Tag: Anime

Ani-Mania: ‘When They Cry’

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Summer is here, at least for another month or so, and as Yuko would tell us, hot weather makes the perfect setting for ghost stories! That’s not just an excuse to drink more sake, though (not that Yuko needs an excuse, anyway); summer is also the season for Obon, the festival to honor the dead. Tokyo has it’s bon festival around July 15, but for most of the country, bon odori happens around August 15, so to celebrate this spooky time, and look forward to Halloween (notice those fall decorations going up in stores yet?), this week’s AniMania features a horror series, When They Cry.

The title comes from the sounds of the cicada calls in late summer. Also known as Higurashi, this fiendishly clever show recounts a series of strange murders that took place in the small town of Hinamizawa. The story follows Keiichi, a young man who recently moved to the sleepy little town. At first, everything seems to be going smoothly. Keiichi makes friends, and even joins an after school club. But then he learns a bit about the town’s history, including the bizarre murders which happen at the same time every year, around the time of the Cotton Drifting festival. When Keiichi asks questions, his friends’ responses become increasingly more disturbing, until Keiichi begins to fear for his life.

The events are retold in Rashomon fashion, spanning several different story arcs, each of which presents a different view of the same events. The re-tellings vary widely from each other in content, in some cases disagreeing on the material facts of the case, but each one contributes to the overall understanding of what actually happened. I recommend watching the show one plot arc at a time. Pop some popcorn, turn out the lights, and prepare to be creeped.

Part of what makes When They Cry so disturbing is that it combines the sweetness of romantic comedy with some really gruesome horror. It’s kind of like taking the dreamy, slice of life qualities of a show like Kanon or Clannad, and mixing it with The Ring, with a dash of Silent Hill thrown in for good measure. The contrast between the two elements gives Higurashi a strange, surreal quality, especially when one storyline reaches its murderous conclusion, only to have the next plot arc start out bright and sunny again.

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This may be Hinamizawa, but parts of the show feel more like Love Hina. Male characters are few and far between. It’s the girls that really steal the show. There’s Rena, the sweet, domestic girl who has violent mood swings when Keiichi says the wrong thing (picture Shinobu with an axe). And then there’s Mion, the brash tomboy and ringleader of the group who has a secret, softer side (and many other secrets besides). Rounding out the cast are Rika, a priestess who may or may not know about the curse many locals fear is behind the bizarre murders, and Satoko, a troubled girl with problems at home.

The voices are frighteningly good. Grant George, the voice of Keiichi, has also appeared in Bleach and Code Geass. Kelli Kassidi, who had a small part in The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, voices two characters in When They Cry, including the brash and beautiful Mion. You might recognize Mela Lee, who plays the part of Rena, from her work as Rin in Fate/stay night. Minx Lee, the voice of Jun’s sister Nori in Rozen Maiden, plays Satoko. Rika gets her voice from Reba West, who has also appeared in Code Geass and Mahoromatic.

The opening theme, appropriately titled “Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni”, is by Eiko Shimamiya. The ending, “why, or why not” features the sultry sounds of Hiroyuki Oshima and Rekka Katakiri as Rena’s axe descends in the background.

If When They Cry sounds like a great setup for a really weird dating sim, never fear — MangaGamer is localizing the Higurashi PC games that inspired the series for the US market, with an expected release date of October, 2009, just in time for Halloween. In the mean time, you can pick up the three disc anime series starting August 25 from most major retailers. It’s expected to sell for $69.98.

If you’re not too scared from watching Higurashi, tune in to next week’s AniMania for more reviews, fandom, and Otaku life.

Review: ‘Ponyo’

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Ponyo swims into theaters today, and as the latest film from director Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli, who gave us such landmark titles as Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, and Howl’s Moving Castle, this little fish finds itself in a very big pond, and in some highly esteemed company.

The movie tells the story of a magical fish, who yearns to leave the ocean and visit the human world. To this end, she sets out on a quest that nearly takes her life. She is rescued by a human boy, Sosuke, who takes her home in a bucket, and promises to take care of her. When Ponyo’s father, Fujimoto, a once human mad scientist who fell in love with the sea, learns of it, he is furious, and comes to take her back. But Ponyo is too much like her mother, and will not be contained. She is determined to become a human girl, and won’t let anything stop her from being reunited with Sosuke.

This film looks and feels like vintage Disney. From the art style to the color palette to the hand drawn animation, Ponyo seems like it could have come right out of the Disney vault. That’s no surprise when you consider that Miyazaki has been described as “the Walt Disney of Japan”, and many of the staff who went on to create Ghibli had worked on some classic animation titles, such as The Last Unicorn.

Aimed at a young audience, Ponyo is something of a departure from Miyazaki’s more recent films. That kid friendliness may translate into bigger profits at the box office. Anime films, while a hot commodity in certain circles, tend to receive critical acclaim here in the states, but sell most of their tickets at home in Japan. Ponyo’s appeal to a younger demographic may help it to buck this trend.

