Anime Preview: Mythical Detective Loki Ragnarok

Based on English Dub of Episode 1-3 To be Released October 18th

Mythical Detective Loki Ragnarok sports a great name, great tragi-cute design for the its titular godling, and not enough of what might have, and still might, make it a memorable series. If Detective Conan wandered into a horror anthology the results would be Mythical Detective Loki Ragnarok. It follows an upbeat lead, and a cast of unhappy norse gods as young humans who find themselves solving various supernatural based problems.

The Norse god of mischief is banished into the body of a human child, after which is joined by an energetic teenage girl with affection for mystery and butler/helper who help him run a detective agency. Mixing eastern and western cultures and balancing the cuteness of characters like bow collared young Loki with the horror of some of their cases seems to set the foundations for the perfect concept for an anime series. The results inspire less enthusiasm than perhaps they should have.

The first three episodes seem overconfident in the quality of the show's hook. With two familiar haunted object mysteries and a threat introduction, it hardly seems to leading with what it is uniquely offering. When the characters do express their personalities, such as heroine proudly showing off the Seven Wonders of her school, with Loki quickly and analytically debunking them, or Thor turning up as handsome, gallant, and poor (always picking up odd jobs), it does exhibit a fun inventiveness. Yet, the more dominant impression is left by flat stretches that slowly traverse familiar lines.

The problem isn't even the odd audience targeting as much as the some bad implementation choices. Chiefly, Hiroshi Watanabe who has reasonable amount of experience directing anime (King of Bandit Jing, Orphen, a number of the Slayers movies and OAV's) over-directs the life out the series. While he works in some interesting lighting and detailed backgrounds, here Watanbe eschews things that are simple and effective. There's more effort shown lining up floating knives for a good shot rather than working the knives into the flow of the scene.

Some of the directing is interesting, but there are so many long establishing shots, slow turn and pan out, people walking across rooms and lingering reactions that the cumulative subtraction from the pacing make the episode feel a lot slow than they're scripted.

Perhaps partially as a consequence, Loki seems to used very sparingly. Surprisingly given that he's the source of the series central dramatic conflict, he's almost a plot device, appearing at key moments to put pieces in place. It looks like he will eventually be developed as a character, and that his exile with be a key theme of the series. There isn't enough of him the early episodes to wet the appetite. The series does have a full 26 episodes to worth with, but it would be selling itself better with more front end face time for the lead.

Oddly, considering its background and history, the series doesn't seem too uncertain of its audience. Despite the fact that the manga version moved from a shonan (young male audience) to a senien anthology (older male), the series really looks to be directed at a female viewers. It's not in the sly misdirection of some relationship comic/drama or that it heavily leverages cuteness. It has a perky, non-sexual POV character and plenty of accentuate the handsome guy moments, it screams female aesthetic. It's not what would be generally be called bishonen (beautiful men), but there are plenty of deep looking dark haired men meant to be attractive.

While the series is drawn to thinking characters, even with a knowledge of myth and fairy-tale, its up in the air as to whether the viewer can solve the case before the reveal. Sometimes you can follow clues. Other times you can guess based on repeated patterns in fiction. Other times you have to go along for the ride.

Anime Spotlight: Now and Then, Here and There

Released by Central Park Media

Director Akitaroh Daichi gets the gold star for being able to construct characters who can smile in the face of physical and mental torture without looking like a Mel Gibson shifty masochist. There is something of Leiji Matsumoto's hope and defiance shown as a reaction to post World War II devastation filtered through a pop culture genki/energetic characters that Daichi specializes in. Whether its in Now and Then, Here and There, Kodacha, Fruits Basket or even his short work Grrl Power, he has a remarkable ability to depict genuine optimism in terrible situations without having the perspective look cloy or manufactured.

