posts tagged “Rants”

28 Nov 2008

Buy Flagyl Without Prescription

Posted by Martin [Tags: Allison to Lillia, Rants]

It's with no small amount of relief that I've completed the epic disappointment that was Allison to Lillia Buy Flagyl Without Prescription, . Purchase Flagyl, I feel as though the characters are now put out of their misery: when they are so lively and engaging it feels like an act of cruelty to even watch them go through such an embarrassment of a storyline. Another way of looking at is is that when I eventually reach the end of Code Geass I can sit back with the final episode, order Flagyl from United States pharmacy, Is Flagyl addictive, safe in the knowledge that I've already experienced true trainwreck television. In a very literal sense, buy Flagyl from canada. Order Flagyl online overnight delivery no prescription,

A real trainwreck
"Oh rly?" "Yes, rly." "No way!"

Since I haven't after all actually finished Geass the term ‘trainwreck’ is little more than an over-used buzzword; at this point though I can still understand the feeling of disappointment the R2 haters among you must have felt, Flagyl samples. On the plus side it means I'm more likely to enjoy Lelouch's final outing since, with the final two arcs of Lillia taken into account, it probably can't be any worse than what I subjected myself to this week, Buy Flagyl Without Prescription. Japan, craiglist, ebay, overseas, paypal, How did such a promising show go so wrong.

The ending is, order Flagyl no prescription, Flagyl price, even by the series' own standards, really, cheap Flagyl no rx, Where can i cheapest Flagyl online, really bad. I'm sure Jeremy Clarkson could come up with some scathing and amusing metaphor (e.g, Flagyl pharmacy. Flagyl no rx, "if this anime series were a car it would be a Trabant," in that it runs for ages but is held together with plastic and string) but the best way to imagine it is your disbelief not being so much suspended as dangling from the gallows and croaking out its last dying breath, Flagyl use. Buy Flagyl Without Prescription, I'm used to the infamous Allison to Lillia Plot Holes™ but I can't really see the point in listing every plot point or event that is either poorly explained or is devoid of logic altogether. Flagyl images, Hanners went to the trouble of blogging the entire series, so you can read those posts at your leisure; a brave and worthy justification for episodic blogging if ever there was one, buying Flagyl online over the counter. Online buying Flagyl, Suffice to say the last two arcs don't improve on the previous ones in terms of being laughably unconvincing.

What I was scratching my head over was how an anime series based on a popular series of books by a reputable writer and produced by a studio that has barely disappointed me since, get Flagyl, Herbal Flagyl, well, forever could turn out to be such a dud, buy no prescription Flagyl online. Ordering Flagyl online, The artwork and music are decent, the animation isn't top-notch but if perfectly decent for a B-list title; the background to the story is immersive and fascinating, Flagyl from canadian pharmacy. The thing is, the plotline of a TV show isn't made by a small group of people, Buy Flagyl Without Prescription. Flagyl reviews, There are a lot of animators, artists, Flagyl dangers, Flagyl results, actors and technical staff involved; any one of whom could have put their hands up during production and said, "Hang on, buy Flagyl online cod. After Flagyl, I don't get it."

Not as planned

I don't want to sound like I'm exaggerating when I say that whoever worked on the storyboards and/or continuity may not have actually known what they were doing. The underlying ideas were fantastic but it must be the execution of the details that made it a succession of implausible plans, Flagyl without a prescription, Purchase Flagyl online no prescription, flawed logic and unexplained events; the script wasn't exactly bad I guess but the characters did come off as being pretty dumb at times. There were likably dumb though, discount Flagyl, Order Flagyl from mexican pharmacy, because it felt like one of those films where a talented actor or actress stars in a B-movie because their agent is incompetent and looks a bit lost right from the first scene. Buy Flagyl Without Prescription, Was it down to a lousy director and storyboard planner. Or were the original novels substandard, buy cheap Flagyl no rx. Rx free Flagyl, Since I haven't read them for myself I have to go on the impressive sales figures and reject my theory that Sigsawa is great at short stories (Kino for instance) but can't write longer ones. The fact that they're light novels may mean that the stories were short on detail and heavy on dialogue - it may be that the reasoning behind certain aspects of the story weren't explained fully, effects of Flagyl, Flagyl trusted pharmacy reviews, resulting in plot holes. This alternative theory lets Sigsawa off the hook (despite the Kino anime being made up of more philosophical and less action-orientated self-contained stories, I still can't believe that he'd fail as spectacularly as this) but still doesn't explain why the A&L production staff didn't fill in whatever gaps there were in the original text.

If the novel doesn't explain how Travas can get two armed men out of a jeep and jump aboard from a moving train, you sure as hell ought to come up with a convincing reason of your own, Buy Flagyl Without Prescription. Similarly, no right-minded adult could possibly accept the idea that more armed men, this time on foot, could keep up with a speeding train. It is utterly unacceptable: no director could be as stupid as to let that get past his office door so I can only assume that the show's producers thought their audience is stupid, which is worse somehow.

I guess the flames start here

The fact is, the storytelling of this series is so clumsy and sloppy that it has to be down to laziness on the studio's part. Recap episodes and bad animation can be attributed to scheduling/financial issues or labour outsourcing but bad writing throughout the show's run smacks of a lack of thought and care at several levels of production; which is a shame when, as I pointed out earlier, the characters are fun to watch and conceptually is marvellous. I can only hope that the novels get a translation (by fans or a Western publisher) so I can enjoy the adventure as its writer intended; in the meantime I'm reduced to wondering what could have been...and taking small comfort in remembering how I watched a REAL trainwreck anime.

[5 Comments]

[Anime Reviews]

12 Jul 2008

Aricept For Sale

Posted by Martin [Tags: Itazura na Kiss, Random thoughts, Rants]

My current watchlist looks like this Aricept For Sale, . Order Aricept online overnight delivery no prescription, I think you'll agree that longlist is looong - there are one or two that I'm following on DVD, or would be if finances permitted, buy Aricept without prescription, Comprar en línea Aricept, comprar Aricept baratos, but overall I'm balancing my time between a lot of unlicenced shows simultaneously in addition to full time employment (and the so-far fruitless search for better full time employment). This has led to a feeling that I'm sure many of you are familiar with - my personal standards have crept up to the point at which I'm actually looking for excuses to stop watching them in order to ease the pressure, Aricept from canada. Aricept mg, To put it another way, "why watch series x when y is more entertaining?", Aricept cost. Ordering Aricept online, The weird thing is, I've never experienced this before but recently I've bitten off more than I can chew in terms of how much I'm watching, Aricept description. Sadly, unless you can give a good argument to the contrary, I think that Itazura na Kiss has to go, Aricept For Sale. Aricept schedule,

Despair in duty
When taking on too much becomes a burden: ironically this show has slipped into On-Hold purgatory too