That in no way implies that the movie is dumbed down from Ghibli’s other titles. Ponyo may have kid appeal, but parts of the film are very dark, and might be a bit frightening to young viewers. There are some scenes for the parents, too. The portrayal of Lisa, Sosuke’s mother, as she deals with the strain of having to juggle caring for him and working at the local senior center while his father, a captain, is out at sea, is both humorous and heartwarming. Fujimoto’s efforts to keep Ponyo a fish and prevent her from joining the human world highlight the folly of human wisdom, and the struggle that all parents face as they resist the idea that their children are growing up.

The film touches on some of Miyazaki’s favorite themes, such as environmentalism, and the relationship between humans and nature. Ponyo and Lisa are both strong female protagonists, while there is no true “villain” in the film. Fujimoto is misguided, but well intentioned, wanting only to protect his daughter, and the sea he loves.

Ponyo boasts an impressive cast, with Liam Neeson giving his acting talents to the voice of Fujimoto. Cate Blanchett continues her trend of otherworldly female roles, playing the part of Gran Mamare, the spirit of the sea. Tina Fey and Matt Damon voice Sosuke’s mother and father respectively, while Sosuke himself is played by none other than Frankie Jonas, the youngest of the Jonas Brothers. Noah Cyrus plays the title role of Ponyo, while Golden Girl Betty White makes a wonderful appearance as both Yoshie and Noriko. White is having a busy year, also appearing in The Proposal and Love N’ Dancing. Cloris Leachman, a veteran of Ghibli films who played in Castle In the Sky, also lent her talents to the film as Yoshie and Noriko.

If you’ve got a taste for some vintage animation, or if you’re a parent who’d like to indulge in a bit of nostalgia while taking your children to see a modern day classic, consider a trip to the theater to see Ponyo this weekend.

Ani-Mania: ‘Romeo X Juliet’ Part 2

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I hate to give a bad review of anything. I really do. I’ve long been of the opinion that the best way to handle reviews is to emphasize a series’ good points, and whom it might appeal to, rather than to go around bashing things. For example, if I tell you that Higurashi is a fiendishly clever horror story that retells the same terrifying events from several different perspectives (hint on what a future column will be about), then I have done no disservice to anyone. If you like horror stories that take a bit of detective work to decipher, then you know Higurashi might be of interest to you. If you can’t stand horror stories, or can’t enjoy something without a linear plot, well, now you know that Higurashi probably isn’t for you. Either way, everyone is served (and we all know anime is about fanservice, don’t we?)

But in the case of Romeo x Juliet, I feel like it’s only fair to say that the second half of the series just doesn’t quite measure up. It’s not that the second season is bad, but it doesn’t live up to the first season’s promise. Before I say any more, lets take a quick look at where we are.

It’s been a while since we left our two star crossed lovers back at that cliff hanger ending to season one. As the curtain goes up on the second half of Romeo x Juliet, all is not well in fair Neo Verona. Juliet has been captured by the cruel lord Montague, who declares that she will be executed. When Romeo confronts his father on Juliet’s behalf, he too falls prey to the old man’s wrath, and is exiled to a remote mining village. Once again, we are asked, is this truly a love that can never be?

But there are other forces at work. By now, the people of Neo Verona are ready to stand up to Montague’s tyranny, and William Shakespeare foments open revolt by putting on a play which champions the cause of house Capulet. Things have gone far beyond an old feud between two noble families, however. The citizens of Neo Verona want freedom, and they are willing to fight for it. Even as the power of the Montague family wanes, a new threat emerges. Aeschylus, the mysterious tree whose power holds the world together, is dying, and Juliet may be the only one who can save it.

That sounds like a heck of a lot to fit into twelve episodes, but in all honesty, large parts of the second half of this series feel open, and, well, empty. The first four episodes, nearly a third of the second season, are largely spent on Romeo’s exploits in a mining camp, as he gets to know some of the criminals who have been exiled there, and in the process, finds his own place in life. Anime is well known for this kind of character building, “bildungs roman” type of stuff, and when it’s done well, I can’t get enough of it. But here, it comes off as a couple of hours we have to sit through in order to get to the rest of the story, and we all know what happens when Haruhi gets bored, so that is definitely not a good idea.

Things do pick up later on. The episode with Will’s “play within the play” is well done, and a nice touch for Shakespeare fans. The final disc of the two disc set has some pretty intense drama as the story builds towards the climax. The ending is weird, but that’s hardly new territory for anime fans, and the overall production value remains high. But there are still parts of the story, even right at the end, that feel vacant. As I watch Juliet struggle to save Aeschylus (think World Tree. Every show these days seems to have a world tree), I’m left to wonder, how exactly did we get here?

If you’re a fan of the series, you’re probably going to want to see this — it’s still pretty good, even if it’s not great — and if you already bought the first season, you may well end up buying it, since after all, it doesn’t do you much good to have half of the show floating around in your collection. Just be warned, while the first half of the series was really good, the second season is kind of mediocre.

