[OAVs, Movies and Full Series]

Evangelion: my baptism of fire

Posted by Martin  [Tags: Evangelion, Gainax, Hideaki Anno, Over-analysis, Self-indulgent nostalgia]

On a number of occasions I’ve alluded to my somewhat unconventional (albeit not unique) introduction to anime fandom. While it hasn’t exactly changed my entire outlook on life or anything, it certainly set the course that my viewing and appreciation would take and even to this day shapes my views on many of the aspects that make up the reviews and editorials on this very blog, for better or for worse.

I’m doing this review partly because Neon Genesis Evangelion hasn’t had a full review or editorial here dedicated to it; also it’s a way of putting my current opinions on anime in general into context. Two of these are those of the Apologist and Elitist stances, which hopefully will be accompanying posts in the coming weeks. Everyone’s hobbies and interests have to start somewhere, even if that somewhere is a little embarrassing and inappropriate; this was mine, and I’ll leave it to you to decide how embarrassing and inappropriate an introduction it was.

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[Anime Reviews]

2007 in 12 day 12, the end: Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann

Posted by Martin  [Tags: ABC, Gainax, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, Twelve days of Christmas]

And so, with the final day of our Twelve Days of Christmas countdown, I’ve worked my way through a metric tonne of turkey, numerous glasses of assorted alcoholic beverages and a countless number of mince pies to give you guys the last Highlight of 2007. Some will cite Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann as a classic in the making for the mecha action; some will have appreciated Yoko’s fanservice x girl with gun combo but for me the series is purest win for re-affirming my faith in Gainax. After some pretty mediocre efforts I can’t stress enough the importance of seeing them getting back to what they do best, and doing it well. *Glaringly obvious spoiler within*

I’d salute that

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[Anime Reviews]

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann: first impressions

Posted by Martin  [Tags: Gainax, Huerrgh!, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann]

It’s not often that we see a new GAINAX show but even I have to admit that it’s not always necessarily as good as it sounds - now that there’s a ‘new generation’ of staff there now it hardly seems the same studio any more. That said, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann is an absolute blast.

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[Anime Reviews]

This Ugly Yet Beautiful World episodes 1-4

Posted by Martin  [Tags: Gainax, This Ugly Yet Beautiful World]

Okay, I bought this DVD because I’m a GAINAX nut. Normally this sort of show would scarcely catch my interest but I have some sort of blind faith that it’s going to take a formulaic premise to places it’s never been before…because that’s what GAINAX do. For TUYBW I hope to hell that this is what’s going to happen. There are a few signs that it will turn things on their heads in a big way, although it’s not yet obvious; for now, the fanservice is cranked up into the stratosphere and it’s the ecchi-flavoured saccharine stuff that I normally sit through with gritted teeth. On the other hand, there are dark undercurrents that bubble to the surface on occasion, so the show has potential in my eyes.

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[Anime Reviews]

Kare Kano (His and Her Circumstances) episodes 22-26: Final thoughts

Posted by Martin  [Tags: Gainax, Hideaki Anno, Kare Kano]

“…and that’s the script for episode 26.”

All: “Noooes!”

Okay, I’ll be serious about this.

As the series reaches its final phase the whole school is a hive of activity in the run-up to the culture-fest and there is more than enough worry, angst and stress to go around. Arima still has uncertainties concerning his relationship with Yukino; a dilemma not helped by the fact that she has much in common with Tomani and as a result gets on very well with him. Arima in contrast is suffering from the hectic study/festival preparations schedule and is wracked with guilt for feeling jealous over the friendship they share. Can Tomani realise before it’s too late? Meanwhile, the play that Aya is writing could well be cancelled: can the girls learn their lines, find a practice space and get it onto the stage?

All in all it’s setting up for an edge-of-the-seat finale where characters old and new clash at the end of term and the whole situation gets some closure. At least that’s what I was hoping. Unfortunately the age-old Gainax Ending throws it all into chaos and everything that has built up to this point begins to fall apart. There isn’t really an ‘ending’ to speak of at all as a matter of fact: it just feels incomplete.