Now and Then, Here and There is a dark, often political parable looking at people trying to show humanity in the face of man made and natural forms of hell. It utilizes the connections formed with animated characters, through their abstract forms and open emotions to put the viewing though a harrowing, emotionally draining 13 episodes. Even after you think you've steeled yourself, there's another punch coming to knock you on your heels.

At the top level, it's a boy transported to strange world tale. Shu, a school boy whose head strong optimism gets him trouble sees a strange girl watching the sun set from the top of a smoke stack, and he wastes little time climbing a neighboring stack to find out what she's doing. A military retrieval team arrives, and caught up in the confrontation, Shu is taken to a time of thin supplies of resource and brutal strife. He ends up in Hellywood, a mechanized fortress housing a largely child conscript army that hopes to use Lala's connection to water resources to fuel a final push in wiping out any opposition.

Interrogated then conscripted himself Shu sees and is subjected to humanity's worst; from abduction, rape, beating and torture to genocide. All the while he clings, at times desperately, to his optimism that if he lives a longer, good things will happen.

The 13 episode are enough to form a long journey. Though, as opposed to some series, it doesn't boast graphics gore or salacious details, it doesn't shy away from the full force of the brutality is is depicting. There is a sense of the flesh consequences of the action. Even the mentally resilient Shu is torn up physically, sports the evidence of his abuse. However, the most chilling depictions are of characters reactions and how they are changed by their trauma. This isn't the typical anime stress cracks, but but a believe depiction of people who have by deeply effected by abuse.

Ultimately, Daichi's statement does not leave much ambiguity. There's room to dig into the symbolism and some of the motivations or psychology, but he leaves little doubt to his hierarchy of perspectives and values. There's compassion mixed with exposing the faulty justifications. Even when a sympathetic character deludes themselves and follows along with awful actions, there's a sense that it is falling into a place in scoped out continuum, with Shu on end, and Hellwyood's paranoid, genocidal dictator on the other. By the conclusion, it doesn't take much discussion to line up all the characters as pieces on the spectrum. Even if its one of the most deeply effecting anime works you can find, it's more a statement than a question.

Fan of Daichi's other work will find his brilliance in expressing human emotions in this series. He's mastered using pacing to set the tone of a moments. Either his the speedy hilarity of Kodocha or the drumming impact of Now and Then, he knows the how to conduct the progression of a scene to bring the viewer along to the emotion he's looking for. He does however trip himself up going for some of the shocking scenes near this series conclusion. Slow shots extend beyond where emotion sticks into where the direction becomes over apparent

Manga Spotlight: Gacha Gacha Volume 1
by Hiroyuki Tamakoshi

Released by Del Rey

Gacha Gacha is a shonen relationship drama/comedy along the lines of I"s, meaning not as crazy/over the top a Love Hina or any of the magical girlfriend work. The next volume preview has a little sci-fi, but so far no material that it puts into into manga only material.

The gimmick is the guy is in a relationship with a girl who has multiple personalities, an average and cautious one, and an exceptionally outgoing one. He finds out the secret and she begins relying on him not to let her embarrass herself when being too outrageous. Going through the Del Rey manga library line item by line item there really isn't a dominance of multiple personality works, but it seems that way when thinking about their offerings.

What the series does exceptionally well is flirtatious sexiness. Scenes like a Flash Dance bra removal, or when, while swimming, she takes off her top, and puts a pair of goggles over her chest strike the bright note of playful fun that crosses the boundary of what you'll find in pg 13 movies or in TV without going into R territory.

Live Action Spotlight: Kaiju Big Battel
The Shocking Truth

Kaiju Big Battel leverages Ultraman meets pro-wrestling gleeful over the top entertainment in an enterprise of live events, DVDs and merchandise. "The Shocking Truth", the second collection of skits, summaries and battle action (in ring and otherwise staged) shows off the mad creativity meet huracarrana's in a good meal for anyone who feeds on a diet of the unusual.

