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Every so often in anime you get a character who is not just American but fabulously so. The internet’s most famous example would probably be “Bandit” Keith Howard of Yu-Gi-Oh! fame, but he’s also joined by fellow Yu-Gi-Oh! characters Pegasus J. Crawford and Rebecca Hopkins, as well as true patriots such as the super robot pilots Jack and Mary King, anime fans Sue Hopkins and Angel Burton, and bakers Spencer Henry and Monica Adenauer, Italian-American and German-American respectively. There’s so many of these excellent individuals that I even made a club dedicated to them.
But there’s a new inductee to the club that stands out in particular, a man among men. I’ll let him introduce himself.
Seen in the best fanservice anime based on a blackjack-themed pachinko slot machine ever, Rio: Rainbow Gate, Bull Hard as you can tell is quite American. Hearing him talk, he has about the same level of Janglish as the illustrious Jack King mentioned above. But what makes him rather special is that most of the other characters, from Hollywood star Rosa Canyon to Rio Rollins herself are in fact American, and none of them have the tendency to say, “OH MAI GOD!” or other random English phrases. On top of that, the show most likely takes place in America.
So what we have here with Mr. Hard is an AMERICAN-type anime character in a show where everything already is American. Which is to say, Bull Hard must be some kind of transcendental American. Perhaps like how Spencer Henry is Italian-American or Monica Adenauer is German-American, he would best be considered an American-American, or maybe even a DOUBLE American.
In any case, I hope he makes a return (not likely).
Name: Katou (藪崎)
Alias: N/A
Relationship Status: N/A
Origin: Genshiken: The Society for the Study of Modern Visual Culture
Information:
Katou is a member of the Manga Society (Manken) at Shiiou University in Tokyo, where she is often seen in the company of fellow club members Yabusaki and Asada. She is also an acquaintance of Genshiken member Ohno Kanako due to their common preference for older men.
Although not apparent at first glance, Katou is actually extremely beautiful but normally chooses to hide her face behind long bangs. Her hairstyle also works to obscure her personality; while she can be seen as quiet and even a little dark, her actual charisma and keen perception of group dynamics make her quite suited to inter-club diplomatic relations where even the aggressive Yabusaki fears to tread.
Fujoshi Level:
Little is directly known about Katou’s fujocity, but as Ohno considers her an ally it is safe to say that she is quite strong. In addition, like Ohno, she seems to be a guiding force for the other members of her club.
Ever since episode 1 of Puella Magi Madoka Magica, many bloggers have been making confident statements about how the show looks to be a dark subversion of the magical girl anime. While that is certainly accurate on some level, it seems to be the case that a lot of people don’t quite understand how exactly Madoka Magica is a subversion, simply because they don’t understand the subject itself. In other words, a good number of people writing about Madoka Magica don’t actually know the magical girl genre, despite the broad statements being made. Thus, I am going to address at least a few misconceptions.
Misconception #1: Magical Girl Anime Are About Good vs. Evil
Correction: Magical girl anime are about “before” vs. “after.”
While there are some shows which pit our heroine(s) against a dark force, the vast majority of magical girl anime and manga do not even factor in the good/evil dichotomy. Instead, they will focus on how the magic changes their own lives or how it changes the lives of those around them. Those shows which do have a good deal of fighting often have it in service to something else; in those instances, it’s generally more about protecting others than it is vanquishing villains. So when someone says that Madoka Magica is different because it doesn’t have “Good vs Evil,” they are basically incorrect in the sense that magical girl shows were never really about good and evil in the first place.
Misconception #2: Magical Girl Anime Say, “You Don’t Have to Change a Thing!”
Correction: Magical girl anime say, “the magic isn’t as important as who you are!”
Yes, the “Be Yourself!” message is fairly common in magical girl shows, but there’s a distinct difference between this statement and the misconception. One implies a static existence, while the other points to an active one. The self-improvement thus happens with the help of magical powers, but it is usually the catalyst for change, with the real reason coming from within.
Misconception #3: Sailor Moon/Nanoha is a Typical Magical Girl Show
Correction: Sailor Moon is more of a typical fighting magical girl anime and Nanoha is an atypical fighting magical girl anime, while a typical magical girl anime is more along the lines of Ultra Maniac or Fushigiboshi no Futagohime.
