Background Music:

First and foremost comes the music that must be played for all things you do where music is appreciated. Now, when you associate music, anime and hotblood, you had better be thinking about JAM Project, and how any song by this colossal supergroup can instantly make your day just a bit more awesome. Listen to them more and more, and you can literally feel the courage seep into your bloodstream. You will feel like you can take down kikaiju with just your dirty socks.

You can feel the epic from the image...

Suggested Songs: STORMBRINGER, Crest of Z\’s, Rocks, Majin Kenzan, Garo ~SAVIOR IN THE DARK~, JAM ga Motteta! Sailor Fuku

If perhaps you are in need of more than this, one should look up the individual members of JAM Project and listen to some of their more famous works. (Endoh Masaaki – Yuusha-Oh Tanjou – Mythology Version-, Hironobu Kageyama – HEATS) Your blood is now boiling.

Watching:

First and foremost, if you want to “man-up” you must do follow one simple rule: “NO SLICE OF LIFE MOEBLOBS!”

Just say no to moeblobs who do nothing.

Got that? None of the above image, and nothing else remotely close to it. Okay, now to the “suggested watching list.”

1. New Getter Robo – New Getter is action, more action, people killing demons with their bare hands, demons becoming massive, and then those people who just killed a number of demons pilot individual parts of a giant robot, combine and blow the hell out of the super-sized demons. This show is about action, and how manly spirit will make anyone stronger and evolve into something more powerful. The original manga (available to read on online manga websites) was the inspiration for the recent series Gurren Lagann, and should be read by anyone who wants a bit of comedy with a large amount of ASS-KICKING and ROBOTS!!! Also:
   

   Yeah. This is Getter Robo.

2. Hellsing - Basic summary: Super Powerful Vampire, fighting on the side of the Protestants after being set free by Integra Hellsing, vs. Catholics, especially one near immortal one vs. NAZI VAMPIRE ZOMBIES! Lots of gore and people being torn limb-from-limb. Also:
3. Shin Mazinger Shougeki! Z-Hen – Remake of the original Robot show, directed by Yasuhiro Imagawa, this show is a stream of constant one-upping with giant robots. Lots of ridiculous over-the-top story and action, and the most ridiculously over-the-top narrator EVER!

and for those of you who have already finished the most courageous show

4. GaoGaiGar FINAL – Finally, we reach true courage. There is nothing more that needs to be said. You’ve seen 49 episodes of raw courage. You’ve gone through the ups and downs of this non-stop adventure. Now to end it. The opening (linked above next to Endoh Masaaki) is epic. It only gets more epic after the opening.

That is how you make Valentine’s Day not suck.

Series Reviews:

Genshiken –

Our starter for this semester was one I had not seen since I was in high school.  At the time, I was rather amused with it, but after re-watching the first season, I found that the series hasn’t held up as well as I had thought.  Let me be clear:  It’s not a bad series; I don’t think so, anyway.  But whenever Genshiken’s not poking a good-natured elbow in the ribs of hardcore anime fans, the overall result is disappointing.  The humor tends to be awkwardly spaced; whole episodes can go by with scarcely a slice of wit to hold interest, relying instead on the (mostly bland) antics of local basket-case Madarame to keep the whole thing from grinding to a halt.  Add to that rather generic BGM and character design, and what’s left is a series So Okay, It’s Average.  You could do worse than this dull little piece of work, but you could do much better as well.

Wolf’s Rain –

Ain't he pretty?

I must admit, I was pretty skeptical about this series.  Just looking at the character designs made me shudder; I like bishounen as much as the next fan, but I didn’t walk in expecting much in the way of, well, anything else.  Thankfully, Wolf’s Rain does not disappoint.  It has its issues, mind you; the plot moves at the pace of cheap pancake syrup and the dialogue can sometimes suffer as a result.  But thus far, it’s been nothing short of a treat to watch.  The backgrounds and character animation are, as expected, fantastic, with real eye for detail and cohesion.  And the music! Man, Kanno-sensei should really go make an album or something.  If she does stuff like this for a show… Ah, I digress.  Anyway, if this series can overcome its pacing problems and deliver its already unique story already, then it’s well on its way to becoming a favorite of mine.

Outlaw Star –

Ah yes, the nostalgia factor for this semester.  I never caught the original run on Toonami, but I regret it now.  Though all too often obscured by what appears to be a rave party’s missing strobe light, what we have here is an excellent example of good, clean fun.  This is what happens when you mix a catchy opening, pretty characters and related art, kick-ass action, the burning of the laws of physics, and a psychic cactus (!) into the same anime.  Though it sounds difficult to believe that such a series could even get off the ground, I believe that Outlaw Star has been nothing but entertaining.  I’m not without some reservations, though; apart from the frequent screen flashes, I can only hope that all this fantastic build-up goes somewhere in next semester’s episodes.  But even if it doesn’t, that’s okay, too.  I’m having too much fun to care, anyway.

