Otakuism

According to this thread at the AnimeonDVD forums, Diebuster has been licensed, with a first volume release in April. The amazing thing about this is that Newtype (the somewhat-mediocre american version) reported this before everyone else. In what kind of universe does a monthly magazine beat the collective might of the internet? Anyways, Diebuster is awesome and it will be great to see it in full DVD quality. The only bad thing is it looks it will be the two-episodes a disk deal instead of all at once like the Gunbuster release. I’ll be waiting for a boxset before I pick this up.

Looking back, I guess I can say 2006 was an ok year anime wise. I finished a good number of series, most of which I can hardly remember so that’s not too good, and I started a blog to talk about said anime. However, for every one show I finished this year, I feel like there are three more I didn’t. It’s not that I have a huge backlog, it’s just that I seem to lose interest in shows and don’t feel like finishing them anytime soon. So when compared to anime I didn’t finish, the finished list is rather short. Then throw in stuff I did finish, but didn’t come out this year and…oh well. You get the idea. Here’s my picks for the best anime I watched this year, in whichever random categories I could think of.

Best ” Anime That Was Decent But Introduced Me to It’s Better Game “- Fate/stay Night

Before Fate/stay Night came out last January, I had the vaguest of ideas of who Type-Moon was. The only thing I really knew was that everyone said the anime for Tsukihime was crap. But then I got caught up in all the hype around FSN and decided to watch it. I enjoyed it and decided to look into TM and their games. TM’s been an addiction of mine ever since. The stories, characters, mechanics, it all just sucked me in. I’m now a Nasutard, and eagerly eat up any new announcement about a TM game, anime, figures, etc. I even got to finally play Tsukihime. I have FSN to thank for this. It may not of lived up to the game, but it had it’s moments (Garcher, ep. 26 ending song), so it wins for introducing me to the wider world of TM fandom, a world I’ve yet to turn back from.

Best ” Guilty Pleasure ” show - Demonbane

Anyone who read my early entries knows how much I love Demonbane. It’s the most perfect bad anime ever. The nonexistant plot, the bad cg mecha, the horrible sideburns on all the characters, the random loli fanservice. It was a show made to be mocked. The only good thing were the characters. Al, Hadou, Kurou, the butler, all so great. Best seen with a couple of friends to see who can make the most sex jokes. Cause there’s a ton of them. Also wins for finally getting me to read Lovecraft.

Best ” Overhyped but still good ” show - The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi

I’ve never been a member of Haruhiism. I’ve never rewatched the show after it finished. I don’t collect Yuki fanart (only Ryouko, cause she’s a psychotic maniac) and I abhor Mikuru with a passion (too much moeblob). Yes, Haruhi was a good show I enjoyed, whether it was because of the plot or the animation is up for debate. But it’s not the best show evar. It kept me occupied in the long spring months, so it served it’s purpose. For this it wins my overhyped but still good category. I’ll still watch the second season when it comes out though.

Best ” OVA ” - Diebuster

Because Nono is Loev.

Best ” OVA that didn’t come out this year but I finally saw ” - Gaogaigar FINAL

Because it’s made of hotblood and gar. And Renais has a hot ass.

Best ” Stylish/Artsy ” show - Black Cat

I’m probably one of the few people, that I know of, that liked the Black Cat anime. Maybe it’s because I never read the manga beforehand. People said it butchered the manga, and maybe it did. I’ve read some of the manga though, and let me tell you, it’s not shakespeare. But this isnt’ a best story category, this is about style, which Black Cat had plenty of. This was Gonzo’s artsy side at it’s best since Gankutsuou. Two episodes in particuar stand out to me: The one where Train has his final battle with Creed, and the last episode fight for Eve. Those were the highpoints of the series style, with the fights being the best. They were fast-paced and not like normal shounen fair where the stop every second. I still go back and watch those episodes just to enjoy the action. Gonzo did really well with this one (now let’s hope they do the same for Romeo x Juliet).

Best ” Show I’ll probably never finish ” - Higurashi no Naku Koro ni

I love blood and horror, but by the time Higurashi got around to Satoko the show was boring as hell to me. The constant resets may of been innovative, but after two I was through. I thought the HEAVEN OR HELL LET’S ROCK! thing would get me interested again, but that was also meh. The only good thing I got from this show is great Shmion twincest porn. Really, that’s all that matters.

MKM narrowly beats out Ouran Highschool Host Club for best comedy show. If Ouran didn’t have those annoying twin episodes it maybe would of won, but it’s hard to beat Miki, especially drunk Miki. Since I love both shounen and parody, a show that parodies shounen instantly wins for me. Even if the plot was ” Miki beats up everyone, doesn’t learn a lesson, rinse, repeat ” I still loved the whole thing. All the characters, Nya guy, Sensei aka. evil ghost, Megumi the assassin maid, Miki’s stronger than everyone mom, were so great. Also had one of the best OP’s of the year that I still listen to. I pray for the day this gets a second season.

