them (yes, they still exist) and I would have taken a very different approach to our little play-test. I understand that more than the violence and the idea that we might have some hand in it, it's often the game-y mechanics that will be even more off-putting.

I would have started from the beginning. I would have kept an eye on our friend as he saw the water after the crash, the architecture, the recorded speech by Andrew Ryan, explaining Ayn Rand's Objectivism. But as soon as any exploration, or too much of a fire-fight was required, I would have stopped and asked for an opinion. See? Philosophy? Art? Engaging narrative? My approach is flawed, but it usually gets the conversation going, even if the person won't actually engage first-hand with the medium.

Jenova Chen and thatgamecompany are exciting entities because much of their philosophy is built around not looking back. They want to throw off the shackles of a medium born out of young men's hobbies, with metrics that were easy to run because of limited tech. We willl always have RTS games and stat-heavy RPGs where the mechanics are obvious, and many of the D&D influenced titles will still wear their dice on their sleeves. If we want to share something important, maybe we need less game, more experience.

My friends and I have been working on a little podcast of geekery. It intends to speak with a distinctly Australian/Malaysian/Melbournian accent on board games, manga, anime, videogames and whatever geeky things have taken our fancy.

So please check out the Action Points Podcast! hosted by the marvelous, Aaron.

It's good to be back.

Much love.

Fun in the mail - Itoshiki Nozomu figure

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 10:49:00 +0000

Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei - Itoshiki Nozomu - Sunday X Magazine UFO Prize (SEGA)

ZETSUBOUSHITA~! (I'm in despair!)

Just kidding!

I'm delighted with this lovely figure, depicting the teacher, Itoshiki Nozomu, from Sayonara, Zetsubou Sensei! Especially at the cheap price I got him! As (currently) the only scale figure of the character (the SD Nedoroid is adorable), I'm pleased that despite the low price he's got some great detail to him.

He looks very "posed", rather than natural, as he's in his despair pose, but his face is smiling, as if the actor is reenacting the stance for a fan photo shoot. It actually comes off as rather adorable! The shading on his clothes is of a higher quality than many catcher prize figures, and he stands very well, even without a base.

His desk comes with a rope (for hanging himself - unsuccessfully) and a class list. The class list actually details the other figures in this figure series, rather than the usual students from his class in the manga and anime. The rest were girls from various series, posed in a classroom, intended to have him as the sensei. Cute, but I'd have preferred to have a list of all his usual insane pupils.

Doesn't he look lovely with the Tachikoma? His glasses are made of clear plastic, and his face is very accurate. He could only be the one and only Itoshiki Nozomu!

Don't despair! He often pops up on Ebay for a steal! Grab him while you can!

St. Valentine's Day

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 04:48:00 +0000

There are few things as lovely as a morning spent with My Love. We swoon over manga characters, cook breakfast, talk about what the day might have in store and reaffirm our love and commitment to each other. And often snuggles with kitties ensue.

Our little bubble of joy is only penetrated when a chill wind blows in from the North. A literal chill might be much appreciated in this season of sticky nights, but there is someone so certain we couldn't possibly be happy for the long term that they'd continuously question every life decision and motivation. Ah, well. Imagine how devastating it would be to have happiness pouring forth from every direction, right? That's why it's alright when kitties chew through controller cables or work is less than enthralling.

Today's ride in the sun as we shopped for computer parts and comics was a reminder that no matter what anyone says, we can ride side by side through life, singing soppy love songs, serving at church, watching anime and...

...Playing with toys!

As you can probably tell, I installed some LED's in my cabinets!

"Now our house looks even MORE like a toy shop!" --My Love

Thanks, My Love, for a purple hippo, for your care and concern and for standing up for me, even when I'm no longer my own ally. You're a wonder.

Heiwajima Shizuo, from Durarara!, by Alter

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 10:22:00 +0000

It's Shizuo! The cool dude with temper troubles, and super-human strength! This gorgeous figure by Alter arrived today.