Whether you agree or disagree with me, feel free to post a comment telling us what you think, and why. Next week looks to be very busy here at AniMania. There’s a lot of new releases to talk about, and of course, more misadventures in the world of Otaku. If there’s anything in particular you would like to see, feel free to drop us a line.

Wolfgang Peterson adding ‘Paprika’ to his movie menu?

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Wolfgang Peterson (THE PERFECT STORM, TROY) is a filmmaker known for three things… epically entertaining adventure flicks, long intervals between films and a frequent inability to keep his films under two hours. Out of his last nine films, six of them surpassed the two hour mark, including DAS BOOT (1981) which holds the crown with a 149 minutes theatrical cut, a 209 minute director’s cut and a mind-boggling 293 minute uncut version.

Peterson has had a few goes at projects that never panned out, the most recent of which was a long roller coaster of a ride attempting to get Orson Scott Card’s sci-fi epic ENDER’S GAME on the big screen. This ultimately ended with the project being scrapped, making many skeptical sci-fi buffs very happy, as the story is considered by some as being “unfilmable”.

So, with ENDER’S GAME off Peterson’s schedule, what is a man to do? Apparently, he goes out and attempts to remake PAPRIKA, one of the most original and simply perfect feature-length anime masterpieces of all-time.

[The plot] sees a doctor illegally using a new psychotherapy treatment called the “DC Mini”, to manipulate her patients’ dreams from the inside. When one of the few existing prototype machines is stolen, dreams and the real world eventually collide. There are living nightmares, people turning into one another, a weird circus parade, a people-eating robot and a giant doll. — Empire

Wolfgang Peterson is working on his own version of PAPRIKA, which has taken a number of forms including the original 1993 novel, a manga in 2003 and another in 2007. There’s no word yet on whether Peterson’s version will be animated or live-action, but it’s difficult to wrap one’s head around the idea of a live-action version of PAPRIKA. The feature-length anime film PAPRIKA (2006) from Satoshi Kon however is an amazing and strange piece of fantasy storytelling and begs the question… Why remake it at all?

Source: Empire

Ani-Mania: ‘XXXHolic’

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It’s no accident that you are reading this column. In life there is no such thing as coincidence. There is only… inevitability…

I won’t even try to hide my enthusiasm for this series. If you remember my column on collecting anime swag, you know I own two XXXHOLiC wall scrolls — one autographed by Colleen Clinkenbeard, the voice of Yuko herself, along with a clock (also autographed), and a Yuko lapel pin. I made my own Watanuki/Doumeki cosplay, and there is a stuffed black Mokona plush over the TV. In other words, I’m a fan, and so you can imagine my excitement when Funimation released the entire series of XXXHOLiC as a boxed set.

XXXHOLiC, (pronounced “Holic”; the x’s are silent), tells the story of a boy named Watanuki, who has the curse of being able to see spirits. Wherever he goes, they are drawn to him. In addition to being strange and frightening, this also plays havoc with his social life, as he is constantly being tormented by things no one else can see. Then, one day, he somehow finds his way to a mysterious shop, run by an even more mysterious woman. She introduces herself as Yuko Ichihara, and tells him that she can grant his wish. For a price . . . Watanuki will work for Yuko, and in exchange, when he has worked long enough, she will free him from his curse.

And so Watanuki finds himself working in Yuko’s magical, wish granting shop, and we find ourselves in the strange world of XXXHOLiC. The three x’s in the name are not a rating (though with Yuko’s figure, they could be) — they’re more of a place holder. Much of the series revolves around obsessions, and the lengths people will go to in order to feed them, or be freed from them. We’re familiar with terms like ‘alcoholic’, ‘shopaholic’, or ‘chocoholic’, but the habits and addictions in XXXHOLiC tend to be much stranger.

The series sits squarely in the supernatural detective genre. Most of the stories are one shots, and this episodic nature can at times leave the storyline feeling as thin as CLAMP’s impossibly skinny art designs. It’s the characters themselves who tie things together, providing much of the plot and continuity. It takes time to develop, but as we learn more about them and how they relate to one another, the show really hits its stride.

In spite of XXXHOLiC’s supernatural overtones, one of the best parts of the series is its comedy. Yuko delights in embarrassing Watanuki as she orders him to run errands, cook her meals, bring her sake, and generally bosses him around. Watanuki, for his part, is volcanic, always ready to explode, especially when it comes to his classmate Doumeki. His foul temper can always be cured, however, by one glance from Himawari, Watanuki’s ill fated love interest.

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While there isn’t much in the way of an ongoing storyline, the individual episodes are really quite good, ranging from humorous to heartwarming to downright spooky. The overall effect is that XXXHOLiC feels like a collection of short stories, and having them all together in one set leaves the viewer free to pick and choose a tale to suit their mood.

The anime is based on the manga from the super group, CLAMP, the same authors who gave us Chobits and Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle, XXXHOLiC’s sister series. It’s interesting to see the translation to anime, in part because XXXHOLiC works so well as a manga. The series’ dark, moody feel is perfectly suited to manga’s black and white color scheme. The splash pages in between chapters, showing the cast in elaborate, impossibly detailed costumes, are heavy with ink, and reminiscent of the kinds of things that one artistic kid at your school would always be drawing in their notebook in class. Seeing those rich images and lavish costumes in color is a real treat.