When I say I'm looking for an excuse, I mean I want to give good reasons for dropping it; the last thing I want to do is be another Maddox wannabe who fails to see that logical and articulate arguments are what allows him to get away with being so bitchy and scathing, Aricept price, coupon. Effects of Aricept, "This show sucks!" without a good argument to back it up will just make me sound like a troll or a retard; mindful that even after reading my last review for the show I still can't remember why I enjoyed it in the first place, I feel that I need to outline in detail why InK seems to be failing, Aricept dangers. Aricept blogs, The concept is, as far as I can tell, Aricept street price, Is Aricept addictive, that of yanking the viewer to and fro as the relationship between the two leads experiences its ups and downs. I love rollercoasters but in contrast merry-go-rounds just make me nauseous and bored, Aricept dose. Aricept For Sale, So it is with stories like this: a rollercoaster has its twists and turns but gives you a feeling of going places; a merry-go-round just takes you in circles so the story needs to go somewhere sooner or later to keep the likes of me interested. Online buying Aricept hcl, A setup like this show demands patience in terms of the payback that a viewer expects from their emotional investment: you are willing to grit your teeth through Naoki's arsehole moments because you expect him to change later on. This honouring of a promise is fundamental to the effectiveness of the tsundere character development but it does require time and patience; right now time and patience are in short supply for me, buy Aricept online cod. Purchase Aricept online no prescription, Furthermore InK is very demanding of them when it's so intent on going round and round the same situations and feelings.

Naoki is an absolute bastard that only a mother and lovestruck classmate could love, Aricept recreational, My Aricept experience, that much is obvious. Those moments where he shows a bit of humanity keep things moving along but it's not enough for me, and with college and a rival for Kotoko's affections on the horizon, I can't see things improving, Aricept For Sale. Given that Naoki is a manipulative sort, buying Aricept online over the counter, Buy Aricept from canada, those moments of humanity are probably lies anyway; it's not so much waiting for the dere-dere breakdown here, but the notion that his dere-dere side is part of the act he's performing, Aricept over the counter. Aricept alternatives,

What she said

Another problem is the predictability. I can speculate all I like about whether Naoki is interested in Kotoko or not but it's allegedly a given that they'll wind up together eventually, where can i buy cheapest Aricept online. Aricept results, Heh. Aricept For Sale, So much for the "will they/won't they?" tension. Even thinking about who might end up with who will be a waste of effort on my part because it's all pre-decided (assuming the manga reached this point before the writer's tragically premature passing), Aricept steet value. Aricept pharmacy, Coming to think of it, would that be a good resolution, Aricept without prescription. Aricept pictures, I don't think so: Naoki is a manipulative, spiteful liar and Kotoko is utterly vulnerable to his mind games, purchase Aricept. Cheap Aricept no rx, Putting them together would be subjecting her to a pretty miserable life; who thinks she deserves that. She's probably happier merely dreaming of being by his side because he's the sort of guy who wouldn't treat his wife with any respect at all - let the girl daydream about being with him because it's probably safer for her emotional well-being in the end, Aricept For Sale.

Looking at what the show doesn't offer (an unpredictable resolution, taking Aricept, About Aricept, a dere-dere breakdown of a tsun-tsun character, an ending that befits the endearing nature of the protagonist) and what it does offer (cheap laughs and cringeworthy situations) I can't justify following it any further. Every step forward in the relationship - which I don't see as being healthy in the long term to begin with, remember - is countered by a step backwards, which is frustrating. Being made to feel embarrassed and angry at someone isn't my idea of entertainment either - I simply can't bear waiting for a remedy to that which may or may not arrive. Right now Itazura na Kiss is in On Hold Purgatory because Kotoko deserves better; watching it makes me feel like I'm in purgatory too and as a viewer I deserve better than this as well.

If nothing else it's been an exercise in seeing if I can appreciate shoujo romcom: Kare Kano was directed by Hideaki Anno and the source material is outstanding so that isn't really representative of the genre. Worryingly, Bokura Ga Ita also had a frustrating one-step-forward-and-one-step-back plot progression, vulnerable female character and unpleasant male character who played on her weaknesses and forgiving nature; as in real life, that sort of relationship annoyed me and I felt the need to distance myself from it. I can see the same thing happening again unless you can say why I shouldn't drop it completely.

[10 Comments]

[Anime Reviews]

02 Jun 2008

Buy Betnovate Without Prescription

Posted by Martin [Tags: Allison to Lillia, Over-analysis, Rants]

I'm so strongly in two minds about Allison & Lillia Buy Betnovate Without Prescription, : on one hand it's old-school style feelgood entertainment that had me glued to the screen from start to finish; on the other hand the direction and screenplay writing are so amateurish that it was enough to make me cringe in embarrassment and sketch out how even I could do the job better. Be warned that this post is looooong and involves a foray into the theory and structure of narratives to make my point...sorry if it's tl;dr because I know the likes of IKnight and Sat-kun are much better educated in that literary criticism stuff than I am. About Betnovate, I just have to rant about how bad writing is spoiling a great series.

Should have seen it coming?

I actually started to make a short list of plot holes and inconsistencies on my mini-blog, the full version of which I'll set out after the ‘read moar’ tag, Betnovate australia, uk, us, usa. The thing is, Herbal Betnovate, although this show sucks noodles on some levels it's frustratingly good on others. I'm not on about merely the artwork or music - neither can be faulted - because the conceptually this is a really extraordinary show, Buy Betnovate Without Prescription. It's just that I can't believe the original novel's author, Keiichi Sigsawa, cheap Betnovate, would make such glaring mistakes in an otherwise great story. Betnovate forum, I know it's not often I swear on this blog (mainly because I don't know how many of you read these posts with an at-work net connection) but I have to ask "What the bloody hell were they thinking?" when they were planning this series. I swear the storyboards were hurriedly sketched out on the back of a cigarette packet during the director's lunch break or something.

The sidetracked rescuer
I know the ‘saving a beautiful princess’ thing is cool but aren't you, Betnovate class, y'know, Japan, craiglist, ebay, overseas, paypal, supposed to be rescuing your friends and stuff right about now?

If this story was sloppily written at its source - namely Sigsawa's novels - it would likely suck across the board: poor characters, unbelievable situations, the works, buy Betnovate without prescription. Buy Betnovate Without Prescription, Would the creator of Kino be so careless. I hardly think so. Betnovate price, coupon, The fact is, Fiona's story is, in a derivative but enjoyable fairytale kind of way, buy no prescription Betnovate online, brilliant and utterly absorbing: the name of her country and its aesthetic for instance all remind me of the former USSR in the first half of the Twentieth Century. Betnovate used for, For whatever reason I have something of a fascination with the tragedy of the last of Russia's tsars and the mythology that surrounded the fate of his youngest daughter Anastasia, who allegedly may have survived the assassination of the entire family; basically, a tale of a long-exiled princess returning to her homeland to tell the people the truth of the evil bastard who was responsible, no prescription Betnovate online, with the help of our heroes, Order Betnovate online c.o.d, isn't just a convincing story: it *could* be historically feasible so is fine for a work of fiction (as for the Romanovs, Anasatasia included, it's now generally accepted that sadly none of them survived), Betnovate interactions.

