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I think you're doing a great job so far, Akane! Your idea of identifying specific elements from an anime, and then analyze them through a magnifying glass, is definitely more interesting and original than the standard: "this is why I like/dislike this anime" approach. I also believe that there's more to an anime than simply assessing the total sum of its parts. I find it also makes spoilers less of an issue, since the focus is mostly on symbolism and what makes characters tick, rather than on plot development.

I think you've found a good way to introduce an anime to those who have yet to see it and that your use of humor and these pointers can create the nessecary interest for people to finally give the title a chance. I appreciate that you don't force your opinions on others, but keep a relatively neutral and nonjudgmental tone in your reviews. I'll be sure to follow this thread and check for updates. I also support more controversial topics from you in the future, 'cause the more buzz the better imo (as long as people can keep it civil.) Wink

Welcome back to another installment of Akane Analyzes! Before I begin, I'd like to thank Night Fox for his support. Thank you for taking the time to read through some of my analyses. I really appreciate it.

So, for today's anime, I picked a slice-of-life dramedy called Welcome to the NHK. I will admit, I still think I'm too young to fully grasp the thematic content of the show. I'm not sure I have the life experience needed to do a full analysis of the show's message. So, I decided to start with something a little easier and analyze the end credits.

Come on, and let's take a look at "Dancing Baby Humans" by Kenji Ootsuki and Fumihiko Kitsutaka! Time for spoiler warnings! This post will be spoiling a good amount of Welcome to the NHK. If you haven't seen this show and would like to avoid being spoiled, please leave and go watch it. Just don't be surprised if you feel down after the events of the last five episodes.

To begin with, let's look at the intro. It starts with a piano. You feel a bit excited, and you begin to wonder what sort of wonder this unique end credits theme will bring. And then...HEAVY METAL CHAOS.

Now, you may be wondering, WHAT THE F**K ARE THOSE THINGS? Well, if you all recall, Tatsuhiro Satou (our main character) is delusional no thanks to his sempai's influence. Early on in the series, Satou comes up with a creative scenario. Aliens have killed everyone on earth, and he is the sole survivor. Why has he been kept alive? Science! And the aliens? They look like that.

To see what the represent, we shall take a look at the translated lyrics.

Ababa ababa ababa dancing baby human!
When humans are born naked, everyone is loved the same
Why then, is it, that during our lives
Our fates are divided in a most cruel way?
Some look people in the eyes, others are not seen, some know love, others don't.
If that's the case, I would rather be a baby until I die- a baby human.
'Oh, what a cute baby! He makes me want to love him!'
The baby she held is actually a baby human.
Behind that innocent face he is snickering inside.
You should be one too! It's nice and easy! Baby human!
Ababa ababa, dance, multiply, and we'll go into space!
Colonize Mars, Saturn, and the Milky Way!
Dance, baby humans!

Hmm...what interesting lyrics. Let's start with POV. The narrator laments how life is unfair, how everything seemed so much better as a baby, and how because his life sucks, he should just give up and refuse to mature. Does that sound familiar?

A minor plot point in the series is that Satou's mother is continually providing the allowance that lets him live his hikikomori lifestyle. Later on, his allowance is cut in half. Then, when Satou's father has to go to the hospital, his allowance is cut off entirely. This forces Satou to finally quit being a shut-in and get a job.

Another thing to note is that throughout the song, the narrator seems have a fixation on receiving love. He states that all babies are loved equally, and that if he acted more juvenile, he could continue to be loved. This adds a lot more depth to the character of Satou if you look at the song through the lens of his POV. He hates himself, and feels that nobody loves him, wants him, or even needs him around. Considering that he nearly kills himself at the end of the series...

Congratulations, Welcome to the NHK, you just became even MORE depressing!

So, that leaves only one more question. What the hell DO those weird blue alien things represent anyway? There's a scene at the end of the last episode were Satou is seen kicking the tiny gremlins away without him noticing. These are the same creatures that sang a paen to never growing up during the end credits. In my opinion, the NHK critters represent a desire to not move on and stay immature, and Satou's rejection of them symbolizes the determination to finally become an adult.

Well, that's it for today's analysis! I think I'll do something significantly less sad next week. I want to do a theme post again, but not something that'll make me lose my faith in humanity. Hmm...

On the next installment of Akane Analyzes, I take a look at the importance of family in Ouran Highschool Host Club! Thanks for reading, and remember to leave feedback afterwards so I can know how to best improve this thread! Feel free to add in your own interpretations or ask a few questions! Until then, my dear readers.

Hi everybody. So, um, I don't know how to put this. Due to certain issues, today's Akane Analyzes has been...

...

...delayed.

Look, I'm really sorry, but I'm not going to have anything until another twenty-four hours in your time. I've had two sleepless nights in a row, and I can't concentrate on typing one, big long post. I apologize again for not having anything to show you. On the bright side, I can preview a brand new section:

Welcome to Akane's Abode, where I ramble about a non-anime specific topic of my choosing! After my main analysis, you can stay after the show to see what my opinions are on various things in the media. You don't have to stay and listen, but I do appreciate an audience. Thank you all.

My criteria for judging a story are as follows- fifty percent automatically goes to characters. "That's a bit excessive!" you say, but let me explain. How can I care about anything that's going on the story if I don't care about anyone IN the story? Among that, I'd give twenty five percent to the protagonists, fifteen percent to supporting characters, and ten percent to the antagonists. Twenty five percent goes to the story. Even if the entire plot is a mess, if everything else is in top shape, you can still get a C in my book. Continuing on, technicals get a fifteen percent, and sound ten percent. "That's a little low, now." you protest, but let me explain once more. If all something can offer me is pretty art and music with little to no substance, then you might as well just be waving jingly keys in front of my face. There are exceptions to these rules. For example, Fantasia only focuses on art and music, and so I judge it based on how well it does in that regard, and it surprisingly holds up from my own childhood memories. Likewise, The Big Snit has a very ugly artstyle in my opinion, but the story, characters, and thematic material all but make up for it.

Thank you all for listening! I'll be back to tomorrow with my Ouran Highschool Host Club analysis post! Remember to leave comments this time, and don't be afraid to ask me a few questions. See you soon!

