Glasslip is a Summer 2014 anime by Progressive Animation (P.A.) Works, a studio known for variable quality. Nagi no Asukara, their show that finished Winter 2014 was fantastic and is my favorite so far. Shirobako, which started in Fall 2014, was also excellent. For me, Glasslip occupies this strange gap in greatness by P.A. Works. By this point, the studio has captured my affection - the 2010 show Angel Beats and the 2015 show Charlotte definitely helped in that regard - so I am sad that Glasslip was a rather bad show. Rather than simply go around and tell everyone that the show was trash, which is tempting, I'd rather discuss what would improve the show.
As a work of art, Glasslip aims for a soothing, methodical atmosphere that features the heavy use of stillframes. Not being an action show, such an approach is not entirely wrong. The show as a whole is arguably beautiful (in an aesthetic manner). Furthermore, smooth transitions accompanied with a variety of perspectives, including wide-pans, aid this feeling of relaxation. The directing, editing, and music work together to create this atmosphere.
The music complements this atmosphere because of its resemblance to baroque chamber music (Maurice Ravel bears a striking resemblance, though he's technically not baroque). (There are occasional pieces with acoustic guitar or other instruments but piano and strings predominate.) Though the opening theme, performed by ChouCho, is not orchestral music, it has a calm, acoustic sound that is certainly reminiscent of the coastal location of this show. The closing theme, through the upbeat music provided by nano.Ripe, serves to ease away tension during the main body of the episodes.
However, with this style, each scene - and there are overall fewer scenes in Glasslip than you would find in a "plottier" show - must land a distinct impact, which is difficult when the show tries so hard to preserve the atmosphere. An added insult is the show's poorly written story and dialogue, which makes the characters unlikable and diminishes the value of their relationships. As a result, these individual scenes do not sum to a greater experience, in essence dismantling the show's narrative approach.
As for why the show came across as particularly bad to me...There's many different aspects of the story that are unpleasing. To begin with, each individual episode progresses slowly; in episode 1, you wait for nearly a minute before you are introduced to a character, and then gradually you meet the rest of the characters. This slow pace makes it rather difficult to remain engaged. Meeting the group of friends, they seem ambivalent towards each other - they do not talk about their fond memories of each other, at least not obviously, nor do they seem to interact well with each other. Yanagi, for example, is often sarcastic and seems uninterested in helping her friends.
The arrival of Okikura, a newcomer, signifies a change in their behavior. Yanagi and Sachi in particular are resistant to the idea of Okikura joining their group - Sachi bluntly indicates that she does not trust him, which is offsetting. For me, it's not expressly that the characters are bad, but that they are not friendly to friends or mutual friends, for the most part.
Bigger than the characters, was the apparent lack of focus: in one episode events would occur, but the next episode would scarcely reference the previous events. When supernatural events became involved, the show could not create a distinct thread through the events - as a result, the "fragments of the future" were more jarring than instructive or conducive to character development.
Put simply, Glasslip is polished but lacks a core; like a human body without a skeleton. Sure it's a human body, but what can you do without a skeleton. For a show based on romance and human relationships, this approach is untenable. The viewer can see multiple budding relationships hinted at but ultimately little happens or is felt keenly because of the abysmal writing combined with the leisurely pace of the show.
Another major flaw of the show is one of its main mechanics that drives the story: Touko and Okikura both have an ability to see an alternate reality, hinted as being of the future. However, though it is introduced in the few episodes following episode 1, the show rarely draws upon it; sometimes, Touko will get a vision, but there are no practical consequences until episode 12. Then she suddenly is in a snow-filled alternate version of the town she grew up in, with seemingly little explanation. Even if I wanted to provide a more detailed description of the supernatural mechanic, I would be mostly at a loss for words. At most, it seems to represent the materialization of Touko's fears, but offers no hope or resolution. The last episode, episode 13, hints at the supernatural ability still dwelling within Touko and Okikura but still completely fails at providing the slightest explanation.
Even though Glasslip, from a directing and production standpoint, could be considered technically strong, it completely fails to deliver a satisfying experience because of its poorly executed and thought out writing - neither the premise nor the mechanics bring that premise to life work. So how the heck could I even offer improvements? That's the point; Glasslip has so many problems, where would I even start?
Though I am not an expert on anime yet, I would like to offer the following:
1) Reduce the anime length to 11 episodes. Specifically, cut out details - even reduce the scope of some relationships - to bring the anime to ten episodes, and create one episode that focuses on explaining and developing the supernatural phenomena while showcasing its importance in the story.
2) Revise the script accordingly for 1) but also create more natural situations for the group of friends to interact. The cafe provides one context, but it is not enough to really portray them as a cohesive group. For example, they all go hiking, or some other activity; otherwise we get no feeling of attachment among these people. And the story of this show, being a romance, relies on those relationships.
3) Change the animation that comprises the opening theme. In particular, include a few frames that hint at the supernatural ability and its consequences. For this purpose, some sections - such as the one of Hiro doing waiter duties at the cafe - could be cut out. The frames dwell on the obvious but do little to foreshadow events (effectively).
