Upcoming reviews in technoeroticism

I had to reread part of one of my anime books for words to describe "Gurren Lagann." The one word that popped into my head immediately was "technoeroticism."

Almost all mecha series have hyperviolent battles ending with the hero destroying the enemy. The finishing move has always served as a sexual climax in destruction. However, looking back at about the midway point of "Gurren Lagann," the love of violence met an exciting, but frighteningly devastating, peak with this series. If Evangelion was the rejection of the wanton shonen apocalypse, "Gurren Lagann" poured in an excess of action and robotic dismemberment.

These are just my initial thoughts upon watching the second volume of "Gurren Lagann." The series almost feels like the Kanye West of anime. In the same way in which Kanye combines multiple soul, funk and techno tracks for his rap songs, "Gurren Lagann" combines superflat cel-shaded animation in a FLCL-style orgy of action, all held down to earth with interspersed scenes of love and romance.

If you want a teaser of how euphoric this series turns out, just listen to the song "Nikopol" from the "Gurren Lagann" soundtrack. The song is littered with chaotic DJ scratches and loud guitars. The vocals, however, sounds like some sort of bizarre Rage Against the Machine warning against Westernization and colonization. "Nikopol," named after the Greek city Nicopolis, blasts with a trippy sense of inner consciousness.

I wish Incubus sounded like this.

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DVD Review - Art students learn about love and life

The first part of "Honey and Clover" is a touching slice-of-life series contemplating on the changing relationships of art students in Japan.

The story of this anime centers around the relationships between five college artists--three young men and two young women. The main men of the series include the gray-haired sophomore Yuta Takemoto, the vivacious money-maker Shinobu Morita and the philosophical senior Takumi Mayama. They often hang out with the tall, pony-tailed girl Ayumi Yamada and their professor's little niece, Hagumi Hanamoto.

Although the series literally holds back the main story until the sixth episode, the true heart of the series is focused on the changing lives of the protagonists as they graduate or move away. Two story arcs develop with more than enough lovesick passion to make anyone cry.

The first spotlight of the show is the conflicting relationship between Ayumi Yamada and Takumi Mayama. Ayumi Yamada always loves talking to Mayama, who is already in love with the person he works for, Rika Harada.

Of course, you could easily write this off as a love that will never last, but this series persistently pulls on your heartstrings. The two friends somehow pull off a balancing act of emotional confessions, without ever breaking off their relationship. Somehow, Yamada can't stop loving Mayama.

The second story arc takes place near the halfway point of the series. At a certain point, Morita and Takemoto struggle with their strong feelings for Hagumi Hanamoto. All the pent-up emotion builds up to a heartbreaking end as Hagumi suffers an emotional breakdown and Morita looks for other jobs to make more money.

Despite the melancholy tone in the third disc of this box set, the soundtrack of acoustic guitars and pianos fills the anime with an unforgettable pop culture vibe, with music from Suga Shikao and the rock group SPITZ. The best song is the ending theme by Suneohair, "Waltz," which fills the gaps between episodes with soothing vocals and a folk rock edge.

Plenty of riotous comedy sequences also lighten the tone of the story. Morita often dresses up little Hagu so he can photograph her like a paparazzi.

The fan-favorite joke, however, involves two of the students twisting themselves almost to death while playing Twister. The spectacle is littered with comical, bone-crunching sounds and grimacing faces.

"Honey and Clover" is one of the few pieces of animation that captures life as an experience of joy and sadness. This is one of the few shows that reaches above and beyond all expectations to portray the warm nostalgia of youth and the complications involved in long-distance relationships.

Dubs and special features

"Honey and Clover" features one of the best English voice-overs I've ever heard. The American dub somehow retains all the gentle romance and the hyper, comedic energy of the series without sounding awkward.

The box set also features a fascinating documentary on the series' opening, by director Nagi Noto. In case you haven't seen it, the intro sequence is a playful montage of plates with food sculptures and cute stop-motion animation. This special features covers everything from camera positioning to tasty food choreography.

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DVD Review - Sadistic murders and "Dani California"

Live action adaptations of anime don't always work very well. However, the first "Death Note" movie is a chilling thriller with serial murders, demons and investigative mind games.

The movie starts straight out with a series of news reports on numerous criminals, all killed by a heart attack. All the deaths are tied to a college student named Light Yagami, who writes names in his "Death Note" book to kill them.

Director Shusuke Kaneko takes the story a step further with a scene in which Light met one of these suspected serial killers face-to-face. After the yakuza (Japanese gangster) member almost stabs Yagami on the spot, Light leaves the bar in the pouring rain. He's clearly frustrated that this murderer was set free.

Light's life takes a turn when the black "Death Note" book falls to the ground. Thinking this book is a joke, he writes the name of a serial killer whose face was on television. The next day, he opens the newspaper to find that this criminal is dead.

After killing the yakuza guy he met last night with his new book, Light runs into Ryuk, a demonic spirit who dropped the "Death Note" from the sky. Ryuk says the book is all his and that if Light doesn't want it, Ryuk will just erase his memory of the book and find another owner.

