Forum - View topicThe Mike Toole Show - Shirow's Kids
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The Nagabuchi
Posts: 103 |
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No, I dont believe its been announced/licensed for the US yet but its pretty much a given that it will be. Im getting the feeling that the actual episodes will provide a better story than the compilation movies which lost approx. 50% of the content from the series. The 2nd compilation movie drops here in Japan late this year. Some footage from the first compilation can be found here if you are interested: http://appleseed13.jp/trailer/index.html |
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ljaesch
Posts: 299 Location: Enumclaw, WA |
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Mike, great article as usual.
My husband and I really got a good laugh reading about Gundross. Too bad that unfinished version wasn't included on the US release... |
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norman728
Posts: 17 |
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WoW, Good Old Gundress.
While I have to Agree with most that it is Bland and as Generic as one can get especially if you used to more modern shows.(even those that came before it too.) It is a fun little watch. Yet another AppleSeed is coming YEA!? GITS was orginally one of the Big # when Anime( Japanamation as some choose to call way back when. Along with Akira and NINJA SCROLL.) GITS is my Favorite among them I have all Released US Properties even the GITS 2.0 Movie and the SAC Movies.(and Manga.) Appleseed while fun Never appealed to me But I enjoyed enough to get all the mangas. TANK POLICE I unfortunately started with New Dominion Tank Police. ( I did watch the originals (on the Old MOVIECD's That came Out.) And I Too Have all the Manga for Tank Police too. Can't wait to see what else I can find or what he does next. |
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Moonsaber
 Posts: 343 Location: USA |
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I have the New Dominion Movie CD's and can't get them to play on newer computers! I do have the original on DVD. Sounds like we are oppositte. I'd love to get ahold of New Dominion again, or be able to play my copy. The Nagabuchi : I have high hopes for the Appleseed TV series this fall. Appleseed is one of my favorite Shirow stories. I'll go with norman728 on Dominion being my favorite, though. Best anime adaption by far is GitS though. The TV series was a high standard for TV anime, in my opinion. |
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CareyGrant
Posts: 453 |
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Mostly likely because the Major is A) not moe B) never utters the phrase "Big Brother!" or "Yes, Master!" C) usually, but not always, wears pants (although, you won't catch me complainin' when she isn't D) not some cute'n clumsy, docile or tsundere jailbait E) doesn't (but should) prance about in otaku pandering outfits, e.g. Maid, School Girl, Goth Loli, etc. and most importantly F) Japanese Otaku are too threatened by her. Me? I think she's the cat's pajamas. Hell, I'd pay money to be her pajamas!
Amen, brother. Amen. Like Moribito's Balsa, I really wished amine and manga would embrace more mature, intelligent characters. Granted, I'm not complaining about eye candy, which the Major is in spades; I've got no problem with that, just bring the "sexy" back. I'm burnt out on cute. Not everything has to be set in or around high schoolers or a high school or middle school--talk about overplayed. It's like Japan's got a permanent case of nostalgia paired with regret for time's gone by. |
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enurtsol
 Posts: 14790 |
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IIRC, at one point, the original GitS actually rose to the top of the US Billboards video chart. It was the first (and still only one of the few) anime to be prominently displayed in front of the stores (instead of buried in the back). That was especially big deal back then.
Don't forget that she actually acts (maybe even have the mental ability beyond) her age and not make "uguu" sounds. 
(Though some may complain that she's yet another one of those "can-do anything girls" like Kim Possible....)
That's because among Japanese, high school is when they are "free-est" of responsibility in their lives (well, so is if they get into one of the top universities, then it's party school for 4 years, but that's less about school environment) before the automaton that is Japan Inc. "contributing" busy-bees of society. In contrast, Westerners can't wait to get out of high school and gain their adult freedoms to choose whatever they want to do with their lives.
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Great Rumbler
 Posts: 329 Location: Oklahoma |
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Third season of GitS: SAC definitely needs to come sooner rather than later.
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TarsTarkas
 Posts: 5854 Location: Virginia, United States |
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Perhaps that is why they are under Shirow’s Galgrease titles. M-66 is one of my first Japanese Laserdisc purchases oh so long ago. Loved it then and now. It would make a great action flick too. @ Kicksville Got that Appleseed on laserdisc too. That US Renditions video reminded me of the other titles I have on US Renditions VHS video; Orguss, Gunbuster, and Dangaio.