I was going to say "I'm sorry, but today's post has been moved to Saturday." I wanted to. I really did. I've just been so tired lately that I felt postponing the inevitable would be the solution.

But no. No, I won't. I made a promise. And I sure as hell am not breaking it again. So today, I bring you my Ouran Highschool Host Club analysis post.

Obligatory spoiler warnings, go! This post will contain spoilers for all of the Ouran series. Once again, if you haven't seen the show and would like to remain in the dark about the events that happen within the narrative, please skip this post. Now go and hand over your cash to Funimation, which owns this delightful series. Or buy it on ITunes if it's available there. Your choice.

So now you're probably thinking to yourself, "What can Akane get out of this show? After all, it's just a silly reverse harem comedy!" Well, yes, this anime is very goofy and over the top, but that doesn't mean it can't have anything meaningful to say. Right?

[Right?]

Okay. Allow me to explain my reasoning. Throughout Ouran's narrative, we see constant references to family, whether it be through Tamaki's insistence on being the "Daddy" of the Host Club, or through the various members' own problems at home. It's here where we get one of the main messages of the story; your family is important, regardless of whether or not you're related by birth. Let's go a bit more in-depth to see what I mean.

Honey and Mori

[Behold, my OTP! When's the wedding?]

Let's begin with Honey. Honey's family problems lie in two people: his father; and his younger brother. As heir to the Haninozuka dojo, Honey is pressured to give up his love for sweets and other childish things. Meanwhile, his younger brother Chika, grows to resent and hate him for not taking the family business seriously. Fast forward to present day, and we get an episode dedicated to the strained relationship between Honey and Chika. As we find out, both Honey and Mori quit karate for the host club so he could pursue the very things his father had told him he couldn't.

His cousin Mori's conflict revolves more around Honey himself. In one episode around the middle of the series, Honey gets a toothache from all the candy he ate. (Confession: I squeed during the scene where Mori checks Honey's mouth for cavities.) It was already established earlier that the Morinozukas have served the Haninozukas for generation, and Mori's relationship with Honey is no different. Likewise, throughout the episode, Mori procedes to punish himself for this perceived failure by both being more strict to Honey and letting him beat the crap out of him.

Hikaru and Kaoru

[No, they are not always like this. Perverts.]

Hikaru and Kaoru's familial conflict is born from their own codependency. Since childhood, nobody could tell the twins apart from each other. You know that game they play where they have their customers guess which twin is which? They've been at it since they were kids. The breaking point comes when they catch one of their maids sneaking cash out of the family vault, and they make her play the "Which one is Hikaru and which one is Kaoru" game. Later that night, she admits that she can't tell the difference, and disappears.

Because of this instant, both twins proceed to push the rest of the world out. They become more clingy and antisocial as the years go on, but having not truly given up, continue to play the game. By the time they've entered middle school, Hikaru and Kaoru have become cruel and petty, using their little game as an excuse to break the hearts of the girls who confess to them. If it weren't for Tamaki cheating (just like the maid), one can only imagine how lonely and miserable the boys would have been, unable to connect with anyone but each other.

Kyoya

[Black hair AND glasses? Yes please!]

Kyoya has several problems with his own family. He was born the third son, ensuring he'll have to work twice as hard as his older brothers to gain his father's approval. Throughout his life, he's learned to be ruthless in order to gain a good position in his family's medical business. In fact, the only person we see him having any sort of positive relationship with is his sister. Towards the end of the series, we see Kyoya's first meeting with Tamaki, and how he learned to see him as a friend.

During the finale, Mr. Ootori gets to see exactly what his son's been up to at school. As "Shadow King", Kyoya is responsible for the host club's budget, but before he can explain, his father immediately disapproves of this. Kyoya is given a slap in the face and told not to associate with his friends ever again. Luckily, Kyoya proves himself to Mr. Ootori by buying out the company and giving it back to him for free. Thus, he finally gets what he wants- approval.

Tamaki

[He's mine, you hear!? MIIIIIIIIINE!]

Poor Tamaki seems to have gotten the worst luck out of all the boys in the host club. Born from an affair between the heir to the Suoh company and a French woman, Tamaki is torn between two worlds. His grandmother forcibly seperates him from his mother so he could become heir to the family company, and by the time the anime starts, he hasn't had contact with her since he moved to Japan. At the end of the series, Tamaki is forced into an arranged marriage with the promise of seeing his mother again, which almost leads to the club's dissolution.

The host club idea was conceived by Tamaki partially as a way to gain a family he couldn't have. All the boys (and even Haruhi, as we'll get to next) have their own problems at home, and the host club brings them together. Tamaki gave Honey a chance to be themselves, the twins some long-needed acknowledgement of their individuality, and Kyoya a place where he could be useful. But what about Haruhi? How is the host club her home away from home?

Haruhi

[Crossdressing is FUN!]

Not even Haruhi's home life can be entirely nice. Sure, she has a hardworking father who loves her dearly, but there's a giant hole where Mommy used to be. Mrs. Fujioka died when Haruhi was young, and since then, she's never really moved on from it. Actually, her mother's death was the catalyst for Haruhi entering Ouran Academy in the first place. How, you ask?

In a Wonderland-themed recap episode, we see how much Haruhi misses her mom, who was an attorney. Ouran is a place where anyone who enrolls there is guaranteed success. Haruhi wants to follow in Mom's footsteps and have a career in law. She is also a scholarship student. There's your answer.

And so we reach the end of our analysis. Though their families are broken in different ways, the host club finds solace and love with each other. It doesn't matter that not all of them are related by blood. At the end of the day, the host club members are a family and true companions.

Here's a sneak peak at my next analysis:

Next time on Akane Analyzes, I take a look at the tragic tale of the Tucker family in Fullmetal Alchemist 2003. Thank you for reading, everyone! Remember to leave feedback afterward so I can keep improving. Have a great rest of the week!

