The Make up of a anime.

So my latest blog entry started as most of them do.
With a discussion with a friend that got me started thinking.
The Discussion was over. "What is Anime?" You see most people who contest to have a definitive answer... well have no idle what they are talking about. Because the real question is. "Who can really give a answer?" The Japanese? Because almost no one agrees with there definition out side of Japan.

American Fans seam to fall into many different camps. And other fans around the world seam to fall into out of two camps as well. People who are known as "Officials or specialists" on the matter are for the most part, like people who call them selves authority on UFO's. That is they are self proclaimed authority.

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So the question comes down to a discussion of.
#1. Geography.
#2. Style.
#3. Content.
#4. Conjecture.

So the first part is the answer that most Rapid American Anime Fans / Fanboy-Fangirls give. That is to say the people who annoy the crap out of you at conventions and know six words of Japanese that they think are VERY IMPRESSIVE WHEN USED!

And that is the Opinion that. -It must be made in Japan to be Anime!- Now this is actually not a really odd idle, the problem is that the Japanese would disagree. The Japanese in fact call all Cartoons Anime.. Even the old Disney black and white ones. And really the Japanese think the question is rather silly. And many of them use the porn argument of. "I know it when i see it."

The other problem with this idle is that, ANYTHING animated in Japan would then be anime. And there are quite a few American Cartoons that are drawn in Japan. So they would be anime by that idle, And the same people who hold this. 'made in japan' idle dear would lay a brick if you contested that these shows are Anime.

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So then that would support to a large degree that Style would make something Anime or not.
That is to say that anything done in the basic style of anime, is anime. The problem with that being that Anime has ALLOT of different styles and American / Japanese Animators seam to go back and forth with one another.

Case and point look at old anime. (I mean Gigantor and Astro Boy) Look around at US animation at the time. Or crap just listen to the people that made them, they had a heavy influence in Disney at the time. So they would not be Anime by this definition.

Also some shows that not many people would call anime would also have to fit into this area as well. But over all this is a much better answer then the -Must be from Japan- Idle.
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Content.
I have seen allot of people argue that Content is what really makes something anime or anime like. That anime treats it's viewers with a little more respect then Western Animiation.

Now there is some serious truck sized holes in this idle.
A: There is very kiddie oriented Japanese Anime... Pokemon.. Digimon... Well really anything with the world Mon in it, also stuff like Hamtaro could really be used as a western show without much help.

B: There are some pretty serious Western Animations. Batman: The Animated Series for instance NEVER pulled punches considering it was a Kids show. (I mean it was still made for kids) So no death on screen, but when some one went out they didn't just elude to it. You knew it happened.

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So then the question is.
"So what do you think makes anime?"

Well hear is my take on the question.
It's really a matter of consensus.
Because hear has been my experience with it, almost all people who have one of the openions above, have some wiggle room in what they do and do not think is anime.

So really i think its a matter of Style and Content.

And i have found that allot of people will openly admit that some American. (And European)
Cartoons are pretty much anime.

Batman the animated series.
ThunderCats. (American)
Teen Titans. (Even Picking a Japanese Band to do the opening theme)
Kim Possible. (It and Teen Titans were the #1 Cartoons in Japan at one point)
Avatar: The Last Air Bender. (Very anime like, and highly rated in Japan, but is animated in korea)
W.I.T.C.H. ~Deep Breath~ This is a French/Italian Cartoon based on a Disney Comic made by a Italian women. Originally distributed by Italiono Disney. Then Dubbed for Spanish/American Viewers. And Distributed throw Jet-X. (Disney) And if you watch this show.. Well lets just say this is basically what Sailor Moon Would have been like is it was Italian and made by Disney. (Complete with colored in / basically nude transformation scenes)

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So i guess the answer really is the porn answer.
But i like to say this.

If it looks like Anime.
And Sounds Like Anime.
And has a following of drooling anime fan-girls or fan-boys.
Then its Anime.

One Piece (And why i failed to like it)

OK so let me just start by saying. I watched the first 125 (Out of like 425+) episodes of the Anime One Piece and i REALLY REALLY tried to like it, i wanted to like it because allot of people seam to like the show. (Of coarse allot of people also think they have seen Elvis lately)

OK so i like to think that i for the most part have good reason behind most of my opinion. Because I'm sorry but (I just don't like it) Or (Because its stupid) Is not a valid point of conversation.

So i think i came up with a short list, (Shorter then my normal lists) of reasons i just don't like this Anime.

