A review of Akira:
I'm gonna be brutal here. I HATED Akira. And you know what? I think Akira is largely responsible for the bad rep anime has in the west, as well as for atrocious anime like Dragonball Z and other fighting focused hormone driven anime and the fanatacism that surrounds them.
How can I possibly say this? Akira was one of the first anime movies to make it big in the west. Enough so that it became well known, even outside the video community. Schoolkids talked about it, parents wondered what it was and movie critics praised/damned it. It's such a damn shame that anime's first ambassador was such a load of crap!
Akira is violent, pointless, violent, gory, violent, confusing, violent and downrignt weird! How many other movies do you know where the 'hero' of the story is haunted by a teddybear and a tonka car, is obsessed with finding a brain in a jar and finally ends up becoming a gigantic mountain of flesh, goo, tentacles and god knows what else! Not to mention killing his girlfriend by surrounding and squiching her in his own bulk with a distastefull spurt of blood...
Gang violence, heavy weapons abuse, psychic geriatric 8 year olds, a stereotypical mad scientist (complete with white hair, crazy look and a lab coat)... The list of absurdities goes on and on. The plot is vapor thin, the characters are more two dimentional than a daytime soap, the action carries the violence, not the story.
Does this movie have ANY redeeming features? Ummmmm.... Well the artwork's pretty good in some places, especially the city scapes. But if that's all you want, go get Ghost in the Shell!
This movie is nothing more than a gore fest wraped up in a thin plot of teen angst and paranormal forces. Pure formula designed to excite the hormone overdosed teen male, and horrify his parents.
Yes, if not for Akira we would be seeing much more anime in the west, and parents wouldn't think that it's all violence and gore. Well maybe that's an exaggeration, but I don't think the damage that the abomination that is Akira has caused can be underestimated.
29 April 2004
A review of Card Captor Sakura:
This is a simply wonderful series and every fan of "cute" owes it to themselves to see it.
The basic story is about a cute but independent 10 year old school girl, Sakura. One day she finds a mysterious magical book in her basement among her dad's archiological books. When she opens it she finds a whole bunch of cards. Unwittingly she reads one of the cards and causes the rest of them to fly out of the room and become scattered all around the city. It is only then the cute guardian of the cards reveals himself and charges Sakura with the duty of captuing all the cards and returning them to the book.
Aimed at a younger audience, and with obvious marketing potential, this series is nonetheless enchanting watching and of interest to all ages. It is being dubbed into english to cash in on the Pokemon craze, but it has been completely butchered as a result. Whatever you do, you MUST see the original Japanese. The english version skips the fist six episodes completely!!
Magnificent artwork, wonderful music and exciting stories topped off with a very cute cast make Card Captor Sakura a MUST SEE for every anime fan.
This is a simply wonderful series and every fan of "cute" owes it to themselves to see it.
The basic story is about a cute but independent 10 year old school girl, Sakura. One day she finds a mysterious magical book in her basement among her dad's archiological books. When she opens it she finds a whole bunch of cards. Unwittingly she reads one of the cards and causes the rest of them to fly out of the room and become scattered all around the city. It is only then the cute guardian of the cards reveals himself and charges Sakura with the duty of captuing all the cards and returning them to the book.
Aimed at a younger audience, and with obvious marketing potential, this series is nonetheless enchanting watching and of interest to all ages. It is being dubbed into english to cash in on the Pokemon craze, but it has been completely butchered as a result. Whatever you do, you MUST see the original Japanese. The english version skips the fist six episodes completely!!
Magnificent artwork, wonderful music and exciting stories topped off with a very cute cast make Card Captor Sakura a MUST SEE for every anime fan.
A review of one of my other favourite Anime series, Battle Athletes:
Battle Athletes is a uniquely charming anime series with memorable characters, uplifiting stories, a strong sense of virtue and nobility, and the central message of "if you believe in yourself you can achieve your dreams".
