Forum - View topicAkane Analyzes (Spoilerific).
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Akane the Catgirl
Posts: 1091 Location: LA, Baby! |
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Thanks, nobahn! To answer that, I have not seen either the original Macross or it's Robotech version. I know I will EVENTUALLY, but I don't see any plans to sit down and watch them in the near future. Truth be told, I've only seen about...three mecha titles. (EVA and it's Rebuild movies, Gurren Lagann, and Code Geass, specifically.) It's just not something that particularly interests me as an individual. Stuff like fantasy and sci-fi is more up my alley. Likewise, I've heard that RahXephon and Escaflowne are good examples of speculative mecha stories, so I'm more sooner to check those out than with balls-to-the-wall mecha like Macross or Gundam. Thanks again for asking!
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Akane the Catgirl
Posts: 1091 Location: LA, Baby! |
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Hello, everyone, and welcome to Akane Analyzes! It would not surprise you to see that I am quite the fan of Gen Urobuchi. I've already analyzed one of his masterpieces (more specifically, Madoka). So, which of his works of art have I selected for dissection?
That's correct! Specifically, I'm going to be taking a look at the relationship dynamics of Akane Tsunemori and Shinya Kogami. Do I even need to say it? This post will be spoiling the entirety of the original Psycho-Pass TV series. If you have not seen it, please leave and go do so! It's great! Let's start with a look at Akane. Our main heroine is your everywoman whom the audience can relate to. She's a bit naive, but is good at heart and chooses to believe in the best of humanity. She befriends the Enforcers, as opposed to her partner Ginoza, who treats them more like the monsters society says they are. I will confess that out of all three anime making up the Urobuchi Trifecta, Akane's my personal favorite main protagonist. 
[And they said no moe allowed...] This all changes around the halfway point, when she witnesses her best friend Yuki's horrific murder at the hands of main antagonist Makishima. As time goes on, she's forced to confront the fact that maybe the system she works for isn't all that great. In spite of all the trauma inflicted on her, Akane still manages to keep her job with her sanity intact. I think this is best demonstrated with the events of Episode 16. There, she chooses to arrest Makishima instead of killing him to avenge Yuki. Now, let's see how Akane contrasts with Kogami. We find out that Kogami was actually a lot like her during the days when HE used to be an Inspector. He was a young man who believed in the law and that justice would prevail. That all came to a screeching halt when he found the dead body of his dear friend Sasayama, an Enforcer. This is where the fates of our two protagonists diverge. For Akane, the death of Yuki served as a wake-up call for her to start gaining a more realistic perspective on her philosophy. By the end of the story, she's still very much an idealist, but no longer naive to the more unpleasant aspects of the Sibyl system. Sasayama's murder drove Kogami to near insanity, resulting in his demotion to Enforcer. At the end of the series, he avenges his friend by shooting Makishima in the head, resulting in him becoming a fugitive. Even during the events of the TV series, we see how Kogami's personality contrasts with that of his superior's. Unlike Akane, Kogami is a lot more bitter and jaded. He's been used and abused by the system he once swore to protect, and as a result, no longer believes in the law. Instead, he's taken the path of...oh, God, I don't want to make a joke but I have to! 
[GREAT JUSTICE!] I should mention now that Akane and Kogami's dynamics are not the first time Urobuchi has written such a thing. We've seen this before with Kiritsugu and Irisviel in Fate/Zero and Madoka and Homura in Madoka Magica. In all three stories, a kind idealist (Iri, Madoka, Akane) is paired up with an aloof cynic (Kerry, Homura, Kogami). In this case, I feel that Psycho-Pass best demonstrates this sort of duelism with Akane and Kogami. Over twenty-episodes, the audience watches as both Inspector and Enforcer develop a strong bond with each other. Akane is a lot more trusting and willing to befriend her new coworkers, but Kogami is reluctant to get to know her, especially after his falling out with Ginoza due to his deteriorating Psycho-Pass. In spite of what society has told them, the two grow closer together, culminating when Kogami calls out Akane by first name during the finale. It's quite clear from Kogami's goodbye letter to her that he misses her dearly and regrets having to leave her and his friends behind as he goes on the run. From a thematic perspective, Kogami represents who Akane could become had she not had the strength of a healthy Psycho-Pass on her side. Both start out as optimists who believed in everything the Sibyl System taught them, only to be betrayed by the very people they trusted. While Akane was able to overcome her traumatic experiences and become a stronger person, Kogami falls deeper into his obsession on getting revenge on Makishima. I don't expect less from the great Urobuchi-sensei himself. So! Those are my thoughts on Akane Tsunemori and Shinya Kogami from Psycho-Pass. For my next post, I think I'm going to do something a bit happier. Yeah, let's do something more fairytale-like. More...family-friendly. 