K-ON!'s Tsumugi figure, by Alter

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 09:14:00 +0000

Lovely, no? That's the most detailed model of a keyboard I've EVER seen. Just marvellous.

Spelunky Minis!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 00:44:00 +0000

Aren't they adorable?!!

And here are the boxes:

You can get them here: http://www.fangamer.net/products/spelunky-figurine

They're tiny and gorgeous, capturing the look and feel of the XBLA version of the fantastic Spelunky, by Derek Yu.

Dusty Figures: Alter's Yui, Celty and Izaya.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 00:58:00 +0000

Here are some pictures of my dusty figures:

K-On!'s Yui, and Durarara!'s Celty and Izaya.

...I really need a case for them...

And in case you missed her: Samus (Figma)

Creeper's Tour of Melbourne

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 08:59:00 +0000

Creepin' at Federation Square

Creepin' at ACMI

Creepin' 'round Flinders St. Station

St. Paul's Creeper

Riding

Creepin' 'round the garden

Being followed...

Creeper on Android

Creeper at Telstra

Creeper creeping

Creeper at Smiggle

Gate Creeper

Geek Creep

Creepin' at Parliament House

Creepin' on ALG

Showering Creeper

Creeper on Lonsdale

Creepin' down alleys

Creepin' Kung Pao

Creepin' home

Thanks to Adam, JP, Higgins, Yin, Kim and the bunch for a fantastic holiday.

Much love,

Evan

Bandai HG 1/144 Gundam Age Farsia Model Kit - Painting and Airbrushing

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 11:37:00 +0000

This is my first ever model kit. I thought I'd start with a relatively simple HG Gundam. I chose this one because I like the juxtaposition of the flowers and the mech suit. I hope you like it.

Thanks, Aaron, for getting me into these things (and comics, and many other things). It was superhappyfuntimes.

An analogy- or abomination? Both?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 28 May 2012 08:47:00 +0000

*** WARNING: DISCUSSION POINTS AHEAD ***

(Oh, and a talk involving cartoon child porn)

Sometimes it's difficult to know how to respond to particular sub-genres of anime. I understand that some things exist, but I wouldn't want any part in watching them. I can certainly enjoy shows like Cowboy Bebop and Durarara!!, which both have interesting characters and like to throw in twists and turns, bending genres and telling a good story.

I can enjoy shows like Lucky Star and Ouran High School Host Club, which keep things good-natured, where love and friendship win out in the end (or not much happens at all, in the case of Lucky Star). The problem I face is when shows try to sexualise these teenage characters.

Lucky Star certainly has a following that enjoys the sexualisation of the characters (not present in the show itself)- just look at all the plastic figures you can buy of these characters in revealing outfits. I understand that it's a part of the culture (which I think is dangerous- just my opinion) but I know I don't have to accept it to enjoy the IP itself.

I certainly steer clear of shows where the sexualisation is the main feature. Shows like Star Driver I feel fall on the less desirable side of the line, but I can enjoy it for its camp, and even-handed approach- it was silly and funny, and almost respectful. Almost. There's a lot that can be forgiven when the main character's catch-cry is "Galactic Pretty-Boy~!"

I'm a huge fan of camp.

Camp is colourful, fun, friendly and joyful. It's self-deprecating, self-aware and joyful. It's Batman: The Brave and The Bold. It's lovely.

But there's this large, dark part of anime that many people are willing to accept as part of the culture, with which I have great difficulty. It's the wrong kind of "moe". It sexualises youth (teens and pre-teens) and it's a backbone to a lot of anime. It's frightening.

Then, along comes a show like OreImo (or Ore no Imōto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai or My Little Sister Can't Be This Cute).

Firstly- it's not about what you're thinking... in a way. The main character never has romantic feelings for his sister, or even sees her as particularly "cute". It's a sort of play on words, because the theme of incest is present- but if they weren't going for the word play, I think a more accurate title would be: No Way Could My Little Sister Be This Nice (to Me)! It's a show about enjoying erotic "little sister" fiction in its various forms, where the characters (one assumes) are adorable, whereas the main character's sister is anything but cute (in the way she acts towards him).