4) Utilize music and directing to shake up scenes - for example, the scene where Yuki and Okikura have a physical altercation would be an apt place for a faster pacing and more aggressive music. The framing itself could be utilized to a greater effect.
5) With 1) and 2) in mind, revise the script so that the characters are introduced in a more intricate fashion in episode 1. The viewer should not be waiting 45 seconds to meet one character, and then have to suddenly meet a different one. One possible approach would be to pick one character as a 'focus' and shift that focus, so we meet everyone but see them beyond mundane activities.
6) Play around more with the perceptions of the viewer. In a few scenes, Okikura is portrayed as existing in three separate (physical) bodies, which adds humor but also makes the scene more exciting. There should be more instances like that that pull the viewer in. (Even if it makes the show seem 'druggier'.)
7) To tighten the narrative focus, tie the characters to classical music sooner - after all, it does provide most of the score for the show. Yana-chan mentions, towards the end, that she enjoys classical music a lot - if the writers had put this information earlier on, it would've had a larger impact. So would the mention of Okikura's mother being a famous pianist. Classical music was a potential device for focusing the narrative but was sorely underused.
8) Make. Yana. A. More. Likable. Character. She is one large reason why this show fails as a narrative.
9) Touko and Okikura should have explained to the others - Sachi, Hiro, Hina (though she is not strictly involved), Yana, Yuki - about the supernatural events. Otherwise there are two separate stories in Glasslip: one involving the romance of the others, and one involving the supernatural events that bring Touko and Okikura together. The show almost involves the friends but then changes its mind and says nothing. The supernatural events should be interwoven into the interactions of the friends group (and with Hina, who should know because she is Touko's sister).
10) Be more emphatic with the romantic relationships, especially the Yana-Yuki subplot and the Sachi-Hiro subplot. It is okay if romantic relationships do not work out, but they should be actively shown to not work out, not simply left hanging. While it is sometimes okay to have romantic relationships that ARE "left hanging", it should be not the case for multiple main characters. Even if the 'romance' does not progress, we should see changes in their relationship as they grow to know each other more. And, romance is not simply actions - confessing, watching movies, etc - but it involves thoughts and feelings - showing how the characters feel about each other.
11) Intelligently include Hina as a character - she is both one of the few decent characters in the show and is Touko's little sister. She interacts with Yuki, Yana, and other members of the group but these efforts go undeveloped in the show. Hina talks with Yuki once, even chasing him on her bike, but the event seems not to matter in the narrative. Even though it seems like a fairly important event in the moment.
12) Make Sachi's condition more relevant to the story or reduce reference to it. Sachi's condition is hinted at but rarely drawn upon - it should have a substantial impact on her if significant thought is given to her hospitalization. However, the test results of her time in the hospital are never mentioned - the viewer cannot be certain if she is fine or if the results were bad. Otherwise, Sachi simply seems like a sickly person who is stuck in limbo.
13) Revise the script to diversify characterization, tie the characters to the supernatural events, and create a more focused narrative. This is probably both the most vague recommendation and the most important.
Tuesday, March 8, 2016
Thursday, March 3, 2016
Me and the Shoujo Demographic (and the Generalized Equivalent)
Shoujo for the uninitiated refers to manga with a target audience of young to teenage girls; a show based off a shoujo manga is also considered shoujo. Because of the target audience, shoujo features many particular tropes and "genre" conventions that may be repulsive to people outside the target demographic (adult men are particularly outside of it). The generalized equivalent (G.E.) would be the same "target audience" but referring to any form of work. The term "chick flick" comes to mind for films that seem to cater mainly to a female audience.
Now, as a man - rather someone who identifies as a man and adopts such a label, fitting into some amount of normed gender - I am not the target audience for shoujo (or the G.E.). As a boy, I preferred fantasy, a rather masculine-dominated genre, and video games; until I hit high school I age, the sound of female vocalists was grating to me. The meshing of the feminine and art was foreign and not very likable in my eyes. As I hope to convey, this view involved contradictions and cognitive dissonance. But don't worry, I probably will skip to the past couple of months after 9th grade.
However, despite participating in this gender interplay, I did engage works of art with female characters - notably Hermione from Harry Potter and Lyra from His Dark Materials. Both are capable and independent, without falling neatly into feminine gender roles. And both characters push their respective series forward. Certainly being exposed to them - though people that I've personally known also played a part - has encouraged me to steadily become more progressive with the art that I consume.
In 9th grade, far from abandoning the trend, it appeared to continue more - which coincides with my maturation and increasing ability to appreciate different viewpoints. English class offered a chance between two books: a science fiction book whose name I forgot and a book called The Secret Life of Bees. Having been exposed to a billion such books before, I decided to try out something new and go for the latter. As one may have picked up on, I am positing a "gendered" differential - the sci-fi book falls under what a teenage boy should read, and the other book obviously does not. Yes, it was pointed out to me that I had picked the "girly" book, but ultimately I enjoyed reading it. In a sense, this choice reflected my interest in coming-of-age stories, but it also allowed me to think of coming-of-age from a female perspective (though I acknowledge that there is no homogeneous perspective that could be called "female").
