Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex

Keeping in line with my Kanno whore-ism, I purchased the GITSSAC boxset as soon as it came out. I don't care about anime enough to actually buy them separately anymore, especially since I generally buy these shows to hear the soundtracks. I wasn't sure what I expected going in, but GITSSAC is very different from the movies. It still retains many elements, but it goes off in almost a completely different direction.

Stand Alone Complex is kinda like an American police drama. In addition to returning characters like Major Kusanagi, Batou and Togusa, they introduce a bunch of others to form "Section 9", a top secret special ops group. Being in the future, they tend to deal with cyber crimes.

Many of the episodes are self-contained, like American dramas tend to be. But there is a main story that surfaces. Even in the self-contained episodes, there are clues thrown here and there relating to the main plot so what was once a minor detail becomes a piece to an overall big puzzle. As the series goes on, more pieces appear but the puzzle enlarges too. By the end, there's so many questions, conspiracies and coverups that it's hard to believe there's a resolution. Surprisingly, many of the ends are tied up by the time the last set of credits roll.

It was a fun adventure - one I will probably take again at some point. I really enjoy shows where a trivial plot grows into a huge conspiracy. Just as the characters are thrown for a loop, and pile on question after question, we the viewers are tossed into their world as well. What surprised me most of all were the Tachikoma. Tachikoma are these spider-like mechanoids but in Stand Alone Complex... they're incredibly adorable! They have these cutesy personalities and easily were my favorite part of the show. It almost makes you think you're watching shoujo anime instead of a (mostly) serious detective drama. Plus, after each episode are "Tachikoma no Hibi" shorts. The shorts have continuity with previous Tachikoma no Hibi episodes as well as the Stand Alone Complex episode right before it. Many of the shorts have completely random humor, which is another plus for me.

With an intriguing main story, cutesy characters, and random humor, the entire GITSSAC package won me over. Now I just need patience for the 2nd Gig Box.

Brain Power'd

I bought this series on a whim mainly because I collect Kanno series, and because they released it on DVD at a decent price. I’ve heard a lot of negative press on BP, of how it tries to be an Evangelion-killer, but falls flat on its face.

Let me first say that it’s no Evangelion. Aside from having mechs that are in themselves, alive, I see no connection whatsoever. Whereas Eva uses the Kaballah teachings as a backdrop to tell their story, Brain Power’d has its own universe and own logic. And whereas Eva is very interested in the psychological battle waging inside of its individual characters, Brain Power’d focuses more on the family unit.

Let’s get the presentation out of the way: While the art in BP isn’t too bad, the animation is horrible. It’s far too obvious that it’s a low budget show with very little movement in characters and mechs. The direction is quite sloppy with quick scene-cuts that are more jarring than anything else. This crude editing also has its way in splicing up the background music in the show. But oh what incredible music it is. Kanno goes back to a mainly orchestral style after Bebop with this score. The music is a blend of celtic and organic for the most part, with several standard orchestral pieces sounding like it was influenced from Jurassic Park. It’s a great mix, and one of my favorite Kanno scores. So yeah, visually it’s pretty poor but it’s got a pretty soundtrack.

The story is too convoluted for its own good. Everything might make sense within the confines of the BP universe, but as a viewer, you can only nod in agreement to what plot points are revealed. Nothing really registers, because the connection between Brain Power’ds, GrandChers, vital globe networks, B-Plates and whatnot are all nonsense. Despite their attempts at explaining, all you really know is that GrandChers are collecting B-Plates for their spaceship Orphen. BrainPowereds and the Novis Noah crew try to stop them, because if Orphen surfaces, the impact would destroy the world. It kinda makes sense when you simplify it like that, but it’s in the details that make you end up with a blank stare. It might have even been better if they didn’t try explaining anything at all. In the end, I simply had no opinion of the show due to its gibberish. I had no idea what was going on, and why people did what they did.

