It has been almost a year (would you believe) since I recommended the wonderful Hauhi Suzumiya series to visitors here, since when quite a few new regulars have added to the mix of readers/viewers here.
The following video is the first episode, with automatic feed-through to each episode in turn, making it more controllable (despite Haruhi's wild nature!) for the viewer, rather than the all-in-one versions of each series I posted last January. Those have since disappeared anyway.
As then, this is dubbed into English, and features a top-notch narration by the excellent Crispin Freeman – probably the best of its kind ever done anywhere in the world. He gets the mood and manner of Kyon just right, introducing us to 'Mr Happy (not)' in a way that is brilliant and perfectly contoured to the character.
As far as my inexpertise can determine, there are occasional very mild adult references scattered throughout the series, and the language is just one level off fully family-friendly, so it's probably not advisable for the under-12s (again using the official film classification bands as a guide) – but the underlying nature of what turns out to be quite a complex storyline probably wouldn't appeal to those below that kind of age anyway.
Now, although there will always be a few 'Kyon's in the real world, perhaps the odd one or two reading these words right now, I suspect that most viewers of this landmark series will be at least smiling most of the way through, and probably laughing a lot too: it's quite infectious...
Showing posts with label anime. Show all posts
Showing posts with label anime. Show all posts
Sunday, 29 December 2013
Monday, 2 December 2013
An Angel's Cruel Thesis
That's the title of the Neon Genesis Evangelion series' opening theme, and it makes about as much sense as the rest of the series did for the most part, much becoming clearer at the end (more in the movies than at the end of the series itself).
Anyway, it's a striking and quite powerful theme, here with the programme's opening sequence and with English subtitles added as well...
Anyway, it's a striking and quite powerful theme, here with the programme's opening sequence and with English subtitles added as well...
Even The Toughest Cars...
...can be cute, at least in Japan. Decorating one's car with favourite manga, anime or vocaloid characters is now more-or-less mainstream in Japan, and Toyota even offer an at-factory service, as this well-illustrated article tells us. The popularity of Miku is also covered, and comes as no great surprise to me.
It is perhaps the biggest cultural difference between our part of the world and that country, that the more natural Japanese outlook favours cuteness over fierceness. In the more feudal times, and even as recently as the Second World War, aspects of their society were effectively constrained by traditions and impositions that presented a very different face to the rest of the world. I suppose we might have gained a slanted impression, just as we did of Germans, Russians and others for not dissimilar reasons.
Let the true nature of many peoples shine through, though, and in at least some cases one finds a much softer, and one could even say cuddlier, society. Yes, as with all large groupings of people it will not be universal – but it is dominant, as a wander around such nations' towns and cities readily reveals to the observant.
The real key is in how the public in these places react to anything of this nature, whether it be decorated cars or an impromptu dance in a plaza (as I showed recently, from Taiwan, for one example). It's not a matter of becoming blasé as such: it's more a question of one's societal norms. In such matters the Far East are, in the main, way ahead of us, more cosmopolitan and with a cultural breadth and entrenchment that could teach us a few things, if we'd let it in to our lives as a nation...
It is perhaps the biggest cultural difference between our part of the world and that country, that the more natural Japanese outlook favours cuteness over fierceness. In the more feudal times, and even as recently as the Second World War, aspects of their society were effectively constrained by traditions and impositions that presented a very different face to the rest of the world. I suppose we might have gained a slanted impression, just as we did of Germans, Russians and others for not dissimilar reasons.
Let the true nature of many peoples shine through, though, and in at least some cases one finds a much softer, and one could even say cuddlier, society. Yes, as with all large groupings of people it will not be universal – but it is dominant, as a wander around such nations' towns and cities readily reveals to the observant.
The real key is in how the public in these places react to anything of this nature, whether it be decorated cars or an impromptu dance in a plaza (as I showed recently, from Taiwan, for one example). It's not a matter of becoming blasé as such: it's more a question of one's societal norms. In such matters the Far East are, in the main, way ahead of us, more cosmopolitan and with a cultural breadth and entrenchment that could teach us a few things, if we'd let it in to our lives as a nation...
Thursday, 15 August 2013
I Have A Dream
In this case, it's Lucky Star's Kagami who has the dream – and a weird one it is too. This video is in Japanese with English subtitles, as I couldn't find an English dubbed copy of it. I did try!
