In the modern world, there are two prevailing schools of television production. In most countries, especially in Europe but also frequently in Japan, the aim is to make a short series that only has an initial run of six to ten episodes. If a particular program proves popular (alliteration not intended) it is often renewed for a somewhat longer second series, then maybe a third and so on until the show dies. This tends to result in shows that either disappear before they really capture their audience, like BBC's Life on Mars, or shows that go on forever, like Absolutely Fabulous to take another example from the BBC.
The other school of thought, this one primarily practiced in America, is to launch a show with the goal of a seven-season run. This is at once ridiculously ambitious and horribly prone to creativity-squashing. When it works, it's wonderful. A show like Buffy the Vampire Slayer rounded out rather nicely at seven seasons, while Law and Order has been on longer than many of its viewers have been alive and it's still reliably entertaining. The problem, of course, is that a lot of good shows get canned early on while a lot of crap with a niche demographic lasts 'til doomsday.
Interestingly, these two approaches seem to be shifting geographically. A lot of American TV shows are being written to have a one-season arc and the networks are currently flooded with dreck that grabs enough viewers for a short run then gets replaced at midseason. On the other side of the coin (and ocean), people have come to embrace the idea of a long-running show. This is especially apparent in anime.
Maybe the reason for this is that shows like Blue Seed had to wait an entire first series before starting the main plot. When my anime advisers gave me the box set, they informed me that I would need to watch the first eight episodes to get to know the characters, but that the actual plot arc didn't occur until after that. In watching those introductory episodes, it was plain to me that I was watching a show that held its viewers' hands in the assumption that there would be a bunch of newcomers each week.
The plot, at least of the first episodes, surrounds a girl named Momiji who happens to be the last scion of a royal line that was sacrificed/combated a race of evil beings called Aragami. In typical anime fashion, Momiji is also a timid high school student. Every one of the early episodes opens with Momiji explaining the plot. I'm not talking about the intro sequence, which is a song filled with some delightful Engrish. Momiji spoon-feeding us the story is actually a part of the script. Given context I can't really call this bad writing. In fact, there's something similar going on right now with an American show. Joss Whedon's Dollhouse has spent its first five episodes reiterating the plot and reintroducing the characters, a clear sign that either Whedon or the Fox Corporation aren't certain that the show will have its audience at the very beginning.
Context is really the name of the game for watching Blue Seed. It was produced in early 1994, so a lot of the cliches in the show weren't really cliche at the time it was made. Without a doubt this is a quintessential anime, full of all the things people think of when they imagine the genre. This was the first time I really felt like I was watching an anime. It's in the thick of it, right down to the sound effects. To its credit, Blue Seed is pretty damn excellent for a show made predictable by time. The animation is smooth and expressive, the pacing is engaging without being hyperactive, and the story is decent enough.
Comprehension: 8/10- There are certainly some culture-specific aspects that need some explaining, but the translation is professional enough to integrate some West-friendly explanation into the dialog without the seams showing too much. On that same front, I finally understand what avid anime watchers mean when they complain about the quality of dubbing. English-dubbed Blue Seed is neigh unwatchable.
Enjoyment: 8/10- The action sequences are good and it's a technically sound show, though I've always found the goofiness of anime to be a bit distracting. It's a show about monsters tearing apart Tokyo and trying to kill a 15-year-old girl, but it's still full of sight gags and slapstick. I'm giving some extra points for meta-humor, though.
Improvement of Understanding: 8/10- I like watching some of these older shows. Anime in the 80's and 90's seem like purer examples of the genre. I'm coming to realize that a lot of the newer stuff has an element of the postmodern in it, so I'm going to do my best to integrate some more classics. I'm also going to return to Blue Seed in a later entry after I've watched some of those later episodes, if only to get a feel for what this show can do with a longer, deeper arc.
Next Week: Fooly Cooly
