Muteki Kanban Musume was the only summer season series that I picked up and it’s been buckets of fun. While I like all the characters in the cast, especially the antagonism between Miki and Megumi, I eventually voted for Kayahara-sensei in the current AoMM poll. Apparently Jason is surprised that she’s in the lead. After all, she’s only a supporting character, doesn’t feature in the OP and doesn’t even have screentime for half of the series (1-3, 6-8). But almost every time she appears (出った～～～!!!), I had a good laugh. Right from the start, with the use of TV static - and I just love The Ring parodies since the original movie scared me shitless. Plus she’s got the oneesama factor. ;)
Continue reading ‘Great Teacher Kayahara’
In Anime Podcast #10, JP Meyer gave a pithy response, along the lines of "not really", to a comment and question by Thor about whether increased anti-US sentiment in anime will affect anime sales in the US. I shared Thor’s impression that in blood+ and Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig, the US has not been portrayed favourably. In addition to these two Production IG series, we’ve also seen SUNRISE draw a parallel between the US and the Blue Cosmos/Logos controlled Atlantic Federation with its capital in Washington D.C. and its puppet president Copeland in Gundam SEED Destiny.
This post attempts to look at the definitional problems that reflect the often confused and contradictory character of anti-Americanism and disentangle how separate levels of analysis are often conflated. Furthermore, this post argues that many of these ideas and themes regarded as “anti-American” are echoed in or even influenced by US political science, literary, cinematic and popular culture sources.
Continue reading ‘Anti-Americanism in Anime’
So what’s the yuri anime scene going to be like after Strawberry Panic and Simoun? Based on this invaluable Airborne Early Warning post by Omni, Otome wa Boku ni Koi Shiteru looks like a possible candidate - except for the existential problem of the protagonist actually being a guy. While an argument can be made at the metaphysical level for this to be considered yuri (the girls think he’s a she), reality and something else will rear its head when the girls urm try to get into his panties.
Further down the horizon, StoPani might have paved the way for more imitators. We might see the yuri eroge Sono Hanabira ni Kuchizuke wo (To Kiss That Flower Petal) by the doujin game circle, Fuguriya, as a mainstream anime in the future. But it’s early days as the download version of the game was only release this month and the packet edition goes out in October.
Continue reading ‘Yuri Eroge “Hanabira”’
StoPani has been both excruciating and entertaining. The ending wasn’t too surprising, given all the hints sprinkled in the run up to the final episode. I’m also relieved that most of the loose ends were nicely tied up, even though the final episode was entitled "Beginning" - unlike certain egregious recent SUNRISE series Which Shall Not Be Named. It also continues to affirm my belief that OPs can give a good indication of a series’ plot direction.
Continue reading ‘Strawberry Panic 26 (End)’
We’re into the final stretch and I’ve just managed to catch up before the final episode tomorrow! With the tension gone between Hikari and Yaya, I find myself suddenly bored with the Spica arc and am dropping any further comment or screencapping there. Though Chikaru-oneesama was great with her saintly smile as Hikari nuzzled her chest. Mmmm… :D~~~ The big question that remains is: Is it going to be a Shizuma x Nagisa ending?
Continue reading ‘Strawberry Panic 24-25′