What’s On: Back to humanity edition
A couple months without a night or weekend off, then a week of some insane (probably non-swine) flu, a new TV season is here and nary a word. Blah, blah, work, vomit, excuses. What’s next? For me, Fall 2009 is like a ghost town in a western movie, sequel and spinoff tumbleweeds slowly rolling across my field of vision as some Morricone ripoff tunes play and bloggers get all bent out of shape about underage lesbianism that’ll never pay off. The logic to a flagging anime industry is sound: instead of producing a 50-episode series, produce a few 12-or-24-episode series, continue the ones that do well as “sequels.” That’s fine, but if you didn’t catch it the first time around, there’s not a lot of value in finding out what Haruka’s dirty little secret is (she cosplays as Shana? That’s more shameful than my own supposed secret…).
Darker Than Black
However, there is Darker than Black, and my illness conveniently laid me up in bed to finish the original series. Have to say, it was, uh, “better than it should be.” Light chuckle here because, putting the ridiculousness of that statement aside, it was just about as good as it should be. Tensai Okamura and Bones created something that is, in a way, very typically Bones — think RahXephon, Eureka Seven and its red-headed stepsister Xam’d — in the way that the story was put together. The method: Create a compelling but mysterious world, and don’t reveal too much about its nature until near the climax. In some ways, it’s a cheap way of keeping the viewer hooked, but I can’t say I don’t prefer it to A Certain Expositional Infodump that a large amount of anime is guilty of to some degree.
It’s not typically Bones in that its characters are distant, sort of unknowable. The warmth you can feel in Xamdou’s most aloof character Nakiami, for example, is far stronger than what I got from DtB’s Hei or even the human Misaki. I suppose part of it comes from the fact that Contractors aren’t supposed to feel emotion (though Hei’s case is a little more complicated). This makes them distant from anyone, so the viewer should be no different. All in all, I liked the story, I liked the action, I liked almost all of the characters, and the “cool” factor was in place. I’m skeptical of the new season, with its lack of Yoko Kanno, but I enjoyed the first enough to make this a no-brainer.
Cowboy Bebop
Speaking of Yoko Kanno and Fonz Factor, I also spent some time re-watching Cowboy Bebop. It’s been a lot of years since I saw it, and my subsequent re-education in anime allowed me to view it with new eyes — which is what second and third viewings are all about. It hasn’t diminished in my eyes; if anything I have even more respect, plus I watched it in Japanese for the first time and was delighted to hear Coach Emperor Wakamoto as Vicious. I’m not going to go on about Cowboy Bebop too much, you could fill a library with what’s already been said. It did get me thinking about something Zaitcev mused a while back about Honey & Clover: “What is particularly ‘anime’ about this anime?” In the case of H&C, I disagree, there’s plenty there to keep it in the realm, but with Bebop, I’m less certain.
For one, romantic drama is kept to a minimum. A mixed-gender spaceship in most anime, at the least, would create some sexual tension or maybe a Naked Misunderstanding or two. But for the crew of the Bebop, romance is a thing that happened in the past. Each of the three majors gets a “past coming back to haunt them” episode chronicling their turbulent experience with the opposite sex, most notably Spike. The present is a time for work — dangerous work with no room for such distractions. There’s only one “baka” from Faye that really carries the typical meaning, and it’s very late in the series.
Secondly… everything else. Really. Why break that out into bullets? Cowboy Bebop skips over almost everything. Teenage characters: One, briefly. Something to protect: Sorry, not really, unless you count cash. Tsunderes, seifukus, people crying a lot, techno-babble, mecha, evocation of moe, forget them all.
What it does have, of course, is an obsession with music and an amazing soundtrack to match. Both the anime and its Kanno music seem overflowing with ideas and hooks, a feeling that’s rare in something as polished and tightly executed as this. But that’s another tired subject when it comes to Bebop. If the series has a significant fault, it’s that we’re asked to take the story’s word on a great deal of things that happened in the past, rather than made to feel their significance. And that can lessen the impact of the otherwise astounding end.
At any rate, if for some bizarre reason you’ve never seen it, you’re missing out on one great example of what happens when some talented people get together and treat anime as a medium rather than a genre.
Planetes
I’ve watched 4 episodes of Goro Taniguchi’s space-junk saga so far, and the jury’s still out, but it’s an interesting take on near-ish future Sci-Fi. I wouldn’t exactly call it “hard” SF but the notion of space garbage getting in the way of progress is a realistic-sounding one anyway, and a lot of attention is given to the technological details and the mechanics of zero-G. A future where astronauts are skilled but un-amazing laborers and the whole of space is mired in bureaucracy, politics, and nepotism is a depressing future, but of course our idealistic naïve lead shoujo is here to brighten the picture.
Oddly, I see parallels to a more recent series, Production IG’s Library War: Cute, short-haired underachiever joins an exotic but ultimately unglamorous job that isn’t quite what she thought it would be, is beset by a tsun-tsun coworker, and tries to foist her wide-eyed idealism onto the world. I’m sure the comparison will pretty much end there, but it’s the kind of story that’s not hard to get behind, even if Ai can be a little shrill at time.