Join me next time as I took a look at how the original Sailor Moon TV series connects to the legend of Princess Kaguya! Thank you all for reading! Please remember to leave a comment afterwards! Your feedback and encouragement are very important to me as a budding writer, so tell me what you think! See you soon! *** 
Welcome to Akane's Abode! I recently watched the animated short film Duck Amuck in my film class. My god, this is one of the funniest things I've ever seen! I'm only a casual fan of the Looney Tunes shorts, but after seeing this, I want to check out more! Gotta run! I'll see you next Saturday! Last edited by Akane the Catgirl on Sat Nov 14, 2015 7:29 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Errinundra
Moderator
 Posts: 6525 Location: Melbourne, Oz |
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I changed your thread name. I hope you don't mind.
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Akane the Catgirl
Posts: 1091 Location: LA, Baby! |
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^ Not at all! Thanks, errinundra! By the way, what did you think of today's topic?
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Akane the Catgirl
Posts: 1091 Location: LA, Baby! |
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I'm getting bored again. You know what? I'm in the mood for answering a few questions. Don't be shy, everyone! I'd like to know what you think about this thread! So go ahead and post your thoughts on the anime I've featured here! I live for discussion, so type away.
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Akane the Catgirl
Posts: 1091 Location: LA, Baby! |
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...nothing? Okay.
Hi, and welcome back to Akane Analyzes! Is it me, or does Jun'ichi Sato have a weird fascination with fairy tales and magic? With stuff like Pretear, Ojamajo Doremi, and the critically-acclaimed Princess Tutu on his resume, it makes you wonder. Today, we're going to look at his most world-famous hit by far... 
Sailor Moon, and its connection to the tale of Princess Kaguya! Moon Prism Spoilers, Make UP! This post will be spoiling the entirety of the first season of Sailor Moon. If you haven't seen a single episode, then what are you doing here? Go watch it! Let's recap the Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, shall we? In ancient Japan, a childless bamboo cutter finds a tiny infant girl in a bamboo stalk. He talks her home to his wife, and they name her Kaguya-hime (Princess Kaguya). As the years go by, the family finds themselves growing richer, and their daughter becoming more beautiful by day. Eventually, many suitors come to ask for her hand in marriage, but all are rejected by Kaguya. Even the emperor comes to propose to the maiden, but he too is rebuffed. One summer night, Kaguya takes a glimpse at the full moon, and from that moment on, grows more melancholy by the day. She is actually the princess of the moon, and before too long, she must return to her kingdom. The time comes to say goodbye, and Princess Kaguya leaves Earth, forgetting all her friends and family there. Now, let's see what Sailor Moon has to do with this. To start with, Usagi can't really be considered conventionally beautiful, but she sure is cute! Rather than being an alien, Usagi is the reincarnation of Princess Serenity of the moon kingdom Silver Millenium, and it is her destiny to end the war between the Dark Kingdom and Silver Millenium once and for all. As for the suitors, well, there's a sort-of-love triangle between Usagi, Mamoru and Motoki, so that counts, right? Anyway, the Sailor Guardians do find themselves returning to the moon for the final battle with the forces of evil. One by one, the girls are picked off, until only Usagi is left. With the encouragement of her deceased friends, she is able to defeat Queen Metallia and save the day, at the cost of her life. With one wish, Usagi and friends are resurrected, but without the memories of their adventures. Fun fact! Did you know that the original ending was going to be a lot more tragic? As in, EVERYBODY DIES? Even Usagi herself? That's right; if it weren't for it's popularity, all your favorite characters would have been killed off for real. 
[THEY DIED FOR HEEEEEEER ;A;] Now that I think about it, Princess Kaguya isn't the only fairy tale that influenced the creation of Sailor Moon. An early episode (Number Twenty-Two, specifically) seems to take a note or two from Cinderella, as the plot follows Usagi disguising herself to go to a ball she's not allowed to attend, as well as sharing her first kiss with her Prince Charming. Also, to quote "8 Reimagined Fairy Tales" from this very website:
I should also mention that Kunihiko Ikuhara started out doing episode direction for this series. Yes, the creator of Revolutionary Girl Utena, Mawaru Penguindrum, and most recently, Yurikuma Storm did, in fact, do some work on this series. He even went on to become the series director after the second season. Unlike Sato, Ikuhara tends to go for the deconstructive route, particularly in Utena. (By the way, no, I have not seen any of those three series, but I know people who have, so I'm just going by their word.) 