But I would say what the creators were trying to portray was the family unit. Every aspect of the show comes down to that. The characters have deep family issues... some have had siblings die on them. Others have had parents that betrayed them. Many have suffered due to a lack of affection from their parents. Even the Brain Powerds and GrandChers themselves have “family issues” in a sense. And all this adds up to the main players being totally messed up. I wouldn’t necessarily say that BP is a commentary on the family unit, but it is definitely a recurring motif throughout the universe.

Maybe if the entire show didn’t execute everything so poorly, the plot and family portrayal would be more than enough to carry the show. But generally everything is quite sub-par. A ridiculous story that’s implausible, much less understandable told in a low-budget kind of way. If there’s any positives, it’s that Utsumiya Hime is quite cute. She’s totally a tomboy which plays to my own preferences. Otherwise, Brain Power’d did little other than to meet my curiosity.

Shoujo Kakumei Utena

Most screwed up show I've ever seen. Seriously. Take a girly cartoon, throw in random humor (as opposed to humor at random), and complete it with lots of angst, confusion, and MUCH MUCH WRONGNESS and you've got Utena. It's rather shocking that the target audience of the show is little girls. Nevertheless, I think people tend to avoid Utena because they do think it's for little girls... but get passed that shell and you'll see something very disturbing inside. As the series progresses from episode to episode, shock value shoots way up.

Where do we begin. The series is generally broken down into three arcs. The Student Council arc introduces the major players, starts things off lightly... at least compared to the rest of the series... and is probably the silliest of the three. That's not to say that there aren't silly eps scattered throughout the series... but the angst factor is balanced a lot by typical shoujo antics and really bizarre humor. A lot of character exposition is done here, particularly among the student council members, and it really sets the stage for the last arc. The duels are really well done, with each battle being unique. I would say this arc has the best balance of everything that makes Utena what it is.

The second arc, the Black Rose Arc, seems to be almost isolated in that the major enemy comes out of nowhere, and in the end plays no significant role. That isn't to say the Black Rose arc is worthless... on the contrary, despite every duel being exactly the same, what I enjoyed is the emphasis on the characters' internal struggles. Before each battle, the duelist sits in an elevator, and basically talks about what they're feeling as if to a shrink. The psychoanalysis is sorta akin to the last two eps of Eva. Not to mention, the wrongness factor is driven way up. The series has tons of sexual and taboo innuendos... but while hinted in the first arc, it becomes a bit more blatant here.

The last arc, the Apocalpyse Saga as CPM has billed it, is way more plot-driven. For the first two arcs, you observe a lot of things, but you never know what's going on. This last arc reveals a lot of its secrets, but I still have no clue what the series was about. Haha. I'll edit this once I finish the series a 2nd time. The last arc also ups the wrongness factor, so that I generally felt disturbed after watching each ep.

So if I don't exactly understand it, do I like it? Yeah... I like it a lot. The series is quite twisted. You think everything is normal, and then the show will throw curveball that smacks you right in the face. The "wrongness" that I keep referencing is also kind of a plus, as I've not seen too many other things that elicit such a response. But most of all, it's pretty darn entertaining. It mixes sweet tender moments, cutesy-ness, nice choreographed sword battles, oddball humor, heart-wretching angst, great Mitsumune soundtrack, a quirky directing style and keeps you guessing as to what happens next every step of the way. There's no other series like it.

Kaze no Tani no Naushikaa vs Mononoke Hime

These movies are pretty much telling the same story. I just rewatched both of them back-to-back so I have a clearer picture of them. I wonder if that was intentional, as Nausicaa was Miyazaki's first Ghibli film, and Mononoke Hime was supposed to be his last.

Nausicaa tells the story about a world being swallowed up in the sea of decay. The guardians of the sea are huge swarms of insects who are constantly at war with man. Nausicaa is the princess of the Valley of the Wind. When a foreign ship crash-lands right next to the Valley, she and her land are caught up in a political struggle of survival. The foreign ship comes from Tormekia, a military country in the west and their calvary comes to scoop up the crashed cargo, which turns out to be spoils of war from Pejite, another empire. Each of the three groups is willing to do whatever it takes to guarantee their peoples' survival. In the end, the battle of man vs insect takes precedence.

