I’m actually on target to finish a good portion of my Universal Century Gundam backlog by the time I get my full Gundam Unicorn Blu-Ray treatment, and it wouldn’t do any justice to not talk about Mobile Suit Gundam and Gundam Zeta at all in the meanwhile. At the same time I feel that the nature of my viewing doesn’t lend itself to allow me to do justice on any sort of meaningful discussion, because I’m not watching them for the sake of enjoying them first and foremost. So if you disagree with me, you’re probably on to something.

Through the exercise of catching up, I’ve gained a new-found respect for the original Gundam TV series and the movie trilogy. I actually didn’t watch all of the original MSG TV, just parts of it. But despite being dated it was actually interesting. In fact it’s surprising to me that the movie version was not really better than the original series (although it is definitely the sane alternative for someone who just wants to catch up). For a point of comparison, the Turn-A Gundam movies were probably superior than the TV series if just for better cohesion alone.

On the other hand, I can’t really say any of that about Zeta Gundam TV. Not only because I didn’t watch the “New Translation” films, but also I just didn’t think Zeta TV was really what people crack it up to be. In fact I got through Zeta mostly because of Camille and the developing Tomino thematic parallels. I found myself caring less about Char and Amuro, less about the future of spacenoids and the fate of Earth, and less about the whole backstory and references to the 0080 and 0083 OAVs. It just wasn’t as interesting. In fact, I can understand (and agree with) why Tomino did the kill-them-all thing. It makes sense, as the nature of the series became more character-driven than rather idea-driven.

Confession: I almost fist-pumped when a particular MSG character went up in a glorious ball of light. I thought it was a good decision to do it, although the timing might be off.

Confession 2: Why do I care about Camille? Probably he is one of the most intriguing character I’ve seen in anime since…forever? It doesn’t mean I like him however and I still want to punch his whiny guts.

But it is still a great exercise. I enjoyed myself thoroughly. In some ways it made me appreciate Gundam 00 a lot more. Zeta and 00 share a lot of the same flaws, at the very least. It’s crystal clear now that Gundam 00 is a retooled, 21st century, post 9/11 version of Zeta… Too bad it comes from the perspective of a Gundam Wing-appeasing business rather than an animator outfit trying to prove himself and make something revolutionary. Well, to be fair, Zeta pushed pretty hard on the Char-is-your-wet-dream angle too…

I think the key difference is in the politicking. In all honesty, Mobile Suit Gundam and Gundam Zeta are closer to true space operas than most mecha shows. Just like how Battlestar Galatica is, well, not Star Trek Voyager. The narrative construct in which the very same, recycled themes play out between similar, oft-recycled characters differ pretty much only in the context that the viewers perceive them. If we’re told to put on our 9/11 jihad goggles, we’ll see a different world than if we were to look through a Rosy Revolution between dancing beautiful men and women. Or if we were told to perceive the meaning of “sora wo kakeru” as a Sunrise fanservice vehicle versus a mentally stunted, ex-mecha pilot.

Being a guy who enjoys post-shark-jumping anime harems, none of that really bothered me. Rather it came off with a certain charm, like looking at American or German WWII propaganda posters. The narrative in Zeta kept that breakneck Tomino pace and even if I didn’t like one thing, I didn’t have to dwell on it.

During my trek through Zeta, I kept thinking about Maya Okamoto’s Emma. Why? Because it’s sort of amusing that I was able to meet and talk with her years ago, but without this huge swath of fanboy knowledge about the work she has done during the 80s and 90s, and all that Gundam chop. Amusing as in, “man I was an idiot” kind of way.

I’m not so different even now, I guess. And I know having caught up on UC Gundam probably made me a better person, if just a little.

With all that said, I’ll probably excuse myself from ZZ and V for now. Maybe another time.

There may be spoilers?

Question: Is it me or is this any of this below actually in the show? As in, are these questions applicable to the further comprehension of Katanatagari anime, episode 3?

1. The main ‘villain’ inherited a defensive martial arts technique which is based around disarming the opponent and using their weapon against them?

1a. How is it possible that someone with such a technique expect to defeat another whose technique is entirely based on unarmed combat, with bonus advantages against armed opponents? Especially when the other has track record of beating opponents on their home turf, with probably equal or higher caliber weapons?

2. Does improvement on self-defense improve self-confidence? If so, can it attribute to over-confidence? Is this the poison?

2a. What exactly is the poison? The corruption of power?