Eventually, Light proclaims himself a god of justice by killing unprosecuted suspects. He adopts on the Internet persona name "Kira." For all you English nuts, it's supposed to stand for killer. Get it? Kira is a killer?

Anyhow, most of the movie is based on the first few chapters of "Death Note." Soon, Light's father and a mysterious man named L lead a group of investigators to track Light down.

The second half of the film takes a dark turn as more people start to track down Light. Without saying too much about the ending, this movie shows off Light's lack of remorse for anyone. He's willing to risk everything to protect his precious book, even if he kills the person he loves the most.

The Japanese actors handle their roles with expertise in this new film. Tatsuya Fujiwara sounds every bit as cold and calculating as Light Yagami. During the scenes where he is eating potato chips and studying, no one would never suspect that Light is watching a hidden television for people to kill.

More than anything, this first film proves that Light is a true bastard who is more interested in killing off all criminals for his own idealized vision of Japan. Thankfully, Light hasn't killed the main protagonists yet, so there's enough room for director Kaneko to wrap this story up in the next film or two.

There are just a few problems with this movie. First, the ending credits features the Red Hot Chili Peppers song, "Dani California." There's no reason why a California song is in a film set in Japan, aside from the edgy, funky guitars in the song and the lyrics about "resting in peace." It sounds completely out of place.

Second, the demon Ryuk looks like a cheap computer-generated cartoon. The animators produced enough fine detail in his costume to make him appear half decent, but he still moves around like a puppet from the "Jason and the Argonauts" movie.

These are just minor, silly setbacks to a down-to-earth adaptation of a heartless story. The "Death Note" movie is a true descent into hell, because this time Light is an actual person, watching everyone for a chance to murder them.

Better yet, this movie includes some of the funniest English dubs. If you like your "Death Note" movie raw and intense, watch the original Japanese voice track. However, if you want to hear Japanese college students with valley girl-style accents and criminals who shout, "Son of a bitch!" and "Stop f***ing with me!", feel free to watch the English dubs.

My favorite dub joke is one uttered by the English voice actor for the criminal Takuo Shabuimoto, who says, "It's coming back. How it feels when the knife cuts deep into the flesh. And when it finally sinks right into the heart, 'Eeeeeeeeee! YAAAAAH! What am I doing here in this place? I don't remember!"

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DVD Box set review - Epic gang wars never die out

In an earlier review, I criticized "Baccano!" for a plot which didn't make sense. However, I had only seen the first volume. After watching all 16 episodes, I really enjoyed this series as a whole.

The "Baccano!" box set released in December showcases the best qualities of 2000s anime--epic battles, splattering blood, dense storylines and incredible drama.

You probably won't understand the story of "Baccano!" from the first episodes. It looks like a mish-mash of random battles, mindless violence and unfinished storylines. However, the plot is quickly set into place in episode seven on the second DVD.

A group of alchemists meet a man named Maiza Avada aboard the Advenna Avis in 1711. He summons a demon to produce an elixir, giving all the passengers complete immortality. However, everyone also has the ability to devour other immortals to gain their knowledge.

The shrewd Szilard Quates plots to devour Maiza, but his plan is thwarted when the other people warn Maiza. He escapes by jumping overboard, only to reappear in urban America in the 1930s.

This anime is about far more than just defeating an immortal overlord. Characters such as Czeslaw Meyer suffer horrific torture from his immortal guardian. Eva Geonard is searching for her lost brother, who was captured by the Geonard family of immortals.

Meanwhile, the Camorra gang's new recruit, Firo Pinocacchio, bumps into a mysterious woman named Ennis, who is working for Szilard. Szilard's cooking up a new elixir which keeps people from aging.

To make matters even more confusing, a ruthless gang war ensues on a train known as the Flying Pussycat. The Russo family assassins, led by Ladd Russo, plan to kill all the members of the Laforet family. On top of this, a Rail Tracer is killing passengers on the train.

If all this sounds too much to handle, don't worry. It all wraps up nicely at around episode 14. There's plenty of gang wars, but the series isn't all about gangs.

"Baccano!" is all about the everlasting bonds the characters make as they regenerate throughout the series. Characters such as Isaac Dian and Miria Harvent spread their goodwill to everyone by stealing money from the gangsters and giving the money away to the public. Firo helps Ennis socialize with his friends.

Even newcomers such as the mute Chanel LaForet learn to escape from their gang affiliations by loving other people. "Baccano!" might features some of the bloodiest battles in anime history, but it has a big heart. This series is about the unbreakable love between friends, even as people kill them numerous times.

Although you could say this is an evil series about a deal with the devil, this series keeps the hocus pocus witchcraft to a minimum. Instead, "Baccano!" delivers a dazzling story about unforgettable acquaintances and friendships within some ruthless gang wars in 1930s New York. This is an absolute must-see series that everyone has to watch at least once.

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Anime Preview - Eye of the Taiga

"Toradora!" is a surprise hit for 2009, beginning as a harem romance and ending with immensely dramatic dialogue.

