After watching most of the first season of Rosario + Vampire, my thoughts on harem series have become fleshed out. While the most obvious feature of the harem is the number of femmes throwing themselves at the hero, the other key feature of the harem genre is the "zero" hero, where the viewer can insert himself into the unfolding events. From this starting point, the actions of the lead throughout the series and at the end must also fit in the scope of this everyman aspect. Much of these thoughts probably apply to otome (2) series; however, my experience with the reverse harem is mostly confined to Fushigi Yuugi (3).
In both Rosario + Vampire, the lead Tsukune Aono is too stupid to get into high school after graduating from middle school. He played some soccer in school. He does not have any outstanding abilities, unique appearance, driving ambitions, or dearly held beliefs. From what I saw of the series, his hobby disappears from the story. Also, little is said about Tsukune's families or their friends from before the story starts. As far as I know, none of his pre-Yokai High relationships, past, or interest influences his decisions or provides a jumping point for advancing the plot or a hook for a side story. Tsukune serves as placeholders for the otaku viewer. Though the story is told from a 3rd person perspective, the thinly detailed leads counts more like a 2.5 person perspective.
With the blank slate of a lead, the question usually arises about what the females see in him. The answer is that there really isn't much to see. In Rosario, Tsukune forms a bond with Moka through their shared loneliness as he does with Yukari the witchling. His simple openess to and belief in Shirayuki wins her devotion. Similarly, in the now-venerable Tenchi Muyo, Tenchi wins over Ayeka by being sympathetic to her after she finds that she is stranded on Earth. Meanwhile, her bond with Ryoko the Space Pirate is established, because Ryoko observed him over the years as he grew up. She is the childhood friend in a one-sided way.
These good intentions and coincidences are within the reach of the otaku's abilities and preserve the ability of the otaku to continue inserting himself in the main character's shoes. This is in sharp contrast to the sports hero who must improve himself to strive to be the best. The sports hero usually tries to inspire the fan to strive. The epic or traditional hero transforms himself through his journey. There is an aspect of growth in these other types of heros. Not the harem lead. What is required of him is the continuance of his devotion and good intentions to the women around him.
After the bond is established, it is passionate and nigh unbreakable. Mako et al. end up defending Tsukune from monsters week in, week out. They also fight each other over him, though his actions make it clear that his bond with Moka is the strongest. Such is the devotion of the harem. This all-consuming and slavish devotion marks the bond between the harem and the lead.
The end of the tale comes when the main character must choose. Part of the lead's good intentions is the unwillingness to cut ties with any of the harem girls. To shed the girl's devotion is to hurt her. So the lead is forced to enjoy her devotion (4). I haven't seen the end of Rosario, So I'll need to draw on other works.
In the Shuffle! anime, the long relation between Rin and Kaede is a stark illustrator to this. As children, Kaede grew to hate Rin, to the extent where she drops an exacto knife on his face from the top of a stairway. When she realizes that the root of the hate is a lie, she devotes herself to him unconditionally. When Rin chooses another girl, the crap hits the fan and crazy Kaede comes back out, showing the psychic shock that comes with severing a harem bond.
Throughout the Tenchi series, this attempt to do no harm leads Tenchi to maintain the untenable equilibrium between the girls. Indeed, Tenchi the Movie 3 starts with Tenchi attempting to flee the bickering over him and is lured away by the phantom Haruna. During the protracted chase, Ayeka and Ryoko make it clear that their romantic feelings drive them rather than a sense of justice or platonic friendship or fellowship. The long standing rivals become allies and bolster each other when hope fades. At the end, Ayeka gives in during a bittersweet scene and asks Ryoko to bring him back. Severing ties is serious business in a harem, because it also disentangles the underlying weave of the story's central conflict.
Still, the choice is within the otaku's grasp (5). The otaku may make a different choice from the placeholder, but the story clearly leads to happily ever after (6). And the key to the placeholder is to keep most of the main character's action within the scope of the otaku from the begininng, to the middle, and to the end.
Notes:
(1) translation at www.baka-tsuki.net.
(2) one female, many men.
