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by simondark
May 26th, 2009
12:46:23 PM
fuckers
hahahhahahahah
by simondark
May 26th, 2009
12:47:09 PM
I have no idea what the article is about but whatever...
WOW...
by Deandome
May 26th, 2009
01:00:30 PM
I didn't know it was possible to literally smell the unique, compound-odor of virginity, awkwardness, parent's basement mustiness and bad hygiene over the internet. Color me 'proven wrong'! "Monotonous purgatory" GOOD GOD, it's a fricken cartoon (sits back...waits for geek-brain explosion). I MIGHT have had an interest in seeing this, but this thesis has convinced me I'm not worthy. Besides, he didn't tell me how good the English dubbing is (wait...for...it......KABLOOEY !!!).
It's off-topic
by seppukudkurosawa
May 26th, 2009
01:45:34 PM
but I'd just like to extend a HUGE thanks to Scott for recommending Miyazaki's Future Boy Conan in one of his columns the other day. I finished the twenty-sixth episode a few days ago and I'm still reeling from what a great program that was. I'd highly recommend it to any Miyazaki fan who might be reading this- although make sure you scout down a fan-subbed version (one search for "Conan Future Boy" on Google Video should do the trick), as the official subs are Godawful. I'd put it up there with the Nausicaa mangas and Spirited Away as my favourite thing he's ever done.

Oh, and a great review. Especially considering I saw GOTS: Innocence for the first time only yesterday.

seppukudkurosawa...dammit!!!
by FlickaPoo
May 26th, 2009
05:22:01 PM
...I've been preaching FUTURE BOY CONAN every other anime or animation talkback forever. I don't ask for riches...or fame...all I want is credit!!!!!!!!ok, I'm done now.
Oshii
by Tobiwise
May 26th, 2009
05:26:05 PM
Needs to move on, if you're familiar with his previous work, the twist is completely predictable, the movie's boring thanks to it's "heroes" "naturalistically distant" "internalized detachment than anything showy" it's fancy words for emo kids, that's what they come across as, I had enough of that crap from Evangelion, I really wanted to like this movie, and from a visual stand point it's a treat, the music is haunting, but even then I wouldn't recommend it.
Isn't this a Sony film?
by Harry Weinstein
May 26th, 2009
05:28:03 PM
I thought nothing good ever came from the Internet. Why carry their water?
Downloaded the trailer on PSN
by Johnno
May 26th, 2009
05:47:35 PM
Film looks nice in HD. However I don't like how they're emphasizing all the action scenes in the trailer as they're trying to make it look like an action packed spectacle and Sky Crawlers is really a slow deliberate movie where the action fills up about 30% of the film. I did a review of it here for AICN somewhere, but anyway the trailer comes off as false advertising. Also as an afterthought, Oshii says he's targeting this film's message for a young audience, but the pacing of the film if anything will turn off most younger viewers.
Who are the ad wizards...
by wampa 1
May 26th, 2009
05:53:22 PM
...that came up with this one?
You have to be kidding...
by Cutter99
May 26th, 2009
06:00:39 PM
An anime movie that's ultimately about how mad the director is at anime movies? If the point of the movie is to show both fans and newcomers how they've helped to create schlock like this - the message is clear: don't ever purchase or watch this film, it's a trick.
I'll never understand the love for anime
by bullet3
May 26th, 2009
06:16:28 PM
Just watching 30 seconds of horribly written stilted dialog in the trailer for this reconfirms my suspicions. If these movies were live action, they would be laughed out of theatres, but because they're animated people seem to just let all these problems slide.
Bullet3
by StrokerX
May 26th, 2009
06:25:24 PM
There's good anime and bad anime. You just have to look around. Watch Sword of the Stranger and then get back to me.
There is even a Wii game about it
by Roderich
May 26th, 2009
06:34:19 PM
which looks very interesting. But to my knowledge, both the movie and the game bombed in Japan, so there is not much hope that either comes to Europe. USA at leats get's the movie it seems.
Thanks Scott
by the zapper
May 26th, 2009
07:59:33 PM
The more I read your work the more I am convinced you are the best columnist here at AICN (even thogh I scan through alot of your anime reports to try and find Evangelion info =p ). "The Stry Dog of Anime" was a great insight into Oshii's work. Have you read "Anime from A-z" by Susan Napier by any chance?
seen it - VERRRY SLOW & BORING
by quamb
May 26th, 2009
08:21:09 PM
Bought this on DVD in hong kong. Have tried to watch it twice now, and both times have fallen asleep by the 30min mark. And I never fall asleep in films, infact I LOVE slow films. So yeah... take that as a warning.
how about
by frank cotton
May 26th, 2009
08:46:24 PM
a condensed version of the review that dispenses with the history lesson for those of us who don't have all day?
re: by the zapper
by ScottGreen
May 26th, 2009
08:53:58 PM
You mean Napier Anime from Akira to Howl's Moving Castle (formerly Princess Mononoke)? Yeah. Napier's a bit of a divisive figure, but for academic writing that and From Impressionism to Anime are certainly worth reading. As is the Mechadamia journal. If you have some extra cash, when I really recommend tracking down is "Little Boy: The Arts of Japan's Exploding Subculture" which was the hardcover book that accompanied Takashi Murakami's Superflat exhibition
To me Oshii has always been about how he can
by Amy Chasing
May 26th, 2009
09:01:14 PM
push the technology of animation and filmmaking. The story and characters always seemed a bit alien and... sterile for lack of a better word, compared to the richness of eye-candy on display.

