Upstate vocabulary for today:
CSX Lottery = a lawsuit filed by someone who has been hit by a train, specifically a CSX train. Example: He won the CSX Lottery.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Saturday, January 17, 2009
'Mail Hate
I was talking with my friend, when he pointed out that I don't read my email thoroughly anymore. Then it hit me that I've come to dislike email and sometime hate it. I'm sure that this aversion comes from work, where I get bombarded with many requests and many annoying requests.
It's the ultimate tool for delegation and it's the lowest energy level for low energy people. I could rant and rave about it, but I won't. Fortunately, I'm now conscious of the aversion and can now challenge my apathy.
It's the ultimate tool for delegation and it's the lowest energy level for low energy people. I could rant and rave about it, but I won't. Fortunately, I'm now conscious of the aversion and can now challenge my apathy.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Paprika: The Spice of a Fulfilled Life
Warning: reading this post will spoil the movie so rotten that a neo-otyugh wouldn't touch it.
Credit: First, Paprika is the work of Kon, copywritten by Sony, the original author Tsuitsui, and everyone else in the credits. Second, most of this post came from discussions from causeiambetta, a modest man with a modest handle.
In the anime movie "Paprika", script-writer and director Satoshi Kon explores the themes of wholeness and mental health through dreams.The movie uses a fictional device called the DC mini, which allows the user to enter another person's dreams. The technology is supposed to be used for psychotherapy. However, the it is corrupted to invade the dreams of others. As REM dreams invade the waking world, the sleeping yearnings of three characters are awakened: the Chairman, the scientist Chiba, and the detective Konakawa. By using these three foci, a nuanced view of wholeness is explored.
The Chairman is the the force that corrupts the DC mini to draw the waking world into the dream world. He does this so that everyone else can live in his dream where he is physically whole and powerful, as opposed to his wheelchair bound body in the waking world. The fact that this wish fulfillment consumes Himuro and draws others onto the parade to oblivion is irrelevant to him. To the Chairman, his fulfillment is the world's fulfillment: le monde, c'est moi.
When the DC mini prototypes first goes missing, the Chairman wanted to shut down the project and all of the psychotherapy machines to preserve the sanctity of dreams. He talks about the emptiness of science in the face of dreams. Yet, he hypocritically uses the DC mini in his plot. This could be dismissed as a convenient lie, but the Chairman later tells Paprika that his garden is a sacred space where science cannot trespass.
The idea that the Chairman considers his dreams sacred is consistent with his overall arrogance. When Osanai is dying, the Chairman clings to his body, because Osanai's able and handsome body is needed to complement the Chairman's noble soul. The Chairman is stricken over what he will loose, not what Osanai looses or that Osanai is a human. During another scene, after Osanai pins Paprika, the Chairman invades Osanai's body and becomes outraged when Osanai refuses to kill Praprika/Chiba over "petty" love.
After his apotheosis, Paprika comments that his image of totality lacks a female component. It is implied that the Chairman's homosexuality is an extension of his narcissism. The implication is that his ideal is a male form that is similar to his own and because it is similar to his own.
The Chairman's wholeness ignores the needs of others and, therefore, becomes destructive when his wishes are fulfilled. Wholeness is necessary, but not sufficient for mental health.
Chiba's conflict is far more innocuous, but touches all of us: romance. She is outwardly cool and professional. Her beauty is intimidating. Yet, she feels constrained from revealing her feelings for Tokita.
Throughout the movie, clues are given to the depths of her emotions. The elevator scene gives off a sense of an onee-san type character with her bumbling surrogate brother. In the diner, after they investigate Himuro's apartment, she scolds Tokita for his gluttony. This could also be taken as the care of close friend, but the evidence mounts. However, her argument with him, while he is fiddling with another DC mini, has the heat and passion of a lover.
During the argument, Chiba touches on the idea of responsibility and selfishness; she wants him to improve. She also strikes the DC mini out of his hands. By contrast, an eminently professional boss, which is the usual Chiba, would order or reprimand him. The uncharacteristic heat of her blow and tone sounds more like a lover having a spat with her clueless man rather than a manager dressing down her subordinate.
It is only in the dream world that she can re-write the dialogue for the elevator scene. Then she can tell him that she loves his mind, despite his body, and that she can tolerate a spare tire, but he can't be a Michelin warehouse. And through Chiba, the film explores the idea of romance as a part of the fulfillment of life.
It is this union that lets Paprika defeat the Chairman in the end. Tokita and Atsuko/Paprika's union produced something bigger and better than themselves. While the unified girl resembled Chiba, it had Tokita's all-consuming creativity. The sums were greater than the parts and their dreams were bigger and stronger than the Chairman's insular vision of me, me, me.
