By Bryan Hartzheim
The surging popularity of anime in America is attracting more and more avid fans every year as evidenced by the growing crowds at Anime Expo. But the fervor of fans, who dress up and masquerade as their favorite characters, is what sets conventions like the AX and anime apart from more casual entertainments.
AX: It was never for kids (Part 1) (http: //www.asiaarts.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=26951)
AX: It was never for kids (Part 2) (http: //www.asiaarts.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=26952)
AX: It was never for kids (Part 3) (http: //www.asiaarts.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=26955)
AX: It was never for kids (Part 4) (http: //www.asiaarts.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=26956)
AX: It was never for kids (Part 5) (http: //www.asiaarts.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=26957)
AX: It was never for kids (Part 6) (http: //www.asiaarts.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=26959)
Part VI: Anime Reviews
The consumption and availability of anime itself is no longer limited in the states. For those who had hoped for this piece to cover a bit of actual insight and criticism into current hits and upcoming releases, the following few titles are what I managed to catch that I thought were especially noteworthy, as well as some titles that had garnered some positive buzz from attendees I talked to. Anime, like all forms of art, consists mostly of crap, so one has to wade through carefully to find the casual pleasures of a solid 26-episode series. And if pretty-looking crap is your bag, well, then there's a whole treasure-trove of lovely anime out there waiting for your attention.
Also, please take some time to check out some pictures from the con, primarily of cosplayers and the various ornately designed costumes.
In Current Release
Paranoia Agent: The latest great work from Satoshi Kon, the most exciting and innovative animation auteur working today. Kon has a massive working knowledge of film history; his previous three features, all films I strongly recommend as works that attempt to push the medium in new directions, are also films that are inspired by the styles, themes, and moods of American directing ancestors. His newest feature, a 13-episode series that aired in Japan, has just been released in its entirety in the states on DVD. Though I haven't seen all of it, the episodes I have seen remind me that the greatest of anime, like all cinema, still rely less on the studios and entirely on the auteur's vision.
Full Metal Alchemist: A terrific series that is currently airing on Cartoon Network (if it hasn't already been pulled by impatient sponsors), and is also being slowly trickled out through a large 51-episode DVD release. The plot here has little about turning lead into gold. Based on a comic conceived by Arakawa Hiromu, the story is about two brothers who have been punished -- one loses his arm and leg, the other's soul is transfixed to a suit of armor -- by attempting to use alchemy to revive their dead mother. Most of the arc that follows consists of their journey to retrieve all they have lost. Though the series occasionally lapses into the maudlin, the brisk, cinematic direction and the sheer pathos of the individual situations is rewarding. An especially excellent series for the derivative genre of manga-turned-anime.
Samurai Champloo: From the director of the anime masterpiece Cowboy Bebop, Shinichiro Watanabe, comes this newest stylish creation. Fusing samurai action with hip hop music and a gangster-film's dramatic edge, Champloo -- which translates to a hodgepodge of elements -- also reminds one of the hard, noir-infused atmosphere mixed with a tempo-setting score that was so fun in Cowboy. This series should be completely out on DVD by the end of the year.
Chrono Crusade: This series has gotten some favorable press for its complex story, large animation budget, and catchy theme songs. Pitting gun-toting nuns against heathen armies, the show's religious subversions are laughable and appropriately take a backseat to all the political intrigue and animated action. You could certainly do worse than Chrono Crusade.
Sex Warrior Pudding: A supposedly excellent hentai. What makes a good hentai, you ask? Well, in this one, though I haven't had the pleasure of watching it yet, there are loads of different characters, like a fighting video game, so the viewer can enjoy a variety of copious, err, lovemaking. Patience, after all, is not the intended reaction from anime porn. I'm eschewing a plot synopsis so I can write the title one more time: Sex Warrior Pudding. That should be enough for anyone who is interested.
Upcoming Releases
Naruto: Well, it's finally here: the Shounen manga-anime sensation that is the most popular of its kind since Dragonball. Spanning now over 260 manga episodes and nearly 150 anime episodes, Naruto shows no signs of flagging. Viz Media has just picked up the series and will start airing the program this September on Cartoon Network. One does not need to be a cultural anthropologist to predict that this series will be a colossal hit among tweens and teens. Get ready for the barrage of merchandise that will follow.
Samurai 7: A revision of the Kurosawa epic, the new series seems to have an entirely new approach: create a bunch of completely disparate characters through costume alone. Just how such a bizarre group would come to be assembled in the series will be of some intrigue, as will the simple curiosity to see if the anime creators learned any lessons from that original masterpiece to create something either entertaining or meaningless.
Shonan Jun-ai Gumi: From the guy who did GTO! Tohru Fujisawa's comedic chronicle of yakuza youth tells the story of Onizuka Eikichi's exploits before he decided to shape up and become a Great Teacher. The story benefits from the fact that it actually was made BEFORE GTO, sparing us the irritating self-absorption and bloated production values of the damnable Lucas post-produced prequel.
Tofu Records: The pop record label is distributing several more albums from their line of J-pop and rock artists: chiefly, Nami Tamaki, T.M. Revolution, Polysics, and Boom Boom Satellites. Definitely check them out if you're into J-pop, since purchasing their albums stateside is about three times cheaper than importing the exact same thing from Japan.
Published: Thursday, July 21, 2005
