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Akane the Catgirl
Posts: 1091 Location: LA, Baby! |
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...
... ... ...Here she is. 
[I can already hear half of you frothing at the mouth.] Today on Akane Analyzes, a look at the controversial Misa Amane from Death Note. Spoilers. This post will be spoiling several plot points for the entirety of the Death Note anime. If you have yet to see it or are at the beginning, tread carefully. Everyone else may proceed without care. In addition, I have my first domestic abuse trigger warning. This post will be bringing up the topic of abusive relationships. If you are uncomfortable with this particular subject, you don't have to keep reading. Thank you. With that, we may begin. The Fanbase and their Reaction Oh boy, Misa Amane. There is no middle ground as to whether or not Misa is likable or not. Half of the Death Note fans seem to be in love with her, while the other half wants to write her name down in the eponymous notebook. Simply mentioning her name can cause a certain portion of the fandom to hiss like cats. My point is, Misa is divisive. Now, if you were to personally ask me what my opinion on Misa is, I would ask you back: "Which one?" For you see, there are two Misas who appear throughout the entirety of the narrative. I will be frank when I say the following. I absolutely love the Second Kira, but I despise Misa Misa. What do I mean? The Bad 
[BOO! HISS!] So, around the beginning of the Yotsuba arc, Misa agrees to have her memory wiped after getting captured by L and pals. This version of Misa (unlovingly referred to as "Misa Misa") is a version of Misa who never encountered the Death Note to begin with. She is carefree and energetic, a loving girlfriend to Her Man. Or, at least, that's what the narrative wants me to think. What is my actual opinion of Misa Misa? UUUUUUUUGGGGHHHHH. Forgive me for being unprofessional, but that's all I could think when watching Misa Misa traipse about onscreen. My GOD is this twit aggravating as hell. She is an annoying, useless, whiny, man-dependent, twee little IDIOT who contributes absolutely nothing to either the hunt for Kyosuke Higuchi OR the plot. For several episodes, I sat there mentally screaming: "GIVE HER HER MEMORIES BACK, JUST MAKE IT STOP, PLEASE!" What's even worse is that we end the story with a SECOND reappearance of Misa Misa. Her entire scene with Kiyomi Takada is just so uncomfortable to watch. All they are doing is talking about Their Man, which makes my feminist side very sad. Was one Misa Misa appearance not enough? At first, I didn't really understand why so many people hated Misa so much. There were some who just didn't want her to get in the way of their slashfics, but this is not the place to discuss shipping. There were some who just didn't like her on principal. There were some who thought her dub actress was awful (and in my opinion, nobody on either side of the Pacific could have made Misa Misa tolerable). This arc made me get why Misa is hated. However... The Good 
[HOORAY! YAHOO!] If it weren't for The Second Kira's obnoxious amnesiac personality, she would have easily been in my top ten Biggest Woobies list. What am I talking about? Not only were her parents murdered, but she goes insane from grief, joining the cause of Kira as a way to thank him for killing her parent's murderer. I feel sorry for this woman, even at her lowest. What's worse is that not only is the Second Kira in love with the wrong man, not only does he not love her back, but to Light, she is only a tool to be used. He uses her affection for him like honey, manipulating this poor woman into doing his bidding. Ignoring the fact that Kira Prime is his own hotbed of tragedy, he's just a terrible boyfriend to Misa. He emotionally abuses her, making it very clear that she's as disposable as both Teru Mikami and Takada would be later on. I have no doubt that the moment the Second Kira stopped being useful to him, Light would have left her to die. And of course, we all know what happens when he dies... Misa can also be surprisingly clever when she needs to be. Shortly after regaining the Shinigami Eyes, she comes up with a plan to get Higuchi to confess to being the Third Kira. It did have its risks, but need we not forget that she had Rem on her side, ready to sacrifice herself in case Higuchi tried to harm Misa. Sure, Light and Pals call her an idiot anyway, but that's a whole 'nother topic we shan't talk about. Conclusion? Misa Amane is a character I love and hate at the same time. On the one hand, she is a tragic figure, in love with a man who can only see her as a means to an end. On the other, she can be really obnoxious and annoying, a useless damsel who is incredibly unfunny and unlikable. From a writing standpoint, Misa is both well and badly written, depending on what part of the story you are currently watching. I highly doubt that anyone will be forgetting the perky serial killer pop star anytime soon. Before we go, I know SOMEBODY (looking at you over there) is going to try and bring up the morality of the Death Note. To you, I say this: 