Despite reading these few books, my interests in the arts tended to fall into the "masculine" (again, I am invoking typical masculine gender roles) domain. However, my efforts to experiment, even a little, helped me understand the world around me to a greater degree. Somehow, during college, I made a sardonic goal of focusing on "feminine" works of art. And, of course, works that challenge simplistic, binary notions of gender - during my sophomore year of college I saw Shinsekai Yori, and read Invisible Monsters and The Left Hand of Darkness, all of which offered insights into gender and sexuality, especially uncommon representations.
Earlier this year, I completed the shoujo manga My Little Monster, which features many characteristics associated with female gender roles, but at the same time, it avoided outright falling into cliche. It has since become one of my (so-far) favorites. My point is mainly that I've grown open to works that target audiences other than myself, in particular the audience of young girls.
Now, having gained an appreciation, I have volume 1 of Fruits Basket, a manga so obviously shoujo that the name screams it out. It's interesting to see how many strides I have made towards embracing "feminine" works of art, and also how much progress remains.
Now, as a man - rather someone who identifies as a man and adopts such a label, fitting into some amount of normed gender - I am not the target audience for shoujo (or the G.E.). As a boy, I preferred fantasy, a rather masculine-dominated genre, and video games; until I hit high school I age, the sound of female vocalists was grating to me. The meshing of the feminine and art was foreign and not very likable in my eyes. As I hope to convey, this view involved contradictions and cognitive dissonance. But don't worry, I probably will skip to the past couple of months after 9th grade.
However, despite participating in this gender interplay, I did engage works of art with female characters - notably Hermione from Harry Potter and Lyra from His Dark Materials. Both are capable and independent, without falling neatly into feminine gender roles. And both characters push their respective series forward. Certainly being exposed to them - though people that I've personally known also played a part - has encouraged me to steadily become more progressive with the art that I consume.
In 9th grade, far from abandoning the trend, it appeared to continue more - which coincides with my maturation and increasing ability to appreciate different viewpoints. English class offered a chance between two books: a science fiction book whose name I forgot and a book called The Secret Life of Bees. Having been exposed to a billion such books before, I decided to try out something new and go for the latter. As one may have picked up on, I am positing a "gendered" differential - the sci-fi book falls under what a teenage boy should read, and the other book obviously does not. Yes, it was pointed out to me that I had picked the "girly" book, but ultimately I enjoyed reading it. In a sense, this choice reflected my interest in coming-of-age stories, but it also allowed me to think of coming-of-age from a female perspective (though I acknowledge that there is no homogeneous perspective that could be called "female").
Despite reading these few books, my interests in the arts tended to fall into the "masculine" (again, I am invoking typical masculine gender roles) domain. However, my efforts to experiment, even a little, helped me understand the world around me to a greater degree. Somehow, during college, I made a sardonic goal of focusing on "feminine" works of art. And, of course, works that challenge simplistic, binary notions of gender - during my sophomore year of college I saw Shinsekai Yori, and read Invisible Monsters and The Left Hand of Darkness, all of which offered insights into gender and sexuality, especially uncommon representations.
Earlier this year, I completed the shoujo manga My Little Monster, which features many characteristics associated with female gender roles, but at the same time, it avoided outright falling into cliche. It has since become one of my (so-far) favorites. My point is mainly that I've grown open to works that target audiences other than myself, in particular the audience of young girls.
Now, having gained an appreciation, I have volume 1 of Fruits Basket, a manga so obviously shoujo that the name screams it out. It's interesting to see how many strides I have made towards embracing "feminine" works of art, and also how much progress remains.
Wednesday, March 2, 2016
Updates on my Resolutions (so you can see that I'm not slacking)
As the astute reader might be able to tell, I am making efforts to post more on my blog - in fact, this is my third post in two days, so maybe I am actually capable of keeping my blog moving.
Firstly, anime:
A ratio of 64.8%, completed 273 anime, leaving 27 left. On top of that, I still need to see Kara no Kyoukai movie 7 and complete LOTGH. In the anime front, I am doing well and will likely need to revise the pertinent resolutions to challenge myself.
Secondly, VNs and manga:
I read Analogue A Hate Story which was quite good; along with Higurashi volume 2, I am up to 2/3 short VNs read but 0/2 long VNs ( still working on Koichoco and Clannad).
The at-least-40 completion club: Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso, My Little Monster, (working on Cardcaptor Sakura, ERASED, and Chobits)
The under-40 completion club: A Girl on the Shore, Galaxy Angel, Hotarubi no Mori e, (remaining two to be determined)
I would like to catch up to Magi, Noragami, Ao no Exorcist, Kamisama Kiss, and March Comes In Like A Lion.
Thirdly, books:
I have read Spice and Wolf LNs 2 and 3, but I have made no progress with Infinite Jest.