This ties in directly with misconception number 1 and it’s fairly understandable why people make this mistake. Sailor Moon is a very significant show in the magical girl genre, and for many anime fans the very first mahou shoujo anime they ever watched (myself included), but it wasn’t really typical for its time. Certainly it has had its influence on later series, probably most notably Pretty Cure, but Sailor Moon combined the magical girl anime with the team dynamic popular in live action tokusatsu and to a lesser extent giant robot anime, and used that as a platform to deliver action-packed fights, but don’t confuse what Sailor Moon added to the genre with what the genre is fundamentally about.
Similarly, Nanoha is a show made for otaku, taking the magical girl formula and targeting it directly towards an older male audience–much like Madoka Magica itself–but it draws a lot from Sunrise action and mecha shows and adds a cup of moe. It’s also understandable why this might be an anime fan’s main exposure to magical girls, as fans who might have avoided the genre as a whole may have been pulled in by what Nanoha did differently, but that is the Nanoha formula, not the magical girl one.
“So what exactly is Madoka Magica subverting, then?”
To understand the answer to this question, we have to know the basic theme of the magical girl anime, which is how magic can make your wishes come true, or let you do things you couldn’t before. This can be portrayed by having a character, generally a normal girl, come across their magical abilities, or it can directly target the audience (which it generally assumes to be young girls) and have a girl who already has magical powers from the start. Either way, a magical girl show typically says, “Wouldn’t it be great to be a magical girl?” You can see this in pretty much every magical girl show aimed at girls, be it Cardcaptor Sakura, Majokko Megu-chan, Shugo Chara, Minky Momo, Ojamajo Doremi, and yes, even Sailor Moon. If the show is geared more towards male otaku, then the theme might turn into “Wouldn’t it be great to know a magical girl?” but the opportunity magic gives you to change/better your life is the crux of it all.
On some level magical girl anime are about the exploration wish fulfillment, and when you keep that in mind the true nature ”dark” element of Madoka Magica becomes clearer. The dreary aesthetic of the witch realms, the violence, and the ambiguous morality in the characters play a role, but the most important point to consider is how the magical mascot Kyubey offers the chance to make your wish come true at the “price” of becoming a magical girl. The fact that the wish-granting comes with some sort of unknown, unquantified, and unqualified cost is where the direct subversion is strongest.
“How much are you willing to sacrifice to make your wish come true?”
Name: Yabusaki (藪崎)
Alias: Yabu-Hebi (やぶへび), Yabuu (ヤブー)
Relationship Status: Single
Origin: Genshiken: The Society for the Study of Modern Visual Culture
Information:
Yabusaki is a college student at Shiiou University, where she participates in the school’s Manga Society, or “Manken.” Hailing from the Kansai region of Japan, she is quite proud of her background and purposely does not hide her Kansai dialect when speaking to others. However, she can also be somewhat easily embarrassed, namely when dealing with situations outside of her comfort zone such as the eccentric American fujoshi, Sue. She has some close friends, namely fellow club members Asada and Katou. She also often butts heads with former Manga Society member Ogiue Chika, namely due to the latter’s disparaging remarks about female otaku. Despite their initial animosity, they have become friends of a sort.
Yabusaki draws doujinshi, and while not much is known about Yabusaki’s taste in anime and manga, she appears to at least share some common interests with Ogiue. In time, much like Ogiue and her role in Genshiken, Yabusaki seems to have also assumed some position of authority within Manken. Her circle name, “Yabu-Hebi,” refers to someone who does too much to the point of inviting disaster.
Fujoshi Level:
While an artist who focuses her talents towards fujoshi interests, her fujoshi level is perhaps best exemplified by her staunch defense of the fujoshi lifestyle. Her frequent conflicts with Ogiue in the Manga Society show that she takes her identity as both an otaku and a fujoshi very seriously.
The Disappearance of Suzumiya Haruhi does a lot for the popular franchise, giving significant development to its characters, most notably narrator and central protagonist Kyon. The film gives a lot to think about on both intellectual and emotional levels, and I find both my thoughts and feelings on it to be surprisingly intense, so I want to organize them to see if I can give myself some clarity and perhaps insight to others.
