I don't actually look anything like this

As far as I know this blog’s never been a victim of a hacker before, and since it’s been a bit neglected in recent months I’ve done only the bare minimum in terms of upgrades, maintenance and general housekeeping. Since a lot of anime/J-culture bloggers I’m in contact with run on the wordpress platform, I might as well outline my experiences in case it happens to any of you as well.

The wordpress Pharma Hack doesn’t show itself on the blog itself, but its effects are obvious in the victim’s google rankings: post titles are replaced with spam ads and it can go unnoticed for some time…until the blogger either sees a drop in site traffic, visitors have trouble finding it through search engines or similar.

After the initial feelings of panic and “I…I…I’ve been violated…” I looked up the potential cause and what to do about it. I disabled all my plugins, backed up my database and WP directory (when was the last time I did THAT?), deleted all files and folders, re-installed a fresh copy of the WP software and restored the rest piece by piece. I re-uploaded images first, then plugins.

One useful tool in these situations is the Sucuri Sitecheck Scanner, which runs a diagnostic scan to show up what sort of nasties are lurking in your site. At the time of writing, this blog is clean but last weekend the scanner picked up a piece of Black Hat SEO malware that’s associated with unwanted/bogus ads. To pinpoint the problem I installed the WordPress Exploit Scanner, which runs a check through the WP install to highlight lines of code which may be troublesome and therefore require removal.

The Exploit Scanner picked out a couple of lines in my Feedburner plugin that are attributed to the WP Pharma Hack, so I deleted that offending plugin, ran the Sucuri scanner again and it gave me a clean bill of health. In a way I feel very fortunate in that the source of the problem was a mere plugin; I’ve read horror stories about blogs with infected databases which, with my limited knowledge of SQL, I’d be pretty at a loss in terms of how to deal with it.

In all honesty I don’t feel the need for the Feedburner plugin anyway – a lot of my site promotion comes from GRSI (now Google+) or Twitter; I don’t *think* removing Feedburner broke my RSS feed, but you might want to re-subscribe this blog in your feedreader, just in case. All this seems to have done in the long run is eat up a saturday while I was trying to familiarise myself with this little beastie of a hack and re-install my blog, but since I’ve used it as an excuse to start playing around with a new theme/layout it’s not all bad. I’ve also learned a few things:

1. Regularly back up your database, themes, uploads and anything else important that’s unique to your blog’s install (duh!) That includes the config.php and the .htaccess file.
2. Change your password periodically (duh!)
3. Install only as many plugins as you need. Newer versions of WordPress have more stuff already included but some things, like anti-spam plugins, as essential. Each plugin is a potential target for a hacker. Keep those updated too, in case the developers come up with patches for security issues.
4. Keep tabs on your google search results and site traffic. Sudden increases and decreases in hits are worth looking into, especially when you have a regular posting schedule (I don’t, but still…).

I now have the new (TwentyEleven) theme installed with some pretty-shiny new banner images, and a long to-do list for upcoming posts and tweaks to the layout. Last weekend actually reminded me about how fun maintaining (not just writing) a blog can be so I now have a few things lined up. The SF episodic story thing I was working on over on the main site will continue (when I’ve spring-cleaned and checked that WP installation too, natch) and at some point I’ll upload the rest of the photos from last September’s Japan trip onto Flickr. I want 2012 to be a productive year, whether the Mayans (or Roland Emmerich) were right about the imminent apocalypse or not.

Maybe it’s a surprise that Kimi ni Todoke is one of the few shows I’m currently following: there isn’t much that’s compelling about it. It doesn’t scream “Watch me!” It’s shoujo, it’s derivative, it’s uneventful…the flipside being, it’s undemanding and easy to digest on a regular basis when my get-up-and-go has got up and left.

Part of my recent bout of hiatus disease can be attributed to a bit of this and perhaps too much of this. Plus the peculiar after-effects of finishing Kara no Kyoukai, which left me so overwhelmed I was left feeling like I’d seen everything I’d ever want to see. Even so, I’m still enjoying Kimi ni Todoke.