Fourthly, my short story:
I am on track for the story to reach around 15 pages, and I anticipate more annoying Justin.
Fifthly, graduate school and Toasmasters:
I have received a few offers of admission from graduate programs, but I am still waiting to hear back on my international fellowship. So I'll see but I am glad that I have made progress this round.
Toastmasters is going fine, but I'll see how well my speech on March 14th goes. I may even change this resolution.
Lastly, my friend:
I have still not forgotten about this friend nor do I plan on it; near the end of this month, I will try to establish contact.
From what I can tell, these resolutions are clearly underway and many of them may need to be revised - I would rather be underambitious with them than arrogant, and it seems to be working, as this is the most coherent set of resolutions created during my lifetime. One other accomplishment I would like to note but was not made a specific goal: I completed the edx class on the R programming language, meaning that I have some level of knowledge of coding asides from the SQL and MATLAB. So hurray me! Even as life post-graduation gets dreary, I can still make progress.
Firstly, anime:
A ratio of 64.8%, completed 273 anime, leaving 27 left. On top of that, I still need to see Kara no Kyoukai movie 7 and complete LOTGH. In the anime front, I am doing well and will likely need to revise the pertinent resolutions to challenge myself.
Secondly, VNs and manga:
I read Analogue A Hate Story which was quite good; along with Higurashi volume 2, I am up to 2/3 short VNs read but 0/2 long VNs ( still working on Koichoco and Clannad).
The at-least-40 completion club: Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso, My Little Monster, (working on Cardcaptor Sakura, ERASED, and Chobits)
The under-40 completion club: A Girl on the Shore, Galaxy Angel, Hotarubi no Mori e, (remaining two to be determined)
I would like to catch up to Magi, Noragami, Ao no Exorcist, Kamisama Kiss, and March Comes In Like A Lion.
Thirdly, books:
I have read Spice and Wolf LNs 2 and 3, but I have made no progress with Infinite Jest.
Fourthly, my short story:
I am on track for the story to reach around 15 pages, and I anticipate more annoying Justin.
Fifthly, graduate school and Toasmasters:
I have received a few offers of admission from graduate programs, but I am still waiting to hear back on my international fellowship. So I'll see but I am glad that I have made progress this round.
Toastmasters is going fine, but I'll see how well my speech on March 14th goes. I may even change this resolution.
Lastly, my friend:
I have still not forgotten about this friend nor do I plan on it; near the end of this month, I will try to establish contact.
From what I can tell, these resolutions are clearly underway and many of them may need to be revised - I would rather be underambitious with them than arrogant, and it seems to be working, as this is the most coherent set of resolutions created during my lifetime. One other accomplishment I would like to note but was not made a specific goal: I completed the edx class on the R programming language, meaning that I have some level of knowledge of coding asides from the SQL and MATLAB. So hurray me! Even as life post-graduation gets dreary, I can still make progress.
GATE: Cultural Exchange, and Cultural Imperialism
GATE as a story revolves around Youji Itami, who becomes First Lieutenant of the Japanese Self-Defense Force (JSDF) after an event occurs in Ginza (in Tokyo). In this particular incident, a variety of medieval figures suddenly appear in Japan, including some dragon riders and knights; and they come from this mysterious "Gate" (portal) that provides a gateway between Japan and a medieval land. The story progression features two basic sides: the Japanese, led by Itami, and the medieval forces, at least during the first couple of episodes.
However, the politics end up much more complex. For instance, the goals of Itami strongly differ from those of the Prime Minister or the Defense Minister. As a military leader, Itami makes an effort to interact with and collaborate with the local populations, which we increasingly see after the first two episodes. Rather than focusing on an eternal, fantastical battle, GATE offers some insight into the exchange of cultural soft power and cultural imperialism beyond the obvious.
Episode 1 focuses on Itami's disorientation surrounding the GATE and what lies on the other side (the medieval area). However, Episode 2 drops the viewer directly into the strife in this land, and offers little for cultural exchange; rather, it suggests the need for caution when dealing with the local populace. Tensions exist, after all, for mankind, whether medieval or not. Starting with Episode 3, GATE positions Itami as someone capable of working with (a subset of) the medieval people. Through the creation of a refugee camp, especially for people driven away by Fire Dragons or other menaces, the "Midori People" (the JSDF) are introduced to these natives. An odd troupe of Itami, Rory Mercury (priestess of the God of Death), Lelei (a teal-haired mage), and Tuka (an elf) forms, allowing for exploratory interactions. At the same time, the music transforms from serious, orchestral to upbeat and percussive, supporting the inter-cultural exchanges.
Some caveats can be offered. Itami interacts and gets along better with the medieval characters (Rory, Lelei, Tuka) than his JSDF counterparts. Furthermore, the reactions are limited by a language barrier: the Midori People and the Medieval People do not speak the same language, so they cannot interact well without help. Secondly, I am lumping multiple "cultures" into one heterogeneous culture that has many different goals and wants. Other than Itami, Shino (below; played by the excellent Maaya Uchida of Hajimessu fame) makes an effort to get along with the Medieval People, but her behavior is not representative of the group as a whole. For instance, Shino is one of the few JSDF members, asides from Itami, that acts as entourage for the foreigners during the mid-season visit to Japan.