Always a guilty pleasure. That and Project AKO made anime so irresistible. @ enurtsol and CareyGrant Concur'd with what you said. Dirty Pair and Cowboy Bebop more anime examples of mature women that haven't been dumbed down. Hopefully we will get more anime in this vein. |
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CareyGrant
Posts: 453 |
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Ugh... Don't remind me. Most of those infantile moe-blobs I just want to drown, followed quickly by the pillow worshipers who get off on them.
Complain?! And what do you -diatribe not aimed at you, Enurtsol, but "them"- call a "can-do-anything-boy/male?" Oh, that's right, he's just your avg. anime male lead, nothin' special about that. As for KP, the Major obviously predates her... and I'm more of a Shego-type myself ;3 |
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GhostShell
Posts: 1009 Location: Richmond, B.C., Canada |
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Moonsaber wrote:
Agreed. To me, SAC is by far the best anime TV series ever produced to date, not only based on story, but quality in terms of production values, character and mechanical designs, backgrounds, details, and music. I also agree with the others who mentioned that they would like to see more female leads who are strong characters. I'd love to see a North American release of Real Drive. The story sounds intriguing. |
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Chrno2
 Posts: 6171 Location: USA |
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Wow. Really enjoyed this column it had me dying. So that's the story of Gundress? I actually have commercial copy of the production tape that was issued way back. I bought it through Tokyopop. When they were starting out doing phone order imports. Being a long time Shirow fan (going back to) when Dark Horse under the Studio Proteus label released Appleseed in comic format. I still have my old books and everything they printed afterward involving the world of Appleseed. Shirow's work was of much importance to me as a illustrator. He had a style at the time that rang very much of what I was looking for when I used to design my characters. And I vowed that if I had ever come up with a story and made it big I wanted him to be the one to design it. I'd been following Shirow's work for many long years. Black Magic M-66 was the first feature by him that I had even watched. It is by far my all time FAVORITE Shirow piece. The amount of times that I've seen this film can be counted on two hands but yet it feels like I've watched it 100s of times. It's a feature I never get tired of and despite it's age it still hold up pretty well. It's well done and straight to the point. No over complication that is often found in many OVAs that have you scratching your head later. I really love this film. I have original Japanese LD version, (because at the time I was wondering when it was ever going to be released by Manga Ent.) and on DVD. There was an interesting little interview with Torren Smith and Shirow that ran in one of the issues of Appleseed (when it was released monthly) discussing his involvement of M-66. Shirow mentions a bit of the source material used to create the 2 androids. He stated that android that was acted more bestial was originally supposed to have 4 arms. But he scrapped that because trying to animated 4 arms would have been difficult. Considering this interview took place 2 decades ago it would occur to me a decade later that the source material that he was referring to was a one shot story he did called Black Magic. Which was also published by DH/SP. If anyone has had a chance to read the compiled release you'll find that 'Black Magic' was the original template for 'Appleseed'. The denizens were sort of humans, demi-humans (espers), creatures, magic, technology and early bio-roid engineering. Some of the bio-roids constructed had 4 arms. The main character was called Deuna Typhon who had a friend who looked like Hitomi and there was robot called Hecatonchires. Who really did have 100 arms as the name of the Titan. Chances are this publication is out of print.
But yeah, being a fan of Shirow, I can say that I'm one that has been suckered into works that only had his designs but not his involvement. I some years ago picked up Gundress (at a con for $10) and have yet to sit and watch it. But that's a story might actually beat Burst Angels OVA release. I did see the GITS movie, it was ok. Later I saw 'Innocence', I lasted for no more than 10 min of film and quit. Yeah it's beautifully overwhelming but it's not Shirow by any stretch. I'm surprised that they never did an 'Orion' OVA. I've been waiting for one for so long, but we all know that's it's not going to happen. The Appleseed OVA is good and it's another to the point story but there are some questions raised. But I guess if you follow the story this is just some feature that really doesn't have any ties other than it's close to the source material. Yeah Landlock, I bought that. Didn't know it was going to be a game. Actually if you have access to the first Intron Depot book, you'll find the piece that Shirow worked on. As far as games go there are quite a bit of pieces he's done. Most know of Horned Owl. Then there's his GiTS game that some say it's an apology to fans for that mockery of the first GiTS film. He also did a cover design for Hudson Soft 'Lords of Thunder' game. Of course the US version for the TG-16 f----ed that up by covering it with a large font. And we won't talk about Sega CD version. He also did the designs for a game called 'Sampaguita' which is the 3rd installment of the 'Yarudora' series. His style if very distinct and you can't miss it. He's done a lot, though I wish that he would get more involved with his works instead of just giving a go ahead. I was always wondering what he was up to after GiTS kind of sad that he's not working on anything else. |
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bravetailor
Posts: 817 |
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Well, that and the anime industry is mainly targeted at kids and middle/high schoolers as their primary audience. There are young adult otaku, but they quickly get weeded out as the majority of them still have to enter the workplace (hikikkomori aside, which are still a minority). So really, their audience is basically 19 and under. Seinen and josei audiences make up barely a fraction of the manga pie, and the relatively meager anime outputs of seinen and josei manga stories reflect this fact also. As for the Major, there aren't many characters in pop culture like her, period. The Kim Possible comparison isn't apt either as Kim is a goodie goodie. The Major is a realist. The closest comparison I've come across is Modesty Blaise. |
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enurtsol
Posts: 14790 |
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Ha! I played that!