The KnK connection is amusing in a way because Sawako’s character shares the same VA with Fujino Asagami; as our heroine speaks nervously and matter-of-factly of her social exclusion I couldn’t help but think about how the last time heard Mamiko Noto’s dulcet tones she was wrenching bridges in half. 0_o

I have a bad track record with shoujo romcoms though – something I’ve come to call the Kare Kano Curse. Ever since I was subjected to That Ending I’ve never found a similar show that hit the spot and brought me over to the idea that this sort of series isn’t gender-specific. Toradora! came close but Kimi ni Todoke is a refreshing and unusual take on the formula to, well, it’s kept my interest so far, hasn’t it?

The episodes I’ve seen so far see Sawako come out of her shell and learn – belatedly, which is what makes the story’s premise so sad – how it feels to have real friends. The core of KnT is about just that for me: the heartwarming nature of friendship. For all the gentle comedy, looming clouds of rabu rabu triangles and the tense moments of misunderstanding it’s a portrayal of good friends spending time together and getting along.

If it is indeed from the high school shoujo romcom stable it also carries the innocence and leave-your-cynicism-at-the-door of Hidamari Sketch and Aria. Perhaps this is why it doesn’t matter that the teenage characters and the issues they face are irrelevant to me: it has an iyashikei streak that leaves the viewer with a wonderful warm fuzzy feeling. The trivial nature of the plot points don’t give the narrative much weight – it’s a fairly forgettable show that’s just there. At the time though it’s a great way to unwind after a long day…and who doesn’t need a bit of brightness and warmth at this time of year?

One particular element that KnT shares with these shows is that rose-tinted notion that, even though there are bad people out there it’s all fine because there are enough good people around you to pick you back up. Yano and Yoshida show understanding and compassion that isn’t always found even among those you may know well…but that’s the point, isn’t it? That’s what real friends do. The kind of attitude we either aspire to or wish we showed to those closest to us.

That is to say, it may or not be that people like Sawako meet friends like these in the real world. It’s beside the point because KnT feels to me as less of a realistic fiction piece and more of a light, warm and fluffy piece of escapism; many girls would probably agree that boys of that age are rarely as grown-up and pleasant as Kazehaya is. From what I’ve been told we’re not much better as we get older, either. orz

There’s a romantic element to the Sawako/Kazehaya dynamic in that she obviously has quite a crush on him and it seems he feels the same way about her; although the romance is remarkably underplayed in favour of a more platonic angle. Again I suspect the message behind the series is one of a deliberately idealised portrayal of the warmth of friendship and how things will somehow  turn out okay in the end.

There are misunderstandings but rather than stew away or snowball into catastrophes of angst they get resolved. There’s that issue of the mystery girl waiting in the wings but for the time being the whole affair still has that feelgood element buoyed up by outstanding character chemistry and direction that gets the little things right.

Sawako is shown to be a fundamentally good person but receives nothing from those around her; partly through overcoming her fears and partly with her friends’ help she now has some of the happiness that she deserves. Yes, everyone is so damned nice and friendly to the point where it bears little resemblance to reality, but every now and then I want to experience a world like that.

There isn’t much else to say about it, really. A shortish post, but easing back into it gently, etc.

I hope the short descriptions speak for themselves; the awesomeness of the titles themselves certainly ought to. Before the word count becomes too excessive then, here’s the final ‘cut’…

25. Tokyo Marble Chocolate

I’ve voiced my affinity for stories about grown-up characters, and my soft spot for a tale that appeals to my half-buried dere-dere sentimental streak. This two-parter ticks all those boxes really, with a whimsical approach to showing how relationships work (or not) in today’s world. It has all the hallmarks of a slushy also-ran but the vibrancy of the characters and its visual panache make it a prime candidate for a rewatch around mid-February.

24. Rebuild of Evangelion: 1.0

Say what you like about how deserving the franchise is of the hype and sickening levels of marketing that surrounds it, but I still have an attachment to the first proper anime show I enjoyed. In fairness it does improve on the story by streamlining the narrative, placing emphasis more appropriately and generally looking prettier. The only downside? This is the only Hideaki Anno-directed production on this list. Not that is a shame.

23. Le Portrait de Petit Cossette

Why do they have to mangle French grammar like this? Anyway. This was my first encounter with Akiyuki Shinbo’s unique directorial style, and although it’s a case of making the simple obtuse from a narrative standpoint it’s still an impressive visual tour-de-force (who’s misusing French now?). The gothic aesthetic, porcelain doll heroine and that goosebump-inducing Yuki Kajiura music score really make it worthwhile for me.

