Eden of the East marks the second Kenji Kamiyama anime I’ve reviewed this year, after Moribito. Unlike that one (based on novels), this is a completely original story by him. He’s an interesting director who follows in the footsteps of his mentor, Mamoru Oshii. Even if this series isn’t nearly as successful or as fulfilling as his directed Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, it has a lot going for it and gives you a good idea as to his mindset and philosophy. Let’s hope next year’s new entry into Stand Alone Complex is more like the previous ones and less like, for instance, 009 Re:Cyborg. What a dud that was.
Otaku Evolution
Otaku Evolution Episode 152 – Cromartie High School
It’s been a while since I used the Bancho Truth character, and I probably should have utilized him in that Megazone 23 Part II review. It’s just hard to find delinquent/bōsōzoku-related anime that’s been both dubbed and is tolerable enough to review. If only I’d created the character before I reviewed Wild 7, I could have had him in that. Ah well. I just don’t know when it would next be appropriate to use him. But I guess he’s just a gimmick I can do without.
Otaku Evolution Episode 151 – X (TV)
Please excuse the poor Japanese in the opening bit. I wanted to explore that Pen Pen has taken on a variety of different students from different parts of the globe, Katsuro among them. I always liked the onmyoji as a trope, stemming mostly from Subaru Sumeragi from Tokyo Babylon (and X, natch) and Sakura Yamazaki from Blue Seed. I’m sure the speech is too clunky and awkward, and I used a text-to-speech feature I found online for Katsuro’s voice.
Anyway, X TV is… well, it’s sort of dull, honestly. I mean, it’s better than the X movie, but that’s not saying a lot. It seems to have the opposite problem the movie did, instead of so many things crammed into one small space, it was a few small things dragged out over twenty episodes. Surely they could have done about 10 or so episodes of an OVA and balanced everything better. At least we get to see Subaru again, though he’s changed a bit from a certain tragedy. I won’t say this is a bad show per se, but it is very slow going.
Otaku Evolution Episode 150 – Pokémon: The First Movie (Mewtwo Strikes Back)
I had this one in the works for a while. In fact, I had the scaled-down Pokémon version of my Penguinopolis bedroom done years ago, just in case I ever covered something from the franchise. I didn’t do anything as fancy as, say, do customized battle screens or anything, but let’s put that on a back burner, should I ever return to Pokémon in the future. For now, enjoy my 150th (!!!) video, on Mewtwo Strikes Back!
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Otaku Evolution Episode 149 – Voice Actor Appreciation
I was going to do something else for this episode, but I wanted to get this one in so my 150th video is something that suits the number. Besides which, it’s nice to once in a while take time to appreciate the voice talent actually playing the anime characters we watch develop. I do have something special planned for next episode, but this one is special in its own way. I should really do more of these later on.
(Also, I got my Twitter account back, hooray!)
Otaku Evolution Episode 148 – Princess Mononoke
Bear with me, because currently my Twitter is suspended for a completely bullshit reason, so it’ll be harder to get out notices that these videos are finished and ready to be watched.
Just a short video this time, didn’t want to overdo it, made my point and ended it. Princess Mononoke is a gorgeous film and has some great characterization and development. I think it’s my second or third favorite Miyazaki movie (Spirited Away and Castle of Cagliostro are in that mix, and I’ve already reviewed those).
Otaku Evolution Episode 147 – Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack
Ah yes, Char’s Counterattack, a movie full of oddities that nevertheless always impresses me. Perhaps it’s the production values, but I’ve always felt a sense of gravity to the proceedings, like I was watching a colossal, momentous event. Is it legitimately that, though, or is it that only in the sense that it’s forced into it by circumstance? It occurs to me that the feature might be great in spite of itself and it’s little Tomino quirks. Then again, I like some of those quirks, too.
Otaku Evolution Episode 146 – FLCL
When prompted to skip to 14:42 to avoid spoilers, go to 14:17 instead (you’ll miss a bit on the production if you don’t). If you want to skip the story stuff at the beginning, start from 4:00.
Yeah, I know, more story crap you don’t care about. The non-talking characters at the conference table are Gen. Ronald D. Bell and Lt. Gen. Vanessa Bradiff. I can only do so many character voices (but they all sound the same). The mustached penguin is not the same one as the therapist, by the way, he’s the director of the intelligence branch that I used back when I introduced Yellow Yellow. Also, how do you pronounce syrup? SURUP or SEERUP?
Otaku Evolution Episode 145 – Mid Year English Dub Review V
Anime English dubs covered in this video:
– Ronin Warriors
– Ninku The Movie
– Moribito
– Black Jack OVA Eps 3-4
– Now and Then, Here and There
– Escaflowne: The Movie
– Read or Die The TV
– Megazone 23 Part II
– Lupin III: Legend of the Gold of Babylon
– Crusher Joe: The Ultimate Weapon: Ash
– Dragon Ball: Sleeping Princess in the Devil’s Castle
– Dragon Ball Z: Bardock: Father of Goku
– Dragon Ball Z: Fusion Reborn
Otaku Evolution Episode 143 – Bardock: Father of Goku
If the opening bit seems familiar, the first part is from Episode 97, “Mid Year English Dub Review III”, but I added a bit more of me fighting recolored Free—er, Golex. You wouldn’t believe how difficult it was to customize those fighting poses with the skeleton armor. I need to work on the beam effects, though. I used Dragon Ball Z sound effects for it, as you probably can tell.
Anyway, it’s time for me to rant about Dragon Ball Minus and the newest Broly movie. Yeah, I know I’m doing a review of Bardock: Father of Goku, but I spend most of the time griping about the lore mining in the DB franchise in general, and my complaints about Minus in particular. Can we please stop doing Bardock stories? It was enough a long time ago, the mystique is long gone.