Anime Friday: Bleach

I've been getting some flack lately for not watching the series I cover in full. While on the one hand I do feel bad that I don't have enough time to give most of the series I watch a complete viewing, I feel that this is a good time to reiterate the purpose of Anime Friday. I'm not here to review anime movies and series the way I review non-anime movies and series on sites like TV World or Movie Center. This has never been about specific items, but more about anime in general. While I appreciate that many anime series have deep, involved plots and more than a little loving fan-service, the point of Anime Friday has been to identify and analyze the appeal of anime from a perspective of entrance, not sustained presence. If you're willing to sit down for, say, the 200-plus episodes of Bleach, chances are you've already been hooked as a fan of anime. My job here is to figure out what gets people hooked in the first place. After viewing several episodes of Bleach I was a bit confused. Why has this series among the countless others that look and behave just like it stretched to such huge proportions? What makes Bleach so special that it has lasted ten times longer than most anime series, period? Sure, the series as a whole is well-executed, from the story to the script (sort of) and especially the imaginative, nightmarish creature designs. But still, it's nothing so extraordinary that it should capture the hearts and attentions of millions of fans for several years. This got me thinking about what it takes to get me as a viewer, not a critic, to hunker down for the long run with a TV series. There are many shows I adore, but I'm hard pressed to think of more than one or two I would watch as long as they keep coming out. For example, I'm an unabashed Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan. I thought it ended at a good time after a whopping seven seasons, but if new episodes were still coming out today I'd still be tuning in. I can't say the same for even some of my most beloved shows. I, like many disillusioned fans, haven't watched more than a loose handful of Simpsons episodes in the past five or so years, even if the show produced a solid decade of excellent programming. I'm also one of the unlucky sods who has watched every single episode of Heroes, though I admit that this particular variety of masochism is now more work-related than volitional. All this said, even if I were an avid anime watcher, I still wouldn't plug in for nine solid months of Bleach. Confounded, I once again consulted my anime advisers. At first they echoed the sentiments I'd read everywhere about Bleach. Some of them loved it to death, others hated it more than Dragonball Z in slow motion. Not really concerned with ire, I wanted to know what made Bleach so special that it gets a humongous run while many better animes barely break 30 episodes. So, I sat and had a chat with the show's most ardent and conversant defender. He explained to me that Bleach isn't long because it's special, it's special because it's long. Several weeks ago I was introduced to the idea of the short-series/long-series business model when I first reviewed Blue Seed. Looking back, I realize that I made a false assumption. I based my understanding of long-form anime series on the belief that a series only makes it past its introductory season if there's something extraordinarily compelling about that intro. Apparently, the requirements aren't that stringent. In the case of Bleach it's not that there's anything that amazing about it, just that it's a serviceable workhorse of a series that remains profitable. In that sense, it's more like Law and Order and less like a high-aimer such as South Park. All of this in mind, Bleach is not a bad series. There was nothing about my viewing experience that was overtly offensive. The animation and character designs are good or great, the story is interesting enough and the balance of action and humor is tolerable-to-entertaining. The script, while occasionally too reliant on exposition dumps, is generally tight. But as my advisers agreed, I fall into the camp of Bleach viewers who will never go beyond the first season. Not because I hate it, but because it doesn't impress me enough to keep me watching. Comprehension: 9/10- Even though it deals with a fairly Eastern metaphysic, there weren't too many speedbumps for me with this series. I've gotten used to the idea of high school students with super powers and all the moe stereotypes by now. Honestly, most of my comprehension problems this time around were food-related. Enjoyment: 6/10- If ever there was a "meh" moment in this project, Bleach is it. Competence does not equal entertainment, but it also usually keeps a series from being insufferable. Improvement of Understanding: 7/10- I'm finally clear on what it takes to make a long-form series even happen in the anime industry. Still, I've got a little ways to go before I understand what makes the fanboys drool over admittedly mediocre products like the above. Next Week: The Slayers

Lesser Known Japanese Horror Movies

There should be a video embedded here. View it directly at this link.

 Note: Movie Trailer for Densen Uta

What happens if you ask this question - what Japanese horror movies have you seen? Chances are, you'll find someone who lists the usual ones (Ringu, Ju-on, Dark Water) . At this point, if you are really unlucky, someone will jump and gush "Oh my god, wasn't that Buffy girl in that movie?" The point is, there are a lot of underrated Japanese horror movies that never make the news. The above list is good but it's not the be all and end all of Japanese horror. So ... what movies shall I list?