Now, I have a soft spot for Miss Angry Eyes, as I think of her; and this Cinderella-like story is an excellent vehicle for Kagami's very specific character, including some reluctant cosplaying as a number of characters from Mikuru (from the Haruhi Suzumiya series) to Miku, complete with leek. It has Konata as a Yuki Nagato lookalike (from The Sigh Of...) doing the 'Fairy Godmother' magic. Well, at least until the star falls off the end of her wand...
With a moving house, and a Haruhi-like 'reset incantation' (think: The Disappearance Of...), and poor Kagami ending up having to say – even shout – something acutely embarrassing (or so I have read is what that is), it's yet another of those surprisingly original and humour-packed segments from the show, crammed into a mere seven minutes...
Now, I have a soft spot for Miss Angry Eyes, as I think of her; and this Cinderella-like story is an excellent vehicle for Kagami's very specific character, including some reluctant cosplaying as a number of characters from Mikuru (from the Haruhi Suzumiya series) to Miku, complete with leek. It has Konata as a Yuki Nagato lookalike (from The Sigh Of...) doing the 'Fairy Godmother' magic. Well, at least until the star falls off the end of her wand...
With a moving house, and a Haruhi-like 'reset incantation' (think: The Disappearance Of...), and poor Kagami ending up having to say – even shout – something acutely embarrassing (or so I have read is what that is), it's yet another of those surprisingly original and humour-packed segments from the show, crammed into a mere seven minutes...
Saturday, 15 June 2013
Princess Mononoke Music
Pageviews show me that Joe Hisaishi's music is very popular with visitors to this 'blog, so here is what is described as a 'symphonic suite' from Princess Mononoke, performed live with Joe both conducting and playing the piano parts, as he usually does.
Strick with this: it's really quite something, and I suspect you will come out the other end feeling better, warmer, happier than how you were beforehand...
Strick with this: it's really quite something, and I suspect you will come out the other end feeling better, warmer, happier than how you were beforehand...
Friday, 7 June 2013
Going into the Weekend...
What better way to go into a summertime weekend, no matter what the weather might decide to do, with this series of stunning backgrounds by Kazuo Oga for various Studio Ghibli productions, accompanied by the music (either most or all by Joe Hisaishi) from each.
It doesn't get much better than this, even in real life...
It doesn't get much better than this, even in real life...
Wednesday, 5 June 2013
Monday, 3 June 2013
Anthropomorphism
I have had the occasional face-to-face comment, away from the computers, suggesting that I think of anime and Vocaloid characters as real people, by the manner in which I refer to them. It is an interesting line of thought, this apparent anthropomorphism of these unreal people.
In fact, if you read what I write carefully, you'll realise that I never go that far, and it is the reader's imagination that I do. I refer to characteristics, and not to someone real, for one thing.
Of course, if we all (or most anyway, I strongly suspect) look at our own lives, we find that there is a huge amount of relating to characters, whether human television parts such as those in the soaps such as EastEnders, Hollyoaks or Coronation Street, or invisible ones such as in The Archers on the radio.
That's the first stage. Beyond those come cartoon characters such as Homer Simpson, Cartman or Brian the Dog. There are also puppet characters (mostly for children) such as Basil Brush – but don't forget Topo Gigio or other forms of animation such as Rastamouse.
We can easily relate to these characters, and indeed they are written for and produced in such a way that we will. The same applies to many (perhaps most) anime characters, even here in the west, and to the Vocaloid and similar performing characters (e.g. UTAU) – and there is nothing wrong with that.
Indeed, the pure love shown for the likes of Yuki Nagato and Miku Hatsune is remarkable: it could have turned out to be a cultish minority expressing somewhat offbeat feelings – perhaps even unhealthy and unnatural obsessions – and yet if one were to go through the contributions to Facebook, YouTube and similar on-line resources one would find an almost certainly surprisingly large number of genuine, heartfelt feelings for these two and others too.
In both genres, wonderful very human feelings are growing and, one could say, multiplying all the time, showing just how much the world in general has needed these kinds of characters to admire, relate to, identify with and even to love. The likes of Facebook and YouTube can show barely the tip of what seems to have grown into a huge iceberg, and much of the world is, I feel confident, becoming a broadly better place as a result.
That's a good thing, so let's just accept it and perhaps even join in ourselves!