Mononoke Hime begins with Prince Ashitaka saving his village from a possessed boar-god. In doing so, he is cursed with a deadly disease and is thus banished from his village. He goes westward looking for answers. In the west, you observe a battle between man and nature. Lady Eboshi creates an industrial empire for her and the Tatara people, but at the cost of destroying the forest. That causes the animal tribes to be quite ticked off, not the least of which is the Wolf tribe and San, the human girl they raised. Eventually Eboshi and her town get caught up in political battles as well, because of its great industrial wealth. It finally escalates into a battle of man and nature, with Ashitaka and San trying to save both.

In both, the main theme is man vs nature. They each point out how man the cause for their own suffering. What amuses me is how the West is sorta portrayed as the "villains", but I suppose that's kinda expected. Nausicaa focuses more on how man will abuse their power if it means survival for them. Mononoke on the other hand, shows a slightly less selfish motives, but nevertheless exposes consequences for man's luxuries.

I tend to think that Mononoke Hime was the better film, with a clearer message. The fact that Ashitaka gets integrated into the Tatara way of life allows us to really warm up to these people who are generally quite kind and sympathetic. Its this sympathetic response that brings it closer to home, whereas the self-surviving people in Nausicaa come off as evil. Mononoke Hime's entire story, even its political subtexts, revolves around the man vs nature conflict so it's impossible to miss.

But nevertheless, I like Nausicaa more. Granted it is a little messier in its point, and in some ways does not provide a resolution for its problems, but Nausicaa excels in some areas. Nausicaa herself is quite a charming character. She's tough as nails, self-sacrificing, fears nothing, and always looking after others' interests. Yet at the same time, she is also human - she acts rashly out of anger, weeps when tragedy occurs, and carries a childish innocence. It also feels like Mononoke is a remake of Nausicaa not only because of all the similarities in themes, but even in execution. There were some scenes in Mononoke that seemed straight-up ripped out of Nausicaa and repainted with the new characters. So even if MH was more effective, it often feels like it just touches up on what Nausicaa already did. Nausicaa was a pioneer in the world of animation, so I give it a lot of credit for that. And though it's almost 20 years old, it animates beautifully.

Regardless, though there's much in common with the two films, they'll both captivate you in different ways.

Kareshi Kanojo no Jijou

The first time I saw KareKano, I was hooked. Literally. It's that good. At least most of it is.

Here's the rundown. Model student Miyazawa Yukino meets her match. She's been the object of admiration all her life, but now that she's in highschool, she discovers a rival by the name of Arima Souichirou. You see, Yukino has thrived all her life on the praise she receives. She's intelligent, beautiful and extremely nice. Well... at least that's the image she puts forth. She is entirely motivated by the compliments she receives and can't stand that another person stands in her way. But what happens when Arima falls in love with her? What dark secrets does he hide? The series is about Yukino and Souichirou's journey together, how separately they have lived a life of image, and how together they change each other to be true to themselves.

I can not say this enough. The directing here is my favorite of any show I've seen. While Anno may have gotten some mixed results with Evangelion, his style works extremely well with KareKano. It's fun. It's playful. It's dramatic. KareKano mixes really silly funny moments with angsty drama, and it works really well. If you've seen something like Kodomo no Omocha, it's kind of a similar feel. The comedy is really over-the-top, largely because of the directing. Characters will be drawn in unique styles depending on mood - sometimes super deformed, sometimes extremely detailed. Dramatic moments may have slow panning stills over manga-style artwork. This is a shining example of how it's not always about what the story is about, but how you tell it.