22. RahXephon

The ‘Evangelion rip-off’ reaction was so misplaced. Granted, it takes itself very seriously and challenges the viewer but I’d rather my intelligence were challenged than insulted. If nothing else this one deserves a special mention for pushing the envelope in what to expect from a mecha show, and has excellent characterisation as well as looking lovely. As for the movie…let’s move on, shall we?

21. Denno Coil

While a lot of anime really is for kids, it’s rare that a kids’ show knocks the spots off its po-faced, made-for-grown-ups competition. It’s so ahead of its time that even the latest tech is only just beginning to catch up…the re-imagining of childhood issues – and beyond – in the Information Age has never looked this good, or tugged the heartstrings so hard.

20. Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence

Almost a decade after the landmark movie that gave Western anime fans something other than Akira to rave about, Headscratcher-In-Chief Mamoru Oshii picked the story back up with even more philosophical musing and even more impressive CG artwork. It’s pretentious as hell but the pure cinematic experience cannot be ignored. Anime is Serious Fucking Business. Seriously.

19. Monster

The fact that it follows its source material scene-for-scene is as much a testament to Naoki Urasawa’s genius as a manga-ka as it is an indicator of how effective an adaptation it proved to be. Whether I’d physically have the time to watch a series of this length in my current lifestyle I’m not sure, but at the time it was a revelation to see an animated show sustain itself across more than seventy episodes with not a single episode of filler whatsoever.

18. Aria

I’m a cynical kind of guy. I like holidays though. This is a holiday from all cynicism, doubt and general down-heartedness; I’ve never seen a series so unashamedly upbeat, optimistic and calming. A cheery spiritual younger sibling to Yokahama Shopping Trip in some ways, it has memorable characters, easygoing comedy and an infectious feelgood sense of EPIC HAPPY.

17. Ghost in the Shell: Stand-alone Complex

This is where I might ruffle a few feathers: a made-for TV alternate retelling that deviates further from its source manga rates higher than it’s big cinematic counterpart. Except, this really is more enjoyable for me: it has all the intelligence, social commentary and cyberpunk shininess but it’s more character-driven and accessible. It also has the tachikomas, and who doesn’t love them?

16. Pale Cocoon

While people were hyping Shinkai as the new Miyazaki, I was looking upon Yoshiura as the new Shinkai. While the themes and storytelling differ, this short piece had sci-fi underpinnings and an impressive indie CG sheen that was as welcome as it was familiar. Nevertheless Yoshiura’s effort was striking in its gloomy atmospherics and with a great Clarkian twist at the end; a dazzling early effort.

15. Macross Frontier

As a general rule, Macross OAVs and movies look great while the TV series…don’t. While this did suffer from budgetry constraints and hence lacked the visual consistency of its cinematic and straight-to-video predecessors, a new Macross is always an important event and it did reunite Shoji Kawamori with Yoko Kanno again. I know it’s self-indulgent but I’m including it here because it was such fun for that reason. DECULTURE!

14. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

Mamoru Hosoda broke away from the Totoro-shaped shadow of Ghibli, took on a well-known (at least in Japan) franchise and added his own individual stamp on the result. Perhaps surprisingly it was imaginative, moving and crucially entertaining while capturing the profound in the everyday. One of the most pleasant surprises of recent years, it even featured Yoshiyuki Sadamoto’s expressive character designs. Win.

13. Paprika

Not quite the most deep and meaningful Kon effort, this was nevertheless an adaptation that captured the essence and imagination of another Yasutaka Tsutsui novel. It really allowed Kon and his team at Madhouse to let their imaginations run riot; the maniacal Susumu Hirasawa soundtrack also gave one of the most exhilarating and arresting (as in, inducing cardiac arrest) opening credit sequences of recent memory.

12. Eureka Seven

Bones somehow breathed new life into a crowded mecha genre with Kawamori mecha designs and a keen sense of youthful cool but didn’t pull its narrative punches when the gravity of the situation demanded it. The sharp characterisation, with a genuinely sweet and moving romance at its heart, ultimately made it work but a soundtrack featuring the likes of Supercar and Denki Groove didn’t hurt either. And yes, it did need to be as long as it did.

11. Darker than Black

Funny how Bones and Yoko Kanno crop up so often, but there you go. As long as it works as it does here, doesn’t that speak for itself? Tensai Okamura’s dry humour and penchant for old-school sci-fi clashed with film noir sensibilities and a novel approach to character dynamics with a sense of constant suspense and layers of hidden meaning. Watch it twice, it helps.