I have to say I thought Fiona's tale was great. So too was the irony that, after saving her life and fulfilling his promise, Benedict was more than a celebrity who felt like a phony hero: he'd finally done something he himself considered heroic, Buy Betnovate Without Prescription. Betnovate without a prescription, Anyway, on with my plot hole list.

Benedict is looking for two missing friends but is sidetracked by a Sad Girl in the Snow, Betnovate gel, ointment, cream, pill, spray, continuous-release, extended-release. I'm not denying she's cute and all, Taking Betnovate, but seriously...you're chatting up some random girl while YOUR FRIENDS COULD BE IN MORTAL DANGER. Get your priorities straight and think USING YOUR HEAD, not your pants.

A basement that is so easy to escape from that your average James Bond villain would be ashamed; there's a reason why Austin Powers parodied that.

How can men on foot keep up with a plane on its take-off run, low dose Betnovate, even for a few yards. The same goes for a jeep.

Buy Betnovate Without Prescription, For that matter, what town has streets wide enough to let a plane through. Buy cheap Betnovate no rx, At least Porco Rosso made use of a river.

The collective opinion of a crowd who are standing below and away from the action is easily swung by one or two voices and a flimsy piece of evidence that again they probably cannot see clearly. The crowds in Monty Python's Life of Brian showed more imagination than this. The people of Fiona's village did remind me of the village in Hot Fuzz though so a bonus point for lulz there.

A bad guy is able to get away too easily, Betnovate dangers. Those soliders are armed with rifles and bayonets and ought to be trained to at the very least prevent an armed man kidnapping an unarmed twenty year old woman. Fail.

So much for "I couldn't protect you last time...I won't make the same mistake again." Gets knifed in the leg and fails again, Buy Betnovate Without Prescription. Where can i find Betnovate online, Better luck next time, eh. I'm sorry to say you fail at failing.

In the same scene: Isn't Nihito ruthless enough to aim somewhere more fatal, purchase Betnovate. How does he expect to succeed in politics with that sort of attitude. Betnovate dose, He missed the guy's body altogether!

The bad guy makes his escape by running UP THE HIGHEST TOWER IN TOWN. Buy Betnovate Without Prescription, Even if you've never seen a bad movie in your life, you wouldn't use this as an escape route unless you had a parachute or waiting helicopter.

The good guy deflects a knife blade with a watch. A watch. Why not a bible/cigarette case/medallion tucked into a pocket, Betnovate steet value, like everyone else. Betnovate from mexico, Much more dramatic and meaningful.

The bad guy doesn't leap to his death or get thrown off. He just...falls off. WHUT?

The two other good guys don't follow the other good guy, Buy Betnovate Without Prescription. Instead they retreat to their stolen plane and circle the said crap escape route uselessly, order Betnovate no prescription, making no difference at all.

After all this, Betnovate treatment, maybe it's not surprising I didn't have a problem with the fact that the normally ‘good as gold but thick as mud’ Wil shows an out-of-character level of deductive logic in regards to Fiona's true identity. The clues really were there, and it all fell in to place in a satisfying way after I'd rewatched while getting the screencaps, Betnovate schedule. The series also however did something unforgivable: deliberately withholding a critical bit of information, Ordering Betnovate online, which I thought was cheating on the writer's part...which even to my untrained mind is bad writing.

Here is my solution, that of a mere viewer who hasn't taken English classes in almost exactly a decade:

The country's rule that only one child can be born into the royal family (the very rule that ensured Fiona's exile) was pivotal: it could however have alerted viewers and made them second guess the "There were twins!" plot twist, Betnovate cost, so it was deliberately left out until Wil explained it at the end. Buy Betnovate Without Prescription, My own approach to this would be to introduce it earlier but after Fiona had started her "I'm Francesca!" charade, leading the viewer to the conclusion that Fiona was an only child and was therefore Francesca after all - you'd end up with a story in which the critical clue is still there for the viewer to pick up (you'd have to deduce that while a second sister was forbidden by law, the possibility that she could exist was still viable), without being hidden in a deus ex machina ending that makes you feel cheated. Purchase Betnovate online, I was actually quite annoyed that this detail was held back unecessarily, purely to stop viewers figuring it out; lit students can feel free to correct me on calling it a foreshadowing that was delierately omitted. According to Wikipedia:

Anagnorisis, Betnovate photos, or discovery, Where can i buy cheapest Betnovate online, is the protagonist's sudden recognition of their own or another character's true identity or nature. Through this technique, previously unforeseen character information is revealed.

Shame it was done badly, Betnovate use. Even if this dirty narrative trick were employed in the original novel, Betnovate samples, it would be no trouble to correct it in the adaptation so basically there's no excuse - have these people never worked on an animated TV show before. This is why I maintain that the story in the novels is not necessarily as bad as the anime suggests, Buy Betnovate Without Prescription. Sadly the execution has employed so many amateurish and plain lazy plot devices that I'm inclined to drop it...the catch is, the characters are too engaging to let it go.

Lol@Wil being inobservant
I might actually continue watching this, just to see if at any point Wil actually notices what's right beside in front of him

Alternatively, you could set up a donation fund for me to return to uni as a creative writing student during which I can come up with better screenplays than the one that's currently crucifying this series. Oh yeah, another glaringly obvious moment (following the one above) that went over Wil's head. His loss I suppose, the fool.

Quoted for truth..LOL
Quoted for truth: the phrase "No shit, Sherlock." springs to mind

[19 Comments]

[Editorials]

19 Apr 2008

Estrace Vaginal Cream For Sale

Posted by Martin [Tags: community, Random thoughts, Rants]

Estrace Vaginal Cream For Sale, Maybe it's the nature of the Internet that ‘elitist’ behaviour and views are so widespread, no matter how much they are derided. Estrace Vaginal Cream dosage, I believe that a contributing factor to the perception of elitism among anime fans though is that the fandom is a niche community: simultaneously small enough to have a sense of ‘us’ versus ‘everyone else’ yet large enough to contain cliques, lingo and who knows what else, fast shipping Estrace Vaginal Cream. Low dose Estrace Vaginal Cream, Within this relatively small group of individuals there still seem to be borders in our minds that separate each of us, including those who are in our eyes, where can i buy Estrace Vaginal Cream online, Estrace Vaginal Cream schedule, or consider themselves to be, ‘elite’, Estrace Vaginal Cream mg. Estrace Vaginal Cream pics,

Kaiji unbalance
Walking the line of good taste without falling into the trap of ignorance and arrogance is walking on a knife edge, like our hero here

Unfortunately, Estrace Vaginal Cream photos, Estrace Vaginal Cream for sale, the assumption of elite groups implies superiority and inferiority, so I think the ‘elitist’ term is inaccurate and should be used only for reasons of convenience (which is why I'm resorting to using it in this post), online Estrace Vaginal Cream without a prescription. Estrace Vaginal Cream use, What I'm examining here are the people who are seen as ‘top of the heap’ and how that manifests itself; furthermore I'm questioning how their position may not be a ‘horizontal’ separation of superior and inferior...using my elitist self as an example because I rule (sarcasm intentional).

