Ah! My Goddess: First End

I have just finished reading the light novel for Ah! My Goddess (Or Oh My Goddess, depending on how you translate it). And I have to admit, I wasn't disappointed.

Ah! My Goddess and I have a rather nice relationship. The OVA was one of the first anime I ever saw, or at least one of the first "hardcore" anime. Before that, I had seen series like DBZ, Yu Yu Hakusho, and Fruits Basket. Most of these are clearly mainstream. Even Ghost in the Shell, which is an anime classic that really opened my eyes to the nature of anime, was semi-mainstream. However, Ah! My Goddess was a show that essentially only the otaku cared about. Watching that five episode OVA on a small, portable DVD player was essentially my initiation into the otaku culture.

I'll never forget that experience when I finished it.

I hadn't realized it was only five episodes long! ^_^

Well, regardless, Ah! My Goddess is one of my all time favorite anime, in my eyes equal to anime such as DBZ, Fruits Basket, Elfen Lied, Evangelion, Sailor Moon, etc. Urd and Belldandy are just awesome!

Anyway, enough back story! Time for the light novel.

First End is really for any and all fans of Ah! My Goddess. While I'm not sure whether it's canon or not (I'm aiming for not cannon, or perhaps an alternate universe), the story is really worth it. All the characters are done justice, which is interesting considering the writer is the seiyuu for Urd. You'd figure that Urd would get special treatment. To be fair, Urd does have a very important role in the story, but she isn't exactly present in much of the story, doing a lot of work behind the scenes.

Okay, a few spoilers will follow in the next couple of paragraphs. This is your sole warning.

The story, I found, was awfully depressing for an Ah! My Goddess story. I mean, it just felt somewhat out of place. Ah! My Goddess is an awfully upbeat series, and, while it does have its share of dark moments, if not critical moments, it's never as depressing or downbeat as First End can be. I mean, First End does have its extremely cheerful moments too, if not really cute and cuddly moments, but, especially in the first and last fifty pages, the story gets very upsetting, if not downright shockingly so. I mean, there is actually a major character death fifty pages in, which triggers all the events that follow. The epilogue implied that the future will be better, or perhaps that the future is what happens in the manga, perhaps. That fact of the matter is that everything that does happen is just so damn tragic. Everything seems set up for failure from the very beginning, and considering the nature of Ah! My Goddess, it just doesn't seem right. I mean, if this were Evangelion, Elfen Lied, even Fruits Basket, it would feel more in place, but Ah! My Goddess is a really cheerful story.

That being said, it was still awesome! Like I said, all the characters are translated perfectly, and the book itself is a very powerful read. The writing isn't perfect, but it's quick and easy to understand. Not only that, but all the characters are translated from manga page to book page perfectly. Even the fighting and seals are described pretty well. I'm sure that many of the concepts mentioned will be incorporated into the canon manga series more now, such as the nature of Nidhogg. All in all, worth a read.

However, if you're just getting into Ah! My Goddess, this isn't the place for you. The book was written in 2007, so I'd figure that the plot takes place around Volume 30 of the manga or so. They constantly reflect on previous events that occured, so, if you haven't read it, chances are, you won't know what the Hell is going on.

The Return of Utena/The Rise of Dragonball

It would appear that for the last few days, I've been sort of MIA from blogging. I apologize for the inconvenience. Well, the fact of the matter was, I was extremely busy trying to see the new Friday the 13th movie, which I still have yet to see. Being a huge horror hound aside from an otaku, it was my number one priority to see that movie, but every time I tried I either had a previous engagement or it was just plain old sold out. It certainly was a bummer to the utmost degree.

Well, aside from my own belly aching and self-pity, I do have a few anime things to get started up on. I must make a confession: I am a yuri fan. Yes, it's true. Well, not really yuri so much as Shoujo-ai in particular. I just find the relationships so sweet and sincere. Maria-sama ga Miteru is one of the best romantic anime I've seen in a long time. I also, even more than Shoujo-ai, love series that really get inside your head, make you think somewhat about the world. For example, if you've been reading my blog, you can probably tell I love series like Evangelion and Ghost in the Shell that really make you think about where you stand in the scheme of things, how other people shape who you are, etc, etc.

So when I discovered Utena some time ago, I really sank my teeth into it. Think about it: it has Shoujo-ai AND philosophy involved. Two great tastes that taste great together. Needless to say, I adored it. Ate it up entirely. The relationship was tender and romantic. Utena and Anthy's relationship reminded me a lot of Uranus and Neptune's relationship on Sailor Moon, which, for all intents and purposes, is my favorite couple of all time in anime. And the ending reminded me a good deal of The End of Evangelion, albeit less disturbing.

