Review: Eden of the East the Movie I – The King of Eden (Dub)
Review: Love Roma, Vol. 1 (Manga)
Ani-Gamers Podcast #037 – Spicy Wolf, Made with Real Wolf!
Review: Fate/Extra (PSP)
Drunken Otaku: The Drops of God – First Sip
Page 1
We were out of the picture for a little while, so here is one of our articles from 2011 that we never got around to posting. Enjoy!
As panels at AnimeNEXT 2011 were also assigned to workshop-designated rooms, it was impossible to tell what "Suminagashi: Floating Ink" would be before attending and without reading the program guide. I was late due to hanging out and talking with others after the previous panel, but it turns out I didn't miss much in the way of exposition. When I first stepped inside, I definitely saw a workshop in progress. People were sitting in pairs at tables that bore shallow metal trays filled with what looked like colored water. To find out exactly what it was I had stumbled into, I asked one of the panelists who was circling around the room helping those at work.
While the art’s origins are debatable, “suminagashi” is the oldest known form of paper marbling — decorating paper by laying it atop a shallow bed of water laced with inks and can be traced as far back as 12th century Japan. As explained to me by the aforementioned panelist, the process of letting paper absorb the patterns of ink was used by monks to help extend the lifetime of handwritten scrolls so they would not need to be as frequently copied due to threat of deterioration. Reading up more on the matter, suminagashi emerged as an art form that involved gently blowing, fanning, or using a single human hair on the ink to create intricate patterns and spread worldwide in myriad fashion and form.
Most of the people at the workshop did not seem to be taking as much care with their projects (of course this was only an hour workshop). Instead, they randomly added ink spots here and there in their shallow pans of water and used a small paintbrush to make large strokes and patterns like so much modern art. Even though this produced naught but colorful Rorschach tests and tie-dyed shirts for paper dolls, the results were always quite fetching. Watching the process of con-goers-turned-painters trying to bring their own visions of patterns to life made me, after reading about the skills employed in eras gone by, nostalgic for the image of the lone artisan matching wits against the will of water, the ink's surface tension, and his or her own skilled hand.
Suminagashi seems an enviable art of patience and skill equally open to abstract painter and hobbyist. If you'd like to try your own hand at suminagashi, there's a detailed how-to here, and of course the Wikipedia page has tons more info than I've relayed here. Just wanted to wet your appetite!
Japan's Apocalyptic Imagination in Anime, Manga and Art, a panel at Otakon 2011, featured essayist and Japanamerica author Roland Kelts, who offered examples of apocalyptic imagery in Japanese art and pop culture, put them into historical and cultural perspectives, and analyzed them. While the focus of his examples was definitely anime films, Kelts went as far back as Katsushika Hokusai's famous woodblock print The Great Wave off Kanagawa (pictured right) to show how apocalyptic imagery is nothing new to the island nations creative focus.
The Great Wave..., published between 1830 and 1833, depicts a large wave immediately threatening boats off the shore of Kanagawa Prefecture. While almost 50% of the frame is taken up by the wave, its ominous nature can actually be attributed to how tiny Mt. Fuji, a symbol of Japanese pride and culture, is by comparison. Another threatening aspect noted by Kelts is the crest of the wave, which seems lined with "clawing fingers." Hokusai, according to Kelts, has often been referred to as a precursor or gateway to modern manga. And with that smooth transition, together with the statement that anime and manga have always been at least in part a response to catastrophes (which Ill explain a little further down), the discussion shifted to the God of Manga, Osamu Tezuka.
Kelts specifically noted Astro Boy, which emerged after World War II, and pointed out how the story uses radiation as an aspect of creation rather than destruction. This "boy born of radiation" shows a faith in the same technology (or along the lines thereof) that delivered such a crushing blow to life not even a decade earlier. Along the same lines, Kelts offered up a similar method of thinking regarding the resurrection of the Japanese battleship Yamato, which was the pride of the countrys naval fleet as one of its most technologically advanced WWII warships. After its defeat, the Yamato came back to life via fiction as a technologically superior spaceship ("Take THAT, America!"). In addition to Kelts also mentioned the birth of mecha as means to fight the disillusionment with current technology. In all instances, destructive new technology didnt bring about fear in art but rather promise as well as hope that what has been survived can be learned from and built upon to become stronger.
Next Kelts focused on two anime film directors, Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, and their specific works. Perhaps to take advantage of Ponyos immediacy, Kelts pointed to this Miyazaki film as a shining example of the portrayal of natural disasters and Japanese natives reactions to them. Kelts focused specifically on the scene where personified waves of a storm are reaching up and over the road with cars, which are trying to escape. Kelts said that this portrayal is not a malicious one but rather a dangerous fact of life. He said that the eyes in the waves had a sort of aimless, "staring into space" aspect that relayed the same sense of natural innocence as another one of Miyazakis creations, Totoro.
Kelts pointed out one scene in particular from My Neighbor Totoro built on a couple of images meant to evoke memories of the Japanese people who went through WWII. In this particular scene, characters in mismatched clothes watch as a man drives off into the countryside in a jalopy. According to Kelts, this scene was one that took place in many homes during WWII as those types of cars were simply what were available and clothing supplies were scarce. In all, Kelts concluded that since Miyazakis family was one of relative privilege and could afford to escape the paths of destruction, that personal history is what colors his work.
This contrasts Isao Takahatas Grave of the Fireflies, which is tied to the notion of not being able to escape and having to deal with the event as well as its aftereffects. Most of the movie, after all, centers around trying to define and etch out an existence after an American firebombing raid consumes life as the children had known it. Kelts said the differing vantages between directors makes sense given the fact that Takahatas family was of lesser means and could not afford to escape.
After a few more specific examples of the panel, an audience member asked if there was a difference in how man-made and natural disasters are depicted. Kelts postulated that manmade disasters serve as an analogy to the evil that resides within all of us. He noted that even historical apocalyptic depictions spare specific countries any finger pointing. Instead the focus of most anime that deals with man-made apocalyptic scenarios open with disasters instead of trying to prevent them (as with the majority of Western media). This further demonstrates the themes of coping with and overcoming ourselves. Natural disasters, said Kelts, are portrayed as indirect, non-intentional ... just a part of life thats meant to be dealt with and overcome. A rather pertinent question from the audience as to if there has ever been any backlash to the depiction of such tragedies reaped a rather funny, rather thoughtful response from Kelts, who said that there have been none to his knowledge but that the popularity of mo might just be that ... another means of escape from economic or climate-based disasters or both.
Click here for more of our Otakon 2011 coverage
After a short delay from the preceding Tiger & Bunny panel, Amy Martin, the person in charge of VIZ Media’s social media accounts, started off the panel by cheerfully announcing VIZ’s 25th anniversary as well as a new website with which to celebrate the milestone. In addition to various other social media aspects, Martin proceeded to announce available and forthcoming manga, novel, and anime titles. The slideshow above is 99% of what was revealed. After the break, there’s a text breakdown of everything that appears in the pictures along with info on a couple slides that were not pictured.
- 25th Anniversary
– www.viz.com/25years
– Promotions on iTunes end August 23, 2011 - October premiere of Naruto Shippuden – Bonds movie
- VIZ Manga app is now available for iPad™, iPhone™, iPod™ touch.
- www.vizmanga.com
– “Now you can finally read your favorite manga on your computer...legally!”