The role of interpreter is played by Lelei (below), who I will focus on. She best represents the "in-between" for the GATE. Despite being in contact with the Midori People throughout the series, even in episode 12 (below), she still wears mage garb. Figure 2 depicts her conducting water magic, which manipulates the world but also suggests cultural expression. (Mages, I presume, also split off based off the groups they come from.)
However, though Lelei pursues magic fervently, she also considers potential improvements to her magic. In particular, what she witnessed in Japan inspired her to consider the use of science in conjunction with magic (below). However, science, like magic, is culturally influenced, so she is ultimately participating in cultural exchange, cementing Japan's soft power in this region.
In Lelei, we see a merging of science and magic - this meshing represents the marriage of Japanese and the region's culture. This role coincides with Lelei's task as interpreter for many interactions between the Midori People and the Medieval People - she holds importance within both groups, allowing her to pull them together. Truly the most diplomatic character in this show.
However, one concern I have, is that cultural exchange is the first step to cultural imperialism. GATE establishes the significance of the Medieval People's culture, but at the same time many of the Japanese view this culture as lesser. To add more confusion, some of the Japanese characters, such as Shino and Itami, place a strong emphasis on protecting and respecting their culture. This phenomenon is much more present among the JSDF in the Special Region than those in Japan - through practical interactions, the goals of both sides become quite clear. Though overall the Japanese culture is held up as pristine and holy, there is room to consider the local culture, and the local political environment. Thus GATE offers more insight into cultural imperialism by establishing an uneven but diplomatic relationship between the two cultural groups.
Through watching season two (eventually), I hope that GATE can offer a stronger sense of resolution with regards to the respectful carrying out of cultural exchange, instead of completing its progression down the Cultural Imperialism route. Here I also reduced the many cultures present amongst the "Medieval People" into one culture, but that does not accurately represent the many individual opinions present. With anticipation, I will wait to see how GATE deals with these themes in the second season.
However, the politics end up much more complex. For instance, the goals of Itami strongly differ from those of the Prime Minister or the Defense Minister. As a military leader, Itami makes an effort to interact with and collaborate with the local populations, which we increasingly see after the first two episodes. Rather than focusing on an eternal, fantastical battle, GATE offers some insight into the exchange of cultural soft power and cultural imperialism beyond the obvious.
Episode 1 focuses on Itami's disorientation surrounding the GATE and what lies on the other side (the medieval area). However, Episode 2 drops the viewer directly into the strife in this land, and offers little for cultural exchange; rather, it suggests the need for caution when dealing with the local populace. Tensions exist, after all, for mankind, whether medieval or not. Starting with Episode 3, GATE positions Itami as someone capable of working with (a subset of) the medieval people. Through the creation of a refugee camp, especially for people driven away by Fire Dragons or other menaces, the "Midori People" (the JSDF) are introduced to these natives. An odd troupe of Itami, Rory Mercury (priestess of the God of Death), Lelei (a teal-haired mage), and Tuka (an elf) forms, allowing for exploratory interactions. At the same time, the music transforms from serious, orchestral to upbeat and percussive, supporting the inter-cultural exchanges.
Some caveats can be offered. Itami interacts and gets along better with the medieval characters (Rory, Lelei, Tuka) than his JSDF counterparts. Furthermore, the reactions are limited by a language barrier: the Midori People and the Medieval People do not speak the same language, so they cannot interact well without help. Secondly, I am lumping multiple "cultures" into one heterogeneous culture that has many different goals and wants. Other than Itami, Shino (below; played by the excellent Maaya Uchida of Hajimessu fame) makes an effort to get along with the Medieval People, but her behavior is not representative of the group as a whole. For instance, Shino is one of the few JSDF members, asides from Itami, that acts as entourage for the foreigners during the mid-season visit to Japan.
 |
| Figure 1. Shino, though this facial expression is not entirely representative, makes an effort to understand the Medieval People across boundaries. She is a member of the JSDF under Itami's command. The two characters share a friendly but slightly contentious relationship. |
 |
| Figure 2. Lelei facing her master (an offscreen wizard), right after performing an intensive water spell, that brought water down around her. Hence the hydrated appearance of the left side of the image. Also of note is Lelei's mage garb, which separates her visually from the Midori People. |
However, though Lelei pursues magic fervently, she also considers potential improvements to her magic. In particular, what she witnessed in Japan inspired her to consider the use of science in conjunction with magic (below). However, science, like magic, is culturally influenced, so she is ultimately participating in cultural exchange, cementing Japan's soft power in this region.
 |
| Figure 3. Lelei ponders the physics and chemistry relevant to her practice of water magic. |
In Lelei, we see a merging of science and magic - this meshing represents the marriage of Japanese and the region's culture. This role coincides with Lelei's task as interpreter for many interactions between the Midori People and the Medieval People - she holds importance within both groups, allowing her to pull them together. Truly the most diplomatic character in this show.