#1. Anachronisms.
OK so i have a pretty healthy disbelief suspender. But it is not a retard suspender. I absolutely hate most anachronisms. And let me just say that i don't consider magical street lights in a fantasy setting, or magical mirrors that let you talk to people over long distances are Anachronisms. Crap i can look over some stuff that is a definitive anachronism in a Anime. I mean if there was magic in a setting and flying animal you can ride on. I can see why no one would think to bother to build a air plain or a steam ship.

But this show is full of just... well stupid/sillyass Anachronisms. Stuff that makes me think the show as made by Hanna Barbeara and that i will see Fred Flintstone. (Another show i hate) at any moment. Don't know what i am talking about?

Well if you have watched the show all i have to say is this.... Telephone/Fax Machine Snails... End of discussion i win. To be honest that is just down right insulting. Why? Because in the show if you asked them. "How the hell did those things come about? Magic?" The answer would be. "Nope have always been like that." So i call shenanigans. Would have made more sense to just put real radios in the damn show and just shrug at why they are there.

#2. Characters.
OK so i will get flamed for this but... I just don't like most of the character in this show.
Most of them fall into the Annoying or silly area.
I don't even know were to start explaining this so i am not going to. I'm just going to say that the characters that do have good back story normally are normally badly executed in there personality. Or are just freken stupid character concepts. (Three swords? Please... some one slap the writers.)

#3. Stupid....id...ness....
The entire show has a "I am trying to hard to be creative / fill the show with zanny stuff that will make the reader think i am imaginative!" Thing going on. With stuff that just chafes me, and i have watch / put up with some pretty weird / crazy stuff. I liked FLCL and GuranLagin for crying out loud.

#4. Weirdness... And not the good kind.
Magical Demon Fruit i can handle, it giving people super powers i have not problem with.... but...
Reindeer people and giraffe people i have a damn problem with. The main character being maid of rubber i have not problem with. But getting super speed and the ability to kick a huge ship in half with no explanation other then.... made of rubber. i have a problem with.

#5. Not being that original.
Next. The show just seams really hokey at times because the wright just ripped some stuff off. The swordsmen in the group being named Zoro. (The English dube even thought this was bad enough that they changed it to Zolo) ... .... (Well and it has something to do with the fact the Japanese dont use the R sound in there language) That doesn't bother me that much.

But the fact that they have Blackbeard in the anime/manga does. and on top of that his REAL name is the same as the real Blackbeard. Now mind you, this show is not set on earth... or even a near earth setting, It is a entirely original setting... (Allbe it with completely impossible and very stupid geography) It just doesn't fit with the setting. A little consistancy never hurt any one.

#6. Artwork.
Now i need to say this. The artwork has. (Like in MOST animes) Gotten better as the show has gone along and they have gotten a better budget. So its not really the quality of art work. It's the style itself i don't like.... Maybe that's not the right word.... Loath... Ya that's it.

Let me be fair i have NEVER found another art style i have disliked more. (Some pretty close) But even when done well it just looks cheep. And clearly the artist cant draw a nose to save his life. Because a V on the face dose not = a nose!

And the double / triple lines on EVERYTHING does not work well, not matter how well shaded the show is. It's not always bad but its always cheep looking even when clearly done well.

Not to sound like a troll or anything. But even the best smelling crap in the world is still crap.
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So this is not quite a matter of i hate this show and every one who likes it.
Like i said i tried nay. wanted to like it. But in the end i just hated the fact that i wasted 40+ hours of my life that i could have spent watching something that i didn't hate.

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And O ya. The main character has a stupid man, and if you don't think so then.

Your Methods are stupid!
Your progress has been stupid!
Your intelligence is stupid!
And for the good of the mission YOU MUST BE TERMINATED!

Fruits Basket

Before you say anything that is not misspelled.

I just got throw watching the anime Adaptation of the Manga Fruits Basket.
Now after i was done i went out and read the Manga.

OK so my take on the anime was as follows.

#1. The Anime itself was Hilarious after you got past the first episode or two. And even though the show is basically a romance / Drama show, it does a very good job of throwing some side splitters in there on a pretty regular basis.

#2. At 26 episodes it is in about the right length for a good Anime, but to be honest i think this one could have been a little longer. At the end it just felt incomplete. But to be fair it was also left very open to the idle of another season being made. (At this point don't hold your breath)

#3. It was a little disappointing at the end because. Well the thing is in something that was meant to be a romance anime, i really like to see a official couple at the end of a anime. But that being said, i think i might be because. Well it really isn't as much a romance anime as it is a anime about how one loving caring person can touch the lives of every one around them.

#4. The Main Character in the Anime is a Very Loving caring person who constantly keeps up a cheerful facade to keep from worrying every one around her, but the anime is also about how that's not health and is really unfair to the people around you.