One thing that did not make the jump from print is the connection between XXXHOLiC and Tsubasa. The two series are intertwined, each telling part of one, larger story. Since the anime focuses mostly on the first few volumes, where these elements are not yet heavily developed, it is able to stand on its own, but veteran fans who’ve been reading both titles for some time may be disappointed that there are no appearances from Sakura, Syaoran, or Kurogane.

The cast for the series reads like a wish-list in itself. Colleen Clinkenbeard, the seductive voice of Yuko, is also the voice of Hawkeye from Fullmetal Alchemist, and has been staff in a tremendous number of titles, including Claymore, FMA, Negima, and the upcoming Spice and Wolf, to name just a few! Todd Haberkorn, the voice of Watanuki, is also Allen in D. Gray Man and Hikaru in Ouran High School Host Club. J. Michael Tatum, the voice of Doumeki, makes the perfect strong, silent type, also giving his talents to Kyoya, also from Host Club. Himawari, Watanuki’s love interest, is voiced by Cheraimi Leigh, who is also the voice of Akira, Fuka, Fumika, and Setsuna in Negima!?. Leah Clark, the voice of Negima’s Nodoka, is Maru, while Moru is played by Brina Palencia, the voice of Juliet (if you can’t guess the show, I’m not telling you). Fans on the wolf watch will be interested to know that Palencia will also be the voice of Holo, the Wolf in Spice and Wolf. Rounding things out, Mokona, the fuzzy mascot of the show and Yuko’s drinking buddy, is voiced by Carrie Savage, the voice of Solty in Solty Rei.

The soundtrack is great. In addition to the background music, which is suitably creepy and quirky as needed, the opening and endings are great tunes. XXXHOLiC keeps the same opening for the entire series, set to the tune of “19sai”, an appropriately angsty rock song from Shikao Suga. There are two endings, one featuring a slumbering Mokona waking up to the sounds of Fonogenico’s “Reason”, the other featuring Maru and Moro, who are thin even as chibis, playing air guitar to BUCK-TICK’s “Kagerou”. Mokona makes an appearance on air drums.

If your wish is for more anime coverage, AniMania will be happy to grant it next week. Look for a review of the second half of Romeo x Juliet, and a whole bunch of new box sets coming soon.

Ani-Mania DVD Giveaway: ‘Dragonball Evolution’

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Welcome to our first version of the Ani-Mania DVD Giveaway, and what better way to start it off then with one of the most popular Anime titles made into a feature full length live action film. I haven’t seen the film YET, but it does star Justin Chatwin who I really dig.

In order to win you need to leave a comment and tell us your favorite Dragonball moment in either the film or the animated version. We will pick the winners at random and will notify you via email.

For those of you that don’t win you can still go out and buy a copy on DVD or Blu-Ray which hit shelves this past Tuesday, July 28th.

Ani-Mania: FMA OVA & Rozen Maiden

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Fullmetal Alchemist Premium OVA Collection

One of the best things about anime is the “omake”, or extras — also known as that stuff at the end of the tape. Long before DVD’s with their menu of special features, in the dark ages of VHS, anime fans were being treated to a smorgasbord of little goodies — from previews to music videos to something as simple as a visual catalog of a company’s other titles — pretty much anything the studio could find to throw on the last few minutes of a video tape. It was one of the things that made anime, well, anime. Lately we’re seeing fewer extras, as the industry and the economy as a whole have been forced to makes some painful cuts to stay alive. But if you’re longing for some of those good old days, not to worry. Funimation is about to release an entire collection of bonus material, and better yet, its for one of their biggest shows ever: Fullmetal Alchemist!

Dubbed the Fullmetal Alchemist Premium OVA Collection, the project reunites the original U.S. FMA cast in four new animated shorts. First on the disc is the “Interactive Experience”, in which the viewer is treated to a sequence of state alchemist training videos, where we learn a number of useful things about living and working as an alchemist, and the dangers of introducing Roy Mustang to your girlfriend. Much of these sequences are done in the first person, and while there’s no actual “interactivity” — no buttons to click or choices to make — there is plenty of humor.

Next up was the live action featurette. This little parody of some of the series’ more serious monologues was shot with a real life mockup of Al’s armor suit placed around various locations in Japan, finally finding his way to Studio Bones in his search for the truth. If this seems weird to you, just remember that this IS the same country that is auctioning off the chance to have your picture taken atop a life size reconstruction of a Gundam.

From live action, things go chibi with the Chibi Wrap Party, a super deformed version of a green room after party for the cast. The dinner turns into something of a roast, as Al finally voices some of his resentment to his scene stealing older brother “It’s called puberty, Ed — maybe it’ll happen to you too, one day”, and Hawkeye gives us some insights into her views about her and Roy’s “relationship.”

