What first caught my eye about this series was the art and character designs. Without even looking at the plot, cast or crew, I labelled it as CLAMP meets Aria. And I wasn’t too far from the truth. Umi Monogatari (also known as Sea Story) is directed by Junichi Sato – the extraordinaire behind such gems as Sailor Moon, Pretear and Aria. Upon realizing this, the anime went from interesting to a must-watch in my eyes, and has been the summer series I’ve been most eagerly awaiting.
The story begins when sisters Marin and Urin find a ring which has been dropped into the sea. It is here beneath the waves where these two girls and their community live, who appear to be mermaids and -men. They are peaceful folk, but fearful of the world above – which they call “the sky” – and worry when the sisters decide to venture there to return the ring. It is here that Marin and Urin meet it’s owner, high-school girl/fortune-teller (described by her mother as having an “evil aura”) Kanon, who has just been dumped by her boyfriend. So begins an episode which starts on a peaceful, humorous, slice-of-life note, but gradually transitions toward a surprisingly dramatic ending with a classic cliffhanger and a darker tone.
The art and backgrounds are absolutely stunning and the animation quality is top-notch. Of particular note is the colour palate – you can see a lot of care has been put into making both the sea and the island look realistic and beautiful. The music is sensitive, subtle and fits the tone of the show perfectly, the characters are interesting and contrasting (Kanon in particular), and character designs are lovely. The seiyuus do a varying job – when speaking conversationally they sound great, but when their emotions are heightened (i.e. “MATTE, TOMATTE!“), they’re nothing special.
My only qualm – and, for me, it’s easily forgiven – is one I experienced with Aria as well; when the characters have super-deformed, manga-style expressions on their faces (the ones indicating exasperation, anger, etc.). I find this annoying, and I feel that it disrupts the flow of the show somewhat, especially since the art is pretty breathtaking otherwise.
But that’s it. I think Umi Monogatari a fantastic series, and I’ll definitely, definitely be watching it and awaiting the next installment. Aria and SatoJun fans will lap this up, but even those new to his work should definitely give this a try – it seems like this is one of those rare series that has potential to please all demographics. I do worry, though, that my expectations have been set too high to live up to… I certainly hope not.
Just to finish off, a quick note: if you are planning to try this series, try to get a high-quality version for maximum awe – it’s much better that way. Enjoy!
First off (again), I have to apologize for the tardiness of this post. Due to my ISP’s mishap, my internet was cut off, and I’ve only just got it back. I really appreciate anyone who’s stayed with this blog. Thank you!
Okay, so in lieu of a summer preview – which can’t really give much information – I’ve decided to review the first episodes of a group of series which appeal to me from what I know from ANN, other blogs, etc. They are:
- Umi Monogatari (a.k.a. Sea Story)
- Yoku Wakaru Gendai Maho
- Bakemonogatari
- Canaan
- Sora no Manimani
- Umineko no Naku Koro ni
- Aoi Hana
and also, possibly (I’m undecided on whether to give these a try, as of yet):
- Kanamemo
- Tokyo Magnitude 8.0
- Element Hunters
- Needless
- Princess Lover!
- Geijutsu Art Design Class
Stay tuned!
Synopsis:
For those who haven’t been watching the series, Saki is the anime adaptation of Ritz Kobayashi’s debut manga, following the triumphs and tribulations of the Kiyosumi High School mahjong club as they aim for the national tournament.
Set in a 21st century captivated by mahjong, the story revolves around five talented, female students: Nodoka Haramura (Ami Koshimizu), the beautiful and quiet-but-determined oujo-sama; Yuki Kataoka (Rie Kugimiya), the hyperactive, taco-obsessed, would-be prodigy; Mako Someya (Ryoko Shiraishi), the mysterious bookworm with a yen for the game; Hisa Takei (Shizuka Itou), the enigmatic student congress and club president, and; Saki Miyanaga (Ueda Kana), the eponymous, shy star-in-the-making – a “child loved by the tiles”.
All the girls have unique playing styles and differing backstories – at first Saki hates mahjong. Having been forced to play the game with her family (who became offended when she would win, and taking her new year’s money when she would lose), she develops a strategy to keep her score at a firm zero; neither winning or losing. Enticed by a combination of a budding friendship/rivalry with Nodoka, peer pressure, and hopes of meeting her estranged sister, a professional player, in the national tournament, she joins up. And it is there that she gets to know a vast array of personalities.
Boundlessly energetic Yuki, who looks more like a grade-schooler, would be a mahjong prodigy – if only she could retain focus. She excels in the East (first) round, but her score drops continuously from there on. She also relies on tacos (or foods with the syllable tako- in them) to fuel her strength and without them crumbles into an exhausted heap.
President Hisa is the driving force behind the club and with a crop of hugely talented youngsters joining, hopes to make her last year of school a memorable one. For years she has dreamed of reaching the national stage, but with the school-goers limited interest in the game, she hasn’t ever been able to rustle up a team.
