New Space Opera Tytania

Information is pretty scarce on this title, all I knew it is based on 3 novels by same dude who wrote Legend of Galactic Heroes and Ryoko's Case Files (Yoshiki Tanaka). A lot of people from Macross working on this one so I guess there might be something worth to watch. I really liked the character designer, Mikimito Haruhiko.

Offical site
More infos here in English

Kara no Kyokai 3rd movie 痛覚残留, Tsūkaku Zanryū

Oh yes! YES! This is one of the best TYPEMOON anime adaptation so far. I absolutely spellbound from first minute to the end. It is that awesome. Watching 2 predators sizing up each other and kill out of sheer instinct is powerful and invoking sense of awe. It is like looking at tigers, you knew they are dangerous but due to their nature, they are beautiful. The look, the functional elegance and purpose is concepts worthy to behold itself. This anime movie succeded to create this emotional raw in spades.

Long live TYPEMOON, long live Kinoko Nasu!



The infamous duel on the bridge during stormy night. This whole sequence may not be action packed in fast and furious manner but it is masterfully done. The accompanying music absolutely wonderful in this scene. Theatrical but hell it works. It is setup for an epic fight.





Fujino was looking for her inner peace, not realising in that process she found her calling despite her vehement denials about her true nature when Shiki points it out. Her superego is denying her id which causes her instability. But when her id is out, she found her true comfort as a killer. Hence Shiki's attraction to her and vice versa which at the same time hating each other. According to creditable sources, Fujino is personal favourite of Kinoko Nasu, the author of TYPEMOON.

Her smiles are creepy yet understandable. It is her own version of enigmatic Mona Lisa smile. In few scenes, her character came across as scary due to lack of empathy but yet pitiful due to misguided protection from her parents. Noto Namiko did Fujino's internal anguish and sheer dark impulse of murderous joy characterization at the flip of the coin very well.




First strike, Shiki's battle experience manifested in places she choose to fight Fujino.



Smug, confident Fujino as she appears to have an upper hand. The difference between her and Shiki despite being in the same category of people is Fujino enjoys breaking things whereas Shiki is looking for a good fight.



Shiki prepared last strike as she find out the nature of Asagami killing power. The final coup de grace. Which leads to...



I can kill anything alive, even God. What a line, what a line indeed.

The music, sound and voice acting are top notch. The characters became very alive due to good dialogue especially Fujino and Shiki. This is good example of grim and brutal story well done in anime format, not talking intensive; just show-the-story type of movie. I honestly consider this one of the superior anime movie due to sheer poetry of movement, a kind of zankoku bi or beautiful cruelty which is unique in Japanese culture. The pacing was done well and ufotable take pains to make it digestible as the source material is highly detailed during the investigation scenes (to some readers of novel, it came across as plodding). Mikiya came across as thoughtful and humane person, in this movie you can see why he is well liked by people. Despite the overwhelming darkness in the movie, his humanity shines like a beacon of hope in largely bleak setting.

It is masterpiece, absolutely masterful anime movie. Great to have this on DVD.

Trailer is here.

Cowboy Bebop Live Action?

This article here confirmed it but I honestly would rather wait for more solid confirmation. But this series has been begging to be turn into live action for some time and I am looking forward to it.

Only time will tell.

Animation, Anime and Cultural Logic of "Asianization"

I stumbled upon this sample page in Google Books here. It is part of essays in The Essential Science Fiction Television Reader and contained some really interesting stuff.

Go ahead and enjoy the reading.

Makoto Shinkai Interview

The famous anime maestro who helmed ground breaking Voices of Distant Star alone interviewed in this article. He is hailed as new Miyazaki which I beg to differ. Miyazaki is very generalist anime director whereas Shinkai is very intimate and personal director. Miyazaki paint his work on big, big very public canvas with themes of pacifism and enviromental issues, Shinkai is more to personal feelings of loss, regret, love and nostalgia. He is more Pollock Jackson than Van Gogh in a way.

Shinkai seems to me though, obsessed with sky pans. I do wonder why.



Full interview here

Some sort of summary from Makoto Shinkai fan site here

Here is some select lines that interest me a lot.

Interviewer: Cats are recurring characters in your movies. Why?
Shinkai-san: During The Place[...] I had found a new-born kitten that I decided to take care of. Also, when I was young my family had a cat and during the movie, I have found 4 cats that I decided to keep. I live in Shinjuku and there are a lot of abandoned cats. Feeding the cats has helped the team to relax.

Interviewer: There are two recurring themes in your movies which are loosing touch and communication. Why?
Shinkai-san: I did not plan it as recurring, but yes indeed, it is. At the time of Voices[...] I had a girlfriend. In Japan, SMS had started but not much, nothing compared to now. When I was sending an SMS to her and she was not replying, I was worried and so times even jalous. We were living in the same city but sometimes it was feeling as a huge distance, as if we were around different stars.

Enjoy.

Blade of Immortal Anime 1st Impressions.