The show stays fairly palatable by instead focusing on the obsession with "moe" anime and games that sexualise young characters (and not the games/anime in question)- all from a girl's perspective. From a young age she found the idea of "loving" little sisters an endearing one, and it's supposed that she stumbled upon this before it held the same significance it has for an older person- that is to say, she fell in love with the ultra-"cute" portrayal of little girls, before it was understood to be obviously creepy.

The main character accidentally discovers his (seemingly perfect) sister's "hobby" of playing erotic games (eroge) and she is forced to confide in him, and requests his assistance to help hide her collection from family and friends. She understands her taste for what is essentially "little sister porn" is odd and fears the response from her family and the popular, pretty friends she has. Incidentally, her friends all work as child models- a further look at the objectification, sexual or otherwise, of young girls, in the context of Japan's idol culture. And at almost no point does she reflect on how uncomfortable it must be for her older brother to discuss the issue- as she has a complete separation from the concept of being a little sister- she fantasises (and writes novels) about being a saviour to the little sisters.

Now it's important to note that there is no child pornography in the show. Or fanservice (that is: titillating imagery). Or real explanation of the mechanisms or in-depth look at the themes of the anime, manga and videogames which she is involved with. It runs very much as a study of the passion people can have for this disturbing area of "entertainment".

And to the uninitiated it seems like an analogy for paedophilia, and how paedophiles are ostracised. But I say "uninitiated" for a reason. In the same way the show separates a violent criminal from someone who enjoys violent games, or someone who likes homoerotic fan fiction from a homosexual, it tries to state clearly that someone can be interested in "young girl" cartoon porn and not be a sex pest. I agree with this to the extent that it can't be true that they are all would-be fellons- but I also believe it can't be healthy, but I'm getting off topic...

...What the show is trying to say is: fanaticism isn't a disease. Being an otaku (geeky enthusiast) isn't a disorder. The show is self-aware in its acknowledgement that people are largely no longer afraid of nerd culture (D&D, videogames, comics, figures, anime) in the same way they once were. It states this through a lampshade hanging late in the piece.

It wants to tell us that being nerdy is all right, but it doesn't get to the heart of the meaty issue at hand and why people are worried: fantasy child porn.

By having the enthusiasts as female (largely) and removing almost all sexual identity from the male lead, they skirt the issue almost entirely.

One question you're probably asking is this: Why would TSC be interested in this show? Let's find out. (And get your mind out of the gutter. Briefly.)

The anime is based on a light novel series popular with young people in Japan, not read by sleazy types in trench coats, but in the same manner people would read Harry Potter (or perhaps The Saddle Club?). Light novels don't have the popularity here that they do in Japan.

As I mentioned earlier, I often take issue with the seedy side of anime and anime culture, and I wanted to find out what a mainstream take on this issue looked like. After reading the wiki page, and deciding it was safe, I watched the show. I have to say I'm glad I did.

As I've stated before, I often feel I've been somewhat desensitised to many of the stranger tropes of anime, and I'd be very keen for this show to be reviewed by people of various backgrounds:

- Someone who hasn't watched any anime before (Lorraine perhaps?)
- Another follower of Jesus with some prior exposure to anime (Ames?)
- Someone who dislikes anime for some of the reasons I've mentioned
- Someone who loves anime (who isn't me)

If anyone wants to risk it, I can assure you that it's mostly PG. It's not exploitative (from memory). I've thoroughly enjoyed Lorraine's Fifty Shades of Grey dissections, and I think it would be enlightening to get an outsider's perspective on this particular show.

Thanks for reading. Thanks for commenting.

TSC

P.S. I apologise if I've handled this poorly, or been insensitive, or short-sighted. Please feel free to enlighten me.

P.P.S. I must reiterate, OreImo is essentially a sweet story about a brother who cares for his demanding sister- and not much more. It's merely the odd choice of hobby (and constant references to erotic games) that makes it different from any other cute anime (think Lovely Complex).