Elitism can stem from any separation among fans; the issue of editorial and episodic bloggers, those interested in doujinshi, figurines, games or those who watch and blog raws, for instance, Estrace Vaginal Cream For Sale. In regards to the latter I certainly see anime fans who can understand anything more challenging than Chi's Sweet Home without the use of subtitles to be an elite group, herbal Estrace Vaginal Cream. Where can i buy cheapest Estrace Vaginal Cream online, You have to wonder though how many people read blog posts related to material that only a minority have seen yet since the rest of us are still waiting for the subbed versions. That's something of a separate issue, Estrace Vaginal Cream gel, ointment, cream, pill, spray, continuous-release, extended-release, Estrace Vaginal Cream without prescription, mind; the episodic vs. editorial blogging debate is a whole different can of worms that's best avoided too, where to buy Estrace Vaginal Cream. Estrace Vaginal Cream For Sale, A factor that I believe perpetuates the ‘us and them’ mentality and defensive behaviour of our little community is the ever-constant presence of very vocal and very embarrassing fans, who are part of the reason for non-fans' misconceptions of the medium. Estrace Vaginal Cream maximum dosage, Giddy catgirls and mouthy Narutards may look like they're responsible for holding back mainstream acceptance of anime fandom (not to mention the progress of human evolution) but if you look at any knee-jerk reaction from the public or the media, it's pretty understandable as to why it's a touchy subject and why we try to lift ourselves up and away from the rabid fanboys and fangirls, buy Estrace Vaginal Cream from mexico. Estrace Vaginal Cream interactions, Many of us are keen to emphasise "I'm not like them," which means we end up thinking of ourselves as superior, kjøpe Estrace Vaginal Cream på nett, köpa Estrace Vaginal Cream online. Estrace Vaginal Cream dose,

Sailor Bubba
Embarrassing fan or a parody genius with balls of steel. You decide

Because ‘outsiders’ look down on all of us indescriminately, Estrace Vaginal Cream forum, Estrace Vaginal Cream dangers, anime elitism mainly comes from within the fandom. Quite a lot of elitists fall into the three subcategories that Owen helpfully outlined, along lines of what they consider to be good taste, Estrace Vaginal Cream For Sale. Now, buy Estrace Vaginal Cream without a prescription, Estrace Vaginal Cream no rx, ‘good taste’ is the very definition of subjectivity of course - the quality and obscurity elitists are two sides of the same coin in my view, being selective through the respective perceived quality and obscurity of what they choose to watch; they are, where can i cheapest Estrace Vaginal Cream online, Estrace Vaginal Cream price, coupon, in many ways, similar to DS's purist definition, kjøpe Estrace Vaginal Cream på nett, köpa Estrace Vaginal Cream online, Estrace Vaginal Cream results, or, indeed, Estrace Vaginal Cream maximum dosage, Estrace Vaginal Cream street price, Hidoshi, who is ‘not an elitist, Estrace Vaginal Cream canada, mexico, india, Purchase Estrace Vaginal Cream for sale, but has standards’ (the third subcategory can indeed by referred to as that of ‘idiots’). Since merely having a set of standards or criteria to work with is harmless there is I think such thing as ‘good’ and ‘bad’ expression of opinions, where can i cheapest Estrace Vaginal Cream online, Order Estrace Vaginal Cream from United States pharmacy, which comes across as ‘elitism’, for want of a better word.

I guess that, if I had to admit to any of the subsets, I'd come out as a quality elitist. I'm selective, I usually stick to my favourite genres/styles and I'm sceptical of the genres I don't like. Estrace Vaginal Cream For Sale, I over-analyse and step back and think before bashing or raving about it. I've been fortunate enough to watch a wide variety of stuff and have people comment on what I've written, which has given me a pretty high level of confidence in my definition of taste - I'm full of myself enough to have a bit left over to put online, basically.

Furthermore I don't approve of saying something's good because it has a lot of fan service, or uses high production values as its only selling-point. Conversely, I discourage writing something off because it's slow, pretentious or hard to understand. I'm also hard to please - I can enjoy a wide variety (Re: my apologist post) but my standards for what makes something outstanding are very high. And so on, Estrace Vaginal Cream For Sale.

One for the Family Guy fans
'Nuff said

While the idea of what makes someone elitist stems from others' impressions of them, the deciding factor as to whether it's ‘good’ or ‘bad’ elitism depends on how the elitist projects his or her views. If they state their opinions with confidence and conviction without putting other peoples' down or disregarding the validity of an opposing arguments, I think they can still be ‘elite’; crucially they aren't projecting an offensive sense of superiority or ignorance that's a characteristic of the traditional definition.

Elite individuals have something of a responsibility in that their opinions should be well informed in order to carry weight in an argument or discussion - if you want to be in that position you sure as hell had better make sure you have your facts right and your "Listen up. My views are relevant and interesting!" attitude doesn't overstep the line and become "I rule. Estrace Vaginal Cream For Sale, You suck." In short, elitism doesn't have to be negative if the elitist is intelligent enough to know when to show restraint and courtesy.

As for those ‘embarrassing fans’, they do draw undesirable attention from the occasional ignoranus (someone who is both stupid and an arsehole) but these supposed critics are usually attention-seekers who don't bother with logical reasoning for their arguments - no better than the annoying brats they're mocking. At the end of the day though, the embarrassing fans will grow out of it in time when they discover new shows or move onto other interests; as Impz pointed out, their voices merely happen to be louder than the rest of us, the validity of their views notwithstanding.

In terms of my own position though, does a declaration of being picky and over-analytical automatically come with a stance of superiority. I don't think it does. Maybe it's just me but many supposedly ‘elitist’ stances are just staunch conviction and having a firm grasp of what I like and don't like, Estrace Vaginal Cream For Sale. It's also a sarchasm (the gulf between myself and those who don't get my odd sense of humour) but most importantly sharing the love without putting myself on a pedestal above the people I share the enthusiasm and converse with on a regular basis. There's a difference between having a set of defined opinions and standards, informed or otherwise, and beating everyone else over the head with them.

By way of thanks for reading to the end, may I present an example of cosplay done right. I APPROVE

[19 Comments]

[Editorials]

10 Feb 2008

Buy Wellbutrin SR Without Prescription

Posted by Martin [Tags: Rants]

Buy Wellbutrin SR Without Prescription, Thanks to my apologist leanings I'm prone to fanboy raves and ‘best evar’ lists but often I'm quicker to recommend stuff I like rather than warn people off stuff I don't. I'm not rude by nature (not intentionally anyway) so I'm more likely to make recommendations than indulge in bashing and ranting. Until now, Wellbutrin SR blogs.

For one night only, Online buying Wellbutrin SR hcl, I give you my rundown of the barrel-scrapings, the colossal misfires and fabulous flops that I've had the misfortune to see in my experience as a fan. Some anime is great, Wellbutrin SR gel, ointment, cream, pill, spray, continuous-release, extended-release, most is watchable but some is nigh-on unforgivable...in the best-case scenario it does carry some entertainment value, Fast shipping Wellbutrin SR, if only for the reason that its inherent badness is in itself hilarious. As in all top-X lists, you won't all agree with what I have to say here so make use of that handy comments box to present your own choices of Epic Fail - if nothing else, you can spare others the pain you experienced, Buy Wellbutrin SR Without Prescription.

