GTO ep1-43 (complete) December 26, 2006
Posted by ayasawada in Anime.add a comment
In short: Onizuka Eikichi, 22 years old. Yoroshiku!
Thoughts: GTO (Great Teacher Onizuka) is a story that trancends whatever media it is put in. The feel-good tale of a former motorcycle gang member who decides to become the greatest teacher in Japan has universal appeal, although it does seem to imply that everything can be solved with sheer determination and (carefully focused) violence. It’s heart-warming, dramatic, very very funny and in Onizuka has the most endearing of anime heroes, an immature idiot with a clear moral centre and no idea when to give up. Given the task of turning a notoriously rebellious class, Onizuka breaks them one by one through a combination of fortuity and righteousness. GTO is always entertaining, but the anime drops into filler about halfway through. GTO was a highly successful 25 volume manga, spawning a popular drama series and this anime. However, the latter two began and ended before the manga finished its run, necessitating some dramatic changes to the ending. This doesn’t detract from the fun of the series, but the conclusion does come rather abruptly and disappointingly. If you want to see what really happens, all roads lead back to the manga.
Holiday December 26, 2006
Posted by ayasawada in Personal.add a comment
Eleven days off, 6 episodes of Studio 60, 9 Veronica Mars, 4 Entourage, 2 Heroes, 6 Negima!?, 4 Kanon, 4 Pumpkin’s, 5 DeathNote’s, 6 Geass, 2 Nana, 24 Fate/Stay Night, 5 movies, 1 Gundam, 13 blog entries, 1 book read, 23 friends caught up with, 9 lie-in’s, ??? hours Wii, 20 Xmas gifts, 30 Xmas cards, 6 bags of rubbish cleared from a cluttered room, 3 wins-1 loss – and a partridge in a pear tree.
Work begins tomorrow. T_T
Edit December 26, 2006
Posted by ayasawada in Personal.add a comment
I did a bit of freelance editing for my soon-to-be employers last week. The £22 an hour rate was nice, but the best thing about it – they actually used my headline. Maybe they were pressed for time and had no better ideas, but I’m pretty pleased.
The Perry Bible Fellowship December 25, 2006
Posted by ayasawada in Uncategorized.add a comment
I love the Perry Bible Fellowship. It always makes my Friday. In the Guardian G2 every week and on the web. This snail one is particularly good for biologists. And who doesn’t love Secret Mutant Hero Team? Suck Note sums me up in three panels.
The Producers (2005) December 25, 2006
Posted by ayasawada in Film.add a comment
In short: Springtime for Hitler, but not for Mel Brooks.
Thoughts: It may work as a Broadway musical, but as a movie it’s dull. The ludicrousness of a movie-turned-musical-turned-movie-again always threatened to end badly. Nathan Lane’s OTT-ness is always entertaining, but it’s lost alongside Matthew Broderick’s blandness. Will Ferrell saves it slightly, but the musical numbers are overblown and the film drags on far too long. It needs more than just a camera to make a stage musical work on film. Compare with Moulin Rouge.
Xmas haul December 25, 2006
Posted by ayasawada in Personal.add a comment
Relatively reserved and with little (ok, no) surprise. That’s what happens when you get older and supply Xmas lists so that you get everything you actually need. Didn’t stop me getting socks for Xmas though – or the traditional family clementines.
Besides the clothing, I did get a slight surprise with the Kururu figure (complete with matching iMac!), although I did drop hints…. The NBC mug is a gift from Nim’s recent New York trip – I just felt like saving it for Xmas. The pile of books are my entire Xmas list – six volumes of Negima, three Murakami novels and a much needed Japanese dictionary. Strangely, the latter is what excites me the most….
Otaku fun December 25, 2006
Posted by ayasawada in Anime.add a comment
I just checked out DarkMirage’s blog. It seems Haruhi is getting a US release. And is this the greatest, most well-thought out marketing campaign or what? MySpace? They got that too. DarkMirage has wasted no time getting involved either (the penguin gives him away). Genius! And I love how they seem to be accepting download culture, working with the fans instead of against them. I also hope the people in the Haruhi vid are real fans. Look – otaku can be incredibly hawt!
Anyway, it’s well-crafted nonsense. I love well-crafted nonsense.
Incidentally, DM also has pics of his room up. I fear my house will one day look like this. Or maybe I wish that it might. Dammit, not only is the guy in his teens and writes like a demon, he has all the stuff I want too. And way too much time on his hands. Then again, all the people involved in anything above have way too much time on their hands. I want that much time…
BTW, Merry Christmas! What the heck am I doing still up? Santa will be here soon…
Psalms of the Planets Eureka Seven ep1-50 (complete) December 25, 2006
Posted by ayasawada in Anime.add a comment
Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) December 25, 2006
Posted by ayasawada in Film.add a comment
In short: Spanish Civil War, girl, fantasy, dark.
Thoughts: I know it’s highly praised, and Pan’s Labyrinth is gorgeous to watch with great performances from Sergi Lopez and Ivana Baquelo. But it just didn’t completely grab me. I felt like I was watching two halves of two very good films. Certainly the contrast of fantasy and grim reality heightened the atmosphere of both world’s, but I was always left wanting more of the fantasy, or more of the war, as the plot flicked between the two. To be honest, I also found it difficult to relate to Ofelia, a girl who is quite capable of performing mythical tasks but gives in far too easily to temptation and is generally a bit of a whiny kid (yes, I’m harsh). I also hoped the fantasy world would be deeper and more fantastical – perhaps Lord of the Rings has spoiled me? And why did the English title have to include Pan? It’s got nothing to do with Pan! Still, the film is luscious, entertaining, beatifully filmed and brimming with imagination – everything you could ask for at this time of year. I’m just diffucult to please.