Nodoka’s parents (a prosecutor and attorney) want to send her to a private school for the rich and famous in Tokyo, but she wants to stay, because of the mahjong team. Her father gives her an ultimatum: she must win at the regional stage or pack her bags. Nodoka also has an online alter-ego: she is Nodocchi, unbeatable queen of internet mahjong, who plays without errors and rules the web. The only problem is that she hasn’t been able to translate these skills into real-life.
And Saki, their biggest drawcard, has superhuman (and possibly supernatural) luck.
Impressions (7 episodes in) -
Pros:
So far, my response to this series has been generally favourable. Being a mahjong player and fan, the plot is (although ridiculously sensational) something I’m enjoying; pacing was patchy at first, but with the tournament beginning, it’s starting to gain some good momentum. The characters are lovable and well-developed (most of the time) – even the secondary and tertiary characters, i.e. the rival teams have backstories and motivations – and although the series falls victim to stereotyping, the girls are never fully defined by them. The all-star cast are also at their best, but the area in which the show really shines is during the games (complete with motorized playing tables and effects calling to mind Yu-Gi-Oh!) which are successful in turning a very static game into an exciting visual spectacle.
Cons:
The first and most blatant annoyance in this series is the fanservice. Sure, it’s no Ikki Tousen, but the ecchi has been undeniably amped up from the source manga. In addition to this, Nodoka and Saki’s friendship has gone from mutual admiration to mutual yuri crushes. Don’t get me wrong – I’m fine with shoujo-ai, but I feel like this has gone too far in that it has become (admittedly quite mildly, but still) sexualized.
My next qualm is the cookie-cutter character designs which accentuate various moe archetypes – it seems as though, with the multitude of characters, that the show is trying to cover every one in the book; I dare you to think of one not represented. The character designs are even worse in the secondary/tertiary characters – the captain of (rival school) Kazekoshi’s team has a permanently closed eye, and their vice-captain has hair which become nekomimi when she is shown affection. Earlier I said that the characters are not ruled by stereotypes, but their appearances certainly are.
And finally (a very minor, somewhat-hilarious annoyance), I find it ridiculous that the mahjong tournament is gender-segregated. I know that the series is trying to bring some credence to mahjong as a professional game, but that’s going a little far – it’s not a sport, and gender certainly has nothing to do with skill-level. The reason for this is almost definitely to try and cram as much eye-candy into the show as possible, but still…
So that’s it! Thanks for sticking with me through this report – the first in a series – and I hope to catch you here again soon. Sayonara –
At the beginning of the spring season, thousands of fans all over the world were excited to learn that The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya was broadcasting a new set of episodes – I can only imagine what parties were held, what celebrations were celebrated, what cosplay outfits were donned… you get the picture. And then they were more than a little peeved to discover that this “new season” was just a rerun. So I can anticipate that today, many fans will receive the following news with a mixture of excitement and exasperation: it looks like new episodes are going to be woven into the rerun! The first of which is airing on the 24th of May!
(via Anime News Network)
And now for the requisite general news: a personal apology to anyone who reads this blog. I had planned to update much, much sooner (naturally), but life snuck up behind me and whacked me on the head with a giant metal bathtub. Suffice to say, it took a lot of time to recover from this hit and later recuperate, but I’m here now, and I endeavour to provide a new, more content-heavy post in the next couple of days.
Well, now I’ve got to catch up on the anime I’ve missed! I don’t know whether to be overjoyed at the wealth of new content being presented to me or fainting from the sheer number of episodes I need to watch. Yes, need.
There has been much talk lately about the decline of anime. The inaugural issue of PiQ magazine – the short-lived successor to Newtype USA - featured an editorial entitled Is Anime Dead? The blogosphere is abuzz with annoyance at recycled content and oft-used stereotypes. Fansubs of already-licensed series are on the rise, and production companies are going bankrupt. And recession (principally in Japan and America, but also the world over) has meant cutting down on luxury goods – which unfortunately means expensive anime and manga.
First off, while the popularity of anime snowballs in the Western world, in Japan anime is being seen as increasingly fringe. While shonen favourites such as Pokemon, One Piece and Yu-Gi-Oh! are watched by a number of preteen fans, most other series have been relegated to late-night or early-morning timeslots. This demonstrates two things: a) that fan bases are shrinking, and b) that the rise of more pronounced ecchi and fanservice elements in shows are limiting other potential viewing hours. On top of this, R-rated merchandise and dojinshi are adding to the fast-growing consensus that much of anime is perverted.
Secondly, the expense of buying anime and manga all around the world, coupled with recession, has meant that fansubs of already-licensed series and illegal downloads are on the rise. The current state of the economy means that fans have less disposable income to spend, and that production and distribution companies are going kaput. Geneon USA and Central Park Media have gone under, while last year ADV had to turn over the rights to more than 30 series to Funimation. In Australia, Madman Entertainment holds a monopoly over distribution. Companies have also had to stoop to huge sales (good for the consumer, bad for them) to make a profit.