In fact, if you read what I write carefully, you'll realise that I never go that far, and it is the reader's imagination that I do. I refer to characteristics, and not to someone real, for one thing.
Of course, if we all (or most anyway, I strongly suspect) look at our own lives, we find that there is a huge amount of relating to characters, whether human television parts such as those in the soaps such as EastEnders, Hollyoaks or Coronation Street, or invisible ones such as in The Archers on the radio.
That's the first stage. Beyond those come cartoon characters such as Homer Simpson, Cartman or Brian the Dog. There are also puppet characters (mostly for children) such as Basil Brush – but don't forget Topo Gigio or other forms of animation such as Rastamouse.
We can easily relate to these characters, and indeed they are written for and produced in such a way that we will. The same applies to many (perhaps most) anime characters, even here in the west, and to the Vocaloid and similar performing characters (e.g. UTAU) – and there is nothing wrong with that.
Indeed, the pure love shown for the likes of Yuki Nagato and Miku Hatsune is remarkable: it could have turned out to be a cultish minority expressing somewhat offbeat feelings – perhaps even unhealthy and unnatural obsessions – and yet if one were to go through the contributions to Facebook, YouTube and similar on-line resources one would find an almost certainly surprisingly large number of genuine, heartfelt feelings for these two and others too.
In both genres, wonderful very human feelings are growing and, one could say, multiplying all the time, showing just how much the world in general has needed these kinds of characters to admire, relate to, identify with and even to love. The likes of Facebook and YouTube can show barely the tip of what seems to have grown into a huge iceberg, and much of the world is, I feel confident, becoming a broadly better place as a result.
That's a good thing, so let's just accept it and perhaps even join in ourselves!
Friday, 10 May 2013
Merry-Go-Round of Life
For those who got this far with the Ghibli concert, and also for those who didn't (if you see what I mean), here is the full five-minute version of this delightful waltz from the Ghibli (Miyazaki) anime Howl's Moving Castle,with the piano part again played by its composer, Joe Hisaishi.
No video, just a still, but that's all it needs...
No video, just a still, but that's all it needs...
Wednesday, 8 May 2013
Ghibli Music Concert
Here is an amazing concert featuring 25 years of music from Hayao Miyazaki's world-famous Studio Ghibli's animated productions, some of which are shown on a huge screen in excerpts to accompany the music. All the music was (I believe) composed by their brilliant composer Joe Hisaishi, who also conducts the orchestra and choirs at this event in Budokan and plays the piano.
It's nearly two hours long in total, so you might wish to watch it in several sessions. I think after just the first few minutes you will want to go through the whole event, so be prepared to be captivated. There is a lot of life, fun, variety and considerable style in this collection, even though one item sounds somewhat Wagner-ish!
Items featured come from Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, Porco Rosso, Ponyo On The Cliff By The Sea, Kiki's Delivery Service, a few of the truly excellent pieces from Howl's Moving Castle (and not forgetting Laputa: Castle In The Sky while we're with the mobile castles) and of course My Neighbour Totoro. How could anyone forget him?
My favourite piece? Has to be the lovely waltz Merry-go-Round of Life from Howl's Moving Castle, starting at 1:18:10...
It's nearly two hours long in total, so you might wish to watch it in several sessions. I think after just the first few minutes you will want to go through the whole event, so be prepared to be captivated. There is a lot of life, fun, variety and considerable style in this collection, even though one item sounds somewhat Wagner-ish!
Items featured come from Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, Porco Rosso, Ponyo On The Cliff By The Sea, Kiki's Delivery Service, a few of the truly excellent pieces from Howl's Moving Castle (and not forgetting Laputa: Castle In The Sky while we're with the mobile castles) and of course My Neighbour Totoro. How could anyone forget him?
My favourite piece? Has to be the lovely waltz Merry-go-Round of Life from Howl's Moving Castle, starting at 1:18:10...
Tuesday, 7 May 2013
Lucky Star – It Begins
All right, it's about time I got my visitors introduced properly to this wacky show called Lucky Star. You'll either love it or you'll hate it, or perhaps simply wonder what on earth it's all about.
I resisted it for a long time, because of the underlying nature that originally made me a little uncomfortable; but it's actually okay after all, or a good 98% of it is, with even the more 'adult' themes very tame (I think: I'm no expert on this).