Best ” Show Who’s Fansubs aren’t Done ” - ARIA the NATURAL

It’s hard to call ARIA a best anything since I haven’t even finish it yet, but it’s so good I have to give it something. What exactly is there to say about ARIA? It’s a show you experiance, not describe and analyse. It’s about three incredibly cute girls goofin’ around, it’s about how beautiful Neo-Venezia is and making you want to drop everything and book a flight to Venice, it’s about those magic moments in life we rarely experiance anymore. And for all that it wins a special place in my heart. Maybe not for the best show, but certainly the most touching one. Also wins for Alice, the most awesomest moe girl evar! Short hair Aika is also great.

Best ” Show of the Year ” - Black Lagoon (both seasons)

Hands down, Black Lagoon is the best anime I’ve seen this year. It has everything: action, drama, comedy, garness, engrish, necrophiliac crossdressing lolitwins. EVERYTHING. The first season was awesome, and the second one just made it better. The lolitwin arc and yakuza arc were both great. I’ve seen all the characters change, from Revy becoming softer, Rock more accepting, to Balalaika being nastier. Such a great cast of unique characters you won’t find anywhere else in animedom. Sadly we won’t see any new Black Lagoon anytime soon. It’s completely caught up with the manga, and that comes out kind of slowly. If there’s still interest maybe there will be a third season in a couple of years, but that’s forever in otaku time. I guess now I can only wish that either the manga is licensed or for it to be scanlated faster for my black lagoon fix.

Honourable Mention - Honey & Clover II

The first season of H&C is one of the best shows I’ve ever watched and I still think that. However, the second season just wasn’t as enjoyable to me. I liked the drama, though certainly there was lack of comedy, but the ending just left a sour taste in my mouth. Specifically, the Hagu/Takemoto/Shuuji storyline. The way the whole thing ended just felt stupid to me and ruined the rest of it. The bumbling Yamada/Nomiya relationship didn’t help at all either. So H&C II gets a mention for me, just becuase it’s descended from it’s better parent. It’s still a series I have problems with.

And since now it’s the last day of the year, I liked to wish everyone a happy new years, and best wishes for ‘07! I hope you’ll continues reading this crazy blog well into the new year. Also, just so you know, the girl in the yukata is actually a he. THANK YOU JAPAN!

FUCK YEAH!

And so my love affair with Diebuster ends, with the release of the final episode “The Story of Your Life”. A brief summary if you will before I go onto my random fanboy musings and nitpicking. Ok basically since the space monster is going to devour earth the big plan is to ram earth into the monster and destroy it through some black hole science/magic. So yeah doesn’t really make any sense but it does give our final battle a more galactic feel. Lark is the one that pilots planet Earth, but is stopped by Uber-Diebuster Nono who’s now taller than a fucking planet from all those robot monsters coming together. She tries some SUPER INAZUMA KICK! and BUSTER BEAMS! but they don’t really work and she starts getting blasted to bits. Lark stops being emo and pulls out some guts and hard work and pimps Dix-Neuf up to the next level. Pimped up Dix-Neuf and regular Nono do a INAZUMA DOUBLE KICK! and kill the monster. This causes a singularity with the monsters black hole that almost forms another big bang. Fortunaely Nono pulls an End of Evangelion and takes care of it. Unfortunatly this means she has to leave. It ends ten years later with Lark welcoming the original Gunbuster Girls home. Whew. Notice I only included the kick ass mecha parts.

…ok you lost me.

On an emotional level this was definately a tearjerker for me. Mind you they were manly tears that flowed down my face when Nono had to leave. Ultimately Diebuster was (in the usual Gainax fashion) more about the individual loneliness of the characters than old school mecha action. Both Nono and Lark felt alone throughout the series, Lark from being Topless and Nono from not being a Nonoriri. Of course these roles were changed halfway when Nono became a God but still they both felt different from everyone else. it wasn’t until the end that they understood how much their friendship meant to eachother. In a way (and I hate to do this) Diebuster is an update of FLCL, with Lark being Naoto and Nono being Haruka(Mamimi?). Nono definately acts as a catalyst to make Lark more human and to grow up. Their both basically adolescent tales I guess, just one in space.

These are the voyages of the USS Earth, It’s continuing mission to boldly go where no one has gone before.