***

Welcome to Akane's Abode! You know, some people have a problem with slow pacing. Mine is the opposite. I can't stand rushed pacing even more than sluggish pacing. This mostly has to do with my personality, as I tend to work at my own times and don't like being hurried a lot of the time. For example, I tried to watch a film called Catnapped! a while ago, and I had to drop it half an hour in. Part of it was because of how terrible the two kids are and how there wasn't a single moment of silence, but part of it is because I feel like we barely got any time to know anyone in the movie. Back in high school, I dropped Scrapped Princess at the first episode due to how rushed it felt. It really ought to have been two episodes, don't you think? I don't have any plans to pick it back up anytime soon, by the way. Anyhoo, in my opinion, I prefer a more atmospheric anime than something that speeds from plot point to plot point. Anyone else? Just me? Okay.

Hey everyone, it's October! That's right, it's the month of spooks, frights, and getting fat on various pumpkin spiced foodstuffs! However, I live in a country where Halloween is Not a Thing. That doesn't mean I can't join in the festivities. After all, this forum knows no nationalities! Anyway, for my first Halloween post, I decided to take a look at the following:

[Google Images hates me today, so I'm going to go light on pictures]

So, now that I have sufficiently triggered your PTSD, let's talk about the tragedy of Shou and Nina Tucker in Fullmetal Alchemist 2003! Spoiler warning time~! This post will contain spoilers for both Fullmetal Alchemist and the beginning of it's reboot Brotherhood. If you have not seen either series yet, don't keep reading. Also, this is not an invitation to argue over which series is the better one. Hell no, it isn't.

Let me start by saying that I've only seen the 2003 anime. However, I have also read two volumes of the manga. (I would have read more except, you know, I moved out of America.) So I feel confident when I can say- without a doubt- that the Nina Tucker plotline was done a LOT better in FMA 2003 than Brotherhood. Why is that?

We'll begin with how the manga did this. In the original manga, Edward and Alphonse stop by at the Tucker household for...one day? Two, at most? That's certainly what the pacing implies at the very least. Anyway, after Nina and Alexander are fused together, the Elrics are understandably pissed that Mr. Tucker would do something like that, just like he did with his missing wife two years earlier. At the end of Chapter Five (oh, did I mention that the story takes place in a single chapter?), the entire family is dead at the hand of Scar.

Now, let's see how the first anime tackled this. In Episode Six, Ed and Al move in with the Tuckers for several months. We watch as the Elrics grow a strong bond with Shou, Nina, and Alexander. We see them at Edward's birthday party, as Mrs. Hughes goes into labor and the children panic. We watch as Edward passes the alchemy exams, and little Nina on Al's shoulders as flowers float through the air.

To see what happens next, we'll look at the entire story through Ed's eyes. Your father left when you were little- young enough so that your little brother (who is about a year younger than you are) barely remembers him. By now, you've grown resentful of the old man, who walked out on his family and didn't even come back to see you when your mother passed away. All you have left of your family is your younger brother, who you almost killed when you tried to resurrect Mom.

So time passes, and you have to go stay in the big city so you can study for alchemy entrance exams. You get to live in a nice house with an even nicer family. As the months go on, you start seeing the family as if they were your own. The patriarch is certainly a better father to you than yours ever was. The little girl he has is like your own younger sister, and the dog is like your own pet.

Now, one day, you start to get a bit curious about a certain experiment that your surrogate father performed a couple years before you met. The higher-ups who were responsible for letting you stay at the household force you to move out after realizing you might know too much. Unsatisfied, you and your brother decide to sneak back over there so you can do more research. And what do you find over there?

[I apologize for reusing the same picture twice]

For all intents and purposes, your little sister and dog were turned into a horrific monster by your own father. You're not just pissed off; you feel BETRAYED. And this isn't the first time the father has done this sort of thing. You remember that you were told the mother walked out on the family, except that's all a lie because when SHE was turned into a chimera, she killed herself by starvation.

After almost beating the old man to death, he is taken into military custody. You manage to free your little sister from a fate worse than death, but then SHE ends up dead, and you get to find her corpse. Even worse is that she had no chance of turning back into a human again, and her death was pretty much a mercy kill, but you don't know any of that. All you know is that your little baby sister and dog who did nothing wrong are dead at the hands of a serial killer.

The fallout continues from Episode Eight. In there, Edward finds himself at the mercy of Barry the Chopper, who's been responsible for the murders of several women recently. Ed's mechanical arm is missing, Winry (his childhood friend) has also been kidnapped, and both of them are this close to becoming the next victims of the Chopper. Does Edward try to sarcastically talk his way out of this? No! He's freaking scared out of his mind! Even after freeing himself from the chair he's been tied to, his default expression is that of someone who's aware they could die at any moment. In fact, if it weren't for Alphonse showing up, Edward could have killed Barry out of fear.

After that scenario, we get one of my favorite quotes from the series. Edward has been through so many horrifying situations in such a relatively short period of time. He lost another family, was almost killed, and is now a traumatized wreck. This is what he says to Alphonse at the end of the episode, as he barely holds back from crying.

Edward: When I was certain that he was going to kill me, my mind went blank, and I didn't have hope anymore. The only thing I could do was scream my lungs out. I felt so helpless, I couldn't even bring myself to believe someone might save me. Then you showed up, Al, and I realized that if we don't take care of each other, no one else will. So I'll do anything in my power to get our bodies back- even if it means being the military's lap dog- and we'll just have to hope our powers are good enough to help us rise above our limits. *sobbing* 'Cause we're not gods. We're humans. Tiny, insignificant humans, who couldn't even save a little girl.

Several episodes later, we get to find out what happened to Shou Tucker after he was taken into custody. Turns out he does indeed regret what he did to Nina and Alexander. Actually, he's been doing experiments to find a way to bring her back to life. Of course, he himself didn't make it out in one piece, and by the time we see him again, he's been disfigured into THIS:

[Can't sleep, Tucker will eat me. Can't sleep, Tucker will eat me...]

He's made several cloned bodies of the Nina chimera, and throughout the rest of the anime, is usually seen carrying one soulless body around. His goal is to use Alphonse as a Philosopher's Stone so he can resurrect Nina as a means to atone for turning her into a Chimera. Of course, this connects with the major "Vengeance vs. Atonement" theme that pervades throughout the show, but we'll talk about that another day. How does his story end?