While Chiba's growth focused on romantic connection, Konakawa's development examines fulfillment on the life path. His nightmare takes the form of movie scenes: Tarzan, a spy film, and then seems to take on real life at the murder scene. However, the murder scene turns out to be a movie scene from the movie that he made with his best friend, who Konakawa calls his other self. Even the bar scene is taken from "The Shining".
These movie scenes comes from his love of cinema that was suppressed following his best friend's death. They were to become directors together, but Konakawa gave up the dream. His best friend died from sickness before he could fulfill his dream, and the guilt lay heavy on Konakawa for abandoning filmmaking and leaving their film unfinished. By being plunged into the dream world and meeting Paprika, he acknowledges his past and comes to terms with the path he took.
In psychoanalysis, mental illness is believed to be born from the frustration of desires. The human mind shields itself from the conflict between desire and deprivation, but the coping mechanism often becomes the problem itself. The cure becomes worse than the disease that it was intended to cure. In Paprika, these subconscious desires were excavated by the DC Mini and brought to fruition.
Where many movies explore a concept through the actions and consequences on one character, the film "Hanabi" contrasted two lives on crossing trajectories, and "Paprika" used three movers-and-shakers as a sampling of the different aspects of fulfillment. And we are reminded that to find a whole and satisifying life, we all need at least a little spice in it.
[1] causeiambetta pointed this out to me. [2]
[2] other references pop up in the movie. The posters at the end were obvious. Also his pose after rescuing Chiba is probably from Golgo 13: the Professiosional. Finally, I believe that the pin scene was another. Megumi Hayashibara was the voice talent for Chiba and Ayanami Rei, who suffered a similar trespass from Ikari Gendou in "End of Evangelion".
Credit: First, Paprika is the work of Kon, copywritten by Sony, the original author Tsuitsui, and everyone else in the credits. Second, most of this post came from discussions from causeiambetta, a modest man with a modest handle.
In the anime movie "Paprika", script-writer and director Satoshi Kon explores the themes of wholeness and mental health through dreams.The movie uses a fictional device called the DC mini, which allows the user to enter another person's dreams. The technology is supposed to be used for psychotherapy. However, the it is corrupted to invade the dreams of others. As REM dreams invade the waking world, the sleeping yearnings of three characters are awakened: the Chairman, the scientist Chiba, and the detective Konakawa. By using these three foci, a nuanced view of wholeness is explored.
The Chairman is the the force that corrupts the DC mini to draw the waking world into the dream world. He does this so that everyone else can live in his dream where he is physically whole and powerful, as opposed to his wheelchair bound body in the waking world. The fact that this wish fulfillment consumes Himuro and draws others onto the parade to oblivion is irrelevant to him. To the Chairman, his fulfillment is the world's fulfillment: le monde, c'est moi.
When the DC mini prototypes first goes missing, the Chairman wanted to shut down the project and all of the psychotherapy machines to preserve the sanctity of dreams. He talks about the emptiness of science in the face of dreams. Yet, he hypocritically uses the DC mini in his plot. This could be dismissed as a convenient lie, but the Chairman later tells Paprika that his garden is a sacred space where science cannot trespass.
The idea that the Chairman considers his dreams sacred is consistent with his overall arrogance. When Osanai is dying, the Chairman clings to his body, because Osanai's able and handsome body is needed to complement the Chairman's noble soul. The Chairman is stricken over what he will loose, not what Osanai looses or that Osanai is a human. During another scene, after Osanai pins Paprika, the Chairman invades Osanai's body and becomes outraged when Osanai refuses to kill Praprika/Chiba over "petty" love.
After his apotheosis, Paprika comments that his image of totality lacks a female component. It is implied that the Chairman's homosexuality is an extension of his narcissism. The implication is that his ideal is a male form that is similar to his own and because it is similar to his own.
The Chairman's wholeness ignores the needs of others and, therefore, becomes destructive when his wishes are fulfilled. Wholeness is necessary, but not sufficient for mental health.
Chiba's conflict is far more innocuous, but touches all of us: romance. She is outwardly cool and professional. Her beauty is intimidating. Yet, she feels constrained from revealing her feelings for Tokita.
Throughout the movie, clues are given to the depths of her emotions. The elevator scene gives off a sense of an onee-san type character with her bumbling surrogate brother. In the diner, after they investigate Himuro's apartment, she scolds Tokita for his gluttony. This could also be taken as the care of close friend, but the evidence mounts. However, her argument with him, while he is fiddling with another DC mini, has the heat and passion of a lover.