Finally, there’s the Kids Short, which shows us what it might be like if some of the main cast had grown up in our world. It all wraps up with credits that scroll over a background of dancing suits of armor — which, incidentally, is the creepiest thing I’ve seen since the dancing anatomical mannequin at the end of The Wallflower.

Strictly speaking, none of this material is completely “new.” Diehard FMA fans may have already seen much of this posted on the net. But it is great to hear the original English cast back together again. With luck, we may get to hear a lot more of them in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, the sequel that is currently airing in Japan.

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Rozen Maiden

When Geneon got into trouble a while back and halted their release schedule, many great titles were left in the lurch, and along with them, their fanbase. Rozen Maiden was one of these. With one volume of the second season, Traumend, out on the shelves, fans were left to worry if the rest of the series would ever be released. Those fears can now be put to rest as Funimation brings out the complete series of Rozen Maiden Traumend as a three disc box set, and fans of the show can finally see how it all ends.

Describing Rozen Maiden to the uninitiated is something of a challenge. It tells the story of a young boy, Jun, who makes a habit of collecting odd things. This all seems like fun and games, until one day a package arrives for him containing something that is strange even by Jun’s standards. Inside the box is a Rozen Maiden doll. Her name is Shinku, and in addition to being even more valuable than a super rare limited edition one of a kind Dolfie that collectors can only dream about, she has a very peculiar quality: Shinku is alive, and by bonding herself to a human and drawing off said human’s life force (sound like VAMPIRISM, anyone?) she is able to wield incredible powers.

Over the course of the series, we meet more of the enchanted dolls, and learn that they are the work of master craftsman, Rozen, whom the dolls refer to as “Father”, and that they represent his attempts to create the perfect girl. But sadly, all of them are flawed. The only way they can improve themselves is by following their Father’s will, and taking part in the Alice game, in which all of the dolls must fight to the death until only one remains. The victor will become Alice, and get to be with Father. The others will be turned into useless junk.

This premise is well established by the end of the first season. Traumend, the second season of the show, starts off with Shinku still living with Jun and his sister, Nori. For now, the Alice game has been put on hold, and there is an uneasy calm. Shinku is haunted by the memories of defeating Sugintou in battle, and determined that from now on, she will live in peace with the rest of the Rozen Maidens. These are idyllic days, and we are treated to some heart warming and humorous moments. But then, the mysterious Barasuishou arrives, intent on restarting the Alice game and becoming the perfect girl.

My initial reactions to Rozen Maiden were mixed, to say the least. I first learned of it when a friend of mine from our local anime club tried to get me to sit down and watch the first season. I think my first response was something on the order of, “Heck no, you keep your creepy doll fetish away from me!” My friend, who bears a striking resemblance to Shuichi Takamizawa, gets this kind of reaction all the time, and so thankfully was not the least bit put off. But after watching Traumend, I honestly have to say this series has a lot going for it.

It is weird though. Watching leaves me wondering exactly who the target audience is. It’s a show about dolls — is it for girls? Then again, Jun has something of a doll harem going for him. Is it a harem show? A doll harem show? A show for boys who secretly collect ball jointed dolls? I’m confused. That’s no wonder, since Rozen Maiden comes to us from Peach Pit, the same creative team that gave us DearS, Shugo Chara, and Zombie Loan. If you know anything about Peach Pit, you’re probably clapping your hand to your forehead and saying, “that explains everything!” If you don’t, Peach Pit is known for their strange mix of beauty and dark, twistedness, kind of like muffins made with arsenic instead of blueberries.

There are gothy overtones, both in style and in substance. All of the Rozen Maidens are dressed in more or less goth/lolita fashion — sweet lolita, to be exact — and goth/loli fashionistas are VERY exact — all except for Souseiseki, who is more of a dandy (your humble author is sure he is making points somewhere with someone just for KNOWING this kind of thing, but is unsure of whether those points are positive or negative). The term “darkly cute” comes to mind, to borrow a phrase from Fred Gallagher.

There’s substance under all the frills, though. The whole premise of the Alice game and the unswerving allegiance demanded by Father has religious overtones. It raises all kinds of questions about loyalty, identity, fanaticism — pretty heavy stuff. But some of the best parts of the show are the light-hearted ones, where we see Shinku’s developing friendship with Jun and with the other Rozen Maidens, as they attempt to function in a human sized world that can be, at times, less than doll-friendly. The characterization is surprisingly good, showing unexpected depth, even in some of the supporting cast.

The show may be about dolls, but some of the cast are giants in stature in the voice acting world. Mela Lee of Higurashi and Fate/stay night fame provides the voice of Shinku, with Tara Platt (Fate/stay night, DearS) as Barasuishou, Julie Ann Taylor (Code Geass) as Souseiseki, Karen Strassman (Last Exile) as Sugintou, Reba West (Higurashi When They Cry) as Suiseiseki, and Sherry Lynn (Wolf’s Rain) as Hinaichigo. Christina “Vee” Valenzuela, whom AniMania recently had the pleasure of interviewing at NatsuCon , plays the part of Kanaria, the self proclaimed “brainiest of the Rozen Maidens.”