That about covers my recent viewing, aside from Utena and the various things I occasionally watch but will never finish, like Harlock and Legend of the Galactic Large Amount of Episodes. You should expect to see more on that soon as well. As of Fall ‘09 week 2, do you agree with my “alternative” choices or is there anything this season I’m missing?
PLANETES is amazing. The early episodes are kind of filler-ish (although I’m quite fond of them), but by the halfway mark it starts pulling more from the manga’s plotline and enters a new zone of greatness.
Also Ai Tanabe is one of my anime heroines but I support ridiculously idealistic people 100%. The optimist, after all, is always the one in constant rebellion.
So far I haven’t seen anything I’d call filler so much as “setting-establishing.” Episodic, but it really is helping to immerse you the world. I’ve heard you and others talk very highly of it, so I’m optimistic.
And yes — the world is a harsh place that cares very little for your ideals, so maintaining those in the face of what seems like futility can be a rebellious act of the best kind.
It’s almost getting to the point where saying anything about the “classics” of anime such as NGE or Bebop is just rehashing something someone said a few years ago.
for sure. didn’t stop me though, even after saying I wasn’t going to… orz
I never caught Planetes either, although I’ve heard so many good things about it. I’m still working off my Darker than Black backlog so that I can watch the sequel.
As a blogger, I love the one-cour trend, because I don’t have to make the same time commitment to shows. It’s interesting that anime shows don’t get canceled all the time after X episodes the way live action shows do. I can only imagine executives watching the first episodes of some crappy anime and being like “WTF was that?!?!” and then pulling the plug after checking out the low ratings.
I hear you. I’m far more likely to start watching something that I know will be over in one cour. I probably would have given up on Canaan and more than a few others had I known they’d be 26- or 50-episode series.
You’ve seen/read harder SF than Planetes? Really? They have invisible laser beams. That’s so far up the Mohs scale diamonds have shat themselves in terror.
Things you might be missing; eh… nah, not really. I think I might be watching Kampfer, but more because the concept of a moe-fied Ranma with less fanservice than the original amuses me no end than because of actual merit. Letter Bee is supposed to be good, but I couldn’t get past the fact that the writers apparently believe that every other line must be a lead-in for bad exposition.
haha ok I guess I should reconsider that statement about the hardness. Given what you say, and of course Wikipedia starts off like this:
Letter Bee is the only current series I’ve given much thought to, but hearing that makes me wary. Constant exposition has to be one of my least favorite things. Besides killing momentum, I feel like my intelligence is being insulted.
“and bloggers get all bent out of shape”
I find your choice of words most appropriate. Thanks for linking me.
Glad you’re liking Darker Than Black. The sequel is one of the shows I’m currently enjoying as well.
And thank you for telling it like it is. It’s a tease that seems tailor-made for the doujins…
I’ve seen the first two episodes of Planetes and immediately fell in love with it… but then immediately dropped it as well. I just didn’t have time for a 24-26 ep show back then =( (I do plan to watch it…someday)
Anyways, DTB2 is where it’s at, yo! I’m glad they didn’t go the 20+ episode route so I don’t have to deal with that 2-ep-style thing they did last season (I did enjoy it though). Also, you gotta give props to Hei’s mullet. He’s keepin’ it G! Sailin’ and Soarin’ through da enemies PEE! :3
UR LANCE FROM *NSYNC?!?! =O HUBBA-HUBBA!!! LET ME GET YO NUMBAH, GURL!!!
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CURSES JESUS159159159 YOU HAVE DISCOVERED THE TRUTH. What you don’t know is that I’m also Jordan from the New Kids.
Trapeze is something I’m not going to watch because I think the visuals are so ‘acid trip’ strange that I don’t get it at all enough to trust myself to enjoy it. But you might!
Cowgirl Ed is a barefoot loli. Jus sayin’
I hadn’t even heard of it until I saw the Bible Toads post with the promo. Might give it a shot just in the hopes of seeing something… different.
Are you jus sayin’ in order to refute my argument that there aren’t a lot of anime-isms in Bebop? If so, I counter counter your point because Ed’s arms are way rubbery. Jus sayin’
Ed was THE best part of Cowboy Bebop. Hands down.
I cried–and still remember this scene with very strong affection–when she and Ein left the Bebop. The rest I could’ve taken or left–suave action-y series and movies were never my strong point–but when I get around to picking up and re-watching the series properly again, Ed will be my metric.
That was a strong moment for sure. Of course, coupling it with Faye departing the Bebop as well made for a general mood of melancholy, but all of the characters’ lives were transient so I like to see it as more bittersweet.
I think I can relate to your experience of watching Bebop. Personal faves or otherwise significant and well known titles get really different spins when we see them in the other language, perhaps because we know the one version so well.