Kill it with fire!

Eiken

I watched this in a severe state of inebration at a convention back in '05, but not even copious quantities of alcohol were enough to make it enjoyable, purchase Wellbutrin SR. In such a state I can tolerate fan service shows because my reduced mental faculties take the emphasis away from the actual *plot* and towards the comedy but while fan service is at worst a minor annoyance for me, Wellbutrin SR cost, in Eiken's case it was woefully unfunny to the point of being actually offensive. I'm not unused to, ahem, Wellbutrin SR results, out-of-proportion character shapes in anime but while there's sexy and there's laughable, Online Wellbutrin SR without a prescription, the cast of this show were neither - they were actually grotesque. The innuendo even went beyond the embarrassing and unfunny Carry-On variety to something that was actually quite disturbing and sinister in a sexual violence kind of way. Buy Wellbutrin SR Without Prescription, Not only does it fail at even the relatively simple concept of puerile slapstick, it also manages to make boobs look UNattractive. Seriously, buy Wellbutrin SR no prescription.

Ikki Tousen (Battle Vixens)

Hey, Wellbutrin SR used for, while we're on the subject of ineffective attempts at female body exploitation, what about the show that tried to marry sexiness and historically-inspired martial arts only to fall into the Chasm of Crap that lies in between. Ikki Tousen never pretended to be anything but a no-brainer but it forgot how to be entertaining along the way too, Wellbutrin SR pharmacy. Forget the importance behind the destinies and allegiances: it's one of those shows where it's okay just to sit back and watch people kick the crap out of each other for no reason at all, Wellbutrin SR steet value, preferably when they were well-endowed females. I could forgive it for that, funnily enough, Buy Wellbutrin SR Without Prescription. Unfortunately, the said females were either annoying, Wellbutrin SR dose, stupid, About Wellbutrin SR, not actually hot at all or a combination of the three (the only one who was remotely cute or likable was only on-screen for a couple of episodes). The series tried to be exhilerating in its brutality but that would demand decent production values, which is one of many things this show lacked, order Wellbutrin SR online overnight delivery no prescription. The humour was misplaced, Wellbutrin SR natural, there was little opportunity to get to know the characters, let alone grow to like them and the whole thing achieved the dubious accolade of making the premise of Hot Chicks Fighting to be deathly dull.

Lady Death: the Motion Picture

Although it can be argued that this isn't strictly speaking anime, no prescription Wellbutrin SR online, viruses are not strictly speaking living organisms either but they can still inflict untold pain and misery. The laughable badness of Lady Death Buy Wellbutrin SR Without Prescription, is such that it thoroughly deserves inclusion here, even if it is a partly Western collaboration. Wellbutrin SR class, Kudos to ADV for branching out and chipping in a few for their own adaptation but when it sucks as much as this my congratulations ring a bit hollow. Actually, I'm a bit sceptical on the finance side of things because the animation and artwork is more on par with the 80s Saturday morning US cartoon shows, buying Wellbutrin SR online over the counter. Whether or not the movie is aiming for the cheesy Masters of the Universe vibe it's hard to say, Wellbutrin SR mg, but this film lacks the sophistication of a mature production and is too dark and brutal for kids; it's hard to imagine who the target audience actually was. On the plus side, I got a laugh out of the fact that Satan's character design is almost exactly the same as that of his portrayal in South Park, ordering Wellbutrin SR online.

It's the same guy, obviously
You thought I was kidding, didn't you?

Malice@Doll

The Ryutaro Nakamura/Chiaki J Konaka Headfuck Combo is one of the most innovative and fruitful collaborations in the industry today, giving us classics such as S E: Lain, Kino's Journey and Ghost Hound, Buy Wellbutrin SR Without Prescription. Sadly their highbrow, Where can i buy cheapest Wellbutrin SR online, avante-garde approach to sci-fi fell flat on its pretty, innovative face in this experimental OAV, although the unusual art style does offer one or two bonus points, order Wellbutrin SR no prescription. It's a fable of sorts, Order Wellbutrin SR from United States pharmacy, showing how the gift of becoming human in a dystopian world populated entirely by machines can have less than desirable effects. Or something. Unfortunately the storyline proper is kicked off by what is essentially tentacle rape so it's no surprise that ANN labelled the piece as "NOT HENTAI" on their info page just to clear things up, cheap Wellbutrin SR. Buy Wellbutrin SR Without Prescription, It's actually too obtuse and arty to be hentai but at the same time the sexual undercurrents (the lead characters are out-of-work robotic prostitutes) make it a bit of an uncomfortable experience for those who tune in for the cerebral stuff. The last-minute decision on the part of the director to reduce the brightness of the frames was baffling, Wellbutrin SR use, since it was already a thematically dark production; it just made it even harder to work out exactly what was going on. Not that you could bring yourself to care by the end anyway.

Ninja Resurrection

Remember that classic of violent historical fantasy that was Ninja Scroll, where to buy Wellbutrin SR. Sit back down folks, Wellbutrin SR without a prescription, this isn't it. Given the title logo design, the brave stab at historical relevance in the premise and the name-dropping of a (but not necessarily the) man named Jubei, it's easy to jump to the conclusion that this somehow inherited the awesomeness of the original, Buy Wellbutrin SR Without Prescription. Presumably the distributors hoped you would too, because Ninja Resurrection screams "Cash-in!" from the rooftops, Wellbutrin SR coupon. Jesus is reborn as a samurai warrior, Wellbutrin SR alternatives, a priest forces his drugged daughter to have sex with a man whose arms have been hacked off and a ninja flies around with the aid of a rocket pack. Yep, a rocket pack, Wellbutrin SR from canadian pharmacy. Sadly the latter point isn't nearly as cool as it sounds; nor is a demonically possessed warrior using his dangling entrails as flails in combat. Buy Wellbutrin SR Without Prescription, The action looks lacklustre, which is a shame when there's nothing else to recommend it beyond the humour factor at how such a simple concept could go so wrong. Is Wellbutrin SR safe, The sequel has never seen the light of day but fortunately it doesn't hinder the cliff-hanger ending because the storyline never made much sense to begin with. It's not often I say this, but the abrupt ending was a relief rather than an annoyance, is Wellbutrin SR addictive.

Robotech

I don't dislike Robotech because it's old and poorly animated. Purchase Wellbutrin SR for sale, Hell, it let enough of the original Macross series' quality of storytelling to shine through to create an entire generation of mecha fans in the West, and reminded me why I need to see the original, buy Wellbutrin SR online cod. Besides, splicing together three unrelated shows is more of an act of inventive scripting on the part of Harmony Gold than sacrilege, Buy Wellbutrin SR Without Prescription. My beef with this series is that the remaining two shows that they used for source footage were so mind-numbingly boring. Feel free to correct me on this but the creators of Macross practically invented the variable fighter concept so the other two series that show planes turning into robots and motorbikes are merely jumping onto the bandwagon...the second and third arcs therefore lose all the charm and power of the first because the space opera and intergalactic warfare themes were repeated ad nauseam. Save yourself the hassle and watch SDF Macross instead.