Characters like Doctor Cube, a mad scientist with a head that looks like a block of tofu with a crudely drawn face, who commands minions like satanic simeon Hell Monkey and Super Dimensional Slug One (SDS-1) or silver suited break-dancing Silver Potato, Jack Kirby meets Kroffts meets sentai bugs guys like Uchu Chu and American Beetle are subjects to wrestling angle like plots. Various factions of heros and heels feud. There's a paternity struggle over an insect eggs, and the like.

It's evident that the creators understand the appeal of both the wrestling and the Japanese suited entertainment (Power Ranger like sentei shows and Godzilla like kaiju films). It goes for both the crafted detail and cheesiness of man-in-suite works. It goes for the heavy handed, again almost cheesy, crowd manipulation of wrestling. It goes for the ritual and larger than life aspects of both.

The storytelling is a little disjointed as a DVD. It doesn't let itself unfold as show type or a wrestling match narrative. Consequently, it is more convincing as evidence of how entertaining and addictive a Kaiju Big Battel TV series could be than solid entertainment in its own right. Dominantly outlines and high lights the wear of quick cut segments, grind the novelty battles without the investment of a build, as the 72 minute run time stretches on. It's a blast to watch, especially with a group of like minded geeks, but while its definitely an experience worth having, don't be surprised if you don't make it through the entire DVD in one sitting.

Anime Spotlight: Baki: The Grappler
Round 2: Grappler vs Gripper

Volume 2 goes far in establishing Baki the Grappler as real balls anime. It starts by kicking the rug out from under the fight hierarchy set up by the first volume. No more training by fighting against yeti (though there are more scenes of a fighter boxing a pack of wolves) or challenging professional sport fight champions. It's right to the fight against the opponent set up as the big bad, Hanayama, a teen criminal don who looks like the Incredible Hulk in a Boss Hog suit.

Baki vs Hanayama gets to the heart of the series' style of fight story telling, showcasing a studied fighter like Baki against a supremely powerful brawler. It is a take on mixed martial arts along the lines of the anime that looks for a medium point between martial arts movie fighting and outright super powers. Finesse goes out the window in favor a good eyes bulge as someone take a hard hit to the head. Which isn't to say that the series is going for Fist of the North Star gore. The combatants are going for complete dominance rather than lethal closure. You're not going to remember the series for slick acrobatics or for carnage. You will remember it as anime's best attempt at people tearing into each other, no hold's barred.

The fights bleeds into the oedipal background conflict of the series, which is more interesting than average video game plotting though along similar lines to a Street Fighter story line. Baki's father is literally a world class bully. His intra-training activity seems to be jumping out of a helicopter to beat people. Baki's mother is fascinating by the guy, and has devoted a portion of her influence on a powerful and shady institution to making Baki worthy of his father's attention. For whatever mix of reasons, Baki's not too fond of his father, and pushes his training in hopes of beating his the guy. When dad shows up to to take a hands on approach to Baki's training, the series promised to get even more brutal.

An oddity of the series is that seems to go out of its way not to ingratiate itself to fans of real fighting. It starts with the series' definition of a grappler ( a person with complete dedication to fighting, as one good line puts it, they put fighting above "water, food and women", who will pick up any skill that works). It's disappointing that the series doesn't have much in the way of actual grappling (Ikki Tousen and Air Master do surprisingly well at delivering in that area). Then, it seems to make an effort to not just show a supremacy over real form, but to denigrate them. After crapping on boxing and Muay Thai, the volume presents a faux Gracie Brazilian Ju Jitsu combatant breaking a guys arm after he taps and who is quickly thereafter made to look like a subservient chump. Which isn't to say that if you're a fan Baki The Grappler will not entertain you. Just don't go in expecting UFC: The Anime.

Manga Spotlight: Berserk
Volumes 7 and
By Kentaro Miura8

Released by Dark Horse Manga and Digital Manga Publishing

When people speak of the acclaimed Berserk anime series, barring the beginning and end, they're referring to these two volumes. It is the very non-supernatural stretch of the demon haunted medieval epic in which the ever unlucky swordsman Guts gets close to a community living among the upwardly skyrocket band of mercenaries known as the Hawks.