However, having not seen it in some time, I've sort of forgotten some key details about the series. So what better time than now to reexperience the beauty of Utena?

Sure, it's an old gem, and there are countless new gems out there to enjoy, such as those new Haruhi-chan segment that keep popping up on the internet (I recommend them, by the way. Extremely cute and enjoyable.), but the fact remains that I love nostalgia, and love to reexperience nostalgia whenever possible. Thus, Utena is the series I am going to enjoy now!

However, that is not the only series I'm going to be enjoying.

Along with Utena, I'll also be watching episodes of Dragonball Z! Now, Utena is the polar opposite of Dragonball Z in many respects. I need not outline the differences because, chances are, a bald monkey can see from a mile away that DBZ is a hardcore action series and Utena isn't. Why, one might ask, would I even think of watching these two nostalgic gems back-to-back?

Well, I just feel like watching Utena again because I'm in the mood.

DBZ, on the other hand, I'm going to watch to get ready for Dragonball: Evolution.

It may suck, it may kick complete ass, I really don't care. I'm going to go to the movies opening day, have more luck than I did with Friday the 13th, and see the bloody film! And before I do, I'm going to be ready, so I can get the most out of watching it. I'm going to watch many of the best scenes in DBZ (unfortunately, I don't own the Buu Saga box sets, so I'll be missing out on some of my favorite scenes, but I digress). And then, before the movie comes out, maybe a day or so, I'm going to watch Dragonball: The Magic Begins, the original Korean or Chinese (not sure which) adaption from years earlier. Why? Because there is no way in Hell that DB:E can be worse than the wreaking cesspool of horror that was DB:TMB!!! No way in Hell. I mean, seriously, they did Roshi justice in DB:TMB, but that's about it. Everything else just looked cheesy and ridiculous. Anyone who says DB:TMB is a better movie than DB:E must either have a thing for cheesefests or have a taste in movies I have never seen in any other person I have come into contact with.

Although, in all honesty, if someone did say that DB:TMB is better than DB:E, they'd need to have seen a prescreening of the movie, as very few people can make a statement about which is better until they've actually seen it.

That not withstanding, being a huge DBZ fan, I eagerly await the day DB:E comes to theaters. Actually, this is going to be a pretty big year for geeks. I mean, Watchmen comes out in a couple weeks, then DB:E, then Wolverine, then Transformers: RotF, then Rebuild of Evangelion 2.0: You Can [Not] Advance, then GI Joe, then Avatar, James Cameron's first movie since God knows when? I mean, I'm not even mentioning Terminator Salvation and a few others I'll probably remember five seconds after publishing this little post, but the fact remains that this is a pretty sweet year. And the next couple of years are even better! Hell, 2011 is going to be awesome! I mean, the Avengers movie is released, and I think that Spider-Man 4, the sequel to the Dark Knight, Cowboy Bebop, Ghost in the Shell, Akira, the sequel to Dragonball: Evolution, and even, fingers crossed, Evangelion LA (although it's inevitable that, by that time, Rebuild of Evangelion 3.0 will be out by then, so...! ^_^ )

Ah, it's good to be a complete geek. ^_^

Figurines

I have never actually purchased a figurine for an anime I liked. Despite my admiration for all sorts of characters, I never really bought one. Maybe I felt I'd rather spend money on the DVDs I love so much? Regardless, it has always been a small little desire in my heart to one day purchase a figurine, put it up on a shelf, and just keep it their as eye candy.

I mean, some are just cute, others are adorable, and some are just badass! I have a friend who has a few figurines, and just looking at them send a charge up my spine. I mean, the sign of a true-blooded Otaku are figurines on their wall. I guess that means I'm still a fledgling despite years of my fandom.

Well, regardless of my self-pity, there are a few figurines that look awesome. For example, there's a gothic lolita figurine of Asuka from Evangelion which looks so awesome! I mean, gothic lolitas are awesome by default, and Asuka is awesome by default. Putting the two together is akin to mixing peanut butter and jelly, only better! There is a Rei gothic lolita figurine, but the Asuka one is simply cooler.