Take for example, Dragonball Kai. I know I’ve said this elsewhere, but to say DBZ was my first anime is a DieBuster sized understatement. I followed the show religiously, and have seen it however umpteen times it ran on Cartoon Network for so many years. Many years later, now I’m watching Dragonball Kai, and it’s like I’m watching it with new eyes. At its core it’s the same show, but it’s different now, partly from improved pace, different voices and language, and cutting out the crap, but also because I’m a far different fan than oh so many years ago. It gives the show new life and gives me new excitement about it.
I’m getting through Planetes (to episode 9) very slowly myself. My unenthusaism is nothing to do about concept or story or production values, but nearly everything to do with my personal irritation with the two main leads. They’re really extreme personality types I dislike in real life, they’re difficult to work with and difficult to relate to, and they’re not faring too well in fictional forms either. It’s just really tough to watch new episodes about people you want to grab and say, “Hey, cool it!”. Shrill is putting it lightly; like nails on chalkboard.
But I’m committed to finishing this. The space ninjas episode brought a smile to my face, and I’m banking that what OGT says is true with a power-up into the second half. Overall its not so bad and has got too many good recommendations for me to stop now.
As far as the new season, I took a shotgun approach and still hit nothing. Sure, there’s the holdovers from way back in Spring (the aforementioned DBKai, Cross Game, FMA Bro) but nothing new I’m looking forward to each week. Despite the new 1-2 cour trend, since I don’t have blogging responsibilities like others do, I seriously think I might not finish anything I picked up this season.
Yeah that’s the essence of the linked post. The shows we watch don’t change — they age, but aside from the technical aspects that’s not really a change at all — we’re the ones who change. And that is awesome to me because it gives new life to old stuff.
I’m at about episode 8 in Planetes myself. I can see how you say that about the two leads. In essence it’s the same as plenty of other pairs, including the Library War characters that I mentioned, but Ai and Hachimaki just seem amped up to 11 all the time. It can be grating. Her rants about love (which I find hard to take seriously, given her name and all) are charming enough, but they’re a bit nagging in their delivery. Anyway, it’s not enough to put me off of the story altogether, but it does soften the edges of the hard SF.
I hope you remember the space ninjas for later. Then you’ll see and understand what I mean about the second half kicking it up a notch.
Then again I have no idea or ability to conceive of what 99.99% of people other than me read books or watch anime or movies for so you should probably take everything I say with a salt lick.
(for otou-san) “Hard SF” is simply strict adherence to natural science laws when creating new technology–the “hard” sciences. Social sciences are the “soft” sciences.
Being labeled “hard SF” does not preclude having “fiction” in your “science”. Unfortunately, most hard SF authors get too involved with tech porn and accuracy to realize this. If anything, hard SF is the single genre that needs a serious injection of people who write about people and not technology.
Meanwhile, I’ll enjoy a good story that happens to have a great deal of scientific accuracy.
What I mean about Hachi and Tanabe is that they add a sorta cartoony vibe to an otherwise hyperrealistic atmosphere. Really, that’s ok though — I usually stray away from that kind of sci-fi because I feel like I’m reading a textbook, and as you say, a good story with scientific accuracy is a much better option.
I thought that the section chief and his assistant and the secretary (all of whom were added to the anime) filled the “cartoonish characters” quota to the earlier episodes more than Tanabe and Hachi. I mean, Ravi is nothing but ridiculous for most of the series. Even his serious episode is pretty oddly lighthearted for Planetes.
Also Gigalt hasn’t shown up yet, I think. You would know because NORIO WAKAMOTO.
I sort of didn’t care for Hachi until episode 13, where his personality is put in context with his family (they sure are a lively bunch). Tanabe is a distilled Kasahara, which works both ways–but she’s still great.
My favorite has to be Fee (hot-blooded badass woman), and Yuri (best backstory). This Nono is fine too.
When a Hitomi insert song starts playing, you know that scene is going to be awesome.
Can’t wait, I have yet to hear an insert song but it’s really holding my attention pretty well so far. I think Planetes does a great job creating the classic “ragtag group of lovable losers” that you just can’t help but cheer for.
Nice imagery for Fall 2009, a.k.a. the Fall. Trapeze is my best hope..Letter Bee so so and for some perverse reason I’m going to watch Anyamaru 02…
cowboy bebop rocks.
I’m not familiar with Anyamaru. Trapeze is like one of those plans in an old cartoon: it’s so crazy it just might work.
Loved Darker Than Black, I’m wary of the new season myself, but love for the first is enough to get me to take a look.
I’m always skeptical of sequels, but I agree — the first was strong enough to warrant a look.
Cowboy Bebop is boss.
Planetes is boss.
It will crush your dreams of being an astronaut.
I never finished Darker Than Black,
but I will,
because Bones owns my soul.
Thankfully I harbor no such dreams
May I press you for an Utena update?
>_>
<_<
Where da forums at? BTW Have you ever tried manga?