– Buy once and transport across platforms/devices
– First chapter is always free
– Simultaneous print and digital releases - Future Releases (Manga)
– Oishinbo
– Naruto to see quicker release schedule (volumes 36-45)
– Ai Ore (volume 2) – August 2011
– The Story of Saiunkoku (volume 4) – August 2011 - New Fiction
– ICO: Castle in the Mist (paperback), by Miyuki Miyabe – August 2011
– Book of Heroes (new edition, paperback), by Miyuki Miyabe – August 2011
– Ten Billion Days and One Hundred Billion Nights (hardcover), by Ryu Miysuse – November 15, 2011 - 2-in-1:
– Tenjho Tenge “Full Contact” edition (18+) – Available now - 3-in-1 Editions (Omnibus) – Kekkashi
– Fullmetal Alchemist
– Bleach
– Naruto - Art Books
– The Art of Vampire Night – September 6, 2011
– D. Grey Man – Features interview with creator
– One Piece: Color Walk 2 – November 1, 2011 - VIZ Kids Box Sets
– Pokemon Diamond and Pearl Adventure! (volumes 1-8), October 28, 2011 – Comes with poster
– Legend of Zelda (volumes 1-10), October 25, 2011 – comes with poster - VIZ Media Box Set
– Fullmetal Alchemist (volumes 1-27) – November 1, 2011 – Comes with light novel and poster - Specialty Books
– Naruto: The Official Character Data Book – January 2012
– Studio Ghibli’s Arriety – January 2012: The Art of Arriety, Arriety Film Comics (volumes 1-2), Arriety Picture Book
– Bleach MASKED: Official Character Book 2 – March 2012 - New for Shojo Beat
– A Devil and Her Love Song – February 2012
– Dawn of the Arcana – December 2011
– The Earl and the Fairy – March 2012
– Hana Kimi (3-in-1), March 2012
– Skip Beat - Available Now
– Meet Mameshiba!
– Mameshiba On the Loose! - Special Format
– Mameshiba (Heart) Winter – November 2011
– Pokemon Magnetic Playbook – November 2011 - Newest Pokemon Movie
– Zoroark: Master of Illusions – Video and manga – DVD: September 20, 2011 - Coming Soon
– Fluffy, Fluffy Cinnamonroll – January 2012
– Voltron Force – Old crew trains new crew – Spring 2012 - New for VIZ Kids (April 2012)
– Mr. Men Little Miss
– Little Miss Sunshine: It’s Always Sunny in Dillydale - Key Summer Releases (DVD)
– Vampire Night Guilty (volume 3)
– Kekkashi Set 2 – August 23, 2011
– Hero 108
– Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva (November 8, 2011) - Continued Simulcasts
– Tiger & Bunny
– Blue Exorcist
– Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan
– Blue Dragon (uncut), If numbers are good enough, this may see a physical release.
Click here for more of our Otakon 2011 coverage
Dolls. Is anything in real life creepier? Forget about the associated gender bias for one moment (dolls vs. action figures) and think: if you saw a random stranger talking to, animating the movements of, and interacting on a seemingly bidirectional level with any other inanimate object a lamp, a tinfoil helmet, a severed lock of a former lovers hair, youd think that person insane. Yet as toys, dolls grant their owners a certain degree of amnesty from such critique so long as they fall within a certain culturally agreed upon age range and exhibit gender identity appropriateness in their choice of playthings. Even doll owners who defy those socially embedded norms are not immediately deemed insane. Why then are Ball-Jointed Dolls (BJDs) and their owners so ostracized? At the Asian Ball-Jointed Dolls as Visual Culture panel at Castle Point Anime Convention (CPAC) 2011, panelist "Tempest Strife" explained efforts required by the hobby, how those foster owner attachment to the dolls, and how physical aspects of the dolls as well as traits of their owners are exploited by the media in order to shape public opinion.
Tempest started off by setting BJDs apart from their plastic counterparts by noting how the latter is comprised of mass-manufactured, static, non-polished, semi-posable figurines: pre-made molds around which owners minds must build a plausible reality or personality. On the other hand, BJDs are hand-crafted and fully customizable and allow owners to make the dolls in their own image. This doll as avatar idea even comes across in one of the manufacturers (Volks) mantras of building another yourself. This is no understatement. BJDs can be customized to the buyers desire with regards to skin tone, eyes, appendages, body type, and hair in addition to the myriad outfits and accessories available to adorn the laboriously conceived mini-me. Ms. Strife also pointed out that the amount of time and number of decisions that went into the conception of each BJD added to the sense of anticipation and attachment experienced between the completion of an order and its arrival. If this wait is likened to the months parents nervously spend waiting for their own baby to be born, it is possible to see the kind of attachment BJD owners form with their other themselves.
Concerning the levels of attachment betwixt owners of regular dolls vs. BJDs, depth of feeling is further differentiated by semantics of acquisition. Whereas regular dolls are bought, BJDs are brought home. This may seem an inconsequential difference, but what follows is definitely not. It is common for BJD owners to record, via video and photographs, box openings and celebrate such arrivals as births. These photo welcomings arent the only media-based evidence used to accuse BJD owners of obsession. Pride taken by owners in their BJD customization efforts, the giving of form to secret dreams in an aesthetic representative of the owners own style, can only be fully realized when appreciated by others. So those involved with the hobby often attend public meets and publish their collections on the Internet in presentations that range from photo shoots to photo stories. This form of presentation is not original. Hans Bellmer, a German artist, used life-sized pubescent dolls as the subjects for his photographs, which were published in surrealist journals and arguably started the tradition of doll-based photo stories. However, one quick look at BellmersWikipedia page will explain the ringing of modern societys prude alarm.
While most of us in the USA are uncomfortable with public (and even private) nakedness, there exists a major difference when it is seen in what is perceived as a childs hobby vs. art and an anatomically correct vs. neutered state. This nervousness is what sparks the playground-style teasing seen in Western media coverage of BJDs. Not a single news story fails to mention the presence of genitalia on BJDs, which stands in stark contrast to neutered dolls such as Barbie and G.I. Joe. Other common elements in newscasts used to persecute BJDs include removing the dolls wig to make it seem sickly or less recognizably human; focusing on the cost per doll, which can range from hundreds to thousands of dollars; and even automating the dolls movements, such as spinning its head or raising/lowering an appendage, to make it look possessed or unnatural. Over-exaggerated examples of BJDs are not the only focus of finger-pointing newscasters. Tempest pointed out that Western broadcasts specifically target the nervous, the fidgety, the socially awkward for on-camera shock value and the ratings that come with it (or at least to keep the news anchors entertained). This is complemented further by the portrayal of BJD owners as obsessive, which is reinforced when the fact that it is rare to find a BJD owner who only has one doll is combined with the aforementioned statements about cost and emotional attachment. BJD owners are not only interviewed in the USA (of course), however, but their treatment and the story focus tends to vary greatly.
In Japanese media, for example, news stories shows both sexes treating dolls as children. What the West perceives as an obsession translates to almost parental pride. There is a certain air of honor concerning the degree of caretaking required for BJDs, and the bestowing of names, personalities, and back stories is seen as a creative act rather than psychotic. One additional difference is in the focus on obsession, which is seen as a great joy derived from the size of the collection as opposed to a fixation on customization.
According to Tempest, dolls are seen by many as creepy to begin with, because the figures can seem so uncannily human and yet are static ... almost corpse-like. It could be said then that the juxtaposition of these concepts elicits a knee-jerk emotional reaction to the innate fear of death. Ms. Strife did an excellent job of exploring and explaining aspects of the dolls and their owners that Western society generally finds creepy. She also was quite adept at pointing out the cultural bias at work in the Western media and mindset that ostracizes BJDs and those that dare to love them. I say and wholly mean the latter because the panelist, whether knowingly or subconsciously, kept stroking her BJDs hair or caressing its arm whenever she walked near it, and that sort of affection for an inanimate object (at least to me) is just plain creepy.
* Individual doll pictures are of Tempest Strife's BJD, which she was kind enough to share with the panel audience. Group photos were taken at AnimeNEXT 2011.
Click here for more of our CPAC 2011 coverage
Featuring: Alex Leavitt, Chris Beveridge, Ed Chavez, Jennifer Fu, Clarissa Graffeo, and Ada Palmer
Yes, yes, I promised a review of Spice & Wolf for this episode, but Alex Leavitt has forced my hand by politely requesting this long-overdue recording. That's right, get ready for ANGRY ARGUMENTS, because this is Experts of Fan Controversy (Anime Boston 2011), in which anime fandom "experts" face off on major issues of the day, including piracy and translation accuracy! OK, let's be honest here: there isn't actually much controversy or anger in this panel, but it certainly has lots of very useful insights into the workings of the anime industry and fandom. Plus it's got points. And who doesn't love points?