(3) and (parethetically) my friend the Polish "Ponytail girl" was accused of having a harem of her own. During her first weeks at college, she befriended a group of computer geeks: a jewish genius, a gay guy with a 'fro, a guy obsessed with poneytails, and the silent one. I was declared an honorary member at one point. Her relationship to all of us, save one, was strictly friendship. But that's neither here nor there and is, therefore, confined to the footnotes.
(4) Again, something the otaku consumer can do.
(5) That is where the safe habor of the fanfiction comes in to safely shelter his favorite 'ship.
(6) for every rule, there is the exception that proves it. School Days with the bloody "nice boat" ending is a parody with the main character sleeping around (and violating the harem trust) and caring only about his own convenience and pleasure. He basically gets what he deserves at the end. The appeal of School Days is partly in the shocking break from the harem pattern.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Defraggler
Causeiambetta pointed me to a defragging software called Defraggler. I don't defrag often and the Windows native defragger shows me a mass of raw meat when I request an analysis. This is before AND after the MS defrag. I'm behind the times with computers, but I knew enough to know that this was no good.
So I down loaded Defraggler along with Ncleaner. Ncleaner did its job cleaning up junk files that have lingered around for years. However, it balked at going through my registry. I don't blame it. I don't like to go their either. Defraggler fought a long and hard battle against the tangled forest that is my 40 GB hard drive (it was pretty big when I bought it).
There were 160k+ framented files. At the end of the five hour struggle, there were only 12-14, depending on which defragmenter was asked. Well fought, Defraggler.
So I down loaded Defraggler along with Ncleaner. Ncleaner did its job cleaning up junk files that have lingered around for years. However, it balked at going through my registry. I don't blame it. I don't like to go their either. Defraggler fought a long and hard battle against the tangled forest that is my 40 GB hard drive (it was pretty big when I bought it).
There were 160k+ framented files. At the end of the five hour struggle, there were only 12-14, depending on which defragmenter was asked. Well fought, Defraggler.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Apples to Apples
The trend in anime has been to transfer stories from lite novels, manga, and video games to TV. There are usually three versions: original, manga, and TV series. While the characters and plot remain similar, the different interpretations lend themselves readily to comparison and contrast. There is also a secondary effect when the director takes the fan's exposure to the original story into account.
George Morikawa's Hajime no Ippo, the epic boxing story, cleaves closely with the original. On the plus side, Tomokazu Seiki, who played Van Fanel, lends his scrappy voice to the light-footed prodigy Miyata Ichiro. Another plus is the spirited Engrish opening by Shocking Lemon. Otherwise, every punch, weave, and ring of the bell is almost straight from the manga. This is mediocre adaptation.
On the otherhand Shakugan no Shana the TV series takes a more considered second look at its source material. As usual, this is heavy on the spoilers. The first episode takes a diced up look at Sakai Yuji's final day of innocence, before he is exposed to the Crimson World. The first major divergence is the role of Hirai Yukari.
In the original lite novel, she had already been devoured and was a Torch. The script writer includes her in Yuji's first day, fleshing out Yukari as a normal girl with normal teenage energy and love life. This heightens the horror when she is devoured by Friagne's servants and then fades away. The writers go for a triple, since it also shows Yuji's strong sense of humanity when he tries to help the Torch and cements his disbelief at the situation. Shana's coldness is similarly cemented.
Also, the second Crimson Denizen and Flame Haze show up while Friagne and Shana are still playing cat and mouse. In exchange, Friagne is nerfed, and Yuji is less proactive in the destruction of Friagne. Since Friagne is the first of several opponents, this makes sense and lets the writers keep Alastor's true form (the Deus ex machina at the end of the first series) hidden.
While this keeps the story moving, I liked the original where the heroes go on the offensive. However, since his role in finding the Corpse Collector follows soon afterwards, this is not a big omission, and it is still in the original novel.
Another nice touch is the initial antipathy between Yuji & his buddy Ike and Satou & Tanaka. This adds some subtley to the story and natuarally keeps Shana's team separate from Margery Daw's. All in all, these additions, makes the first two DVDs interesting even to fans of the first two Shana novels.
George Morikawa's Hajime no Ippo, the epic boxing story, cleaves closely with the original. On the plus side, Tomokazu Seiki, who played Van Fanel, lends his scrappy voice to the light-footed prodigy Miyata Ichiro. Another plus is the spirited Engrish opening by Shocking Lemon. Otherwise, every punch, weave, and ring of the bell is almost straight from the manga. This is mediocre adaptation.