3. Is this a feminist message?

4. Is her death atonement for the forty-three slain bandits?

4a. Did she realize the slain bandits did not make up for her own atrocious behavior prior to her redemption?

4b. Did she realizes she was no different than the predators of her trustees?

5. Kyotouryu practices different forms of disarming an armed opponent, but is this just one of many ways for a Kyotouryu practitioner to achieve his goal? Is this a preferred way or is there no doctrinal preference?

6. Will we get a story later on that maps out the confidence==weapon theme more blatantly than this episode?

6a. What does that say about the girls who are holding onto swords to help rebuild themselves psychologically?

6b. What does that say about Togame?

Did I just write a post with only questions? Maybe?

Bonus Round: How does this apply to Japan’s feeling of their SDF?

Any “oldfag” industry types will be able to say something about merchandising and its role in the rise of anime as a popular cultural icon. It’s true, especially in the last 15 years with the changeover to video games. All we need as an example, a proof, is to see how Pokemon became the global monster that it became. In fact, it brought up a generation of western anime fans with it, which is something older generations of merchandising-lead anime productions also did, but differently. But I don’t see any “oldfag” analysis of present-day (or not even anymore, Pokemon is a 90s thing) marketing deals and what not. I want to read about, say, how the Upper Deck/Konami mess impact the business trends of that sort of anime, for example. Because it’s relevant. And less about how Bandai took off because of their business strategy in the 70s and 80s.

A repeated thing that I’ve seen in editorials is Japan’s inability to capitalize its status as a global trendsetter, to the degree that often their trendsetting ideas are exported by international giants (say, in fashion) that end up making the far majority of money and Japan getting little to no credit. At least in the realm of video games, this hasn’t been entirely the case (God bless … Sony? Nintendo? Sega?), but that’s a bit of the exception. Of course, it isn’t because Japan isn’t trying (at least in anime; they may very well be not trying in some other areas). But it isn’t like Pixar is notable for their love and use of the Ghibli work in their rise to being the best selling animation studio on earth or anything. I think the key lesson to take heart is that it isn’t Japan doesn’t get it or doesn’t do it right, but they’re just not reaping the benefits, or doing it wrong to harvest that positive benefit, the reward. It’s like winning the war but losing the treaty. [/wheel of morality]

Ok, let’s just ignore the last paragraph for now. Read these posts at Awesome Engine. It is like cranking that lever; it’s like hitting “start” on some simulation software. I’ve already long internalized these elements but it wasn’t clear to me as to how it all came together; which cog spins which way when whichever lever turns that direction. Now it makes more sense.

If you can only read one of those, check this. The NTV narrative is particularly enlightening, because when we distill the story by focusing on a single player, the various reasons why things happen condense into visible lines of rationale and rather than just noise in the air. I just have a few comments.

1. I agree in general that complaining about “moe pandering” is silly. It’s not so much a criticism as a means in which I sympathize with those people who got into anime because of 80s mecha shows or the various gory/sexploitation stuff. And then as time moves on, cultural trends and what sells changed. Consequently people are left in the dust if they couldn’t “grow up” with it. At least, that’s one aspect of looking at change in anime in the past 20-30 years. At the same time, it’s safe to say the context in which western fans are exposed to anime has also changed, and it impacts the way we perceive anime as well.

I’m a sci-fi person. And this day and age I have to take it where I can. Even if it’s crap like Index or Railgun. The era of Tylor and Nadesico is over, and honestly I’m not even sure if there are any good reasons to return to that kind of thing today. Maybe I’m just open-minded enough to get huge rise over the setting of Simoun or Xam’d, in contrast to some. Maybe I am tolerant enough to stomach the Heroic Ages of the world. I get by. I certainly don’t expect everyone who got into following anime to do what I did.

2. And it’s perfectly fine to stop. Some people “grow up” and “grow out” of being an anime fan, almost by design. Put away up your Kenshiro posters and gunpla? It makes sense as an observed behavior in American fandom, now that it has been relatively robust subculture for some time.

3. And because now America and the west is, at least in the middle of the last decade, a big source of revenue to Japan’s anime-related content industry, it needs a good look. The paragraph I told you to ignore? That stuff.