Unusual for being a sports themes anime, Battle Athletes is nonetheless also a comedy-action-adventure series. The story centres around Akari, a talented sportswoman who graduated at the top of her class and gained entry into the prestigious "University Satelite", where she entered into training to compete for the sought-after title of "Cosmic Beauty". The story is about how Akari makes friends, faces personal struggles, comes to terms with the loss of her mother and seeking her own inner strength. It shows that friends can help bring out the best in you by seeing what you may not, and sharing in a common goal for success and happiness.
Battle Athletes is not without its shocks and revilations, some of which may make more conservative viwers uncomfortable, but I nonethless whole-heartedly reccommend this as a family anime, and a good introduction to the anime in general.
Battle Athletes is a uniquely charming anime series with memorable characters, uplifiting stories, a strong sense of virtue and nobility, and the central message of "if you believe in yourself you can achieve your dreams".
Unusual for being a sports themes anime, Battle Athletes is nonetheless also a comedy-action-adventure series. The story centres around Akari, a talented sportswoman who graduated at the top of her class and gained entry into the prestigious "University Satelite", where she entered into training to compete for the sought-after title of "Cosmic Beauty". The story is about how Akari makes friends, faces personal struggles, comes to terms with the loss of her mother and seeking her own inner strength. It shows that friends can help bring out the best in you by seeing what you may not, and sharing in a common goal for success and happiness.
Battle Athletes is not without its shocks and revilations, some of which may make more conservative viwers uncomfortable, but I nonethless whole-heartedly reccommend this as a family anime, and a good introduction to the anime in general.
Here's a review of my favourite anime movie - Project A-ko
The first movie in the series, Project A-ko is most definitely the best. The pacing, plot, characters, music, humor and action blend perfectly to make an enjoyable and memorable anime experience. Basically a spoof of other genres of anime, the movie is nonetheless enjoyable by a newcomer to anime. The visual humor works on many levels, from the obvious slapstick, to the parody of various styles to the subtle and hidden references and in-jokes. One can enjoy this movie on face value as a raucous romp with a serious streak of weirdness, or with an inspecting eye, looking to pick out any concealed gems of mirth.
A-ko is a teenage schoolgirl, best friends with C-ko. The two have transferred to a new school, and the movie begins on the morning of their first day there. All is normal this morning, as A-ko has overslept, C-ko greets her at her door, and a frantic rush at supersonic speeds up the hill, through trees and into living rooms takes place. Normal? This IS normal for Graviton City, the girl's hometown.
The viewer is exposed to one fantastic event after another - A-ko's super-human speed and strength, B-ko's phenomenal engineering ability, C-ko's incessant wailing and toxic cooking - and is expected to accept them as "normal"! This is the way of this movie, and unless you plan to knot your mind in trying to define it rationally and logically, it's best just to sit back and enjoy the ride.
And what a ride it is! When the girls are introduced to their new classmates, one of the girls in the class, B-ko, becomes immediately infatuated with C-ko. B-ko is the spoiled but brilliant daughter of a very wealthy businessman and she is used to getting her way. When she learns that she has encountered A-ko and C-ko before, an old grudge resurfaces and she challenges A-ko to a fight. B-ko is no match for A-ko's super powers, and B-ko is humiliated. Not about to be out done B-ko creates bigger and more powerful robots to battle A-ko. When these prove failures, B-ko makes the fight a lot more personal.
While this is going on, a mind-bendingly huge alien spaceship heads towards earth looking for their lost princess. Their spy has been watching A-ko and C-ko closely, and been suffering greatly in the process. When the invading alien forces and the dueling A-ko and B-ko meet, destruction of biblical proportions ensues and the chaos is unparalleled.
This movie may seem a little odd to the uninitiated, but if you are able to put all expectations aside and just enjoy the show for what it is, it will be a very rewarding experience. Repeated viewings are absolutely necessary to fully appreciate the humor (as will occasional use of the pause button!), and a broad knowledge of anime helps, but isn't necessary.
I thoroughly recommend Project A-ko to the seasoned anime fan and as a perfect introduction to the anime newcomer. It is a wonderfully twisted movie with an enduring appeal.
