BATESZI

TOKKO - 2 - Guns forever

2006-05-04T01:17:00.000+01:00

In many ways, TOKKO is the worst anime series I've seen for a while now; the animation (if we can call it that) is cheap and tacky and the characters are about as cookie cutter as they come, but it's violent, has demons and pulls no punches when the time is nigh to combine the slicing quality of samurai swords with human limbs.

This is a show for the anime fans who grew up with the ultra violent OVAs of the 1980s and early 90s; we're talking Genocyber, AD Police and Angel Cop here. The story is basically "kid's parents are killed by monsters, so kid wants revenge"- you don't need any more information than that, throw in some fleeting sexual innuendo and that's about got TOKKO covered.

This episode was simply more of the same; a police officer can't take down a bunch of zombies with his pistol so comes back at them with a military issue anti-tank machine gun. You'll either love that idea or not and it pretty much sums up why I'm watching TOKKO. This is cheap, so-bad-it's-funny horror.

BATESZI RATING: C+

Kiba - 5 - Swings & Swords

2006-05-03T01:26:00.000+01:00

At a time when Kiba was in real danger of drowning in the true depths of unsalvageable mediocrity, an episode like this comes along and suggests that the story may well have some mileage after all.

Tellingly this was an episode free of Zed; rather the story follows his bespecled old buddy Noa who also seems to be teleporting about the various lands of Kiba. He ends up in a country (Neotopia) governed by the iron fist of a militaristic government where young men are being conscripted into the army. Being as it is an honour to become a soldier, most kids end up willingly leaving, while (much to the obvious distaste of the passionate locals) others would rather stay.

This episode was surprising in the way it handled what would inevitably be a sticky situation; best friends torn apart by war, one wants to fight while the other just wants to have fun, their polar opposite choices inevitably lead to conflict and the way it's presented here was surprisingly well done; it managed to nicely capture both the innocence and subsequent corruption of idealistic kids.

BATESZI RATING: B+

Studio BONES' Jyu-Oh-Sei: First impressions

2006-04-30T22:58:00.000+01:00

Of all the new anime debuting this season, the one I was most anticipating was always Jyu-Oh-Sei. I'm basically a massive fan of Studio BONES, and despite a few less than stellar exceptions (Ouran, Kenran); I'm worryingly in love everything they churn out. I could cite Full Metal Alchemist or Wolf's Rain as my favourite series of theirs, but I'll take the obscure route for now and say their best work is KURAU: Phantom Memory. If you haven't heard of KURAU, it's probably because ADV pre-licensed it back in 2004 and have since failed to release it over the ensuing YEARS.

Jyu-Oh-Sei translates into English as Planet of the Beast King. Imagine a cross between Battle Royale and LOST and you'll be half way to understanding the story. Two twins get unceremoniously dumped on a deserted planet with nothing but brutal criminals and carnivorous plants for company.

The first two episodes are by far and away the best I've seen this spring season; the setting is gigantic, colourful and genuinely alive and the story has a strong pace and direction. Said identical twins ((Rai) one a weakling, the other (Thor) a badass) want to get off the planet but must first face a few home truths- in a land where survival of the fittest rules, it's either kill or be killed. Thor wastes no time killing those who threaten his life, he's almost talented at it, but Rai is weak and lacks conviction. It's suggested that Rai is eaten alive by a particularly violent plant, and Thor even assumes he's dead, but the fact we see no proof of this death is a big hint that Rai will return in later episodes- and in badass mode too.

We're slowly introduced to the planet Chimaera and the fascinating ways in which it's governed. People are just dumped there and there is a shortage of water, so fighting for whatever resources are left plays a big part. Tribes have formed based on skin colour (there are four separate groups) and there is a shortage of women too, so rather than romance being allowed to develop naturally, woman are allowed to pick and choose their husbands; the men have no say in this whole process.

To keep this review to a short enough length, I'll conclude by adding that the artwork; full of expansive, varied alien landscapes is brilliant. If you haven't started watching Jyu-Oh-Sei yet and you enjoy a good yarn, then look no further, this is show you've been waiting for.

BATESZI RATING: A-

Ergo Proxy - 7 - All is full of love

2006-04-27T23:00:00.000+01:00

Finally friends, this is the episode where we get some answers. Real's life is saved by Daedalus. Once recovered they chat about everything, and to my absolute glee, light is shed on the mysteries of Romdeau, Proxy and even the outside world.

About a quarter of this episode is also devoted to Vincent's flight to Moscow. His other passengers, namely the group of old men left over from the commune, die on the way there.

***

So this was the best episode of Ergo Proxy yet; despite some off-kilter character designs, the narrative is kicked up a notch and we finally get some solid information to chew over.

What is Proxy
He (or should I say, it) is described by Daedalus as a kind of god, a key to human survivial. Specifically Proxy's genes (which were used to save Real's life) act as a cure for the "Cogito" virus that has decimated Earth's population outside of the Romdeau dome.

There is still the issue of why some autolaves drop to their knees and pray to Proxy; can he be the saviour for both man and machine? Why are machines praying in the first place?

What's going on at Romdeau, Moscow and elsewhere
The government of Romdeau are biologically manufacturing their citizens inside womb-like machines. The whys are still unknown, though I'm expecting a reason along the lines of "humanity needs to be controlled".
This leads me onto my next point- the world outside and specifcally, another dome at Moscow. I haven't a clue where Romdeau is located, but my guess is that it's either America or Europe. There must have been a world war at some point, in which mankind has not only almost destoryed itself, but also severly damaged the planet. The sky is constantly dark and the land is desolate, hinting at a terrible world war, one that has no doubt involved biological and nuclear weapons.

What lies in Moscow I'm not sure, though Proxy was taken from the Russian capital, so I 'm expecting something big, or atleast spiritual, about the city.

Is Real dead?
Of course she won't be dead, but what a cliff hanger anyway; we know that she now carries genes from Proxy- and given Vincent has shown a good ability to dodge the reaper, I'm expecting her to be resurrected or rather, regenerated in some way or another.

A three way tug of war at Romdeau
There are three important agendas being pushed at Romdeau- while Raul's militant group are rebelling, he strikes me as a man desperate to control everything. At this point, he comes across as a clumsy idiot, blinded by his own arrogance. The shrowded government in place at Romdeau is weak, or is at least hiding it's truth strength; they are more interested in preserving their own idea of paradise (Romdeau itself). And lastly we have the enigma of Daedalus, who is more than willing to help and share information with Real about Proxy, but to what end and why?

***

I'm convinced now that Ergo Proxy is the best series I'm watching. It's mysterious, challenging, dark and full of brilliant science fiction. The story is moving at speed and the next few episodes are bound to be even more telling, I can't wait to see what happens.

BATESZI RATING: A-

Kiba - 4 - It sucks... but that's cool, because I like it!