* Kyua (Cure)

This one is for those who like mind-games. Kyua is a really old psychological thriller by Kiyoshi Kurosawa (1997). In a nutshell, there's a serial killer on the loose and cops must find it before it is too late. I may be way off with this comparison, but something about its synopsis reminds me of Death Note.


* Shikoku (The Land of the Dead)

This is another old one from the late 1990s. Shikoku will appeal to those who love a bit of ghostly horror. If gore is not your cup of tea and all you really want is a bit of story development , this one's for you. The movie promises to be a slow buildup of the storyline and thus, don't get your hopes up about edge-of-seat thrills.  I'm not saying it's bad movie; I'm just pointing out that it's not for everyone.


* Kansen (Infection)

Word of advice - watch it while you can, the "Pimp My Horror" machine has spotted this one. I wouldn't mind remakes if it's done well but so far all recreations of the Japanese works have been disappointing. It's time to talk about Kansen now! Yet another excellent movie from the 1990s, it revolves around a hospital. Combine paranormal activity with bad conduct from medical staff and then explore the story in a non-linear fashion and you get the gist of the movie. It's a mind-bender and has weird twists in the whole story. All in all, it will be a thoroughly entertaining 1.5 hours.


* Densen Uta

Densen Uta is just 2 years old and it's not really a horror in the traditional sense. In fact, its plot line can best be described as the strange lovechild of Ringu and Samurai Jack. Listen to this - people listen to the latest pop song and then they kill themselves. It's a similar concept to Ringu but with music. In all fairness, the movie is different in many ways in that it is sleek and fast-paced.

Anime Friday: A Return to Blue Seed

Last week I reviewed Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. I might have been a little harsh, but I stand by my arguments. All the same, I decided to consult once again with my anime advisers. They've led me to so many interesting features and series that I never would have found on my own, so even when they send an unmistakable stinker like SAC my way I'm still willing to trust their opinions. Before this project could move forward, we had to get back on the same page. The ensuing discussion was thankfully fruitful and not just a woefully stereotypical pitting of nerd rage against pigheaded Westernism. My pro-SAC advisers ran down everything they thought made the show good. Their answers were respectable enough, citing interesting existential dilemmas in the characters and some of the finer implications of the plot, like the transition of cyber-terrorism into a physical threat. My response to all of that was simple: There is a difference between a good concept and well-executed concept. I used the following analogy- Let's say you have a high-quality cut of raw steak. On its own it's not very appealing, but it has great potential. Put in the hands of a competent cook with the right ingredients and equipment, it can become a delicious meal. In essence, a good concept executed properly. Of course, that same raw steak could be slathered in elementary-school-grade barbecue sauce and deep fried in fish oil. Just because it had the potential to be great in its original form doesn't mean that spirit of greatness was carried through the execution process. Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex is just like that. It's a great concept with all the potential to be a top-tier anime, but its iffy animation and horrible script ruin any chance that it'll come out right. Several weeks ago I reviewed the early episodes of Blue Seed, a long series from the mid-1990's that I enjoyed very much. I promised that I would return to it in a later entry so I could do justice to its larger meta-plot. I'm glad I slated it for this week because it is essentially the thesis in my concept/execution argument. While I didn't see the game-changing depth in those later episodes that my advisers saw, I did take away something new about Blue Seed. This series is the inverse of SAC. It is a none-too-exciting concept executed excellently. Give me an anime cliche and I will show you where to find it in Blue Seed, but I will also tell you that it's fun to watch anyway... Moe high school girl, giant monster with paper-thin motivations, sweat symbols at moments of nervousness or embarrassment, and more mysterious strangers than you can shake an oversized mystical weapon at. Still, the show is such a technical achievement for its time and so effortlessly affecting in its script that it's easy to accept these tropes as being more than just a collection of conventions. The plot is driven by action and symbols, not exposition, and the humor is well-integrated into the tone instead of shoehorned into inappropriate moments (*cough*talkingcutesytank*cough*). As for the new story elements in the later episodes of Blue Seed, the plot did a little more thickening than necessary twisting. But by a dozen episodes deep, a viewer really shouldn't expect anything revelatory. Blue Seed never promises that kind of depth and it really doesn't need it. In that way it reminds me of another popular show from the mid-1990's: Friends. It was middle-brow at best and in its peak years it held its tone and delivered only what it was good at. Again, good execution regardless of the starting concept. My comprehension and enjoyment of Blue Seed remains the same. For its service in clearing my conflict resulting from SAC, I'll throw in another point to my improvement of understanding, elevating it to a 9/10. Next Week: Bleach

Before they became big stars ...

