AniMania – Page 2 – We Are Movie Geeks

AniMania – INUYASHA: THE FINAL ACT

Last week, North American anime distributor Viz Media began airing the first episode of the long awaited conclusion to Rumiko Takahashi’s hit series, Inuyasha. Appropriately titled “Inuyasha: The Final Act”, the series will run for 26 episodes, and finally bring the animated version of Takahashi’s beloved feudal fairy tale to a close. The first episode, “Naraku’s Heart”, aired Saturday in Japan and was streamed on Hulu with English subtitles, making this a near simultaneous release. Upcoming episodes will be released the same way, with new installments airing each Saturday.

Loyal fans won’t be disappointed. Right from the start, this looks and feels like vintage Inuyasha, with beautiful opening animation set to the sounds of Do As Infinity’s “Kimi ga Inai Mirai.” DAI are no strangers to Inuyasha soundtracks, having also done the second and fifth ending themes for the show, “Fukai Mori” and “Shinjitsu no Uta” respectively. The opening animation features all of the major players fans know and love: Inuyasha, Kagome, Sango, and Miroku, along with your favorite villains and antiheroes, including Naraku, Kagura, Kikyo, Kouga, and Sesshomaru.

The rest of the episode makes good on the opening’s promise. This first episode is action packed. Wasting no time, it quickly picks up where the earlier installments of the series left off. We learn that Hakudoshi has hatched an evil plan to challenge Naraku and take the shards of the Shikon Jewel for himself. This leaves Kagura with a fateful choice — does she stay loyal to Naraku, or join forces with the traitor in an effort to escape her hated master?

Hakudoshi’s plan to collect the remaining jewel shards leads him to confront Kagome and company, and also causes Kouga and Kohaku to be drawn in. Kikyo does her part in the battle, but her powers are waning, leaving her to question whether or not she will survive long enough to confront Naraku. Sesshomaru is, well, Sesshomaru, and is busy wandering around looking menacing doing whatever it is Sesshomaru does when he’s off by himself. And in case you’re wondering, Kagome is STILL failing her classes. Whatever she did in the off season, apparently it wasn’t studying.

If the opening was beautiful, the ending is exquisite. Inuyasha is well known for having amazing ending themes and animation, and The Final Act is no exception. As we listen to the soft sounds of AAA’s “With You”, we are treated to a shot of Inuyasha and Kagome lying next to each other in the grass, with a red string of fate binding them together. The preview for next week’s episode casts an ominous light on Kagura’s struggle, leaving one to wonder if the wind sorceress can ever truly be free.

A few years ago, such a development would have been almost unimaginable. At that time, Takahashi’s epic seemed destined to go on forever, at least in its manga form. The anime had been left to languish with a non-ending that did little to satisfy fans or bring any sense of conclusion to the series. And that’s part of why this news is so important, not just for Inuyasha fans, but for the anime community at large.

For a long time, it was just accepted that many anime and manga either had really bad endings, or else didn’t end at all. A title might be canceled mid story, leaving fans in the lurch, or put on hold, sometimes indefinitely. A series in translation would often have agonizing gaps in between releases, and it was not at all unusual for part of a show or book to be partly translated, and never finished, leaving the rest of the plot line orphaned on the other side of the ocean. In such cases, a fan’s only hope was to either find a translation online (and that’s in the days since the invention of the internet!) or try to befriend someone who spoke Japanese, and persuade them to translate for them. More than one otaku ended up learning Japanese in order to finally be able to read his or her favorite works in their native language. And even when we did get a full release, it was just accepted, even expected, that we would have to wait several years before the English version made it to our shores.

But all that has changed. Inuyasha isn’t the first epic story to finally reach a conclusion. Natsuki Takaya’s long running shoujo manga, Fruits Basket, ended with its 23rd volume back in 2007. Amid a ground swell of fan support, the quirky retro sci-fi drama, Big O, was finally given a second season that told the other half of its story, though given the plot line of Big O, it might be a mistake to call the last episode an “ending.” Even Inuyasha’s creator, Takahashi, the queen of cliff hangers herself, has shown that there can be light at the end of the tunnel. Her romantic comedy, Maison Ikkoku, comes to a tightly crafted close.

Even so, the fact that Inuyasha is finally getting its long hoped for animated conclusion is a treat for fans, and suggests tantalizing possibilities for other series that were left in anime limbo. The crew for the animated version of Fruits Basket commented on how magical the experience of working on that show was, and expressed doubt that such a dream team could ever be assembled again — but if it could be done with Inuyasha, then maybe Fruiba could also be revisited.

The anime for Fruits Basket was remarkably well done in almost every aspect, even down to such fine details as the background noises in the audio and the nuances of the characters’ different costumes, but it suffered from a very unsatisfying ending that leaves many questions unanswered and large portions of Fruiba’s very deep plot unexplored. If Inuyasha: The Final Act is a success (and given the show’s perennial popularity, I’ll dare to say it will be), maybe it will inspire Fruiba to be revisited.