He gets a technically alive, but brain-dead shell of Nina. The last we see of him, he's completely lost his sanity. He believes that he's been able to succeed in bringing back his little girl, and is now so delusional he can't fathom that he could have failed. Presumbaly, he'll spend the rest of his short life with the Nina doll he made, completely alone with only his mad dreams to accompany him.

Well, that's all for today's post! Seeing as next week, it will still be October, it stands to reason that my next analysis will be spook-themed, too. How about a villain analysis? Which one, which one...

Next time on Akane Analyzes, I take a look at Griffith from Berserk! Thank you all for reading! If you have something to add, please comment. I look forward to hearing what you have to say!

***

Welcome to Akane's Abode! I'd like to pose a thought experiment for you all. I have taken two pieces of paper. Paper A has the word "cat" written twenty times in different fonts and sizes. Paper B has the words "cat", "dog", "mouse", and so on written in the same size and font. Now, each word represents a story in whatever medium you choose. Which paper interests you more? There are no right or wrong answers, my dear audience. Hehehe...

In my view, the 2003 FMA is marginally better than the 2009 version. Having said that, however, I must also say that that each version has its own strengths and weaknesses. In my view, the '03 version was very good when it had the manga to use as its touchstone (however, the ending was just awesome!). It also had Bratja as an essential insert song. Sad to say, but there was no way that that the '09 version could match -- much less top -- that song.

For better or for worse, the '09 version had the entire manga to work with; so if you wanted to see how the manga went without actually reading it, then that was the one to see.

It's time for another installment of Akane Analyzes! First, I'd like to give special thanks to Nobahn for his continuous support. Thank you for taking the time to comment. Really, I mean it.

Guess what? It's still October! And we're only two weeks away from Halloween! So, what would everyone's favorite pagan festival be without EVIL MASTERMINDS!? *cue sounds of thunder*

[Quick, before he breaks out into Broadway tunes!]

Today's analysis will be focused on one of my favorite anime villains of all time- Griffith from Berserk! Spoiler warning? Spoiler warning! This post will be spoiling almost the entirety of the Berserk anime TV series. If you don't care about being spoiled, proceed on. Everyone else? Go watch it!

And now, a trigger warning. This post will be discussing self-harm and rape. If this sort of stuff bothers you, then feel free to leave right now. Thank you for your time. See you next week.

So, before we can begin, I will be using quotes from the English dub. That means I'm going to have to address his dub actor's performance. My opinion? I'm sure he's a talented guy who did his best, but he just didn't have enough talent to pull off the role of Griffith.

And that's just the thing. Griffith is a very complex character, probably one of THE most complex I've seen. He's charismatic, a good leader, but there's also a sense of bitterness and ruthlessness behind his smiling facade. But how did all of this happen? How do we get from heroic knight in shining armor to proud member of the Godhand?

Let's start around Episode Four. This is where we get the infamous "splash fight" scene between a very nude Griffith and a not-nude-at-all Guts. This is where we see Griffith truly relax and open-up to another person. The only other person he was able to do this is with Casca, as we later find out, and even then, not so much the "relaxing" part. It is also here where the Behelit is first brought up.

Griffith (casually): Oh, this? Well, I got this from an old fortune teller woman a long time ago. It's a Behelit. She called it the "Egg of the King", for once you possess this, you are destined to rule the world- in exchange for your flesh and blood.

Guts: Rule the world?

Griffith: Catch!

Guts does so. He holds the red, lumpy thing in one hand up close to inspect it. Suddenly, an eye opens on the Behelit. Guts gasps in terror, than trips.

Griffith: But I don't really know how it's supposed to work. Looks alive, though, doesn't it?

Guts: It's creepy!

Griffith (jokingly): Be afraid~!

Given later insights, I believe that this exchange sums up Griffith's philosophy quite well. He is a fatalist, someone who believes that destiny has the final word. He's going to be a king because that's his destiny. And he's going to do everything in his power to fulfill it.

Later on, Griffith meets Princess Charlotte after being knighted. Now, you'd believe this would be love at first sight, correct? After all, that's how these sorts of stories tend to go, isn't it? So then, tell me this. How many times does Griffith say he loves Charlotte or refers to her in a romantic way when he isn't interacting with her?

Absolutely zero.

It's pretty clear that Griffith doesn't give a damn about Charlotte's well-being outside of her being his meal-ticket to the throne. If anything, he seems to have more affection for Casca and Guts than the princess by the end. Even when he gives her pity sex after her mother's death, (which we will get to), it's less about comforting her and more about wallowing in his own sorrows. Which will get him into huge trouble later on, but I will address that later.

[Poor girl never even had a chance.]

Now, let's skip over to Episode Twelve. During the events of this episode, Casca tells Guts the story of how she joined the Band of the Hawk. We find out that Griffith was deeply affected by the death of an innocent boy who had joined his side in battle. Whether it was out of guilt or because he was desperate, Griffith goes off to prostitute himself to a nobleman (later named Lord Gennon). The morning after doing the deed, Casca finds him bathing in the river. Just before she can leave, Griffith says this:

Griffith: Casca, why don't you join me?

Casca: Well, I...I'm not...

Griffith: You think I'm disgusting.

Casca: I don't! Why...why were you there last night? *silence* I know! I took it the wrong way! It was something else! It was a meeting for the War Council, wasn't it!? I mistook it-

Griffith: No.

Casca: Eh?

Griffith: There was no mistake.

Casca: *gasp* Why would you do that with him!?

Griffith (matter-of-factly): For the money.

Casca: Huh?

Griffith: Maintaining an army is quite costly. Soldiers, horses, provisions and equipment- none of these are free. The Hawks will grow even larger, and so will their expenses. I must help my army grow, and that, I'm afraid, takes tremendous funds. So I found someone who was as interested in me as I am in his substantial fortune. So we have come to an agreement.

Casca (angry): Even so, you can't! Why can't things just stay as they are!? I know we could earn the money you need! We just have to keep winning!

Griffith (broken): That would take a tremendous amount of time and...the more battles we fight, the more people we lose.