Thirdly, those uneducated about manga and anime in the West seem to (generally) hold two conflicting views about the art-forms: a) they’re cartoons for children, or b) they’re cartoon pornography. Both are bad for the industry because they both prevent willingness to integrate these forms of entertainment into the mainstream.
So, what to do? Perhaps we need to (somehow) educate people about anime. I know that some fans would hate for anime to become a part of pop-culture, but maybe a little bit of that is what we need. Anime becoming more mainstream would mean more people being exposed to anime, which would in turn mean more people liking anime, which would mean more people willing to buy anime, which would mean the price of anime dropping, which would mean even more people being exposed to anime, etc.
The industry should also try to focus on quality, as opposed to quantity of gimmicks and fanservice. Sure, it may pull in a little more of the super-duper-extreme-to-the-max-hardcore otaku scene (definitely not in the good sense of the word), but long-time fans are becoming frustrated by the continuous rehashing of moe archetypes, and attempts for beautiful bishies and bishoujos to make up for quality and creativity of art and plot.
Well, that’s pretty much the end of my rant. What are your thoughts? Is there anything you’d like to see changed, or something that particularly irks you?
Anyway, thank you for reading this – until next time!
Update: Sharing your thoughts in the comments section (or even just reading through them and agreeing or disagreeing) would be greatly appreciated. Topics already covered include fansubs, expense and possible remedies. Thanks!
Ah, Spring. The northern hemisphere’s favourite season, signifying the end of winter and the blooming of the sakura. (It should be noted however, that where I live, it’s Autumn.) For anime fans (along with every other season), it also means a whole new crop of shows to look forward to, and for anime bloggers, spring previews to make… and shows to cull.
Since this blog was started a little late for that, I thought I’d do a recap of the steps I took in narrowing down the ridiculously long list of shows falling under ‘will watch’, ‘may watch’, and ‘will watch if I hear good things about’, and conclude with the shows I’ve ended up following.
The only series I’ve actually followed on from the winter season is Sora Kake Girl, a delightfully bizarre action/comedy/sci-fi romp by the team behind Mai-Hime, so I was left with a realm of choice. After reading a spring preview, my list looked like this:
Will Watch –
- Pandora Hearts
- Saki
- Asura Cryin’
- Shangri-La
- Valkyria Chronicles
May Watch –
- 07-Ghost
- K-ON!
- Phantom
- Queen’s Blade
Will Watch if I Hear Good Things About –
- Natsu no Arashi
So (as can be seen), I was left with something of a task on my hands.
First up was Queen’s Blade. I stopped watching after three minutes; the less said about this the better – it was disgusting.
Next was K-ON! This was a series I was a little apprehensive about, but I enjoyed it – although I can’t see it going far in terms of plot, I found it genuinely sweet and good-humoured. There weren’t huge laugh-out-loud moments, but there were many smiles.
Then, Phantom. If I had to describe this in three words, they would be multi-layered, fascinating and confusing – definitely not your typical action anime, and very, very intriguing.
Asura Cryin’ was next. I had mixed feelings about this at first, but after three episodes, it has proven itself to be something I’m eagerly awaiting each week. The music and animation are wonderful, and the characters are likable and flawed.
Easily the biggest disappointment out of my ‘will watch’ list was Pandora Hearts. Everything seemed right from the previews – the music, the plot, the characters, the art. While the music and plot didn’t disappoint, I found the art and animation so… careless, and I was hugely let down.
Saki aired that Monday on Crunchyroll and was another series that was a mixed bag. I had high expectations from the source manga (picked up by virtue of my love of mahjong), so I was frustrated by the lackluster character redesigns and accenting of the fanservice elements. Nonetheless, I was otherwise pleased, and – providing it stays true to the original – I’ll see this through to the end.
For reasons unclear to me, I found 07-Ghost uninspiring and unsatisfying – so much so that I gave up after only skimming through episode 1. Ah well.
Which leaves me with the stragglers – those shows I haven’t watched yet (primarily out of laziness) but aspire to watch soon – the most glaring of which is Shangri-La, a member of the ‘will watch’ group. The others falling into this category are Eden of the East and Ristorante Paradiso - two shows which I overlooked but have heard fantastic things about. Valkyria Chronicles and Natsu no Arashi were discarded.
So, after a herculean (yet enjoyable) job, I’ve narrowed down my Lovely List to a much abridged version.
Will Watch –
- Asura Cryin’
- K-ON!
- Phantom
- Saki
Yet to Watch –
- Shangri-La
- East of Eden
- Ristorante Paradiso
As for Pandora Hearts? Well, I still have hope. Perhaps I’ll pick it up sometime later – you never know.
So! Thank you for bearing with me through this ridiculous oversized post – I hope to meet you here again. Happy Spring! ~