Model kits and model students

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 18 May 2012 12:31:00 +0000

Mr. Ritchie: "...and I'd forgotten that I was supposed to be in Bendigo for the session, so after all that, I ended up driving for four hours-"
Student: "Did you put it in your learner's log book?"

I've had a great time with my students. Most of them are great fun and, when given the right circumstances, like to show their abilities and take pride in their work. Offering them the chance to do the right work can be a challenge.

I'm getting tired of people guessing my age wrong. It only comes up when they suggest I would have completed my VCE more than [x] years ago...

..."In your 30's..?" is almost always where their estimation falls.

*Sigh*

I'm 23...

But looking old has its advantages. I (hope) it allows me to surprise them with my knowledge of youth culture (an opportunity quickly falling away). And it should afford a little extra respect. Should.

Right now, I'm looking into model kits. I've just purchased the Kotobukiya Ikaruga: Black Fine Scale Model Kit, which looks... challenging. But I can't wait! I love nail polish, and painting fine details, so it should be right up my alley. In preparation, I'm looking for another one to build my confidence and ready me for the battle. I'm thinking parhaps the Bandai Gundam Age HG 1/144 Farsia. I think it looks like an easy build, and a good opportunity to test out some painting (the kit doesn't really need it, but I think it'll be fun- and the Ikaruga definitely does require it). Also, if anyone has any tips about airbrushes, or tool kits, PLEASE help. I'm super excited!

I'm off on an adventure this weekend, while my lovely wife - who is currently beating me up (or "giving me a massage" or something...) - is on a conference.

I hope you all have many fun adventures to tell me about.

Ciao!

TSC

I'll never leave

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 16 May 2012 11:50:00 +0000

Unlike my students, who often beg for freedom- I hope to remain in school for many years. Thank you, God, for this chance.

I get to spend my days hanging out with young people- trying to expand their world view (and maybe teach them some coding). It's an incredible job, and I wouldn't have any other.

I will return with more posts, and soon.

Much love,

TSC

Happy Valentine's Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 23:29:00 +0000

That's what I'm having so far! With a restless gut, I've had to take the day off work- sending in my lesson plans to the poor soul tasked with "teaching" my students. During the last few sessions yesterday, I had to take a few trips to the bathroom which gave students several moments to unleash havoc...

But there you go! You know what that means? I have a job! Where, you might ask? Here (click link).

That's correct. The most disadvantaged of Victoria's 79 municipalities. And I'm very glad to be there. What started out as a gold-mining town, has for decades been a centre for poverty, joblessness and poor health. To anyone passing through, you would be forgiven for thinking it to be an idyllic little town, with small corner stores and a rich history, but take a look around the the streets and you soon get a better picture. There are houses in disrepair, car wrecks, and a multitude of classic indicators of severe "disadvantage".

And how are my classes? How are the students? Well, let me say, there's hope. Students usually stay in my class. More often than not, they'll even be doing their work. I teach three VCAL classes in Literacy, Numeracy and Personal Development Skills. For many students, VCAL is an option to keep them in school, despite a complete disinterest in academic skills. When at its best, VCAL offers an alternative to the VCE for those who want to go straight into work placement, and offers them practical skills for everyday life. At its worst, it can merely stand as day-care for 17 and 18 year old delinquents. That won't happen on my watch.

Let's head back to the romance for a while, shall we? St. V's day brought a lovely gift (one I'd been meaning to buy myself, and have been enjoying all morning).

The sound hits that sweet spot in between indie, pop and rock- a place I rarely depart from. Thank you so much, My Love! And I'm told there's one more to come!

I made her a rather large card this year...

She seemed to like it, and I hope she'll have fun creating real-world pixel art with the 450 blocks that came in the pack! I had fun planning the piece on the computer on a 32 x 32 pixel image file, then reproducing it in Lego.

Here's a look at our music room. It's gotten a lot more fun lately.