2006-04-26T00:02:00.000+01:00

So today I had to choose one of three episodes to watch. I could have gone with Studio BONES' latest masterpiece Jyo-Oh-Sei, the utterly artistic new arc of Ayakashi or be content with the generic shounen delights of Kiba. If you're reading this, you already know which episode I plumped for! I feel so dirty.

Zed hears about a joust contest and in his typically gung-oh style, decides to enter. It's a competition that pits one shard caster against another in a gladiatorial arena, minus the death.

***

As if Kiba wasn't already reminiscent of the tried and tested shounen action template, this episode sees us revisit the classic tournament format. Yawn indeed, but the thing about Kiba is that the story moves at such a brisk pace, so while this kind of set-up in Naruto would consume say 10 episodes, Zed and company remarkably battle it out in seconds. The episode ends on a cliffhanger with Zed about to unleash hell (in the final, of course) on camp pretty boy Robes and I must admit I'm looking forward to seeing how it all ends, both characters could use a good kicking.

Zed's still an abject arsehole, but Kiba remains just good fun to watch. The soundtrack is attractive and dramatic, the landscapes are vast, bright and colourful and the animation is fluid enough to cover the action with a enough adrenaline. The story and general intelligence of writing continues to leave a lot to be desired; stuff is just happening with little or no prompting, but irregardless, you can't underrate enjoyment; that's the most important part.

BATESZI RATING: B

NANA - 3 - Broken Social Scene

2006-04-23T13:19:00.000+01:00

Nana K is living an easy life as a student until her three closest friends decide that they are going to go to study art in Tokyo. It would be harsh to say Nana is untalented, but she isn't good enough for university yet; and so she faces a future without her friends, on her own again.

***

This was a really great episode, perhaps too dramatic in places, but ultimately that's what we expect from NANA.

It begins with Nana K back to her old self; completely reliant on other people, acting like a spoilt kid. It ends with her having made some important realizations about herself, notably her feelings for Shoji but also that she has so far gone through life almost exclusively depending on others. When her friends turn around and talk about leaving for Tokyo, it's obvious she has no ambition of her own and despite desperately trying to follow them, Nana is forced to confront this fact.

It seems this was the conclusion to the Nana K backstory and it ended well, at an imporant turning point for her life.

BATESZI RATING: A-

Ergo Proxy - 6 - Learning about death

2006-04-22T23:15:00.000+01:00

I'll warn you now this entry contains (literally) life-and-death spoilers, so if you haven't seen episode 6 of Ergo Proxy yet you may want to look away.

Hude and Queen get it in the neck this time, though it didn't leave me with much of an emotional impact. Perhaps it's because I expect everyone in Ergo Proxy (with the exception of Real/Lil) to die sooner or later.

It was nice to see Lil when she was younger and happier, pre-blue eye paint. We're used to seeing Ergo Proxy depicting worlds either bleached in artificial white or decaying in dark urban rubble so it was good to see a brighter, more natural scene for once.

The story is again at an important turning point. Given Raul's furious orders, we can safely assume the outside commune has been destroyed. Lil is back in the dome, seperated from Vincent and he is still on the run from the Romdeau 'sentinals'. What the next move will be is anyone's guess, though Raul dropped an interesting hint about the virus that has infested the outside world- seems it may cause mutations in its victims, enhance their strength in some way?
Everyone has their own agendas too- if anyone stole the show this time around, it was the androgynous Daedalus- she/he seems to be more and more manipulative than first thought and her connection to Lil's past undoubtedly suggests she will be an important character- whether good or bad is still undecided because like Raul she seems more out for herself than for anyone else.

I can't totally put my heart into Ergo Proxy because something still feels quite aimless about it; since it's is so mysterious, it's hard to get excited about anything. Naturally, it still looks as tastefully dystopian as ever, but I hope that over the next few episodes, the larger picture starts to get clearer and I'm not consistently left with such a vacant feeling. It's like I'm waiting for some fireworks to go off; the spectacle is bound to be great.

BATESZI RATING: B+

Can an opening theme resurrect a series?

2006-04-22T21:27:00.000+01:00

Is an opening theme enough to reignite interest in a series? I guess it is for me because I've just seen the third opening sequence for mediocre vampire slasher Blood+ and suddenly I've been persuaded to give this show another chance.

First time around I discovered Blood+ was terribly predictable, but if Production I.G devote as much passion to the story telling as they have this vivid opening animation, I'll happily return.

The OP in question is a wonderful mixture of experimental, gritty gothic visuals with enough cool looking poses and sword slashing, blood dripping action scenes to convince even the most skeptical of fans this so isn't the watered-down mainstream series it started out as; but you don't have to take just my word for it- stream it over at YouTube now.

Skewed tastes of the otaku

2006-04-19T22:49:00.000+01:00

With blogger hubs like Blogsuki and the AnimeAntenna cropping up, now is as good a time as ever to gauge how the tastes of the hardcore anime fan often differ from that of the general anime buying public.

According to the stats provided by Blogsuki, the most popular shows currently being blogged are Mai Otome, Fate/Stay Night, Shakugan no Shana, Kashimashi and Jigoku Shoujo. And judging by it's furious debut, I expect we won't have to wait too long for The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya to gatecrash that list too.

On the other hand, typical shounen adventure anime like Eureka 7, Ergo Proxy and Noein appear to be floundering. Perhaps that's a harsh way of putting it, but these are a shows tipped for the very top, flashbang animated and designed with an obvious broad appeal. What do they lack that turns off the otaku audience?

Is it that obsessive quality that otaku are famous for; no matter how well it's animated, you can't very well idolize an emotionless vase of a character like Real Mayer of Ergo Proxy in the same way as the always huggable "cute hell girl" Enma Ai of Jigoku Shoujo. Plushies and wallpapers of the weird looking kids from Noein are never going to be as fluffy as the girls from Otome.

It's not all about aethetics though- the most blogged series, like Otome, appear to invite fandom, to encourage disection of every facet of their show. Noein and the rest are great examples of story telling- but perhaps too good in that we are often left with little to discuss, such is the quality of story that watching becomes an almost one way experience, there is little to discuss when all the loose ends are everything but tied up anyway.

TOKKO - 1 - Horror, gore and siscon (in that order, repeat)

2006-04-18T22:14:00.000+01:00

I'm a horror fan, have been all my life and aside from the claret soaked GANTZ, I've seen nothing lately that's been up to quenching my thirst for such sheer bloody antics. That is until I saw the first episode of TOKKO.

Before launching into horror fan hyperbole, I'll state right now that TOKKO isn't and won't become a masterpiece. It's trashy, ugly, has poor production values and does nothing new with it's characters, that said- if you're in touch with the "goretastic" side of your personality, you should check this out.