Everyone knows about the current movies and the latest hits. But what about the little known gems, the ones that were made when actors were trying their luck? Here I am picking out three noteworthy actors famous for their martial arts prowess and talking a little bit about their past ventures.

1. Jackie Chan

If you have not heard about Mr. Chan, you've probably been living under a rock. With big hits like the Rush Hour movies and the somewhat silly Shanghai Noon, he is a familiar face. So if there was a list of favorite martial artists, he would certainly be top of that list. Other than his recent successes that are roughly based on being the “mysterious man from the other land”, he has done some amazing movies in the past. These were from his young and daring days of trying just about any or every stunt in a movie. This made for fantastic viewing, especially since he loved to add the outtakes at the end of the movie.

So what movies would I list? There is Armor of God with its excellent stunts and funny spoof bits. That hilarious fight scene with four female bodyguards is a great take on the quirky fighting styles of most action movies. That's right, a realistic fight would involve everyone getting in to get a stab at the guy. Obviously one of the other choreographers know about Happy Hour at the local pub. Miracles aka Mister Canton and Lady Rose was another good one. It had a bit of mushy romance but the fight scenes always had style and humor. Furthermore, the setting called for a stylish suit-and-hat gangster feel to it.

Then there were the Lucky Stars series; these were fun comedy-action movies with the weirdest lead characters. Most interesting about this series was the creation of anti-heroes, of sorts, that rise to the occasion and fight in their most haphazard way. Watch out for an intense fight scene between Jackie Chan and a creepy pigtailed minion.

 

2. Jet Li

Jet Li is immensely popular too. He has come a long way from when I first saw him in The Bodyguard from Beijing. It was around this time that a know-it-all in our group boasted that he was a child prodigy. Jet Li, not the friend. This is guaranteed to woo the more impressionable viewing audience and who can blame them? Smooth fighting moves coupled with 'good guy' roles is sure to mark him as a favorite amongst any self-respecting martial arts fan. Which of his earlier movies made the best impressions?

Once upon a time in China has to be top of that list. It was his character, Wong Fei Hong, who sealed the deal for this one. He was the epitome of the wise old man in the mountain, except in a more flexible, less wrinkled brow manner. Plus he was the proverbial 'cool kung-fu' master. This is a theme that runs through another of his famous movies, The Tai-Chi Master. This was a tad weird at times, especially when they talk about the fundamentals of tai chi. Nonetheless, the backdrop is interesting (evil lords and hardcore fighting monks are the style of the day) and the fight scenes make for fun viewing.

 

3.Mark Dacascos

Compared to most other action stars, he has not received as much attention or accolade. Most people probably remember him as Tyre from Stargate Atlantis. Or as Mani from that bizarre movie called Brotherhood of the Wolf. These are not the only movies I would associate with his name though. Take for instance The Crying Freeman. This was one of the best movie adaptations of the manga by the same name. The direction of the movie and the way the plot unfolded had a graphic novel feel to it. And of course the well choreographed action sequences added to its charms.

The next one, Only the Strong, is a cheesy action movie about inspiring young ones. You name it, it's got it – school with low performing kids, violence, gangs. So one military man-teacher comes along to change it all (refer to warning about cheesiness). The highlight of this movie was the catchy music and extremely pleasant Capoeira fight choreography. As far the story went, just as long as no one was fighting in a doorway, Dacascos was a shoe-in to beat down the big boss and his minions. So, which movies are your favorites?