So in all.
I liked the anime and am glad i watched it... Well that was until i went and read the manga, now i am a little disappointed in the anime.

The manga was just more complete, And had not just one but many couples by the end of the story. Also allot of the characters were just better done in the Manga, and some good characters were just completely left out of the Anime.

So wile i would say, Ya go ahead and watch it, if you like that kind of anime. (I normally don't but this was done well enough that i enjoyed watching it) Then give the show a try.

Sailor Moon to be distrubited outside of Japan.

So the news on the anime front is that Sailor Moon will be distributed out side of Japan again.

After a... .. Very long time. To be exact a time period that i will not be bothered to look up.

But it will be distributed out side of Japan.
Tomi Animation has decided that it will be distributed to other parts of the world first and if it does well, then will license it in the united states once again. Now the real question hear being, WHO and WHAT will be distributed.

Will they simply re-distrubute the old version of the english anime. (If they are aiming at a young demographic then i would bet on this) But if they are aiming for a nostalgic release. Then they might want to distribute a product that was closer to the Japanese Original.

But who knows, I might be in there best interest to release the original English for TV.
And then something else for a DVD release.

Lets all make a abridge.

So if you have not gathered as of yet.
I LOVE abridge stuff on the interwebs.

Or to be more specific i love GOOD abridged, but the definition of good is rather subjective i mean when people make something they... Normally think it is good. (Or maybe not) I mean some times people make some stuff that is suppose to be bad.

But anyways, A Abridged series is basically satire, you take a show you shorten it and then make fun of it.

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So at this point.
I basically have a list of shows that are very good.
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#1: Dragon Ball Z Abridged.
#2: Yugioh Abridged. (Also the fan based parody of fan based parody) That is the Naruto Abridged show by littlekuribo.
#3: Sailor Moon Abridged.
#4: Yuyuhakusho: Poltergeist Report.

After that, there are some things that are kind of funny, but not consistently so.
Like the first episode of Digimon Abridged is kind of funny.



As a rule anything with.
Littlekuriboh.
LanyPator.
Takahata101.
Magami33.

Really any of that bunch is at least going to be well thought out parody. Not just stupid fart/gay jokes. (Unless it is in fact designed to be just that)

Rally Vincent VS Spike Spiegel.

Just the other day i was having a discussion about the role playing game Mutants and Mastermind. And this lead to the discussion about anime characters. [Shows what a nerd i am] The thing was that i was trying to come up with idles for a good low power super hero. So i thought i would base the character off of a Bounty Hunter.

So i started to think about Anime Bounty hunters. (Sense Dog the bounty hunters sucks ass)

And i came down to two Examples.

#1. Rally Vincent. From Gunsmith cats. [If you have not seen in, Go watch the 3 OVA's online, and read the Manga. (THERE IS ALLOT OF MANGA)

#2. Spike Spiegel. Of Cowboy Bebop Fame. [Now most anime buffs know how this guy is]

And we got into a discussion about.

A: Who is a better Bounty Hunter.

B: Who would win in a fight.

C: Who was cooler.

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OK So before i start on my anime editorial hear. I need to say this.

MOST the time when two+ Anime Fans start a discussion like this it will end badly, BUT me and my friend both know how to have a Discussion / Debate on a topic without just flaming.

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And the other thing is that one of the questions at hand is VERY easy to answer.

One is basically a matter of opinion.

And the other is largely up to Conjecturer.

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So in order.

A: "Who is a better Bounty Hunter."

OK we both kind of agree that this is really no contest. To be totally honest Spike is a Terrible Bounty hunter. He in fact never once in the show brings in a decent bounty. They all almost always get Killed, Escape or caught by some one else.

Yes he captures some hear and there but they are for the most part small fish. And he lets some of them get away for very dumb reasons. (Catching Eni in the 2nd episode as a example)

Its not really that spike is not good at his job, It's simply that he does not care. He just is not trying.

Rally on the other hand almost always gets her bounty.

And is very professional.

So we both agree that regardless of what the other two answers are this is a easy call.

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B: "Who would win in a fight."

OK so this is a MUCH tougher fight.

But we decided that we would look at it in a couple areas to figure it out.

1: Gunfight.

2: Hand to hand.

3: All out fight.

4: A Race.

5: Backup.

6: Every Thing Considered.

OK so first up.

1:Gunfight.

Now we both agree that Rally is the heavy weight in this ring. Spike is by no means a bad shot. Far From it. It's simply that Rally is a Phenom with any kind of gun. And her guns are for the most part better then spikes. (Not to mention that she carry's many guns vs spikes one)

2: Hand to hand.