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Sunday Silence
 Posts: 2047 |
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You mention (in passing) Galhound and "GalGrease", but not Intron Depot?
Also, little know factiod, Shirow also designed an Airsoft rifle as well, the Seburo MN-23. 
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Anime World Order
 Posts: 389 Location: Florida |
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I can't help but notice that for pretty much every single column Mike writes, there is SOMEONE chiming in with a "you forgot to mention..." comment. As a point of advice to anyone considering doing this, which in sci-fi circles is "everyone" because SF fans in particular are really obsessed with demonstrating their kung fu is the strongest: if someone pens a column about a given fan topic, it is quite safe to assume that they are at least as equally capable of typing said topic into Google or Wikipedia as you are. Therefore, if some information is present on IMDB/ANN Encyclopedia/Wikipedia/etc that is NOT present in said column, it is in all likelihood omitted on purpose, not "forgotten about." This particular column is already roughly 2500 words long as it stands. Anyway, enough of that. Mike, YOU FORGOT TO MENTION THE PART IN GUNDRESS WHERE THEY LOOK UP AT THE CEILING AND COMMENT ON THE WEATHER
This is...misleading. When people say "the primary target of the anime industry is kids and middle/high schoolers," they're not talking about the kind of anime that'd get covered in say, the seasonal preview guides of this site. That statement doesn't really apply to the 13-episode TV show that now constitutes "the average anime series." That stuff lives and dies based on home video sales, which in Japan means "$80 for 2 episodes." Kids and middle/high schoolers don't have $500-$600 to spend on 13 episodes, and most anime fans aren't willing to spend that kind of money for one show even if they DID have it. The few that ARE willing are hardcore otaku who tend to be adults, and so that's who most of the titles new to each given season is targeted towards. To say that hardly any anime output is targeted to the seinen demographic is to somehow ignore the fact that pretty much all of that moe stuff counts as seinen. To say that seinen and josei make up "barely a fraction of the manga pie" is even more misleading. Your statement is presumably given in terms of raw circulation numbers, for which shonen properties tend to dominate. But if you just look at that list, see that shonen titles have the biggest numbers next to them, and conclude "well, there's shonen and then everything else is just whatever," then you're looking at this data incorrectly. Working solely off of this list, we can infer the following: In terms of quantity of titles and anthologies produced, seinen is actually the LARGEST fraction of the manga pie on account of it being such a broad category. There are roughly 90 entries listed, and about a third of them are seinen ones. Were you to arrange the full list of publications by order of highest circulations, you would see that of the Top 10 publications, 5 are shonen, 4 are seinen, and 1 is shojo. Add up the circulation numbers for each category and you'd see that shonen's total circulation is about 8.3 million (39% of total) and seinen's total is about 7.9 million (36%). Shojo and josei are smaller, but the spread is roughly the same: shojo's circulation total is about 2.8 million (13%) and josei's is around 2.4 (11%). All of that is a really long-winded way for me to say that "unlike in America the audience for anime in Japan is quite different from their audience for manga." As such, the reason for anime's everlasting emphasis on middle school/high school does not correlate with what manga readers want. Rather, it is more dependent upon the industry's catering to a demographic which yearns for an idealized youth they never got to live at the expense of that much larger potential audience... ...and that is why it takes so long between additional anime installments of Ghost in the Shell. Hmm. I've been talking about this often lately. |
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