July 3rd, 2017
All You Need Is: The Dragon Dentist
Anime Relations: Nihon Animator Mihonichi, Ryuu no Haisha
All You Need Is: The Dragon Dentist
Minor spoilers ahead.
Should you watch?: Yes. With an open mind and no previous mindset established.
The premise of a dragon dentist sounds stupid, right? Leave it to Hideaki Anno, Tsurumaki Kazuya & the Khara team to make it endearing and interesting! Nowadays, too many people have become absorbed by the idea of knowing every bit of context and history regarding a certain character or story. Thus, there's rarely any mystery or left to the imagination. I find satisfaction in discovering pieces of art that serve as portions of a vastly unexplored universe. Kazuya is especially good at presenting them, having been at the helm of animated adventures such as FLCL.
What makes The Dragon Dentist special is its unique take on a dark modern fantasy. Set in the backdrop of a merciless war, the story revolves around a team of brave warriors that protect the health and stability of enslaved dragons. The role of a dragon dentist means inevitable death, fact ackowledged and understood by all members. While this might be somewhat of a depressing view, the OVA never becomes bleak or nihilistic about its themes. In fact, as other Anno anime before it, it subtlely suggests fighting against thoughts of desperation and pointlessness. However, it never becomes preachy or pretentious, it presents war as it is without beating you over the head with an emotional baseball bad about the horrors of humanity. The characters drive the story, and with them, the core ideas become developed. Conclusions can obviously differ due to the variety of perspectives and perceptions that people have.
But why do dragons need dentists? As stated in the first episode, the dragon's only weakness is their teeth. Be they encompassed by their tooth ache, they become susceptible to being taken down. The dentists serve as acrobatic cleaners that keep their reptilian mouths safe from this universe's take on cavities: dark coloured creatures that consume and deteriorate the dragon teeth, called "mushi". Dragons and their pressence can obviously seem intimidating and threatening, therefore some will inevitably hate their existence and try to eliminate it. Thus creating a dissonance between the dentists and the soldiers of the opposite force. I must also note that some ideas and actions might seem familiar from older shows related to Anno.
One important fact about this OVA, as previously stated, is the fact that it does not choose to offer to many details about the world presented outside of the narrative explored here. Depending on your taste and preferences in storytelling, viewers may find this interesting, as it could spark the curiosity regarding of said world, or disappointment marked by perceiving this as incomplete. If anything, this subject is worth debating, as it's become quite common for complaints over mysterious backstories and hystory. Modern media has often spoiled us with too much information and details about fascinating characters - such as the criminally atrocious horror remakes of the late 2000's and early 2010's - and I find less and less people accepting of mystery. My personal take on this is that there is no necessity in filling in every single detail, but rather leaving room for the imagination can sometimes improve the quality of a story, though not in the sense of needlessly overthinking or theory crafting.
In fact, there isn't really much to overthink about this anime. Its narrative is fairly simple and straightforward with the focus the two main characters. I don't find much use in spoiling the story, as it leaves nothing new to experience for someone who hasn't watched it yet, so I would rather skip that part. Dragon Dentist at times feels like a prototype for a bigger, more developed epic that has yet to be animated. However, that does not stop it from being a compelling and interesting glimpse into an alternative world history. I'd say the presentation reminds me of early 90's OVA's that would tease the vast world of a manga, such as Gunnm, or Battle Angel Alita in the west. Even the two main characters are somewhat reminiscient of it, they are plentily fleshed out for a two-part instalment and even benefit from some character progression. Their connection and dynamic steadily moves along with their choices and becomes central later on in the show. Nonoko becomes part of the Anno/Gainax legacy of portraying strong female characters: brave and stubborn, yet still human and vulnerable emotionally, without the latter becoming a weakness or impediment for the characters. Her charm and willpower make her especially endearing and easy to cheer on.
On the technical side, Khara does not disappoint, though I can't claim brilliance either. There are indeed great moments in directing and composition, however the visuals rarely surpass the realm of "good". The use of CGI is usually not distracting and blends nicely with the 2D animation. The action is well directed, as expected from Kazuya, though I'd argue it's not his best, nor most impressive work to date. I still reserve those places for FLCL and Diebuster, with the first two Rebuilds coming somewhat close after. The animation is consistent, with an especially geniusly directed scene towards the end of the second episode, that begins with swimming and gradually turns into a surreal and colorful mindtwist, perfectly complimented by the fitting audio theme, making it the technical highlight of the show, highly reminiscient of the famous Me!Me!Me! short. Speaking of audio, it's important (for me) to note that japanese musician daoko is part of the soundtrack, adding her sweet vocals and talent to an already well suited sonic aesthetic. The End of Dragon Dentist shines in its last 20 minutes with stunning visuals, composition, directing choices and cinematography. I feel I should emphasize how beautiful and well choreographed it becomes, enhancing the experience.