During the argument, Chiba touches on the idea of responsibility and selfishness; she wants him to improve. She also strikes the DC mini out of his hands. By contrast, an eminently professional boss, which is the usual Chiba, would order or reprimand him. The uncharacteristic heat of her blow and tone sounds more like a lover having a spat with her clueless man rather than a manager dressing down her subordinate.
It is only in the dream world that she can re-write the dialogue for the elevator scene. Then she can tell him that she loves his mind, despite his body, and that she can tolerate a spare tire, but he can't be a Michelin warehouse. And through Chiba, the film explores the idea of romance as a part of the fulfillment of life.
It is this union that lets Paprika defeat the Chairman in the end. Tokita and Atsuko/Paprika's union produced something bigger and better than themselves. While the unified girl resembled Chiba, it had Tokita's all-consuming creativity. The sums were greater than the parts and their dreams were bigger and stronger than the Chairman's insular vision of me, me, me.
While Chiba's growth focused on romantic connection, Konakawa's development examines fulfillment on the life path. His nightmare takes the form of movie scenes: Tarzan, a spy film, and then seems to take on real life at the murder scene. However, the murder scene turns out to be a movie scene from the movie that he made with his best friend, who Konakawa calls his other self. Even the bar scene is taken from "The Shining".
These movie scenes comes from his love of cinema that was suppressed following his best friend's death. They were to become directors together, but Konakawa gave up the dream. His best friend died from sickness before he could fulfill his dream, and the guilt lay heavy on Konakawa for abandoning filmmaking and leaving their film unfinished. By being plunged into the dream world and meeting Paprika, he acknowledges his past and comes to terms with the path he took.
In psychoanalysis, mental illness is believed to be born from the frustration of desires. The human mind shields itself from the conflict between desire and deprivation, but the coping mechanism often becomes the problem itself. The cure becomes worse than the disease that it was intended to cure. In Paprika, these subconscious desires were excavated by the DC Mini and brought to fruition.
Where many movies explore a concept through the actions and consequences on one character, the film "Hanabi" contrasted two lives on crossing trajectories, and "Paprika" used three movers-and-shakers as a sampling of the different aspects of fulfillment. And we are reminded that to find a whole and satisifying life, we all need at least a little spice in it.
[1] causeiambetta pointed this out to me. [2]
[2] other references pop up in the movie. The posters at the end were obvious. Also his pose after rescuing Chiba is probably from Golgo 13: the Professiosional. Finally, I believe that the pin scene was another. Megumi Hayashibara was the voice talent for Chiba and Ayanami Rei, who suffered a similar trespass from Ikari Gendou in "End of Evangelion".
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
From the Sunni Triangle to the Canvas Ring
There are many other better sites devoted to the politics, so I stay away from them in this blog. However, this post is more about entertainment than politics, though it is inspired by Muntadahar al-Zeidi. He was the Iraqi reporter who tossed his shoes at President Bush during a press conference. There have been many conclusions drawn by the politicos and partisans. After some thought, I've concluded that the shoe throwing means that Iraq could benefit from the introduction of pro-wrestling in the next few years.
I recognize that Iraq could use a stable infrastructure, public order, employment, and good jobs before devoting any thoughts to semi-nude men pouncing on each other in scripted violence. However, the world does not proceed in an orderly fashion, and people are always looking for some enjoyment out of life, no matter how hard it is. I take that as a sign of resilience of the human spirit. And one does not need to take the place of the other. A few enthusiastic luchadores should not hold up rebuilding the sewage system, there are plenty of youths looking for jobs.
But, why wrestling? I cite this brilliant post from Captain Japan's Sake-Drenched Postcards. The cultural gist was that the occupied and rebuilding Japanese used American heels (1) in their matches to bolster their pride. Though it was scripted, the sight of Japanese beating Americans was still a visual symbol to hold on to.
Recall that David Carradine was chosen for the original "Kung Fu" series, because he was half-Asian. While the creators of the series showed respect for the power of Asian mysticism and martial arts, they changed their original choice of lead actors, because they feared offending their largely white audience by showing an Asian hero beating on white villains. The symbolism was significant for Japanese wrestling fans and American viewers.
Similarly, al-Zeidi's use of his shoes was symbolic, as opposed an actual violent attack by using a knife, gun, bomb, or simply a heavier object. His action appealed to a sizeable number of Iraqis that cheered his symbolic defiance. Pro-wrestling has always adressed the events of the day with such, physical acts. Along with the heel Destroyer, mentioned in the Sake-Drenched Postcards, former wrestling hero - turned wrestling villain - Seargant Slaughter kissed what was claimed to be the boot of Saddam Hussein to the jeers and boos of the American crowd during the Gulf War in the early '90s. Anyone who remembers wrestling during the Cold War probably remembers the regular heel Nikolai Volkoff (2). The use of patriotic storylines indicates that these played well with the crowds and had an impact.