Higurashi no Naku Koro ni –

(Sonozaki Shion did it with the hatchet in the hospital room!)

To me, the plot reads a tad bit like Lost or some such show, as it raises far more questions than it answers along the way.  Stick with it though, and your patience is well-rewarded.  Higurashi is all about the atmosphere.  From the epic, haunting opening theme to just before the laughable ending theme kicks in, you are yanked by the collar into a fantastic blend of murder, violence, horror, and moe.  No, seriously: Trying to explain the sheer emotional whiplash in the first arc is futile.  For something as unique as this, you must experience its horror in order to truly appreciate the effort that went into its crafting.  Do not be fooled by its appearance: Beyond a few moments of animation-failure and some loli-fanservice, it’s nothing short of horrifyingly excellent.

Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha –

Ah, yes.  Nanoha.  Hm.

…

To be frank, I find that despite all evidence to the contrary, this isn’t a bad show.  It’s not a good show, not by a long shot, but it at least retains enough of a sense of purpose to function, hampered as it is by the occasional loli S&M-scene.  Though it has more than its fair share of shortcomings, Nanoha retains at least enough integrity to seek out and entertain an audience.  In that regard, it’s clear to see where the various efforts from preproduction went:  Every last thread of Nanoha went into increasing its ability to hold the attention of an audience desiring cute little girls who fire giant lasers at each other (and occasionally a bad guy or two).  In that regard, it succeeds.  Season 1 serves nearly every trope in the magical girl textbook on the rocks with a twist of lime.  It takes itself so seriously, in fact, that it’s irresistibly fun to mock when the occasion presents itself!  (Need a quick way to get hammered? Why not watch the last few episodes and play the “Nanoha/Feito-chan” drinking game? XD)

He has very little screen-time, but still enough to temper the raw loli in this show.

While not always not a ponderous case of mediocre art and music acting as a backdrop for hyper-sexualized grade-school girls who talk like teenagers (have no fear, though; plenty of that to be had), Nanoha does do a few things differently.  Fate’s very presence, for example, adds a much needed dose of originality to a series largely entrenched in cramming as much mundane moe per episode as possible.  Plus, perhaps in an effort to dilute the loli somewhat, the artists were kind enough to throw in Yuuno and Chrono to break up the monotony.  (Props, guys!) Still, Nanoha (and its superior sequels) has more than found its niche, and that’s well and good if you ask me.  If lolis and lasers are your thing, look no further.  If you’re looking for the next Card Captor Sakura, though, please seek such admirable quality elsewhere.

ClaΨmore –

Just when you think that the shounen-action genre has done it all, ClaΨmore tosses out some of the most time-honored traditions of an action series in favor of atmosphere, style, and an undeniable penchant for some remarkably human drama.  Although it does occasionally suffer from some of the usual pitfalls (so-so pacing, fight scenes that waver between wickedly celeritous and horribly drawn-out), the over effort is quite solid.  The art is crisp and well polished, and the characters make for quite an entertaining cast to watch.  Though the theme songs stick to the ears quite nicely, I wish the same could be said for the actual soundtrack.  It’s good, just not something I’ll be humming anytime soon.  So far, so good; let’s hope it stays that way.

Baccano! –

Oh.  Oh my.  Without a doubt, this became the showstopper for this semester.  Man, I could gush for a page or so about just how damn good this series is, but I’ll keep this simple in the interest of keeping things moving:  Baccano! is one of the best examples I’ve seen in the last decade of how to weave art and entertainment into a seamless, unified whole.  The atmosphere is superior; creative character design, fantastic backgrounds, and a perfectly crafted soundtrack all help to shape the stylish, classy, and refined demeanor of this series.  Acting in tandem is the equally well-penned story, filled with excellent humor, drama, romance, action, and insanity, and always in the best of taste.  And if that weren’t enough, the whole thing’s topped off with an opening theme that rivals “Tank!” Yeah, I said it.  The only bad part? The long wait to see if Aniplex adapts more of the series.

The masters at work.

And last but not least:

Ouran High School Host Club –

Why is this picture here? No reason, really. Just 'cause.

