hontou ni Stripey Insists Sisters Cry Oniichan Now

from the ancient times #ABC

No, not Gachapen. While struggling to remember and add pre-2005 anime to MAL, I dug out the handful of old anime reviews I wrote which predate this blog. It's been fun re-reading them; I've been surprised at how some of my views have changed. Or not.

801 T.T.S. Airbats (Reviewed 2001-12-27)

New mechanic, PTE Isurugi, is posted to the 801st Tactical Training Squadron also known as the "airbats" which is an all-female aerial acrobatic squandron. The squadron is actually a joke, where problem or unwanted pilots are dumped and must constantly struggle against the local brass who want this embarrassment expunged from their formation.

The gung-ho mecha-freak Isurugi "accidentally" wins the romantic affections of the two most prominent pilots, the sweet Haneda and the tomboyish Mitaka, as well as acceptance by the other members of the unit.

Quite surprised that this series was made with the cooperation of the Japan Air Self-Defence Force since it deals with some very serious and biting issues like discrimination against women within the JASDF where it is nearly impossible for females to become combat pilots as well as the unfavourable portrayal of middle-ranking JASDF officers as bumbling back-stabbing bureaucratic rats/snakes. Could be why the series is of a rather unorthodox length (7 eps only).

Interesting characterisation, some nice aircraft animation and humour made this series a memorable one for me especially since it is a relatively not-so-recent anime as well. Isurugi is at least skilled as a mechanic and passionate about the Airbats so he isn't as pathetic as normal angsty, self-centred anime males. The rivalry between Haneda and Mitaka over Isurugi is fun to watch as well (Though the subversive question could be asked "If an attractive female superior comes on to a loser-type male subordinate, is it improper? And does it constitute sexual harrassment?"). That ramen eating competition when the whole armed forces (and even the Soviets) tune in and lay bets was particularly hilarous.

The series does really overly on coincidence and deux ex machina to resolve a major problem. Also after ep 3 when the major threat to the 801st recedes, some of the dramatic tension was lost. However, still an enjoyable series.

The ramen eating ep is still my favourite. And while I used to be a tad put off by the sudden shift in mood of the final episode, my post-DVD purchase rewatch caused me to find a new appreciation for the bittersweetness of the memories and for the characters of Saginomiya and Konishi (beyond the immediate appeal of their seiyuu, Kikuko Inoue and Norio Wakamoto respectively); a pleasant case of 'Truth Will Out' But It Doesn't Really Matter Anymore.

Abenobashi (Reviewed 2003-12-11)

Female lead? Arumi had a strong character which reminded of the young, often feisty, leading ladies from Hayao Miyazaki's Studio Ghibli productions like Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Laputa: Castle in the Sky and, of course, Spirited Away. This is subverted towards the end when you realise how much Sassi is in the driving seat and how he as the male eventually "saves the day".

Alternate universes. A friend made an excellent point when he decried how "garish and boring" the worlds created by a young boy are. I believe that some of this garishness is intentional in the way Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill borrows from, makes reference to, subverts genres like yakuza flicks, samurai movies and spaghetti westerns. Gainax, being its usual undiffident self, is probably poking fun at the stereotypes that plague anime, the lack of imagination and sterility. There are some references to how Gainax's own work have contributed to such stereotyping and ossification - the use of the Evangelion OST in the third episode with the space city hitting the nail right on the head while being funny and ironic as hell. However, each world does seem to successfully capture the good and bad of the particular genre while using Arumi and Sassi's attempt to go home as the central thread to hold the series together. Have to admit i couldn't catch any of the in-jokes for the Kanon parody as i didn't watch any of that ilk.

Onmyoji. Interesting exposition into this particular type of Japanese magician/priest which i previously only encountered in X-1999 in the form of Subaru Sumeragi and Seishiro Sakurazuka. Gainax also had quite a lot of fun with this by showing just how worldly and ordinary the mighty onmyoji Utasu/Abe could be and how a great onmyoji can be found in someone like Sassi. Underlying lead-in into the worlds which only became apparent later and was the instrument to bring the series to a resolution.

Now that I've seen Kanon (2006), maybe should I dig out and rewatch that episode. And my favourite onmyoji show is still Tokyo Babylon. Argh, the agony of waiting for Mouryou no Hako subs.

Angelic Layer (Reviewed 2002-02-??)

Players ('Deus', usually young girls) use brainwaves and willpower to control miniature robo-doll fighters ('Angel') inside an arena enfused with an energy field ('Layer').

Basically AL is a childhood/growing up story centred on Misaki's quest to advance on the Layer, meet new friends and, most importantly, seek reunification with her mother. The Layer and the tournament becomes a metaphor for life, teaching the lessons of overcoming and affirmation. It is also the medium through which Misaki learns more about herself and those around her.

I found this series very charming and entertaining. Sweet but not saccharine; gently instructive but not preachy or condescening; character/plot development balanced with good fight scenes, and not a single wasted episode - plenty of backstory to build the entire series as a coherent and viable whole. I was also particularly impressed by the seiyuu who played Misaki (same one who voiced Yukino in KareKano).

There are the usual cliches (the Caucasian-looking idol who has a Japanese name and speaks flawless Japanese, a cast of 'pick your favourite' stereotypes, some contrivance on the romance angles) and the whole thing about "wings" in the finale but nothing too annoying or preposterous to detract from the goodness of the series.

Fun and heartwarming, even for someone with as black a heart as mine.

Over time, the issue of Hikaru's wings in the final battle bothers me more and more. Mostly because of incompatibility with her colour scheme and chara design rather than any Real Physics (Not in my animu!) type gripes.