[You know Ikuhara directed this particular episode because of the lesbian subtext!] In conclusion, I think the fairy tale motifs are what make Sailor Moon fun and interesting to watch. It uses Princess Kaguya as a backbone, but has just enough material to stand on it's own. No wonder it became the international pop culture sensation. Speaking of which, I ought to go finish the R season soon. I think I'm going to do some more Jun'ichi Sato stuff. Yeah, I'm on a fairy tale kick! How about a character analysis? Which one, which one... 
Next time, I return to Princess Tutu and take a gander at Fakir. Thank you all for reading! Please, please, PLEASE leave a comment afterwards. As a budding writer, I want to know what my readers think about this. Where should I improve? What should I focus on more? Tell me! ***
Welcome to Akane's Abode. Is it me, or did Carlo Collodi have the sickest sense of humor ever? Go read The Adventures of Pinocchio if you haven't already. A lot of the dark scenarios Collodi wrote in can be read as jokes if you look at it in the right direction. For example, there's a scene where Pinocchio goes to the Fairy's house, and the snail takes forever to get downstairs, with the punchline being that the food she brings our main character happens to be fake. It's very little wonder that most people say the Disney movie is infinitely better. That includes me. |
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nobahn
 Subscriber Posts: 5120 |
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Some thoughts on your post.....
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Akane the Catgirl
Posts: 1091 Location: LA, Baby! |
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1. Yep! Jun'Ichi Sato is also well known for his extensive work on healing anime such as ARIA. (Not to be confused with HEALING anime by the likes of Urobuchi and his coworkers).
2. I don't have much opinion on Crystal (seeing as I've only seen the original Viz cut), but I've heard from others that shoddy animation wasn't the only problem, persay. Even without the issues concerning pacing and adaptation, however, I've found some VERY ugly stills that I won't share because I love my readers very much. In case you're wondering, they're the type of stills that make me think "OH MY GOD WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOUR FACE!? ;A;" 3. This is an interesting question. Sailor Moon has had a lot of mainsteam love with both Japanese and American audiences, and it's impact can still be felt today through shows like Pretty Cure and Steven Universe. I recommend that every anime fan watch the entirety of the unusually well-contained first season and continue on to the rest of the series if you really want more. |
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Akane the Catgirl
Posts: 1091 Location: LA, Baby! |
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Hello, and welcome back to Akane Analyzes! You know, I love pretty much every character in Princess Tutu. (Except for Lilie, that b***h.) So imagine how hard it was for me to pick a character to analyze for today's post. In the end, I picked the character that I felt had the best development throughout the story.
It's Fakir! And here's a spoiler warning! This post- just like the last one- will be spoiling the entirety of Princess Tutu. If you haven't seen the show or would like to avoid spoilers, you might want to leave now. Everyone else? You're good. So, let's discuss who Fakir is at the beginning. His personality is...well...let's put it this way. You've heard of drinking games before, right? Take a shot every time Fakir acts like a total, irredeemable d*****bag. Chug if his a-holery is towards Duck. And that's the point. We're meant to see Fakir as a jerk at first. Every little action is meant to make the audience think "Wow, what a d**k!" And unlike something like, say, Twilight, there is no freaking excuse for his behavior. Fakir has to change in order to get his happy ending. As time goes on, more of Fakir's backstory is revealed. In Episode Ten, we find out that he's an orphan who once loved to read and discovered that he was the reincarnation of Prince Siegfried's knight. By chance, he finds the unconscious Siegfried- renamed Mytho- and befriends him. Without a heart, however, the white-haired stranger finds himself in increasing amounts of danger. One day, after Mytho almost dies in a fire, Fakir changes from a sweet little boy to the aloof jerk*ss we see today. Kindness couldn't save his prince, so the young knight has to be cruel instead. In Episode Twenty, a visit from an old friend unveils more of Fakir's tragic background. We the audience already know that he is a descendant of the HEALING writer Drosselmeyer by then, but here, we learn just what sort of damage story-spinning can do in an inexperienced hand. Crows used to infest the town like rabbits, and on a whim, Fakir decided to write a story where he defeated the black-feathered demons and saved the day. Being the amateur he was, the crows did indeed come for him, but his parents sacrificed themselves so Fakir could live. Now, let's flash forward to the present day. Although Fakir may seem one hundred percent awful human being, he's got a soft side that's hidden from everyone else. When Duck is separated from the pendant that keeps her in human form, she goes on a wild goose chase (no pun intended) to get it back. After encountering Fakir in her duck form, he doesn't shoo her away or yell at her, but instead gently sets her outside and even gives her some bread. In another scene, we see him crying alone, and he hugs the little duck who cried too. He even gives her the pendant back! 