The visceral melodrama of pro-wrestling appeals to young men, who are the most likely to act out anger and frustration violently. These actors could fight it out with American and British heels and, hopefully, Iranian ones eventually. The staged battles would be a (non-lethal) catharsis for a nation defeated in war as it was for the bombed-out Japanese(3). A charismatic tag team Shia-Sunni duo would be more reinforcement that Iraqis are Iraqis before sect. These high flying actors would be one of many groups of creators helping the people endure the long night. Stories, movies, music, sports are the signs returning normalcy; so why not pro-wrestlers? After all, everyday life takes all kinds.
Notes
(1) in wrestling, the heel is the bad guy that usually looses at the end.
(2) and those who don't should know that his role was parodied in Avatar during the boulder episode.
(3) I realize that the circumstances of the wars were very different. The Japanese were apart of the aggressors in WWII. However, the Iraqis derived pride from fighting Iran to a standstill. After the Arabs lost several wars to a badly outnumbered Israel, the Iraqis considered the outcome of that Persian gulf war to be an achievement. Then they got walloped twice since the 90s.
(3 cont'd) Here's a thought experiment, would America have been impacted by the Vietnam war in the same way if America had successfully established a sustainable South Vietnam? What would have happened if America won strategically AND militarily. Then again, I wouldn't be here to write this post, invoking a destructive time paradox.
I recognize that Iraq could use a stable infrastructure, public order, employment, and good jobs before devoting any thoughts to semi-nude men pouncing on each other in scripted violence. However, the world does not proceed in an orderly fashion, and people are always looking for some enjoyment out of life, no matter how hard it is. I take that as a sign of resilience of the human spirit. And one does not need to take the place of the other. A few enthusiastic luchadores should not hold up rebuilding the sewage system, there are plenty of youths looking for jobs.
But, why wrestling? I cite this brilliant post from Captain Japan's Sake-Drenched Postcards. The cultural gist was that the occupied and rebuilding Japanese used American heels (1) in their matches to bolster their pride. Though it was scripted, the sight of Japanese beating Americans was still a visual symbol to hold on to.
Recall that David Carradine was chosen for the original "Kung Fu" series, because he was half-Asian. While the creators of the series showed respect for the power of Asian mysticism and martial arts, they changed their original choice of lead actors, because they feared offending their largely white audience by showing an Asian hero beating on white villains. The symbolism was significant for Japanese wrestling fans and American viewers.
Similarly, al-Zeidi's use of his shoes was symbolic, as opposed an actual violent attack by using a knife, gun, bomb, or simply a heavier object. His action appealed to a sizeable number of Iraqis that cheered his symbolic defiance. Pro-wrestling has always adressed the events of the day with such, physical acts. Along with the heel Destroyer, mentioned in the Sake-Drenched Postcards, former wrestling hero - turned wrestling villain - Seargant Slaughter kissed what was claimed to be the boot of Saddam Hussein to the jeers and boos of the American crowd during the Gulf War in the early '90s. Anyone who remembers wrestling during the Cold War probably remembers the regular heel Nikolai Volkoff (2). The use of patriotic storylines indicates that these played well with the crowds and had an impact.
The visceral melodrama of pro-wrestling appeals to young men, who are the most likely to act out anger and frustration violently. These actors could fight it out with American and British heels and, hopefully, Iranian ones eventually. The staged battles would be a (non-lethal) catharsis for a nation defeated in war as it was for the bombed-out Japanese(3). A charismatic tag team Shia-Sunni duo would be more reinforcement that Iraqis are Iraqis before sect. These high flying actors would be one of many groups of creators helping the people endure the long night. Stories, movies, music, sports are the signs returning normalcy; so why not pro-wrestlers? After all, everyday life takes all kinds.
Notes
(1) in wrestling, the heel is the bad guy that usually looses at the end.
(2) and those who don't should know that his role was parodied in Avatar during the boulder episode.
(3) I realize that the circumstances of the wars were very different. The Japanese were apart of the aggressors in WWII. However, the Iraqis derived pride from fighting Iran to a standstill. After the Arabs lost several wars to a badly outnumbered Israel, the Iraqis considered the outcome of that Persian gulf war to be an achievement. Then they got walloped twice since the 90s.
(3 cont'd) Here's a thought experiment, would America have been impacted by the Vietnam war in the same way if America had successfully established a sustainable South Vietnam? What would have happened if America won strategically AND militarily. Then again, I wouldn't be here to write this post, invoking a destructive time paradox.
Loser + Vampire: The Anatomy of a Harem
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.
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.
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.
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