But the series isn't perfect. I have a huge beef with episode 18. Everything that could have gone wrong did, and it's not just my conservative view at work here. For one thing, Arima was way out of character... or at least became a character I hated in this episode. What makes it more striking is that episodes 19 to the end resume as normal, as if episode 18 never happened. Well good! Episode 18 doesn't exist. I refuse to ever watch it again. It's absolutely wretched. Another minor issue for me, that will be a huge issue for others is the non-ending. Yep, it doesn't end. The last episode of the series doesn't wrap up any of the conflicts for the lead characters. In fact, the last two episodes almost makes them background characters and sheds the spotlight on some of the supporting cast. Judging by public outcry, it looks like people were angry about that. I personally liked the way it ended, although I would like the series to continue. Just like in reality, there is no point where your relationship is devoid of any problems. Thus to "end it properly" like a normal anime series is just an illusion. Just because Kyousuke hooks up with Madoka in KOR doesn't mean the story ends. Just because Miki and Yuu go through so many struggles and eventually end up together doesn't mean they won't have any more problems. KareKano leaves the issues pending, just like real life. If you have a problem with watching a series that isn't fully resolved by the end, then you should look elsewhere. KareKano seemed like it was supposed to continue as the manga got further along, however due to some unfortunate disagreements between the anime director and the manga creator, it is not likely to ever see a sequel.

But I love KareKano for what it is. It's got a great atypical storyline. It's absolutely hilarious. I don't think any show has made me smile as much as this one did. But it's also got the drama element down. It's quite realistic in the same way Eva was. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that KareKano is Eva. But instead of intrigue and mecha, Karekano does it with comedy and romance. You see, both shows focus on the internal struggles and thoughts of the characters. Doubt. Insecurity. Lack of self-worth. What makes KareKano different is that you see it with regards to a relationship, and not just single entities. These are real issues that we all face. It's a study into the human psyche. I love it. Fun, funny, angsty and intelligent, KareKano is the whole package. One of the best shows I've come across... provided you skip ep 18. Fun, funny, angsty and intelligent.

Saber Marionette J > X

I saw a little of this series before, and didn't really like what I saw. Everything was business as usual as it slipped back to its slapstick cliche routine. But later I read on newsgroups that J > X had the best story of them all. Now that I've seen it all, I can see what they mean. If you can get by the first 9 episodes intact, you'll have a blast for the rest of the show. This is the sequel to J you've been waiting for. It talks about what happened at the very end of J that was never explained. It also ties up a lot of loose ends of J too very nicely. Unfortunately, it's hard to talk about what these things are without spoilers so don't read the next paragraph unless you've seen J.

The story focuses on a lot of things, but one crucial aspect is that of the female clones. At the end of J, Lorelai's DNA was going to be used to clone females. But until those clones are matured, whoever has access to those cells has the power in Terra 2. The story in J > X leads us from Japoness to Xian, hence the name. In Xian, Otaru and the others will meet new friends, but will also find their match. Viewers may remember that Dr. Hesse disappeared at the end of J, and he takes center stage here. He teams up with a government official in Xian in a scheme to threaten not only the peace of Terra 2, but the safety of it as well.

Throughout this plot, you see a lot of what made SMJ, SMJ. There is a very humanistic sentiment at play. Even though the marionettes matured to full potential in J, they are continuing to learn what characterizes humanity... and have to come to grips as they discover their differences as marionettes. But it's Otaru that goes through the most growth this time, as he stands to lose everything. Although many of the themes are the same, SMJ and J > X are not. They are two sides of a single coin. It's pretty evident these two series were planned from the beginning. J > X takes everything J was and adds some dimensions. And just like J, the ending is extremely memorable and makes watching the series all worth it. Is it the best of all 3 series? In some ways yes. In some ways no. But it certainly is a must-watch for every fan of J.

Mata Mata Saber Marionette J

Also called "Saber Marionette J Again", this is a follow-up to the original 25 episode TV series, this time in the form of a 6-episode OAV series. The visuals are a mix... indeed the art is nice with a lot more fluid animation than the original TV series, but there's some digital effects thrown in there that don't always look natural. Nevertheless, Otaru and his marionettes are back and they've got company. The Saber Dolls, previously the marionettes' #1 enemy, are asked to be trained under Mamiya Otaru's supervision so they could mature. But if that wasn't enough, a 7th marionette named Marine Blue appears and the series is centralized on her.