OK so the exact reverse.

Wile Rally is a talented hand to hand combatant spike has her hands down. And by that i mean that the gap between the two is a bit wider in this area then in the gun fight area. Wile spike does from time to time take a beating, he is much like Rally a Phenom in this area. (The fight in the cowboy bebop movie was awesome but really a bit unfair)

3A: All out fight.

OK so if you put them up against one another. We did Agree on a few things.

#3B. The two would in fact most likely not fight. I would pose the point that this would be like a Goku VS Superman Fight. The two would just not fight to be honest. Spike doesn't seam like the kind of guy to hurt a lady without a damn good reason. (And i would actually put Rally in the lady box) And Rally isn't the kind of girl to fight for no good reason.... That and spike is quite a charmer, and rally is actually very shy so i think he could defuse a situation just with that.

#3C. Both of these characters are made of something MUCH MUCH tougher then normal people. Both take a pretty savage beating on a regular occasion and just seam to keep going.

#4C. Both are so Awesome that it is largely conjecture who would win.

I contest that in a all out fight Rally would win. For two reasons. First: Guns are just more dangerous then fists/feet. And Rally is tops in this area. Second: Spike is just TO DAMN NICE. And Rally is not.

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4: A race. What the crap are we on about? Simple both Rally and Spike are incomplete with out there modes of transport. Spike with his Swordfish II. And Rally without her Car. (First a blue 1967 model Shelby Mustang Cobra GT500, Then latter a Mustang II Cobra) Which is almost the spaceship of cars.

I got to say that in a fight this is no contest, but in the discussion of coolness it is. I almost have to go with the GT500.

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5: Backup. Now what we mean is of cores supporting cast hear.

And wile i have a soft spot for the crew of the Bebop i also must say this. I am Terrified of May Hopkins. (Rally's partner) Who is like a mad genius with explosives. and really.... really irresponsible with them. She would likely destroy everything/one involved in a fight.

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All considered i would actually side with spike on this to be honest. He is just all around a bad ass and rally is as well, but Spike just seams to not care to such a extent that its like he's not trying most the time. And that's what REALLY worries me about him.

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And as for the answer of who is a cooler character?

Well that is of coarse a matter of opinion. And allot of it will depend on what you consider cool. And what kind of setting you consider cool.

I for one follow this train of thought.

Fist fights are cooler then gun fights.

Bad ass cars are cooler then bas ass space ships.

Explosives are cooler then hackers.

I love spike he is a great character and to be fair has a much better back story. The show is in fact much more character driven, if you read the Gunsmith cats Manag then Rally becomes a very well developed character as well.

But in the end. I hate to say it. I got to go with Rally. (My friend went with Spike)
And my reason is two fold.

The BIG reason is that there are just not that many Females leads that are. 'Bad ass' that i really truly buy and like. Its not that i don't like the idle, its just that the delivery is often botched. Because the makers try to make the character more appealing by making them fit into a few stereotypes.

Rally is having none of that shit. She fits into almost no Stereotype. And is quite frankly a very Un-Japanese anime, anime character. And she is unlike allot of anime female leads. NOT DRESSED LIKE A WHORE! (Not going to point out that she ends up in her underwear at the end of fights more then once in the manga/anime) And that she is seen naked in the manga at least twice. And that there is a... kind of weird kidnapping thing with bondage. (No sex mind you, just a really creepy stalker) thing going on. So there is a bit of fan service.

But the character herself is not going for this. She in fact largely pushes right throw it and kicks ass the whole time.

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And the other reason? Well let me say something before i type this out. I am BY FAR not the kind of guy who falls prey to fan service animes. For the most part i find them very crass and unimpressive.

But.. Gunsmith cats is not that kind of anime for the most part.

And there is just something... something about Rally...

I mean something about a confident tough woman. Who is not a merry sue bitch. But rather a very reasonable compassionate and respectful person. Thats nice.

And you add Guns... And Bad Ass cars... And lets say that it makes me feel things...

So on the who is cooler question I'm going to have to go with my Cave Man side and say the Hot Chick With the Gun in the Muscle Car is Cooler.

Power Puff Girls.... Anime... No really.

What else is there to say...

There is in fact a Completely Japanese Production of the power puff girls.

Note that i am not talking about a Japanese Dubbing/Subbing/Translation of the show that cartoon network made. I mean a Animated and voiced original series. A complete re-imaganing of the show in the ilk of the Japanese culture.

OK so for the most part i don't care for cross pollination of Japanese or american shows.