My friend (the Takamizawa-esque one) took great pleasure in pointing out that Mona Marshall, the voice of Jun, is also the voice of Love Hina’s Motoko Aoyama. I’m going to have to kill him for that. Incidentally, Dorothy Fahn, the voice of Jun’s friend, Tomoe, is another Tokyo-U alum; she played the part of Love Hina’s feisty heroine, Naru Narusegawa.

The art is beautiful, especially the opening animation, which is set to the tune of “Seishojou Ryouiki” performed by ALI PROJECT, who also did themes for Code Geass and Princess Resurrection. “Hikari no Rasenritsu”, the show’s softer ending theme, is performed by Kukui.

Admittedly, Rozen Maiden isn’t going to be everyone’s cup of tea. But if you like your tea with a spoonful of gothic cuteness, this show may be for you. That’s all for now. Tune in again next week for more reviews, fetishes, and other items of otaku interest.

(Edward Douglas still loves Motoko, and will try his best to repress any mental images of Jun in a miko outfit.)

Ani-Mania: NatsuCon 2009 Convention Report!

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This week we have something different for our AniMania readers: a special report from last week’s event, NatsuCon! Taking its name from the Japanese word natsu, meaning summer, it is seeking to be the third contender in the St. Louis anime scene, alongside Archon in the fall, and Anime St. Louis in the spring.

While these two conventions are already well established, St. Louis anime fans appear to be hungry for more. Attendance at NatsuCon, which took place this past weekend at the St. Louis Best Western Airport Convention Plaza, surpassed the organizers’ expected headcount of 200, and while exact figures were still being tallied, it appears the final numbers may have blown the hotel imposed cap of 500. The hotel staff was a source of frustration for many fans, who complained of being driven from the lobby and halls and threatened with expulsion and arrest.

But in spite of the pains that came with outgrowing the venue on the first day, NatsuCon still managed to field many of the events and amenities that one expects at a convention, including a masquerade, rave, dealers’ room, date auction, and all of the glomping and general hall craziness that goes on at cons.

One special treat were appearances from two special guests, Chris Patton and Cristina Vee. AniMania is grateful to both of them, and to Matt Lankford and the rest of the NatsuCon staff for giving us an opportunity to speak with each of them.

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Chris Patton Interview:

One of the things that really helped cement the con’s very existence was when it announced that Chris Patton had been signed to make an appearance. While he is probably best known as the voice of the homunculus, Greed, in Fullmetal Alchemist and the quirky Sousuke Nagara in Full Metal Panic, Patton has appeared in many anime titles, including one that is especially dear to him. “I’m really proud of a movie called ‘The Place Promised In Our Early Days'”, Patton said, “It’s one of the things I was in that I can watch multiple times without getting bored.” The movie tells the story of three friends trying to unravel a mystery in an alternate history, where Japan was divided after World War II. Patton voices the part of Hiroki Fujisawa, whom he also said is his favorite character.

Never one to be idle, the prolific Patton is currently engaged in several projects, including Graham Spector in a Baccano OVA, two roles in One Piece, and the villain, Venom, in the latest incarnation of Sgt. Frog. The role of Venom marks something of a departure for him. “Voicing young males is something I’ve done many times, but not villainous frogs”, Patton said.

He also related a humorous incident about his role as Kum in Tower of Druaga. If you’re wondering in today’s PC world how that character name should be pronounced, you weren’t alone. “So we’re going to pronounce it ‘Koom’, right?”, Patton asked. “No.” Apparently, its spelled pretty much how it sounds. Patton got something of the last laugh, however, when the character, which at first had a small part, went on to have a much bigger role later in the series.

While to many of us, the idea of being a voice actor sounds glamorous, the more one knows about the process, it all begins to sound suspiciously like work. Patton described getting into the office at 10 am, after a several hour commute. He would then work on his primary project for 3-5 hours. After that would be shorter sessions, about 30 minutes each, where he would work on various other projects, making the most of his studio time.

When asked what it was like in the booth, Patton responded, “Annoying”, he said, “. . . they’re all pretty small”, commenting that the tiny recording booths felt like “closets on wheels. After a while it’s like you’re in a flotation tank, and you start hallucinating things.”

And recording booths have their dangers, ranging from tricky engineers ready to quick record your most embarrassing moments and play them back to you, and the dreaded, deadly, lingering booth fart. But there can be unexpected rewards. In addition to some of his more famous roles, Patton said he also has numerous credits as “various monsters and demons”, and described a particular gig where he was offered fifty bucks to come in and record belches for monsters in a show. In case you’re wondering, he took the deal.

In addition to attending the convention, Patton was able to take in a bit of the local St. Louis flavor, including getting sun burnt at Six Flags while indulging his fondness for roller coasters. But one local landmark gave him pause. “As big a fan of roller coasters as I am, I’m not comfortable with elevators that take me up a 700 foot arch.” We’re not sure if it’s a matter of claustrophobia, or heights, or maybe the possibility of the even deadlier and more dreaded enclosed elevator Arch fart that worried him. Either way, we’re glad to have hosted him, and hope he comes back again.