This post is not about whether Light or Misa's actions are justified or not. In fact, the morality surrounding any of the Kiras is one of the few topics I have permanently banned myself from discussing in this thread. I have absolutely nothing new to add, and bringing it up will cause more trouble than it's worth. This post is about Misa Amane as a character. If any one of you tries to argue about whether or not Misa was a hero or a villain, please reconsider, because doing so will make me a very sad catgirl. And that's terrible. Next Saturday: 
IT'S A SURPRISE. Thanks for reading! Remember to leave a comment afterwards. See you later! *** Today's Pimp of the Week is for a blog called "Itadakimasu Anime"! Have you ever seen some food while watching an anime and thought to yourself "I want to eat that"? Now you can! With a click of the mouse, you can learn how to make the beef bowl from Steins;Gate, the potato salad from Kill la Kill, or the pizza from Code Geass! Check it out, bon appetit, and itadakimasu! |
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Zalis116
Moderator
 Posts: 6876 Location: Kazune City |
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Akane the Catgirl
Posts: 1091 Location: LA, Baby! |
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@zalis116
Actually, while Yui Horie sang the opening theme "Scramble", she did not perform "Boys and Girls". That would be idol singer Yuuko Ogura you're hearing. Maybe they were on a limit for how much they could use Horie. |
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12skippy21
 Posts: 785 Location: York, England |
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To an extent you could imagine that creating the 'Misa Amane' character left the original author in a bit of a hole. He made a character more powerful, more unpredictable and with a shinigami firmly in their camp, as Ryuk was just interested in how the situation would develop. Without Misa, Light would not have got to where he was, at least not as quickly, and she could carry on the title while he was being watched.
So how else could you write this character? Making her the lead and have her take over Light is unlikely after he spent so much time developing him and L from the start. Or you could have made her an equal. However with that, if Misa was more her own character with more intelligence, the intellectual battles with L would be more one sided. Misa would not have tipped L of from the start by saying she was Lights BF beforehand and the series would have ended very quickly as she had the eyes. It was her unpredictability that gave the show some of its twists and battles. Her character, I felt at least, almost had to be written the way she was for the added tension. Plus she was kinda cute so I give her a pass. 
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Akane the Catgirl
Posts: 1091 Location: LA, Baby! |
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{Title Card: Akane Analyzes
A Look at Akane's Favorite Anime Content Creators Starring: Akane the Catgirl Mabel Pines Sucy Manbavaran AND: Garnet Written By: Akane the Catgirl With Special Thanks To: Zalis116 and 12skippy21 This story would not have happened if not for your kind support. Thank you.} Our story begins in a small chamber. We see four woman sitting at a table, eating pastries and drinking coffee and tea. The cat-eared girl, AKANE, is telling a somewhat interesting story. The girl in the sweater, MABEL, is gorging herself on cake while trying to listen to the story at the same time. The pale, sullen girl, SUCY, is busy concocting something or other. The tall woman with an afro, GARNET, is nodding every once in a while. A: ...And that's why I will never go whale watching ever again. G: Cool. S: *flatly* I liked the part where you got seasick. A: *angry* Sucy! M: *laughs* Now, Akane, throwing up is nothing to be ashamed of! We all do it at least once! I remember when I got food poisoning from that time Grunkle Stan took me and Dipper to Peninsula's. *shudders* The stomach pump was just awful. A: *sighs* Yeah... G: What's wrong? S: Feeling blue again? *holds up mysterious vial* I have a cure for that...he heh. A: No thanks, Sucy. You know, Valentine's Day's passed, and I've been thinking about all the senpais who will never notice me. M: Oooooh! Someone's in ~love~! Who's the lucky guys? A: Actually, Mabel, it's not that kind of senpai. M: Oh. A: You see, I've been thinking about pursuing a career in writing. You guys've known that for a while, right? The point is, in order to be a better writer, I have to consume a lot of material and learn from my senpais strengths and weaknesses. So, I guess now's the time to tell you all about who they are and why I like them. I'll limit myself to two for each category so we won't be here all day. Sound good? M: Do tell! S: I am with you. G: Sounds good to me. A: Great! So, let's start with my favorite writers! Gen Urobuchi 