Just as a warning, while I am calling this a review, it is going to be EXTREMELY SPOILER-HEAVY.
Back when I wrote my initial thoughts on Ore no Imouto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai (My Little Sister Can’t Be This Cute), I felt unsure of just how the show would turn out. While definitely an otaku-pandering show, it seemed to be capable of much more, and so I refrained from posting about it again until I finished the series right and proper. Now that the series is over I feel I can lay down a firmer opinion.
So, did Oreimo live up to its potential? And would it indeed have been better off if it wasn’t so focused on the “little sister” thing?
The answer to the first question is “not quite.”
Whenever I was asked what I thought of Oreimo as it was airing, I could only summarize my opinion by saying that for every good thing the show did, it also did something bad, and this didn’t really change too much as I kept watching. That doesn’t mean that the show didn’t improve some over time, but that every improvement was met by an equal and opposite reaction. Originally, the reason the show caught my attention was that underneath all of the basic little sister stuff, it seemed to address a deeper issue that concerns the otaku that are inevitably its own fanbase, that of self-confidence and self-image in otaku. It’s one of the themes that made me love Genshiken so much, so perhaps I was somewhat biased in seeing that, but little sister Kirino and the show at large brings forth the question, “Can I show my otaku self to others?”
In one episode, Kirino tries to make friends with fellow anime fans she’s met on the internet, but her initial attempt is stymied by the fact that her stylish clothes and lack of interest in bishounen and pairings creates an incompatibility with those with whom she was trying to speak. “We’re otaku, but we have nothing in common.” In another episode, Kirino has to face her best friend Ayase discovering Kirino’s obsession with little sisters and the pressure of having someone close to you, someone who genuinely wants the best for you, try to help but come across as attacking the very core of your being with very hurtful words. Her dad also discovers her collection, and will have no part of it. I know these problems. I’ve felt them myself and I’ve seen others struggle with them, and when Oreimo is on, it can really hit home for the anxious geek, at least in bringing those sore spots into the light.
Unfortunately, the resolution left something to be desired fairly often. While Kirino’s plight with making otaku friends turns out well with her eventually befriending Kuroneko and Saori Bajeena and showing that incompatible anime tastes doesn’t mean you can’t be friends, the solutions for the non-otaku finding out about her hobby essentially came out to going around them. In both the case of Ayase and her father, the problem was resolved by older brother Kyousuke purposely taking the blame for everything. This was noble of him and all, but the issue is that the problem itself is not confronted. I worried about this for a while, wondering what would come of it, if anything. In a later episode you see Ayase trying (and failing) to understand Kirino’s obsession and overcome some of her own prejudices so it didn’t completely disappear, but overall moments like those made the show feel like while it could bring the big guns to the party, it couldn’t actually fire them.
I know I might get criticized for expecting too much, and that I should have just treated it as an otaku-pandering fanservice anime, but it was not I who brought up the aforementioned otaku problems, but the show itself. If it had ignored those points or not have presented them as well as it did, I wouldn’t be basing on my opinion on that aspect, but it did. At its best, the show seemed genuinely heartfelt. Seeing Kuroneko “out of character” and just interacting with her younger siblings showed a very human side of her. It provided a contrast with the title of the show nicely, Kuroneko herself being the older sister and not in the “onee-san” character type kind of way, which complements Kirino’s own status as a not-quite “imouto character-type” little sister. At its depths however, Oreimo was like a show that talked realistically about cancer and the financial burden it can cause on the family around a cancer victim, only to magic the cancer away at the end or fall back on the same old stereotypes and tropes.
I don’t really regret watching Oreimo, as I feel that even though it didn’t do as much as it could have, it still accomplished something, and I can only hope that the otaku that could be helped by its message, however distorted, can benefit from it even a little. If it can do that, then I might just recommend it. As for the second question of whether the “little sister” aspect helped or hurt the show, I think it would have been a little better off if the show encouraged us more to see her as a girl first and a little sister second.
I also thought it could be pretty funny.
This month’s Genshiken II focuses on club alumnus Madarame. If you’re the kind of person who likes to pair anime characters up, then this chapter has a lot for you to chew on. Romance! Sort of.