It’s been a quite while since I’ve seen Ouran, so the initial excitement I had during its original run has long since died down.  Upon watching the series again, I find that (to my relief) it has aged quite well indeed.  While not the best anime I’ve ever seen, Ouran remains an impressive effort in every aspect.  The animation is fluid and well-directed, aided by polished backgrounds, and a real knack for chiaroscuro and cute character design.  Though the writing quality can waver from time to time, the humor is witty and the drama is genuine.  An episode’s laughs are usually a careful mix of good-natured pokes at otakudom, ridiculous visual gags, a few puns, and, of course, a clever insult or two.  While it may appear forced at first, Ouran’s solid script manages to keep the drama out of the sickeningly-sweet and win a genuine emotional response each time thanks to an all-star cast and their delivery of the good dialogue they were written.  The music, a series of orchestral pieces, only serves to enhance the nature of the scenes, be it a case of shoujo-melodrama, a bit of curious backstory, or just Tamaki being silly again.  And throughout it all, Ouran keeps things tasteful, delighting with a rare brand of charm and class usually absent from modern shoujo.  It’s more than willing to treat its audience with intelligence and respect, and it shows, even halfway through the series.  Even if you aren’t part of the targeted psychographic, be sure to give Ouran a chance.  In all likelihood, you will not be disappointed.

Movie:

Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro –

I’ve never actually seen the Lupin series, but I found that that didn’t seem to prevent me from enjoying this film.  I had only passing knowledge of who the main characters were, yet I couldn’t help but be entertained by the just how well such a simple piece works.  The concept itself is elementary: Take an international caper, throw in some classy thieves, some fantastic Ghibli art, a harrowing car chase, and more than a few jokes to make for nothing less than a first-rate, good-old-fashioned Cops and Robbers film.  Complex?  Nah.  Fun?  Every minute.  Just watching the titular thief himself outsmart the best Interpol and the bad guys have to offer alone is worth it.

OVA:

Shinesman –

Ladies and gentlemen, I have but one line for you:  “Sheena, get in the glowing, green square.”

Oh, sure:  I could on for a paragraph or two about the Super Sentai history and this and that, but that’s futile.  No, all that must (or can) be said about this OVA is summed up in that one, hilarious quote.  This is how you write parody, simple as that.  It’s fun to laugh at, it’s fun to laugh with, and if you ever saw Power Rangers or Super Sentai, the jokes are just that much better.  Ignore the subbed verision; only the gag-dub is worth it, lest you watch in horror as the best jokes fall flat.

Well, there you have it, ladies and gentlemen.  I hope the past semester was as good for you as it was for me.  Thoughts?

However, one thing that doesn’t get much discussion is how long it takes to make one of these outfits, and like a lot of things, it’s hard to predict unless you’ve already made a few costumes. So: I have decided to share my sage wisdom (read: five and half costumes) and give all three of my readers some pointers on how it takes to make a cosplay outfit.

Not surprisingly, it actually depends on a lot of different factors. There are five big ones. First; how experienced you are with sewing. If you’ve never sewn on a button, it doesn’t matter how simple your outfit is, it’s going to take you a while. If you are truly and utterly inexperienced, you’re going to want to pad your timeline a lot, and hopefully find someone who knows what they’re doing to help you thread the sewing machine. I’m working with the assumption that you have some experience with sewing – you’ve repaired some clothing, maybe made a shirt or something. If you’re really new, you’re going to want to at least double whatever time I say, and have a sewing resource very handy.

Second factor is how complicated your costume is. If the character you’re imitating only has one or two major pieces of clothing that aren’t too complex, you can probably finish it off in a week or two, assuming you put in an hour or two work each day (or do marathon sessions on the weekends, like I do). If you’re making a costume with lots of pieces of clothing, or with lots of lace and fancy details, or something with a lot of accessories, it’ll take you a lot longer at an hour a day. A month isn’t out of the question, with more time being a good idea if you’re doing something that you’ve never had to do before. Of course, if you’re spending several hours a day sewing that time line will get a lot shorter. In addition, things like screening a pattern onto the fabric can take hours or more. I’ve never done it personally, but even painting small designs on the cuffs of a sleeve took an hour or two. Painting, especially on fabric, is extremely time intensive.

Third factor is the resources you have access to. One of the most useful resouces is a sewing machine. Although a good portion of sewing might be tiny obnoxious seams that you’ll do by hand, things like shoulder seams and hems are almost omnipresent. And while it’s certainly possible to do them by hand (I have) they can take hours that way, and only ten minutes or so with a sewing machine. The second most useful resource is someone who knows how to make costumes or clothing. They can explain the notation on patterns, how to rethread the bobbin on the sewing machine, how to fit a dress by hand in a half hour. People with experience are unbelievably helpful, and they’re not necessarily cosplayers. My mother’s made clothing, and helped me figure out how turn a Halloween elf-cloak pattern into Ed Elric’s coat. The final useful thing is premade clothing patterns. Really good cosplayers and costumers can wing it, draping outfits with no patterns whatsoever, but I’ve always liked working from a pattern, even if I end up heavily editing it. It’s nice to have a base to work off of, if only to make sure you haven’t forgotten to make sleeves or some such things.