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Cristina Vee Interview:

While Chris Patton represents an established fan favorite, emerging voice actress Cristina Vee is one of anime’s newest rising stars. Cristina got her start through what has been dubbed the “Fan 2 Pro” route, making the leap from convention-goer to convention special guest after being discovered during a Bang Zoom voice acting panel at Anime Expo. She got the chance to try out the equipment, and audition for the role of Fuu in the hit series, Samurai Champloo. She didn’t get the part, but she did get her foot in the door, and from there, she’s gone on to voice some memorable roles, including Kanaria from Rozen Maiden, and characters from the hit video game, BlazBlue, which hit the #2 spot on Game Stop’s prestigious best seller list.

Vee reflected on her transition from fan to star. “I get to go to more conventions”, she said. “I get to meet a lot of people who I looked up to when I was growing up.” She also admitted to initially being shy about the whole experience. “I honestly feel blessed. It’s kind of a new feeling for me, coming out to cons. It took me a while to get over my shyness.”

A lifelong fan of anime, she didn’t have to think twice when asked who her favorite anime character was. “Sailor Venus!” she said. “She’s going to be a star . . .” The words could just as well be said of Vee herself, but while she was very positive about the whole voice acting experience, she also talked about some of the rigors of the job. Getting her foot in the door was one thing, but it took a lot of hard work “to stay in the building.”

“It’s really hard”, Vee said. “It’s actually really difficult work. It’s fun, but you have to really know how to take care of your body. You have to eat right, work out”, she explained, pointing out that if an actor gets sick, the studio can’t wait for them. She also talked about her apprehensions at working in such an unpredictable business.

“What if I never work again?” Vee asked. “What if I never land another job? You have to learn to manage those what ifs.”

So far, Vee seems to be managing just fine. In addition to her acting career and working at a comic store where she sometimes dresses as Batgirl (no, sir, we don’t have the pictures, so please stop asking), Vee somehow also finds time to act in her university’s theater, play the drums, draw, read, eat pizza, and play video games with her boyfriend.

Vee said she likes the instant gratification of video games, and makes it a point to achieve some degree of proficiency at them. That same enthusiasm comes across in her voice work. “I like roles where I get to scream and yell a lot — where I get to fight or do battle cries or attack my boyfriend.”

If you’d like to find out more about Cristina Vee, she will be appearing at Connecticon which takes place in Hartford, Connecticut from July 31 – August 2. She will be singing covers of popular anime and j-pop tunes such as Caramel Dansen and covers of tunes from Lucky Star and The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.

That’s all for this week’s AniMania. Be sure to stay with us in following weeks, where we will be reviewing the Fullmetal Alchemist Premium OVA collection, along with the new box sets for Rozen Maiden Traumend, Slayers, and xxxHolic.

NatsuCon 2009 Photos:

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Review: ‘Eden of the East’

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Strange cell phones, secret organizations and 20,000 unemployed Japanese citizens suddenly disappear and a school girl gets pulled into the middle of it when she’s rescued by a nude man suffering from amnesia and brandishing a cell phone in Washington DC. This is how we’re introduced to Eden of the East. Yeah it’s a lot to process, but the journey is well worth it.

Saki Morimi is a college graduate on a trip to the United States when Eden of the East starts. She leaves her fellow graduates in New York to head over to Washington DC to see the White House. It’s not long after her arrival that she gets into some trouble with the police over throwing something and a naked man distracts them, saving her. The man is Akira Tokizawa, or he soon will be. After Akira helps Saki, she gives him her coat and they end up back at his place. He has no idea who he is or where he comes from, but he does find a small apartment filled with weapons and explosives and several passports with many different names. Assuming one identity (Akira) and burning the rest he runs back to Japan with Saki and their adventure begins.

Eden of the East is about a game. A game that has twelve players called Selecao (Selaso). These Selecao are all given special cellphones and 10 billion yen in digital currency. They can spend it any way they see fit, but with the goal of “saving Japan”. Each player can see what the other players are spending their money on, but none of them know who each other are. Akira is a Selecao and his trail of spending is his only link to who he was in the past. The evidence in the USA leads him to believe he’s a terrorist, but he doesn’t quite believe it, or he doesn’t want to.

Saki comes with him when they reach Japan to help him piece his life back together and figure out who he is. That’s where things really start to get weird. He lives in a shopping mall, is obsessed with movies and has a dog with angel wings strapped to it’s back. What’s interesting is how many references to obscure films are made. Obscure French films like “Le Grande Blue” are mentioned and more than once.

What really starts to become clear is that Akira might be responsible for rounding up 20,000 uneducated and unemployed citizens called “NEETS” and killing them all in a missile attack. Is Akira the kind of guy to kill thousands of people based on their cultural status to make Japan a better place? Or did he have other motives? That’s where the mystery is.

The other Selecao all have different motives. Some don’t want to play the game, but rather use the money to better their own lives. Others want to help a very small part of the Japanese community by helping hospitals and the elderly and some want to bring criminals to justice instantly without the law getting in the way.