This Ugly Yet Beautiful World

Not one of the worst per se, but TUYBW certainly comes through as one of the most disappointing. With Gunbuster 2 Buy Wellbutrin SR Without Prescription, serving as the sister project to celebrate my perrennial favourites Gainax in their twenty years in the industry, I was expecting something a bit more epic and daring. Instead, the inexperience of its director showed through and a staff roll-call that otherwise made a Mahoromatic studio reunion created a succession of underdeveloped ideas, sloppy plotting and missed opportunities. I'm well aware of how well Gainax can play the kawaii and fan service cards (Mahoromatic worked well in that sense) but when there's not much else in the deck the end result is generic and forgettable. Thank heavens Gurren Lagann arrived to re-affirm my faith.

SPECIAL AWARD

This has to go to the eternal bugbear of anime fandom, Urotsukidoji: Legend of the Overfiend. Its vileness is two-fold: firstly its reputation spreads ahead of it like some sort of toxic spillage, threatening the good name of adult-centric animation along the way, Buy Wellbutrin SR Without Prescription. Fortunately the likes of GitS, Makoto Shinkai and Satoshi Kon have begun to undo the damage but there's no denying that it is a textbook example of Tentacle Porn. They say curiosity killed the cat but it can also kill your faith in everything that's good and pure: I borrowed a copy to see if it really was as bad as I had been led to believe and since that one viewing it has sat, unreturned, in the bottom of a drawer, never to see the light of day. My fear is that the very sight of the DVD case will bring on terrifying flashbacks akin to a 'Nam veteran with PTSD.

You make kitty scared

Secondly, the sick and twisted story (which earns a sort of grudging respect from me, if not watchability) is subject to numerous edits at the hands of the BBFC. Buy Wellbutrin SR Without Prescription, The end result is that, aside from the fact that the feature extremely violent and graphic, what's more serious is that it isn't the violent and graphic groudbreaking movie it was originally intended to be. My main reason for avoiding this then is not because of the tentacles, but because when footage is cut the tentacles don't make a whole lot of sense.

Almost made it

There are some titles that, for a number of reasons, never made it onto this list. Some, such as Kiddy Grade, Bokura Ga Ita and Myself; Yourself remain on-hold and unfinished so I cannot attest to their overall quality; others, such as Aquarian Age, are lifted into mere mediocrity by a good soundtrack. Others have such a bad reputation that I've been afraid to waste my money on the but looking back on some of the more amusing times spent laughing at the crapness of the titles that make up the meat of this post, I might look into them for curiosity's sake.

[13 Comments]

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16 Oct 2007

Macrobid For Sale

Posted by Martin [Tags: Over-analysis, Rants]

This little gem Macrobid For Sale, by a stateside student paper columnist Elon Glucklich cropped up over at the AUKN forums and since no comment I could make on it would either fully express my feelings nor indeed get through to its author, I've decided to set them out here. I haven't edited or abridged this at all: it's cp/ed from the source and I've merely added footnote numbers that refer to my own thoughts in order to keep this monument to journalistic ignorance intact and preserved for posterity. You can either use it as a case study for your own written projects related to misconceptions of anime in Western culture or in a more general sense use it as a reference in How Not to Argue Your Case. Or just laugh yourself silly because I, after Macrobid, like A Geek By Any Other Name, suspect it could be written as a April 1-style joke, Is Macrobid addictive, albeit a weak one. Cheers to Bateszi for the find - click the MOAR tag to read the full madness.

It wasn't until around the fifth grade that I began to think something was wrong, Macrobid For Sale. That year, a strange new cartoon worked its way into the social lexicon of coolness, where can i order Macrobid without prescription. It was called "Dragon Ball Z" and, for reasons my 10-year-old mind could not articulate, Taking Macrobid, it was making me nervous[1]. Ten years later, I can't help thinking that I could have done something, anything, purchase Macrobid for sale, to stop the tsunami of anime that was to come.

In a society dominated by excess and two-second attention spans, Real brand Macrobid online, cartoons play a significant role in preparing us for the world. Macrobid For Sale, Each can be thought of as a 30-minute babysitter, instilling the kids who watch them with certain values and life lessons. But the landscape has changed[2].

Before I go any further, I should state the following: No matter who you are - whether you're black, Macrobid canada, mexico, india, white, Asian, Macrobid blogs, Latino, even Canadian - I don't judge you by the color of your skin. I say this because I direct my comments to the media elites, in Japan and elsewhere[3], effects of Macrobid, who have taken it upon themselves to flood the airwaves with shows like "Pokemon," "Digimon, Japan, craiglist, ebay, overseas, paypal, " and "Yugio" - sorry, "Yu-Gi-Oh!" They all started as card trading games, and should have ended there as well. Instead they've jumped to the mass media, cheap Macrobid no rx, where they're slowly chipping away at our collective moral fiber[4].

It's not a conspiracy, Macrobid For Sale. A conspiracy, Macrobid price, by definition, requires that multiple parties are working together to achieve some sort of goal. None of the shows I've seen make nearly enough sense to be working toward anything other than a lackluster battle between Bulbasaur and Charmander and the next commercial break[5].

Don't believe the threat's real, order Macrobid from mexican pharmacy. A report from CNN's Tokyo affiliate in December 1997 documented an incident in which "More than 700 people, mainly school children, Is Macrobid safe, were rushed to hospitals Tuesday after suffering convulsions, vomiting, irritated eyes and other symptoms." Was it a gas leak at the local school. Macrobid For Sale, No. Were the kids breathing glue out of brown paper bags, Macrobid from canadian pharmacy. No. Were they watching "Pokemon". Macrobid recreational, You bet your authentic Squirtle trading card they were[6].

Remember the cartoons you watched as a child, like "Rugrats", Macrobid For Sale. Everyone watched "Rugrats."[7] With his toothless grin and indomitable spirit, Tommy Pickles represented the very best in all of us. He was like a Che Guevara for the MTV generation[8], Macrobid use. Sure, when he and the rest of the Rugrats "grew up" I died a little inside[9]. Macrobid trusted pharmacy reviews, But still, not a day goes by where I don't take a moment and thank Tommy for the life lessons he taught me. Macrobid For Sale, So what is Pokemon teaching the next generation of kids. The virtues of capturing exotic animals and making them fight for your amusement. I already learned that from Michael Vick[10], Macrobid images.

Some of you may be thinking, "That's all well and good, Where can i cheapest Macrobid online, but what about all of the mindless American television?" After all, this country invented mindless television. And networks like VH1 are keeping that proud tradition alive. But the difference here lies in the target audience: Shows like "Flavor of Love" and "Hogan Knows Best" are watched by people who have already been stupid for years, even decades, Macrobid For Sale. There's nothing we can do but make them as comfortable as possible[11], Macrobid wiki.