Now to what I didn’t like, and this is solely focused on the final episode. The whole moving Earth idea is some of the dumbest shit I’ve ever heard. Just by moving the Earth out of orbit you basically destroy it’s whole climate/ecosystem. And then everythings alright just by putting it back in place? And the moon does not stay in orbit once you move earth. What do you think it fucking orbits around? Maybe some of you that actually study this stuff can make it plausible but it’s still shitty science. Very much ruined the mood I think, but then again we left realism a while ago back on Mars.

Oh God Lark is Hot (in a completely non-loli way)!

In the end how do I rate Diebuster? I would have to say it’s one of the best sci-fi animes I’ve seen in awhile. They don’t make ‘em like this anymore. Nono is definately one of the cooler anime babes I’ve ever seen (most powerful too). Really need more redheads in jumpsuits. Gainax needs to go a release a fucking PVC of her already, and not a thousand dollar custom one like they got right now. Mad props too for the excellent music. You can just put it on in the background and play it for hours without getting tired of it. Sooo when’s Gunbuster getting released in the U.S.?

My thoughts on random stuff I’ve done this week that I think don’t deserve full posts.

- Watched up to ep. 5 of Diebuster and all I can say is OMG NANO IS FUKKIN OMEGA SUPRA GOD-ROBO OF THE YEAR!! Yeah. Seriously she can split a moon in two and control millions of robots with an AHOGE! That’s awesome. Loved it in ep. 4 where all the topless were freaking out about dying before being impaled by the alien stingers. That was an excellent awe and terror moment. You’ll get a full review of this series after Lunar gives me the final episode. Come on Lunar!

- RE-TAKE 4 was much more wtf eva ending than I expected, what with all the seperate realities and dreams happening at the same time. And what was up with the loli crawling out of the ocean at the end? Great read though for eva fans. Definately need a spread for those final couple of pages.

- At 4chan’s suggeston downloaded the first thirteen episodes of Akagi and started watching it. What I’ve seen so far is best described by anonymous as ” I don’t understand the language of Mahjong but I do know the language of badass. ” Perfectly said. Awesome bluesy Op also.

- I’m gonna start watching Space Runaway Ideon and Galaxy Express 999 soon if I have enough time after school. I’ve been really getting into older series after watching Diebuster and looking up Gunbuster. I’ll have to get it when it comes out.

- and no I won’t hop on the bandwagon and do a season preview. I’m watching Kanon like everyone else and Bartender because stories about bartenders are always cool.

- Another Diebuster note. Does anyone know an english site that sells this figure, or any other Nono figures?

Now I’m off to write another Nipponsei review for later.

On a whim, or perhaps because I keep seeing random images of it on 4chan, I decided to check out the first episode of the Diebuster OVA. What I got was a solid half hour of fun and over the top mecha action. Diebuster is the supposed sequel to the pretty old Gunbuster, which I sadly have not had the chance to see yet. However Diebuster is a very loose sequel and I had no problem following what was going on.

Diebuster is about the girl Nono who aspires to be a top class space pilot and runs away from home at the beginning of the story to achieve this. Nono is literally why I’m going to continue watching this. My best description of her is a dojiko Asuka, seeing how she looks like Asuka but with none of the tsundereness. She also believes that all one needs to suceed is “Guts and Hard Work” spoken like any true mecha anime.

Halfway through the ep. Nono meets Lark, who happens to be an actual ace space pilot that Nono latches onto and calls Onee-sama, much to Lark’s annoyance. Lark also looks amazingly similiar to Kitsurubami, Amarao’s assisstant from FLCL. Lark gets to show off her robot skills when a space monster attacks the city and she has to fight it. Of course Nono’s aroud when this happens and ends up showing how ‘unique’ she is when she lifts up the collapsed monsters entire leg to save someone. But clumsy Nono gets stuck to the monster right when it blasts off into space. But that doesn’t stop her from somehow breathing in space and destroying the whole monster with her “Onee-sama Kick”. It’s clear by now Nono is something very special, I just don’t know what.

The reason I call this FLCL with mecha is because the whole thing looks like flcl, with the same fluid animation, a town covered in smoke, and even a futuristic vespa that Lark drives. But the mecha fights are the same which is nice, having the same fluid movements and flurry of attacks. I just realized that the monster looks just like the enemy robot from ep. 3 of flcl. Now you see why I call Gainax unoriginal. The only thing I didn’t like was the blatant fanservice when Nono tore off her top, even if it was a pun on ‘topless’ which is what the ace pilots are called. The whole scene felt forced and ridiculous with Nono fighting in space without a shirt. I gonna continue watching this and probably do another review of it at somepoint when I finish it (or get to ep. 5 as it seems that’s where Lunar stopped). Guts and Hard Work!