Another good one would be a Konata figurine. In case you don't realize, I am refering to Konata Izumi from Lucky Star. I mean, what better figurine for an otaku to purchase than a figurine of an otaku who purchases figurines herself? It sounds like a good idea, if you ask me. Regardless, there are a few different models to want. Oh, joy! ^_^

Then again, a Sephiroth figurine would be nice too. I love Sephiroth, as he's one of my favorite villains ever. Just a badass figure with his sword unsheathed looking cool is good enough for me. Actually, a Cloud figurine would be nice too. Well, whatever way it turns out, it would be awesome.

Still, one must wonder what I'd do with the figurines after a little while. I mean, sure, they're great to look at, but after a few weeks, they'd just fill space. Maybe I'd feel differently upon purchasing one, but what would I do with them afterwards? Just look at them as they collect dust? Stroke them occassionally before tucking them into bed? If someone who has figurines can tell me a little about them, please do. I would love to have them, but beyond having them on my wall, what do I do with them?

Site Tags

I made these awhile ago, but, stupid me, forgot to post them. Here are the tags to my site, if anybody, God willing, wishes to post them on their site. ^_^

Light and Silly vs. Deep and Serious?

Two of my favorite anime/manga of all time, which are remarkably similar and yet vastly different, are Fruits Basket and Neon Genesis Evangelion. They are similar in that they both are filled with deep characters with heavy, occasionally disturbing, pasts that affects their entire personalities for the rest of their lives.

While the characters are fully explored in both stories, the biggest difference between the two shows, aside from plot, is tone.

Considering this got me thinking about what was better: light hearted, almost silly, anime like Fruits Basket with the occassional darkness or a deep, insightful, dark series with the occassional laugh like Evangelion? After all, both are considered classics, but which is better?

I've noticed the populous loves lighter anime that is easier to digest. Out of all the currently popular series that otaku and weeaboos are obsessing over, the only truly deep series are Death Note and Code Geass. Ironically enough, one of the more lighthearted series that is enjoying extreme success (for good reason) is Gurren Laggan, which is made by Gainax, the same company that produced Evangelion. (Even more ironic, both Asuka and Rei have brief cameos in Gurren Laggan!)

Anyway, popular opinion would point toward lighter series. Despite some philosophical statements, Bleach is relatively easy to absorb. It's a guy fighting evil. Sure, there are political messages in the first major storyarch, but mostly it's just a standard shonen anime, albeit better than most. Ouran Host Club isn't tremendously deep, but it's fun enough to keep you laughing all day long. Haruhi Suzumiya, despite feigning depth, is in its truest form just a fun little series that is of extremely high caliber in the anime world. While all those series are of high quality (especially Haruhi), they aren't hard to take in.

On the other hand, anime like Ghost in the Shell, Evangelion, Serial Experiments Lain, and Elfen Lied are often regarded as anime classics, but aren't given the high level of honor that anime like Fruits Basket are, which is somewhat surprising considering the level of influence these anime have on the viewer. For example, I know at the end of Ghost in the Shell, I felt as though my perception of reality, of human life, of society, was forever changed. After seeing Evangelion, my own perceptions of my life and how others percieved me. Serial Experiments Lain truly affected the way I saw the internet, life as a whole. Elfen Lied was just poetic and beautiful, making me think more about the thin line between good and evil. All series were deep and filled with complexity, and many are high on my all-time favorites list.

But are they, in general, necessarily better?

The truth is that making a deep story isn't as easy as it sounds, if it sound easy at all to begin with. For example, Rahxephon, which is virtually an Evangelion clone, for all its merits, fails to relay true depth. Rahxephon focuses too much on romance, making it a light hearted story that tried to be Evangelion. Make no mistake: Evangelion had romance, but it portrayed it in a different way. And also make no mistake: romance can be deep and serious, as in Elfen Lied. However, I felt Rahxephon was spreading itself out too thin, and thus failed to leave a truly lasting impression.

On the other hand, it is easier to make a light hearted series. And, in making a light hearted series, one can also take the time to craft the story, to develop everything, to make a message that, while not philosophical on the level of Ghost in the Shell, is certainly able to leave an impact on the people who watch it. For example, who, after seeing Sailor Moon or Fruits Basket, didn't feel that spark of decency that everyone, no matter how foul or wicked, has in their heart?

And not all anime can be categorized in either of those categories. Higurashi no Naku Koro ni, aka When They Cry, lacks philosophical depth, but cannot possibly be considered light hearted, with its brutal portrayals of murder. That being said, it's one of the best anime series in the last five years, maybe even the last decade. It's beautiful, terrific, and very dark. It left an impact on me that had nothing to do with me learning something new about life, nor was it easy to digest at all. So, naturally, we can't categorize all anime like that.