Now let me explain what i mean by that. I am not a purist who only watches Anime in Japanese. (It largely depends on the voice acting of both versions)

What i mean is this. If Japan was to make a version of Thunder cats. (A America TV Show if you didn't know) I would mostly likely hate it. (Mainly because i don't like the original)

If Japan were to make version of batman. I would most likely hate it. Because really just some stuff does not translate well from one to the other.

There are some strange things in this area however.

That is. There are some shows that can VERY easyly be a Japanese or America TV show. This runs into the "Is it anime area" For instance.

Teen Titans.

Batman TAS.

Avatar: The last air bender.

Kim Possible.

All of these are very easy for viewers of nation to watch.

That being said if some one made a Japanese Version it would most likely mess with the balance.

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The powerpuff remake has some of this going on, BUT it seams that the original might have been so close to being something that japan might have made in the first place that it has done something interesting.

Now that being said, i would like to say this. When Japan does a remake. They do seam to say. "This does not fit into a already established genre of anime, so lets make it fit"

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I mean lets face it, the show was already a little strange as it was. But the Japanese.... Being Japanese had to make it fit into the anime genera. SOOOOOo.

Demashitaa! PowerPuff Girls Z

( They're Here! Powerpuff Girls Z ) - If you don't know Z on the end of a titel is kind of like saying NEXT.

The basic changes are as follows.

#1. The girl were not created by the professor. Only given powers. (Not intentionally so) By him.

#2. They were not sisters. (It is debatable if you could really have called them that in the america show)

#3a. Instead of clearly being a 'Little girl superhero group' They fall more comfortably into the 'Magic Girl' Area.

#3b. But it is clear they are not sailor moon. It would be fairer to say they are some were between the Original DragonBall Show and Sailor moon.

#4. The entire town has been rearranged a little to better fit this, but most of it is still largely the same.

#5. And most notably. They girls are considerable older. (About Jr.High) Now i know that seams like a big change but really dose japan need to look more like pedo's then they already did.

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So these changed are actually pretty reasonable.

And the one thing i REALLY like about his show is the character design... or rather the character re-design.

The thing is i can see all of the main characters (The girls) In the characters in the show. In fact i could largely see them just as older versions of the girls in the american show.

Blossom. Is still the kind of bossy know it all and perfectionist. And the REALLY girly one. (Most people would say that is bubbles, but there is a difference between girly and... bubbly.)

Buttercup. Buttercup in this is still tomboyish and kind of a brat, but she also has a marked punk feel to her, which i totally dig and she has managed to yet again be my favorite of the girls.

Bubbles. Now bubbles does seam to be the one that is farthest from her America counter part, largely in part because she seams to be the Most mature one. Which is counter to her statues as the baby in the fist show. But it really still comes across as working, because she is still kind of flighty and a day dreamer, not to mention the Emotional one. In other words i can still see this as a character that might come from the original.

The rest of the character disigne is really just re-painting the original characters. (LOVE the new Mojo)

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The downside?
Its.... REALLY REALLY JAPANESE.

Now don't get me wrong. I like most anime that is painfully Japanese.

It would be better to say this is PAINFULLY Magic Girl.

I'm and huge Sailor moon fan, but it is at heart a Sentia/Magic Girl Show.

But no.. no this one is 99% Magic Girl. 10% Dragon Ball Z.

And yes i know thats 109% I don't care this show is just like that.

There are .... Bazaar Transformation sequences. [Not I'm naked Bazaar... Epilepsy Pikachu Bazaar.]

And the show is just..... Painfully magic girl. just trust me on this one.

But the thing is its over all. very fun to watch.

My closeing statment is this.

WHY NO TERRA STRONG IN THE AMERICA VOICE CAST! WHY! WHY! WHY!

If you don't know i kind of stock the voice actress from the original bubbles.

Who also did Raven in Teen Titans. and Mandy from billy and mandy.... one of those three just does not belong..

More on my stocking her latter.

Card games.... ON MOTORCYCLES!

Ya so if you have not seen the video on y-tube. Then... Don't please for the love of all that is good and just in the world don't go and look.... But if you do its right hear.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVm2IKFJuVU

Now if you have seen this and don't know what its from it is from YuGiOh-5D.

If you don't know what that is. GOOD.

Don't go look it up... please for the love of all that is good and just don't do it. And I'm not giving you a link to that one. Because its not funny... not even a little.

Now that being said it dose give you a VERY fun car game.
Wile your driving, when ever you see some one on a motorcycle. Scream at the other person in the car. "CARD GAMES ON MOTORCYCLES!"

Double Points if they are asleep at the time.

Triple points if you make them spill there drink.

And you just out right win if you happen to have a deck of cards to throw that them when you do it.