God, I love you. Ah, the infamous Urobutcher has wormed his way into my hardened heart. What is it that I love most about my senpai? Perhaps it's the raw emotion he infuses into his narratives? Maybe it's the beauty in his portrayal of mankind as having the potential for both good and evil? My favorite anime of all time (Puella Magi Madoka Magica) just so happens to be written by him. M: Wait, isn't that the weirdo who writes those stories that make you hate everything? A: Yup. And I can understand why someone might not enjoy that. My senpai is quite brutal and doesn't like to sugarcoat his messages, and he'll be very honest whether you want him to or not. For me, though, I admire someone who's straightforward. And isn't that important? Keiko Nobumoto 
To me, Nobumoto-senpai is pretty much the Great American Writer who is not white or a dude. There's just this finesse to all of her projects that I enjoy. Whether it be the coolness of Cowboy Bebop or the unforgiving tragedy of Wolf's Rain, she's the woman I want to have on my writing team. G: She's not very funny, though. A: No...you're right. Sadly, my senpai is just not good at comedy. In fact, she was the one who I felt was the weakest of the Space Dandy writers. It ain't a coincidence that my least favorite episode was written by her. I love you, Senpai, but don't try to be funny. For the sake of everyone here. S: Say, I heard you have been enjoying Monster recently. Are you going to put Naoki Urasawa on here? A: I'm not done with that yet. It'd feel unfair if I put Sensei on here now. S: Alright. Do not go crying to me if an angry mob shows up in the next twenty-four hours. A: O...kay? Next, how about animation studios? Studio Bones 
M: I don't get it. It's just a guy running. G: No, Mabel. Look closely. Notice the use of color and cinematography in this scene. It starts out with a running man, then segues into scenes of carnage. The red, of course, is for blood. The use of black and white makes the red stand out much more than if they used normal coloring. Sometimes, a simple running sequence can be the best animation when done right. That is the power of Studio Bones. All is silent. AKANE and MABEL tear up and smile. SUCY hands over tissues, her face remaining uncaring as ever. M: That...that was beautiful, Garnet. A: Yeah...and now I have to go watch Noragami Aragoto as soon as I can. Studio Trigger 
M: Hey, Sucy, isn't that- S: Yes. *smiles creepily* Sucy is quite popular around these parts, you know. Be careful not to make me mad... A: You cut that out, or I'll take away your chemistry set again. *ahem* To me, Trigger's house style manages to come up with some of the most impressive action scenes I've seen. Ignoring Little Witch Academia (which has smurges animation), let's take a look at the very beginning of Kill la Kill's first episode. The first five minutes alone have some of the most creative fight choreography and camera angles in anime. For example, the sequence where the runaway student runs down the stairs from Gamagori's awesomeness. It's just gorgeous, man! So, how about voice actors? English only, though, because that's what I stick to. Johnny Yong Bosch 
Now, here's a voice I could play a sexy saxophone to! M: Ooh lah lah! A: You heard her. Now, if there is one weakness that JYB has, it's that he sounds kind of the same in most of his roles. Voice acting is something that requires a lot of versatility most of the time. With JYB, you can instantly recognize him when you hear him. For me, however, he makes up for his limited range with pure charisma and talent. For example, take his performances as Vash the Stampede and Lelouch. Same voice, but different ways of playing them. Vash is playful and kind, while Lulu is sultry and ruthless. Plus, he has a delicious evil laugh. Win win! Laura Bailey 
Unlike the above, Laura Bailey has a ton of versatility to her. She can play sexy (Lust), snotty (Serena Sebastian/Sonoko Suzuki), determined (Maka Albarn), and even little boy (Dieter). Seriously, play clips from a four of the roles I just described. You could barely tell they're all the same woman. M: Ugh, now I've got a headache. G: It's alright, Mabel. Just lie down for a while. I've handled this before. A: Good. Finally, we've got music! Yuki Kajiura 
Now, for those if you who are wondering if Yoko Kanno is going to show up, I preemptively apologize. I wanted to keep the genders equal, so one of them had to go. That's not to say Kanno-sensei is bad, far from it. In fact, her work on Wolf's Rain is my number one favorite soundtrack integration. It's just that Kajiura-sensei has Kalafina and Kanno does not. Please don't kill me. S: Hey, Akane, I can hear rioting outside. Should I let them in? A: OH MY GOD, SUCY, NO. NO...NOOOOOOOO!!!! Hiroyuki Sawano 