Take a deep breath folks, almost there! ^_^

10. The Place Promised in our Early Days

I wanted to place this higher, but in interests of fairness on everything else I reined my enthusiasm in a bit. What’s to say? The Comix Wave Sky Shots? Haruki Murakami-esque parallel universe metaphysics and a sense of inner loneliness? Clarkian science fiction (the Tower reminds me SO MUCH of The Fountains of Paradise)? No matter: it looks and sounds spectacular, and even after numerous rewatches the ending still has me crying buckets.

9. Gunslinger Girl

This was a case of why you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. On paper the idea of teen girl assassins sounded like moe-ified Luc Besson but in reality the gunplay and mystery-thriller aspects took a back seat to a heart-rending character study. I’ve rarely experienced such painful empathy but it’s handled with such a tender and sympathetic touch…the Mediterranian locations are stunning, the animation is smooth as silk and the soundtrack is breathtaking too.

8. Eve no Jikan

After Pale Cocoon Yasuhiro Yoshiura and Studio Rikka proved that they could; here, they proved how well they could do it. Picking the well-trodden concept of robots and A.I. in everyday society was a risky move but the surprise of how much comedy, drama and morality could be wrung out from this tired premise was half the fun. The CGI was nigh-on flawless, the comic timing impeccable and the pacing head and shoulders above humble made-for TV efforts.

7. FLCL

“What the fuck was that?” was my first impression of this, at a time when I’d seen very little anime at all – showing it to other people is fun in itself, just to see the looks on their faces. Shinkichi Mitsumune’s score, buoyed up by classic tunes from The Pillows, adds to the edgy sense of teen energy that almost, but not quite, pushes it over the edge. The good news: it was the thematic and artistic high water mark for Gainax. The bad news: it still is.

6. Summer Wars

Madhouse know how to nurture talent, don’t they? A reunion of Hosoda, Sadamoto and co inevitably led to comparisons but as both pure visual escapism and a love letter to the trials and tribulations of family life it’s hard to beat. The emotion is genuine, the deeper meanings are numerous and profound but overall it’s a testament to what animation can do with the will and the talent to do so.

5. Millennium Actress

This is my personal Kon fave, even though it lacks his dark humour and satirical eye. It’s purely because as a cinematic experience it’s almost unparalleled: the multiple layers of meaning that colour the life of Chiyoko Fujiwara make it not just the life of her but that of a film industry that Kon obviously loves, and an entire country. Fundamentally it’s a tale of lost love and looks beautiful.

4. Kara no Kyoukai

Less sprawling than Tsukihime and more personal Fate/Stay Night, the act of bringing Nasu’s early novels to the screen was so dazzling I don’t know why it hadn’t been attempted sooner. In any case the dark, immersive world of the Nasuverse is effectively captured by Ufotable’s attention to detail and Yuki Kajiura’s finest soundtrack to date. Repeated viewings allow you to appreciate the complexity of its study into morality, inner turmoil and, ultimately, an unconventional yet convincing romance subplot that devastates the competition with a graceful flick of the knife.

3. 5cm per Second

From here on it gets tough. Is this one deserving of #3, given the quality of the last few listed above? Purely for personal reasons, this movie holds a special place in my heart for its ability to tap into universal sentiments, build on themes explored in Shinkai’s earlier work, only to take on deeper relevance with the viewer as he or she moves on in his or her own life. It’s beatiful to the point of hyper-realism, but matures like a fine wine.

2. Mushishi

The series that got me blogging, even though I gave up on episodic commentary. In turns dark, bright, suspenseful, restful but always with a keen eye on both humanity’s relationship with  the natural world and our relationships with each other, it was a timeless journey that offered moments that I swear will stay with me for life. This transcends mere animated TV entertainment: with every episode it transported me to another place and for that I love it.

1. Haibane Renmei

The most contentious position of all, perhaps, but very few stories have spoken to me as profoundly and clearly as this one has. The Murakami-inspired setting was masterful but its memorable imagery was spiritual without pinning the philosophy on anything other than the viewer’s individual interpretation. Kou Otani’s score was spellbinding and it felt like a genuine labour of love for Yoshitoshi ABe too; his distinctive character designs bring life into a haunting yet stunningly rendered other-world. Not everything was answered but that’s part of its unique charm: talking in riddles with a thoughtful sense of melancholy, it’s one of those stories that allows you to connect with the characters by encouraging you to look within yourself for answers.