The story begins like a conventional love story. Episode one introduces us to Ryuuji Takasu, a typical high school guy who holds a secret crush on Minori Kushieda, a female baseball team captain. Kushieda's friend, Taiga Aisaka, is a bratty young girl who has a crush on Takasu's best friend, Yuusaku Kitamura.

Ryuuji and Taiga team up together to convince their own crushes to love them. However, they don't seem to listen. In fact, their classmates all think that Ryuuji and Taiga make a cute couple.


We clearly see how this series will end after episode 20 or so, but the journey there is really the real meat of the series. When you look at the series as a whole, the real conflict is focused around the main characters' family lives.

For starters, Ryuuji has no father. His mother lives alone, working as a barmaid at night. The short Taiga, on the other hand, was kicked out of her house by her wealthy parents. She lives alone in an apartment.

And by fate, these two characters just happen to live next to each other. Although they united to fulfill their own goal of winning the hearts of the people they love, their true happiness comes from their struggle for independence.

The series turns even more rowdy after Ami Kawashima, a popular teenage model with a split personality, transfers to their school. She has a crush on Ryuuji, leading to plenty of romantic entanglements. By episode eight, the anime plays out like a violent harem, with plenty of girls fighting over Ryuuji and Yuusaku.


However, these characters are not iconic, like the harem fantasy in "Love Hina" or the slapstick comedy couple in "Lovely Complex." Sure, Taiga and Ryuuji begin as a comedic duo, in which Taiga usually beats her friend up like mincemeat whenever she feels insulted.

However, the story dialogue is turns this love story into a sort of sports film, without all the sports references. Taiga and Ryuuji become the victorious couple overcoming the problems within their family. Even when their angst turns into public despair, they eventually reach triumphant moments of revelation by the end of the show's run.


The series is not available in the U.S., but the series has plenty of buzz following its 25-episode run.

DVD publishers will definitely want to license this series. If anyone wants to find a solid romance anime with characters who actually grow in maturity, give "Toradora!" a try if it comes out on DVD. You won't regret watching it.

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DVD Review - I ain't afraid of no ghost

Eat your heart out, Bill Murray. There's a new group of ghostbusters in town.

The first part of the "Ghost Hunt" anime series will grab your attention with intriguing scientific investigations of curses, ghosts and supernatural phenomena.

The story begins when the main character, Mai Taniyama, finds a teenage boy investigating the building next to her high school for ghosts and powerful psychic beings.

The boy, Kazuya Shibuya, heads the Shibuya Psychic Research Center. His assistants include an electrical equipment specialist, a Buddhist monk, a Shinto priestess, an Australian Catholic exorcist and a spirit medium on a popular television show. Each character has a special power to suppress the power of demons and spirits.

Shibuya determines the occult phenomena taking place using carefully deduction and keen technology. His crew uses everything at their disposal, from thermal temperature readers to hidden cameras and microphones.

This series most likely won't scare the bejeezus out of  you in the beginning. However, as the Shibuya Psychic Research Center discovers more ghastly figures to purify or exorcise, the series turns into a frightening, fascinating X-Files-style mystery. Mai even discovers her own psychic powers as she investigate with her new friends.

The series hits an emotional peak with the third case, "The After School Hexer." Their biggest enemy curses the students and teachers around a high school with voodoo doll-style hexes known as hitogata. When the doll with the victim's name is destroyed, the person suffers fatally. Mai and Shibuya run into some precarious near-death situations, even falling into a sewer.

"Ghost Hunt" makes for a great alternative to the boring American prime time whodunits. The anime features some unexpected comedy episodes, including a gut-busting romantic episode in the park. An airheaded ghost possesses the spirit medium's body and starts cuddling next to the nonchalant Shibuya.

The series isn't perfect. The opening and ending credit sequences are disappointing, with cheap orchestral music and lame computer-generated images.

The characters are undeveloped and somewhat goofy. We don't completely understand why all these spiritual people are working for Shibuya in the first place. People will also wonder how the Lord's prayer and "holy water" would actually weaken the powers of ghosts. Fortunately, the anime is more based on religious and ghoulish mythology, so we expect to see some fantasy stories in the show.

"Ghost Hunt" is a surprisingly enjoyable show. Although Shibuya acts like a cold fish for the entire series, Mai and Shibuya make a lovely team. I'm looking forward to watching more mystery stories in this anime.

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You fail, Jonathan!

Did I ever mention that I still haven't finished watching "Gurren Laggan"? It's a sin, but I haven't finished watching episodes past the point where ______ dies. I've popped into certain snippets of the final half, but I still haven't finished the series from start to finish.

So for my new year's resolutions, I will make sure that I:

1. Finish "Gurren Laggan."
2. See all the other great romantic comedies and other romantic stuff that I've forgotten about.
3. Stop laying on my poor Pikachu pillow. I have two now, but I should take better care of the first one.

But first things first. Let's finish "Ghost Hunt" part one and see what else is left to review.