As an experimental short, it shined among a series of animations. As an excerpt of an alternate timeline, where history chose a different path and giant flying reptiles roam the skies, it marks itself as a fascinating story. Do not let malicious words or lack of context scare you away from this experience, it's one that grows as its runtime progresses and is most satisfying as a dark fantasy adventure animated by Studio Khara. While I believe that praising art before recommending it can ruin the experience had by those who choose to view it, I'd highly approve giving this anime a chance and living it yourself. Ignore all criticism and praise. Take in information about it, should you need it, but let it not influence your judgement. Let yourself discover why "dragons cry with their teeth". You might find much more than you expected.
Minor spoilers ahead.
Should you watch?: Yes. With an open mind and no previous mindset established.
The premise of a dragon dentist sounds stupid, right? Leave it to Hideaki Anno, Tsurumaki Kazuya & the Khara team to make it endearing and interesting! Nowadays, too many people have become absorbed by the idea of knowing every bit of context and history regarding a certain character or story. Thus, there's rarely any mystery or left to the imagination. I find satisfaction in discovering pieces of art that serve as portions of a vastly unexplored universe. Kazuya is especially good at presenting them, having been at the helm of animated adventures such as FLCL.
What makes The Dragon Dentist special is its unique take on a dark modern fantasy. Set in the backdrop of a merciless war, the story revolves around a team of brave warriors that protect the health and stability of enslaved dragons. The role of a dragon dentist means inevitable death, fact ackowledged and understood by all members. While this might be somewhat of a depressing view, the OVA never becomes bleak or nihilistic about its themes. In fact, as other Anno anime before it, it subtlely suggests fighting against thoughts of desperation and pointlessness. However, it never becomes preachy or pretentious, it presents war as it is without beating you over the head with an emotional baseball bad about the horrors of humanity. The characters drive the story, and with them, the core ideas become developed. Conclusions can obviously differ due to the variety of perspectives and perceptions that people have.
But why do dragons need dentists? As stated in the first episode, the dragon's only weakness is their teeth. Be they encompassed by their tooth ache, they become susceptible to being taken down. The dentists serve as acrobatic cleaners that keep their reptilian mouths safe from this universe's take on cavities: dark coloured creatures that consume and deteriorate the dragon teeth, called "mushi". Dragons and their pressence can obviously seem intimidating and threatening, therefore some will inevitably hate their existence and try to eliminate it. Thus creating a dissonance between the dentists and the soldiers of the opposite force. I must also note that some ideas and actions might seem familiar from older shows related to Anno.
One important fact about this OVA, as previously stated, is the fact that it does not choose to offer to many details about the world presented outside of the narrative explored here. Depending on your taste and preferences in storytelling, viewers may find this interesting, as it could spark the curiosity regarding of said world, or disappointment marked by perceiving this as incomplete. If anything, this subject is worth debating, as it's become quite common for complaints over mysterious backstories and hystory. Modern media has often spoiled us with too much information and details about fascinating characters - such as the criminally atrocious horror remakes of the late 2000's and early 2010's - and I find less and less people accepting of mystery. My personal take on this is that there is no necessity in filling in every single detail, but rather leaving room for the imagination can sometimes improve the quality of a story, though not in the sense of needlessly overthinking or theory crafting.
In fact, there isn't really much to overthink about this anime. Its narrative is fairly simple and straightforward with the focus the two main characters. I don't find much use in spoiling the story, as it leaves nothing new to experience for someone who hasn't watched it yet, so I would rather skip that part. Dragon Dentist at times feels like a prototype for a bigger, more developed epic that has yet to be animated. However, that does not stop it from being a compelling and interesting glimpse into an alternative world history. I'd say the presentation reminds me of early 90's OVA's that would tease the vast world of a manga, such as Gunnm, or Battle Angel Alita in the west. Even the two main characters are somewhat reminiscient of it, they are plentily fleshed out for a two-part instalment and even benefit from some character progression. Their connection and dynamic steadily moves along with their choices and becomes central later on in the show. Nonoko becomes part of the Anno/Gainax legacy of portraying strong female characters: brave and stubborn, yet still human and vulnerable emotionally, without the latter becoming a weakness or impediment for the characters. Her charm and willpower make her especially endearing and easy to cheer on.
On the technical side, Khara does not disappoint, though I can't claim brilliance either. There are indeed great moments in directing and composition, however the visuals rarely surpass the realm of "good". The use of CGI is usually not distracting and blends nicely with the 2D animation. The action is well directed, as expected from Kazuya, though I'd argue it's not his best, nor most impressive work to date. I still reserve those places for FLCL and Diebuster, with the first two Rebuilds coming somewhat close after. The animation is consistent, with an especially geniusly directed scene towards the end of the second episode, that begins with swimming and gradually turns into a surreal and colorful mindtwist, perfectly complimented by the fitting audio theme, making it the technical highlight of the show, highly reminiscient of the famous Me!Me!Me! short. Speaking of audio, it's important (for me) to note that japanese musician daoko is part of the soundtrack, adding her sweet vocals and talent to an already well suited sonic aesthetic. The End of Dragon Dentist shines in its last 20 minutes with stunning visuals, composition, directing choices and cinematography. I feel I should emphasize how beautiful and well choreographed it becomes, enhancing the experience.