However, one concern I have, is that cultural exchange is the first step to cultural imperialism. GATE establishes the significance of the Medieval People's culture, but at the same time many of the Japanese view this culture as lesser. To add more confusion, some of the Japanese characters, such as Shino and Itami, place a strong emphasis on protecting and respecting their culture. This phenomenon is much more present among the JSDF in the Special Region than those in Japan - through practical interactions, the goals of both sides become quite clear. Though overall the Japanese culture is held up as pristine and holy, there is room to consider the local culture, and the local political environment. Thus GATE offers more insight into cultural imperialism by establishing an uneven but diplomatic relationship between the two cultural groups.
Through watching season two (eventually), I hope that GATE can offer a stronger sense of resolution with regards to the respectful carrying out of cultural exchange, instead of completing its progression down the Cultural Imperialism route. Here I also reduced the many cultures present amongst the "Medieval People" into one culture, but that does not accurately represent the many individual opinions present. With anticipation, I will wait to see how GATE deals with these themes in the second season.
Tuesday, March 1, 2016
Spring 2016 Anime (Forgive the Inefficient Formatting)
| Mayoiga | |||
| Boku no Hero Academia* | *- seeing with ff | ||
| Magi: Sinbad no Bouken | |||
| Tanaka-kun wa Itsumo Kedaruge | |||
| Unhappy | |||
| Bungou Stray Dogs* | |||
| Ushio s2* | |||
| Jojo s3* | |||
| Kuromukuro | |||
| Gyakuten Saiban* Kiznaiver Flying Witch Re:Zero Girl Meets Bear |
Monday, February 22, 2016
Gatcha, Update!
After
having provided an actual blog post – written while I was out of town, no less!
– I think I will fall back into that trend of update writings in place of
actual content. The past couple of weeks
have been strange, sometimes unstructured, sometimes hurried. But at the very
least, the stage should be set for future endeavors on this blog. Today, I’d
like to focus on a few things.
Firstly, at Toastmasters last week, I acted as the Table Topics master. This role required creating prompts for 1-2 minute impromptu speeches. Seeking to be different, my response was to do a situational approach, with loose thematic similarities linking the prompts. Many of these were blatantly ripped off various works of art and then summarized down to provide an opportunity for a response. For this activity, I wanted emotional, personal responses that reflect a person’s inner being. But ultimately, many of the speakers went for an impersonal, bland approach – specifically, two of the speakers opted to not include their own personality inside their responses. Maybe it’s because some (if not all) prompts felt too narrow or foreign. I may need to think of how to force people into new situations, without using unfamiliar language, and give personal responses. Another possibility is that many people are conditioned to avoid the personal, and that may be problematic.
Today at Toastmasters, I will be an evaluator – meaning that I will give feedback on a prepared speech orally. This will require excellent note-taking, so maybe this won’t be my best role. But everything takes practice, right?
The d(n_blog)/dt has been rather slow as of late. More posts will be coming, especially analytical posts as I return to completing shows rapidly. To get better at this, I hope to write about shows as I see them, rather than waiting a long time – this way, the shows will be more lucid in my mind. Furthermore, expect to see updates from my short story as I slowly make progress.
As mentioned, I have been watching a high volume of anime. It is fascinating how so many shows can blend together despite being so different on the surface – voice actors and themes in particular act to tie them together. I can’t tell you how many shows I’ve seen with Ryota Osaka lately, for example. Apparently, Zrucore strongly favors “trippy” or very colorful aesthetics, such as those featured in Gatchaman Crowds.
Have a nice day, and, as always (if always is today), Gatcha!
- Zeldaru
Firstly, at Toastmasters last week, I acted as the Table Topics master. This role required creating prompts for 1-2 minute impromptu speeches. Seeking to be different, my response was to do a situational approach, with loose thematic similarities linking the prompts. Many of these were blatantly ripped off various works of art and then summarized down to provide an opportunity for a response. For this activity, I wanted emotional, personal responses that reflect a person’s inner being. But ultimately, many of the speakers went for an impersonal, bland approach – specifically, two of the speakers opted to not include their own personality inside their responses. Maybe it’s because some (if not all) prompts felt too narrow or foreign. I may need to think of how to force people into new situations, without using unfamiliar language, and give personal responses. Another possibility is that many people are conditioned to avoid the personal, and that may be problematic.
Today at Toastmasters, I will be an evaluator – meaning that I will give feedback on a prepared speech orally. This will require excellent note-taking, so maybe this won’t be my best role. But everything takes practice, right?
The d(n_blog)/dt has been rather slow as of late. More posts will be coming, especially analytical posts as I return to completing shows rapidly. To get better at this, I hope to write about shows as I see them, rather than waiting a long time – this way, the shows will be more lucid in my mind. Furthermore, expect to see updates from my short story as I slowly make progress.