The way they all go about their plans is rather interesting. Each player has a direct line to “Juiz” a woman who can make anything happen. When I say anything, I mean pretty much anything. You want the prime minister to say something, Juiz can get him to do it. Want some one dead, and Juiz will have a sniper ready in a matter of seconds. It does take a stretch of the imagination in some of the instances, but it also shows the viewer just how powerful the people running the game really are.

The title itself actually refers to a group of characters you don’t meet until about half way through the series. Eden of the East is a group of students who came together to repair old equipment, recycle it and sell it again giving it new value. Many of them are actually NEETS. They developed a piece of software called Eden of the East that will take any picture and identify any person or object in it. It’s very cool stuff and comes in handy about half way through when people start to wonder who Akira really is.

The animation here is extremely clean. The characters all have very unique   but realistic looks, and the scenery is all painted very beautifully. There’s a smattering of CGI for cars and water, as well as large crowds, but it’s all done   with cell shading so it fits the style of the show very well. The audio is great as well. A terrific soundtrack and one of the better opening themes in a long time. The opening credits remind me of a James Bond movie and the end credits are some of the more imaginative I’ve ever seen.

Where the show suffers is that it’s not all wrapped up in the end. There are a few too many loose strings and unexplained occurrences. Some characters just don’t feel like they belong at all, and some are given a little bit too much importance without actually doing anything. It’s likely the show will have a sequel though.

As a TV Show this series has a lot of ambition and a lot of great writing. It’s finale is satisfying but makes you want more. If you’re looking for a good mystery to sink your teeth into filled with missing people, secret organizations and a woman that has an obsession with cutting off peoples “Johnnies” then please check this series out when it hits your shores. 4 out of 5 stars.

Ani-Mania: ‘Gungrave’ Revisited

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Death doesn’t matter. Only revenge…

Back from the grave, and back from the oblivion so many Geneon titles were consigned to, Gungrave comes to us this week, courtesy of Funimation, in an all new complete collection. The series is from Yasuhiro Nightow, who was also the original creator of Trigun, and it explores many of the same themes, but with a much darker twist.

The beginning of the story is a jarringly bumpy ride, in which we meet Brandon Heat — or rather, the man who used to be Brandon Heat — until he died. He has since been brought back, and goes by a new name: Grave, as in “Beyond The Grave”. At least, that’s what the creepy old mad scientist tells us. Then Grave goes for a walk, some monsters show up, and the shooting begins.

From there, the series begins for the second time, and we get an amazingly deep back story on how Brandon came to find himself in this strange condition. This part of the story is pure crime drama, and very well done, too. It delves into how Brandon and his best friend, Harry MacDowel, went from being small time street punks to joining the mafia, eventually becoming more and more estranged as their paths in the criminal organization lead them further and further apart.

Although the series is relatively recent, being first released in 2003, Gungrave reminds me of a much older time in anime. Shows like this used to be the norm, and if you’re a fan of old school anime, Gungrave has it all: the emotionless, badass hero, complete with tragic past, lost love, catchy name, signature trademark weapons (the Ceruberus pistols) and a coffin full of guns, thrown in for good measure. There’s the mysterious organization, a damsel in distress, some random undead monster things — the list goes on.

This is the kind of stuff that lots of shows will make nods to, sometimes as an homage, other times as parody. Either way, in an era ruled by genre and convention, Gungrave is an original, and it feels vintage. Another place where this series excels is the story and character development. A lot of times, much of a story isn’t actually told, so much as implied or suggested. While there’s nothing wrong with that style, Gungrave is to be commended for actually investing the time to show these things. It makes for slow pacing that at times can feel a bit heavy, even ponderous — but the payoff is that when a major, or sometimes even a minor plot point is revealed, it has that much more impact because whatever the characters go through, the audience is going through it with them.

If you’re a fan of Trigun, you’ll find much to recognize here. Brandon/Grave comes across a lot like a darker version of Vash the Stampede. While he was never as happy go lucky as Vash, he has that same sense of duality, in this case divided between his former life and his slow but steady descent into crime and madness.

In his life before voicing Brandon Heat, Kirk Thornton (credited as Ron Allen) was also the voice of Hiei from Yu Yu Hakusho. He would go on to play the part of another stoic badass: Jin, from Samurai Champloo. Abe Lasser (Wolf’s Rain) plays the older Harry MacDowel, while Tony Oliver (Fate/stay night) gives voice to the younger version of Harry. Michael McConnohie (Vampire Hunter D) turns in a handful of performances Deed, Scott, and the aging crime lord, Big Daddy.

Gungrave comes on seven discs, in the standard thin pack, and was scheduled for release earlier this week. If you like older style action, or find yourself in the mood for a weighty tale with some serious plot, check this series out.

That’s all for now. If you’re in the St. Louis area, don’t forget that this weekend is Natsucon, with special guests Chris Patton and Christina Vee. The website for the convention is www.natsucon.org. Look for a con report, and more reviews coming up next week.