I generally thought the main storyline of this OAV series was pretty typical anime ho-hum stuff... you really don't gain much from Marine Blue's existence. But in terms of the entire SMJ universe, there are some little details that work out nicely. As mentioned before, the Saber Dolls are back and this time they're learning a lot about life through their stay with Otaru. But a lot of their interactions have an ecchi flavor to them, which turned me off. Still, one character in particular has to deal with the consequences resulting from the end of SMJ, which was probably the biggest highlight of this OAV series to me. It was not the focal point at all, however I was glad to see that this was definitely filling out some of the details of the end of SMJ. That one aspect is, for me, the only thing preventing this OAV from being a pointless filler. It's still pretty skippable though.

Saber Marionette J

It's not a perfect show by any means... but I like it. I remember the first time I saw it, I really hated it. The beginning relied on so many anime cliches, that it was hard to really be interested. Of course, the less exposed you're to anime, the less annoyed you'd be by this aspect. This was my brother's first entry into anime, and he loved it to death. Nevertheless, for me it was an exercise in patience.

But 'lo and behold, after the beginning introduction episodes, the plot started to move, even if very little. It was that plot that kept me clinging onto the show until the last 8 or so episodes which totally pulled me along for the ride. The setting is a planet full of men who survived by cloning their offspring. No woman can be found because of an accident that happened 300 yrs ago. But to fill that void, these men created their own machines with female likeness called marionettes. Enter Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry - special marionettes with a unique "heart" that gave them emotion. As good-natured Mamiya Otaru discovers each of them and nurtures them with love, they begin to learn what it means to be human. But little did he know what role he and his marionettes would eventually play. Little did he know what purpose those three marionettes were created for. Little did he know why an evil dictator would pursue him to no end.

When the plot finally kicks in, it kicks in. It went from an entirely forgettable show to an interesting one to one I could not stop watching. It'll throw you in an emotional roller-coaster, with so many heart-felt scenes of love, sacrifice, and pain. It is a social commentary on what it means to be human. It blurs the boundaries between man and machine. But most of all, it awakens a part inside of you that allows you to feel the characters' warmth, experience their struggles, and cry with their pain. It may take a while to get going, but when it does, you'll experience one of the finest forms of entertainment out there.

Shin Seiki Evangelion

Evangelion is a rarity. One of the most popular series of all time (if not the most), I'm shocked that the show actually has quite a lot of substance. Let's look at the specs. It can be looked upon as three different series. The first 13 episodes serve as a dull mech show. Characters are introduced. A plot exists, but does little other than to justify the monster of the week setup. As such, it is sometimes painfully slow to sit through. I've known many a people who abandoned the show after this. Strangely enough, it's the mainstream audience that was attracted to these boring segments. Phase 2 of the series involves the next 11 episodes, which introduce you to the larger framework of the plot. Conspiracies abound, so keeping up with what's happening is a bit difficult. Nevertheless it's more than enough to propel you through, guessing at each corner. There's a lot more action and violence as well, making it far more entertaining than the first half. Yet when it's all said and done, the last segment hits, and you are thrown for a loop. See, the last two episodes focus on the psychological battle going on in the characters' heads. Although you've seen glimpses and outward expressions of this in the previous 24 episodes, they are now brought to the forefront. All of a sudden you realize that the show isn't about what you thought it was about. That the story of man fighting heavenly messengers in a battle for existence is secondary... that it's merely a backdrop to show the internal psychological struggle of the characters, and even greater - of humanity.

While the situations for Eva characters may be quite extraordinary, their fears and insecurities ring true for many of us. Director Anno asks many questions, and often gives no answers. While this may sound like a bad thing, it's actually not. Perhaps the truth is that there really are no answers. Human emotion is a fickle thing. There lies the brilliance in the series. It's philosophy disguised as a mech show. It questions the will to live, the reasons for living, and the concept of existence. It's intelligent.

That being said, I rather enjoyed the show. It's not something I thought I would like. Admittedly, I couldn't really find any enjoyment in the series for the bulk of the first half. But I stuck with it just to see what the fuss was about. Is the series overrated? Who knows. Depends on what you expect. I found it a refreshing change from most of the series out there. Not only is it different, but it's thought-provoking as well. I think everyone should watch it in its entirety, and nothing less. It is almost like three different shows combined in one, however the unity is only achieved once you've gone through the full process. Love it or hate it, it's truly something worth talking about it.