To me, Hiroyuki Sawano is to music as Tetsuro Araki is to directing. (By the way, as to why I'm not including directors, that's because I could do my own post on my personal favorites.) That is to say, he ain't subtle, but that's not a bad thing. His scores are filled with bombast and spectacle, epic choruses, foreign-languages-to-Japan songs, and electric instruments! Particular standouts are Attack on Titan's main theme and Kill la Kill's "Blumenkranz". Hell, I'd even watch the much-maligned Guilty Crown for his music. That, and supercell. G: Well, I believe that's all for today. You look quite tired, Akane. A: Gee, you think? S: So, what is your next post going to be discussing? A: Hmm...I dunno. You know, I've been getting a bit exhausted doing anime analyses week after week. I might even run out of stuff to talk about. You know, Walt Disney inspired Osamu Tezuka, thus creating anime and manga as we know it. That gives me an idea...THAT'S IT! I know what I'm going to do next month! M: Whatchoo talkin' 'bout, Akane? A: March Madness! Every March, I go across the Pacific and do a bunch of analyses on Western animation! And since I mentioned Disney, how about Bambi? That's the one that always struck me as the most thoughtful. How does that sound, ladies? G: ...I'm done. M: She's lost it. S: Interesting. Well, we should cue the title card again. See you next week. Make sure to leave a comment. Farewell... {Title Card: THE END A Sweet Mochi Production Copyright: 2016 Brought to You By: Anime in History on Twitter Thank you for watching} |
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Akane the Catgirl
Posts: 1091 Location: LA, Baby! |
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Hello, and welcome to Akane's March Madness introduction!
Don't you mean, Akane Analyzes? Well...yes. And no. Go on. Every once in a while, I get a little tired. We all get like that, you know? I mean, I love anime and manga just as much as you guys. However, recently, I've been worried about what could happen if I run out of things to talk about. And- There's something else, isn't there? Oh, fine. Sometimes, real life gets in the way of hobbies no matter what you do. I not only have to worry about finishing school and The Big Move, but there's a bit of a crisis going on in my immediate family, and it has to do with my little brother. Wait, what little brother? You never told us about anything like that! Alright, alright, keep your pants on. So, I have this sweet baby brother, like we established. I've introduced him to Case Closed (also known as Detective Conan) and have shown him both Little Witch Academia films. He's more of a gamer, though, and we do enjoy a lot of nerdy stuff together. My little brother is also mentally ill. (No, you may not know the specifics.) Wait, WHAT!? I said- We got it! But what does this have to do with Akane Analyzes? *sigh* Due to recent events, my brother is very likely to go back to the psychiatric ward for reasons that are way too complicated and are frankly none of your business. The point is, I'm going to have little time to devote to anime when education, moving overseas, and family are more important. So, if you notice less activity overall in the next few months, there's your reason. That doesn't mean I can't abandon you guys, though. Okay. So, what is Akane's March Madness, anyway? Glad you asked! *dodges tomato* All throughout March, I will be taking a look at Western animation and analyzing a few pieces myself. I think it's important to note that Osamu Tezuka- who, if not for his creative genius, may never have brought us here to begin with- happened to be quite a fan of a certain animation pioneer. 
[Take a quick guess. Really, guess.] So, yeah, Walt Disney kind of helped inspire the God-King of anime and manga. Then again, the Disney ouevre has made a huge impact on people all over the world. That's one reason why I'm starting out with Bambi, for example. Of course, I won't be doing just Disney for March Madness. Well, what else ARE you doing? The Fantastic Mr. Fox, for starters. I'll also do a Pixar piece and one of the Laika films as well. There, are you happy? Quite. Well, see you next Saturday then. Don't worry, everything will be back to normal for April! Take care! |
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Akane the Catgirl
Posts: 1091 Location: LA, Baby! |
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Hey, everybody. So, while I'm working on my reworked comparison piece on Bambi and Princess Mononoke (you'd be surprised how much they have in common), I thought I'd do a little Q&A session. Do you have any questions related to western animation that you'd like to ask? Please do so!
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Akane the Catgirl
Posts: 1091 Location: LA, Baby! |
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Hello and welcome to Akane's MAAARCH MAAAAAADNEEEEESS! You know, Bambi and Princess Mononoke sure do seem to have lot of things in common, don't they? I mean, they're both traditionally animated films with beautiful artwork that focus on nature. They were produced by studios that had gained plenty of clout by the time they were released in theaters, and were both made by well-beloved creators. Oh, and both films are considered modern masterpieces in the animation community.