Show notes and links are coming soon, and cross your fingers for that Spice & Wolf episode next time!
With projector as campfire, Dunbar explains that the sheer age of Japanese culture means that every subsequent generation since the first has had a hand in building upon and inventing new ways to scare themselves and those who survive them. This leads to a culture with a dense history of superstition, specifically one with a ubiquitous focus on the fear of reprisal and retribution. Dunbar, equipped with his PowerPoint Pokdex, explains several types of ghosts along the way, examining nomenclature, common traits, and reasons for existence, and then accentuates select examples by reading aloud from actual tales.
The breadth of types of apparitions (and examples thereof) included in the presentation is impressive, but specific tie-ins to anime are minimal compared to Dunbars other panels. Luckily, anime viewers need only take in all the information this panel is offering and then apply it to whatever it is they are watching to appreciate the inherent anthropological aspect. Dunbar does, however, rather ingeniously link Japans fear culture with anime, explaining how the latter helps people cope with the former ... or as he so poetically put it, "as if the Japanese build Gundams to fight the monsters." Personally, I would have liked to have seen more insight like that but directed towards what spawned changes in specific fears and the resulting embodiments thereof between eras.
It speaks to Dunbars sense of presentation that this panel does not feel like an instructor orally reciting an encyclopedia entry. His intense interest in the subject matter and humorous delivery combine to produce an entertaining and informative initiation into the shadows that haunt the Japanese mindset. This was a great panel, and it was only the initial version. There was even extra time for more theories, stories, and examples, so like most Dunbar panels there are bound to be edits, revisions, and additions to look forward to in future versions. Look for it and request it for your favorite con!
Click here for more of our AnimeNEXT 2011 coverage
Not having a particular interest or background in giant robot anime, I would probably be the last person you’d expect to see at this panel. However, a panel I attended last year at Otakon provided some insight into the creation, production, and subtext of oft-ignored credit sequences, so I decided to see what there was to be said about this specific evolution. Starting with Astro Boy and ending with something pre-1984, the panel consisted of one un-subbed opening sequence after another (roughly 42 by my count) without the benefit of any explanations, explorations, or even names. After one of the presenters hit play on the laptop, the audience was left to marvel at one- to two-minute clips in rapid and seemingly infinite succession for almost the entire hour.
Despite being irked at the lack of introduction and discussion, I initially fell into a state of humored awe. There’s just so much giant robot anime out there ... and the panel didn’t even reach its end! No wonder there wasn’t any time for intros (as frustrating as that was). After 10 or so openings, however, I felt a wearing tedium akin to being accosted by a friend whose notion of in-person entertainment is the sharing of endless Internet memes. While thorough in their acquisition of material, the panelists could’ve made a go of being more selective by grouping openings into trends and showing one example per group per time period and then discussing possible reasons for the noticeable differences.
After coming to terms that there would be no explanations, I sat back and tried as adeptly as possible to discern the evolutionary path myself. There was more than enough on which to comment, but among the things I found fascinating was the gradual swing in focus from violence to teamwork as saving grace. Within even this over-simplified observation there is much to expand upon: operator interaction with singular robots in the various recurring violent and teamwork eras, focus on detailed technological aspects of the robots themselves, form, weaponry, setting, fictitious and real word historical framing, etc. Alas, with but a minute or two of fury to note so many aspects, I simply put down my pen and enjoyed the relentless onslaught of visuals with the rest of the lip-syncing, bouncing crowd. And for the first panel on opening day of the con, maybe that’s all I needed.
Credit goes to yosefu2 for posting all the above clips to YouTube.
Click here for more of our Zenkaikon 2011 coverage
Until those types of statements caught her attention, Hemmann operated under two assumptions: that female characters can kick ass and take names as well as the male characters, and that “while the female characters are very, very pretty, so too are the male characters.” She didn’t think FF characters were portrayed as misogynistic or contributed to the propagation of any sort of misogyny, nor did the characters seem sexist or subject to sexism. However, Hemmann’s panel, focusing on the evolution of FF from phallocentric to gender-neutral, shows just how far the series has come in terms of granting its male and female characters equal opportunities despite inherent and universal physiological differences ... you know, feminism.
Along with its belief that no one should be judged or discriminated against based on their sex/gender, feminism maintains that boys and girls are constantly subjected to sexist social messages throughout their development. Case in point: the hundreds of hours spent playing RPGs (Role Playing Games) such as FF. The more players let themselves get absorbed into the fantastical worlds presented in such games, the more those same players are subject to messages conveyed intentionally via the game’s plot as well as unintentionally by the characters’ designs, roles, and dialogue. This is why Hemmann believes it is important to have strong female characters, free from vilification, who can serve as equally strong role models to those at the controller. Her panel explores three characters who uniquely exemplify, though traits and their contrast with history, the evolution of feminism in FF: Rydia (IV), Aerith (VII), and Fran (XII).
To provide a sense of history against which feminist progress in FF can be argued, Hemmann pointed out that early incarnations of the game had male directors; were intended for male audiences; and, with the exception of X-2, XIII, and VI, made the player’s character and primary hero male. This phallocentrism propagated the dominance of the heterosexual male economy of desire, where men are sexual subjects and women are sexual objects (boy gets the sword, boy gets girl, not vice-versa). FF becomes less phallocentric with each successive installment starting with IV, which introduces an extensive cast of characters with unique personalities, capabilities, and back-stories.
One of said characters is Rydia, who is endowed with a strong back-story, is responsible for saving Cecil, and brings value to her party with summon spells and what is portrayed as lethal black magic. This combination of these traits makes her a strong playable character worthy of player investment. Hemmann points out, however, that Rydia is never more than a supporting character in terms of strength because of the game’s MP limitations and negative connotations dealing with magic (innate, female) vs. brute force (skilled, male). Rydia also falls short in being portrayed as three-dimensional due to her sexualized outfit and almost total lack of interiority, the combination of which makes her a blank slate onto which male players can project their desires concerning this mysterious femininity.
Another pivotal character in the evolution of feminism in FF is Aerith, whose booklet description comes dangerously close to forcing upon her the tropes that define a Mary Sue. This character can never be a true Sue, however, because she does not serve as writer or reader stand-in. That role is for Cloud Strife, who is set up to have Aerith as his love interest. Thus her characteristics don’t make her someone every player wants to “be,” but be “with.” As with Rydia, Aerith’s traits are designed to bolster the egos and libidos of male players. However, female players have claimed the same traits to be empowering because of the effect they had on the male protagonist.
In contrast to Aerith, stands Tifa: a woman who “kicks ass, runs her own bar, and has hundreds upon hundreds of lines of dialogue.” Hemman said she enjoyed looking up at Tifa despite the graphicness of looking up her skirt as she posed for her victory stretch at the end of every battle. As revealing as it is, Hemmann says, Tifa’s pose is not sexist but empowering in the eyes of female players. That female gaze brings an antidote to the objectifying gaze of males.
What character better emphasizes objectified desire than FFXII’s Fran, right? She's tall and beautiful, has bunny ears, and wears a skimpy outfit comprised of black leather bondage gear. But Hemmann makes the point that while Fran’s exotic character design seems to be drawn for pure male sexual viewing pleasure, the characterization is not sexual in any way and is instead meant to signify her standing within her race in the context of the game. Older and more mature than other characters, Fran is involved in a relationship to a male partner that is characterized as friendly yet professional. Fran comes pre-equipped with a bow, but can be made into a “dual-handed weapon-wielding tank of a melee fighter” if so desired as leveling up is determined by equipped items rather than gender.Initially in Final Fantasy, female characters were nothing more than static supporting characters for the dynamic male heroes. As the series continued, women in these games developed personality, inner thought, and strength. No more were female characters defined by who loved them. Instead, appropriate and realistic motivations were derived from who they wanted to be and what they wanted to accomplish as based on intricate back-stories. While female empowerment has been slow, it has been steady. Evidence as keenly picked out and analyzed by Hemmann smartly illustrates subtle and blunt changes within the context of both game and ideology, identifying female gamers and their gaze as a controlling force in an ever-evolving world.