Madarame has always been a fan-favorite, due in part to the fact that he seems the “Truest Nerd 4 Life” and thus the one closest to us. This is especially evident in his unrequited love for Kasukabe; sinking back into the recesses for fear of not ruining your friendship is the hallmark of the nerd with heartache, that “noble nerd” mindset with which many deceive themselves. I don’t know about you, but I’ve definitely felt that before, even if it wasn’t directed at any girl in particular. So when Sasahara’s sister Keiko confronts Madarame about his feelings towards Saki in the tactless way that only Keiko can (as opposed to the tactless way only Sue can), Madarame gets taken for a psychological ride and we’re taken along with them.
Keiko, who has herself shown affections for the other half of the Kohsaka-Kasukabe Combination, makes it very clear that not only is she well aware of Madarame’s crush on Kasukabe, but that just about everyone else is too, possibly even including Saki herself. Of course, this comes as a complete shock to Madarame, who failed to realize that in his concerted efforts to minimize his longing gazes at Saki actually made his feelings completely obvious. Though this has very much to do with the fact that Madarame is such a huge dork, believing you’re subtle when you’re really not is a problem many guys have, and I can really empathize with him. Madarame has a track record of doing this, too. I mean, let’s not forget the “nose hair” incident.
By the way, I’m unsure of how popular it is among English-speaking fandom, but I know there’s a decent amount of Japanese Genshiken fans who are way into Madarame x Keiko (or Keiko x Madarame). I wonder if Kio Shimoku is aware of that?
Madarame and Keiko’s conversation never quite resolves. Sue walks in at an (in-) opportune moment, suggesting that not only do Sasahara and Keiko have more in common than expected, but that perhaps Sue is actually a cosmic being who takes strength from the meta-fabric of Genshiken itself, particularly in channeling Ogiue references. I hope that Sue gets her own dedicated chapter at some point in this run. Shifting character focus from chapter to chapter seems to be the direction of Genshiken II, so I think there’s a fair chance of it happening. Maybe Angela will make a brief return.
In any case, despite Sue’s interruption, Keiko leaves Madarame with a profound message: the only reason he can continue to spin in place is because he’s never had his heart broken. And again, if we look at Genshiken history, right there on-panel in the beach chapter was Keiko confronting an old boyfriend. Whether that bad outcome was the result of “heartbreak” or not is unclear, as is whether Keiko has truly given up on Kohsaka, but the comparison between then and now shows the kind of maturity that Keiko’s developed since we first saw her trying to wrangle money from her brother, incomplete as that maturity may be.
So while the chapter was Madarame-centric, Keiko also got a lot of development, or at least we see that she’s developed some since her last appearance.
Book-ending the chapter is Madarame’s interactions with Hato, who has been using Madarame’s apartment to change in and out of his feminine clothing. The impossibly attractive Hato is messing up Madarame’s wiring a bit, and even he can’t tell whether his friendliness with Hato is more of the male companionship he clearly misses from his club days or if it’s something else entirely (or possibly both). Again, for you shippers out there, I’m sure this chapter pleases Caesar. Interestingly, Hato himself seems to be getting the most consistent amounts of page time. I wonder if it just has to do with the fact that he is the biggest mystery of Genshiken.
Ogiue meanwhile is poised to make her published manga debut, and I am continually fascinated by her relationship with Sasahara, notably in the way they butt heads due to their respective professions of artist and editor, and how it ultimately results in better work. Ogiue’s experience with Sashara-as-editor, which we’ve seen ever since the last volume of Genshiken, is itself likely influenced by Kio Shimoku’s own time at Kodansha’s Monthly Afternoon, and seems to confirm Peepo Choo artist Felipe Smith’s own account of creating manga for sister Kodansha publication Morning Two. I’m also curious as to whether or not Sue stays over at Ogiue’s place often and interferes with Sasahara and Ogiue’s alone time, as the chapter seems to imply.
But the real story is that Ogiue’s manga schedule is conflicting with her Comic Festival schedule, and that seems to be the focus for the next chapter. As you might expect, I’m looking forward to it quite a bit.
I’ve got another post up that the Vistas Asiascape blog. This time it’s about comics and literacy. Well, sort of.