[And really...] 
[...who can blame them?] So today, I'll be doing a full-on compare and contrast between the two. (Really really old) spoilers! This post will be spoiling plot points from both Bambi and Princess Mononoke, up to and including the ending. I'm just going to assume you've seen both films by now and we'll both move on. And of course, the obligatory trigger warning. This post will be mentioning attempted rape and violent material. If you are uncomfortable with either subject matter, you might want to leave now and go do something better like catch the latest Disney movie. Plot 
The first noticable difference between our two films is that Bambi's plot is not the traditional three-act structure so commonly seen in film today. Rather, the movie follows a vignette-style format, choosing to follow the titular deer from birth through adulthood. That's not to say there's no real plot; on the contrary, there is a sense of progression as the film goes along. The movie's primary goal is to capture an emotional experience, mainly that of growing up. Most scenes we see follow Bambi encountering new things for the first time, such as walking, making friends, meeting someone of the opposite sex, a snow day, falling in love, etc. It is, at it's heart, a coming-of-age tale, told in a way that hadn't really been done before. 
Princess Mononoke, on the other hand, follows the three-act-structure to a tee. Prince Ashitaka of the Emishi people is cursed by a Demon God to waste away. Seeking to live, he and his red elk companion (Yakul) head for the west in order to fjnd a way to break the curse. There, he meets interesting people such as the enigmatic Lady Eboshi, the scheming Jigo, and the wild and passionate San. In the nearby forest is the Great Forest Spirit, the only one who can save Ashitaka from certain death. Now it's up to our hero to stop Eboshi from razing the forest and killing the spirit, before it's too late. So from the get go, the story is very much the traditional Hero's Journey. Our hero wants something, (a cure for his curse) and he goes on a quest to find it (in Iron Town). He must face several foes (the angry boars on the forest's side, and Lady Eboshi on the human's side) while also gaining trusted allies (San and the wolves). Eventually, he fulfills his goal (removing the curse) but something is lost at the end of the day (can't go back home, will never be together with San). What both films share in terms of plot is that the conflict(s) aren't straightforward black-and-white. Bambi, being a slice-of-life is focused more on this particular deer and what his life is like, while Princess Mononoke delves straight into morally grey areas. (Have fun figuring out who to root for)! And of course, both focus on a young prince learning all about the complicated world around him. Which leads nicely into... Characters 
Bambi's focus isn't really on it's characters so much as what they do, so compared with Princess Mononoke. Bambi is very much your typical hero, his friends Thumper and Flower are comedic sidekicks, and so on. However, I'm mostly okay with it due to the film's focus being mostly on the emotions and artistry. I would talk about Man's role, but in my opinion, Man isn't a character so much as a symbol, which I shall discuss later on. Overall, the movie doesn't offer much in terms of character, but due to the way it's structured, it doesn't have to. 
Princess Mononoke, meanwhile, offers many fascinating characters amongst it's cast. We have Ashitaka, the main character, who is kind yet fierce. There's the antagonist Lady Eboshi, who sincerely loves the people of Iron Town, yet is willing to do terrible things to expand it. (Honestly, I could write an entire post on her). San, our leading lady, is angry but surprisingly nice and caring towards her family. The supporting cast is also great, ranging from the charmingly awful Jigo to the powerful boar Lord Okkoto. With both films, Bambi and Ashitaka seem to be cut from the same cloth. They both are the archetypal all-loving hero, willing to fight for those they love. Bambi's story follows him as he takes his place as the Great Prince of the Forest, whereas Ashitaka's follows him as he's already become his village's leader. The female leads also have quite a few similarities. As a fawn, Faline possesses a mischievous spirit, contrasting the initially shy Bambi. Even as a doe, Faline still has that outgoing side, albeit toned down. San is free-spirited and passionate about her cause, and won't take no for an answer. Despite her anger issues, she sincerely loves her mother and wolf brothers, and she eventually comes to care for Ashitaka. (To those of you who don't agree...is it Claire Danes? Seriously, I like the character, but Danes plays the part way too angry. She's seriously the weak link in the otherwise fantastic dub.) Themes 
To me, Bambi is primarily about how amazing and wonderful life is. As explained in the Plot section, the film mainly explores human experiences through the life of a deer in the North American forest. We watch as Bambi learns to walk and talk, meets his eventual love interest, first encounters death when his own mother is shot by Man, and eventually has twin fawns with Faline. The climax involves mass killings and a destructive fire, and yet life goes on. The forest will rebuild itself, new life has appeared, and that's just it, ain't it? Life will go on, no matter what. And now I discuss what Man is. In my opinion, Man represents the idea of the inevitability of death. We're only ever alerted to Man's prescence just before either someone dies or there's a threat of it. We never even see Man on screen, thus further enforcing Man as a symbol rather than a straight antagonist. 