All the time estimates I’ve said assume you have a sewing machine; if you don’t, how long your costume’ll take will depend on how fast you sew, but plan to put in almost an entire order of magnitude more time into your costume. It can be done, certainly; I’ve made a number of costumes that way, but don’t expect it to be done quickly unless you sink days of sewing into it. Someone who knows how to costume can’t make you sew faster, obviously, but they’ll help you with problems you run into, and can help you get started. My rough estimate is that knowing someone like this who is willing to help you could reduce the time needed by a third or a fourth. A pattern’s usefulness varies a lot, depending on the complexity of the design and how much you’re editing the pattern, so it’s hard to give even a rough time estimate. It does help, though.

Fourth factor is accessories. Oh, accessories. These are another item that’ll make the time required vary widely. They may take longer than the entire rest of the cosplay. As with the costume itself, the time they add largely depends on how complex they are. If you can scavenge them from somewhere, or edit something you already have, the time required goes down by a lot, but a decently complex item probably takes a few hours to construct, and if it requires any sort of craft – paint, clay, carving – pad your estimates with a couple days and make sure you have everything you need before you start working. And never assume it’ll take just a few minutes. A friend of mine has made Miroku’s costume, and apparently his beads, which I would have predicted to be a fairly quick portion, took 45 minutes. And she’s the most experienced cosplayer I know. My advice is to, until you get an idea of how long it takes you to make things, limit each costume to one or two items, unless you have time to burn. Or, do the most vital items first, and finish the others as you have time.

The final factor is free time. I’ve always found myself to be most effective when I do my sewing in huge chunks. It may be because I have to take down and set up all my sewing stuff, and sort of settle into it, but I am much more effective when sewing for several hours at a time rather than a half hour here and there. You may be different, but doing the work in chunks can be a time saver, especially when you have to clean up whenever you stop. As a special note: it is possible to complete an entire cosplay in a week or less, but that generally requires a lot of free time and a fair knowledge of what you’re doing. I always try and make sure to add time to my internal schedule.

Well now, my intrepid cosplayer, now you have a rough guide to how long your cosplay’ll take, and you know if you can make that Chi outfit in time for the next con. Just remember; there’s no real harm in trying and overshooting your time line (usually). You don’t need to be in cosplay for a con, and it’s perfectly acceptable to wear a single piece of your costume. And remember – there’s always next year.

12:00 - Elemental Gerade 1
12:25 - Fate/stay night 2 Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood 1
12:50 - Nabari no Ou 1
1:15 - Cowboy Bebop 1
1:40 - BREAK
1:50 - Hayate the Combat Butler 1 & 2
2:40 - Planetes 1
3:05 - GAMESHOW!!!
3:50 - [movie] Origin: Spirits of the Past
5:30 - DINNER
6:30 - Romeo x Juliet 1
6:55 - Genshiken 13 - 15
8:10 - BREAK
8:30 - Wolf's Rain 13 & 14
9:20 - Outlaw Star 13
9:45 - Higurashi no Naku Koro ni 13
10:10 - BREAK
10:25 - Cowboy Bebop 6
10:50 - Baccano! 14 -16

Now, probably not every group of fans does this; some are probably content to watch an enjoy a show or an anime without picking it apart. Or at least, they’ll pull apart the larger plot holes first, before getting to the tiny ones. (Like, anything involving Spock Prime. Instead of just sitting in a cave staring at the sky, why doesn’t he go find Scotty and tell him to warn Vulcan?) Still, most of the people I hang about with nitpick the small things. Why?

Because it’s fun, is my answer. Trying to find a logical reason for the tiny things is more fun than trying to find ones for the big holes, since the latter ones usually strain credulity and boil down to “the plot needed it”.

It’s a sign of affection, I swear; we care enough about the franchise to try and make the bloody thing make sense.

So, who wants to talk about Gurren Lagann?

How many have seen Gundam Wing, Gundam SEED, G Gundam, and Gundam 00?

How many are girls?

Now, I’ve noticed something that’s a bit odd with the Gundam franchise. While for the most part, it seems to be a bastion of geeky boys (while I’m sure they exist, I’ve met few girls who make model Gundams), there are a few recent series that seem to have an audience and fanbase that is a rather hefty percent female. These series are Gundam Wing, Gundam SEED, Gundam SEED Destiny, Gundam 00, and G Gundam. The other, older Gundam series – Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket, Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam - don’t have this demographic.

