[Categories: Anime Reviews]
Moyashimon 4-6
Moyashimon may still feature the adorable microbes but it’s beginning to diversify into other areas of agricultural college, such as other course subjects and out-of-class social stuff. There were some marvellous bits of humour including the pitiful eco-tractor, the vegetable field raid and the practical class concerning bovine anatomy but one of the best bits had to be good old Itsuki-sensei, who was always on hand to leap the aid of his students, microscope in hand. Quite why he carries the thing around with him I’ll never know, but it makes him look like a superhero MICROSCOPE MAN or something. It’s great to watch how the off-the-wall humour is eased into the story as if the likes this are completely run-of-the-mill and natural; realistic fiction doesn’t lend itself well to crazy comedy, but this show seems to be managing just fine. I mean, where else could the likes of Haruka get away with embedding shuriken in her students’ heads?
Microscope Man is here to save the day
The series is keen to keep the microbes an integral part, as shown in the UFO club scene and its horrifying clouds of flu or the off-licence and more lessons in sake (I can’t wait to find out exactly what’s going on with that bar) but it’s not reliant on them entirely, as the scenes involving the field trip, paddy fields and the cow illustrate. Although they inevitably steal the show at times (not that it’s a bad thing) it’s turning out to be a well-rounded college show…but I’m getting a strange craving to drink more…
We meet yet another human member of the cast in the form of Mutou, who struck me straight away as equally engaging and fun to watch as Sawaki, Kei and the others. Hell, she traipsed halfway across the world (her ‘East Anyhow ’ hitch hiking sign was a fantastic touch), got herself stinking like who-knows-what while out researching and finally, over a coma-inducing bottle of Bombay Sapphire gin (it’s a credit to the attention to detail in this show that stuff like this is instantly recognisable), recounts her reasons for joining the UFO club. She blamed her boyfriend leaving her on an alien abduction! I don’t know what’s harder to believe: Mutou coming up with such a ludicrous theory for his sudden disappearance or the inconceivable possibility that someone as cute and generally awesome as her could be jilted so suddenly. Honestly, I’d hang out with her on campus any day…although that does apply to any of this lot since college would be a zillion times more fun than it would be in real life.
My kind of woman
As much as all this amuses me (e.g. the way the earthworm, incongrously portrayed with a grinning human face, being described as the ‘Dragon of the Soil’…you have to love the way in which the Japanese can dramatise things so poetically) there were some great home truths and even some serious points. A similar predicament to Japan’s traditional sake brewers was faced by brewers of real ale in the UK and Ireland a few years back - fortunately the pendulum is swinging slightly back now with micro-breweries and locally produced ales finding their niche again alongside the big brands but the plight of the smaller companies is still very real. I’d be just as horrified to see the variety of good old English pubs and real ale disappear under a sea of watery lager, alcopops and trendy bars as traditionalist Japanese must be at seeing the traditional sake varieties vanish in the mists of time. I’m also aware of how common it probably is to export the stuff to unknowing gaijin who wouldn’t appreciate the effort that must have gone into it. Hopefully I’ll be able to try the real thing first-hand before 2008 is out but until then the supermarkets of Manchester’s Chinatown and the likes of Moyashimon will have to do.
Keeping the flame of traditional sake brewing alive: Gambatte Microbe Monster!
So then, this is still one mucho funny series with a cast of great characters and the ever-present microbes to ensure that not only is it still tremendous fun but educational too. Maybe there’s a bigger picture emerging now that we’re at the halfway point concerning Itsuki, the sake bar and whatnot or maybe there isn’t - I’m just enjoying the experience of a light college comedy-drama that’s universal enough to appeal to students and former students everywhere, but one that throws in enough bits of quintissentially Japanese cultural trivia to make it a break from the norm.
Posted on January 7th, 2008 @ 8:15 pm
This post is awesome and makes me happy. Just wanted to point that out.
A better comment will be coming later, I promise…
Posted on January 9th, 2008 @ 12:54 am
Obviously, because that’s exactly what he is!
Funny how this show does that to you…
Forget choco cornets, give me some fine daiginjo-shu any day.
Definitely, props to the animation team for the attention to detail. I love the way they changed the names of some of the liquors, as well; a few of them are pretty hilarious.
I think rather to the contrary, good sake is being appreciated more and more overseas. To many young Japanese, sake is just an old fuddy duddy beverage for geezers or for traditional occasions. Many gaijin, on the other hand, have taken a strong interest in this aspect of Japanese culture and are appreciating the quality of modern sake on its own merits, as an excellent alcoholic beverage with lots of variety, depth, and character.
o/
Posted on January 9th, 2008 @ 6:28 pm
@Orion: Interesting observations on the sake front. I’ve always been a bit wary of the possibility that the lesser quality stuff is what is being exported, but on the flipside an increased international interest may actually help the breweries and encourage them to supply to a wider market (it’s still only available in Chinatown areas of cities and specialist off-licences in the UK - I really have to make an effort to look out for places that stock it). I need to start making a note of the varieties I’ve tried actually - there was a Californian brand that was surprisingly tasty. The stuff you get from Tesco is downright awful though, served warm or otherwise!
Funny how it always comes back round to sake when discussing this show…
Posted on January 10th, 2008 @ 9:57 pm
What type of sake do you prefer? Hard to know what’s available across the pond, but I can give you some recommendations depending on what you’re looking for.
So what’s your fancy? Simple? Complex? Dry? Sweet? Balanced? With food or on its own?