Casca gasps as she realizes what he means. We see the image of the young boy who died on the battlefield.

Casca: You're thinking about that boy, aren't you Griffith?

Griffith: I'm not. I came to this conclusion rationally, which is the lesser risk for me. Losing hundreds of my men in tens of battles, or receiving what I need from some rich old man? Listen, Casca. I feel no responsibility to those comrades who've lost their lives in my service, because... (shaking) they chose to fight those battles. Just as you chose...just as I.

Casca: Griffith?

Griffith (digs his fingers into his arms, drawing blood): Just as I have chosen this. *silence* But, if there is one thing I can do for them- for the dead- it is to win and keep winning until I abtain my dream, a dream they clung to and risked their lives for!

Casca: Griffith, stop it!

Griffith (in distress): I can't just step over the bones of the dead in order to realize it! My dream...my dream is already smeared with blood! I don't regret, I don't feel guilty, but I'd rather sacrifice myself than watch any more innocent children die in the name of my dream!

It is here where I believe that Griffith changed into a more ruthless and unfettered man. Before, he seemed like a nice young man, just trying to do his part for the greater good. Here, he's been completely broken in mind. Compare the quote above to what happens in Episode Eighteen.

In that episode, Griffith decides to assassinate the queen of Midland and her followers because she doesn't approve of him being with Charlotte. The queen is not the first to dislike him due to his background, nor is she the last to be disposed of by Griffith. So he chooses to burn down the castle which she and her men are having a meeting in. Here is what he says to her when she confronts him before dying in a fire. (Don't worry, it's much shorter than the first two quotes.)

Griffith (coldly): Death on the battlefield comes regardless of class, royal or common. The loser must die.

So now, we go back to the pity sex scene. Guts has just left for good, and Griffith goes bonkers and stomps off to go steal the princess's virginity in an attempt to feel better about losing his most prized warrior. Of course, he is caught, and gets sent to the dungeons to be tortured. After a year, he is rescued by his loyal companions, including Guts. But...well...let's just say Griffith didn't make it out in one piece.

[You really don't want to know what his face looks like under the mask.]

At this point, Griffith has lost EVERYTHING. He has no status, no princess, and even his dearest friends can do nothing put pity his sorry state. Just before he attempts to commit suicide, he imagines a scenario where he and Casca got their happy ending. (He named their child GUTS. Crying or Very sad

) That's when his behelit awakens (and it's crying, too!), and suddenly, CHAOS.

As he is brought to the God Hand to become one of them, Griffith has a vision where he is a child again. In this vision, his own fatalistic philosophies are turned against him, as he is confronted with all the people who died for him. (There are so many great quotes from this scene, but I don't want to make this post any longer than it is. Besides, it's something you really ought to watch yourself.) As Guts finally appears to rescue him, Griffith realizes that HE was the one holding him back from realizing his dream of becoming king. And so, he makes the deal.

His rebirth as Femto serves as the conclusion to his arc. When you look at it, Griffith's philosophy served as his downfall. He was so sure that things were going to do his way that when one little thing went wrong, his entire world went crumbling down. And so we end the series with Griffith becoming Guts' worst enemy, completely broken and despairing.

Well, that was a doozy! What should I do for my next Halloween post? Hmm...I think I'm going to go with a certain anime that was released in 2013. One that was a mainstream hit, too, and not just in Japan...

Next time on Akane Analyzes, I take a look at the success of Attack on Titan! Thank you all for reading! What did you think about today's topic? Leave a comment so I can know what your thoughts are!

***

Welcome to Akane's Abode! I'm not a huge fan of being scared. I hate rollercoasters, am a total wimp when it comes to haunted houses, and don't really go for horror movies all the time. But then why is it that I like to write horror short stories so much? Perhaps it's because I'm more into the psychological aspects than just the gore and blood? Or maybe it's because I'm a sucker for darkness? Either way, I'm just into putting my characters through hell. Hmm...I'd better get back to watching Tokyo Ghoul now. That anime was just made for me! Very Happy

Guess what it's still Halloween month. So, I was thinking about Attack on Titan like I usually do. It's safe to say that I am a huge fan of it. I own the first volumes of the manga, have seen the entire anime TV series, and I am reading it online while it's still serializing. It's nowhere near as bad as my adoration of Madoka Magica, but my love for the series is pretty big.

And so I thought to myself, "Gosh, how could this little series become a MONSTER success overnight?" Then I slapped myself because that pun was bad and I deserved it. Anyway, on today's Akane Analyzes, I'm going to give you all a learning on how giant man-eating zombies became a mainstream hit on both sides of the pacific.

SPOILERS! This post will not only be casually spoiling plot points from the anime. It will also include spoilers from the manga as well. Anime-only viewers may want to stay away until next year. By the way, Season Two's going to be amazing.

So, let's start with the humble origins of Attack on Titan. We begin with the creator, Hajime Isayama.

[You b*****d.]

Isayama started his career in high school, having entered his manga into several contests. His hard work payed off when, in 2006, he won a Fine Work award for the Attack on Titan pilot from the Magazine Grand Prix. Still, he kept going, eventually moving to Tokyo as part of his dream to enter the manga industry.

Here's a fun fact! Did you know that Attack on Titan was ALMOST published in Weekly Shonen Jump? Yes, that Weekly Shonen Jump, the same magazine that publishes One Piece, Bleach, and Gintama. I guess that really says it all, huh? To put it briefly, Shueisha took one look at the story, said "Hell, no, that's WAY too dark!", and Isayama decided to take his work and head over to Kodansha.

You all know the rest of the story. Attack on Titan became an unexpected success almost overnight. According to Nendai Ryuukou, the series was the second best selling manga of 2013, (no doubt thanks to it's anime adaptation boosting it from Number Fifteen), trailing behind One Piece by a little over two million copies. By next year, the gap was only two hundred and fifty thousand. It's popularity in America is also nothing to laught about, either, with the first volume remaining on the New York Times Manga list for EIGHTY-ONE WEEKS STRAIGHT.

So, you're wondering, how the hell did something like that get popular in the first place? Well, this is an analysis thread, after all. Allow me to explain why I think Attack on Titan resonates with so many people in both Japan and America. Here we go~!