Click here for more of our Zenkaikon 2011 coverage
Bandai Entertainment's Marketing Director Robert Napton was on hand at the New York Comic Con/Anime Festival to announce a number of new re-releases of previously licensed Bandai properties. The first was the original Mobile Suit Gundam series (often called "First Gundam"), which will see a two-part DVD release in 2011 under the Anime Legends label with both the English dub and original Japanese. The Japanese track was conspicuously absent in Bandai's first North American release of the series (also from Bandai), drawing widespread ire from Gundam fans looking for the original audio.
Speaking of Gundam, Bandai will also be bringing Gundam Unicorn to DVD, with two episodes per DVD in a three-part release. Each DVD will retail at $29.98. Until now the series has only been released in Blu-ray format. Meanwhile, the Gundam 00 movie will be released with both Japanese and English dubs, though Bandai had no further details on the release plans. The film will see its American premiere at the New York Anime Festival this Sunday, October 10 at 2:00 PM.
Napton brought Cristina Vee (voice of Mio in K-ON!) on stage during the panel to announce two new additions to the cast for K-ON!: Cassandra Lee as Rittsu and Shelby Lindley as Mugi. Finally, Bandai will release Mamoru Hosoda's critically acclaimed anime film The Girl Who Leapt Through Time and Kenji Kamiyama's Ghost in the Shell: Solid State Society on Blu-ray. No details yet on date/price.
Both were in-depth panels that ran audiences through the historic mythos within Japanese culture and then applied these stories to examples within the modern media of anime and video games. Dunbar’s delivery brings with it a tone of exaltation that can only be found in someone who not only enjoys carrying around a basket filled with the fruits of his labors but in sharing those fruits with others. As enjoyable as they are informative, both “Shinigami” and “Modern Mythology” have so much to offer that summarizing them would be as insufficient as it would be insulting to the original content. Luckily, according to Charles himself, the panels will soon be posted on the website Weekend Nihonjin, which also offers links to his blog, Study of Anime, anime culture-related articles, and a schedule of forthcoming panels.
Click here for more of our Otakon 2010 coverage.
Defined as media aimed at females aged from 10-18 years old, shōjo generally features a female protagonist in any of myriad melodramatic circumstances. Content is determined by intended demographic and therefore not bound by subject, style, or genre. Storyline usually revolves around the protagonist, but plot is secondary to characters and their relationships, which are developed and maintained mainly through conversations.
Interesting note: Shōjo, when spelled without the accented “o” (i.e. “shojo”), translates as “virgin.” Just sayin’.
Shōjo contains various sub-genres that provide templates or empty stages upon which the characters can develop:
- Mahō shōjo: schoolgirl gets magical powers with which to save world
- Playing Parent: character has to take care of a baby or younger sibling/character
- Rags to Riches: main character inherits money or is adopted by rich family
- Pop Idol: regular girl become pop singer, model, etc.
- Romantic Teasing: male bully teases main character into liking him by “bullying” her
- Social Pressure: girls bully main character
Be it manga, anime, or live action, shōjo has and continues to influence artistic content for better (Hell Girl) or worse (Clannad). It continues to evolve as well, reflecting the times and attitudes of those it is surrounded by.
Overall, this panel was great as an introduction for any unaccustomed with the genre, but the history portion of the panel read much like a Wikipedia page despite the cuteness with which the panelist delivered the information and examples therein. I do lament lack of focus on cultural effects, but for an hour time slot, I think all went well for an intro course in squeeeeing.
Click here for more of our Otakon 2010 coverage
...with Adam Sheehan and Josh Morris
State of the Industry
(prescribed with a grain of salt considering the source)
Dubs are here to stay, as there is more consumer demand for DVD releases with subs than without. “There’s money to be made here.”
Viewers older than 25 now represent 51% of market, while those from 18-24 years of age represent 40%. People ranging from 13-17 years old represent the largest group of online viewers.
Convention attendance is steadily growing.
Social Media Branch
http://blog.funimation.com/ (which will post this entire panel in a week or so)
twitter.com/funimation (75,000 followers)
Facebook (72,000 fans)
YouTube.com (159,000 subscribers, 8th largest following worldwide)
Simulcasts
One Piece
Rainbow
Black Butler Season 2
Legend of Legendary Heroes
Sekirei Season 2
Shiki
Anti-Piracy Initiatives
Hired 1 lawyer and 3 additional staff to police and report online and offline copyright infringements.
DVD Releases
My Bride is a Mermaid (funimation.com/mybrideisamermaid)
Master of Martial Hearts – “Mortal Kombat with less clothing,” due August 2010
Casshern Sins (funimation.com/casshernsins) – parts 1 & 2 due August 17, 2010.
Corpse Princess (funimation.com/shikabanehime) – due September 14, 2010.
Hetalia (funimation.com/hetalia) – 26 episodes due out September 14, 2010.
Hetalia Season 2 – with tons of extras due out October 12, 2010.
Eden of the East (funimation.com/edenoftheeast) – complete series due out September 28, 2010 for $54.98 ($59 Blu-Ray)
Voice Cast Announcements
Oh! Edo Rocket (see picture for blurry but readable list)
Black Butler (see picture for blurry but readable list)
New Acquisitions
Phantom, Requiem for the Phantom
Strike Witches Season 2 (picture) coming 2011
Blessing of the Campanella (picture) coming 2011
Okamisan (picture) coming 2011
Hetalia Seasons 3 and 4 (picture) coming 2011
Hetalia “Paint It White” movie coming 2011
Summer Wars (picture) coming 2011
Evangelion 2.22 (picture) coming 2011 – possible theatrical release mentioned
Social Networking Site
Launching in September, with beta available sometime in near future, funimation.com will feature personal profiles for users as well as news, videos, behind-the-scenes exclusives, forums and contests. “Elite member subscriptions” will be available, which offer ad-free viewing and early access to dubs prior to DVD releases.
A Couple Answers from Q&A Session
FUNimation offers encouragement for small retailers via incentive support, streaming video services for in-store play, and free promotional materials that do not have to be returned.
Oasis performs opening song for Eden of the East, but only in first episode (could explain the price tag).
Click here for more of our Otakon 2010 coverage
Hosts: Evan "Vampt Vo" Minto, Karl "Uncle Yo" Custer, Ink
Recording: A panel called "Fandom & Criticism: The Art of Active Viewing" at AnimeNEXT 2010
This episode isn't quite a typical Ani-Gamers Podcast episode, in that it's not a couple of geeks chatting on Skype about silly Japanese cartoons or video games. Instead, this is a recording of a panel that I ran with Uncle Yo and Ink at AnimeNEXT. The audio quality isn't great, so I apologize upfront for that. (And yes, Uncle Yo had to leave before the end without saying a word, which I forgot to mention in the podcast's foreword.) If you have any feedback regarding the episode, though, feel free to let us know in the comments or at our e-mail address we'd love to hear you chime in on this interesting subject!
Show notes and links are, as usual, after the break.
(Runtime: 1 hour, 2 minutes)
[00:00] Opening Song: "R.O.D. Theme" by Taku Iwasaki (Read Or Die OAV OP)
[00:16] Evan's little foreword. You know, for people who don't read show notes (i.e. not you).
[01:31] Panel begins with some introductions.
[02:29] First question: "How exactly do we define a good anime versus a bad one, and should we even define a line between them?"
[07:51] "What IS active viewing, and what separates it from the typical viewing that most fans go about?"
[15:48] "How does the social and critical context around a work affect [what kinds of expectations we go in with]?
[21:32] "Can questioning the content of a [work] ruin your enjoyment (or someone else's enjoyment) of the work?"