So let's run through my horror fan check list: severed heads, messy piles of dismembered body parts, weird parasites (connected to humans) with disturbingly high and distorted voices, zombies, samurai swords and monsters (from hell). The story is basically about a rookie (Ranmaru Shindou) who has just joined his city's anti-terrorist police force to hunt down the violent butcher of his family. Lucky for him, Ranmaru 's first job just happens to involve a wall splattered with body parts and a walking army of the undead.

If you've read this far, you should know whether or not TOKKO is for you. It's violent, jokes about incest and involves hot young men and women jumping around with swords, slashing at puny monsters. The story is moving at a good pace and leaves little to the imagination; there's enough blunt sexual innuendo and cheesy jokes to fill the time between all blood letting.

TOKKO won't be for everyone, but it's gory horror just the way I like it.

BATESZI RATING: B+

Kiba - 1 through 3 - Cliche shounen strikes again

2006-04-17T20:43:00.000+01:00

Stating my desire for yet more shounen escapades, today I took in the first three episodes of Kiba.

Mediocre is the word that immediately comes to mind; neither bad nor outstanding, Kiba is a by the books fantasy adventure story packing just enough intrigue to maintain my interest from episode to episode. Disappointingly (especially considering the genre Kiba slots into) the monster-on-monster and light sabre-on-light sabre action is uninspired and lacking visual punch. The characters (including the cliche brooding lead, Zed) are mostly echoes of the established shounen stereotypes; important personalities include the humourless protagonist, gutsy female (potential love interest) and overly effeminate (probably gay) best friend.

You see I have this big list of complaints about Kiba, but I guess I have a weak spot for this kind of adventure story because despite all of these problems, I'm planning to continue watching- at least for another few episodes. The universe is well set up; a kind of edgy political\civilian rebellion appears to be brewing and Zed's shrouded past is just that, shrouded and mysterious. The soundtrack is another big plus- the horrible music in Bleach pretty much killed whatever interest I had in that show, but Kiba sounds a lot more sophisticated and dramatic than it looks.

I guess you can call me a curious viewer for now, I see some promise in Kiba but it's going to have to pull out some serious drama soon if I'm going to hang around for much longer. I was about this impressed with the first couple episodes of Full Metal Alchemist though, so there's still some room here for Kiba improve.

NANA - 2 - Make up the breakdown

2006-04-16T15:12:00.000+01:00

An episode I enjoyed much more than the first, NANA episode 2 is a much needed dramatic and character-driven piece. I remarked after the first episode that Nana K is a ditz, implying that basically she is a superficial person with her head in clouds, in love with the idea of being in love.

With episode two, we begin to get under her skin; we see that her typically naive and innocent personality is slowly wearing her down, making her more and more self conscious, afraid of both being alone and getting hurt. Through a string of relationships, everyone of which she makes the earth-shattering claim of love, she evidently puts in so much effort and still- they still end with not an explosion of passion, rather a wet whimper. To say she is emotionally fragile is an understatement, in one particularly painful scene, a fun night out drinking with some new friends transforms into an emotional break down.

This was an important episode for Nana K and I'm pleased to say it is as dramatic as I had hoped NANA would be. Of course, the series is still as fun and quirky as you would expect of any slice of life show- but now we have the character drama to match too.

Memoirs of a Shounen Jump fan - Dragonball Z

2006-04-15T17:18:00.000+01:00

Despite being both loved and loathed by an ever collecting legion of frothing fans, the various anime derived from Japan's own Shounen Jump are undeniably the flag bearers of anime to our mainstream generation.

As much as I like to think of myself as a serious anime fan, I must now confess that I happen to enjoy the uniquely derivative delights of the SJ adaptation; indeed, my TV recorded VHS tapes of all 261 episodes of DragonballZ attest to this horrifying affliction- intending never to watch them again, I still keep them close by as a reminder of what once was.

Alas, as a means of clearing my heavy conscience, we reach the point at which I introduce this series of articles, my "memoirs of a shounen jump fan", so join me brave reader as we sink ever deeper into the bowls of these forbidden anime series.

***

Dragonball Z

My confession

Back during the desolate days of the year 2002 I wasn't an anime fan but being your typical lazy student and all, I still had a lot of spare time on my hands. One fated summer’s afternoon, I just happened to flick past Toonami on TV... and weeks later, I realized I was addicted to Dragonball Z. That's literally how it happened, there wasn't some moment of divine realization, rather I just woke up one morning and subconsciously decided to become a DBZ fan.

To my unfettered eyes, it offered something new. For a start, it was my first true serial story in animated form- I loved tuning in everyday and being able to watch the next part of an on-going story. The characters too were a big draw for me; we see Goku and Gohan grow up, develop and suffer in realistic ways, being affected by everything going on around them. It had just enough maturity to hold my interest, something I can't say for the majority of teen-aimed American toons.

For that summer, I loved Dragonball Z. It got old for me around about my third time around the block; now it's drawn out and boring, but for those precious 3 to 6 months, I really loved it- enough to sit through several whole day marathons!

Why people hate DBZ (and subsequently, why I love it!)

As popular as Dragonball Z still is, there's no point in trying to convince anyone its high art. Its main problem is pacing; DBZ lasted 261 episodes for a reason, the story moves so slowly that (and this is a fact) that when we are told that a "planet will explode in two minutes", the action is still stretched out over two episodes.

After around about 90 episodes, Dragonball Z has reached its zenith. Goku has completed his fated transformation into the legendary Super Saiyajin and Frieza meets his grizzly end. The series should end here, with everything tied up- but it doesn't, for whatever reason it lasts for another 170 episodes. Basically, Akira Toriyama's universe wasn't built to last this long- and the cracks start to show.

The action, if we can call it that, consists of the now familiar SJ-style face-offs in which opponents spend more time trashing talking each other and trading "power levels" than actually fighting. Characters in battle take on the look of someone squatting with violent constipation, muscles bulge and hair colour changes.

Series highlights

At an emotional highpoint- Goku, mourning the death of his best buddy Krillin, goes Super Saiyajin for the first time and humiliates the previously untouchable pride of Frieza.
Gohan inheriting his father's legacy by saving Earth from Cell.
Vegeta finally acknowledging Goku and his loved ones by sacrificing his life- blowing himself up- to halt the universal destruction expected of fat villain Majin Buu.

Final words

The most revered Shounen Jump anime ever, Dragonball Z set the standards for long running "fighting" anime. Despite being hopelessly stretched out over an amazing number of episodes, the story retains its power as a weird blend of science fiction and traditional martial arts. Time traveling, androids, space ships and exploding planets are but a few of the many delights DBZ offers and as much as it now looks like a blatantly tired old series, it will always have my respect!