As mentioned, I have been watching a high volume of anime. It is fascinating how so many shows can blend together despite being so different on the surface – voice actors and themes in particular act to tie them together. I can’t tell you how many shows I’ve seen with Ryota Osaka lately, for example. Apparently, Zrucore strongly favors “trippy” or very colorful aesthetics, such as those featured in Gatchaman Crowds.
Have a nice day, and, as always (if always is today), Gatcha!
- Zeldaru
Thursday, February 18, 2016
And Now For Something Completely Different (In other words, another one episode review)
Cardcaptor Sakura: Fuwa Fuwa Express, Episode 1
Today I embarked on a magical journey, filled with adventure, and color, glorious glorious color. To bring this tale into context, Sakura Tange is a minor character in Gatchaman Crowds and a major character in Girl Friend BETA. In the latter, she deftly plays Chloe Lemaire, a role requiring speaking Japanese with a distinctly non-Japanese accent; furthermore, Chloe is French, so she speaks French occasionally, though it tends to be limited to "oui" ou "non". Sakura's immense talent in this voice led me to take an interest in her role as Sakura Kinomoto, the titular character of Cardcaptor Sakura. Starting the show, I was blown away by Sakura Tange's convincing and powerful performance as Sakura; many young girl characters in art tend to be one-dimensional or given little relevance in the story, but here we can see an empowering character. Sakura Kinomoto is veritably awesome, greatly elevated by her voice actor.
Directed by Morio Asaka, Cardcaptor Sakura (CCS) is a dynamic, fun adventure. Let's start with him. He performed directorial duties on some shows but most familiar to me are Gunslinger Girl and Ore Monogatari. To my knowledge, I felt that both relied on directing to bolster some of the jokes or action(that's not to say that they were not funny, but rather that the directing strengthened them more). So I had at least some expectation that a show by this guy would be good.
Though the show follows Sakura Kinomoto in her daily life, which may seem quite inaccessible by anyone who is not a 10 year old girl, it uses changes in perspective to flesh out her personality. Really, the plot, if described blandly, probably would stop most people short from watching the show. (Unless you're a sicko like FireFlinger who's into that kind of thing.) For example, the show, towards the beginning of the episode, uses a wide-panning shot to portray Sakura, facing the night in her outfit, setting her up for an epic clash with the forces of darkness; she's also showered in light from buildings, suggesting her as the needed hero. Facial expressions also seem to be hilariously used to plainly express emotions. Through these visual techniques, CCS episode 1 becomes a rather remarkable work of art. Rather than speak in generalities, I would like to hone in one particular scene, depicted below. Here Sakura grows suspicious of some unknown presence in her house's library. So she goes to investigate, baton in hand.
By focusing the perspective from behind the bookshelf, it draws the viewer's attention, but serves a greater purpose: highlighting Sakura's curiosity as universal and powerful. Furthermore, this image highlights the show's clever use of light-dark dynamics, allowing us to distinguish the serious from the lighthearted - it also literally displays her movement away from what is known, and into new territory. To her surprise, she discovers a mysterious book (depicted below) - the show follows up on its intellectual promise of growth.
(Rather than explaining the plot details, I'll cut to the chase.) Opening this book leads to Sakura discovering the Windy card, which she accidentally activates; it then leads to her meeting Keroberos, the guardian of the Clow cards. Despite his serious demeanor, he looks rather silly, so he has to fight for Sakura's attention (which is rather funny, to be honest, even if that sounds cruel). Keroberos (Kero-chan, below) "threatens" Sakura with a spoon, with a cake-thing right next to him.
Like, look at him - he looks like a stuffed animal. Nobody who isn't plot-important would know that he's a magical creature. I can see why Sakura looks so dubious in the picture; can't you?
One strongly appealing element of the show is its excellent use of color, in addition to light-dark dynamics, as shown above. Sakura's brilliant green eyes are a prominent feature that highlight her mood. But furthermore, Kero-chan is depicted as yellow, providing a partial contrast to Sakura. Really, I am not sure how to explain the use of color. But CCS is a gorgeous work of art, especially considering the fact that it came out at the turn of the century. Sakura's character design is also rather on-point.
Now, anyone who knows me is wondering "why hasn't he mentioned the music yet?" Well, this is for you punks. Often orchestral in nature, the music is rather soothing and melodic and in love with woodwind instruments. In short, it sounds like fairy tale music, and convincingly interjects in the show, allowing for greater sonic enjoyment. Naturally, the voice acting intersects well with the music. No such situation where you think the music contradicts the visuals or the characters. The opening and ending themes work within this cohesiveness while adding a pop element - so these musical themes work well with the music and the general atmosphere of the show. (For an example where I think an opening or ending theme doesn't fit the feel of a show, look to AGE's opening theme 1 by Galileo Galilei.)