[27:47] "What purpose do you think negative comments and reviews serve in critiquing and discussing? Do they help or hinder our discussions?"
[33:28] "How can suspension of disbelief help and hinder critical thinking?" (We bring up "Fan-Wanking." Hilarity ensues.)
[40:26] "Since anime and manga are foreign materials, how do those cultural differences (and also aspects of translation) factor into how we watch and judge things? A particularly interesting question is 'Are we reading good translations of Japanese or translations of good Japanese?'"
[49:59] "A big hurdle for young anime critics and people trying to become anime critics is the dated visuals. [How can we convince them to look past dated visuals and storytelling styles?]"
[1:00:10] The critic Ego's final review from Pixar and Disney's Ratatouille (as referenced by Ink in the panel). Here's a link to the YouTube video of the clip.
![Cosplayers at the third annual third China International Cartoon & Animation Festival [Reuters]](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1sHleFmwN54/SwiGLP-vuQI/AAAAAAAAA3E/aIoohIq7MgQ/s800/CICAF.jpg)
Although this Zenkaikon panel was called "Anime in China," let’s start off with a couple of domestic statistics. In 2006, attendance levels for Otakon and San Diego Comic Con were 23,000 and 114,000, respectively. For the third China International Cartoon & Animation Festival, held in Hangzhou, China, attendance levels topped 430,000. Just shy of half a million people come together over their shared love for Japanese and US culture via animation. But despite these massive numbers, average wait time for tickets (at the door) is only 5 minutes max. Why? Because the army does crowd control, and not just because people such as the provincial head of the communist party stop by. No, that’s not a joke.
On the first day, Industry Day, only company people attend, and that number tops 15,000. Turns out that Hangzhou is the animation capital of China. Imagine that, an entire city taking pride in animation as its most beloved factor. What kind of pride? We’re talking 20 ft tall METAL statues of the convention’s mascot at every major intersection, blimps advertising the convention over the entire city, billboards at every turn, and even a grand cartoon parade through public streets and broadcast live over television, all as an advertisement that the animation festival would be open to the public the next day. Add to all of this the fact that the convention and its happenings dominate the news for each day, and you get a sense of the love (and excellent marketing) that goes into this event.
That love, as well as the awe inspired by such a demonstration, was shared by our panel’s presenter, Kevin McKeever. As head of marketing for Robotech, McKeever was not only there on a commercial mission but also garnered observations as a foreigner visiting for love of animation. The conference is attended, on the first day exclusively and then all throughout, by all toy, animation, and studios/production companies. So, in addition to the custom STRUCTURES built specifically for this year’s con, the organization also offers offices in back for conducting industry-related (as opposed to consumer-related) business.
For the rest of the convention, other attractions include bands performing music (often from the animated shows) on the convention floor; an integrated radio broadcast from a soundproof booth; and Artist’s Alley. The latter offers a distinctive twist from the format US audiences know and love. Instead of individual artists hocking their wares, it features submissions from the public solicited by the convention, which judges them and then puts all selected entries for public display in a room relative to the size of an aircraft hangar.
What about cosplay? Oh, dear god, yes, it exists. Though there is no hall cosplay due to the hazards to costumes and people alike jammed in the densely populated convention center, there is a DAILY masquerade that goes on for 8 hours each day. Also, there are professional cosplayers at booths dedicated to specific shows. But booths are not only there to promote the finished product, there are also booths from all the art schools ready to edify and accept applications from those interested in breaking into the industry.
Then it was time to leave. McKeever and entourage packed up and left the convention to get back home, where, evidently, we have a lot to learn from those in Hangzhou about manifesting our love for anime and animation in such an efficient and affluent manner.
I love academia as much as the next guy. (Ok, most likely a lot more than the next guy), but even I have to tip my hat to and scowl at K. Levinson, who led the "Psychology of Anime" panel at Zenkaikon 2009. A published student and teacher of psychology, Levinson decided to base the panel on the cognitive approach and certainly cannot be accused of talking down to the crowd. Having not taken a bit of psychology since I was in college myself, I found my dying brain cells barely an adequate bridge to traverse the topics of why people love anime, what the nature of their attraction to it is, and what the reasons behind the artists’ choices when developing series are.
Almost any time anyone mentions psychology, the first figure to come to mind is Dr. Sigmund Freud. So what would the father of psychoanalysis say about our particular branch of fandom? Given his life drive theory, it would be anime’s aggressiveness and sexuality that keep otaku buying DVDs en masse. Big guns, big...girls. Very simple. Continuing along the timeline of psychological development, theories get a little more complicated.
Social psychology, or how people interact with other people and within groups, was our next area of examination. Basically, this field would theorize that anime viewers watch to observe relationships. I’m not only talking your typical boy/girl doting upon girl/boy (or any combination thereof), but relationships between government and people, individuals to their situations, etc. It is a form of vicarious living. But viewers don’t want to be the characters. Instead, they feel an association or desire for particular exhibited qualities. Keep this in mind when we visit Gestalt psychology.
Between here and there, however, was Abraham Maslow and his theory of the hierarchy of human needs: physiological, safety, love/belonging, esteem, and self-actualization. Answers to what portions of the needs pyramid anime could satisfy included partial or entire levels of safety, love/belonging, and esteem. But how? The innate morality and sense of family in most anime would take care of at least relaying a vision of a comprehensible and achievable level of safety; vicarious themes of friendship, intimacy, and family take viewers into a sense of love/belonging; and contrasts between characters and viewers can instill a sense of confidence or bolster their self-esteem.
In Gestalt psychology, everything is analyzed from top to bottom – as a whole first and then by parts. Followers of this branch of psychology would believe anime viewers just don’t see the components – characters, plot, setting, animation style, music – but experience the whole first before breaking it down into what appeals to them. After viewers identify enjoyable wholes (genres), elements thereof can then be further broken down, and components of those elements micro-analyzed, etc. What makes this theory so plausible is the inherent oversimplification aspect of anime. It is the driving force behind the medium’s accelerated growth, because the simpler the whole, the easier to access, identify, and break down.
Lastly, the (fraternal) twin cities of determinism and relativism respectively state that the way people speak the language is the way they view the world and that the way people perceive things determines their language. Aspects of both arguments are most prevalent in the great sub/dub debate, which would point out missed jokes and incorrect meanings via translation. Symbolic interactions determine how we interpret, so that is why dubs should appeal to US viewers in a different way that subs do: jokes and phraseology are often tweaked for the native language instead of being verbatim translations that go over the proverbial heads of foreign audiences. Also related to this theory is the concept that anyone’s first viewing of anime is relativistic. Viewers start to form templates of new material’s form from their initial viewing, relying upon that experience as a control in an experiment. Continued watching becomes deterministic, because viewers are familiar with the form and can start to use their learned language to compare it against a familiar form.
I hope those views gave you something to chew on. There was a lot more name-dropping and psychological mumbo-jumbo, but I think Wikipedia charges by the link, and, if your head is anything like mine, it’s probably screaming out for some aspirin right about now. Take some, and next time you sit down with a favorite series, think, if only for a moment: what specifically drew you to it, how does it make you feel, and how do you use it? The answers just might surprise you.
Ani-Gamers blogger Ink checked out a whole bunch of the panels and events at Zenkaikon 2009. For more coverage, keep your eyes on our Zenkaikon 09 label!
"Introduction to Independent Filmmaking" was a panel not nearly as interesting as its presenter, Kevin McKeever. If you want to know how to get into film, there are basically 2 requirements: luck and determination, and even combined they are no guarantee for success. For McKeever, it was all about working hard in any position that the industry he loved would have him in. From unpaid “go-fer,” to unpaid and then salaried script reader, and later on to head of marketing for Robotech for Harmony Gold, McKeever crawled his way up the ranks and saw the industry change with him as he grabbed each rung. The most interesting points in the panel came not from career advice, but those insights on marketing anime he gained while climbing and how they allow him to view the current market.