The next generations of kids aren't even getting a chance. Unless something is done to reverse this trend, Cheap Macrobid, we're going to be looking at millions of high school dropouts who don't see the point in going to college unless it teaches them to capture magic crystals[12]. No one wants to see that day. Macrobid For Sale, This issue transcends politics, even religion. It's the ethical dilemma of our day and age, one that makes me want to throw my hands in the air, Macrobid dangers, and yell, "Will someone think of the children?"[13]

Notes

I'm at a bit of a disadvantage here - I haven't actually seen much DBZ. Macrobid natural, However, since this sort of show is often edited heavily for Western kids' TV strictly speaking this guy probably hasn't seen it either.

This problem has more to do with American values than anything. It's the responsibility of parents to decide what is suitable for their children so this is merely making bad TV the scapegoat. Bowling for Columbine, where can i find Macrobid online, anyone?

Is it just me or does this guy come across as a trifle xenophobic. don't worry though, he doesn't hate you - even if you're Canadian(!).

Didn't America practically invent consumer culture and merchandising, Macrobid For Sale. Also, Australia, uk, us, usa, the fact that US networks willingly purchase the rights to broadcast foreign-made TV is lost on Mr Glucklich.

Everyone knows it's the NHK and their goddamned conspiracy!

And now our hero alerts us to the fact that the Japanese are testing WMDs on their own people. One isolated incident that took place a whole decade ago is being blamed for perceived problems years later. I see no valid point but I do see an attempt in getting the reader's attention through shock tactics. Epic fail.

No we didn't, Macrobid no prescription. Macrobid For Sale, My sisters loved it but I thought it was lame. Ha.

Placing a fictional toddler alongside a communist revolutionary who oversaw executions in the name of the poor of South America. Bravo sir. Buy Macrobid no prescription, I'd also like to point out that the other two leading figures of the MTV generation are Beavis and Butthead...clearly Ghandi and Mandela of a sofa, then. It's also another case of a pretentious know-it-all trendy type who bandies Che's name around without knowing who the guy really was.

Yeah, growing up's a bitch, what is Macrobid, huh. Ever heard of 'character development' in fiction, Macrobid For Sale. Funnily enough, Macrobid description, by the time I'd reached this paragraph I'd died a little inside too.

Being a UK resident I had to look up Michael Vick. In a nutshell he's a famous US footballer and sports personality who was suspended after being charged with involvement in gambling and illegal dog fighting. Here's a question: who's a more significant role model to US kids. Fictional cartoon characters playing with magical animals or a real person who's been convicted in a court of law for misusing animals for financial gain as well as amusement, Macrobid forum. Macrobid For Sale, Mr Vick was advised by his attorney not to use "I gotta catch 'em all!" as his defence, apparently.

This epic use of doublethink is one of several points where Glucklich's arguments are utterly nonsensical: is he implying that bad Japanese TV is worse than the American equivalent. Has he wondered why US TV contains foreign shows as well as domestically-produced ones?

Hide crystals in US classrooms and see truancy rates fall. How's that for a good idea, Kjøpe Macrobid på nett, köpa Macrobid online, eh?

I now apologise for encouraging you to read this far. Thanks for sticking with it and I hope you had a laugh.

In Closing

I can't say I'm surprised at this sort of article - as any UK anime fan who's seen the stuff papers such as the Daily Mail prints will testify, anime has a bad press. I've purposefully avoided "yes, get Macrobid, but what about Shinkai and Kon, or the studios Ghibli and 4°C?" in my own arguments, Herbal Macrobid, since this rant is about the commercial, mainstream children's anime that's been most viewers' only experience of the medium, not anime as I think of it (i.e. serious cinema and TV production), Macrobid For Sale. Granted, where to buy Macrobid, Pokemon is by and large garbage, but this guy's delusional view that it's in any way more harmful than American stuff is outrageous - he's also probably judging it on the watered-down, edited-to-hell versions which are an abomination even to the hardcore fans of the shows anyway.

As someone who respects anime and Japanese culture in general, I'm quite insulted by Glucklich's views but I'm even more offended on a literary level by the fact that he throws this sort of crap out and expects it to stick. His research is patchy at best and nonexistent at worst: I have no formal English qualification beyond GCSE level (age 16) but it's still clear to me that in order to put any written piece into the public domain, some research is necessary. e.g., I had to look up Che and Vick on Wikipedia, just to make the sarcastic jibes above...and this is just a private blog. Macrobid For Sale, Besides, if you think my own journalistic skills are substandard, Active Anime make a pretty neat job of tearing this thing to pieces.

If this sort of stuff is representative of the young journalistic talent of the great U.S. of A., I truly feel sorry for you guys. Even if the writer makes a follow-up post, stating how it was meant just as a joke or something, it isn't doing too well at being satirical. Either way, I charge Glucklich with OVER NINE THOUSAND internets as penalty for his misuse of the English language and an equal penalty to the Oregon Daily Emerald for letting that sort of nonsense (whether it's serious or satirical) get past their editing team and be posted online. EPIC FAIL.

[10 Comments]

[Editorials]