I would compare Oshii to Miyazaki like comparing perhaps Hans Zimmer to Trevor Jones, or something like that. Hard to describe really.

bullet3
by The Dark Shite
May 26th, 2009
10:44:55 PM
I said the same thing the other week. Since then, I've been trying to educate myself in it, with varying success.

I've gone into it as open minded as possible & so far it's been a mixed bag. Some rubbish, some too weird for its own good & buried under too much forced abstract metaphysical jibberish, but also some really great, really imaginative stories. As a writer of sci-fi, whose stuff is so out there it would never be made as a film, I wish I'd gained an appreciation for a long time ago. As it is, I'm still learning/getting used to the conventions of it & I'm by no means an aficionado, but it's at least reached a point where I can judge it in the same way I would any movie.

Scott
by the zapper
May 27th, 2009
12:00:16 AM
Yeh, that's the one I was talking about. Thanks for the recommendations
The Dark Shite
by bullet3
May 27th, 2009
01:39:59 AM
Thanks for the advice, I might take a leap and seek out some of the higher regarded stuff in a few weeks when classes let out. Can anyone on the board recommend something somewhat mainstream and accessible? The less weird-stuff the better. I think the closest I've seen so far has been Cowboy Bebop and I enjoyed that (still haven't tried Samurai Champloo though).
Actually, Flickapoo
by seppukudkurosawa
May 27th, 2009
02:19:01 AM
You're right, your Future Boy Conan campaign turned it from just another Japanglish anime title I knew nothing about into something I actually got off my arse to watch!

I wrote a mini-review in The Zone that I might as well repost here, just in case someone else here who hasn't heard of it is inspired to check it out. (Oh and sorry for hijacking the talkback, Scott!)

I've been watching one of Miyazaki's first projects, Future Boy Conan, after Scott Green name-dropped it in his column the other day. It's at least in my top 3 favourite things he's done, simply because of the sheer quantity of Miyazaki goodness: 26 half hour episodes.

This was written a little before Miyazaki started work on the Nausicaa movie and manga series of the same name (also in my Miyazaki top 3), so he's in his eco-friendly mode where it seems that the world is a character in itself. Technically it's an adaptation of a book written by the guy who wrote Escape to Witch Mountain, but from what I hear Miyazaki just used it as a launching pad to do his own thang. It's set in around 2008- which is to say 30 years in the "future" from when it first came out. The world got kinda fucked up. The blurb at the beginning of each episode reads something like: "A devastating war fought between two major nations with ultramagnetic weapons far greater than anything seen earlier brings about total chaos and destruction throughout the world, resulting in several earthquakes and tidal waves, the earth thrown off its axis, its crust being rocked by massive movements, and the five continents being torn completely apart and sinking deep below the sea."