Fan service to the detriment of quality

2006-04-14T14:03:00.000+01:00

I tend to avoid anime with an over-emphasis on fan service, I construe it as a weakness in story telling; a cynical way of appealling to a base number of fan-boys/girls. In other words, I hate being pandered to- and so inevitably, I've ended up missing out on some of the most otaku series of recent years; the HiME franchise for one, and just about anything else starring groups of school girls falling over each other.

The latest champion on this side of fandom is said to be The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. I try to check out a lot of what's popular, if just to understand the hype, but a quick look at the various screen-caps scattered across the 'net reveal that yet again, Haruhi is no doubt a fan favourite for certain physical reasons.

I know people get obsessed about these series, but has there ever been a great moe/loli series, or rather- is this shallow visual style a reflection of a distinct lack of story. Will fan-service always equal derrivative fanboy entertainment.

One Piece - Adventure of a lifetime!

2006-04-11T21:40:00.000+01:00

One Piece is a brilliant series. I've slowly come to realize this over the last few months and indeed, it's my find of 2006. Void of the macho posturing that dogs it's Shounen Jump brethren and brimming with such vibrant, colorful adventure- it's a tragedy to see how it's being handled outside of Japan by 4Kids. I know it's beating a dead horse, but treated with the respect it so sorely deserves, One Piece could have achieved so much more.

I'm up to episode 64 now, and the Straw Hat crew have just entered the Grand Line, where muchos adventure awaits. I get the feeling this is when the real story begins, and yet, I've already enjoyed watching it so much; that's 25 hours of pure One Piece goodness and funnily enough, the journey has only just begun.

By this point in a show, things should be getting a little repetitive. We should know what to expect from certain characters and be able to predict how their stories will unfold. This is not the case with One Piece, I daren't even guess in what direction I'll be carried next, and it's this consistently unpredictable style that plays a massive part in dragging me back for more. Like-wise, the characters are wonderful to watch and original creator Eiichiro Oda, who I feel is becoming a story telling legend, clearly loves them too; by developing their personalities, always adding an extra layer of drama, he injects them with such unique dreams, humour, ambitions and talents that I find myself empathising and laughing with each and everyone of them.

Exciting, vibrant and full of life, enjoying One Piece is easy. I hope to blog this show, not episode by episode, but rather in batches; highlighting my favourite moments.

Why am I running an anime blog?

2006-04-10T22:20:00.000+01:00

This is a question I've been asking myself a lot lately, and with the recent commentary posted over at "a fairy tale...", I guess it's time for me to revaluate the real reason why this place exists.

I've long admired anime blogs from afar, enjoyed reading their quick-fire reviews of my favourite shows and always wanted to run a blog just like these people- hence this place- but a quick look at BlogSuki reveals what is essentially a flood of others who feel the same way. I glance at my review of NANA below and feel embarrassed- not because it's a bad post, but rather because it's so damn generic. Everyone is watching this show, nearly everyone is blogging it, so what's the point in me joining the crowd? Will it add anything new, of vital importance? I've conformed without even realizing it.

So I guess I'm selling out then; being an ambitious person, always looking at my hit counter and checking my mail for new comments, I want to attract people to this place. Sadly, this is a fruitless pursuit- and a newbie trap- a situation in which you inevitably end up droning on about shows you really couldn't give two shits about. I'm not saying this is the case with NANA; I honestly did enjoy the first episode, but mere enjoyment is hardly the metal great blogs are made of.

For now, I'm going to try and forget about what other people may want to read here and just focus on what I want to read. I'm going to remove my hit counter and rely on "the force", Skywalker-style, before self-destructing in a fit of referral statistics.

NANA - 1 - Sisters are doing it for themselves

2006-04-09T15:43:00.000+01:00

Setting the scene
Nana has plans to move to Tokyo and live near her boyfriend. On the train journey there, she bumps into another woman called Nana; who also happens to be 20 and is planning to live in Tokyo too. Their fashions and personalities strike such a strong contrast, like night and day; Nana 1 is a sugary sweet and innocent girl, while Nana 2 is a brooding and well, gothic woman. These pronounced differences are no doubt why the two immediately bond and form a natural friendship.

Life's not going to be easy for Nana 1 in Tokyo though; her boyfriend shows her little sympathy- so it's either get a job and find your own apartment or go back home. And so life in the big city begins.

My impressions
Before viewing this episode, NANA was my most anticipated show of the spring season. The pre-production art struck me as an admirable attempt at originality and basically, the show looked sophisticated enough to set itself aside from the teen-angst brigade.

I tentatively enjoyed episode 1; clearly, this is a series aimed at young women and while I can appreciate the art and enjoy the super-deformed humour, there is only so much interest I can glean from what is basically a "sisters are doing it for themselves" kind of story. And that's basically what NANA is right now, it's about two young woman learning to rely on themselves. The atmosphere is fun, and kooky, and the melodrama is thick with earth shattering narration, though I really need to see more before I can grasp any true direction.

The artwork and animation is very reminiscent of Paradise Kiss, but it's not as over the top and "camp". Like-wise, the character designs are attractive and pretty; particularly the females, who all look very glamorous and caked with makeup.

NANA has started out in promising fashion, and has set the scene well for future adventures. It's pure slice of life and gooey melodrama, and as long as it doesn't descend into the realms of manicures and hair cuts, I'll be watching!

A new look, and it's grey!

2006-04-08T18:39:00.000+01:00

Yesterday I decided to ditch the default Blogger.com template I was using and in the ensuing spurt of creative energy, I came up with the layout that you now see before you. As ever, my preference for the many shades of grey shines through but I'm quite happy with how it's turned out- basically, I just wanted to get away from the cliche Blogger style. Any comments on the new look are more than welcome! And rest assured, normal service will resume shortly!

Studio 4C's Comedy - Medieval fable set in Ireland

2006-04-08T00:05:00.000+01:00

Story so far
Set during Ireland's War of Independence, a young Irish lass, besieged by the merciless English soldiers, seeks the help of a legendary swordsman who is rumoured to have supernatural powers.

My impressions
Studio 4C's Comedy is a gripping 10 minute OAV from Kazuto Nakazawa; the main creative force behind Kill Bill's ultra-violent anime sequence. This is a dark, gothic tale with no real historical significance, a vehicle for Nakazawa's undoubted sense of style. His scratchy, sleek character designs are distinctive and attractive here, as is the hyper stylised violence. The compelling soundtrack is basically one song, but what a song; operatic classic Ave Maria.

It all adds up to be a really quite outstanding OAV, bleeding with moody landscapes and vivid characters no doubt inspired by an old European picture-book aesthetic. Comedy may only be 10 minutes long, but it works perfectly; both as a experiment in surreal atmospherics and an entertaining snapshot of Britain's bloody history.

Ergo Proxy - 5 - Revolution is in the air

2006-04-05T23:28:00.000+01:00

We've had to sit through five episodes, but it's only now starting to feel like Ergo Proxy is settling down into a proper flow of story-telling and I'm enjoying it a lot more; on a level beyond what previously amounted to a purely superficial attraction.