When asked how the various forms of Internet distribution – streaming, downloads, fansubs, etc. – are changing the industry, McKeever acknowledged the impact. He said the Internet distribution is definitely affecting industry, but no one knows exactly how yet. It’s somewhat related to the VCR issue from days of old, when such recording devices were thought to purely promote piracy and yet ended up being the building block of the massive cash cow known as the home video market. Why sell per-hit views on websites for five cents, when you can sell a DVD for $30, right? Well, since we are a society of consumers focused on material, in-your-hands possessions, it stands to reason a large percentage of those who stream will buy hard copies. Even those that don’t, those that strictly download, are still contributing. And those that stream and let stream...every penny reaped from advertisers counts, no?
Reflecting on the industry’s adoption of anime, McKeever recalls it as scarce at first. Anything brought to the big screen or little ones was intended for our little ones (children), and the seeming lack of adult content did not substantiate further investment. McKeever credits Transformers (2007) with opening up the anime genre (yes, he includes it in the anime genre) to the adult marketplace. Its unrivaled success – equal amongst males and females alike, surprisingly – spurred a frenzied need within all the major production companies, who had been watching to see what would become of the modernized nostalgia trip. Thus the studios sought out their own “giant robot” franchise, their Cowboy Bebops, their Robotechs, their Speed Racers, their Akiras. Funny thing was, contrary to how easy it was to gain anime property and distribution rights in the past, studios found themselves in limited, strict contracts when courting their desired Japanese properties. The market had grown wise and greedy.
Still, live action adaptations of anime are seen as a blessing through McKeever’s eyes. Much the same way as Internet streaming brings consumers to store shelves, so do these adaptations bring newfound fans of the presented stories/characters back to the original source material: anime.
As for the future of anime’s success in America and elsewhere, McKeever said it all exists on a grassroots level. Fans are what brought this genre over, and fans are what keep spreading the gospel. This is why anime is a strong property. Each intimate word-of-mouth indoctrination between friends, even conventions that build face-to-face connections with and between fans and industry, spur purchasing despite a bad economy. And while otaku may get a little more picky about which titles they buy, they will certainly keep buying, and there’s something out there for everyone.
Ani-Gamers blogger Ink checked out a whole bunch of the panels and events at Zenkaikon 2009. For more coverage, keep your eyes on our Zenkaikon 09 label!
Emily Compton and Katsunori Matsushita headed Zenkaikon’s "Moé Anthropomorphism-tan" panel, which sought to explain the exploitation of moé figures created either as marketing or metaphor for use in ads, anime, and other amusements in Japan.
Moé characters, for the purpose of the subjects of this panel, are sweet/cute figures defined by a set of characteristics that evokes an inclination to protect/defend them. Anthropomorphism is defined via Wikipedia as “the attribution of human characteristics to non-human creatures and beings, phenomena, material states and objects or abstract concepts.” Japan, which has a long-standing tradition of attributing spiritual sense to everyday objects (what they call gods, but we would see more as “spirit” or “essence”), uses a combination of pop culture and inherited spirituality to create moé mascots with attributes representing the objects they represent.
Examples range from educational comics, manga, Web animations, and anime to fetishistic advertising. An example of the former would be Afuganis-tan, a series which uses moé characters as personifications of Central Asian nations to educate children about history and current events. While this format has made the history “accessible” to youth (and entertaining to adults), it often elicits a critique of trivialization. Its characters are very stereotypical, defined by broad generalizations in appearance as well as their actions, but all the nations are treated equally, avoiding any sense of favoritism.
Mechamusume is another branch of moé anthropomorphism, wherein cute girls represent vehicles/hardware. And aside from military ads/brochures for real-world jets, tanks, and guns, examples of mechamusume’s employment can be found in anime series such as Sky Girls and Strike Witches. This form of moé anthropomorphism isn’t confined to military machinations, however. Commercial planes, trains, and even satellites are represented by cute girls integrated with either aspects of the actual design or wearing uniforms/colors of the company. An anime that touches on this is Miracle Train, which employs beautiful men riding an underground subway line as allegories for stops along said train line; each character’s characteristics are defined by the nature of the stops (business, entertainment, night life, etc.).
With an admitted soft spot for the wide-eyed girls that so often populate anime in general, I found it generally amusing to see the wealth of moé in advertising for everything from education to social commentary. It comes down to the art of representing one thing through another: a visual metaphor. Varying degrees of good and bad were clearly evident even through the various examples of a poorly lit slideshow (bad projector), but, come what may, moé anthropomorphism remains a distinctive Japanese presence and (much to the dismay of many) culturally and artistically relevant.
Ani-Gamers blogger Ink checked out a whole bunch of the panels and events at Zenkaikon 2009. For more coverage, keep your eyes on our Zenkaikon 09 label!
Viz Media usually holds their industry panels in the lazy Sunday morning block of conventions, and NYAF 2009 was no exception. At the con to talk about Viz's new licenses were Candice Uyloan and Lex Scheuble (pictures not available due to some trouble with my camera), who went over all of the facets of Viz's anime, manga, and novel lines.
New licenses were of course the big talk of the panel, so here's what Viz has got going for them in the anime and manga spheres:
- Inu Yasha: The Final Act (simulcast on ShonenSunday.com/Anime): October 3, 2009
- Monster (premiering on SyFy channel): October 12, 2009
- Rin-ne by Rumiko Takahashi (simultaneous Japan-U.S. GN release): October 20, 2009
- Gente by Natsumi Ono (sequel to Ristorante Paradiso): June 2010
- Library Wars by Kiiro Yumi: June 2010
- Vampire Knight Fan Book: September 2010
- Grand Guignol Orchestra by Kaori Yuki: October 2010
- Nice to Meet You, Kamisama by Julietta Suzuki: November 2010
In terms of the current lineup, Candice and Lex were very happy to mention that Naruto Shippuden will be airing this fall on Disney XD, though they haven't gotten any word on how much (if at all) Disney will be censoring the program for American television audiences. The new 30-volumes-in-6-months release strategy for One Piece also got some mention prompting questions from the audience about the possible expansion of such speedy releases to other triple-A shonen titles such as Bleach or Inu Yasha. According to Scheuble, "We don't know, but we can take that back to our team and see." Pretty much, don't count on it, since Viz's production team is already working very hard to bring two series (Naruto and One Piece) to the U.S. at an accelerated rate.
SigIkki.com, Viz's new website featuring Viz Signature titles from underground seinen magazine IKKI, also received some time at the panel, alongside news that the service will be getting two new titles: Bob and His Funky Crew (Bob to Yukaina Nakamatachi) by Puncho Kondoh and What's the Answer? (Kotae Wa Mittsu) by Tondabayashi.
Last but not least is Viz's relatively young Haikasoru line of translated Japanese novels, to which they added four new titles:
- The Book of Heroes (Eiyū no Sho) by Miyuki Miyabe: January 2010
- Loups-Garous by Natsuhiko Kyogoku: January 2010)
- Slum Online by Hiroshi Sakurazaka: March 2010
- The Next Continent by Issui Ogawa: May 2010
[Thanks to the Anime News Network for clarification on some of the news that I missed.]
Bandai's NYAF panel, staffed by Marketing Director Robert Napton, Loy Fruel, and Bandai Entertainment President and CEO Ken Iyadomi, was unfortunately lacking in any major new announcements. The three simply went over their current lineup of anime and manga, including Kannagi, Kurokami, Code Geass (anime, manga, and light novels), Gurren Lagann (anime and manga), Gundam 00, (anime, and both the 00 and 00F manga) and Eureka Seven (anime and manga). However, Mr. Iyadomi briefly interrupted the show to let Napton know that it was okay to announce the only new information that the company brought with them to the convention: the home video release of the Eureka Seven -good night, sleep tight young lovers- movie will hit stores on January 26, 2010 for $24.19 (DVD) or $39.98 (Blu-Ray).