Guts, who was raised by mercenaries after being found under the corpse of his hung mother and embraced a life defined by his ability to wield a sword not only takes responsibly as a commander, but is drawn to the group's female captain Casca, and like everyone else seeks approval from the band's genius architect Griffith.

While Guts wrestles with human connection, the Hawks ascend as kingdoms are won and lost through swords, sex, politic and political foul play, first as Griffith's army of damaged children, peasants and low lives win campaigns for the kingdom of Midland, then as factions within the kingdom exchanged brutalization in Griffith's off-battlefield maneuvering to capitalize on his victory.

The volumes also establish the flip side of friendship/contempt - admiration/envy relationship between Griffith and Guts. It shows cracks in the armor of the seemingly physically and mentally flawless Griffith, such as how he paid to field an army of mercenaries before he proved himself as a known winner, and that he can be effected by his decisions and their consequence.

Now that we've seen Guts develop and how Griffith did develop, they are established as rich characters rather than just larger than life players in an epic. Guts is no long the "Man With No Name" figure of the opening flash-forward arc. Griffith is no longer super-human god-general. Foreshadowed in an earlier scene in which the two uncharacteristically play-fight/splash in a river, these two army-defeaters strip each other down to their humanity.

Ironically, his connection to the Hawks gives Guts the strength to detach himself. Understanding what his life in the Hawks has meant, Guts realized that unlike the other's, his life isn't about fulfilling Griffith's goal, or ridding Griffith's tail long enough to establish himself in the world. He's an exceptional person who has no aspiration in life beyond fights. He has seen how he differs from other men, and comes to terms with it. He's no longer an abused kid looking to protect himself but a man looking to hone himself.

The battles are less striking then the new depths of the characters, mostly because the quality has been present all along, but Miura out-does himself in these volumes. He really embraces ugliness of medieval battle. With the better part of volume 7 small skirmishes, and a sizable block of 8 as a large battle, there's plenty of room to taste the grit of medieval warfare. You get to distinguishes what fast slicers can do versus slow crushers. Guts spends a while fighting with a dull sword, and he does his part to show an inhuman capacity to give and receive pain as he turns people into meat. For a while, Guts doesn't so much slice as splat.

KOR Creator Returns to Public Eye

Daily Mainichi follows up with Izumi Matsumoto, creator of the classic shonen love triangle Kimagure Orange Road here. Matsumoto's new work with deal with Cerebrospinal Fluid Leakage, which he suffers from.

Japan's Howl's DVD Release

Nausicaa.net reports that the Japanese Region 2 DVD of Howl's Moving Castle (wit English subtitles) will be released November 16th.

Special features include storyboards, an interview with the author of the original book Diana Wynn Jones. A 4 disc special edition will also be released.

The North American release is schedule for Spring 2006.

The 'Ghibli ga Ippai Special Short Short' collection, which includes the On Your Mark music video will also be released that day.

Anime on TV

Toonzone reports an Adult Swim panel at Dragon Con mentioned that Cartoon Network is considering airing Japanese audio/English subtitled anime on their Adult Swim block.

From Anime News Network Shinshengumi action/drama Peacemaker will be airing on Showtime Beyond on Sunday nights at Midnight. The schedule can be seen here.

Encore Action Channel started showing cyberpunk anime Texhnolyze September 6th at 12:05am; the first three episodes will repeat Friday, September 9th, at midnight; no new episodes will be shown following. Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death and Rebirth will broadcast on September 20th and 23rd at midnight, while The End of Evangelion will appear on the 27th and the 30th at the same time. Submarine 707 will air October 4th, with an encore on the 7th.