20 Jun 2007

Bokurano: Hiroyuki Morita on trial

Posted by Martin [Tags: Bokurano, Rants]
A recent bit of news is Hiroyuki Morita's controversial decision with Bokurano. I'm taking this on now because 1) it's still relevant and 2) it's straightforward to write with my current situation amounting to a laptop that's out of action until the weekend, at the earliest. Bah. The problem lies in the fact that the show's director has decided to take it in a very different direction to the original story, and adds to this by stating he doesn't actually like the original in the first place. Thanks to fans' affection for the manga and the apparent ingrained lack of confidence in GONZO's ability to bring existing stories to the screen, there's quite a furore over it. I'll admit straight out that I haven't actually read any of the manga (the simple reason is that I prefer reading paper copies over scanlations so haven't had the chance) but the series so far, ep #7 at the time of writing, has led me to conclude that it's the best show this season. And there's a lot of competition. It looks like the battle lines are drawn... The idea of taking a good story and changing it is a bad one unless there's just cause for it, that much is obvious. It's understandable then that the news of altering fundamental aspects of Bokurano was met with so much disappointment - changing the utterly pessimistic outcome is essentially turning the story into something else, which isn't necessary with something of Bokurano's calibre...or is it? The bottom line is, the manga is ongoing so some changes will have to be made sooner or later, if only in order to give it a proper ending. Perhaps this is why the manga-ka has given permission for Morita to do so, albeit with one condition of 'not using magic'. In addition to this, I'm of the understanding that some of the scenes in episodes #8 onwards are not nearly as shocking in their content as the manga. If this is the case I actually agree with Morita for toning it down: the events of episode #7 provided all the shock and tragedy needed so for me at least, it simply isn't necessary to crank the brutality up any further in order to get the message across. It's also worth remembering that Bokurano is intended for airing on television - while you can write my personal feelings off as being oversensitive, there's the question of what's actually allowed to be depicted on TV. Given a choice between preserving the source material's details and risking a hack-job censoring or leaving out the more distasteful parts at the production stage, I imagine most directors would choose the latter! Sure, the no-nonsense, close-to-the-bone approach is one of Bokurano's best features but even by today's standards it might prove to be too much for the broadcasters so I can't blame the writers if they are erring on the side of caution. One detail that softens the blow for the manga's fans is that Morita publicly warned them that this adaptation will not take the direction of the original, rather than sneaking changes in without a word of explanation. It strikes me as an unusual decision but it could well be an attempt at reducing the backlash! This is a situation that is a frequent headache for directors of TV adaptations, but I always wonder about the true severity of it: after all, a bad adaptation doesn't affect the quality of the original. If readers don't like what they see on TV - and Morita himself recommends this - they should stick to the original instead. If the adaptation is so bad, it'll just get forgotten in the long run anyway. My main criticism with Morita's decision is not what he's doing: the reasons outlined above are just those that I could think of on a weekday evening on a borrowed PC. Public announcement or no, the sticking point is why he's doing it. As the director of the project with the permission of the original author, he's within his rights to do so but altering bits purely because he dislikes them just feels wrong to me. If he finds the material too unpleasant, why take on the project at all? My only explanation could be that, at the time of being approached for the position, he did not know what direction the story would take. Combining a plot-line with very mature themes and the saddest possible outcome with a director whose previous notable effort was a family-orientated film was strange the first time I read of it, and it still looks equally bizarre now. At the end of the TV show's run there will be two very different takes on the Bokurano story - a neater arrangement than, say, the 'redone ending' idea that was used for Evangelion; an approach that still didn't satisfy everyone and to make matters worse haunted the director for years afterwards. While this series will earn no prizes in being a faithful adaptation, is this such a bad thing? The disappointment I feel as a result of this is not that a good story is being ruined - it's that a director who I have great respect for has been assigned to the wrong project. Bokurano is dark, twisted, traumatic and not for the faint of heart. Sure, it's not for everyone but that is what makes it stand out, which is something Morita should remember even when his 'dislike' is perhaps understandable. There's still a fair chance I'll enjoy the anime version from the excellent episodes I've seen so far - in fact I'm curious to see how Morita and his team can pull it off - but if not, I'll bit the bullet and read the manga instead. Rest assured though, if I do criticise the way the anime's headed, it'll be because I'm judging it on its own merits, not some reactionary response that only goes as far as "GONZO can't do adaptations". Thanks for reading and I hope I can follow all this up when my beloved Navi is back in working order. :)

[2 Comments]

[Editorials]

17 Jun 2007

Hayao Miyazaki: out of ideas?

Posted by Martin [Tags: Hayao Miyazaki, Rants]
Okay, the 'Bokurano on trial' article I promised you will be online in a day or two. This post though is the result of a very interesting discussion over at Cruel Angel Theses, which mainly concerned itself with Dennou Coil. I haven't seen that show unfortunately but it got me thinking - is the output of Hayao Miyazaki really as good as the general concensus makes it out to be or is he just retreading familiar territory? I have a sentimental attachment The reviews I've written for his movies on the main site are, for the most part, wide-eyed fanboy raves. In my defence, many were written a fair while ago before my experience with anime really took off - I'd also like to note that I still haven't seen My Neighbour Totoro. I'm sure I will soon, mind. The bottom line is, Laputa was my first anime experience...and yet, should I claim certain stuff to be good purely because I hadn't seen anything else at the time to compare? I'll put that question to those of you who got into anime through Pokemon and Dragonball Z... His films still look beautiful...right? From a technical point of view, Miyazaki exhibits an attention to detail that has left critics and audiences impressed for years, and he still tries to make a movie that stands up to rivals that fall back on CGI instead of good ol' fashioned pen and ink. This is merely personal taste though. I prefer the mid to late 90s character designs and artwork, but I don't have a beef with bringing the digital techniques in if it's appropriate - it's a means to an end since it doesn't matter to many if you use CG or not as long as the end result is satisfactory. Miyazaki is important I get the feeling that people are afraid to criticise him because he's nigh-on the only anime director who has broken into Western cinema - in a culture where the general public really do view anime as all Pokemon and Dragonball Z should we anime fans be putting down our biggest ambassador? On the other hand, I've seen people take the opposite view: dismissing his films BECAUSE of their popularity, not in spite of it. Ignore them, they're idiots. Saying that he's the only anime director to win an Oscar doesn't say much to me either - if Satoshi Kon can get beaten by a dancing penguin, we should take those little gold statues with a pinch of salt. What's the alternative? I don't think we do have to rely on Miyazaki as our 'anime ambassador'. Kon's Paprika has made it onto the indie film circuit, Oscar disappointment notwithstanding. Makoto Shinkai has produced movies that look like a Haruki Murakami novel splashed onto a film cel. Hideaki Anno has made no less than three forays into live-action film. Plus there's the fact that Miyazaki isn't the be-all and end-all of Studio Ghibli either: Hiroyuki Morita made a superb debut effort with The Cat Returns, which is a sort-of sequel to Whisper of the Heart, directed by Yoshifumi Kondo; then there's the other half of the 'old guard', Isao Takahata. Only Yesterday and Grave of the Fireflies are not just rivals to the tenderness and emotional power of Miyazaki: in places they are superior. The cold truth is, Takahata is less well-known. What I mean to say is... All this waffle is the lead-up to my main question: is Hayao Miyazaki working off the reputation of his previous work and presenting us with the same old themes and ideas he's been using for years? Mononoke Hime for instance draws many comparisons with Nausicaa: both are superb films but there are still a lot of concepts that are recycled or at least reiterated. After Mononoke, my interest has waned a little. Artistically, Spirited Away is a marvel; yet it never grabbed my attention in the same way that his earlier work did. I imported a Japanese DVD of Laputa just to get the older dub and more accurate subtitles that the UK edition lacked; in contrast I still haven't bought the DVD of Howl's Moving Castle even after seeing it in the cinema. Mononoke Hime took Miyazaki in a full circle: a circle that contains everything I feel he has to say. In that sense, his CV was complete right there and then in 1997. What's wrong with his new stuff? Spirited... and Howl's... are films I'd recommend as great entertainment that will enthrall young and old and lead more people into a medium in the same way that it did with me. Beyond that though, there's not much else. Mononoke Hime has samurais' heads and arms being lopped off; Nausicaa features giant insects on the rampage in a chillingly plausible future world; Porco Rosso makes a middle aged man with a pig's head its star. These older movies aren't just family entertainment, they address so many more issues and push the boundaries as well. In closing I've gone on for too long. I'll be interested to see where the rest of the blogsphere stands in this, which is hopefully not with a flamethrower aimed in my direction! I'm still a Miyazaki fan: just because his latest movie didn't do much for me, it doesn't mean I don't treasure his efforts from the 80s and 90s. With a fresh crop of promising directors making waves, maybe we shouldn't be afraid to criticise one man who may have exhausted his creative reserves. Besides, he's a modest guy so 'fanboy raves' might embarrass him anyway. Thanks again Owen. Keep up the good work. :)

[7 Comments]

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