The first movie in the series, Project A-ko is most definitely the best. The pacing, plot, characters, music, humor and action blend perfectly to make an enjoyable and memorable anime experience. Basically a spoof of other genres of anime, the movie is nonetheless enjoyable by a newcomer to anime. The visual humor works on many levels, from the obvious slapstick, to the parody of various styles to the subtle and hidden references and in-jokes. One can enjoy this movie on face value as a raucous romp with a serious streak of weirdness, or with an inspecting eye, looking to pick out any concealed gems of mirth.
A-ko is a teenage schoolgirl, best friends with C-ko. The two have transferred to a new school, and the movie begins on the morning of their first day there. All is normal this morning, as A-ko has overslept, C-ko greets her at her door, and a frantic rush at supersonic speeds up the hill, through trees and into living rooms takes place. Normal? This IS normal for Graviton City, the girl's hometown.
The viewer is exposed to one fantastic event after another - A-ko's super-human speed and strength, B-ko's phenomenal engineering ability, C-ko's incessant wailing and toxic cooking - and is expected to accept them as "normal"! This is the way of this movie, and unless you plan to knot your mind in trying to define it rationally and logically, it's best just to sit back and enjoy the ride.
And what a ride it is! When the girls are introduced to their new classmates, one of the girls in the class, B-ko, becomes immediately infatuated with C-ko. B-ko is the spoiled but brilliant daughter of a very wealthy businessman and she is used to getting her way. When she learns that she has encountered A-ko and C-ko before, an old grudge resurfaces and she challenges A-ko to a fight. B-ko is no match for A-ko's super powers, and B-ko is humiliated. Not about to be out done B-ko creates bigger and more powerful robots to battle A-ko. When these prove failures, B-ko makes the fight a lot more personal.
While this is going on, a mind-bendingly huge alien spaceship heads towards earth looking for their lost princess. Their spy has been watching A-ko and C-ko closely, and been suffering greatly in the process. When the invading alien forces and the dueling A-ko and B-ko meet, destruction of biblical proportions ensues and the chaos is unparalleled.
This movie may seem a little odd to the uninitiated, but if you are able to put all expectations aside and just enjoy the show for what it is, it will be a very rewarding experience. Repeated viewings are absolutely necessary to fully appreciate the humor (as will occasional use of the pause button!), and a broad knowledge of anime helps, but isn't necessary.
I thoroughly recommend Project A-ko to the seasoned anime fan and as a perfect introduction to the anime newcomer. It is a wonderfully twisted movie with an enduring appeal.
Third in the "I want Gmail!" series.
Imagine a technology that would let you imagine anything you want, and build it, provided it abided by the laws of physics. Imagine a technology that could make pefect copies of ANYTHING, gold, money, mansions, super computers. Imagine a technology that could provide 100% convincing, infinitely detailed simulations of anything you can imagine. Imagine a technology that would let you live as long as you choose, and free you from working just to survive but let you fully explore your creative desires.
This technology is called "nanotechology" and it will most likely become a reality within the lifetime of anyone under 50 today.
But if it's not real now, isn't it just science fiction? Why should anyone care?
The fact that such a technology will change every aspect of every persons life around the world so profoundly and so quickly means that we need to be prepared. Authors talk about future shock when the hero of a story travels 500 years ahead in time. But nanotech will bring the future to us, and at a speed which will blow your mind. The entire planet will go into future shock!
We need to discuss the issues, prepare our minds, change our perceptions and free ourselves to the possibilities, as well as consider the risks. That is what I want to do here. Lets talk about what nanotech is, where it will take us, and what we should do to be ready for it.
Anyone who has the slightest interest in the future and relies on any kind of technology at all should be involved
Imagine a technology that would let you imagine anything you want, and build it, provided it abided by the laws of physics. Imagine a technology that could make pefect copies of ANYTHING, gold, money, mansions, super computers. Imagine a technology that could provide 100% convincing, infinitely detailed simulations of anything you can imagine. Imagine a technology that would let you live as long as you choose, and free you from working just to survive but let you fully explore your creative desires.
This technology is called "nanotechology" and it will most likely become a reality within the lifetime of anyone under 50 today.