On the otherhand Shakugan no Shana the TV series takes a more considered second look at its source material. As usual, this is heavy on the spoilers. The first episode takes a diced up look at Sakai Yuji's final day of innocence, before he is exposed to the Crimson World. The first major divergence is the role of Hirai Yukari.
In the original lite novel, she had already been devoured and was a Torch. The script writer includes her in Yuji's first day, fleshing out Yukari as a normal girl with normal teenage energy and love life. This heightens the horror when she is devoured by Friagne's servants and then fades away. The writers go for a triple, since it also shows Yuji's strong sense of humanity when he tries to help the Torch and cements his disbelief at the situation. Shana's coldness is similarly cemented.
Also, the second Crimson Denizen and Flame Haze show up while Friagne and Shana are still playing cat and mouse. In exchange, Friagne is nerfed, and Yuji is less proactive in the destruction of Friagne. Since Friagne is the first of several opponents, this makes sense and lets the writers keep Alastor's true form (the Deus ex machina at the end of the first series) hidden.
While this keeps the story moving, I liked the original where the heroes go on the offensive. However, since his role in finding the Corpse Collector follows soon afterwards, this is not a big omission, and it is still in the original novel.
Another nice touch is the initial antipathy between Yuji & his buddy Ike and Satou & Tanaka. This adds some subtley to the story and natuarally keeps Shana's team separate from Margery Daw's. All in all, these additions, makes the first two DVDs interesting even to fans of the first two Shana novels.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Quick Manga Recommendations
"Watachi no Tamara-kun" (Our Tamara) scanlated by SCX Scans
"Yankee-kun to Megane-chan" currently scanlated by rycolaa
"C-Blossom Case 729" scanlated by Condensation
"Holy Land" currently scanlated by Illuminati-Manga
"Yankee-kun to Megane-chan" currently scanlated by rycolaa
"C-Blossom Case 729" scanlated by Condensation
"Holy Land" currently scanlated by Illuminati-Manga
Vampires and Anime
The only two vampire anime that I have watched are Vampire Hunter D and Vampire Princess Miyu. Unlike the noir atmosphere that I saw in the Big O, the 'vampire' in most anime seems to be either flavoring or to be missing the Gothic atmosphere. Van Hellsing and Blood probably have their defenders, but compared to
- LeFanu's "Carmilla"
- Bram Stoker's "Dracula"
- Stephen King's "Salem's Lot"
- Rachel Klein's "Moth Diaries"
- White Wolf's "Vampire: the Masquerade"
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Blazing Copout
The ending to the Shakugan no Shana anime must have been the biggest copout ending since the Battle Royale novel. However, Battle Royale did not have magic or mysticism to fall back on, and the author could be forgiven for trying to create a happy ending to relieve the mad and gloomy premise that he had created. Since I’m talking about endings, this should obviously be a massive, scorching hot flag that this will be chock full of spoilers.
During the final scene, Shana’s patron Alastor the Heaven’s Flame manifests to drain out the overflow of Existence that the Ball Masque had created. In the transformation, Shana is supposed to irrevocably destroyed and Yuji annihilated with them. She accepts her duty and Yuji follows her willingly.
I admit that I forgot about his ability to defend against the Flame Haze’s ability through the magical ring Azure. So that explains how he survived, but Shana is suddenly able to contain Alastor’s full form and isn’t destroyed.
That ending was the easy way out after the author managed to paint the plot into a corner. I think that there was a plausible or better way to end it all. The key was Hecate, whose power was to link vessels.
Yuji’s contribution to the mess was his insight into the way devices worked. Since Hecate had joined with him, he might have been able to get a gist of how to do it as well. He didn’t need to gain the ability to forcibly invade others, but a little bit of the power would have been enough.
If he had been able to link up with Shana and then use Azure to expel some of the fire, then it would have been a less abrupt ending. Even better, it didn’t use any tools that weren’t available before. Why doesn’t someone write a fanfic of this?
Someone just might.