It's pretty crazy to think that this is what kids were given for entertainment back in the late '70s. There's no pandering at all, a fair bit of swearing, and the main character, who must be about 10 or 11, gets beaten to a pulp at least five times throughout the series. But Miyazaki and crew inject so much life into these characters... Even the comic relief- a dopey sea-captain named Dyce and Conan's best friend, Jimsy, who kind of reminds me of a young Pigsy (from Monkey)- are written with empathy. Conan and the girl who washes up on his island, Lana, almost form a psychic connection as the series goes on. It's touching, eh?

I'm pretty sure Miyazaki cannibalized this work for a few ideas in his later movies. It most reminds me of Castle in the Sky. In fact, the two main characters in that one seem VERY similar to Lana and Conan. Except they didn't have 26 episodes in order to get fleshed out.

There's a bit of repetition, some there and back agains, and I guess some people might find the eco message a little preachy, as do a few detractors of Nausicaa... Also, the animation is a tiny bit more primitive than some of his later works (though he'll still drop the occasional backdrop that'll knock you out). However, Miyazaki's one of the masters of his medium and I don't see how any fan could pass up on the opportunity of seeing more of his work.

bullet3
by Wingnut1A
May 27th, 2009
03:18:51 AM
Im glad that you are actually trying to find good material rather than just doing a drive-by bashing and then leaving. =) For a relatively normal title, I'd suggest one of my favorites: "Planetes." It is a sci-fi ensemble set in the near future, but there are no evil alien invaders, or mystical artifacts. It involves a group of people dealing with personal issues and reaching for their dreams, all while working as debris collectors in near Earth orbit. It takes 2 or 3 episodes to reach it's stride, but when it does it is definitely worth watching. Another thing I really like about this program is the scientific realism depicted about space travel. I get a real sense of the physics involved with working in a micro-G environment. I hope you give it a try.
Want to educate yourself on anime?
by timpig3k
May 27th, 2009
04:09:11 AM
This is a good place to start: 10 anime films you should see before you die: http://timmaughanbooks.com/200 9/04/25/ten-anime-films-you-sh ould-see-before-you-die/
Educate yourself on anime: short URL
by timpig3k
May 27th, 2009
04:11:47 AM
This is a good place to start: 10 anime films you should see before you die: http://tinyurl.com/pzyuk6 Edit button would be great ;)
re: bullet3
by ScottGreen
May 27th, 2009
06:19:19 AM
If you're looking for something mainstream, and haven't watch much since Cowboy Bebop, I recommend Baccano http://tinyurl.com/6h27v8
Since we're all suggesting classic anime to watch...
by Amy Chasing
May 27th, 2009
08:29:55 AM
and someone suggested Sword Of The Stranger. In that vein is Samurai X: Trust & Betrayal (Rurouni Kenshin: Tsuiokuhen (Recollection or Reminiscence)). Regarded by some to be one of the finest anime ever made.

I too recommend Baccano! It's a hoot.

Baccano!
by Projectedlight
May 27th, 2009
08:40:09 AM
Lots of stock characters, and lots of Bebop-esque style. It's a lot of fun, but I felt the totally gratuitous gore detracts a bit from that (I seem to be in a bit of a minority on that). But don't expect to remember much of it six months down the line.
Regarding the link to 10 anime films you should see...
by Amy Chasing
May 27th, 2009
08:40:14 AM
Check out that page not just for the films they have in the list, but for the films people mention in posts below. I would be editing that list to either include some of those people's suggestions, or make it a list of 20 at least. ;)

I mean seriously, Voices Of A Distant Star but no Grave Of The Fireflies... Porco Rosso over Princess Mononoke... c'mmooonnnn...