Not to be discouraged by the relative lack of announcements, some other manga journalists and I spoke with Robert Napton (who also heads Bandai's manga division) in a little mini manga summit in the NYAF press room shortly after the panel. I don't have the time to transcribe the whole thing just yet, but I'll be sure to post the high points of the discussion as soon as I'm done listening to my recording.
EDIT 1: Fixed some typos and added more clarification of Bandai's lineup of titles.
My first industry panel of the weekend was Del Rey manga, who always manage to bring a barrel of laughs with them wherever they go. (Not a literal barrel, though I wouldn't put that past them.) The wonderful Ali Kokmen (no bowtie?!), Trisha Narwani, and Mutsumi Miyazaki were up on "the dias" (Ali's words, not mine!) to announce their newest licenses, though their faulty Powerpoint was replaced for the first half of the panel with a guaranteed-not-photoshopped picture of Star Trek star Chris Pine posing next to Del Rey staffer April. I'll cut straight to the chase with a nice bullet point list for all you people who hate paragraphs:
- Here I Am by Emma Toyama (creator of Pixie Pop): Fall 2010
- Yokai Navi Runa by Miyoko Ikeda (creator of Mamotte Lollipop): May 2010
- Rave Master by Hiro Mashima (creator of Fairy Tail): September 2010 (picked up from Tokyopop, last three volumes in an omnibus edition)
- Arisa by Natsumi Ando (creator of Kitchen Princess): November 2010
After the new licenses, Ali launched into a discussion of Del Rey's current catalog, which includes X-Men Misfits (they're "very pleased" that it broke into the NYT Bestselling Graphic Novels list), Jason Thompson's King of RPGs (set for a January 2010 release), the final volumes of Samurai Deeper Kyo, which was previously dropped by Tokyopop, and Codebreakers, also by Samurai Deeper Kyo creator Akimine Kamijyo. After that, the folks at Del Rey launched into a Question & Answer session, though it didn't yield very much in the way of news other than Ali's roundabout admission that Del Rey currently has no plans to rerelease the older volumes of Samurai Deeper Kyo, though they will be "monitoring the situation" as time goes on.
And it's not a Del Rey panel without tons of fashion conversations and non-sequitur industry remarks, so Ali managed to slip in his reason for wearing a necktie instead of a bowtie (you've gotta stay unpredictable!), as well as his insinuation that a manga publisher that doesn't give you a free Moyashimon face mask (i.e. everybody but Del Rey) actually might WANT you to get swine flu. Oh yeah, and Dallas Middaugh of Del Rey would totally beat Kurt Hassler of Yen Press in an arm wrestling match.
Do I smell a challenge, good sirs?
One of my favorite educational experiences at Otakon, due to my inherent ignorance of the history behind anime/manga, was Daryl Surat’s (of Otaku USA Magazine and Anime World Order) panel “Kenshiro to Kenshin: the Neo-Shonen Revolution.” Chronologically, several shonen manga were examined for similar characteristics. Afterward, several neo-shonen (unofficial term... but damned appropriate) titles were brought up as juxtapositions and similarly analyzed. Finally, there was an analysis made as to how and why this genre of Japanese comics, formerly intended for young boys (middle- to high-school), had opened itself up to a more diverse readership and the effect that has had on content.
During the early days of shonen in the 1970’s, the manga category (which means "boy" in Japanese) centered on action-adventure. First and foremost on Surat’s list of shonen masters was Go Nagai (Kiyoshi Nagai), who introduced shonen mech manga such as Mazinger Z (Majinga Zetto). The basic characteristics for the hero of that title, Koji Kabuto, came down to not being pretty but exhibiting powerful, savior-like qualities. While Koji defined the archetypal hero, Mazinger Z was the defining shonen. It was action-packed, graphically violent, and employed feats of nudity no censor would allow anyone under 21 to see today.
Violence Jack (Baiorensu Jakku), another 70’s manga, furthered the extent to which shonen titles would be associated with the first word in the manga's title by offering readers in-your-face violence. More than blood, the action wrought scenes of great graphic detail with internal organs, viscera, and even cannibalism. And who were the victims of such violence? In a word: anyone who got in the way of Jack’s cause (a good one, usually). The slain/maimed would often include animals and even children. Sexuality also played a large part, with equally graphic scenes of depravity (can you say quadriplegic sex slave?) and violence (rape). You know, the sort of thing every middle-schooler has on the recommended reading list nowadays.
It was during the 80’s that change started to rear its pretty little head, but not before Fist of the North Star (Hokuto No Ken) could make its mark. Illustrated by Tetsuo Hara and written by Buronson, FOTNS showcased a hero, Kenshiro, who followed the strong, driven, macho, and violent archetype that preceded him. Women and children were routinely murdered/maimed in the manga, which also came to exemplify the archetypes of villain (Raoh) as well as the villain-turned-friend. During its publication, however, the publisher included opinion cards to find out who was reading, why, and what those formerly anonymous and non-influential observers didn’t like.
In time, this drove the publisher to start changing aspects of the stories/characters in order to gain a broader audience. After all, more readers = more moolah. Nice to know selling-out was never out of style. Speaking of style, the role these cards played was most often evidenced in character/clothing design changes but could also be attributed to bringing minor characters to the forefront as well as replicating trends into other series or later productions/incarnations of existing series. This can be seen in the chronology of designs behind Jojo's Bizarre Adventure as well as in current “shonen” titles such as Dragonball Z and Naruto.
Saint Seiya (Seinto Seiya), however, was the leader of full-on, neo-shonen style, with female leads and off-panel (implied) violence. This brought us to 90’s “shonen,” exemplified by Rurouni Kenshin, where the main hero was more of a pretty-boy (scars are so endearing...*swoon*), with round, expressive eyes; groomed hair; and a non-muscular physique. All the violence takes place off-panel, depriving middle-school-aged boys of any in-your-face gore. The de-evolution of the shonen archetype can truly be witnessed here, as the main weapon of choice is a blade that will not cut (and since the hero is the hero, he’s sure not to suffer that greatly). Chalk this all up as a conscious effort to appeal to females and line the publisher’s pockets with as much reason as possible for continuing to churn out issue after issue.
Surat’s fury over the degradation of shonen into neo-shonen (and ultimately into a category that, preposterously, includes more girls than boys) landed upon 2000-era titles such as Fullmetal Alchemist and Death Note. While he admittedly liked both, Daryl could not shake the history behind their conception. Both are emotionally driven, ruled by heroes with soft lines, and employ violence-free (in-panel) action. To call them shonen seems an insult to Go Nagai and all he inspired. If you ever question this, just take a look around during you local anime con. How many females do you see cosplaying as male characters from supposedly shonen titles such as FMA and Death Note?
Although I was called out of this panel early, I was privy (along with all other attendees) to presentations/previews of some present and upcoming Aniplex titles: FMA: Brotherhood; Gurren Lagaan the Movie: Childhood’s End; Guin Saga; Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler); Kannagi: Crazy Shrine Maidens; Garden of Sinners; and Cencoroll.
Anyone reading this article on this website should damn well know what FMA: Brotherhood is all about, and readers who don’t know what Gurren Lagann is should rent/stream the series before checking out the movie. (Editor's note: or listen to almost any episode of the Ani-Gamers Podcast.) So I’ll start with Guin Saga, which centers around a warrior who has lost his memory and is searching for his past alongside members of the lost kingdom. This project integrates the talents of director Atsushi Wakabayashi (who has worked on Naruto) and Nobuo Uematsu (famous for his Final Fantasy music).
The folks from Aniplex also announced a second season of Black Butler, which will continue the plot wherein the main character is, surprise, a butler (and also a demon). He serves his household breakfast, lunch, and damnation, but only after members enter into a pact with him.
Skipping Kannagi (read the rest of our posts about it!), the Garden of Sinners movie is chock-full of action involving a combination of swordplay and chi-based attacks with brilliantly executed camera techniques. This dialogue-less preview was more than a delight for the eyes with its use of color and more than enough of a hook to make me want to see more.