You might notice the twin (not identical, though) to the piece in the lounge room. It's the cover jacket from v. 2.0 of the Mother 3 Handbook. The picture has authentic lines where the cover has been folded, and the fantastic guys at the framing place put a colour scan of the reverse side on the back. It really is a lovely display piece.

There have also been a few addictions to the book shelf... You may recognise the singer on the left from Mother 2, or Earthbound, or my poster from Fangamer. He's Lucky, of Runaway Five (or Tonzura Bros.) fame, and the dame on the right is the incredible singer, Venus!

See? Proof!

The other front-man (Nice) will be arriving sometime from The States.

Here's the shelf as it stands, adorned with many a useless trinket, most of which were gifts. It worked the same way when I used to buy nail polish. Once people know what an easy present to get you consists of, your collection grows fast. Everyone would empty their old nail polish collections into mine until it grew to 65+ bottles at one stage!

You might notice the pair of Tachikoma tanks (by Nendoroid) from Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. Aren't they easily the most adorable piece of military-grade weaponry you've every seen? I love their child-like personalities in the show!

And here's some shots of the decorative drawing going up our staircase. Pretty, right?

We got those lovely, owl-y prints in Singapore, and each one represents a season, with items typical of each season in Singapore.

I might return to mention a few more things about my new job, while I'm here. On the Tuesday before school started, I received a call from the school asking if I was still interested in taking casual relief work. I said yes, and they proceeded to call me back, half an hour later to ask if I'd in fact like a full-time position. Excited, I accepted the offer for an "interview" the following morning.

I arrived at 8:30am and by 8:45 I was employed. "Can you start today?" was about the only interview question they asked.

I'm glad to have this opportunity for full-time employment, and I'm very happy to have the chance to make a difference for my students. Praise God!

I hope you have a lovely St. V's day! Mine's off to a good, if turbulent, start.

Much love,

Evan

Trying to write a poem

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 09:27:00 +0000

[MASSIVE SPOILERS] - Like you care...

I've been meaning to post a poem I've been working on. I haven't, obviously. Why? Because the words can't live up to the inspiration for the piece. I really want to capture that grin that smiles so hard it cries- I want to express the melancholia of the coloured balloon, the darkness of true friendship and the terror of believing in yourself.

I want to pay homage to what is a satisfying children's novel, an allegory for personal growth, and a parody of what we expect from life. Penned by a philosopher; it's an essay about nature, humanity, capitalism and family.

And it's a video game.

Surprised? Probably not. Most of you are familiar with my unwavering interest in the works of Itoi Shigesato, and Nintendo: The Mother series.

I want to tell the story of Mother 3, in all of its heartbreaking, clownish, inspiring splendour. I want to bring you on that journey. But I can't. I'm not Shigesato Itoi. And most of you won't bother to play his magnum opus.

Not wanting to merely transpose its content into film, or printed medium, I resolved to show how the work could withstand the solemnity of reflective prose-poetry. I didn't feel my skills were anywhere close to the necessary standard to pay adequate tribute to Mother 3, so I figured I'd start small. I figured I start with a gimmick.

I'd tell the story in reverse, as a means of conveying the potency of the punch line- I would begin and end with the darkness and confusion. Where the game starts in the idyllic village of Tazmily, sees corruption take hold then would have Earth cleansed, I wanted to paint an image of the darkness receding. I started at the end- or a little before it:

In the mines a boy cries- mother gone, brother in arms
We find child suicide at the end of the arc

The Blue Marble- the stage opens with potential

Before darkness covers our friends stumbling in dark

In which act did we arrive? The tragic end.

The wording was too strong- I realised the audience hasn't had time to watch events build, and it's jarring to be left with words detailing a very specific despair, belonging to characters as yet unknown. We see a horrific scene, but we can't feel what we're meant to feel. It's just a scene so horrible, it lacks any reality to relate to the reader.

And "potential" runs off the tongue like dry Weet-Bix. It is a mess.

So I tried to capture a different time, just a little earlier in the story, as our heroes are hunting down the opiate that's keeping their fellow man captive:

Next our actors descend on the city of dreams

A farce carved of anachronistic legacy

Culminating in such a perverse wonderland

Its porcine king teaches a love of heresy

Again our film rewinds.