Blade of the Immortal anime? Oh god, it is bad. As expected, the soundtrack did not match the feel, way too much talking too. The scene pacing is not fast and furious, it felt forced and the characters have to tell the story, not showing it. For brutal and swift chambara story, the creators tried too hard by infusing way too much dialogue which slows the anime pacing.

Fail, fail, fail. Massive thumb down from me.

I will stick to manga. Sigh. They just have to rape the fine series. Assholes.

Yakushiji Ryouko no Kaiki Jikenbo

I liked this anime a lot, and the titular character is very sensual for her strong character. Not for teeny boopers or TNA fans, I enjoyed this series a lot since this series aimed at age groups of 25 and above (like me here).



Opening



Ending.

Enjoy

History of Domo kun

Domo-kun, originally created in 1998 as a mascot to promote NHK's satellite broadcast services, has been enjoying great popularity worldwide. A series of Domo-kun puppet animation programs, newly made for overseas markets, has been sold in more countries than Oshin, NHK's popular 1980s morning drama series.

The broadcast of the animation program also started in Japan last month in the wake of its popularity abroad. But why is a character with the physique of a sofa cushion and a gaping smile, looking run-down and laid-back and saying nothing but "domo," so popular?

Domo-kun first appeared in short stop-motion sketches in December 1998 to mark the 10th anniversary of NHK's satellite broadcasting.

The sketches are about the relaxed days of Domo-kun, a strange creature that hatched from an egg that had fallen into a cave where Usajii, an old rabbit, was leading a secluded life. Other characters appearing in the sketches include a girl weasel named Ta-chan.

The main character is said to have been named Domo-kun as it became able to say only "domo" after former NHK announcer Shizuo Yamakawa, who happened to be appearing onscreen when Domo-kun was hatched, uttered the word.

The meaning of "domo" varies by context, but it often can be translated as "hello" or "thanks."

Even in this era when computer graphics are considered a universal solution, the creation of puppet animation such as the Domo-kun featurettes requires a lot of hands-on labor. Animators have to change the position or pose of the puppets little by little to act out the scenes.

Since the work requires a lot of money, too, Domo-kun animation sketches usually last for only six seconds. Even the longest version only lasted for about 30 seconds.

But fans of Domo-kun were increasing in unexpected areas. A survey by NHK on the use of its various programs without permission on the Internet revealed that images of Domo-kun were being collected mainly by North American students.

Domo-kun then caught the eye of television program producers overseas, who asked NHK if it had more substantial programs featuring Domo-kun.

In response to the growing popularity and requests, NHK decided to make a more fleshed-out Domo-kun television program. When it showed a five-minute pilot program two years ago at an international trade fair of television programs, NHK was deluged with inquires from foreign TV stations, particularly those specializing in children's programs.

"Puppet animation was originally strong in countries like Britain and Czechoslovakia. People in other countries seem to have been surprised that Japan also produces this kind of animation. They also were attracted by the charm of Domo-kun as a character," said Atsushi Oshida, the head of the character business department at NHK Enterprise Inc.

Having increased the number of characters in Domo-kun's world, NHK made 26 two-minute episodes, mainly targeting the North American market.

When it comes to the export of Japan-made television programs, many may recall Oshin, an NHK morning drama series written by Sugako Hashida, about a poor woman who endures hardships on her way to success. Oshin eventually aired in 64 countries and territories

But the long-awaited Domo-kun programs have already been sold to 115 countries and regions, including Britain, France and the United States. Broadcasting has already begun Italy, Singapore and some other countries.

"I think, regardless of nationality, people are attracted to the same movements and expressions of such characters. Domo-kun in particular offers a very unique world," said Masami Goto, deputy chief of NHK's broadcast bureau.

Link

Just in case the news got deleted, printing it here in full text. Japan produced some really weird shit, and this is one of them.

Doraemon doing charity work in Thailand

Japan's ''anime ambassador'' Doraemon brought toys, snacks and plenty of smiles for orphaned and disabled children in five homes in Pak Kret district yesterday. The cartoon cat is on a two-day visit to Thailand, which ends today. This is his second overseas trip since he was made anime ambassador by the Japanese Foreign Ministry in March.

Some 150 children were thrilled to come face to face with the robotic cat, who travels back in time from the 22nd century with cool gadgets popping up from his belly pocket.

Doraemon has been a household favourite for decades. He began his adventure on the comic book shelves in 1969, before featuring in his own televised cartoon series.

At Pakkred Babies' Home, Doraemon opened his two-hour visit by introducing himself in Thai.

More from here

I do live to the day where an anime character spearheading Japan's effort to be more friendly to the rest of the world. Guess my life is kinda complete. Hehehe

Black Lagoon OVA or 3rd Season?

Next installment of Black Lagoon is announced, will be centered on story of Roberta The Killer Maid and her vengeance on United States. I am happy yet I do wonder if if there is sufficient material to be full fledged 3rd season or it is going to be 2-3 episode OVA special. Fabiola, Roberta's helper will be new killer girl in this installment.

Nevertheless, it is a good thing that Revy and the gang is back even for a short while.

Moonphase