Complaint #2 is the pointlessness of the grand scheme of the Ball Masque. Megalomania is an old favorite. Maybe to fuse Crimson World to Earth or to fuel a war in the Crimson World so that the Judge of Paradox could conquer the other world.
Sigh, there was so much potential to blast past the sailor suit she-samurai, meido massacre, and the egregious Engrish. Despite all this, Shakugan no Shana still coulda been a contender to the Hardcore Hall of Fame, but copped out in the end. And despite these flaws, it is an enjoyable entry for most otaku.
P.S. After reading the 1st volume of the series again, I realized that this power was revealed after the battle with Friagne. From the perspective of a transfer, it was a delay revealing the power. However, taking the series as is, it looks like a clumsy Deus ex machina.
During the final scene, Shana’s patron Alastor the Heaven’s Flame manifests to drain out the overflow of Existence that the Ball Masque had created. In the transformation, Shana is supposed to irrevocably destroyed and Yuji annihilated with them. She accepts her duty and Yuji follows her willingly.
I admit that I forgot about his ability to defend against the Flame Haze’s ability through the magical ring Azure. So that explains how he survived, but Shana is suddenly able to contain Alastor’s full form and isn’t destroyed.
That ending was the easy way out after the author managed to paint the plot into a corner. I think that there was a plausible or better way to end it all. The key was Hecate, whose power was to link vessels.
Yuji’s contribution to the mess was his insight into the way devices worked. Since Hecate had joined with him, he might have been able to get a gist of how to do it as well. He didn’t need to gain the ability to forcibly invade others, but a little bit of the power would have been enough.
If he had been able to link up with Shana and then use Azure to expel some of the fire, then it would have been a less abrupt ending. Even better, it didn’t use any tools that weren’t available before. Why doesn’t someone write a fanfic of this?
Someone just might.
Complaint #2 is the pointlessness of the grand scheme of the Ball Masque. Megalomania is an old favorite. Maybe to fuse Crimson World to Earth or to fuel a war in the Crimson World so that the Judge of Paradox could conquer the other world.
Sigh, there was so much potential to blast past the sailor suit she-samurai, meido massacre, and the egregious Engrish. Despite all this, Shakugan no Shana still coulda been a contender to the Hardcore Hall of Fame, but copped out in the end. And despite these flaws, it is an enjoyable entry for most otaku.
P.S. After reading the 1st volume of the series again, I realized that this power was revealed after the battle with Friagne. From the perspective of a transfer, it was a delay revealing the power. However, taking the series as is, it looks like a clumsy Deus ex machina.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Watersheds and Tropes
I've touched on this before, but I wanted to flesh out my thoughts on tropes. Somewhere between "Lord of the Rings" and "Dungeons and Dragons", sylvan elves and deep-dwelling dwarves became common, even an old hat. It wasn't just Dragonlance or "Crystal Shard", Dennis McKiernan's "Iron Tower" trilogy featured halflings in the form of warrows. The other example was the change from the monstrous vampire of Bram Stoker to the Anne Rice/Camilla sauve immortal. These trends are not accidental, nor are they entirely acts of cynical plagarism.
E.B. White said it best when he wrote "Let [the writer] start sniffing the air, or glancing at the Trend Machine, and he is good as dead, although he may make a nice living. Any reader of R.A. Salvatore or fan of Drizzt Do'Urden can readily feel the heart felt sentiments in his early novel. Imitation has been called a form of flattery, but that statement misses the joy that sends the newborn fan to the library or bookstore fiending for more.
Out of the thousands of fans, a handful may combust and try to become creators themselves: writers, artists, film makers, game makers, etc. The first inspirational work was actually a vector with direction and the impulse that sent the fan moving. The vector may be dominant or it may be nearly lost amidst a plethora of different influences, but it is there and all of the influences are still there. Inspiration does not happen in a vacuum.
The analogy that I propose for these tropes is a watershed. A river cuts its own path through erosion. As rain falls, it gathers and reinforces the river. Tolkien's pen let flow the first stream. As other authors, tributaries, linked up with Middle Earth's conception, swelling the stream into a fullbore river.