I suspect I preferred this episode to it's predecessors because it's basically set in the world outside of Romdeau. The character's living in the wastelands are a lot more opinionated- and hence, interesting, and their indiscretions also add a neat sense of humour to an otherwise very serious narrative. Also, we are learning more about Proxy.

Inside Romdeau; Proxy is a villainous monster, but outside, he is the opposite; a fabled legend. Now I realize I'm jumping the gun on this next point, but I think it's fair to assume that Vincent is indeed Proxy (who only emerges during times of great danger) and when the old man of the waste lands describes him as "Romdeau's famous revolutionary", I wouldn't be surprised to see Vincent eventually leading a civilian uprising against the oppressive government of Romdeau. I'm still unsure about Lil's place in all of this, though I doubt she will be fighting for the government for much longer; she doesn't strike me as a particularly happy bunny in Romdeau and since she is presumably breaking the law by going outside of the city walls to bring back Vincent, I wonder whether even her powerfully connected grandfather will want her back?

Upon analyzing Ergo Proxy- the political commentary is particularly relevant to the viewer's current social climate, though it's neither forced nor particularly obvious. Episode 5 is full of good, solid story telling and ends poised on a knife edge- the robots of Romdeau have attacked the peasants, coldly killing a young boy in the process and Lil (escorting Vincent back to the city) ended up being attacked too. I'm looking forward to seeing where it all goes next; how the homeless vagrants react to this episode's slaughter, whether or not Lil defects to the "terrorists" and if Vincent is indeed Proxy.

And I must add, I'm really loving the rousing opening sequence.

Paranoia Agent - Happy Family Planning censored in the UK

2006-04-05T00:16:00.000+01:00

For those who aren't aware, I'm based in the UK. Being an anime fan in England isn't so bad, though like every country, we have to put up with the occasional scandal; and this week one such scandal has been making waves in our anime community. Basically, the BBFC have decided to censor a section of episode 8 ("Happy Family Planning") of Paranoia Agent- and it's not a TV broadcast that's been cut, it's a DVD release.

As I have the uncut DVD version of this episode to hand, I figured I would blog it and try to analyze why BBFC feel it's dangerous for the British public to see.

Now Happy Family Planning is probably the most unsettling episode of Paranoia Agent I've seen so far- because not only does it depict a young girl attempting to commit suicide, it also touches on a number of other issues that we Britains are trained to fear. For one- the little girl meets her suicidal compatriots in an internet chatroom (both grown men; one is gay and the other a depressed old fogey). The British media is usually full of stories about how young children are being exposed by old perverts over the 'net and since this episode alludes to the internet as a means of planning a young girl's suicide (let alone the other characters involved), it immediately treds on edgy territory- a cartoon making fun of such dangerous things is a parent's nightmare.

The episode continues and by the time we reach the now infamous attempted hanging scene (this is the section cut by the BBFC), it's clear that Happy Family Planning is a disturbing black comedy- yes, it features responsible adults who want to die, but still, it's a satire; an albeit close to bone comedy that really pushes the boundaries concerning the worries of a middle-class modern society.

Happy Family Planning has all of the trademarks of a Satoshi Kon anime; it's subversive, experimental and downright brilliant, all the way through to it's sad conclusion. The way the character's act- all smilie faces and skipping down streets is not in tone with what you would expect of people wanting to die; it's actually an episode full of life and humour, chillingly so. And this is probably why the BBFC decided to cut out the attempted hanging; the animation genre in the West is still one that is synomonous with young people and a sickly sweet innocence. Seeing three cartoon characters, including one child, trying to hang themselves, and laughing and joking about dying, is just too much for Britain right now. And ironically, unless in the future the BBFC let their guards down concerning these kinds of issues, we'll never be ready either.

Pale Cocoon: Apathetic sci-fi short

2006-04-03T23:29:00.000+01:00

Described in some parts as a spiritual follow-up to the much lauded sci-fi short Voices of a Distant Star, Yasuhiro Yoshiura's Pale Cocoon is another 22 minute OVA that attempts to express a wistful charm by means of an isolated space setting.

The story is that (for some undefined reason) mankind has migrated to the moon and after years of being seperated from the mother planet (Earth), people are yearning for a return home. The main character, a distant young man called Ura, spends his days examining pictures of Earth's beautiful landscapes and researching old human civilisions.

As we now expect from these kinds of short features, Pale Cocoon looks great and is as apathetic as serious science fiction comes. Like say Texhnolyze, there is an air of resignation about the characters, almost as if they have quit caring about anything and everything.
Due the running time, the story is understandably hard to take in on first viewing but given time to consider, I feel like I understand the point of what Yasuhiro Yoshiura is trying to convey. In a world where people are drowning in artificial light, the enclosed metal walls give off a strong feeling of claustrophobia and the characters yearn for the freedom to explore and expand their horizons- a reaction to being isolated by technolgy. For them, I suppose life has lost meaning, they have no future.

Pale Cocoon was worth watching just for the spectactular artwork but unfortunately, it lacks the sympathetic human drama that transformed Voices of a Distant Star into such a fan's favourite. The story is not incomprehensible but relies too much on sheer visual impact, and while I admire Pale Cocoon for it's philosophical pondering and sentimental environmentalism, I can't say this is an OVA I will revisit on a regular basis.

Early impressions of Ergo Proxy

2006-04-03T00:00:00.000+01:00

As a means of grasping the story of Ergo Proxy, I decided to hold off on watching the first four episodes and marathoned my way through them earlier today; in terms of understanding the plot, I can't say this approach ended up benefiting me. Ergo Proxy has a very fractured narrative flow, there are no handy sections of explanitory dialogue to be found here, and when something happens, it's usually unexpected and bemusing. Basically, each episode is as weird as the last.

With that said, I can see myself really enjoying this show. As a science fiction fan I can't help but fall in love with the premise; years into the future, humanity has been split into two distinct sections- the "priviledged few" live peacefully in an enclosed city where everything about their lives is monitored and controlled by the government, while outside the city there is nothing but a desolate wasteland; some people try to live out there though, because sometimes freedom is more important than having clean toilets. It's an idea that breeds conspiracy, revolution and ultimately, the importance of being free.

The setting is wonderfully realised with snatches of dark post-apocalyptic animation (emphasis on dark) and a quick glace at the screencaps below will reveal that the character designs are about as stylish as they come. The heroine of Ergo Proxy; Lil, is as she looks, a strong-willed and firey female lead akin to Ghost in the Shell's Kusangai. The other focus of the story seems to be Vincent- the man who makes the unenviable trip from utopian paradise to disease ridden hell hole.