Or maybe we could see a new version of Ken Akamatsu’s romantic comedy, Love Hina. It seems like a long shot to think that Akamatsu would ever go back to the Hinata Sou after such a long hiatus, but with his latest work, Negima, being almost immediately reversioned, maybe we haven’t seen the last of Keitaro and the girls after all.

The simultaneous release also puts to rest another long standing gripe of the English speaking anime community. For years, U.S. fans felt like they were relegated to a “second class” status, having to wait years for an English language release. That time has been getting shorter and shorter, from years to months to days, and now, with a subbed version of the new Inuyasha episode being made available the same day it aired in Japan, there can be no doubt that the North American audience is taken seriously. This, along side other developments, like Kodansha’s Japanese release of American manga-ka Fred Gallagher’s MegaTokyo, shows that the climate has genuinely become more multicultural, a positive development for more than just anime fans.

All that with one swipe of the Tetsuaiga? Not bad, but it still won’t save Inuyasha when Kagome tells him to “Sit!” The next episode, “Kagura’s Wind”, will be available this Saturday. You can access it from Viz’s website at www.viz.com. And for more on series creator Takahashi, check out Rumiko’s site at www.therumicworld.com.

Ani-Mania: ‘Romeo X Juliet’

Love is something you never regret… But you might regret it if you miss this week’s AniMania feature, Funimation’s new release, Romeo X Juliet.

Based — loosely based — on William Shakespeare’s classic tale of star crossed lovers (but this time without the ninjas — read the Basilisk review if you’re confused), Romeo X Juliet provides a new spin on the old tale. Set in a fantasy world of islands in the sky and flying horses, it’s in the city of fair Neo Verona where we lay our scene. Here, citizens are in the grip of the tyrannical Montague regime, which seized power fourteen years ago by assassinating every member of the House of Capulet.

The only one brave enough to stand in the face of these oppressive dictators is the mysterious vigilante known as the Red Whirlwind. But unknown to everyone, even the Whirlwind herself, is that she is actually the last surviving heir to the Capulet family. Even worse, the handsome young boy she has just fallen in love with is from ANOTHER noble family — the Montagues.

If this sounds like a big departure from Shakespeare’s script — it is. Normally I would vigorously protest this kind of thing. But borrowing from the bard is hardly a crime. Shakespeare himself adapted most of his plays from other sources, and given the fact that it would be hard to find anyone in the US, Japan, or anywhere else in the world who doesn’t already know the original story, I don’t begrudge Studio Gonzo for taking creative license. Just know going in that if you want a rendering of the play that sticks closely to Shakespeare’s original, this isn’t it.

What Romeo X Juliet IS, however, is a fanciful re-imagining of a classic tale. It sits somewhere on a continuum between the lush period drama of Chevalier D’Eon, and the bold re-imagining of a literary classic, like Gankutsuo: The Count of Monte Cristo. But unlike either of these works, which are dark in their vision, Romeo X Juliet comes across as very light. There is tragedy, and lots of it, but there is also romance, humor, even a bit of swash buckling. The world itself feels very light and airy. The art has a fairy tale quality to it, which makes for an odd contrast with some of the very dark elements of the story.

And on the subject of romance, Romeo X Juliet is to be commended for staying the course. Many anime give their subjects a kind of “shonen” treatment, injecting large quantities of violence, or fanservice, or both. Not so here. The show is modest enough for Queen Elizabeth, and while there is action, it is subordinate to the romantic elements. Everything about the show: the plot, the art, the music, the choices for cliff hangers at the episode breaks and lead-ins, is all geared to emphasize the romantic portions of the plot.

While a marked departure, the series does make a genuine effort to bring as much Shakespeare into the story as possible, going beyond the borders of the source play to pull in characters from many of the bard’s other works. Will himself makes an appearance, both as a character, and as the narrator for the previews at the end of each episode. It may not be accurate enough to cheat and use Romeo X Juliet as cliff notes to pass your lit class (though if you try, I want to read your paper), but there’s more than enough here to make a literary student smile.

The cast boasts some worthy stars to be crossed, including Chris Burnett (Big Windup) as Romeo and Brina Palencia (Negima — that’s right, the voice of Yue!) as Juliet. Other notables include Colleen Clinkenbeard (xxxHolic) as Cordelia, Sean Michael Teague (Jyu Oh Sei,) as Benvolio, Eric Vale (Fruits Basket) as Francisco, Robert McCollum (Witchblade) as Curio, Carrie Savage (Solty Rei) as Hermione, and Mike McFarland (Trinity Blood) as one very bad-ass Tybalt. Clearly, Will has a crowded stage to work with.

Production value is high. The art is beautiful, and the music comes courtesy of Final Fantasy VII composer, Hitoshi Sakimoto. The opening theme, Inori, is a Japanese version of “You Raise Me Up” as sung by Lena Park and it sounds every bit as beautiful in translation as it does in the original. The ending, Cyclone, is light J-rock, performed by 12012.

The show is being released in what seems to be the new Funimation standard, the entire season, split into two halves. Part one, dubbed the “Romeo Collection”, contains episodes 1-12 on two discs, in a thin pack. The second part, the “Juliet Collection”, will contain episodes 13-24, and is scheduled to be released on 8/11.