Galaxy Anime has interviewed Cartoon Network producer Sean Akins about Bobobo-bo-Bo-bobo, IGPX, and Naruto. Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo will premier on the Cartoon Network's Toonami program at 10:30 PM on September 30th. The new IGPX television series will debut on Toonami at 10:00 PM on November 5th.

Games News

Screen shots of Hokuto no Ken/Fight of the North Star from Guilty Gear's Arc System Works can be seen here

Gundam Battle Tactics for the PSP can be seen here. The game supports up to 4 players over WiFi connection.

Screenshots of a Hamtaro based Nintendo DS game can be seen here

Anime News Network reports a second Hajime no Ippo/Fighting Spirit boxing game has been announced for North American release on Playstation 2. "All Stars" features 70+ characters from the 72 volume manga series, and a story mode.

The Japanese site for the game is here, and a game trailer is available here.

Interviews

Production IG has posted an interview with director Tsutomu Mizushima covering xxxHOLiC - A Midsummer Night's Dream motion here

Anime News Network has posted interviews with Keiichi Sigsawa Kino's Journey creator and author, Makoto Tezuka, director of the current Black Jack anime TV series, Jin Kobayashi, the author of School Rumble, and IGPX director Mitsuru Hongo with Production IG international operations manager Maki Terashima and series producer Sean Akins.

Upcoming in Japan

A new six episode adaption of the popular shonen romance I"s has been announced for an OAV direct to video release starting this December. A new staff, including Elfen Lied director replaces Mamoru Kanbe the 2002 series. The manga version of the series is released by Viz.

A placeholder site is online for the upcoming Leiji Matsumoto space opera Galaxy Railways sidestory Ginga Tetsudo Monogatari ~ Wasurareta Toki no Wakusei

A site for the collectable card game adaptation of Navia Dratp is online.

Anime News Network notes according to Funimation's website, "There are over 400 episodes of that series [Case Closed / Detective Conan] in Japan as well as 9 movies with a 10th coming next year."

Initial D Movie Licensed and Available

Anime News Network points out that the street racing Initial D live-action movie has been licensed by Tai Seng and is already available on region 1 DVD

DearS Ending

MangaNews reports Peach Pit's DearS magic girlfriend manga will end in the November issue of the Dengeki Go anthology.

December Bandai Releases

12/13/05
Cowboy Bebop Remix Volume 4 Gundam Seed Movie II (UMD format)
Overman King Gainer Exodus 6
Planetes Vol. 4
Scrapped Princess V.5 Prophesies and Parents
Yukikaze II

12/27
Dan Doh! Vol. 1
Galaxy Angel A: Complete Collection
Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam Chapter 3
Panda-Z: Vol. 2

Bandai has also moved the PSP UMD releases of Cowboy Beobop volume 1, Gundam Wing:Endless Waltz and s-CRY-ed Vol. 1, The Lost Ground to November 8th.

Galaxy Angel A 26 episode for $34.98 There's a new upstart squad that’s gunning to make the Angel Brigade look bad and take over their work. The girls are going to have to collect more Lost Technology, save more planets, and rescue more lost kittens than this Twin Star Team..

Dan Doh! Dandoh was playing a baseball game with friends Yuka and Kohei and hits a wild fly ball which crashes into the principal's potted plants. Rather than getting mad, the principal admires Dandoh's swing and introduces him to the world of golf. It's now an adventure in golf as Dandoh is under the watchful eye of a former pro-golfer. They enter a tournament together and play for a shot at the national championships!

Character Design by Hidetoshi Omori (Mobile Suit Gundam Seed, Urusei Yatsura and Fafner)

Advent Children Preview

TwitchFilm points out that subtitled clips of the CGI movie Final Fantasy 7 : Advent Children can be seen here.

The Japanese cover can be seen at Discstation Japan

ADV Bittorrent Tracker

Anime on DVD points out that ADV has opened a tracker for their bittorrent distributed promos at here

New My-Otome Trailer

AnimeNation reports Animate.tv now hosts a new 15 second long streaming Windows Media format trailer for the My-Otome anime television series. The trailer is available in narrowband and broadband resolution.