At such an early stage, I'm hesistant to say whether or not Ergo Proxy is a clear winner, because although I really enjoyed the harsh nature of these early episodes, I wonder whether or not I'm simply over awed by the show's more superficial elements. While it's being directed in a fresh way, there is no denying that the plot is cliche science fiction and I'm struggling to empathise with any of the characters, but in terms of moody atmosphere, gothic charm and muddy sci-fi visuals Ergo Proxy has some interesting things to say, and as long as the character development steps up a gear, I can see myself becoming a real fan.

Yokohama Shopping Trip - 2

2006-04-01T21:05:00.000+01:00

Despite clearly being the better of the original two Yokohama Shopping Trip OVAs, episode two serves up an unsettling mood of desolation and loneliness. During a five minute period in which Alpha simply brews a cup of coffee, there is no music, no dialogue, only the sounds of a creeky old house to keep her (and indeed, us) company. During this remarkably extended scene, outside the whispy white clouds shuffle and day becomes night- truely, I couldn't tell whether Alpha was brewing her coffee for days rather than minutes, and with the way she seems to space out, I suspect that neither does she. This is perhaps the first solid piece of social commentary I've managed to construe from Yokohama Shopping Trip; I wonder if this scene is trying to convey the repetition of life- how we can happily stick to the same routines day in, day out irregardless of the time we waste doing so.

Aside from this period, most of episode 2 deals with Alpha learning to understand and express human emotion. It ends with a suitably attractive scene of Alpha and a friend looking out over the flooded cities of our present day, interestingly- the street lights still work, so when night approaches, the still rivers literally shine with a million neon lights. It's a profound moment, subtely portraying the insignificant beauty of human life.

Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou (Yokohama Shopping Trip) - 1

2006-03-30T23:38:00.000+01:00

My fascination with the weird, coupled with an obtuse interest in searching out the obscure has led me down the path of downloading the kind of anime people forgot about many moons ago- and so here I am to introduce you to Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou; talked up a wandering traveller anime in the spirit of say Kino no Tabi (Kino's Journey), I must admit this sounded right up my ally.

Straight from the off, it's clear that Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou has some interesting ideas to convey. I had been made aware that it's a show with some strong yuri overtones and consdiering the way the lead characters commincate "messages" to each other, such themes have all the sublety of a sledgehammer.

To set the scene, Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou is based in a post-apocalyptic but decidely rural future- the vast open landscape is lush with grass, trees and bushes. The old human cities are under water, rusted away, dead. Population is sparse and cute looking robots are everywhere- they could be human except for a few eccentric features; to communicate private messages with one another, the cute robots must kiss; how the programmers got away with that feature..., I suppose I'm not supposed to ask.

By now I'm sure I'm making Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou sound like a seedy case of yuri exploitation but based on this first episode, such comments are merely knee-jerk reaction. The anime is essentially about a female robot called Alpha who one day gets a camera and decides wander about, discover the profound and snap the beautiful. A lot of time is spent silently gazing at blood red sunsets, free flying birds and meeting new friends. It's very atmospheric and laid back, but rather than attempting to drive into us a code of morals, Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou is content to allow the viewer to follow Alpha on her aimless trips, looking for something worth capturing in her camera. I feel interested enough to want to watch more of this, though clearly the lack of story and drama mean that it is best suited loose end on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Screencaps

Mushishi - 20

2006-03-29T23:09:00.000+01:00

Looking back on Mushishi, I suspect that this episode (episode 20) will rank as one of my favourites. Every episode has had that unique air of mystisism; a beautiful sense of magic that I have come to love, but still, rarely have a felt so attached to the characters as I did in this episode.

It begins with Ginko paying a visit to an old friend called Tanyu; this young woman (who I guess is around the same age as Ginko) suffers from a curse brought down on her family by a particularly strong, and frankly evil sounding mushi. The curse means that from birth, her right leg is paralyzed and covered with a pitch black birthmark, and the only way she can lift the curse is by listening to and then writing down the tales of the various Mushishi that pass through her part of the world. By means of flashback, we discover this is how Tanyu first meets Ginko.

Despite being one of the slower episodes, the unsettling world of Mushishi is presented here in a striking and magical way; mirroring the first episode, here written words literally jump off pages and fly about rooms- essentially, we are overcome by the simple notion of taking something we all assume is a static, never changing medium and injecting it with life.

Stunning aethetics aside, I loved this episode because of the underplayed friendship between Ginko and Tanyu- and indeed, Tanyu herself. Far from getting down about her disability, she is a notably strong willed and good natured person who's boundless optimism bounces off of Ginko's sarcastic wit like sunshine. The way they interact and talk to each other shows us they have an undoubtedly warm friendship (and forgive me for getting ahead of myself here- potential romance) and rather than let themselves be overcome with sadness, the characters here are full of life and a joy to watch.

A lot of Mushishi is about conveying a moral, or an idea concerning as vast a subject as spirituality, but episode 20 deals not with such an overbearing sense of responsibly as the simple friendship between two friends. It was a great episode.

Bateszi's one month birthday

2006-03-26T23:37:00.000+01:00

This past weekend marked Bateszi's one month birthday and a good month it has been too; I've been averaging around 3 posts per week and while this is by no means a stellar performance, I suppose consistency is more important than blowing hot and cold. Indeed, if there is one thing that I've learnt from my several attempts at running an anime blog in the past, it is to set yourself low expectations; unless you're superman (or a student with too much spare time on your hands!), don't try to review more than three or four on-going series at the same time, anymore and you risk burning yourself out. Especially when you run another anime site too.

Speaking of reviews, I have only one episode of Mushishi left to review and so I guess I'll be picking up something new to feature around these parts, most probably something in the promising spring season. Personally I'd rather promote a show most other people aren't blogging, but I have to admit Noitamina's new series NANA is an attractive option and then we have a new Studio BONES anime in the form of Jyu Oh Sei. I guess only time will tell, I knew nothing of Mushishi before watching the first episode and I have my fingers crossed that the new season will have a few hidden gems too.

As for what I'm watching but not blogging, my current favourites include Ergo Proxy, Monster, Naruto, Noein and One Piece. Depending on if I ever catch up with Naruto (around about ep160 now, but now struggling through more generic filler than is surely heathy) or One Piece (ep57- smack bang in the middle of the infamous "Lost Island" arc), I may very well start blogging these but that should be some time off yet.

Mushishi - 19

2006-03-24T23:27:00.000Z

Despite displaying none of the euphoric highs and gut wrenching lows of previous episodes, Mushishi 19 was an uplifting way to while away 23 minutes. The concept here is really quite profound- consider that without someone to love you, you disappear. Fuki, the lead character of this story, gets "infected" by a Mushi that will slowly but surely fade her into nothingness- romantically, she can only recover her physical self if she truely wants to remain human.