At this point, it became very clear that rhyming might not be such a good idea, especially if I'm going to use words like "legacy" and "heresy". I was too far into the poem and I still hadn't given a glimpse of the cartoonish whimsy present in the source material. Much of Mother 3's power is in its ability to make the player feel uncomfortable at the acts of terror carried out on the literary equivalents of gummi bears - all sugar and smiles. It feels wrong to see these characters, like gummi bears, getting their heads bitten off.

I tried rewriting parts of it, toying with the idea of losing the rhyme, or the meter, or both:

~~Next~~ our actors descend on the city of dreams, [alight with neon heralds, deception, a lustful projection (projection of what?)- guiding the moths to give up their life]

~~A farce~~ [One big, new toy] carved of anachronistic legacy, Culminating in such a perverse wonderland

[And at its helm, the] porcine king.

Again our film rewinds (make clear later on?).

With a little tweaking I was happier with the expression of what King P.'s Utopia represented. Mother 3 is at its best when it's telling a fable with the simplicity of Aesop, and the wonderfully vulgar "New Pork City" shows us what happens when the selfish boy next door gets everything he ever wanted.

I poured out and pawed over the verse again, to see what should come before, and where I should go next:

Our actors descend on the city of dreams,
Alight with neon heralds, deception, a lustful projection-
Guiding the moths to give up their lives

A monstrous child's toy carved of anachronistic legacy,
Culminating in such a perverse wonderland- And at its helm,
The porcine king.

At this point I wasn't sure where I was going with any of it. Should I return to a simple retelling, or could I start with confusion, then win the reader over as I filled in the gaps? Even the phrase "anachronistic legacy" was almost too much- it was mostly word play intended for those in the know- I didn't see myself having time to clarify its literal meaning later in the piece.*

I decided to have a crack at some cold, hard facts. How was I going to introduce the Magypsies? The Mr. Saturns? Rope snake?- all the colourful side characters that make Itoi's world so vibrant and twisted. And I needed to mention love. Love, as in adoration and service and camaraderie and self-sacrifice and loyalty - it needed to be referenced. Mother 3 is about love.

So that's how I started the next verse:

But we see love coagulates at the edges

Trans-gender, no gender, all gender- Magypsies!

Join a pink, mononymous, polysemous race

T'ward a battle of mind and colour and whimsy

It never feels good to start a line with "but". In school they drilled "however" into our heads as the correct and appropriate opening to a statement that runs contrary to the one proceeding it. But "but" fits. And what do you know- I'd returned to both rhyme AND meter.

But how was I to appropriately dissect this verse to explain clearly that I was talking about trans-gender immortals and naive, armless inventors that all carried the same name?

After this point, my lines descended into one-off plot points or turns of phrase that I felt might demonstrate my intentions:

Spines in the ground restore to life- and anaesthetic

and

The dragon sleeps through the unnatural warfare

I was tired of trying- and I was ashamed that I was tired of trying.

But it doesn't have an entirely sad ending. I had a different idea- one that was much less painful, but still showed my own desire to deliver a message. It would allow me to explain a little of why Mother 3 stays at the forefront of my topics of discussion.

My decision? To write about my inability to write about Mother 3.

Thanks for reading.

Evan

*The "Pig King" built his army with set pieces stolen from different time periods in Earth's "history". The city literally doesn't belong to the time it exists in.

Portal 2 Turret and Hayao Miyazaki & Studio Ghibli Piano Sheet Music Book

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 22:58:00 +0000

Thanks, Frase and Adi! It's so nice to be woken by machine-gun fire when a cat accidentally steps in front of this adorable sentry turret from Portal 2. A wonderful wedding gift!

We've had lots of fun listening to the cute comments the turret makes when it's found us, or when we knock it over. There's nothing like hearing "I don't hate you" after you've pushed over this adorable piece of Aperture Science (Read: Think Geek) technology.

Although we're yet to convince 'Cini of its value...