Did you ever wonder why?

Mobile Suit Gundam: this artwork makes me cry a little, inside

I did, actually, and I have decided to share my insights with you. Now, granted, I have only seen SEED, Wing, Destiny, and G, so I could be mistaken in my assumptions. However, I think that there are number of distinct differences between the older and newer Gundam series that explain this split in the audience.

Now, all of the Gundam series have a lot in common; Gundams, for one, as well as war, the idea of pacifism, human evolution, and a mysterious blond guy with a mask. They have dynamic characters that grow and change over the course of the series, and the main characters are often teenagers. Aside from the ethics of having teenagers in war zones, this makes it easier for the audience to relate to the protagonist(s).

All of these are a cut above the standard shonen series: disconnected episodes of the protagonist defeating the villain of the week, and chattering on about the power of friendship and teamwork. So what’s so different about the later series that makes them more popular with girls?

Gundam SEED: Kira and Athrun, star crossed (lovers) friends

From what I’ve heard, Gundam SEED, Gundam SEED Destiny, Gundam Wing, and Gundam 00 (I’ll get to G Gundam later) have a few things that are missing from the older series. While the politics, war, and ethical issues are still important, the characters and their development are much more the focus of the series. The thoughts and feelings are more expressed, more interesting, and just better realized. In the older series, the focus was on the battles the pilots were in, and the sides they were on. These are important in the later ones too, but we get to feel the dilemma Kira faces when he has to choose between protecting his friends and rejoining his ‘own kind’. We see how it feels for him to have to fight his best friend, even when they believe the same things. In Wing, in addition to the secret missions, the politics, and the backstabbing, we get to feel the psychological effects of having teenagers sent to fight on their own and then abandoned by their handlers.

Additionally, the character designs and the art in general has improved. Gundam 00 in paticular is known for its pretty boys, and Gundam Wing is known as a gateway anime for many fangirls who are into slash.

Gundam 00: very, very pretty boys

This could be completely inaccurate; for all I know, Zeta has ridiculously pretty boys who spend all their time sobbing. But the things is, that’s not what us girls hear, or see. The art we see from the older series are invariably grainy shots of giant robots, which, while cool, can get really old, really quickly. And when boys fansqueal over the older series, they always seem to be talking about how either the new series have ripped off a particular idea, or about how the older fight scenes were way better than the new ones.

In addition, Wing and SEED were shown on Cartoon Network during the Toonami programming block in the years when the anime market was exploding, and gaining more and more female fans in general. For many of us, one of our first animes was one of these two series.

All these factors mean that girls are far more likely to have seen and enjoyed the newer Gundam series than the older ones. And, if the creators keep this up, girls will keep watching them. And making fanart. And writing fanfics. And having meta-discussions. And cosplaying…

There probably won’t be much model making though.

A note for anyone who was paying attention: I never explained why girls like G Gundam. It’s actually less that girls in particular like it than hard-core Gundam fans (who are overwhelmingly male) hate it. The whole idea and general execution is utterly absurd, from the catch phrase “Shining Finger” to the finale, which involves the main fighter yelling “Love-love!” and a horse inside a Gundam cockpit. The whole anime is silly and over the top and (if you have a good sense of humor) utterly brilliant. Of course, if you spend your free time seriously discussing the politics of the original Gundam series, and how the technology of so-and-so world feeds into its political structure, you might not take kindly to a series that is so clearly making fun of the entire francise. G Gundam also aired with Gundam SEED and Gundam Wing in the Toonami time slot; I didn’t even know it was so hated until I ran into ‘true’ Gundam fans.

G Gundam: Oh, the absurdity

You may remember that back in July, I’d had my fingers crossed for a simulcast of Inu-Yasha: Kankestu-hen. Well, it’s official; Viz announced at its panel at New York Anime Fest this Sunday that they would be simulcasting the new Inu-Yasha series. Called “Inu-Yasha: The Final Act” in English, the series will be adapting the last 21 volumes of the Inu-Yasha manga for TV, picking up where the previous series left off. The series will begin airing Saturday, Oct. 3 (that’s this coming Saturday) at shonensunday.com/anime as well as on Hulu, so don’t miss it!

Source: AnimeNewsNetwork

Image from Newtype magazine

EDIT: Check out the trailer here!

Last semester, CJAS screened the first season of one of the more popular shounen-harem series in recent years: Zero no Tsukaima, a.k.a. The Familiar of Zero.  Originally a series of light novels from Japan, the series (still in serialization as of this writing) proved popular enough to warrant an anime adaptation and an additional retelling as a manga.