Princess Mononoke is more about survival. Many of our character's motivations revolve around the need to live. Ashitaka attempts to escape a premature death by going to the Great Forest Spirit to life his curse. San wishes to keep the forest alive, and she also wants to save her mother, who's been mortally injured when we first see her. Eboshi wants to expand Iron Town, with a group of citizens being terminally ill lepers. Even the off-screen emperor wants the head of the Great Forest Spirit so he may live forever. At the end of the film, a lot of characters, both named and un-named, have died. Both spirits and humans have been killed in the conflict, and the forest has taken a significant blow. And yet, the film says, not all hope is lost. Sure, the forest may never be as grand as it was during the movie, but it'll be there. This is signified by the final shot, which features a single kodama (or tree spirit) appearing amongst newly grown stalks. Now, both movies do heavily feature environmentalist themes, although to differing degrees. Bambi's green message is...there. That is to say, while there is an anti-poaching thing going on, it's not the focus. Like I said, the movie is more about the mysteries and wonder of life and how great it is. In contrast, Princess Mononoke is HEAVILY environmentalist, discussing issues such as industrialization, the unforgiving side of nature, etc. Of course, it's commonly known that Hayao Miyazaki is quite the environmentalist itself. Bambi and Princess Mononoke also feature some of the most adult content you will find in their respective canons. While not a single drop of blood is seen in Bambi we get delightful things such as: Bambi's mother being shot off-screen; Faline nearly being raped by another stag (yes, really); a rather intense fight scene that ensues between Bambi and the stag; and several forest creatures being killed by Man, the first of which is a pheasant who panics and attempts to escape before dying. Princess Mononoke features plenty of gore, with several characters losing one or more limbs, onscreen deaths with copious amounts of blood loss, and quite a few decapitations. While the first movie is safe for families, the second movie is not recommended for young children and the faint-hearted. Conclusion It's kind of eerie how similar Bambi and Princess Mononoke are. Yes, it's not really obvious at first, but if you watch both movies back to back, you'll start to see what I mean. It's easy to say that both are the magnum opuses of Disney and Ghibli respectively, and I agree with that sentiment. So settle down, pop in a DVD (or video casette if you still have one), get some snacks, and enjoy some of the most brilliant animated films of all time. And if you've already seen them, well, there's no reason not to watch them again, right? Next time on Akane Analyzes: 
TBD. Thank you all for reading! Do you have any comments on today's topic or a few questions to ask me? Go ahead and leave some feedback! For further reading, I recommend Neil Sharpson's Princess Mononoke review over at The Unshaved Mouse. Take care! *** Today's Pimp of the Week is the Disney Food Blog. Planning a trip to the Happiest Place on Earth and want a good restaurant recommendation? Looking for a recipe for your favorite parks dish? Just bored and want to stare at pictures of delicious food? This website is for you! |
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Jose Cruz
 Posts: 1778 Location: South America |
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That was a good one. 
I would think that Bambi is very different film from PM, nevertheless the setting with talking animals and the forest, the rest is very distinct. Bambi is one of my favorite Disney movies although I am usually bored by these movies, Bambi is far better than nearly all Disney movies with the exception of films like Pinocchio and Fantasia. PM is a very grandiose film. It's very much like a grand opera of a mythological tale done animated including some modern manga aesthetic elements (such as the action scenes and art style). I think it was the most powerful experience watching a film I ever had, truly astonishingly "muscular" film. |
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Akane the Catgirl
Posts: 1091 Location: LA, Baby! |
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Hello, and welcome to Akane's MAAAARCH MAAADNEESSS! Before we begin, I'd like to thank Jose Cruz for his continuous support. You're awesome. Really, you are.
You know, short films don't really get the appreciation they need. In fact, there're a lot of anime shorts that I feel should garner more attention. Whatever the reason, these pieces remain quite obscure to the public's eye. So today, I'm going to write about some of my favorites. In no particular order, here's a showcase of five short anime films that deserve more love! (By the way, this will be as spoiler-free as I can make it.) 1. I can Friday by day! 