But if it's not real now, isn't it just science fiction? Why should anyone care?
The fact that such a technology will change every aspect of every persons life around the world so profoundly and so quickly means that we need to be prepared. Authors talk about future shock when the hero of a story travels 500 years ahead in time. But nanotech will bring the future to us, and at a speed which will blow your mind. The entire planet will go into future shock!
We need to discuss the issues, prepare our minds, change our perceptions and free ourselves to the possibilities, as well as consider the risks. That is what I want to do here. Lets talk about what nanotech is, where it will take us, and what we should do to be ready for it.
Anyone who has the slightest interest in the future and relies on any kind of technology at all should be involved
Second in my series of attempts to get blogger to think I'm an "active blogger" and give me a gmail account :D
Best friends with your computer?
The title of this thread sounds like it might be a catch line for computer addicts anonymous, but it's actually a prediction of what will come in the near future. Computer development, both in software and hardware, is progressing at an ever-increasing rate, and within the next two or three decades, we will see computers catch up with and surpass us as intelligent beings.
Any skill or faculty that you can imagine a human capable of, computers, or Non-Biological Intelligences (NBI), will be able to do, and do it much better. Calculate mathmatical formulas, search through mountains of data for obscure patterns, have meaningful and intellectual conversations, create music and art, fall in love.
Skeptical? You have a right to be so. Miracles have been promised of computers in the past, and have yet to come true, but the direction and speed of progress makes these outcomes seem inevitible.
Once computers reach the capabilities of humans, they will necessarily exceed them, and by an amazing margin. Computers are already masters at storing and retrieving trillions of pieces of information rapidly and flawlessly, as well as ligntning-fast calculation. When this is combined with reasoning, creativity and patern recognition, their potential will seem unlimited from our biological perspective.
What does this mean for us? What will this future be like? Is it scary or exciting? Would you make best friends with a computer?
Best friends with your computer?
The title of this thread sounds like it might be a catch line for computer addicts anonymous, but it's actually a prediction of what will come in the near future. Computer development, both in software and hardware, is progressing at an ever-increasing rate, and within the next two or three decades, we will see computers catch up with and surpass us as intelligent beings.
Any skill or faculty that you can imagine a human capable of, computers, or Non-Biological Intelligences (NBI), will be able to do, and do it much better. Calculate mathmatical formulas, search through mountains of data for obscure patterns, have meaningful and intellectual conversations, create music and art, fall in love.
Skeptical? You have a right to be so. Miracles have been promised of computers in the past, and have yet to come true, but the direction and speed of progress makes these outcomes seem inevitible.
Once computers reach the capabilities of humans, they will necessarily exceed them, and by an amazing margin. Computers are already masters at storing and retrieving trillions of pieces of information rapidly and flawlessly, as well as ligntning-fast calculation. When this is combined with reasoning, creativity and patern recognition, their potential will seem unlimited from our biological perspective.
What does this mean for us? What will this future be like? Is it scary or exciting? Would you make best friends with a computer?
27 April 2004
Anime is getting bigger by the day.
What was once the sole property of the University Campus, anime is now so widespread it's making regular appearances on cable and free to air TV. Many of us grew up with anime, loving the shows like Astroy Boy and Kimba. This generation is now grown up and demanding more and more "adult" anime series like Tenchi and Urusei Yatsura.
This dramatic growth of anime in the last half decade has been helped along substantially by the Internet. Starting with people sharing their love of anime by talking about it, more people were brought into the genre and became hooked. Soon a few series started attracting cult followings in the west.
Eventually some series made their way onto TV such as Sailor moon, Dragonball and Pokemon. This sparked further growth of anime fan sites online, bringing even MORE people into the anime world.
That's how things are today. But the pace of change is increasing....
Japanese studios are starting to become aware of the growing western market for anime. More and more anime is being released to the west soon after the animes airing in Japan. Some talk is happening even of simultaneous releases. The recent Princess Mononoke phenomenon is a great example.