It is the story of a student-mage of noble background, Louise, who unintentionally summons a teenage boy from Japan named Saito into her world of magic, mystery, and fan service to act as her familiar.  All is not sunshine and roses for our hero Saito, however, as his new mistress treats him no better than a dog, and only softens as time goes on.  As he struggles to make a living for himself under the furious eye of Louise, there is action, adventure, and even the budding of romance for our happy couple-to-be!

Sounds like a fun anime if I ever heard one, no?  Well, I hate to disappoint you all, but I beg to differ.  Zero left a bitter, bitter taste in my mouth, that special flavor that only comes from good, old-fashioned bad writing and an unhealthy abundance of wasted potential.  Be afraid, ladies and gentlemen.  Be very afraid.

But first, the good parts!  Though few and far between, Zero had moments which I genuinely enjoyed.  The “Staff of Destruction’s” first usage was nicely done indeed.  Come to think of it, the action in this series wasn’t bad at all.  It just had so little, though, that what was there really did strike me as well-paced and fiery.  And, I suppose, the setting wasn’t bad at all either.  Though a bit on the generic side, the Fantastic-Europa analogue worked well as a setting for magic as a dominant force.

…Ok.  Am I done now? I am? Good! Now that the formalities are over with…

Apart from the aforementioned “good parts,” I can find little else to enjoy in Zero.  I’m sorry, ladies and gentlemen, but this is just a bad series.  Yes it certainly looks pretty, saturated colors, pink hair, and all, but that is no way to make up for a bad series.

The worst offender?  The writing, without a doubt.  I seem to recall meeting Louise’s character earlier, back when she was called Shana.  Then Louise turns up again in Toradora! under the name of Taiga.  Anyone else tired of seeing the same wrathful loli palette-swapped and tweaked with a few different personality quirks for a “new” series? Uh, sorry.  I digress.  Still, if you find Louise and Saito to be a bit, well, obnoxious, that’s no surprise.  Louise’s abrasive, perpetually wrathful personality staves off most normal attempts to like or (Horror of horrors!) relate to her character.  She has few reasons to act the way she does.  Frustration with her abilities, status, and familiar/slave only carries so much weight.  I can scarcely think of a single valid reason she might have for physically abusing Saito at the drop of a hat.  I can guarantee you that no one would be laughing if Saito where the mage beating some obedience into that stupid dog, Louise.  And yet… her constant, completely disproportionate whippings are played for comedy of all things.  That’s right: we’re supposed to laugh at Saito who, despite being a horrible victim of circumstance and the perpetual holder of this series’ Idiot Ball, is being whipped like a slave by his mistress.

Did you ever see Tom and Jerry cartoons when you were young?  Remember how they tried to kill/outwit each other all the time?  See, that was funny.  That was cat vs. mouse, hunter vs. hunted.  It was two cartoon animals beating the crap out of each other for no other reason other than, “He started it!”

This is not present in Zero.  Saito is treated like an animal for no good reason other than that his mistress thinks of him as one, and we’re supposed to laugh?  Nuh-uh.  I’m not buying.

Oh, and in case you’re wondering… Yes, I did find Saito’s character to be bland and idiotic.  He lacks the self-respect to make any stand against Louise or reaffirm his identity as a human.  He lacks the common sense necessary to recognize that the green-haired assistant to the Headmaster is also the green-haired thief (!) from two episodes ago.  And he lacks the personality to be anything more than a stand-in for the viewer.

There’s a term for this…  I think it’s called “bad writing,” but you know how I can be, what with my standards and all in my entertainment.  Far be it for me to enjoy series with comprehensive, well-rounded characters and more coherent plots than “How can we make the Wrathful-Loli and the Johnny Q. Main Character look like they like each other?”  (They can’t, by the way.  Saito has one of the worst cases of Stockholm syndrome I’ve ever seen.  There is no reason why he should like Louise at all, and yet he willing sacrifices a chance to go home to stay with someone who treats him like an inferior.  And yet…)

I mentioned earlier that Zero drips of wasted potential.  Here we are, in this D&D-inspired world, and the camera is stuck on Louise and Saito! Why?!  The local Ensemble Dark Horse, Tabitha, would have made for a far more compelling series.  A driven and soft-spoken young lady, she acts as the retainer for a monarchy that wants her dead and deliberately sends her on grueling missions as an attempt to passively kill her off.  And yet, she perseveres, thinking only of her mother as Tabitha struggles to stay alive in a court that couldn’t care less.

And why couldn’t she have been the main character?! Seriously, give me one good reason! There’s way more story to be had with Tabitha than the pink-haired witch!  And yet… Tabitha, like much of the cast, is shoved aside for one of two main reasons: fan service (*shudder*) or Louise and Saito.  Often both.