Geneon Talks Gankutsuou

Geneon will be releasing Gankutsuou: The Count Of Monte Cristo - Chapter One on October 25th.This vibrant and luxuriant retelling of Alexandre Dumas’ unforgettable saga of betrayal and retribution is primed to be one of the biggest anime imports for 2005, ranked by Anime Insider magazine as one of the top three most eagerly anticipated titles for the year. Lavish animation, breath-taking visual style and a unique take on the beloved adventure tale have already brought the series resounding acclaim overseas, including the award for Best TV Series at the 2005 Tokyo International Anime Fair.

Set in a world of timeless beauty and exquisite splendor that could only be brought to life with the rich colors and sweeping lines of expert animation, the intensely dramatic and sweepingly visual adaptation of the classic novel is helmed by internationally-acclaimed director Mahiro Maeda (The Animatrix, Kill Bil Vol. 1 key animator), and features elaborate costume design by world-renowned fashionista Anna Sui, as well as music by Jean-Jacques Burnel (The Stranglers). Maintaining the lush visual style is character design by Hidenori Matsubara, who created the stunning world of Ah! My Goddess The Movie.

Gankutsuou: The Count Of Monte Cristo - Chapter One Born into an aristocratic family in Paris, Albert sets out on a journey with his best friend, Franz, to escape his privileged yet dull life. They travel to Luna, which is on the surface of the moon, and meet a very wealthy man named The Count of Monte Cristo. Becoming completely fascinated with The Count's mysterious charm, Albert welcomes him into Paris high society. But soon Albert will discover the Count's true motive - revenge...

Gankutsuou: The Count Of Monte Cristo - Chapter One is available as a single disc with the first four episodes for a suggested retail price of $29.98, as well as in a collector’s box set with room for all six volumes for a suggested retail price of $39.98. Debuting day and date with the DVD is Gankutsuou: The Count Of Monte Cristo - Volume One on the new UMD format for PlayStation Portable for a suggested retail price of $14.98.

New Anime Documentary

J-Pop content provider Gokaza has announced the release of the 2-DVD documentary Hello Anime!. The documentary follows 19 interviews as filmmakers Manuel Stagars and Georg Fick look through anime for one year in trips to Tokyo, San Francisco, Hollywood and various conventions. The 120 minute collection retails for $17.99

Interviews include:

Disc 1:
Cindy Yamauchi, (Akira, Ranma, Final Fantasy, Jojo's Bizarre Adventure)
Masahiro Kimura (Video Girl Ai, Battle Angel Alita, Chobits, Gungrave)
Scott Haile (SEGA, Sanrio, ATARI, Sony)
Masanori Shino (Inuyasha, Gungrave, Gundam, Sol Bianca)
Marlon Schulman (Bandai America, Gundam, Saber Marionette J)
Elaine Clark (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Saikano)
Tak Tsurukawa (owner Mikado Anime Shop)
Hiromi Makepeace (Saikano, Maison Ikkoku)
Tatsuya Hayashi (Domo Records, soundtracks Steamboy, Metropolis)

Disc 2:
Anthony Jiwa (VIZ Media, Director of Marketing Home Video & Publishing)
Mike Kiley (Tokyopop, Vice President, Editor in Chief)
Darold Higa (Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation, Chairman AX 2005)
David Williams (ADV Films, Producer, Director)
Evelyn Dubocq (VIZ Media, Director Public Relations)
Peter Payne (owner J-List.com)
Jim Yardley (Geneon, Vice President Sales North America)
Liza Coppola (VIZ Media, Vice President Marketing/ Sales, Publishing/Home Video)
Vince Sam (AAA Anime, Distributor)
Yumi Hoashi (VIZ Media, Vice President Magazines)