Action’s all well and good, but give me weird any day! Cencoroll featured talking car hoods, flying creatures that evolve out of everyday objects, and much more craziness than even I could possibly describe...because that’s when I had to leave (much to my disappointment).
Look for these titles later this year or next! Not a one deserves to be missed.
As it turns out, the "Aniplex TBA" panel at Otakon 2009 was dedicated to Kannagi: Crazy Shrine Maidens, and featured Yutaka Yamamoto as well as members from the Aniplex team. The American production team from Bandai Entertainment spent most of the panel asking Yamamoto et al about specific developmental aspects of the series.
As with most introductions, the easiest thing on which to elaborate first was how the series came to be. This was mostly due to a professional relationship Yamamoto had formed while working with someone on the project “Swing Big.” After Yamamoto climbed in the ranks, he caught her attention, was taken more seriously, and, more importantly, was given the chance to help make Kannagi a reality.
Another query was one of change, specifically those needed/wanted between manga and anime. Here, Yamamoto relayed that the anime team was devoted to the idea of completely complementing the original. As the original manga author (Eri Takenashi) was asked to be directly involved, the anime team made sure never to subtract, but only add when necessary and according to the author’s permission.
The process of voice actor selection was also of interest. As it turns out, a voice talent agent supplied more than 30 people for the main character. Each was asked to try out for all the female roles, and Ms. Tomatsu, who would eventually win the lead, was thought to be equally well-adept at each one. So well did she portray each character (according to the sound director as well as the Takenashi), that her assignment to the lead came down to that fact that she physically resembled the 2D character.
A rather interesting aspect of any show that is rarely given any credence, much less justification or explanation, is the opening/closing credit sequences. While demanded by the studio (probably due to the success of Haruhi Suzumiya), Yamamoto ensured they would be metaphorical. The opening was expressive of the main character’s pop-idol attributes, while the closing exemplified her more divine aspects (minds out of the gutter, boys. We’re talking spirits and goddesses, not heavenly curves).
In a reverse Q&A session, seeing as the Americans already got to ask their questions, Yamamoto was asked to pose any queries he might have for the American production staff or fans. His question was concerned with how viewers in the United States would accept the divine aspect of the series. Seemingly expecting negative feedback, Yamamoto’s face beamed as his translator conveyed that members of the panel audience said that America is big enough to accept all ideologies, that it welcomes the stories of other cultures in their own context without feeling encroached upon/preached unto, and that spirituality in art can be taken metaphorically and without offense.
The prolific Japanese anime studio Madhouse held a panel at Otakon 2009 to promote their titles in the United States. The panel primarily consisted of previews of upcoming movies/series that had been announced at previous conventions.
The first to be presented was Rideback, which concentrated on “a cute girl” and a mech. The mech, in this case, was a motorcycle with stabilizing arms, which turned into a mobile suit whenever the LED display read “spread legs.” Yeah. When asked why the studio was involved with a story involving mechs and cute girls when the studio usually favours neither of the two, the panel responded that they didn’t really mind the cute girl and that the mech issue was generally one of work, and since the work for the mech aspect was farmed out to a 3D CGI department, they didn’t mind that either.
The second preview was for the second season of Hajime no Ippo, or The Fighting Spirit, which will be under the supervision of a new director since the original director is involved in a movie for the same property.
Up next was The Heavenly Road (working title), which focuses on Chinese warlord stories and populates them with “beautiful young men” (since that is the trend).
Along with season 2 of Chi's Sweet Home, which was resurrected due to popular demand (according to the company), Madhouse previewed a movie called Summer Wars. Stunning just from the preview, Summer Wars turns out to be from Mamoru Hosoda, the director of The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, and it features most of the same primary staff. It focuses on a rather large family (80) and took 3 years to make. It was visually entrancing, and, given the director, I’m sure the story will be just as compelling as the animation.
Yona Yona Penguin, a collaboration between Madhouse and a French studio, is a 3D movie that evokes an Alice In Wonderland effect. The main character, a young girl in a penguin suit, aids forest nymphs (fairies) in an attempt to help a fallen angel (literally) get back to heaven.
Another movie, Mai-mai Shinko, deals with two kids living the country life of the ancient cultures of Japan. Although the panelists ensured it would be heartwarming, they also divulged that the director was none other than Sunao Katabuchi of Black Lagoon.
On an action note, the movie Redline, directed by Takeshi Koike (the same man who directed “World Record” for The Animatrix), offers its viewers the stark landscapes and machine-oriented but human-driven settings/action reminiscent of Dead Leaves. Nothing more was said of the project (other than what the preview itself showed), but it looked to be highly stylized and adrenaline-packed.
Lastly was a fan favorite (based on the surrounding hoots and hollers) originally revealed at Anime Expo: The Trigun movie. Judging from the preview, fans can expect more of the same from a movie that introduces a new villain and pits Vash against an old friend.
After the previews, it was onto Q&A with the panelists. Among Madhouse’s deep, dark secrets was that there can be found many dead (sleeping) bodies at the studio during production; that Satoshi Kon’s new project, Dreaming Machine is still in the storyboard/key animation stages; and that two new TV series with separately feature “a cute girl” and “a boy in a tough environment.”
Though it started a little late due to Light Rail issues, this panel proved wonderful to anyone who’s ever noticed that a frighteningly large percent of high-school students can’t read something as simple as Dr. Seuss. Even the panelists were surprised to see people there, ready to absorb whatever it was the discussion would entail. What that was turned out to be the details behind a couple of projects, centered around manga, for the benefits of literacy (for children as well as others).
The panel was comprised of John Baird, Erin Ptah , and Kate (Kitty) Hawk. Respectively, the first two work on the Create A Comic Project, while the latter works on Learn to Draw Manga program.
Create A Comic is the brain-child of Baird, who concocted a new means of practicing language by using English inside a visual medium. Predominately used for Elementary Education and English as a Second Language students, the program (at its barest of bones) requires students to fill in the word bubbles of comics that have had their original text erased. In reality, though, the project is much more.
It was originally implemented in 2005 by Baird while teaching English in Taiwan, where he integrated comics with vocabulary lessons. He then brought the program home to Yale, where he reached out to children in the nearby urban community. Through originally contributed artwork as well as artwork licensed from other artists, Baird and his loyal team focus learning on free-form associative writing, which helps students retain the knowledge imbued by their experiences within the project via expansion of application.
Experiments/instructions have been performed with as little as 5 and as many as 200 kids at a time, ranging from age 6 and up. While most effective on students from 10-12 years old, the program offers benefits to participants of every age (and possibly degree of mental health). The most difficult group, however, tends to be teenagers, for reasons of internal hormone rage and a sense of distance with regard to maturity from the material. Children aged 6-8 can reap the benefits as a class discussion/language exercise, while children aged 8-10 will evolve in accuracy and grammar but with what will usually be very simplistic sentences.
No matter the age range, the left-to-right vs. right-to-left issue is generally inconsequential; most kids pick up the flow of the story/panels with little deviation. Even when purposefully misled, the children (and teacher) still find value in reading their stories backwards. Interestingly noted by Baird: if Create A Comic was implemented as one of the recommended 15 minute writing exercises at the beginning of each scholastic year, it could possibly prove to be just as much a leveling device as other programs when it comes to bridging the gap between the writing skills of minorities and Caucasians.
Although young, the Create A Comic project already has proven success stories. At least 2 of its disciples have created Web-comics of their own and landed interviews with Nick (Nickelodeon) News. The website offers templates (with and without blank bubbles, but always age-appropriate) for download and free distribution under a creative license designed for educational use to encourage more students to do the same. And if you, reader, decide to use any of the material or techniques involved in this program, be sure to drop Mr. Baird a line and include your thanks as well as a copy of the results yielded from the experience. The man’s on a mission of promoting literacy. And judging from what goes on in some classrooms today, we need all the techniques and help we can get to make sure future generations can continue to enjoy all life has to offer.
Page 1