Here is the first episode of the 24 anime shows, dubbed into English and in full High Definition if desired. It's surprisingly addictive. It draws you in with its exploration of the trivial, and with its sharply-written dialogue and its well-defined main characters. It's mostly a metaphor for explaining everyday life, with no particular overarching storyline, but does it so well that you (probably) won't be able to help sticking with it.
You don't have to go into the Lucky Channel bit at the end: although it is amusing in its own way, this regular segment won't appeal to everyone, nor the oddball song at the very end, different for each episode.
If you decide to continue with the series, the next episode is always listed at YouTube so it is easy to follow for as long as you wish.
Give it a go, and see what I mean about this surprisingly compelling series...
I resisted it for a long time, because of the underlying nature that originally made me a little uncomfortable; but it's actually okay after all, or a good 98% of it is, with even the more 'adult' themes very tame (I think: I'm no expert on this).
Here is the first episode of the 24 anime shows, dubbed into English and in full High Definition if desired. It's surprisingly addictive. It draws you in with its exploration of the trivial, and with its sharply-written dialogue and its well-defined main characters. It's mostly a metaphor for explaining everyday life, with no particular overarching storyline, but does it so well that you (probably) won't be able to help sticking with it.
You don't have to go into the Lucky Channel bit at the end: although it is amusing in its own way, this regular segment won't appeal to everyone, nor the oddball song at the very end, different for each episode.
If you decide to continue with the series, the next episode is always listed at YouTube so it is easy to follow for as long as you wish.
Give it a go, and see what I mean about this surprisingly compelling series...
Monday, 6 May 2013
My Neighbour
Totoro, Totoro, one of Studio Ghibli's most famous, charming and enduring productions, released in 1988. Totoro is so famous and so well loved that he even appears throughout Toy Story 3 (!) This is just the original movie's closing theme with some scenes to accompany it...
Friday, 15 March 2013
Costume Play
Playing a part while dressing up as a character – costume playing or 'cosplay' for short – is a long-established activity, with Japan almost certainly being the world leader in this area of activity.
That isn't surprising, as the Japanese have long had a rich panoply of colourful and memorable characters who, even when sharing a generic style, have more than enough distinctive visual and behavioural distinctiveness to make each stand out.
I have featured photographs and videos with cosplayers (or 'cosers' as they are sometimes known) in recent months in particular, and occasionally prior to that. With all that head start, and all the anime and similar festivals that have been held in Japan for many years (such as the famous Wonder Festivals) there has been plenty of incentive and opportunity for cosplayers to 'get out there' and strut their stuff.
My own recently fantasy revolved around aspects of this, by the way, even though I wouldn't have been in costume myself, merely helping out by filling in with those who were. It would be me, and them, whom the audience see, not just the (in that case Haruhi Suzumiya) characters whose costumes they'd be wearing.
And this is a key ingredient: cosplay means that it is the player as much as the character who is presented; and I imagine it's a great ice-breaker for the inherently shy members of Japanese society to be able to approach a familiar character and at the same time meet a real-life person. This is the greatest difference between this activity and where the character has to be the whole package.
Take the recent launch of the Project Diva-F PlayStation game in Japan, for a good example. On that occasion, it was 'Miku' who had to be there in person, not so obviously someone dressed up as here, so what is called Mikudayo 2·0 did the job, as in this video (Mikudayo version 1 is a grown-up size Nendoroid-style 'chibi' Miku, by the way)...
You have to admit, they really do go to town on this sort of thing in that country: it's big business, of course, but it's also so easy to put your heart and soul into it, as even the company executives do just as much as any teenage fanboy geek!
So, in the west, what do we do? Well, there have been western cosplayers for years, though it hasn't been all that widely known. I have been aware of several for quite some time, though most are the wrong physical shape (too chunky) to carry it off as convincingly as they might otherwise have done. Also, many do not have the natural and unforced cuteness that typifies so much of the female character base from which our cosplayers are working.
Don't get me wrong: they have worked hard and really do try to make it work, with perhaps unexpectedly good results overall, but we really needed someone special to lead a more serious challenge to Japanese dominance.
Enter Lita Chan, who is near-enough perfect for this, and one of those few literally stunning ladies that genuinely does stop you in your tracks if you were to encounter her – certainly any fellas with good taste, and I suspect some envious ladies would find themselves (no doubt involuntarily) reacting as well.
I make no secret of my appreciation of ladies such as this, and freely admit that I have been impressed with Lita Chan's Vocaloid cosplay of Miku and, equally, Rin Kagamine, among others.