As far as recommendations of films...
by Johnno
May 27th, 2009
10:19:44 AM
A lesser brought up one, but one I like a lot is 'Metropolis.' If you're new to anime it's definately a good one to pick up! Also if you like short films, check out 'Memories'! And let's not forget works such as 'Millenium Actress' & 'Tokyo Godfathers'!
Amy Chasing
by timpig3k
May 27th, 2009
10:44:32 AM
When I put that list together - like I say in the actual post - it was HARD not to make that nearly all Ghibli films. And it's a shame no Takahata works are in there. But the idea was to give people ten films they could pick to see, and with a selection of different styles and genres. Voices of a Distant Star is an amazing piece of short filmaking, and a brilliant, byte-sized introduction to what anime is capable of. I've showed that to a friends and in 25 minutes it's totally changed their opinion of the medium. And yeah, Princess Mononoke is an amazing film, near perfect - all Miyazaki's are...but I love Porco Rosso just that little bit more. And it's my list ;)
Ten Anime Films You Should See Before You Die
by Harry Weinstein
May 27th, 2009
12:38:05 PM
No MINDGAME. Fail.
Dark Shite and Bullet3 - Beginner's Guide to Anime
by Prof_Ender
May 27th, 2009
02:15:19 PM
Give this a shot. http://www.animeacademy.com/be ginners_guide.php
Thanks for the links!
by The Dark Shite
May 27th, 2009
08:34:15 PM
They're pretty useful. One problem with trying to learn this stuff is that it's time consuming & I've already made a few mistakes, watching stuff that was a waste of time. It helps to get tips from people who know about it.

I watched 2 movies last night by the way, both about as different from each other as they could be. They're both pretty famous (in as much as I'd heard of them before), & I thought it would be a good idea to start with well known stuff, when possible.:

1: Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. This was awesome! I'm not surprised I've heard of it. It was a bit dated, but to be fair, I don't think I could even count how many movies must have ripped it off!

2: Howl's moving Castle: Again, pretty impressive! Really fun & full of imagination. I suppose the best way to describe it would be "Truly Cinematic". The only drawback was that I spent the whole time imagining what it would look like as a live action movie, which maybe goes against my Anime education thing. I should probably be looking at it as only an Anime & accepting it that way. I loved it though!

Anime movies are only the beginning...
by Amy Chasing
May 28th, 2009
12:11:42 AM
don't forget the wonderful TV series and direct-to-DVD series and movies. Just google "best anime" for inspiration.
But be wary of most anime's IMDB ratings
by seppukudkurosawa
May 28th, 2009
01:23:29 AM
which have all been jacked up by crazed tweenagers because, "OMG DIS IS DE BEST THING EVAR! SPECIALLY THE PART WHERE HE SLICEZ HIM UP WITH HIS SWORD AND THE BLOOD GOES ALL OVER THE SCREEN! WTFZERS!!! SO AWESOME."
Ghost in the Shell
by Wingnut1A
May 28th, 2009
02:28:24 PM
That's one of my favorite Anime movies. Be sure to check out the TV Series "Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex." The plot is very complcated and you have to really pay attention to understand exactly what's going on. Even so, it is, in my opinion, one of the top 3 Anime series ever. The second season called "Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd gig" is just as good. Great action!
There's a third Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
by Amy Chasing
May 28th, 2009
08:24:37 PM
It's a direct-to-DVD movie I think.
GITS
by Johnno
May 29th, 2009
02:28:30 PM
There's the first film 'Ghost in the Shell' by Mamoru Oshii. And the sequel 'INNOCENCE: Ghost in the Shell 2'.

The TV series is it's own thing not a part of the movies which is 'Ghost in the Shell: StandAlone Complex.' Followed by another season called 'Ghost in the Shell: StandAlone Complex - 2nd GiG.' And a follow-up movie 'Ghost in the Shell: StandAlone Complex - Solid State Society.'
That's GITS:SAC-SSS for those who are paying attention.
by Amy Chasing
May 29th, 2009
08:40:19 PM
There's going to be a test.
Ok, that's odd
by The Dark Shite
May 31st, 2009
09:31:19 AM
The Ghost in the Shell:Stand Alone Complex I watched was a movie, not a series. Although I saw it on a streaming site, so maybe it was wrongly titled or edited by a fan to be a movie? Just when I start learning everything gets confusing:-).
Dark Shite
by Wingnut1A
Jun 1st, 2009
06:25:13 AM
Perhaps you saw "Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Solid State Society." I believe that was a feature length direct to video release, but in the timeline of the TV series. hehe I haven't seen that one yet.
Berserk and X were great series
by bat725
Sep 5th, 2009
09:07:06 PM
I was even able to get my wife to watch them with me. Unfortunately, I can't get her into GITS--she gets lost every time.
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