The Story

[What are YOU staring at, Bert?]

At it's heart, Attack on Titan is a tale of humanity's last stand against the Titans, man-eating giants that have nearly hunted them down to extinction. Post-apocalyptic fiction has always been popular, as we do so enjoy the idea of surviving against the worst nature has to offer. This story is no exception, but I will give Isayama points for breathing new life into the zombie subgenre.

And yes, this is technically a zombie apocalypse story. The Titans are actually humans who were turned by an unknown force into the monsters we see here. Most people would agree that zombies are overdone, but Isayama puts a new spin by, well, making them a lot bigger. Likewise, the medieval fantasy setting and the introduction of Titan Shifters make Attack on Titan stand out from it's more tired competitors.

Additionally, the story's themes revolve around what makes a monster and what makes a man, as Hunchback of Notre Dame so eloquently put it. I will admit that I am a huge sucker for this kind of story-telling, and Attack on Titan is no slouch at it. Once again, the "what is humanity" theme has been done before, but Isayama does it in a way that hasn't really been seen. The Titans are not entirely bad, the humans are not entirely good, and the Titan Shifters can go either way. The series is all about exploring the cast as the line between Titan and human is consistantly blurred.

The Characters

The world of Attack on Titan is populated by a colorful cast of characters. Our main trio alone consists of Eren, a hot-headed angry little slice of pie, Mikasa, a broken girl who acts as his devoted bodyguard, and Armin, a short boy who plays the role of ruthless strategist. That's not even getting into Levi, Hange, Sasha, Reiner and Bertolt, and more great personalities. Isayama certainly knows how to make likable characters, as I can guarantee that you will find yourself getting attached to at least one.

[Hange is one of my personal favorites. She is a treasure that must be protected.]

A common complaint I've seen is that the characters aren't deep enough. To that, I say...do they have to? True, Eren is very much a "heart on his sleeve" type, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I still find him a compelling character for his determination and perseverance.

I should also mention the other Titan Shifters as sympathetic villains. Annie, Reiner, and Bertolt are all moles who have been sent to eliminate humanity for an as-of-yet unknown purpose. However, they aren't one-dimensional cardboard "mua ha ha" baddies. We see Annie crying as she remembers the training that her father put her through. Reiner, as a result of his past actions, is stricken with delusional episodes where he starts to believe he really is a normal human. Bertolt is incredibly guilty over killing twenty percent of humanity as the Colossal Titan. It's also heavily implied that something worse is going to happen to the trio if they don't do their job and start killing humans.

The Technicals

This is a a pretty show.

[A very...]

[...pretty...]

[...show.]

Now, I will say that the initial TV release was a bit rough around the edges stemming from a) this being Studio Wit's first production and b) nobody expecting this show to be that big of a hit. By the time of the home release, however, we got ourselves a well-directed, beautiful looking tale, and we can all thank Tetsuro Araki for that.

I'm going to outright say that Araki may be one of my favorite anime directors in the industry. I already enjoyed his work on the show, but it wasn't until I watched Death Note that I became a fan. Considering that that particular show was also a mainstream success in Japan, I think his name being attacked to Attack on Titan drew a lot more attention that it would have if he wasn't involved.

Likewise, we also have Hiroyuki Sawano. In Japan, he became notable for his work on the live action adaptation of Team Medical Dragon and the Gundam Unicorn OVA series. I also loved his work here (though I like his score for Kill la Kill more.), and most fans of the show do too. Attack on Titan was what made Sawano famous among the Western anime community. In Japan, his attachment just attracted more otakus to the series like flies to honey.

So, that's all for today. I don't have a lot to say this time, due to this post being more of a general meta-analysis than a real in-depth essay. But with this, I do hope that new anime fans will go take a look at Attack on Titan as a pop culture icon on both the east and western sides of the pacific. Perhaps ten years from now, people will still be discussing this series just as fervently as today.

Next week on Akane Analyzes, I do something completely different! Seeing as next Saturday is Halloween, I decided to write a short story for a popular franchise. Now, I'm not a particular fan of this franchise, (I only liked the prequel), but I do know it's very popular around here. Here's the preview image.

Next time, I deconstruct Sakura Matou from Fate stay Night 2006! Thank you all for reading, and remember to leave comments afterwards! I need as much feedback as possible so I can know what you're thinking! Take care!

***

Welcome to Akane's Abode! You know, some people say Roald Dahl is an anti-semite. I say that's putting it way too nicely. Roald Dahl hated everyone! He hated his generation, he hated his teachers, and he hated those new-age hippies! But considering that he lost his daughter to encephalitis, his infant son was hit by a car, and that even before that, his school life was utter hell, it's no wonder he turned out to be such a misanthrope, huh?

Hello, and welcome to another installment of Akane Analyzes! Happy Halloween, everyone! I’m sure by now that you’re all eager to go out and eat candy, party hard, get drunk, and be scared out of your wits! I know I’m as excited as the rest of you! That’s why I decided to write this short story as a special Halloween present!

This is Sakura Matou. Boy is she a completely useless female character. Saber and Rin were awesome, but Sakura was where the writers dropped the ball. How, you ask?

Now, when I say this, I am talking about her first anime incarnation, not the one we see in Unlimited Blade Works or Heaven’s Feel. With that said, there is nothing original or unique about Sakura at all. She is every generically nice, blushing “Oh, Senpai!” girl next door we’ve seen in a billion different anime titles. Not only that, but she doesn’t really have any characterization outside of Shirou (and to a lesser extent, Rin). If you were to replace her with a lamp, nothing important would change.

In short? Sakura Matou is BORING. I don’t hate her- not even a little bit. I just find her incredibly dull, especially when compared with Shirou’s other love interests.

After watching Fate zero, I was inspired to come up with this little horror tale. What if Sakura simply went insane? Maybe she saw Shirou confess his love to Rin or Saber, and her fragile mind just snapped. After years of torture and isolation from her foster family, seeing the one person she truly loved seemingly reject her pushed her over the edge. With that, I present "Bad End". Enjoy!

***

She had him in her hands.