And there you go. I somehow exceeded the wordcount of even my KnK fanboy rave but these 25 titles deserve it I think. I can forgive you for disagreeing with the order here: even I changed my mind several times during the draft stage. I recommend you all should watch all of them, anyway. Happy 2010!

For the sake of simplicity the likes of Trapeze, Bakemonogatari, K-On!, Ergo Proxy, Mouryou no Hako, Texhnolyze, Shikabane Hime, Gurren Lagann, NieA_7, Detroit Metal City, Code Geass, Planetes and Beck didn’t make the list, as much as I like them. Some titles had to go, and “I haven’t finished it yet,” seemed to be a fair enough reason. On with 50-26.

50. Hataraki Man

I’m a little fed up with high school-based fare; I asked one day “what about stories of people of my own age with proper jobs and adult responsibilities?” The answer given to me was this, a tale of a stressed-out office worker and those around her who struggle with the work/life balance…and each other. An incomplete adaptation of Moyoco Anno’s seinen/josei manga serial, it has something many animated productions cannot attain: realism.

49. Macross Zero

Not the best of the franchise, but arguably the prettiest. It’s a little lacking on the characterisation front, but in terms of CG it was cutting edge and the dogfights still look awesome today. It also has Roy Foker, a beautiful Pacific island setting and floating rocks. Win.

48. Clannad/Clannad After Story

I never really expected to enjoy this at all: I was (at the time) unconvinced about visual novels and the saccharine moe aesthetic of Key works didn’t appeal to me either. Just as well then that it had some genuinely laugh-out-loud and heartstring-tugging moments, before going all grown-up on us in the second season. The controversial ending was a surprisingly inventive take on how to resolve a branching VN structure with a linear TV narrative too.

47. Lucky Star

While we’re on the subject of stuff that I expected to hate, this was a genuinely lulzworthy piece that was moe-ified otaku-fodder while simultaneously ripping the piss out of the said genre of moe-ified otaku-fodder. Fine by me. It also picked out little everyday details and occasionally pulled some quite moving moments out of its pastel-coloured KyoAni hat.

46. Fate/Stay Night

Next to its epic, exhilerating visual novel source material this can hardly compare but nevertheless it was a lot of fun to watch. Now the UBW movie is imminent I can think of it as the adaptation of the Fate route alone, which makes the necessary omissions of two thirds of the original story not just understandable but perfectly acceptable.

45. Spice and Wolf

Consistently entertaining but included here as acknowledgement of the superior second season, this sweet little tale of two lonely travellers had me coming back for more every week with a peaceful grin on my face every time. A delightful refreshing change and textbook example of how character chemistry can make the world of difference.

44. Eden of the East

Another sterling effort from the noitaminA slot, this was an exciting mixture of politics, romance, technology…and several shipping containers of naked blokes who our hero tempted out of the dole queue and into a new world order. With two new movies coming up under the watchful eye of Kenji Kamiyama, I don’t think I’ll tire of Akira’s and Saki’s adventures just yet.

43. true tears

The idea of originality and a borderline harem premise threatened my enjoyment of this, a romantic drama from a virtually-unknown studio. Fortunately the quality of the characterisation and its stunning attention to detail made it more than just another teen angst fest, instead becoming a little gem to add to the genre’s finest.

42. Kurenai

Speaking of characterisation and attention to detail, this one was a fine example of how a sharp script and a little shake-up to the traditional roles and tropes can make something refreshing and thought-provoking. A bit of an oddity, but it was brave and unconventional enough to make me respect it quite a lot.

41. Kaiba

Masaaki Yuasa is one of the industry’s real mavericks and this felt to me like the most coherant and complete work of his to date. Visually outstanding, thematically inventive with human emotion fighting for supremacy over a fairytale sci-fi backdrop, it took the idea of anime==cartoons and totally, wonderfully, screwed with it.

40. Hidamari Sketch/Hidamari Sketch x365

The idea of taking a 4koma story of normal high school girls doing normal things is possibly the most un-original idea in anime but fortunately Akiyuki Shinbo added his own unique flair to bring its gentle brand of lighthearted comedy to life.