Take, for another example, the Prince Wales of the floating country of Albion.  A noble and eloquent young man, he leads a rebellion in the name of his people against Cromwell, the most heinous of all Britons/Albion-ians.

“Finally!”  I thought to myself.  “It took them almost a whole season, but we finally got another compelling character!  Hopefully, Wales won’t get pushed to the side by that damn pink-haired wit—Good Lord, is that a sword in him?!”

Yep, you betcha.  Wales (who happens to look quite a bit like Tamaki from Host Club) gets whacked within a few minutes of his debut in favor of more screen time for Louise and Saito.  It’s all downhill from there.

And did I mention the panty jokes? No?  Well, there are a lot of them, and most episodes open with a scene of Saito washing his mistress’s unmentionables.  Gah, what is this?  Middle school? Perhaps I’m being redundant, but just in case, I’ll make myself clear:  No more whips.  No more panties.  This is not funny!

I’ll be honest with you: I sat through all 13 episodes of this immeasurable suffering and I tried really, really hard to like it.  I did try, too!  It’s standard policy for me to gives shows like this a chance.  But in the end, I can’t stomach it.  This show is not rough around the edges, it’s just bad.  Bad writing, bad pacing, idiotic plot, and trite, humorless “jokes” left such a bad taste in my mouth, I’m seriously debating whether or not I want to see if seasons 2 and 3 (Yes, it got two sequels…) are even worse than the first.  If this sort of show is your thing, go ahead and be my guest.  Some of us, however, still enjoy character development.

Sunday the 23rd: If we don’t get rained out, we’ll also be handing out quarter cards while we chalk in front of Appel.

Monday the 24th and Tuesday the 25th: We’ll be in the lobby of Appel from 6:00 – 10:00 pm, with video games and anime showing.

Wednesday the 26th: We’ll be having a picnic on Rawlings Green from 10:30 until 12:30. Come join us!

Saturday the 29th: Our first CJAS showing of the year!  Goldwin Smith Lewis auditorium, 7-11 pm, be there.  See our schedule this semester for what we are showing.

And of course, there’s Executive Board every Friday in Goldwin Smith 158 156 where we make all the decisions for CJAS.  Before every showing we meet for dinner in RPCC at 5:30-6:00pm Appel from 5:00-6:20pm.

Also, keep an eye out for us at Clubfest!

See you there!

Notice that at our first meeting, we will be showing the classic Lupin III movie, The Castle of Cagliostro (Aug. 29).  We will be advertising the movie more as the beginning of the semester nears.

This semester, we have five series that will be making their CJAS premieres, all of which have been released in the past few years in the U.S. Higurashi no Kaku Koro ni is a horror series about a small town and its mysterious annual festival. Newly-arrived Keiichi must attempt to uncover the secret behind Hinamizawa’s disappearances and murders before he meets the same fate. In Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha, Nanoha Takamichi is a normal Japanese grade-schooler who, after finding a shape-shifting ferret, gets mixed up in an intergalactic crisis. Claymore focuses on Claire, a Claymore warrior whose purpose is the eradication of Yoma, monsters that feed on humans. Along the way, they have to fight to keep their own humanity intact or face the consequences. Baccano! features a story about immortals, the mob, and one unforgettable train ride, set in the 1920s. The many seemingly disconnected threads do eventually weave together into a coherant picture; in the meantime, enjoy the ride! And I hope you have your ticket… Ouran High School Host Club is a brilliant send-up of the shojo genre that plays off just about every archetype imaginable while still managing to have compelling characters of its own. This is a series that can be enjoyed by jaded veterans and newcomers alike.

In addition to these new series and the movie, we will be showing three popular series and one very popular OVA from past schedules. In Genshiken, a freshman is drawn deeper and deeper into the mysterious world of “anime”, thanks to his school club “Genshiken”, the biggest bunch of weirdos ever to assemble in a single room to discuss “Why This Week’s Episode of Kujibiki Unbalance Was Awsome”. Wolf’s Rain, an elegantly melancholy post-apocalyptic anime, features a group of shape-shifting wolves searching for paradise in a world where they’re supposed to be extinct. In Outlaw Star, outlaw Gene Starwind, his young partner Jim Hawking, and their motley crew battle against space pirates and law enforcement alike in pursuit of the ultimate treasure. We end our semester schedule with Special Duty Combat Unit Shinesman, a parody of the famous Super Sentai series. This one is a real “can’t miss” OVA.

Below are the complete summaries of everything we will be showing.