Sakura Matou smiled as she looked upon her beloved Sempai. Shirou wasn’t awake yet, but soon, the drugs would start to wear off. Of course, she knew he’d try to run as soon as he regained consciousness, so she’d chained his arms and legs to the rackety bed he’d been sleeping on. She wouldn’t let him escape so easily.

Now he was beginning to stir. First, his arms twitched ever so slightly. Shirou groaned, then gasped as he discovered he couldn’t move. He tried to look around, but with that blindfold on, he’d never be able to figure out where he was exactly. Sakura giggled.

“Wakey wakey, Sempai!” she said to him cheerfully. “Did you have sweet dreams?”

“Huh…?! Sakura!? What...what’s going on!?”

“You don’t have to worry anymore, Sempai.” Sakura gently reassured him. “I took extra special care of Rin. Now we can both be together!”

“Rin..?” he asked, his voice now shaking. “W-What the hell did you do to Tohsaka!?”

The girl laughed lightly as she petted her Sempai on the head. “Oh, that whore? I killed her!”

“Killed...her? B-But she’s your sister! How could you do something like that!?” He began to thrash now, struggling against the chains in a desperate attempt to escape.

“She tried to separate us.” she explained coldly. “If Rin really cared about you and me, she would have never gotten in the way. That bitch was no sister to me.” Then she began to shake. “Why? Why didn’t anyone save me? Rin didn’t. And Mama and Papa didn’t! If they really cared about me, why didn’t they save me from this hellhole!?”

“Sakura, please.” Shirou weakly begged, his hand reaching towards her in an effort to calm her down.

“You’re the only one who cared, Sempai!” she wailed, tears messily flowing from her red eyes and down her face. “You’re the only one who made me feel like life was worth loving! I don’t know what I’d do without you, Sempai! IF I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT YOU, I’LL DIE!”

All was quiet except for Sakura’s harrowed breathing. She collapsed onto her knees, her hands clenching her bare arms tightly. The girl scratched and scratched, nails digging into her skin, until she felt the calming warmth of blood trickling out from her veins. Slowly, slowly, she stood up on shaky knees.

“I feel better now, Sempai.” she said. “I’m sorry if I scared you. It’s alright. T-There’s no need to be upset. No need at all, ha ha.”

“...Where is Saber?”

“Huh?”

“Where. Is. Saber? She should have been here by now. Sakura, what did you do Saber!?”

“Ah, that Servant of yours. I should ask Rider about that. Rider?”

A tall woman materialized from a shadow behind her Master. Rider staggered towards Sakura, her breathing heavy with exhaustion and weariness. The young girl grinned as she realized the victory she had on her hands. She turned to her Servant, placing a kind hand on her shoulder.

“Tell us how you killed the Servant Saber.” she asked sweetly. “Pretty please?”

“It was a tough fight,” Rider said between gasps. “But...I was able to cut clean through her. I can...I can still hear her death cries. Will that be all, my Master?”

“Wait!” Shirou interrupted. “This doesn’t make sense! I thought Shinji is-”

“Was.” Sakura corrected him. “Was her Master. I promised Rider Dear I’d take over my brother’s position if she disposed of him and Grandfather. Isn’t that right?”

“Indeed.” said Rider. “I need more Mana, Master.”

“Go rest.” the girl suggested. “That’ll be all. Now then…”

By then, Shirou had stopped resisting. Sakura knew- and he knew too- that there was nothing left. There were no other girls to lead him astray. There were no family members who would object to their union. It would be just the two of them, forever and ever and ever…

But wait. It WAS partially Shirou’s fault that Rin had gotten to him. If he truly had loved her, then he wouldn’t have gotten distracted by any other girl. Before they could do anything important, Sempai needed to be punished first.

“Say, Shirou.” Sakura began. “I heard from Saber a while ago that you have the Avalon in your body, right? And as long as it’s in there, you won’t die, right?”

He nodded.

“So...if I were to, say, stab you a few times, then you’d be okay.”

“What…?”

“I’m sorry, Sempai. But you need to learn your lesson. It’ll only hurt for a little bit.”

He screamed as the knife plunged into his heart.

BAD END

WOULD YOU LIKE TO PLAY AGAIN?

***

So, that was "Bad End"! What did you think? Would you like to see more from me! Please leave a comment below so that I can best improve myself! Oh, and next week will be another analysis post, just like normal!

Next time, I explain why Baccano is the most optimistic story you'll ever see! Thank you all for reading! Once again, please leave a comment so I can know what you think! I like to encourage discussion, after all! So then, have a happy Halloween!

***

And now, it's time for a trip to Akane's Abode! I miss watching Halloween specials on TV! I used to do that all the time before leaving America. Yeah, I can still find a few videos floating around on the interwebs, but it just isn't the same! Honestly, I'd rather watch It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown on my old television eating candy than at the computer I'm using right now. Ah, nostalgia is a bittersweet thing.

Hi everybody! So, as you all know, I'm going to be posting my Baccano analysis tomorrow. I was thinking to myself about revisiting certain anime series I've already posted about before. Even though I have enough material for a few more months (Psycho-Pass, for example, has enough analysis material for three posts), I've been thinking about going back to certain shows. So, that's where you step in! What anime series do YOU want me to write more about? Would you like to see more on Madoka Magica or Princess Tutu? Perhaps something like Fullmetal Alchemist or Cowboy Bebop is up your alley? Please leave a comment on which series you want to see me analyze in the future! Your feedback is very important to me, so I'd appreciate it if you remembered to leave some after reading! Thanks, and see you tomorrow!

I am always up for more discussion on Princess Tutu. It's admirable how much work you put into these posts, Akane. Smile

Well, if you're granting requests, how about the Berserk series? It's always interesting to see people's views on it.

Hello, and welcome to today's installment of Akane Analyzes! We all have that one little thing we do when we're down in the dumps. Maybe it's listening to Weird Al for hours on end. Perhaps it's baking a whole bunch of delicious and yummy cakes and cookies. For me, it's watching a bunch of episodes from my favorite shows, and I think I've found the anime equivalent of an anti-depressant.