[See, he's not entirely a terrible excuse for a human being!] Starting in the second half, Fakir becomes less uptight and more open to letting Mytho have a social life outside of him and Rue. He agrees to become Duck's ally to bring all of Mytho's heart shards back. During the search for the heart shards, we see Duck and Fakir slowly grow closer together, bonding over their mutual admiration for the kind-hearted prince. When despair nearly takes Duck, the two dance together in one final solace, before she can return her final heart shard and cease being human. Soon, all the heart shards have been gathered together. Mytho has reawakened as Prince Siegfried, but the final battle has only begun! As Duck- no longer a human girl- is repeatedly pummeled by the crows, Fakir struggles to give his ancestor's tragedy a happy ending. This is what he writes: Fakir: The duck stood up. No matter how much pain she was suffering, the duck would not stop her dancing. She willed herself to keep dancing, because it was the only thing she could do as she was now. [...] Her tiny body was so wounded that she couldn't even stand on her feet. And yet! In order to guide the prince and everybody else from dark despair to a happy ending, the duck danced on and on, disregarding the pain, never losing hope. The power flowed out from deep within the duck's body, unquenchable and inexhaustable. One by one, that power warmed the people's hearts, which had been frozen by the raven's blood. That power was...hope! The story ends on a bittersweet note. Fakir and Duck, now in love but fated never to truly be together, live on in happiness. Fakir is no longer the bitter young man he was at the beginning, but a kinder, stronger. He continues to write a happy story, with Duck by his side. Fakir is probably one of my favorite characters in all children's anime. In fact, like I said at the top, I love all of them. Well, except for Lilie. She sucks. 
[Seriously, she's like Lina Lamont minus the charm.] So, those were my thoughts. Next week, I will be moving on to something I haven't covered. It will also be quite controversial! Here is my topic for next Saturday. 
Next time, I discuss the molestation of Mikuru in Haruhi Suzumiya, and see what the fuss is about! Thank you all for reading! Please remember to leave a comment afterwards! What did you think of today's topic! Tell me, tell me, TELL ME! *** Akane's Abode is closed for Thanksgiving. You might be wondering why it's closed, since Thanksgiving was two days ago. Our family is having dinner on a Saturday, because we do not live in America, and there is no break for Thanksgiving in places that are not America. Akane's Abode will be back to normal next time! |
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nobahn
Subscriber Posts: 5120 |
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That interpretation never occurred to me -- how did it occur to you? |
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Akane the Catgirl
Posts: 1091 Location: LA, Baby! |
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Well...*sheepishly waves Duckir flag* Anyway, this took me a while to think up a proper response. The second half of the series shows Duck and Fakir growing a stronger bond while looking after Mytho, like I said. Both may bicker once in a while, but I thought it was obvious that they cared a lot for each other. There's actually a parallel between Duck rescuing Fakir from a wooden fate and Fakir saving Duck from being Drosselmeyer's puppet for all eternity. In addition, I don't think it's a coincidence that Duck and Fakir's final dance together has choreography and music taken from Romeo and Juliet's goodbye scene. Those are just my thoughts, anyway. My next Tutu post will be about the theme of love, but that won't be for a while. |
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Chiibi
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Fakir is possibly one of the best written characters I've ever seen and the Fakiru ship is in my top ten couples list. The creator herself confirmed that Fakir loves Ahiru. My personal opinion is that Ahiru has fallen in love with him but she hasn't quite realized that's what the feeling is.
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Akane the Catgirl
Posts: 1091 Location: LA, Baby! |
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Um...hi guys. So, um, how do I put this? Today's post for Akane Analyzes has been delayed again due to unforeseen circumstances. Next post will be Tuesday, THEN the Sunday after that. Why? I have classes both tomorrow and the next day, and then I'm off for break. I apologize for not having a post today. Here, have a Tachikoma.
Why? BECAUSE IT'S CUTE. |
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Akane the Catgirl
Posts: 1091 Location: LA, Baby! |
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It's Tuesday! Hello and welcome back to Akane Analyzes! And now, it's time to lose whatever fanbase I've had to begin with! That's right! There's going to be more controversial subject material on today's post!