Amidst much soul searching, Fuki thankfully has a happy ending, though it's here that Mushishi makes some interesting spiritual commentary; symbolically it is remarked that whether you see a person or not, your love will always keep them close; that although the body may die, such strong emotion will never fade. Of course in the romantic and magical world of Mushishi, love has the power resurrect- but how should we, the viewers, interpret this theme? I suppose we all have our own definitions of faith, understandings of what many call the "human soul" but no matter how I look at this episode, it still reenforces the nice, warm and fuzzy sentiment that emotion can transcend the physical plain.

I'm sorry if I've gone overly philosophical in the above paragraph, I'm not a particularly religious or spiritual person (consider me neutral for now, cop-out, I know), I just admire the way Mushishi gets these kinds of theological thoughts twisting through my mind.

One Piece - My Love Lorn Introduction

2006-03-22T23:44:00.000Z

When it comes to swash-buckling Shounen Jump fun, the winky smiley face of One Piece stands proud. It took me a while to catch onto this show- I only started watching in January 2006, but spurred on by what has to be the most unique character designs I've come across in a mainstream anime series, I found myself in love with the adventures of Luffy and the Straw Hat Crew.

Aside from the ultra-cool artwork, what perhaps seperates One Piece from the likes of Naruto and Bleach is that the storyline is first and foremost all about adventure. Luffy sets off on his journey to become the Pirate King and along the way forms a crew of loyal friends, each with their own dreams and ambitions, ambitions that run parrell to each other. Imagine Berserk's "Band of the Hawk" and to quote Caska (of Berserk), here we have a "bonfire of dreams"; each personality carries a small flame, it flickers in the wind, but put them together and you have a roaring fire. It's just that Luffy's flame is bigger than most.

Comradery, friendship and trust are the underlying messages of this show- through light and dark, we see the Straw Hat crew fighting for themselves and each other. It's so far (I'm up to episode 54 now) been a heart warming, fun journey through groups of blood thirsty pirates and corrupt naval marines. And I get the feeling the story is just warming up too.

Of course this wouldn't be a Shounen Jump anime without massive set-piece battles and One Piece has it's fair share of bare fisted knuckle fights but (as if you couldn't tell by now) what I love most about this show is these wide-eyed characters and their adventures and for what it's worth, I can't wait to watch more.

Mushishi - 18

2006-03-21T23:34:00.000Z

This episode is imediately notable for a distinct change of direction. Mushishi usually begins with Ginko wandering about beautiful landscapes, finding his next job and meeting new people, here the first 13 minutes are told as a flashback, in which tragedy inevitably occurs. The latter half of the episode is all about finding true emotional redemption.

Indeed this was hardly a typical Mushishi episode at all since the actual mushi creatures play what amounts to a very insignificant part (though as ever, it's symbolic of the emotion felt by this week's main character- a mushi that yearns for it's homeland). That said, Mushishi's strength lies in compelling human drama and yet again, it delivers with an emotional and heartfelt payoff. It wasn't as flashy, or as shocking as this series has been in the past but still, the way this episode glided through such tricky issues as depression and guilt was nothing less than outstanding.

I know full well that I haven't sufficiently provided you with a plot synopsis for this episode but frankly, it isn't needed; just understand that this was a brilliant episode of anime and another series highpoint for me.

Mushishi - 17

2006-03-18T20:02:00.000Z

Again dealing with the pain felt at the loss of a loved one, episode 17 at least concludes with a ray of hope after 20-odd minutes of forecasted gloom. I'm not saying it's bad that Mushishi sometimes portrays hopeless situations, it's just nice when someone's dreams are fulfilled and we leave the show in an upbeat mood.

This episode features a pair of sisters who are seperated when bad fortune happens to see them stray into path of a dangerous mushi. One of the girls is vanished into thin air, and as legend has it, she can never again return to our plain of existence- essentially, she has entered the domain of the mushi, doomed to exile for what could well be eternity. Irregardless, for years on end her isolated sister continues to hope, to dream about their reunion.

There is a nice poetic flow to this story, it feels magical and myterious, and still the human emotions are as subdued and compelling as ever; Mushishi doesn't do soapy melodrama. I wasn't as emotionally shaken as this series has had me in the past, but still, this was a pleasant fairy tale resolved in as best a fashion as possible- the sisters are again reunited because they never let their relationship fade, their hope never dies.

The fake sound of progress

2006-03-13T20:56:00.000Z

It's been a busy few days but I thought I'd drop by and post my thoughts on how this whole blog thing has been going for me so far. I'm really happy that I've somehow managed to catch up with Mushishi; I started last week with a backlog of four episodes and ended it having caught up with the fansubs, it's a series I really enjoy watching and I hope that comes across in my admitedly ambiguous reviewing style.

As for other reviews, I'm working hard to catch up with Naruto (*listens for the collective groans*). I pretty much stopped watching once the major slew of filler arcs began and I'm now something stupid like 20 episodes behind everyone else. My plan is that I should be ready to begin reviewing the latest episodes by the end of March *fingers crossed*- a staple diet of 2 episodes per evening is required to hit this deadline, so wish me luck!

Anyway- I'll post another one of these updates next week.

Mushishi - 16

2006-03-09T00:08:00.000Z

There is no skirting around the fact that episode 16 of Mushishi is a thoroughly depressing affair.

Every day a woman loses fragments of her memory, whether it be the definition of a sneeze or the identity of her sister, it's a mysterious problem that only someone like Ginko can solve.

There are some things she never forgets though; the most profound things. Like her worried son, or how to cook, or to be sure to lay out a meal for her husband despite knowing full well that he will never return.

By now it should be clear that every episode of Mushishi begins and ends with a clear purpose, this one is a characterization of human despair. No matter how hard she tries to put her husband out of her mind, this broken wife has been cut deeply by her lover's betrayal and even a mushi that eats memories can not erase her unwanted echoes of love. The saddest part is not so much how it affects the forgetful mum, more how it clearly depresses her gutted son. He has seen her go through it all and still, despite what his father has done, his mother still lays out a plate of food; a dinner never to be eaten, a broken memory of the saddest times.

Mushishi - 15

2006-03-08T00:12:00.000Z

Having suffered through some heavy tragedy in the last few episodes of Mushishi, it was nice to see the show returning to it's well established style of surreal, metaphorical story telling this time around.

Here we meet a chirpy young boy who like Ginko can not only see Mushi but takes an active interest in them too. Though upon talking with his older sister, it turns out that the kid is using some mushi magical powers to fall into hibernation every winter- he does this to releave the stress of back breaking house keeping on his only sister (their parents are long gone).

As is the case with most of Mushishi, this episode portrays a beautiful world. Snow flakes drop from blanket white skies and mountain tops punctuate the lonely background. Ginko discovers a hidden spring garden in the middle of a snow covered valley and it's a wonderful sight- vibrant with butterflies, lush green grass and violet flowers.