I foresee a tremendous future here, and (in a little while, when it all starts to really dawn on the west and we begin to catch up with the east's enthusiasm and fandom) fame and demand for the lady, and hopefully others who will follow her lead. The important thing is for her to stick with it, even when (as apparently happened yesterday) it can become tiring.
The trick is to pace yourself and not try to do too much at once: there's always another day, and the world isn't going away any time soon! Younger people have more time left to them that those of us in our 'sixties, and yet even I am content to leave things to another day if I find I am trying to do too much too quickly. It also gives Mum more time to make the costumes.
I know that Lita's manager already has that confidence and faith in her, and I too am getting a strong feeling that we have someone truly special here, and we need to nurture her and not burn out this wonderful asset to the whole fan-based community.
We here in the west still have a long way to go to develop our culture in positive and non-harmful areas of pursuit such as anime and Vocaloid appreciation, and the sheer sense of 'joining in' that in-character cosplay engenders.
We can be thankful for the likes of the MikuUK project for the concert in Scotland, the ever-growing existing fan-base in countries such as the UK, Brazil, Canada and the USA, and those such as Lita Chan who are prepared to lead the way by showing even us reserved Brits that it's okay to dress up as a character and pose and act in a fun way. It's been done, it's lots of fun, and we can all join in!
That isn't surprising, as the Japanese have long had a rich panoply of colourful and memorable characters who, even when sharing a generic style, have more than enough distinctive visual and behavioural distinctiveness to make each stand out.
I have featured photographs and videos with cosplayers (or 'cosers' as they are sometimes known) in recent months in particular, and occasionally prior to that. With all that head start, and all the anime and similar festivals that have been held in Japan for many years (such as the famous Wonder Festivals) there has been plenty of incentive and opportunity for cosplayers to 'get out there' and strut their stuff.
My own recently fantasy revolved around aspects of this, by the way, even though I wouldn't have been in costume myself, merely helping out by filling in with those who were. It would be me, and them, whom the audience see, not just the (in that case Haruhi Suzumiya) characters whose costumes they'd be wearing.
And this is a key ingredient: cosplay means that it is the player as much as the character who is presented; and I imagine it's a great ice-breaker for the inherently shy members of Japanese society to be able to approach a familiar character and at the same time meet a real-life person. This is the greatest difference between this activity and where the character has to be the whole package.
Take the recent launch of the Project Diva-F PlayStation game in Japan, for a good example. On that occasion, it was 'Miku' who had to be there in person, not so obviously someone dressed up as here, so what is called Mikudayo 2·0 did the job, as in this video (Mikudayo version 1 is a grown-up size Nendoroid-style 'chibi' Miku, by the way)...
You have to admit, they really do go to town on this sort of thing in that country: it's big business, of course, but it's also so easy to put your heart and soul into it, as even the company executives do just as much as any teenage fanboy geek!
So, in the west, what do we do? Well, there have been western cosplayers for years, though it hasn't been all that widely known. I have been aware of several for quite some time, though most are the wrong physical shape (too chunky) to carry it off as convincingly as they might otherwise have done. Also, many do not have the natural and unforced cuteness that typifies so much of the female character base from which our cosplayers are working.
Don't get me wrong: they have worked hard and really do try to make it work, with perhaps unexpectedly good results overall, but we really needed someone special to lead a more serious challenge to Japanese dominance.
I make no secret of my appreciation of ladies such as this, and freely admit that I have been impressed with Lita Chan's Vocaloid cosplay of Miku and, equally, Rin Kagamine, among others.
I foresee a tremendous future here, and (in a little while, when it all starts to really dawn on the west and we begin to catch up with the east's enthusiasm and fandom) fame and demand for the lady, and hopefully others who will follow her lead. The important thing is for her to stick with it, even when (as apparently happened yesterday) it can become tiring.
The trick is to pace yourself and not try to do too much at once: there's always another day, and the world isn't going away any time soon! Younger people have more time left to them that those of us in our 'sixties, and yet even I am content to leave things to another day if I find I am trying to do too much too quickly. It also gives Mum more time to make the costumes.
I know that Lita's manager already has that confidence and faith in her, and I too am getting a strong feeling that we have someone truly special here, and we need to nurture her and not burn out this wonderful asset to the whole fan-based community.