Having read the manga, I have noticed, at least so far, that comparatively little was adapted in this episode. That is not necessarily a bad thing, though I find the manga slow. However, these reasons are more down to personal preference than quality - rather, this is material that I seem to enjoy even more when animated. So I was rather surprised that they chose to cover a specific amount from the manga - this show is not rushed in the slightest. In my view, the visual components, along with the voice acting especially in Sakura's case, lifts this show, at least so far, over the manga.
Ultimately, this show is the sort of thing a weeb like FF would really enjoy. The visuals are stunning, Sakura Tanga makes an excellent Sakura Kinomoto, and the directing keeps the viewer on the edge of their seat. Even though I found the same segment somewhat slow in the manga, I found myself giving rapt attention to the show. Admittedly, the seventy-episode length is rather daunting, but considering what a strong first episode that was, I think I can manage. Kudos, Madhouse.
Rating: 93/100
Today I embarked on a magical journey, filled with adventure, and color, glorious glorious color. To bring this tale into context, Sakura Tange is a minor character in Gatchaman Crowds and a major character in Girl Friend BETA. In the latter, she deftly plays Chloe Lemaire, a role requiring speaking Japanese with a distinctly non-Japanese accent; furthermore, Chloe is French, so she speaks French occasionally, though it tends to be limited to "oui" ou "non". Sakura's immense talent in this voice led me to take an interest in her role as Sakura Kinomoto, the titular character of Cardcaptor Sakura. Starting the show, I was blown away by Sakura Tange's convincing and powerful performance as Sakura; many young girl characters in art tend to be one-dimensional or given little relevance in the story, but here we can see an empowering character. Sakura Kinomoto is veritably awesome, greatly elevated by her voice actor.
Directed by Morio Asaka, Cardcaptor Sakura (CCS) is a dynamic, fun adventure. Let's start with him. He performed directorial duties on some shows but most familiar to me are Gunslinger Girl and Ore Monogatari. To my knowledge, I felt that both relied on directing to bolster some of the jokes or action(that's not to say that they were not funny, but rather that the directing strengthened them more). So I had at least some expectation that a show by this guy would be good.
Though the show follows Sakura Kinomoto in her daily life, which may seem quite inaccessible by anyone who is not a 10 year old girl, it uses changes in perspective to flesh out her personality. Really, the plot, if described blandly, probably would stop most people short from watching the show. (Unless you're a sicko like FireFlinger who's into that kind of thing.) For example, the show, towards the beginning of the episode, uses a wide-panning shot to portray Sakura, facing the night in her outfit, setting her up for an epic clash with the forces of darkness; she's also showered in light from buildings, suggesting her as the needed hero. Facial expressions also seem to be hilariously used to plainly express emotions. Through these visual techniques, CCS episode 1 becomes a rather remarkable work of art. Rather than speak in generalities, I would like to hone in one particular scene, depicted below. Here Sakura grows suspicious of some unknown presence in her house's library. So she goes to investigate, baton in hand.
 |
| Figure 1. Sakura Kinomoto holding a baton while peering into a bookshelf in her house's library. |
 |
| Figure 2. Depiction of the Clow Book which is supposed to contain the Clow Cards. |
 |
| Figure 3. Kero-chan, the jerk, threatens Sakura with a spoon. |
One strongly appealing element of the show is its excellent use of color, in addition to light-dark dynamics, as shown above. Sakura's brilliant green eyes are a prominent feature that highlight her mood. But furthermore, Kero-chan is depicted as yellow, providing a partial contrast to Sakura. Really, I am not sure how to explain the use of color. But CCS is a gorgeous work of art, especially considering the fact that it came out at the turn of the century. Sakura's character design is also rather on-point.
Now, anyone who knows me is wondering "why hasn't he mentioned the music yet?" Well, this is for you punks. Often orchestral in nature, the music is rather soothing and melodic and in love with woodwind instruments. In short, it sounds like fairy tale music, and convincingly interjects in the show, allowing for greater sonic enjoyment. Naturally, the voice acting intersects well with the music. No such situation where you think the music contradicts the visuals or the characters. The opening and ending themes work within this cohesiveness while adding a pop element - so these musical themes work well with the music and the general atmosphere of the show. (For an example where I think an opening or ending theme doesn't fit the feel of a show, look to AGE's opening theme 1 by Galileo Galilei.)
Having read the manga, I have noticed, at least so far, that comparatively little was adapted in this episode. That is not necessarily a bad thing, though I find the manga slow. However, these reasons are more down to personal preference than quality - rather, this is material that I seem to enjoy even more when animated. So I was rather surprised that they chose to cover a specific amount from the manga - this show is not rushed in the slightest. In my view, the visual components, along with the voice acting especially in Sakura's case, lifts this show, at least so far, over the manga.
Ultimately, this show is the sort of thing a weeb like FF would really enjoy. The visuals are stunning, Sakura Tanga makes an excellent Sakura Kinomoto, and the directing keeps the viewer on the edge of their seat. Even though I found the same segment somewhat slow in the manga, I found myself giving rapt attention to the show. Admittedly, the seventy-episode length is rather daunting, but considering what a strong first episode that was, I think I can manage. Kudos, Madhouse.
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