In very exciting news, Super Robot Wars Z 2 (Part 1) has been announced. Subtitled Break the World, the game has some surprising new entries into the world of SRW, from both recent and not-so-recent anime. Before I start elaborating on my thoughts concerning the lineup, I’m showing the complete series list uses for the game.
Italics means this anime has been in SRW before but was not in SRWZ.
Bold means this anime is brand new to the SRW franchise.
Muteki Choujin Zambot 3
Muteki Koujin Daitarn 3
Muteki Robo Trider G7
Space Emperor God Sigma
Space Warrior Baldios
Rokushin Gattai Godmars
Sentou Mecha Xabungle
Armored Trooper VOTOMS
Armored Trooper VOTOMS: The Last Red Shoulder
Armored Trooper VOTOMS: Red Shoulder Document – Roots of Treachery
Armored Trooper VOTOMS: Pailsen Files
Super Dimension Century Orguss
Mobile Suit Z Gundam
Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack
New Mobile Report Gundam W
After War Gundam X
Turn A Gundam
Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny
Mobile Suit Gundam 00 1st Season
Choujuu Kishin Dancougar
Juusou Kikou Dancougar Nova
Shin (Change!!) Getter Robo: Armageddon
Shin Mazinger Shougeki! Z Saga
Earth Defense Corp. Dai-Guard
The Big O
Overman King Gainer
Choujuushin Gravion Zwei
Genesis of Aquarion
Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion
Tengen Toppa Gurren-Lagann the Movie: Gurren Saga
Macross F
Macross F the Movie: The False Songstress
Psalms of Planets Eureka Seven: good night, sleep tight, young lovers
There’s a lot to talk about here, especially with shows like Code Geass, Gundam 00, and a major curveball in the form of Dai-Guard, but probably the two newest entrants which are the biggest deals are VOTOMS and Gurren-Lagann, though for somewhat different reasons.
VOTOMS hails from early 1980s and is considered among the “realest” of real robot anime. It has a grittiness to its robots and overall setting that is rarely seen in mecha, let alone anime in general, as can be seen from my reviews of the series (though I must apologize for never actually writing my final review). For years people thought it was a shoe-in for the SRW series, but when years and years went by and VOTOMS still wasn’t included, fans started coming up with excuses. Oh, maybe the robots would be too weak and bland, or Chirico would be too strong of a pilot, or it somehow wouldn’t fit in among the earth-shattering forces that populate the roster. But as if to lay those possibilities to rest, SRWZ2 puts it into the same game as Gurren-Lagann, one the biggest example of escalating power levels and over-the-top, universe-rending attacks in a robot anime ever (which is the “problem” with Gurren-Lagann), as if to say that while all of those possible reasons may have once been valid, they’re history. Sure this first part of SRWZ2 is going to avoid having to deal with the really crazy stuff, but it’s inevitably going to have to confront the big guns of Gurren-Lagann by the next game. And it’s the movie version on top of that!
I understand that the reason this lineup works is that the plot of the game is based heavily on Orguss, which involves going to different dimensions and universes, so they can even do things like have Shin Mazinger where they once had Mazinger, and the Eureka Seven movie to replace the TV series, but that’s all right. Plot was never exactly the strong suit of the SRW games, after all, as the latest anime proves.
So to conclude, various fanboyish notes:
-Can’t wait to see Zeus in action.
-Mazinger Z is going to get not one but two crazy powerful finishers. No need for the Kaiser here!
-I wonder if Zambot, Daitarn, and Trider are going to have a Final Muteki Special. Sun, Moon, and Phoenix?
-Re: Godmars – ポゥーン
-I wonder how much Dai-Guard will cost to replace if it blows up in battle?
-I’m looking forward to the VOTOMS BGM.
-I know I’m jumping the gun and putting expectations on the next game, but Amuro vs Ribbons? Hell yes.
-Setsuna F. Seiei gives the best (worst) pep talks.
-I think movie Eureka and Fyana from VOTOMS will get along swimmingly.
-I wonder if the geass will factor into gameplay in any way, shape, or form?
-Aquarion and Shin Getter better not accidentally deface the moon too much or they’re going to make Loran Cehack sad. They’ll also make Garrod upset but for a different reason.
