Macross Frontier 25 – What am I watching?

Imagine for a moment that you belong to a race of people who have for thousands of years done nothing but engage in constant warfare. The only art you know of is a weapon’s design, the only music the sound of gunfire. Then one day a man and a woman demonstrate how to kiss… and in the same day introduce you to the Beatles, youtube memes, the David, ice cream sundaes and every single episode of Sex in the City. The last episode of Macross Frontier is sort of like that except with more explosions and naked, neon women.

I’d go so far as to say that it doesn’t even matter whether or not this episode was any good from a storytelling standpoint (it wasn’t). What matters is that it was a nonstop 210 mph in your face experience. “Deculture!” indeed.

Eureka Seven is like catching that perfect wave

I haven’t written anything in a while because I’ve been watching Eureka Seven and couldn’t bring myself to post until I finished it. Which I finally did, and boy was it good. I’m just sorry I watched all 50 episodes in two weeks instead of savoring it but I couldn’t help myself, it was that addicting.

The story is about Renton, a 14 year old boy who lives with his mechanic grandfather. Renton loves “lifting” which is basically surfing in the air on waves of energy called trapars. He idolizes Gekkostate, a colorful group of anti-government lifters who pilot surfing mecha called LFOs. Renton’s life is changed forever when a cute, aloof girl named Eureka crash lands her LFO on top of his house. He falls for Eureka right away and ends up joining Gekkostate.

Now that I’ve gotten the obligatory summary out of the way let me backtrack. Did you get that the first time? Mecha. In the air. On surfboards. As somebody who both surfs and skateboards, this is pretty much the coolest thing since the holy toast bread stamp.

Xam’d Lost Memories 10

The way this episode is put together is pretty interesting. It’s entitled “Moving On” but what it really focuses on are memories. Akushiba remembers the day Raigyo became a Xam’d, Haru remembers how her sister got hurt, Akiyuki’s father prays for his dead comrades on Armistice Day and Raigyo asks the crew for a photo, thereby creating and preserving another memory. Yet the characters also look towards the future. Haru’s decision to break away from her past is the most obvious example but I can think of at least one other – Akiyuki getting his first Xam’d lesson from Raigyo so that he will be able to control his body.

Because of this juxtaposition between past and present, the episode itself felt like a transition between what we’ve already seen and what we’re going to see next. Which is to say, it’s been good so far and it’s just gonna keep getting better.

Gurren Lagann Parallel Works 8 – Genome is Boss

Yoh Yoshinari’s contribution to the Gurren Lagann parallel works is not as good as I thought it’d be. It is far, far better. If you haven’t already done so, watch it here.
  

Although it was pretty much explained during the show how Genome became humanity’s oppressor, seeing it actually happen was awesome. The animation is fantastic and Gurren Lagann’s sketchy style has never looked better. I love the way they used a limited color palette but with contrasting colors and shadows that make it feel, pardon the pun, quite dark. I originally thought they should’ve used “Libera Me” (it’s used in the movie and with narration too) but the paranoid, ominous sound of “All You Bastards Get Fired Up!” actually works perfectly. 

Just thought I’d post a few things I noticed/thoughts I had while watching it:

Xam’d Lost Memories 9

It took a whole 9 episodes but finally the real protagonist has been introduced. Turns out Akiyuki, Haru and Nakiami are just minor characters because the show is actually about Raigyo. Raigyo and his Xam’d abilities. Raigyo and his camera. Raigyo and the tragic demise of his beard.

Or maybe not. However this episode was almost entirely about Raigyo’s return after two years abroad and how enamored the crew is with him… except for Akiyuki who is understandably peeved at being left out. Who wouldn’t be a little threatened by somebody who waltzes in bearing gifts and is treated like a returning hero?

Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea

Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea is an absolutely fantastic movie that more than exceeds the incredibly high expectations I had for Miyazaki’s next project. I wasn’t planning to watch it before it was released in the U.S. but I really couldn’t help myself. I guess I wanted to get the memory of the mediocre Earthsea out of my mind and this was just the film to do it.

I watched a crappy cam rip with terrible subs that didn’t even try to use real grammar and were often completely wrong, as even I could tell with my limited Japanese knowledge, but it hardly lessened my enjoyment at all. Of course I’m still going to see it in theaters as it so deserves.

Tales from Earthsea: Ghibli’s First Blunder

Long before I was an anime fan I was a Ghibli fan so when Tales from Earthsea (Gedo Senki) came out two years ago I couldn’t have been more excited. However until recently I’d completely forgotten about it because, due to a rights conflict with the Sci-Fi Channel that won’t expire until 2009, there is no North American release. I finally decided to just go ahead and see it anyway but unfortunately it wasn’t worth the wait.

Earthsea was directed not by Hayao Miyazaki but by his son Goro Miyazaki who was a complete newcomer and it really shows. Earthsea is a decidedly average film which for a Ghibli fanatic like myself is a huge disappointment.

Earthsea is based on a series of fantasy books by Ursula K. LeGuin. The premise of the film is that the natural forces in Earthsea have become unbalanced leading to pestilence, drought and other troubles including the ominous appearance of two dragons fighting each other. The main character is Prince Arren who kills his father the king and flees, taking his father’s sword with him. He meets a wizard named Sparrowhawk who invites Arren to accompany him in his travels. 

Gurren Lagann Movie Out

The first Gurren Lagann movie opened yesterday, Saturday the 6th in Japan, and I was not there. I was not there standing in line, I was not there getting the movie pamphlet, I was not there when the lights finally dimmed and I was definitely not there for the next two hours until the credits rolled. Not that I’m bitter or anything.

Fortunately fans have already supplied us with some information in English to wet the appetite. The most detailed info I could find is from csakuras who translated some of the relevant 2ch posts. A big thanks to her for that.

Warning: The following post contains SPOILERS. 

Xam’d Lost Memories 8

Wow, what a good episode. The two major plot lines finally converged, if only for a brief moment.

Tytania Trailer Out

Well, sort of. We should be getting a real release soon but until then this was filmed at Chara Hobby. 

There’s not much point in judging a show based on such a short preview but I am slightly disappointed with how the character designs and art came out. I was hoping for something a little less… shiny. I’m not a big fan of hair halos which Kyoto Anime, for instance, is very fond of.

Otherwise it looks pretty much as I expected, though while I knew there were going to be pretty men I didn’t realize there would be so many frilly suits. This can only work to Tytania’s benefit for literature such as The Count of Monte Cristo and The Scarlet Pimpernel has taught me that the most devious plans are always hatched by men in too tight britches and women in corsets. 

And of course it is only the manliest of men who dare to wear curls in public.