Higurashi no Naku Koro ni
Keiichi Maebara moves from the big city to the small town of Hinamizawa, which appears at first glance to be a simple countryside village. He soon discovers, however, that the town has suffered a series of mysterious disappearances and outright murders which no one seems willing to talk about. When he starts finding clues left behind by one of the villagers who disappeared, he becomes increasingly suspicious of his new friends, and attempts to aid the police in solving the incidents while avoiding suffering the same fate. While this series seems at first to be quite light-hearted, its dark nature quickly seeps through the cracks of the town’s idyllic façade, and it becomes a genuinely creepy (and at times disturbing) experience.

Ouran High School Host Club
In this brilliant parody of the stereotype-laden shojo genre, poor, study-absorbed nerd Haruhi Fujioka enters a rich high school only to be mistaken for a boy and forced to work as a “host” for the academy’s young ladies. Her Host Club colleagues present themselves to customers as well-worn shojo archetypes, from the adorably earnest princely leader to the childish-seeming short kid (voiced by and greatly resembling Momiji from Fruits Basket). Off the clock, though, their motives for acting the way they do vary from conniving desire for profit to mischief-craving ennui to genuine starry-eyed passion for making upper-class young ladies’ days. The whole affair is presented in a very self-aware, hyperbolic way which plays off of just about every shojo trope out there while still managing to have compelling characters of its own, creating a show which can be enjoyed by jaded fans and newcomers alike.

Outlaw Star
In this sci-fi adventure, Gene Starwind and his young partner Jim Hawking run a shop that “fixes any problem, from engines to relationships;” but an encounter with a mysterious outlaw woman thrusts them well over their heads into conflict with pirates. Joined with the bio-android Melfina, Gene sets out to find out the truth behind his new ship, the Outlaw Star, as well as Melfina herself. The series features an ensemble of colorful characters, each motivated by their own disparate goals. The series begins as a straightforward action-adventure, combining an old West lawlessness with high-technology space sci-fi. Outlaw Star gets better and better as it progresses, however, eventually culminating in a highly-symbolic climax and addressing themes of self-determination, identity, and what it means to be human. A definite classic.

Wolf’s Rain
People say that wolves have become extinct centuries before. People are wrong: wolves have just become better at hiding. As humanity shelters beneath huge domes that shelter them from the frozen wastes outside, wolves wander among them, disguised as humans themselves, with only the most subtle of signs to give them away. And while humans seem to have given up on both science and beauty, the wolves have their own lore and legends. Among them, it speaks of paradise. Four wolves have decided to find paradise, dragging others along with them and upending parts of what remains of the world in their passage. But nothing is free, and on this cold earth, prices are higher than most.

Claymore
This series takes place in a world of abundant towns where humans coexist with shape-changing demons called Yoma.  These monsters hide in human form until they feed on humans.  As they feed, they take possession of the memories of those they eat, allowing them to better disguise themselves.  A group of skilled Claymore warriors protect humans from these demons.  The story follows the adventures of the beautiful Claymore warrior Clare, who fights demons and struggles to hold on to her humanity.
[Summary adapted from TVRage]

Lupin III: Castle of Cagliostro
This movie is a crossover between two fine old franchises: Hayao Miyazaki and Lupin III. Many anime pay tribute to (or parody) this movie, especially the bits with the clocktower. Can our dashing young thief (a blend of James Bond and Inspector Gadget), along with his gunman, swordman, sometimes-girlfriend, and the cop that’s perpetually a step behind, manage to find the treasure, defeat the evil Count, and rescue the princess? Well, of course! But don’t you want to see HOW?

Baccano!
An old mobster tries to recreate the elixer that made him immortal. An immortal child seeks a safe haven. A girl looks for her brother. A young mobster starts out to make a name for himself. Two clueless but surprisingly competent thieves take a train ride. A younger set of thieves realize they picked the wrong train to rob when a mob war breaks out in the dining car. And those bloodstains seem to indicate that “Rail Tracer” is killing everyone in sight. There is also a fire, a homunculus, a stolen bottle of elixer, lots of fancy hats and costume changes, at least one car chase, and more gunplay than you can imagine, in, and this is the kicker, no particular order.

Special Duty Combat Unit Shinesman
Aliens have secretly invaded Earth and are trying to take over!…But since they’re attempting an economic takeover, who better to protect us than a group of costumed businessmen? They just shouldn’t have been allowed to choose their own colors…Cheer on Shinesmen Red, Grey, Sepia, Salmon Pink and Moss Green as they simultaneously save the day, seal the deal, get romantically entangled with aliens, visit a theme park, inspire children, discover new powers, and start more plot threads than can possibly be resolved in two episodes!