So come on, everyone! Let's examine why Baccano is the happiest anime you'll ever see. SPOILERS! This post will include spoilers for the Baccano TV series as well as it's three-episode OVA conclusion. If you haven't seen either of them, please leave now. Now go watch it, because you deserve it.

To begin with, let's summarize what this show is about, saavy? The anime follows three events happening in three different years- 1930, 1931, and 1932. In 1930, a boy becomes a part of the Camarro, an elixir that grants eternal life gets loose in New York City, and an old man who's immortal seeks to get it back. In 1931, several people board a train and have the worst night ever. In 1932, a young girl searches for her missing older brother, who unbenowst to her, is in a barrel at the bottom of the Hudson (but surprisingly not dead).

This is where Isaac Dian and Miria Harvent come in.

It is at this moment when a strange young couple bursts into the Analysis Room. The man is tall, with a handsome face and unusual eyebrows. His partner is a shorter young woman with blonde hair and wide eyes. Both are smiling cheerfully. They are also dressed in a butler and a maid costume, respectively.

Isaac: Say, Miria, did you hear someone speak our names?

Miria: Yeah, Isaac. But we don't know this girl at all.

Akane: Isaac!? Miria!? What are you two doing in my Analysis chamber!?

Isaac: (gasp) This stranger knows who we are! Miria, there is only one conclusion we can reach from this!

Miria: And what would that be?

Isaac: WE'RE FAMOUS!

Miria: Oh, Isaac, it makes so much sense now! Anway, I wonder who you are.

Miria points to Akane, who now seems befuddled by the appearance of these two characters.

Akane: Well, uh, hi. I'm Akane the Catgirl, and I analyze things. Actually, I was just talking about you and your show-

Isaac and Miria: Our show?

Akane: Yeah, didn't you guys know? You two were in this anime series that premiered in the summer of 2007, and before that, the original light novels that premiered in 2003.

Isaac and Miria: We were!?

Akane: You were. Now, um, I have some fresh-baked cookies in the kitchen. Why don't you have some in the meantime? I have an analysis to do. Okay?

Isaac and Miria nod affirmatively. Both leave in pursuit of cookies.

Well, now that THAT is out of the way, let's discuss everyone's favorite eccentric thieving lovers.

[I'd say they need protecting, but given their circumstances, I think they'd be okay.]

Isaac and Miria are the two characters that represent Baccano's philosophy the best. In spite of their lack of common sense and intelligence, both are very happy with their lot in life. They live their lives with flamboyance and gusto, not caring what anybody else thinks. Even when finding out they are immortal over seventy years after the fact, they don't despair. They're a bit shocked at first, but they find reason to celebrate.

And that, I think, is what the show is about. In the world of Baccano, life is wonderful and the good guys always win. Sure, there's some truly nasty people out there, but for every villain, there's ten heroes around the corner. Given enough time, the main antagonist will be defeated in some way.

Likewise, with enough love and positivity, you can change anyone's life. If it weren't for Firo's love and Isaac and Miria's friendship, Ennis would have died at the hands of her villainous creator. Czeslaw wouldn't have learned to trust others again if it weren't for Isaac and Miria's kindness on that fateful train trip to New York. Chane would still be loyal to her awful father Huey if she'd never met Jacuzzi's gang or Claire.

Even some of the villains are very happy with their lives. Sure, Huey may be a mad scientist sociopath, but at least he's not a Debby Downer. Ladd Russo is an omnicidal lunatic, but he still genuinely loves his fiancee, even if he expresses it in his own weird way. Graham Specter can be violent in his fanboying of Ladd, but goddamn it if he isn't smiling all the way.

There's a small quote near the end of Episode Thirteen after the final showdown of Firo and company versus Szilard. Everybody's happy and celebrating, but Maiza seems a bit down. Turns out everyone drank the Grand Panacea (having mistaking it for wine), and now they're immortal. Maiza is tired of living forever, and wants to finally end his life. Firo's response?

Firo: But Maiza, it's not like we wanna die! I'm sure no one minds living forever one bit! In fact, I feel like jumping up and shoutin' "Yahoo"! I'm so glad!

That about sums it up, I guess. At the end of the day, Baccano is one of the most optimistic, sunshiney, and just plain happy anime series I've seen so far. It loves life and it loves you! If this anime were a person, it'd give you a big hug and a kiss while telling you how wonderful you are.

That's all for now. I apologize if this post seems unusually short, but I didn't have a lot to talk about. 'Sides, I have more anime to watch! Hmm...how about for my next analysis, I do a piece on something I recently finished?

Next time on Akane Analyzes, I took a look at the dynamics of Akane Tsunemori and Shinya Kogami from Psycho-Pass. Thank you all for reading! Remember to leave a comment afterwards so that I can know what you think? Want to see your favorite anime analyzed by me? Just ask, and I might get around to it!

It is then that Isaac and Miria return, but not alone. Firo, Maiza, Ennis, Czeslaw, Ronnie, and most of the immortals have followed them into the analysis room. Akane looks at them in confusion. Everyone else looks at her in a similar way.

Firo: Were we interrupting something?

Akane: No, no! Not at all. I'm already finished with my work for today. I'm guessing those two invited you over for cookies.

Everyone nods.

Akane: Well, I guess I'm going to be busy for the rest of the day. Cookies are on me, guys!

Everyone leaves the Analysis room, cheering all the way.

***

And now, a visit to Akane's Abode. First off, I'd like to give a special thank you to willag and Souther for their continuous support. You have no idea how much your kind words mean to me. As such, I actually am planning on revisiting the two anime series you've brought up. Once again, huge thanks to all of you! See you next Saturday!

Happy Tuesday, everyone! I'm still working on my Psycho-Pass analysis, but every once in a while, I need a break. I feel like answering a few questions, actually. Did you ever want to know what I thought about X anime? Ask me! Want to know who my favorite side characters are? Just go ahead and ask! Taste in music? Don't hesitate to ask! I live for discussion, so leave a comment and I'll answer! Anime exclamation

b

There has been some recent discussion (here and here) regarding Robotech. I've initiated some discussion in the past (here) and I've wondered if you've seen the show; and if so what your thoughts are of it vis a vis The Superdimensional Fortress Macross.

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