I will be discussing the running gag of Mikuru being molested in Haruhi Suzumiya. Will there be a spoiler warning? Eh...not really. The material I'll be covering won't be anything beyond the first arc at most. I'd still recommend you watch that, but otherwise, this will be as spoiler-free as possible. However, I will be putting up a trigger-warning. This post will be discussing molestation and sexual assault extensively. If you have a history of one or both, you are free to go now. Everyone else? Have your pitchforks ready. So, let's set the scene up. Haruhi Suzumiya- our title character- has just recruited/kidnapped Mikuru Asahina for the SOS Brigade. Kyon- the narrator- looks on in confusion, while Mikuru cries out in fear. Haruhi explains that they need a cute mascot to attract members, and Mikuru just so happens to fit the profile. Then Haruhi proceeds to grab Mikuru's chest, gleefully talking about how the latter's bust size is bigger than hers despite being shorter, all while Kyon gives the most disgusted/annoyed look possible. What are we supposed to get out of this scene? Some have cried that this (and/or the Computer Club scene) is what makes Haruhi an irredeemable monster. Others don't have much issue. What about me? Well... I think the entire point of both scenes was to establish that Haruhi is a terrible, awful person. Really think about it. How many characters can you say view Haruhi in a positive light before or even shortly after this? None, really. When Taniguchi (who's the only member of the cast who went to school with Haruhi) talks about her with Kyon, he doesn't seem to be very fond of her. Mikuru is terrified of her, Yuki is indifferent, and Itsuki seems to be pretty admiring but is hinted to be even more scared of her than Mikuru is. Even Kyon himself has a pretty low opinion of Haruhi at the very beginning. Now, as for the molestation itself, have you guys ever heard of a little show called Maicchingu Machiko-sensei? 
[This is probably the least dirty image I could find] While I may not have seen a single episode, I know enough that I can describe the basic premise. In this early '80s series, a young woman named Machiko becomes a teacher for a classroom of perverted grade schoolers. In every episode, Machiko would end up naked at the hands of her students or the universe. All of this would be played for laughs. Oh, and did I forget to mention that this show aired in a FAMILY FRIENDLY TIMESLOT? So I'm going to wager a guess and say that the creator of Haruhi Suzumiya saw this show as a kid and liked it. However, he seems to be aware that, you know, molestation is a bad thing and all. The narrative is quite sympathetic towards Mikuru, never blaming her for all the trouble she gets into. Even in the Computer Club scene, we're meant to see Haruhi as the bad guy for what she does to both Mikuru and the Computer Club president. Now, let's talk about lesbian stereotypes! (Yes, I will explain what this has to do with our topic for today. Keep your pants on.) This- 
is Kuroko Shirai from the Index franchise. And this- 
is Katsuragi from the Senran Kagura franchise. Like with Machiko-sensei, I have little to no personal experience with these two properties. However, from what data I could gather (and what clips I could find), I can tell you that both these characters are what I like to call Perverted Lesbians. Perverted Lesbians are exactly what you think they are. They are young girls or women who like to fondle and molest other girls or women. Why is this bad? Not only are you defining the character by their GENDER, but also by their SEXUALITY. Thus, why this stereotype is completely and utterly awful and demeaning towards actual lesbians. And now I get to explain to you what this digression has to do with anything! With those two characters I mentioned above, their behavior is seen as something cute, quirky, charming, hilarious, sexy, etc. by the narrative. With Haruhi? Not a chance. Haruhi's actions towards Mikuru are not once seen as something that's adorable or played for titillation. Funny? Yes, but darkly so, and like I've said before, it's not portrayed as a good thing on Haruhi's part. So, what's my final consensus on the molestation in Haruhi? It's meant to be funny, yes. However, it's played for black comedy, and we're meant to see Haruhi as a horrible person for doing something like that in the first place. Could it have been cut out entirely? Well...yeah. It could have, and probably should have. It's not entirely awful like some people say it is, but I don't think anyone would miss it if the gag were written out entirely. Even I didn't think it was that funny. Please don't kill me. I think I'm going to play it safe next time. I want to talk about feminism. Which series should I apply a feminist reading to? Hmm...I know! 
Next time, I return to Madoka Magica and discuss it as a metaphor for patriarchy! Thank you all for reading! Please remember to leave a comment afterwards so I can know what you think about my writing. Just don't leave a death threat here. Or anywhere. ***
And now, Akane's Abode. I watched How the Grinch Stole Christmas about a week ago. I can't believe I forgot how good it was! I mean, I hadn't watched it in a few years, but looking back, WOW. This is probably the most cynicism-breaking thing I have ever seen in my life. It's just the thing I needed for a rather stressful time of the year. Thanks, Chuck Jones, for making the holiday season a bit more bearable.
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nobahn
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I thought that that Hanukkah was a minor holiday.  Well, I wish you the best.
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