4. At the same time, NTV anime’s main target audience undoubtedly is its domestic crowd. It’s sort of an established fact (sort of only because I would have some difficulty citing) that what Japan likes in their domestic media is often not what the rest of the world likes. Since NTV’s anime draw from some pretty high profile mainstream manga, the success of their anime adaptations in the US  might be a harbinger to the localization of critical (as in, not your Jump-type stuff), mainstream Japanese comics in America. It’s probably safe to say that things like Monster or Nana will sell, but neither would be able to engage with the US audience (or their pocketbooks) on the same level as the more maniac-inducing stuff like Evangelion or Cowboy Bebop. In fact outside of Ghost in the Shell and Death Note, I’m not sure which NTV anime would have really reaped some serious money, or even could. It isn’t to say shows like Ouran Host Club or Berserk (or many others) can’t make money, but it seems most of these titles have to aim low, or aim at a very specific group, to turn a profit.

There is something magical about Hidamari Sketch. At least, to me. The latest episode helped to give me a control about how to study and compare this magical thing.

The Riri-Misato segment gave us a look at the life at Hidamarisou before Yuno and Miyako. Putting aside Misato and Riri, how was Hiro and Sae? And I mean it from the perspective of lead characters, not so much the point of the segment (which presumably is to give us another look at the Hiro-Sae relationship).

The thought has to come to some of us after seeing episode 9–what would happen if Hiro and Yuno switched places in the narrative? What if Hiro was the main character?

I’m not sure how to answer that question, but I actually think I would like it more. Yuno is wonderful, but it’s been 2+ seasons with her already. Maybe I’m just tired of seeing her all the time. And to be fair, maybe my endurance with Hiro might run thinner faster given the same length of time, I don’t know. The control, being just half an episode long, isn’t enough. The only thing left to demand is an entire show like that…right?

What magic? Oh, right. The fish. So besides Miyako always manages to crack me up, this same episode showed us a school of koi. What I love about them is that the shot is amusingly inaccurate, yet it conveys exactly the same feelings that I would have had if I saw the live action version of said school of fish. Plus, there’s just something funny about it. It isn’t quite a caricature, but it is. It isn’t quite in the same wideface style as the character designs, but it is.

Which is to say, there isn’t much different between a Yuno or a Hiro, besides our personal preferences. But there is something special in that water. It’s like “You’re healed!” every time that soap-thing drops into the pot.

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Summer Wars:

Sometimes I wish I was more of a graphic artist, so I can illustrate my points without words.

Let me open with an anecdote. I was talking to some guys (non-anime people) about this film I saw over the weekend. I am a person of few words, so I described Summer Wars’ plot as, to paraphrase:

“So you got this high school geek who somehow got tricked by this girl, who goes to her school, to help her out during summer vacation. He ended up going to her family’s reunion because there are a lot of old people and they need extra help. Stuff happens. Towards the end of the movie they ended up trying to save the world from a rogue AI who threatens to blow up some nuclear power plant or something.”

Isn’t that 24 in a nutshell?

I think that’s distorting what makes Summer Wars a good film. But as media consumers, what I’ve describes should flag as something, at the very least, intriguing. It’s one of those things that reminded me of anime from the 90s; it combined crazy hijinks with the outright ordinary. It’s catchy at least in concept, regardless of how the show may have truly been.

At the same time, my description above isn’t so far off the mark. I pulled some key elements of the show and threw them together–namely the basic setup and the driving force of the plot for the second half of the film. Maybe this is why Summer Wars is sort of a difficult thing to process. It’s got that stuff on top of your Tokikake-style family drama. And then the Google-Murakami world, the King T. Kazuma things. (T is for trap right?) Then there’s the action/tension vehicle. Then comes the meta references.

If we assume that a family film, a blockbuster formula, has to appeal to multiple sorts of audience, then this sort of mix and match is a good old try at it, yes?

But I think we all will agree that the mix in Summer Wars is a far cry from what we’ve seen in Pixar’s works. If anything, Summer Wars is a little too otaku-ish. It’s almost like a brilliant and almost-eloquent man, with good things to say, but waves his hands and glosses over the detail, presuming his listeners already have some idea what he was going to say in the first place. His constructs are like an intricate, 3D object made of paper, an origami that reminds of databases. It appeals on a visceral level but only very few can digest what it is in entirety, simply due to the background knowledge necessary to understand.

Thankfully that might very well be the right presumption; most do have some background knowledge necessary. But it’s the kind of presumption that I wish nobody had to make. It’s the kind of bets that good stories make and win, but the best stories don’t even bother with.

Well, unless you are that kid at the NYICFF showing that had to ask how do people play games over the internet.

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