Furthermore, this episode is notable for being one of the few that could possibly spark a Ginko romance. He pushes the woman's advances aside with subtle grace, worried about her welfare given mushi have a tendancy to follow him around. Apparently, too many mushi in one place is never a good thing.

Of course, this is a fine episode, but not one that strikes me on such a compelling human level as the previous. Playing out more like a mythical piece of advice, we leave our snowy surroundings being told by our gravely narrator that in cold situations, warm shelter will always tempt us into quiting our journies. Naturally, Ginko keeps on walking. Mushishi is as philosophical ever. This was an episode about Ginko being tempted by love.

Mushishi - 14

2006-03-06T22:12:00.000Z

It seems almost ridiculous to say, but every episode of Mushishi I see is my new favourite episode. Number 14 is an outstanding piece of story telling, possibly the most heart breaking yet and still, an ultimately uplifting and optimistic masterpiece.

Shades of green fill the screen as Ginko stumbles about a forrest. He bumps into a strange man who hasn't been able to escape the forrest for years (possibly even decades). I won't ruin anything for you, this episode is too good to let slip anything else but what transpires is both grotesque horror and a terrible tradegy, poetic in it's hopeful conclusion.

Unlike episode 13, where romance is destoryed by mere accident, here it is a premeditated sacrifice in the name pure love that heart breakingly backfires thanks to some typically despicable human nature.

For those who have a sense for anime that tugs at our heart strings, Mushishi episode 14 is by far and away the most outstanding, understated love story I've come across this year. Recommended. If you aren't watching this, you're an idiot.

Mushishi - 13

2006-03-04T18:35:00.000Z

As the is the norm for Mushishi, I left episode 13 with a mixture of emotion and intrigue. The two lead characters for this week are obviously in love but one of histories worst traditions, that of arranged marriages, again causes the kind of intense termoil that can only result in tragedy.

These kinds of episodes usually end optimistically. The soulless girl, having been possessed by a mushi, you expect would return to her usual self once vacated (ala The Exorcist). This doesn't happen, but still her lover awaits her return for years in the blind hope that one day she will return as the girl he loves. When she dies, a part of him disappears too, perhaps he loses hope.

Needless to say, this was a darker than usual episode of Mushishi. I wasn't gripped by the tragedy of it all; the murky atmosphere of this episode long seemed to suggest that bad things were lurking in the woods, but still- this is another comendable 23 minutes of Mushishi that look, sound and even feel as immersive as ever.

The idoit's masterplan

2006-02-25T18:53:00.000Z

Besides the hopelessly generic look of BATESZI, I do have plans of where I want this whole thing to go, I do hope that it becomes an interesting read for anime fans.

It's by no means an accident that I always start these blogs during weekends- i.e. the only time I have the energy to try something different. Hence, unless there are special circumstances (like Naruto getting unlicensed), I'll only be posting new entries at the weekends.

The last time I did one of these blogs, I tried to do too much. Note that unless you are an evil genius, reviewing three or four different fansubs at the same time is a great way to exhaust your enthusiasm. I still have plans to review something every week, perhaps one or two fansubbed series (Mushishi and something else, none of that fan-service crap either) but I'm seriously going to try and take it easy.

I also hope to get a few random anime rants and raves posted. You can often find me on MSN arguing to someone about fansubs, or dubs, or how stuff like Otome sucks- basically I put all this energy into debating, so I figured that I may as well try and keep a record of these opinions. Something to show for all that pointless worry.

This is my brief outline for BATESZI. I'm under no illusions that this will be easy, but whatever, I want to give this kind of thing another chance.

Yokohama Shopping Trip

2006-02-25T18:15:00.000Z

Alpha is a robot without a master, she wanders her post-apocalyptic landscape searching for the perfect picture to take on her new camera.

This is a thoughtful, slow paced OVA series that reminds many of Kino's Journey.

bateszi's reviews (including screen caps):

Yokohama Shopping Trip - 1
Yokohama Shopping Trip - 2

Ergo Proxy

2006-02-25T18:09:00.000Z

Ergo Proxy is a bleak, confusing and violent science fiction series for adults. Written by Dai Sato, who has become known for his outstanding work on several Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex episodes, this is yet another well animated cyber punk story to add to his CV. And oh yeah, the ending theme is Paranoid Andriod by none other than Radiohead.

bateszi's reviews (including screen caps):

Episode 7
Episode 6
Episode 5
Early Impressions

NANA

2006-02-25T18:08:00.000Z

Nana has plans to move to Tokyo and live near her boyfriend. On the train journey there, she bumps into another woman called Nana; who also happens to be 20 and is planning to live in Tokyo too. Their fashions and personalities strike such a strong contrast, like night and day; Nana 1 is a sugary sweet and innocent girl, while Nana 2 is a brooding and well, gothic woman. These pronounced differences are no doubt why the two immediately bond and form a natural friendship.

Life's not going to be easy for Nana 1 in Tokyo though; her boyfriend shows her little sympathy- so it's either get a job and find your own apartment or go back home. And so life in the big city begins.

Reviews (including screen caps):

Episode 3
Episode 2
Episode 1

Mushishi

2006-02-25T18:02:00.000Z

Imagine a beautifully animated world where humans co-exist with etheral insects- a world slightly darker to that which so many love to animated by Studio Ghibli; Mushishi is a spooky, dramatic and outright brilliant series that everyone should be watching.

bateszi's reviews (including screen caps):

Episode 20
Episode 19
Episode 18
Episode 17
Episode 16
Episode 15
Episode 14
Episode 13

Random rants, raves and general articles

2006-02-25T17:02:00.000Z

Here you can find my random rants, raves and general articles. Advanced apologies for any offense caused!

Deja vue, anyone?

2006-02-25T16:49:00.000Z

Here it is, the obligitary first post in my latest attempt at an anime blog. I would tell you how many attempts, but honestly, it's embarrasing. Every few months, I just get the urge to create one of these, only to lose interest weeks (sometimes even days) later. I also happen to run Anime UK News, which in itself is a time consuming project. Add to this reviewing more anime DVDs than is healthy and I guess I'm trying to burn myself out on the old Japanese cartoons, eh?

Either way, I can often be found casting enivious glances at those lucky buggers who manage to maintain decent anime blogs. I sometimes wish I could do the same thing, so here I am again, writing another introductorary paragraph on another attempt at a blog. Wish me luck!

Kiba

2006-02-25T00:53:00.000Z

Generic, cliche-ridden shounen adventure. I love this kind of show; just look at the screen-caps, everything is so bright, colorful and gung-ho. No pretention, just good solid ass kicking with enough adventure to capture my admitedly dodgy imagination.

BATESZI REVIEWS:

Episode 4
Episode 1 - 3