39. Natsume Yuujinchou

A male lead who’s likable and not in the least bit wimpy, a magical cat, quintessentially Japanese folk spirituality and story arcs that were heartbreaking and heartwarming in turns made this a real sleeper hit for me. Now I need to watch the second season…

38. Xam’d: Lost Memories

Studio Bones have a knack of being consistently imaginative and artistically impressive, and this one was no exception. The characterisation was superb and the vivid worldview made up for the numerous scantily-explained side stories. One of the few productions where I want both a sequel AND a coffee table-style artbook.

37. ef -a Tale of Memories/Melodies

Listed as one here mainly because it feels like two halves of the same whole (although I liked the first half slightly more). The risky business of adapting an eroge VN ended up as not only tasteful and visually striking but actually made more sense than more straight-up made-for TV shows. Shinbo’s supervision didn’t hurt either.

36. Sayonara Zetsubou-sensei

I must confess I’ve only seen the first season to the end but the episodic, sketch-based structure helps a lot. More SHAFT x Shinbo goodness: wordplay that makes me wish I could read kanji, outrageous characters and humour that’s dark, sharp and satirical. Just how I like it.

35. Voices of a Distant Star

Famous as Makoto Shinkai’s cinematic debut, it draws from classical science fiction with unique home-grown storytelling and CGI to wring heartfelt emotion out of a shaky and straightforward premise. An OAV of this length and simplicity shouldn’t be nearly as good as this…and I don’t even have the space to write about the adorable She and Her Cat short that’s included in the DVD extras.

34. Spirited Away

The fact that this is so acclaimed and well-known means that I never bothered to blog about it before but I need to show that Miyazaki has done some great things in the past ten years. His older work holds the most charm and complexity for me, but this one didn’t get an Oscar for nothing.

33. Tokyo Godfathers

A mix of social commentary, drama, humour and a bit of festive magic; a movie you should watch over the Christmas and New Year period to really get you in the mood for the season of goodwill. Satoshi Kon tackles some taboo subjects but gives his unlikely heroes a whole truckload of humanity and pathos.

32. Wolf’s Rain

Another solid Bones effort, pacing issues (namely the notorious recap episodes) and a redone ending being the only major flaws in this post-apocalyptic worldview married to the old story of tentative friendships and an epic journey. The human characters often outshone the wolves but it holds itself together with a surprisingly understated Yoko Kanno score.

31. Last Exile

Gonzo can make pretty shows and well-written ones, but this is the only time I’ve seen them manage both at the same time. It looks spectacular but the plucky heroes in a steampunk era of Miyazaki-esque flying machines is perfect escapism. Nice twist at the end as well.

30. Ghost Hound

A wonderfully peculiar sci-fi piece that makes use of an excellent music score and an eclectic variety of hard science and philosophy, this made a huge impression on me but kinda faded from the fandom’s collective consciousness. Ryutaro Nakamura and Chiaki Konaka gave an old Shirow manga an entertaining David Lynchian twist.

29. Sword of the Stranger

Sometimes you just want to be entertained. Bones’ first movie that’s genuinely outstanding was this, a historical action-fest filled with swordplay, unlikely friendships and the most badass dog in anime history. No, it ain’t deep but I was having too much fun with its honest, no-nonsense approach to care.

28. Kaiji

Another un-anime looking anime show, it’s 100% moe free and doesn’t feature high school kids. It does however feature mafia bosses, criminals, blood-soaked violence, drinking, gambling and epic mullets. It’s a shitload of fun in other words and had me on the edge of my seat with every turn. Zawa zawa!

27. Paranoia Agent

I’ve always wondered what would happen if Satoshi Kon decided to lend his unique style and storytelling to a TV show. This effort was basically a Kon movie stretched across thirteen mind-bending episodes, and succeeded in keeping me guessing from the first episode to the last. This is what sharp, intelligent TV looks like…not even the BBFC could handle it.

26. Kino’s Journey

Anime can be Serious Business. Certainly in the hands of Nakamura and Konaka, anyway. The almost-exclusively self-contained episode structure somehow gave a vast number of quietly philosophical and memorable studies of the human condition and our place in the world. There isn’t enough love for this around these days.

And it’s shorter than my previous post! The second half of the run-down will follow soon. ^_^

I’m still as enamoured with a minority shows, though. I’ve made a start on Fruits Basket and not before time either; it has a great iyashikei vibe with some impressive character dynamics that push it just out of the realms of mediocre and into the territory signposted Could Be Very Good Indeed. The latest episode of Eve no Jikan was exquisite as always, and came out sooner than I expected too. Reviewage for that coming right up soonish.