We all know how the play ends, but will our young lovers from Neo Verona meet the same fate? Is this truly a love that cannot be? We’ll have to keep watching to find out.

If you enjoyed this column, leave us some feedback in the comments section below.

Ani-Mania: ‘Black Lagoon’ Review

On the bridge outside the city of Roanapur, there’s a noose left hanging for some unknown person. No one knows who put it there, or why. Maybe, it’s there as a warning — a warning that once you set foot in the evil city, that once you walk its streets, you can never go home again. You can’t go back because you’re already dead.

Black Lagoon pulls no punches. It’s the kind of show that makes you want to drink, cuss, and blow stuff up. I first heard about it from a friend, who enthusiastically described this great new show he’d found, saying it was like Cowboy Bebop told from the criminals’ point of view. I’m always skeptical of that kind of description — it seems like everything is always “the new this” or “the next that”, but never lives up to the comparison. This time, my friend was right. Black Lagoon is a masterpiece.

The series is a crime drama at heart, telling the adventures of the Lagoon Company, a rag tag bunch of outlaws who make their living by running a torpedo boat, and taking on odd jobs from anybody willing to pay. Unlike the futuristic world of Cowboy Bebop, Black Lagoon is set in a very grim and gritty present day, in Roanapur, a Thai version of Sin City, and the last stop on the road to hell.

Our window into this seedy world comes in the form of Rokuro Okajima. “Rock”, as he comes to be called, is a Japanese salary-man, trying to get by in the world of Japanese business. That all changes when some

unsavory dealings his company is involved with lead to him getting kidnapped by the Lagoon Company. The hostage negotiations go horribly wrong, and Rock, with no where else to go, ends up joining his captors.

Dutch is the head of the Lagoon Company, and captain of the ship. Revy, also known as Two Hand for her ability to wield both of her 9 mm Sword Cutlass pistols at once, is the resident weapons expert. As a gunslinger, she provides some much needed firepower. Benny, a hacker who accidentally ticked off the mob and the federal government at the same time, handles all of the electronic systems.

Revy steals the show. Anime is rife with would be tough-chick stereotypes, but Revy is the genuine article. Ultra violent and unapologetically vulgar, she leaves both Rock and the audience with a sense of guilty admiration for her ability to kill, and to turn a phrase so blue even a sailor would blush. Some heroines need a jiggle counter. Revy needs a body count.

She also supplies much of the dramatic tension, in the form of her uneasy relationship with Rock. From the moment he arrives on the ship, his very presence seems to irritate her, and Revy never misses an opportunity to strip the varnish off of Rock’s pre-conceived notions of the world, and make him look at how dark it can really be. At the same time, Rock is the only person who can challenge Revy and live to tell about it. He represents a totally different world to her, and while that world may not be a place Revy feels she can ever belong to, on some level she wants to protect it, or at least some part of it. He forces her to confront herself. Together, the two forge an unlikely friendship that gives the series another layer of added depth.

The series boasts a solid cast. Rock is voiced by Brad Swaille, who played Light in the recent hit, “Death Note”. Revy, meanwhile is voiced by Maryke Hendrikse, who also voiced Susan in Cartoon Network’s Johnny Test! But there’s definitely nothing TV-PG here. Dutch is played by Dean Redman. Brian Drummond, another Death Note veteran, rounds out the cast as Benny.

The soundtrack, while not as varied as the jazz repertoire of Bebob, still works very well. It’s themes give a definite feel to the show. The opening song, “Red Fraction”, is a rocking tune, and is the debut single of j-pop sensation, MELL. MELL, who is a senior member of I’ve Sound, will be appearing next month at Otakon in Baltimore.

While the show is anything but PC, the cast of characters is incredibly diverse. Rock is Japanese. Dutch is an African-American Vietnam War Vet. Benny has a Jewish-American background, while Revy is of Chinese-American descent. Balalaika, the scarred beauty who heads up Hotel Moscow, is from Russia (probably without any love), while Roberta, a bodyguard who figures prominently in one of the story arcs, is latino. It gives the show a very dynamic feel that enhances its realism.

And speaking of realism, one of the most impressive — and most disturbing — things about Black Lagoon is it’s sense of authenticity. The action may be over the top at times, but many of the details are real. The places the characters live, the situations they find themselves in, the weapons they carry, the organizations they belong to — these are all real, or else they very easily could be. It leaves us in the audience with the unsettling feeling that, while Roanapur itself is a fictional city, there really ARE places in the world where things like this DO happen. Like Rock, we could be drawn in, but more frighteningly, we, too, might find ourselves willing accomplices, unable to help but admire the mayhem and destruction.

Currently the show spans two seasons, Black Lagoon, and Black Lagoon the Second Barage. Each season can be found as individual volumes, or collected in one package. The season box sets include four discs in a metal case — Revy would probably destroy anything else. The ending to season two is one heck of a story — I lost sleep over it because I simply had to know what happened next — but it doesn’t really feel like much of an ending to the show. That may not be a problem, however, as a third Black Lagoon is reportedly in the works.

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