The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, from 2006, is yet another anime about high school. This one is top notch fun.
[flv:http://www.dograt.com/Video/2008/NOV/LeaptTime.flv 640 360]
Category: Animé
Katie’s J-pop Pick
Eric had a blast seeing his favorite Japanese band The Pillows live, back in March at Anime Boston. Eric’s cousin Kate recommends the Japanese Pop band The Captains.
[flv:http://www.dograt.com/Video/2008/OCT/TheCaptainsWestern.flv 440 330]
Malice Mizer
Today is the 63rd anniversary of the atomic bomb being dropped on Hiroshima. Courtesy of Eric, here’s the 90’s Japanese glam rock band Malice Mizer with what I suppose is a commentary of some sort about Japan’s militaristic past.
(No, that’s not Michael Jackson!)
[flv:http://www.dograt.com/Video/2008/AUG/MaliceMizer.flv 440 330]
Doug’s Anime Pick — Astro Boy
The granddaddy of Japanese animation is a boy. A robot boy. Astro Boy. I have great fondness for the original b&w Astro Boy TV series, and I’m happy that the complete run of the American version of the cartoons is available on two DVD box sets, Astro Boy: Ultra Collector’s Edition. That link goes to Amazon, but if you’re going to buy them go to the “Used & new” section and order from Shawnek. You’ll be glad you did.
Way back here, in the fall of ’06 I highlighted the 60’s humor magazine HELP! Some of cartoonist Robert Crumb’s first published works were in HELP!, including this drawing from his walking tour of Harlem.
If you’re familiar with the American version of Astro Boy’s theme song, here is the Japanese version of the original opening, along with an alternate Japanese intro and an outro before the credits were inserted.
[flv:/Video/2008/JUL/AstroBoy.flv 448 336]
A new Astro Boy movie, with computer graphics, is in production and is scheduled for release next summer. My interest in Astro Boy is mostly limited to the original series, but I’m still hoping the movie comes out well.
Eric’s Anime Pick — Emma
As promised, here’s more anime. Emma, A Victorian Romance, a 24-part series, isn’t Jane Austen, but it’s not giant robot battles, either.
We’ve watched only the first episode of Emma, but the series looks like a good selection for Eric’s girl cousins. I’ve spliced together a couple of scenes. See? No giant battling robots! 😉
[flv:/Video/2008/JUL/Emma.flv 448 252]
Eric’s Anime Pick — Grave of the Fireflies
Eric says we’ve depleted his selections of superior Anime, but we’ll be looking through some other titles to see what might be worthy. This one is an oldie we watched before I started blogging. Grave of the Fireflies is from 1988, and it’s one of the most tragic and heart-wrenching movies I’ve ever seen. A teenage boy does everything he can to keep himself and his baby sister alive in Japan during World War II.
[flv:/Video/2008/JUN/GraveOfTheFireflies.flv 440 248]