The same idea applies to yaoi. These girls found the BL images to be beautiful. The few who decided to become mangaka had these moving images in mind when they first put pencil to paper. When they reached out for other fans, they connected with those that had similar inspirations. And when they reached the stage where they began publishing, their art reinforced the current of shounen-ai work, then a new generation opened their works and a few of them picked up their pens.
The rushing river reinforces itself as it down cut into the bedrock, but even mighty rivers meander and die, but that is an article for another time.
E.B. White said it best when he wrote "Let [the writer] start sniffing the air, or glancing at the Trend Machine, and he is good as dead, although he may make a nice living. Any reader of R.A. Salvatore or fan of Drizzt Do'Urden can readily feel the heart felt sentiments in his early novel. Imitation has been called a form of flattery, but that statement misses the joy that sends the newborn fan to the library or bookstore fiending for more.
Out of the thousands of fans, a handful may combust and try to become creators themselves: writers, artists, film makers, game makers, etc. The first inspirational work was actually a vector with direction and the impulse that sent the fan moving. The vector may be dominant or it may be nearly lost amidst a plethora of different influences, but it is there and all of the influences are still there. Inspiration does not happen in a vacuum.
The analogy that I propose for these tropes is a watershed. A river cuts its own path through erosion. As rain falls, it gathers and reinforces the river. Tolkien's pen let flow the first stream. As other authors, tributaries, linked up with Middle Earth's conception, swelling the stream into a fullbore river.
The same idea applies to yaoi. These girls found the BL images to be beautiful. The few who decided to become mangaka had these moving images in mind when they first put pencil to paper. When they reached out for other fans, they connected with those that had similar inspirations. And when they reached the stage where they began publishing, their art reinforced the current of shounen-ai work, then a new generation opened their works and a few of them picked up their pens.
The rushing river reinforces itself as it down cut into the bedrock, but even mighty rivers meander and die, but that is an article for another time.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Current Reading
I am reading about Russia, Japan, and Albany, NY:
"Russia under the Old Regime 2nd Ed." by Richard Pipes
"Musashi" by Eiji Yoshikawa
"Legs" by William Kennedy
"Russia under the Old Regime 2nd Ed." by Richard Pipes
"Musashi" by Eiji Yoshikawa
"Legs" by William Kennedy
Friday, September 26, 2008
Princess Army Epiphany
I have a friend of Polish ancestry and we never let her live down hanging with us at the college anime club when it played Princess Army: Wedding Combat. This show managed to live up to it's kitschy title in all of the wrong ways. The air headed female character had two potential loves. A master martial artist who dominated the well known martial arts world in Poland of all places (this yaoi poster boy was labeled a "typical Polish male" to the consternation of our lovely Polish friend). The other was a well meaning local boy. There was also a gay guy that liked judo ground work. After the pseudo-rap scene, we just about had it.
I think that this was truly the definitive moment, when I realized that not all anime was for me. Not Detonator Orgun, not Oz, not even Battle High, I have Princess Army: Wedding Combat to thank for the epiphany.
I think that this was truly the definitive moment, when I realized that not all anime was for me. Not Detonator Orgun, not Oz, not even Battle High, I have Princess Army: Wedding Combat to thank for the epiphany.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Scanlations
Here are the Ivyscans releases that I've contributed to:
Desert Storm part 3
Innocent Dragon chapter 1A & 1B
Yokohama Monogatari Vol. 1 chapters 7 & 8
In the works are
Hana Saita (short story)
Innocent Dragon chapter 2A & 2B
Yokohama Monogatari Vol. 1 chapter 9
Gee, it really felt like I did more in the past 10 months. However, I shouldn't complain since I can barely keep up when I do get the assignment and, more importantly, quality takes time. Also, each piece was 40 pages, which will bring me up to 9 x 40 pages = 360 pages.
Back to work.
Desert Storm part 3
Innocent Dragon chapter 1A & 1B
Yokohama Monogatari Vol. 1 chapters 7 & 8
In the works are
Hana Saita (short story)
Innocent Dragon chapter 2A & 2B
Yokohama Monogatari Vol. 1 chapter 9
Gee, it really felt like I did more in the past 10 months. However, I shouldn't complain since I can barely keep up when I do get the assignment and, more importantly, quality takes time. Also, each piece was 40 pages, which will bring me up to 9 x 40 pages = 360 pages.
Back to work.
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