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[Anime Reviews]

Kare Kano (His and Her Circumstances) episodes 17-21: Words of faith and devotion

Posted by Martin  [Tags: Gainax, Hideaki Anno, Kare Kano]

The focus of the series shifts back towards the Yukino/Arima relationship once more as Yukino spends the remainder of her summer break soul-searching and analysing her own feelings. Soon it is time for an emotional reunion for them both, just in time for an hectic new semester featuring an old face coming back to haunt Tsubaki. As if this wasn’t enough for them to worry about, the upcoming culture-fest promises yet more demands on their time and energy, but with the possibility of free lecture notes for the lucky winners…

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[Anime Reviews]

Kare Kano (His and Her Circumstances) episodes 12-16: Looking back and looking around

Posted by Martin  [Tags: Gainax, Hideaki Anno, Kare Kano]

Arima has left for the National Kendo Championships so Yukino is left at home and decides to while away her time studying and hanging around with her friends. Tsubasa (the cute but bratty little classmate from the last volume) is having trouble at home however: her dad is remarrying and Tsubasa is so distraught that she storms out of the house only to move in with Yukino’s family.

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[Anime Reviews]

Kare Kano (His and Her Circumstances) episodes 7-11: Setbacks and special moments for Yukino and Arima

Posted by Martin  [Tags: Gainax, Hideaki Anno, Kare Kano]

At the end of the first volume of His and Her Circumstances we see Yukino and Arima meet, fall in love and begin their relationship. All six episodes were very concerned with their feelings, hopes and fears; this time the focus goes outward to the family and friends and we see how their romance affects those around them, and vice-versa.

The incessant dating that they have been going on is beginning to make itself felt: their grades (particularly Yukino’s, much to her own dismay) have suffered and they are pulled up in front of the teachers for some unpleasant home truths (below). They are told that unless they refuse to see each other, their parents will be called in - can their relationship survive the harshness of studying?

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[Anime Reviews]

Kare Kano (His and Her Circumstances) episodes 1-6: Hideaki Anno is back in the Director’s chair at last

Posted by Martin  [Tags: Gainax, Hideaki Anno, Kare Kano]

I’ll be adding a full series review for the main site in due course but a volume-by-volume journal will be helpful for writing it up and it’s made such an impression on me I can’t help but share! ^_^

Kare Kano (a.k.a. His and Her Circumstances) is the first series Hideaki Anno directed after the storm of publicity that surrounded the Evangelion TV series and feature films. I’ll openly admit to being a massive fan of the stuff that’s come from the creative minds of this guy and his Studio Gainax colleagues but I was curious to see how they’d go about doing a simple and straightforward show that’s devoid of giant robots, invading aliens, or even a love triangle. At first glance this adaptation of Masami Tsuda’s manga series sounds like an ordinary high school romance story. But of course, this is Anno we’re talking about here…

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[Anime Reviews]

Gunbuster 2 episode 1: First impressions of the new OVA from Gainax

Posted by Martin  [Tags: Gainax, Gunbuster 2]

Gunbuster: Aim for the Top (or Top O Nerae! to give it its proper Japanese title) is, in my opinion at least, one of the greatest sci-fi anime series. Ever. Epic, dramatic, emotional and, for its time, beautifully animated, Gunbuster told a heart-tugging story of friendship and determination in the face of adversity in the space of only six episodes. How it found room to cram romance, drama and mecha combat into such a short running time is testament to Hideaki Anno’s skills as director and the talent of Gainax studios. At the same time it was an affectionate pastiche of the old classic mecha anime shows with cheeky fan service (introducing the now-famous ‘Gainax Bounce’) and countless references and in-jokes. Okay, enough rambling - suffice to say I love it. Moving on…to celebrate their 20th anniversary Gainax have revisited their old OVA title to give us Gunbuster 2, another six part OVA.

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