Higashi no Eden

The ending – which isn’t an ending after all – to Eden of the East was a fine way to finish what proved to be a fine series. After a middle section that gave me mixed signals it got its act together and piled on the Serious Questions to produce something remarkably close to what I’d hoped it would’ve been in the first place. I’m actually glad the sequels are going to be feature films rather than being made-for-TV because the subject matter and artwork won’t suffer from the small screen constraints. Of course, many were annoyed at the decision to continue it in that format but isn’t it preferable to squeezing a story of such scope into one TV run?

I’m glad the religious subtext wasn’t important after all: when the social commentary was emphasised instead it was much more satisfying. My recent travels followed by some more forays into the writing of Ryu Murakami have given my fascination with contemporary Japanese culture a kick up the backside so the interesting stuff bubbling under the surface here was really fascinating when extrapolated just outside the realms of the here-and-now. Excellent opening and ending themes too, which worked well with the imagery.

K-On!

A victim of the snap judgements and the argumentative approach that the fandumb breeds so well, K-On committed the cardinal sin of being on TV but not being Haruhi Suzumiya. Considering it doesn’t really aspire to be anything in particular apart from undemanding, cutesy fun I’d say it’s doing fine. I don’t think the issue fans should have with K-On! is important for the simple reason that there isn’t an issue to speak of; I certainly don’t see the point in paying attention to armchair experts who claim there’s a ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way of watching it.

The bottom line is it makes me laugh but not to a degree at which I get a hernia and an asthma attack simultaneously, and the musical aspect is Relevant To My Interests. Quite frankly I find it easier to relate to a teenager walking starry-eyed around a guitar store than watching an obnoxious brat who threatens the integrity of the space-time continuum every time she gets pissed off about something. Besides, according to Baka Raptor the Haruhi light novel emphasises the aspects of the story I enjoyed more than the TV show did; the declaration “Sarcastic mental asides work better in book format…” is the point where I was sold on it. I couldn’t care less about the TV version, sadly, and can’t see why I ought to either.

Clannad’s Kyou chapter

Speaking of KyoAni, the final Clannad bonus episode played into the Kyou fanboy camp but was nevertheless a sweet little study into what happens when the unstoppable force of a tsundere girl meets an unmovable object in the form of a tsundere guy. In a remarkable state of astute observation Sunohara remarks how Tomoya and Kyou make a pretty good couple, exploring the little hints and ‘could’ve been’ moments that the main series and the Tomoyo After episode had to ignore. Quite frankly it didn’t feel completely natural after I exposed myself to a True End (twice) and a Tomoyo End but Kyou is a vivacious and expressive character who’s always fun to watch, and the feelings expressed all came across as genuine enough.

What this episode was fundamentally about was, I suspect, giving Kyou the screen time her fanboys were clamouring for but for the rest of us it’s another opportunity to let ourselves get swept along in the dramas and dilemmas of the old love triangle. I guess this would be just another high school romance with the unrequited crush thing going on, but the fact that it’s a revisit type of outing means that you already know the characters and how they feel about one another so all that’s left to do is speculate about how things could’ve turned out.

Aaand…I’m out. I want to watch something but after being treated to a small number of excellent titles, most things would now would blur into a mass of immature, derivative slush. I need a heartwarming drama about people I can give a stuff about (to replace the Clannad-shaped hole in my life), a grown-up piece in the IG/Bones vein that casts familiar ground in a new light (until the Eden sequels appear) and a gritty actioner that doesn’t do the boring-as-buggery Shounen Jump thing where fights are animated poorly, use hackneyed dialogue and last for bloody ages. I refuse to believe that ALL new anime is a load of bollocks so please take the time to list some worthy gems so I don’t have to. Then we can crack open the Pimm’s and enjoy the summer.

Sending the Holy Empire of Britannia’s finest: I feel sorry for those poor Elevens already

I don’t have many definite plans but the itinerary so far includes a bullet train trip to Osaka, the gardens of Kyoto, the temples of Asakusa (the area where we’re staying), the inevitable trips to Akihabara for shiny things and in all probability making an idiot of myself with my limited capabilities in being bilingual. Since this is my first proper trip abroad I’ve had to get things like a passport organised which has meant that after the plane tickets, accomodation and travellers’ cheques for food/drink/spending money, my credit card is maxed, the cash I’d saved up for this is all but wiped out and I’m left with a mixture of trepidation and “Hell yeah!” excitement.