We'll now hop on over to Japan for one of my favorite Animator Expo films! From the director of FLCL and Rebuild of EVA as well as the character designer of Kill la Kill comes a wacky adventure with stellar animation and a catchy song. The story is about a high school girl who- surprise!- is actually a robot controlled by magical girl mascots. Action and hijinks ensue. 2. Neon Genesis Impacts 
Don't let that cute face fool you; this film is just as dark as its parent anime. The short serves to answer the question as to what's going on in Tokyo-3 outside of NERV. Three girls (Ayako, Izumi, and Haruka) are forced to break up their band as the attacks on Tokyo-3 ever worsen, culminating in Ayako moving away, and Haruka and Izumi sharing one last kiss before the latter must leave. And while you may have been lulled into a false sense of security by the girls' song towards the end, you will not be prepared for the shocking ending. All I have to say is JESUS CHRIST, STUDIO KHARA. 3. Gisoku no Moses (Can be translated as: Prosthetic-legged Moses) 
The first thing I should mention is that the audio for this short was taken entirely from the only original song in Singin' in the Rain. With that said, this film has it's own unique identity. We see a young ghost girl, whose attention is raptured by a strange pair of animated tap shoes. What follows is a dance sequence with some of the most creative animation I've seen. 4. Fumiko's Confession 
This short's premise is quite simple; a girl confesses to her crush, is rejected, then goes home crying. What happens next is the primary draw of the film (well, besides the PANTIES). The animation here is just fantastic, both wacky and fluid and teeming with life. Not bad for a simple web animation, I say. 5. On Your Mark 
Finally, we end with another music video directed by the legendary Hayao Miyazaki! Nowadays, all anyone remembers this movie for is that it got pulled due to a certain incident involving it's singer Aska. Barring that, the short is standard Miyazaki, which is to say it's gorgeous and creative. Oh, and the music's not too bad itself. And that's all for today's post. Next week: 
Finishing out March Madness will be a meta-post on ART. Thank you all for reading. Do you have any underrated short anime films to add? List them below and tell us why you feel they need more love! Have a great day! *** Today's Pimp of the Week is for Das Sporking! I'm not kidding when I say that going through Das Mervin's sporking of the Twilight series not only made me a better writer, but also a better analyst. Maybe the same could happen to you if you go and check her work out. Or maybe you just want to laugh at Stephenie Meyer's hack writing. That's okay too. |
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Errinundra
Moderator
 Posts: 6535 Location: Melbourne, Oz |
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Here's three I think are worth checking out.
1. Comedy. 
Remains my favourite short anime film. In this supernatural tale set in an Ireland terrorised by English invaders a small girl enlists the aid of the elf king to protect her village. Its Irish setting and the Elf King's/Black Swordsman's brutal dispatch of the English invaders resonate with me. Beyond that, it's magnificent anyway. Ten minutes of glorious images, rich fantasy, beautiful music and two droll leads make this something that still thrills me after many watches. (And it was St Patrick's Day yesterday, Oz time.) 2. Jumping. 
This Osamu Tezuka six minute film is a wonderful example of content and structure complementing each other. Not only that, but its technical merits are astonishing. The camera point of view is first person: through the eyes of a leaping child with each jump larger than the last. There are no cut aways from the point of view and, with the child eventually reaching jet speed and leaping into the stratosphere, the animators were unable to take the usual short cuts of having a moving character against one or multiple backgrounds. Every frame had to be drawn in its entirety. There are about 4000 completely drawn frames for the six minutes and it took almost 2½ years to complete. The result is an exhilarating trip that concludes in the cauldron of an atomic bomb. As Tezuka himself put it: “You can’t keep jumping forever. But this one does and it can’t stop till it jumps into a nuclear explosion. It’s like mankind and its technology. They don’t know when to stop.” It's as if he's commenting on his own ambition. (Yeah, I've plagiarised myself.) 3. Good Morning. 
One minute film from Satoshi Kon that presents a young woman suffering a hang-over the morning after her birthday party. Kon uses his trademark fractured subjectivity - she has three selfs that eventually merge when she has a shower - to accentuate her struggle to wake up. |
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Akane the Catgirl
Posts: 1091 Location: LA, Baby! |
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Due to unforeseen circumstances, today's Akane Analyzes post has been delayed to tomorrow.