We here in the west still have a long way to go to develop our culture in positive and non-harmful areas of pursuit such as anime and Vocaloid appreciation, and the sheer sense of 'joining in' that in-character cosplay engenders.
We can be thankful for the likes of the MikuUK project for the concert in Scotland, the ever-growing existing fan-base in countries such as the UK, Brazil, Canada and the USA, and those such as Lita Chan who are prepared to lead the way by showing even us reserved Brits that it's okay to dress up as a character and pose and act in a fun way. It's been done, it's lots of fun, and we can all join in!
Friday, 1 February 2013
Twilight's Key
It's now February, it's twilight as I write this, so I think it's fitting that we should have a different video of the heart-achingly beautiful Key of the Twilight (by the musical genius Yuki Kajiura, featuring Emily Bindiger's main vocal) from the .hack//sign anime series.
This compilation of (mostly new to this 'blog) images and scenes includes the upside down castle and the special Chaos Gate that leads there, some good Aura (now awake!) moments, that excellent close-up of Subara turning her head in the breeze, and Macha sacrificing herself (quite an emotional moment in the story) to the Guardian/Morgana...
This compilation of (mostly new to this 'blog) images and scenes includes the upside down castle and the special Chaos Gate that leads there, some good Aura (now awake!) moments, that excellent close-up of Subara turning her head in the breeze, and Macha sacrificing herself (quite an emotional moment in the story) to the Guardian/Morgana...
Tuesday, 8 January 2013
Fantasy Corner
My main one is that our annual Will Adams Festival, celebrating Gillingham's links to Japan that started with local fellow Will Adams voyaging out there centuries ago, extends beyond its somewhat repetitive format to date, and adds some modern Japanese culture while retaining all for which the festival is known.
Nothing need be sacrificed.
My specific fantasy revolves around there being a performance of the Hare Hare Yukai dance (from the Haruhi Suzumiya stories) on the stage at the event, and that before they start their leader apologises for the absence of one of the male performers from the quintet, who for some reason couldn't be there.
You can probably guess what I'd like to happen next: yes, I'd wave from the audience and approach the stage, offering to substitute. Once I knew whether I was to be Mr Happy (Koizumi) or Mr Moody (Kyon) and whether it was the short or long form of the dance they were doing, I could assure them I'd be up to it and take my place on the stage.
Wouldn't that be something a little bit special? I know the dance so well that I'd have no problem performing it, at least if my health continues to slowly improve (I haven't been able to dance safely during most of the past year and a half, but have recently started improving in that regard).
The absolute icing on the cake would be if former mayor/mayoress Cllr Ted and Sylvia Baker were in the audience and witnessed this. I'm sure they already think of me as being a little 'unhinged', and this could no doubt firm-up that impression; but I'd hope that they'd enjoy it all the same.
I know I'd enjoy doing it, and helping out the performers in the process.
Now that's my kind of fantasy!
Friday, 28 December 2012
Vocaloid Concert in Singapore
Mainly as a form of proof that the Vocaloid fan-base is spreading, here's an 11-minute set by (probably) the classiest of the female Vocaloids, Luka Megurine, ending with her signature song Luka Luka / Night Fever.
I have to admit to being somewhat impressed by this 'lady', despite the poor lighting on this occasion that results in a less well-defined image than we saw at the Japanese concerts. Listen to her voice, watch her move, and I think you'll realise why I am as impressed as the highly enthusiastic audience so obviously are...
I have to admit to being somewhat impressed by this 'lady', despite the poor lighting on this occasion that results in a less well-defined image than we saw at the Japanese concerts. Listen to her voice, watch her move, and I think you'll realise why I am as impressed as the highly enthusiastic audience so obviously are...
St Trinians, Japanese Style
I have been having a brief look or two at the Lucky Star series, and the characters are somewhat like those notorious young ladies of British film fame from several decades ago, at least in some respects.
Apart from Miyuki who is smart, helpful and polite – though also somewhat clumsy – they are a dodgy-looking bunch!
For all that, the series is actually quite entertaining as a 'slice of life' type of scenario. Konata, the blue-haired one with an attitude, is lazy and prefers manga/anime and gaming to doing homework (but then, I suppose most schoolkids would) which is the excuse for introducing all those references from other series, such as the Haruhi Suzumiya references compilation video I posted here recently. There are plenty more, including Pokémon (which of course pleases me).