A few things arrived in the post today, and one of which I put straight on the piano stand and tried my best to belt out a tune- to no avail. It'll take me a very long time to get even one of these pretty pieces sounding any good. But I'm sure I'll get a lot of joy out of them when I do.

These are the songs in the book...

...And these...

...And these!

I hope you're having fun somewhere,

Much love,

Evan

Australia Day, Franz Porcelain Kathy Ireland Monkey Mischief Teapot, Tintin Market Scene Plastic Coffret and the Mother 2 Piano Book

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 23:44:00 +0000

Australia Day

For most people in Australia, the 26th of January is a day to kick back, have a beer and barbecue with friends and listen to TripleJ count down the Hottest 100. For others, it's a time to raise awareness of what we might be celebrating- "Invasion Day", when the First Fleet landed on our shores. For others still, it's a day to ignorantly lament the growing racial diversity of our nation, while harassing our newest arrivals to this land.

My wife and I were blessed enough to be able to engage in the first option with our beautiful friends, Jo and Richard, and their lovely children, Daniel, Grace and Esther- along with the kitten, Lilly, and the baby bird, Kiwi (which we helped name!).

It was the first truly Australian Australia Day my wife had celebrated, and our first as a married couple. There were Australian flags everywhere, hamburgers shaped like Australia, Pass-The-Parcel dress-ups (I'm hoping we get some of the photos soon) and plenty to drink.

It was great to share in the celebrations of our freedoms and the beauty of this country, and to remember those who aren't as lucky as us, who fight oppression without rest. We're very lucky to have new friends in our new home, not least of all because of their preposterously generous nature.

My jaw hurt from grinning when this was "awarded" us after the Pass-The-Parcel...

Franz Porcelain Kathy Ireland Monkey Mischief Teapot

This teapot is the first item I fell in love with in the Impress Tea House in Elmore, and still the loveliest teapot I've ever seen. Thank you so very much, Jo and Richard! It will be treasured and it will always remind us of our generous friends up north.

As my brother-in-law once said of me, "I've never seen anyone as enthusiastic about monkeys as him."

Mother 2 Piano Book

Today, in the mail, another piano book arrived, and this one is much more at my current level. Mother 2 (Earthbound) contains some of the best music every written for a videogame, and the simple, but strong melodies lend themselves very well to piano renditions, both simple and complex. It's a beautiful (and cheap) book for anyone who's interested and has some cute images of the original clay models used for the guide book and advertising. You'll probably recognise the four on the back from their plastic reproductions by Banpresto that I recently purchased.

And do you know what I've just noticed? There's a notation guide in the back that teaches beginners how to read music! How cute is that?!

Off I go to play some of this lovely music, but not before I show you the pretty gift I received from my sister after her return from France...

Tintin Market Scene Plastic Coffret

Fiona knows I love Tintin, and I love toys, so she bought me this cute plastic scene of Tintin at the market inspecting the model of the Unicorn. There is an assortment of bric-à-brac modelled around him, with the masts and rigging of the model ship printed on transparent plastic. It's very cute, with Snowy scratching behind his ear. My sister sure knows me well- Thanks Fi!

In the background, on the cardboard display, you can see the pick-pocket, the detective, and at least one thug- it's very cute, indeed.

I hope you take time out to celebrate how lucky you are. Get some friends, and some food, and spend some time enjoying each others' company. I highly recommend it.

See you soon,

Evan

Cowboy Bebop sheet music

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 22:54:00 +0000

Taking a break from toys, and the poems I've been writing - but never from geek-ism - today I present you with my latest project! As you may know, we recently got a piano as a wedding gift, and both of us have been playing almost every day. This morning the piano book I was most excited about arrived!

As you can see, it's the Cowboy Bebop piano book!

Honey likes the smell...

The notation is great for a beginner like me!

Although, without a stiff book stand,
I may need to photocopy all the songs I intend to play...

So pretty!

The first song I shall attempt will be "Flying Teapot"... So wish me luck!

*Hugs*

Evan