Anime Friday: Ghost in the Shell SAC

Maybe I'm doing this wrong. I would have to be. Despite months of watching many different kinds of anime and even coming to have an appreciation for some of them that goes beyond the academic, I still can't manage to see the appeal of some of the most well-regarded series in the genre. I chose Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex for this week's entry because my anime advisers raved about it. I had every reason to believe them, too. The original Ghost in the Shell movie was one of the first animes I ever watched in my culturally formative high school years. I enjoyed it then for its good animation and interesting premise, even if I felt a little cheated by the thoroughly un-American concept of a movie that only lasts one hour. I had high hopes for SAC, so the disappointment was pretty deep. I say that I must be doing this whole project wrong because I can't for the life of me see why this series is appealing. When the animation isn't struggling against the blaring seams of incongruous computer effects, it's merely competent. And I know it's a little thing, but the haircuts! So many awful haircuts! Unless the mullet is going to come back in a big way by 2030, I'd say the design team on Stand Alone Complex hasn't had work since 1983. Aside from the opening theme the music is nothing to write home about. The script is one of the most god-awful things I've had to endure over the course of this entire project. Flat characters either spout exposition or stumble over silly one-liners meant to make them seem tough or deep. But what really broke this whole thing for me were the cutesy talking tanks. Whose idea was this and how can I most quickly and efficiently kick them in their shins? Not only is it deeply annoying and utterly tone-deaf, the idea of a robot tank with the personality of six-year-old girl doesn't even make any sense in the world of Ghost in the Shell. What idiot would program an AI to behave like that? What could possibly be the benefit? Yet despite all of this obviously awful content, this entry opened with a veritable chorus of people telling me how awesome this show is. Exactly what is awesome about SAC? It can't be the animation, the characters or the writing. So, what's left? I've got a theory, but it may just be a stab in the dark. I believe it's something I've dubbed "The Neat-O Factor". Brain/machine interfaces? Neat-O. Computer hackers illegally taking control of dangerous robots? Neat-O. Transferring one's consciousness into different machines and bodies via a "brain case"? Neat-O. That's it. The very concept behind Stand Alone Complex must be enough to grab fans. I need to know, readers: Is that all there really is to anime for most people? Do interesting stories, fleshed-out characters and careful scripts just not matter to viewers if the gadgets are cool? Comprehension: 7/10- Stand Alone Complex assumes its viewers have a thorough understanding of the Ghost in the Shell world, so it doesn't go to great lengths to explain the way the various bits of technology work or what any of the new terms mean. After the initial learning curve, everything is pretty linear. Enjoyment: 1/10- I think this is the lowest score I've ever given to an anime yet. SAC wasn't ridiculously bad, it was just uniformly lame. It doesn't have the misguided direction of more insane concepts and it does jack-all with the concepts that are there. Improvement of Understanding: -1/10- I actually think watching this anime set me back. I'm going to have to re-think everything now that art, characters, script and story don't seem to count for as much in the appeciation of anime. Next Week: A Return to Blue Seed

Who needs a BFF reality show?

First things first. This list is a collection of old hindhi songs about friendship. Thing is, given the quirky movie styles of the 70s and 80s, most of these songs are unintentionally funny. And this is coming from someone who can understand the language.

1. Prince and Pauper

This little number is from a movie called Dharam Veer. It's a classic in its own right, probably due to the extensive sword fighting. At least that was the reason why I used to be a fan of the movie. Well, this song is about the ever-lasting friendship between a prince and a warrior. The Fellowship of the Ring is nothing compared to the bond between these two; heck, they are even calling it the 8th wonder of the world. So, in the course of the song, they fend off some dodgy folk, harass an evil princess and hook up with the queen who decides the warrior is a-ok to pal around with her son.

On a side note, these two must be confident of their fighting prowess. Otherwise they wouldn't be so reckless as to heckle the princess, whilst hitching a ride on her own carriage too! Whatever happened to the good old days of “Off with the deviant's head”? I was going to comment on the lack of extra guards but seeing as her carriage was a tad lopsided, I think budget cuts in the kingdom hit her first. And apparently looting and plundering is not what it used to be in the warrior professions otherwise there is no other feasible reason to make that man's tunics so short. I mean he could have worn some leggings ....

Click here for the video (no subtitles).

2. Didn't look like the most studious ones in class

At the point of sounding rather defensive, I must first point out that this is a good song. A really good song, sung by great singers. It's just that it has been acted out in a most unfortunate manner. As it is, anyone without prior knowledge of the song or language will wonder if this whole song is about the engagement of those two characters going overboard trying to lip-sync to that song. For the sake of clarity, let me point out that they are talking about friendship. And graduation (yes, it is in fact sung in front of their school peers). However, I can understand how the lyrics can easily be misinterpreted. After all, that rather ambiguous reference to the “nights of questions” might not be about late night study groups. This is a commencement speech-duet that must have left the head master squirming in his seat.

Click here to watch the video (no subtitles).

3. Something very Lion King about this one

This is another famous classic. The point of the song is that it reunites long lost brothers. Once upon a time it was sung by the mother to their kids. Now, years later, they know each other simply because of that one rather telling song. Yes, who needs Facebook to keep in touch with family when you have a handy lullaby. If you think about it, it was incredible foresight on her side; most parents provide easy-to-lose signs like stitching your name and address on a hanky or jacket label.