It's not something I intend to spend too much time on myself, though I expect to dip in on almost a random basis from time to time, as it is comparatively harmless. For example, the first episode is largely concerned with a discussion on how best to prepare and eat various foods. It's a lot more entertaining than any description I can give, so I'd suggest is worth pursuing if it sounds like it's your kind of thing.
Oh, there's a well done video of these ten doing 'Gangnam Style' – but I don't think I have the courage to embed it here(!)
Apart from Miyuki who is smart, helpful and polite – though also somewhat clumsy – they are a dodgy-looking bunch!
For all that, the series is actually quite entertaining as a 'slice of life' type of scenario. Konata, the blue-haired one with an attitude, is lazy and prefers manga/anime and gaming to doing homework (but then, I suppose most schoolkids would) which is the excuse for introducing all those references from other series, such as the Haruhi Suzumiya references compilation video I posted here recently. There are plenty more, including Pokémon (which of course pleases me).
It's not something I intend to spend too much time on myself, though I expect to dip in on almost a random basis from time to time, as it is comparatively harmless. For example, the first episode is largely concerned with a discussion on how best to prepare and eat various foods. It's a lot more entertaining than any description I can give, so I'd suggest is worth pursuing if it sounds like it's your kind of thing.
Oh, there's a well done video of these ten doing 'Gangnam Style' – but I don't think I have the courage to embed it here(!)
Thursday, 27 December 2012
The World – Live!
This is the highly evocative scene-setting intro for the gaming world of the .hack//sign anime series, followed by the glorious song that goes with it, here performed live. It's yet another of the amazingly talented Yuki Kajiura's excellent compositions, with the lady herself on piano, and her four-lady singing group Fiction Junction performing the vocals.
Although I don't think the ending is done as well here as it could have been, overall this is still another of those powerful yet haunting themes from this series, all thanks to Yuki-sama...
Although I don't think the ending is done as well here as it could have been, overall this is still another of those powerful yet haunting themes from this series, all thanks to Yuki-sama...
Wednesday, 26 December 2012
A Stray Child
Another haunting song, once again featuring Emily Bindiger as vocalist, that comes from the .hack//sign anime.
Just right for the evening of Boxing Day, I think...
Just right for the evening of Boxing Day, I think...
Monday, 24 December 2012
The Cutest Stage Show in the World
Guaranteed! Now this is what advanced holographic projection was intended for, and is far and away the best use I have yet encountered for the technology.
You don't need to go through it all, but just a few minutes at the start and a few dip-ins along the way should give you the flavour. It's truly amazing, and the 'performances' are extremely well done. The main act with a strong opening set (after a brief intro by another performer) is Miku Hatsune, the world's first purely holographic pop star – but there are around a dozen others appearing either as solo acts or as duos, with Miku-chan re-appearing from time to time..
The holo-performers' voices are called Vocaloids, apparently, with the first (i.e. voice-only) performances created back in 2004. The complete performers with visual charaterisations have been around for about five years now, since Miku Hatsune was created back in 2007 (launched in August of that year, I think). The anime-style visuals have resulted in what we see in the video below, and the whole persona is nowadays referred to as a Vocaloid character.
I hope this brilliant show has won awards – it certainly deserves to do so. This video was shot at a live performance in Sapporo last year. It has been taken to other places, including Singapore and Los Angeles.
I suddenly feel a strong desire to go there (or wherever the show is currently being staged) one day soon...
You don't need to go through it all, but just a few minutes at the start and a few dip-ins along the way should give you the flavour. It's truly amazing, and the 'performances' are extremely well done. The main act with a strong opening set (after a brief intro by another performer) is Miku Hatsune, the world's first purely holographic pop star – but there are around a dozen others appearing either as solo acts or as duos, with Miku-chan re-appearing from time to time..
The holo-performers' voices are called Vocaloids, apparently, with the first (i.e. voice-only) performances created back in 2004. The complete performers with visual charaterisations have been around for about five years now, since Miku Hatsune was created back in 2007 (launched in August of that year, I think). The anime-style visuals have resulted in what we see in the video below, and the whole persona is nowadays referred to as a Vocaloid character.
I hope this brilliant show has won awards – it certainly deserves to do so. This video was shot at a live performance in Sapporo last year. It has been taken to other places, including Singapore and Los Angeles.
I suddenly feel a strong desire to go there (or wherever the show is currently being staged) one day soon...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)