But it's not going to end there. Ties between east and west are getting closer. Just in the last couple of weeks, Lucasfilm announced a partnership with a Japanese animation studio to co-produce an anime movie. Lucasfilm will produce and fund the movie, provide the "inbetweener" artists, and distribute the film worldwide. The Japanese studio will provide the creative origin, direction and all keyframe animation. The result will be a pure anime movie, funded and distributed by the wests leading film studio.
Where George Lucas goes, the rest of the movie industry tends to follow. Many times before he's blazed new paths into unexplored territory. Do not underestimate the power of Lucasfilm.
Where do I see this heading? More and more anime movies and series will be produced through east-west colaboration. More anime will be recorded with the english and japanese actors working together in the same studio. More anime will be seen in western media, and will quickly become the "flavour of the month" which will then blend into mainstream popular culture. Anime will become as much a part of western culture as it is for our friends in the east.
And where does that leave online anime websites? On top of the world Established anime sites, especially non series specific, such as search and review sites, will gain much more attention than at any time before. If you thought the influx of anime interest because of Pokemon was big, that's nothing compared to what it will become.
The future is bright for the western anime fan. And those of us who have dedicated so much time to making beautiful and functional anime sites will finally see it pay off as we are inundated by a brand new broad varied and excited anime fan community.
Oh and speaking of broad, what do you think the medium for this western anime revolution will be? TV? Movies? Nope - boradband internet. I wonder how long it'll be before anime production studios will start approaching the most successful anime websites for broadcast partnerships?
Anyone interested can email me at neil@creek.name!
Or at a gmail address if this ploy to post this entry works ;)
What was once the sole property of the University Campus, anime is now so widespread it's making regular appearances on cable and free to air TV. Many of us grew up with anime, loving the shows like Astroy Boy and Kimba. This generation is now grown up and demanding more and more "adult" anime series like Tenchi and Urusei Yatsura.
This dramatic growth of anime in the last half decade has been helped along substantially by the Internet. Starting with people sharing their love of anime by talking about it, more people were brought into the genre and became hooked. Soon a few series started attracting cult followings in the west.
Eventually some series made their way onto TV such as Sailor moon, Dragonball and Pokemon. This sparked further growth of anime fan sites online, bringing even MORE people into the anime world.
That's how things are today. But the pace of change is increasing....
Japanese studios are starting to become aware of the growing western market for anime. More and more anime is being released to the west soon after the animes airing in Japan. Some talk is happening even of simultaneous releases. The recent Princess Mononoke phenomenon is a great example.
But it's not going to end there. Ties between east and west are getting closer. Just in the last couple of weeks, Lucasfilm announced a partnership with a Japanese animation studio to co-produce an anime movie. Lucasfilm will produce and fund the movie, provide the "inbetweener" artists, and distribute the film worldwide. The Japanese studio will provide the creative origin, direction and all keyframe animation. The result will be a pure anime movie, funded and distributed by the wests leading film studio.
Where George Lucas goes, the rest of the movie industry tends to follow. Many times before he's blazed new paths into unexplored territory. Do not underestimate the power of Lucasfilm.
Where do I see this heading? More and more anime movies and series will be produced through east-west colaboration. More anime will be recorded with the english and japanese actors working together in the same studio. More anime will be seen in western media, and will quickly become the "flavour of the month" which will then blend into mainstream popular culture. Anime will become as much a part of western culture as it is for our friends in the east.
And where does that leave online anime websites? On top of the world Established anime sites, especially non series specific, such as search and review sites, will gain much more attention than at any time before. If you thought the influx of anime interest because of Pokemon was big, that's nothing compared to what it will become.
The future is bright for the western anime fan. And those of us who have dedicated so much time to making beautiful and functional anime sites will finally see it pay off as we are inundated by a brand new broad varied and excited anime fan community.
Oh and speaking of broad, what do you think the medium for this western anime revolution will be? TV? Movies? Nope - boradband internet. I wonder how long it'll be before anime production studios will start approaching the most successful anime websites for broadcast partnerships?
Anyone interested can email me at neil@creek.name!
Or at a gmail address if this ploy to post this entry works ;)
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