[HRGLE BLURGLE BLEH.] Feel free to discuss any past topics while I stay in my house and be miserable. See you soon. |
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Akane the Catgirl
Posts: 1091 Location: LA, Baby! |
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How Anime (and Animation in General) Can Change Your Life
Hello, and welcome to Akane Analyzes. Once upon a time, there was a young girl who was rather dense. This little girl was raised on a mix of edutainment cartoons and Disney movies. She often preferred to watch animated films and television shows, and throughout her childhood, would find herself doodling in her schoolbooks. She would also write plenty of stories, although she wouldn’t realize it was her passion until much later. One day, the little girl went to her older sister’s middle school open house. As her tenth birthday was drawing closer, she was allowed to go buy a book as a present for herself. While perusing the book fair, she encountered her first manga. It was a story called Tokyo Mew Mew, and the girl was instantly enraptured by this strange new art form. Sure, she’d seen a few episodes and some of the movies from Pokemon on Cartoon Network. As far as Japanese pop culture went, however, the girl had little to no experience. 
[Think Sailor Moon meets Captain Planet] Some years went by. In the meanwhile, the girl- no longer that little- had discovered the amazing world of Youtube. One day, she watched a video that featured clips from a strange little thing called Princess Tutu. She eventually sat down and watched the entire series, finding it okay (it wouldn’t be until after a second viewing that she fell in love with it), but wanting more. That show was the first non-edited anime she’d ever completed. Soon, the girl entered high school. By now, she’d seen a few more titles, including Paranoia Agent, the first season of Higurashi: When They Cry, and her all time favorite anime, Puella Magi Madoka Magica. However, she had nobody to share her passion. Sure, she had a friend who was a Disney fan, but that wasn’t the same. After her sophomore year of high school, the girl and her family packed their bags and moved overseas. Throughout this stressful time, she tried her best to catch up with new episodes of The Nostalgia Critic, as well as more anime. One of her favorite web shows was the JesuOtaku Anime Review. By chance, the host had gotten a job at an unfamiliar website called Anime News Network. Curious, the girl signed up to comment on a review. All the while, the girl was learning many things about herself. She was an awkward child- quiet, introspective, and above all, shy. The girl was the kind of person you’d find sitting in the back of the classroom, reading a book or sketching after taking notes. She was the sort who’d do her best in school, always wanting to stand out but never having the courage to try. Through her teenage years, the girl began to have more faith in herself and her potential talents. She liked drawing, of course, but through that, she rediscovered a passion for writing stories, along with reviewing and analysis inspired by her favorite critics. The girl would also fall in love with the country of Japan, studying the language and culture vigorously. Even when life seemed to be falling apart, the girl persevered. Her love for the creative arts kept her going. Her favorite success story was that of a young Japanese man who grew up in post-World War II Japan. Like her, he loved to draw and was a fan of Walt Disney. His dream was to use his manga to change the world, which he did. That man was named Osamu Tezuka, and the girl admired him greatly. So inspired was she that the girl- now a young woman- decided she wanted to change the world, too. Did she, though? Well, not yet. Perhaps she never will. After all, lots of people don’t change the world. An anime analysis thread, however, is a start. Thank you all for reading. Special thanks to my family, who encouraged me to be my best. I would also like to give special thanks to Errinundra and the other moderators at ANN for looking after me when I needed them the most. Most of all, I’d like to thank every one of you who stops by every week to read what I have to say. Next week: 
I’ll teach you a little history as I compare Grave of the Fireflies and Barefoot Gen! See you next week! |
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Errinundra
Moderator
Posts: 6535 Location: Melbourne, Oz |
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This thread is worth checking out before you do your Barefoot Gen / Grave of the Fireflies analysis. It's mainly about GotF but BG gets brought into the discussion.
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yuna49
 Posts: 3804 |
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Concerning "I can Friday by Day!," the director of that item is listed as the director for Kill la Kill's episode 24, but the other person listed in the ANN description of the show, Ueda Hajime, doesn't have a credit for Kill la Kill in her list. As far as I know, the character designer for KlK was "Sushio." If you want to see his work as a director, I recommend the music video MCZ vs Kiss pairing the famous American metal band with the Momoiro Clover Z idol group. You'll notice the animated look-alike for one of the girls bears a striking resemblance to Mankanshoku Mako (the curry-eating one of course): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivJZljEostE. Culture clash indeed.
(Wonder if we'll ever get to embed YouTube videos on this site like you can elsewhere.) |
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