So yeah, I’ve never travelled further east than Great Yarmouth but I’ve landed in a country for which English isn’t the first language and is, in the words of a work colleague, “one of the only places in the world that’s still different.” Apart from the obvious issue of the language barrier I’m more concerned about the practical side more than anything: paying for stuff, avoiding inadvertant instances of offending the locals due to my touristy ignorance, getting lost in the centre of Tokyo (especially Shinjuku station) etc.

My first experiences suggest that food is relatively cheap and vending machines (selling everything from the usual soft drinks and snacks to cigarettes and beer) are very widespread. Furthermore, not only is English slightly more common than I expected in speech and public signeage (yet still less than I hoped…fortunately one of my travelling companions speaks the language fairly fluently) but the habits of orderly queueing and apologising are even more pronounced than back in the UK. Seriously, I’ve never visited anywhere in which the people who are SO DAMN POLITE. Leaving the cultural issues aside for a moment (hopefully revisited in a later post) the level of friendliness and and good-natured “it might have been your fault but I’ll apologise profusely anyway” courtesy is so alien to me it’s almost disconcerting. Oh yeah, I think I may have developed an addiction to DDR. OTL

The culture shock has so far left me incapable of giving an informed and objective view of the place but I’m looking forward to sharing the general vibe and peculiar little details of my visit for your reading pleasure in the coming weeks. Anyways, LATERS GUYZ WILL POAST PICS SOON.

We have all the time in the world…

Diversity is good though. My Jpop adventure continues and I’ll be indulging in some paper-format reading next week after finding a copy of Ryu Murakami’s Audition (yes, THAT Audition) in hardback at my local Waterstones. Will keep you posted but remember that a post happens when it happens. In the meantime I’ve been dying to say a bit more about Detroit Metal City but since the Triad seem to be otherwise preoccupied the latter episodes I’m left dangling a bit. Well, if I can Slow Blog what’s wrong with them Slow Subbing?

Episode #6: Behold! Metal versus punk!

Episode #6, where DMC go head-to-head with their biggest critics, an all-girl punk outfit, was a great departure from the usual romantic misunderstandings and personal stuff and put the band and their music into context with the rest of the music industry. The best bit of all for me was when the venue starts to burn down and everyone, including Krauser himself, escapes to safety. All except Nishida of course, who continues to pound his kit and stay in his seat even while the flames licked his ankles; like Nero and his fiddle in Rome (historically it was a myth but I digress), only more hardcore and METAL. Fight fire with fire, as they say.

Episode #5: Lessons in metal

I’ve always wondered what Souichi’s family would make of the Demon King; oddly, they don’t seem to have any problem with him at all. Cringing inwardly as he tried to keep the identity of his alter-ego secret, I witnessed him use Krauser-san as a force for good by reining in his good-for-nothing brother…which includes riding a tractor and caring for cows. You can’t rule Hell with no education, you know.

Of course, horned beasts are the perfect companions for the Devil himself

Episode #8: 11 rapes per second

Pushing the envelope of both bad taste and technical skill seems to be a metal staple. Various acts try to outdo one another in controversial lyrics, backstage debauchery and all-out loudness but only one man has managed to repeat the word ‘rape’ ELEVEN times in one second.

While we’re on the subject…

Tokyo Tower rape

DMC achieves the rather dubious feat of making the concept of rape somehow funny (I know, I know “rape is no laughing matter unless you’re raping a clown…hur hur.”), although it’s the idiotic perception of Krauser that people have which is itself hilarious. This episode was the one that I used to convert some friends over to the awesomeness of the series; hyping something up isn’t always a good idea but the reaction I got from them after watching this was wonderful: a perfect recreation of my own “I can’t believe they just did that!” response the first time around. It has to be seen to believed, really, but nevertheless this is DMC at its most politically incorrect, absurd and brilliant.

So, what’s next? I’m interested in White Album, Ride Back, Viper’s Creed, Kemono no Soujo Erin and of course the second season of Natsume Yuujinchou. I think I bit off more than I could chew in terms of how many new shows I was following last time so I think a total of five is a comfortable maximum. Any other recommendations guys?