By the way, in case anyone is wondering, the guy in the dark attire had an evil plan against one or the other. Of course, he didn't count on them being his long-lost brothers. So much for that evil plan. On a side note, I can't decide if it is an extremely posh hotel or a rather seedy one. On the one hand, the audience is incredibly polite as to avoid staring at some bloke from their side jumping in to sing with the guy on stage and then dashing off hugging the singer. On the other hand, the service in the place must be atrocious if no one noticed a bereaved man groping a pillar amidst a flood of tears.

Click here to watch the video.

Anime Friday: Read or Dream

So, I experienced a happy accident in this week's anime itinerary. I went in search of Read or Die, the OVA of Hideyuki Kurata's light novel series. Not knowing the full development history of his work, I began watching the TV show adapted from the partially-related sequel manga, Read or Dream. By the time I noticed my mistake, I had already gotten deep into Read or Dream and decided that it merits its own entry in Anime Friday. I'll certainly return to the original Read or Die some other week, but I feel compelled to give Dream its due. Right off the bat, I knew there was something special about Read or Dream. Maybe it was the pleasant jazz soundtrack or the unusually placid pacing. As I watched each episode, I couldn't believe how close the show got to "boring" without actually being boring. Instead, it was merely subdued and careful. After months of watching shows and movies that run at a rocket-fuel clip, it was incredibly refreshing to spend a week with the quirky Paper Sisters from Hong Kong. As I've stated before, I really enjoy the tone carried over into anime adapted from light novels, or in this case a manga penned by a writer who specializes in light novels. Though it may seem counter-intuitive to utilize animation for such a purpose, I like that these stories are more character-driven than overtly visual. Like Haruhi, these characters have a depth and subtlety that are conspicuously absent in most anime. This serves to give an emotional resonance to the action scenes when they finally happen. As for that action, the world Kurata developed for his stories is unique, to say the least. Where most anime rely on super-demons and extreme technology, the Read series coasts on a minor alternate history seasoned with a conceit of magic realism. The British Empire never completely collapsed in this world and there are quiet magics, like the ability of some to manipulate paper in powerful ways, that aren't kept secret from the public at large. Not only is this a one-of-a-kind idea, it also affords a delightful book-addiction to round out the Sisters. Watching the stoic Maggie act like a heroin fiend about novels never gets old. Listening to her groan that "there's nothing to read for tonight" gave me flashbacks of Requiem for a Dream, only not in a disturbing way. Throughout my viewing experience, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was in a hotel. Quite literally, in fact. It felt like a stopover, like I was being given reprieve from what promises to be an otherwise steady stream of very busy animation and complicated plots. I'm certain that a time will come when I'm watching another anime for this project and I'll start longing for another episode of Read or Dream just to ease the tension. Comprehension: 9/10- I mostly got it. I thought it was a nice misdirect placing so much focus on the writer Nenene in the beginning. The anime-watcher in me kept waiting for her bored, depressed world to get rocked by some incredible new power or responsibility. Instead, the focus shifted to the Paper Sisters and Nenene was relegated to straightman. Enjoyment: 8/10- The voice acting was spotty, though still worth the dub for Maggie's mumble alone. I dug the ease and the intimacy, if only for a change of pace. When the fight scenes actually started to get regular, they were loaded with an usually cerebral tone. A villain who attacks with complex acoustic science, in a way that isn't as dumb as that sounds? Count me in. Improvement of Understanding: 4/10- As much as I liked it, there's not much here I didn't learn before. I already know that I like the light novel stuff and it's a no-brainer to prefer innovation over routine. I'd love some suggestions from you readers for other low-key, low-stress, not-silly anime... if only to act as a palate cleanser in between monster fights with magical schoolgirls. Next Week: Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex

Anime Friday: FLCL

Since I began Anime Friday I've had a question in the back of my mind each time I watch one of the entries. I wonder whether or not I would watch it outside of the context of this project. Even if I rate my enjoyment of a given anime on the high end of the scale, there's no denying that the score is at least partially influenced by the fact that I'm getting paid to watch it. You readers would be surprised how many awful things become bearable if they're just part of a job, just like how good things can become chores in a similar situation. So, sure I can say that I liked Haruhi, but would I watch it just for the sake of entertainment? Nope. I'd rather watch re-runs of Flight of the Conchords or even an episode of American Dad. That said, there are a few series and movies I've watched that I enjoyed on a purer-than-work level. I loved every minute of Paranoia Agent and I've started to approach the embarrassing bloom of fandom for today's entry, FLCL. Written by Yoji Enokido and directed by Kazuya Tsurumaki, FLCL is the heartwarming story of a boy, his oversexed, hyper-religious female friend, an alien girl who rides a Vespa, his lecherous beatnik father, and the TV-shaped robot that popped out of his head because he had a guilt-zit. And that description? That's just the first episode. Plot-wise, FLCL isn't actually that wild in terms of anime. What puts it over the top is its sense of style and pacing. About 80% of the show moves at the brisk clip of a music video while the rest pauses for beautifully-staged, subtext-heavy scenes of emotional intimacy. The story concerns Naoto, a 12-year-old boy in a fictional town that exists in the shadow of a giant robot factory. Naoto's friend, Mamimi, is in love with his older brother Tasuku. Because Tasuku is a baseball player in America, Mamimi unleashes her sexual energy on Naoto instead. Much of this series deals with the psychological complications of sex, especially how strange it can appear to a budding adolescent. In fact, everything is that pubescent context. When scooter-riding alien girl Haruko hits Naoto on the head with her base guitar, he treats the bump more like a zit than anything, even when a robot emerges from it and does battle with a giant mechanical arm. FLCL has an amazing sense of humor and it isn't afraid to let a joke go by too fast to catch the first time around. A lot of it is cultural reference, but in a detached sort of way. This is why I actually recommend the English dub over the subtitled version. A lot of the references were changed so the show could carry the same tone to a different audience. That, and I think it's a waste to have to miss the mile-a-minute visuals because you're busy reading a constant torrent of text at the bottom of the screen. Even more so than Cowboy Bebop, this show is driven by its soundtrack. A rock band called Pillow provides most of the music, some wonderfully driven alterna-rock that fits the MTV (in the 90's) tone of the attitude and action. FLCL may fall slightly more to the side of style rather than substance, but that doesn't mean it's vacuous. The layers here are nothing short of post-modern, making it the best kind of coming-of-age story for our modern society. It's media stimulation to the point of critical mass. Comprehension: 5/10- This is one of those shows that banks on the hope that viewers will be confused. In the context of FLCL this rating reflects one of the show's strengths. At least half the time I couldn't tell what was going to happen next. It definitely starts to show a formula by three episodes in, but this is a true cartoon if I've ever seen one. There is literally nothing that can't happen. Enjoyment: 10/10- For the first time since this project began, I've found a series I plan to continue watching after I'm done with the review. I'm starting to think that the years of 1998-2002 were a miniature Golden Age of anime. Improvement of Understanding: 8/10- While unabashedly PoMo exercises like FLCL don't do much in the academic pursuit of classic anime, I have to acknowledge it for being the key to my entry into fandom. This project has always been about coming to understand why anime is such a pervasive cultural force when it seems so unappealing to so many people from the outside. Acquiring that borderline-embarrassing giddiness over a show is my first honest glimpse into why anime is what it is. Next Week: Read or Die (it's the name of an anime. I'm not threatening you readers. I love you guys).

Anime Friday: Blue Seed

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

When language is not a barrier

The contents of TV adverts vary from country to country. Admittedly, you have to shape the content according to each culture. Keeping this in mind, isn't it fantastic to come across ads that transcend cultural boundaries? After all, it just goes to show that, despite language and cultural boundaries, there are a lot of common concepts across continents.

1. Big Big Ad

This is a timeless piece from Australia. The rugged and the dainty; how in the world do you mingle classical music with modern sports and come away looking like a star? Well, this advert does it in style. It just goes to show that beer is the common ground for everything, doesn't it? On a side note, you have to love the comic timing of the ad creators. Just as you reach the end of the ad and ponder to self that this must have taken a truckload of money to make, the copy of the ad playfully points it out as well.

2. Fun with politics

Here's another fantastic ad that was made South of the equator. Given its topical content, it must have been made in the 2008 – 2009 period. In a nutshell, it's about politics and elections in South Africa. Guess what has been the most popular political party in that country for ages? The African National Congress, of course. And what is ANC talking about this year? Well, let's just say, the ANC is not having sleepless night about the newest political party and they are not worried about this party nabbing some of their voters.

3. We all need insurance

This funny little ad is from Netherlands. It's an ad for an award winning insurance company called Central Beheer. Their ads are almost always quirky and expressive, with the minimal amount of verbal input. So the ads manage to transcend the language barrier. Is it any wonder that they've won so many awards? Classic and creative, Beheer ads seem to be tapping into the ultimate nightmare list of an obsessive compulsive person. Where else do they get their inspiration?

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