School Days OVA, Valentine Days: Inside Every Melodrama is a Comedy Waiting to Get Out
Posted by Mike on 24 Jan 2008 at 11:59 pm | Tagged as: School Days
The final burial of this show is done expertly, and hilariously, by the makers of the anime themselves. Having once suggested in a very serious audio column that the best way to treat this show is unseriously, there’s no better way to take that advice than to watch and enjoy this fine bit of deconstruction.
Michael’s 2007 Diet Awards, Part 2: The Losers
Posted by Mike on 31 Dec 2007 at 7:00 pm | Tagged as: Code-E, Dragonaut, El Cazador de la Bruja, Gundam 00, Hayate no Gotoku, Kyoshiro, Myself; Yourself, Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, School Days, Zero no Tsukaima
So…what shows and movies deserve a place in the hall of shame rather than the hall of fame? Since I tend to give up on shows I dislike very quickly, it’s shorter than the winners’ list. But we’ve still got plenty to populate this, the first annual Diet Demerits!
12 Days, 12 Moments: Day 11–School’s Out
Posted by Mike on 24 Dec 2007 at 6:46 pm | Tagged as: Anime Blog Collective, School Days
You didn’t think I’d forgotten this moment, did you? I deliberately saved this moment and the one I’m posting tomorrow on Christmas day for last, as I do believe they represent watersheds for the year, defining moments that portend future changes in anime in general, or a least will be remembered for many more years to come.
Today, of course, I speak of the end of that lurid soap opera so innocently titled School Days. I could just say “Nice boat” and you’d all understand. But here’s a little further reflection on what it means for anime in general.
12 Days, 12 Moments: Day 10–A Song for the Time Leaper
Posted by Mike on 23 Dec 2007 at 8:12 pm | Tagged as: Anime Blog Collective, Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo
Today’s moment is not, properly speaking, a moment in the story of The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo). It’s the ending song, “Garnet” by Hanaka Oku, which is not only sweet, melodic, and mood-appropriate–its lyrics fit the story well without being blindingly obvious or obnoxious. (One of my greatest disappointments was learning the English translation of the wonderful Russian choral song of Fullmetal Alchemist, “Bratya.” It was so…wooden and unworkable outside of FMA.) “Garnet” is probably the one anime song I listened to more this year than any other, for what I consider the finest anime film of the year.
Here’s the piano version of the song (awkward English translation here):
12 Days, 12 Moments: Day 9–In the Britannian Future, There Is Only Pizza Hut
Posted by Mike on 22 Dec 2007 at 6:33 pm | Tagged as: Anime Blog Collective, Code Geass
Today’s moment is brought to you not just by the Anime Blogging Collective and Code Geass, but also by Pizza Hut. Try our new Double Deep Pizza for just $12.99! It’s the most incredibly toppped pizza, with 50% more cheese and twice the toppings of a regular medium pizza, with the crust folded over to hold it all in! Only at Pizza Hut, Britannia’s Favorite Pizza. [Sound of clinking coins]
12 Days, 12 Moments: Day 8–Higurashi Ceases to be Horrible
Posted by Mike on 21 Dec 2007 at 8:00 pm | Tagged as: Anime Blog Collective, Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni
No, not horrible as in poor quality! 2006 was a very strong year for originality and good writing in anime, and one of the year’s great standouts (the winner of the Originality award along with Haruhi Suzumiya) was the horror-mystery series Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni. However, with this year’s season, it has long since departed from the strict horror genre, which marks a significant turn in the way we are supposed to understand the show. That’s the subject of today’s Anime Blogging Collective “12 Moments” series.
Warning: today’s entry contains significant spoilers for Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni. If you are unfamiliar with the series/game and wish to remain virginal this is not for you. ;)
12 Days, 12 Moments: Day 6–Lucky Star Gets Serious
Posted by Mike on 19 Dec 2007 at 5:58 pm | Tagged as: Anime Blog Collective, Lucky Star
How do you insert something heartfelt, even serious, in the middle of a show dedicated to jokes–and otaku jokes at that? You do it the way this year’s Hirano Aya/KyoAni lovefest, Lucky Star, did it in episode 22.
This post is brought to you by Owen’s Collective Farm the Anime Blogging Collective.
12 Days, 12 Moments: Day 5–Paprika Does the Slide
Posted by Mike on 18 Dec 2007 at 6:32 pm | Tagged as: Anime Blog Collective, Paprika
Today’s Anime Blogging Collective-sponsored moment talks about yet another anime film, as opposed to TV show, and it’s one that actually got quite a lot of attention outside the provenance of otakudom–Satoshi Kon’s Paprika. Film critics generally dig anything done by Kon or Miyazaki, and honestly, it’s not hard to see why: they are some of the most original and artistically distinct talents working in anime today. And Kon’s film features one of the most arresting and effortlessly glorious opening scenes ever.
12 Days, 12 Moments: Day 4–The Cosmonaut, Down-to-Earth
Posted by Mike on 17 Dec 2007 at 5:29 pm | Tagged as: Anime Blog Collective, Byousoku 5 Cm
Today’s moment is brought to you by the Anime Blogging Collective and Makoto Shinkai’s wonderful film anthology, Byousoku 5 Cm, which is perhaps the apotheosis of Shinkai’s work and themes and–hopefully–a turning point in his career. Each of the three films are filled with wonderful moments to highlight, often for sheer visual beauty as well as a perfection of atmosphere and emotional resonance, but the one that stood out to me for this series was this particular moment, at the end of the second film “Cosmonaut.” It is a hallmark of how far he has come as an artist and storyteller since his astounding self-produced debut as well as an emotionally redeeming moment.
12 Days, 12 Moments: Day 2–The Fathers of Moe
Posted by Mike on 15 Dec 2007 at 6:45 pm | Tagged as: Anime Blog Collective, Seto no Hanayome
Today’s ABC blogfest gorge of 12 great anime moments is from what I think is this year’s best formula show, Seto no Hanayome. It’s a show that’s full of belly laughs already, with many refreshing aspects which I wrote about in my series review, but this one has to take the cake for its, shall we say, extreme nature. It’s not just hilariously disturbing, awful, and uproarious; it’s also a brilliant piece of otaku satire.
I speak, of course, of this scene, from episode 20.
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