I guess, in the end, it all depends on your preference. However, I must say this: there are more good light hearted anime than they are deep and serious anime only because they are many more light hearted anime than serious anime to begin with. However, proportionally, most deep anime are also terrific masterpieces.

Creepy Girlfriends...

I think I mentioned before I've been rewatching Ai Yori Aoshi. The reason for that is simple: Valentines Day. A cute and cuddly anime like that is something you need to watch on that a holiday like that. However, while now I find Aoi and Kaoru's relationship to be cute and cuddly (although I'd prefer Kaoru to end up with Tina), it wasn't always like that.

Actually, Aoi scared the crap out of me!

I mean, think about it! A girl waiting 18 years to marry you, devoting her every waking moment for her man, obsessing over him all that time? It's downright scary! It's like Asami from Audition scary! Actually, save for bondage and sado-masochism, Aoi and Asami are really similar. They both adore and obsess over one specific man to extreme levels. However, unlike Asami, Aoi would never hurt anyone even if she wanted to.

Still, unlike Asami, Aoi isn't scary as you get used to her scary obsession (Asami only got worse over time).

Still, this "magical girlfriend" stereotype wasn't creepy with Belldandy from Ah! My Goddess, who really is similar to Aoi, save for the obsessing for years. They both are devoted to their partner, loyals, and recieve tender love in return. But Belldandy was different because she didn't obsess over Keichi for 18 years! Plus, 18 years for her is probably nothing, seeing as how she was a Goddess and all.

So the obsessing for years is what makes Aoi so damn creepy!

That's why Tina would make a better girlfriend! Sure, she's crazy, but at least she won't obsess over you from childhood and makes both a good best friend sort of character and a lover. And she's cuter! ^_^

Oh, and apparently, regarding season 2 of Haruhi...that was not entirely accurate...apparently they're simply relaunching the series, or just reshowing it, on Japanese TV. I think the second season will be announced after the original series is replayed, but nothing is confirmed yet.

HOT OFF THE PRESS: NEW SEASON OF HARUHI SUZUMIYA!!!

And yes, that needed to be in all caps.

In case you've remained under a rock for the last few years in the anime community, you have probably at least caught a glimpse of Haruhi Suzumiya in some way, shape, or form: the leader of the SOS Brigade, a group determined (or forced by Miss Suzumiya herself) to find aliens, time travelers, and espers. Well, you have seen it, right? It's been a few years, after all.

Well, if you have, you will be pleased to hear that the newest season of Haruhi Suzumiya has just been announced today, in the Japanese Newtype Magazine (the American Newtype, sadly to say, published its last issue sometime earlier this year, but that's irrelevant). According to its written pages, Haruhi will be seeing the light of day again in April.

Don't believe me? See for yourself:

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2009-02-03/haruhi-suzumiya-tv-anime-reportedly-to-relaunch-in-april

Anyway, now that you're understandable skepticism has been swept aside, time for some observations about this certain matter.

Now, for awhile now, the commonly accepted rumor was that this series was going to be based on The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya. Hopefully, this is the case. However, there were also rumors of this new season being simply a redone version of Season 1, which I would deem utterly useless. I mean, it's only been two years! It's not like the Rebuild of Evangelion. Animation quality won't increase that much! So that's illogical and a waste of money.

Now, if it's like the original season, chances are it won't just be one novel. The first season of Haruhi was actually based on two or three of the novels, so, hopefully, we'll get some more randomness that made the original season so great thrown in for extra measure. Nevertheless, the real gem of this series would be if all the original voice actors reprized their voices.

I'm not just talking about the seiyuus.

The English version of Haruhi was top knotch in my book. Crispin Freeman and Wendee Lee are two of my favorite voice actors in my book, so it was nice seeing them in the same thing. Sure, it took a little getting used to when Haruhi started speaking in English, but now I can't see anyone else doing her voice. Of course, this is all assuming Bandai purchases the rights to the second season, which hasn't always happened in the world of anime. (Once again, Neon Genesis Evangelion and The End of Evangelion weren't liscenced by the same people, and even Dragonball Z was divided for several years, and some early episodes of Dragonball are still not liscenced by FUNimation)

But maybe I'm overanalyzing this. Haruhi Suzumiya is now officially the number one most hyped over anime for this year!!! (Second, for the third time in this little blog post, is Rebuild of Evangelion 2.0)