Black Heaven (Reviewed 2002-03-04)

Animation. Terrible. Especially the space battles. Augh.

Plot. Lame. Salaryman Tanaka Oji with mid-life crisis is whisked away by hot alien chick Layla Yuki to relive his glory days as Gabriel Tanaka the lead guitarist of a hard rock metal band, playing his guitar that inexplicably controls an Ultimate Weapon to kick evil alien ass. (Buries face in hands)

Two thumbs down? Certainly not.

I found the mid-life crisis theme very compelling. Though sometimes overdrawn, the crushing oppression of Real Life was brought home very well. Ordinary job. Wife and kids. The extinction of your dreams amidst the quiet desperation of normality. Tanaka is a dreamer gradually being crushed by the banality and entropy of RL.

Also the tension created by his escapades in Tanaka's family and work life is also masterful. The gossip in the company, amongst the wives in the company dormitory/housing estate, how his wife worries etc. do seem to accurately reflect the social environment in Japan and chillingly portray the process of marital break down.

The characters of Tanaka and Layla were the main hooks for me. Tanaka could be whiny and pathetic but also charismatic and passionate - the series showed how life could bring out each side of him. Layla, besides being a seriously hot chick, represented the non-rocker point of view which gradually begins to understand the meaning of the 'groove' and the passion and interaction behind the 'live' performance. I found both the voice acting behind them to be very expressive as well. The last episode was quite satisfying. The main plot histories and lines were effectively tied up - definitely a relief from series that end abruptly without much conclusion or catharsis, an especially grevious sin when much of the series was stuffed with fluff and filler.

In conclusion, I think Black Heaven is an underrated anime but will probably not go down well with wider audiences. While I derived considerable enjoyment from it, your own mileage may vary.

I bought the DVD boxset during the RightStuf clearout following GENEON USA's collapse but I haven't rewatched it yet. Trying to find an anime blog that did episode posts on this series but no joy so far. LOL that Star Crossed's review intro paragraph also heaped criticism upon the series before pronouncing it to be a great anime. One of the funnier reviews I vaguely remember complained about the number of times the Cautionary Warning instrumental was played; I was so sure it was BluWacky but I can't find it on Cinnamon Ass.

Comic Party (Reviewed 2002-03-05)

Comic Party is really a microcosm of the world of doujinshi fandom. The various characters represent the types of personalities that this world contains:

1. The aspiring manga-ka (manga artist) who has some talent but is a newbie as far as the mechanics of the doujinshi world is concerned, learns through advice and experience.

2. The gung-ho manga-fan who doesn't actually draw but gives his unsuspecting friend the crucial push to enter the world of fandom. Mainly provides infrastructural support and contacts. Think Largo from Megatokyo, well, that was before Largo fell off the wagon or got ousted, depending on which version you believe. (Piro himself had remarked how Comic Party really reflects the mayhem and madness that a manga project or online comic involves.)

3. The established, friendly manga-ka who is moderately successful and is more than happy to help, advise and just listen to the aspiring manga-ka. Another character is quite experienced but her work is not very popular but she continues to do it even if one person wants to read it - small scale, small but dedicated following.

4. The wildly successful manga-ka whose work is snapped up like hotcakes without much promotion effort because of established reputation and fanbase. The character in CP is rather snotty and arrogant though some very successful manga-kas are the best of #3 and #4. Central to the argument of which is the indication of the good/successful manga-ka - selling many copies vs. producing quality art for art's sake even if it sells less well.

5. The con staff/gophers who organise the Comic Party that is the main social event for manga-ka and their fans/customers to meet and the event that allows new manga-ka to be inducted into the world of doujinshi. Mature cons and their staff function very much like a competent small business, think Otakon or ACen.

6. The printers who translate the one piece works of the manga-ka into enough copies to be sold and disseminated. The bit about ink-san and paper-san favouring those who draw with spirit rather than just desire to make money/fans was a laudable if rather romantic notion.

7. Cosplayers, who are often though of as 'hen' (strange) and fight against their stereotyped association with pornography and/or sexual fetishes, express their love for the manga by taking great pains to dress up well as their favourite characters. Due to their own perceived inability to draw doujinshi, cosplay is their avenue to express their love and creative urges.

8. Of course, the world of doujinshi would not be complete without its otaku fans. Represented by two bland loser-type nameless characters in CP, they show many of the angles of the otaku - knowledgeable bordering on (and even crossing over to) the obsessive, can very harshly critical (armchair criticism), encouraging, trollish, lecherous - difficult for the manga-ka to deal with, trapped as she/he is between the desire for popularity and the preservation of the integrity of his/her art.

9. There is also the outsider, represented by the aspiring manga-ka's wannabe girlfriend, who sees doujinshi world as a waste of time and an unnatural use of energy and time. Such people view fans and fandom with the contempt that is sometimes heaped on Trekkies and the like, seeing them as losers and social/emotional cripples. In CP, rather happily for the manga-ka, the girl comes to realise the labour of love that these manga-ka are involved and accepts it for the good intentions and real effort behind it.

On the one hand, the fact I can hardly remember anything about the plot or charas of Comic Party seems to indicate it was a pretty forgettable series. On the other hand, on re-reading the review, the issues I picked up on then seem obvious now, which seems to indicate how deeply this series has influenced my understanding of how doujin circles work; though, of course, I have learnt MOAR since then. And I think it wouldn't have enjoyed Genshiken as much if I hadn't seem this first.

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2. from the ancient times FGH
3. from the ancient times IMO