As an experimental short, it shined among a series of animations. As an excerpt of an alternate timeline, where history chose a different path and giant flying reptiles roam the skies, it marks itself as a fascinating story. Do not let malicious words or lack of context scare you away from this experience, it's one that grows as its runtime progresses and is most satisfying as a dark fantasy adventure animated by Studio Khara. While I believe that praising art before recommending it can ruin the experience had by those who choose to view it, I'd highly approve giving this anime a chance and living it yourself. Ignore all criticism and praise. Take in information about it, should you need it, but let it not influence your judgement. Let yourself discover why "dragons cry with their teeth". You might find much more than you expected.
Posted by MZXJ | Jul 3, 2017 11:59 AM | 0 comments
Private Entry
June 26th, 2016
My Take on Kanon (2006) by Kyoto Animation/Key
Anime Relations: Kanon (2006)
6 episodes in:
Some guy finds himself surrounded by the dumbest, weirdest, creepiest bug-eyed looking girls in the world, so he decides to use what little wit he has to torture them both mentally and physically, by making fun of them, teasing them, hitting them, taking pleasure in their distress and just overall showing them how inferior they are to him. And to top it all off, that makes for great comedy. I am honestly and sadistically laughing.
8 episodes in:
That twist is so stupid, I could hardly contain myself.
Not to mention the lazy way to eliminate a chick from the harem.
Half the cast looks like the cast of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. The lead character is like a Kyon with Down Syndrome, Mai has Yuki Nagato's face and Makoto is Haruhi 1/1.
Some guy finds himself surrounded by the dumbest, weirdest, creepiest bug-eyed looking girls in the world, so he decides to use what little wit he has to torture them both mentally and physically, by making fun of them, teasing them, hitting them, taking pleasure in their distress and just overall showing them how inferior they are to him. And to top it all off, that makes for great comedy. I am honestly and sadistically laughing.
8 episodes in:
That twist is so stupid, I could hardly contain myself.
Not to mention the lazy way to eliminate a chick from the harem.
Half the cast looks like the cast of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. The lead character is like a Kyon with Down Syndrome, Mai has Yuki Nagato's face and Makoto is Haruhi 1/1.
Posted by MZXJ | Jun 26, 2016 4:49 AM | 0 comments
June 25th, 2016
Gunbuster 2! Diebuster!
Anime Relations: Top wo Nerae 2! Diebuster
[Some visual spoilers ahead]
First and foremost, why is those more beloved and famous than FLCL? This is clearly the superior series. In fact, I dare say Gunbuster & Diebuster are the best thing to ever come out of Gainax, which I'm pretty sure is an unpopular opinion, to say the least, exception perhaps being Archaeon's review on the first Gunbuster.
That said, you absolutely need to go watch the original Gunbuster, because without the knowledge from that, you won't really understand much in this OVA and it will captivate you far less than it really should. It is dependent on its prequel in the way that it tells its story, being full of direct references and easter eggs for it.
That said, where it does bare a lot of simmiliarities with its much more beloved and famous cousin, FLCL, as well as Gurren Lagann, is in its stylistic choices and its much funkier energy. Which is to no surprise, considering it's directed by Tsurumaki Kazuya, who directed Fooly Cooly, as well as Evangelion Rebuild 1.1 and 2.2.
In terms of execution, it's more action packed than the previous one; however, it kind of fails to deliver storywise, because of the attempt and focusing on multiple unnecessary characters, instead of just the protagonist. It's not as much a coming of age story, as it is a battle for victory of humanity story, which feels a bit out of place, as it wasn't the main focus of GB1. This takes slightly takes away from a certain twist that occurs, but it doesn't change the fact that our two leads, Nono and Lal'c are still fun, badass and likeable characters.
As with the first Gunbuster and most other Gainax productions, Diebuster has a sense of escalation, but with a much more intense, direct and over-the-top approach, such as seen in Gurren Lagann.
The designs and art are more reminiscient of modern Gainax, sharing the same artist as FLCL, making this another connection between the two. The animation is incredibly fluid for the most part - the characters, like their G1 counterparts, moving in a very human manner in some scenes - however, the series overall feels a bit more cartoony in both its action and some of its character designs, marking this as somewhat harder to invest in emotionally. While some of the designs stand out, such as Lal'c, others feel slightly generic or like they've been done before, Nono being reminiscient of Haruhara Haruko, while Tycho feels like any other pig-tailed tsundere in modern anime. Then there are truly unattractive and downright carricaturesque designs, such as Casio's or the 3 pilots from the first episode, that really drag down the overall value of the aesthetic and make the series harder to be invested in.
In terms of fan-service, there is enough, more than in the '80's OVA's, especially in the first episode, but it doesn't really serve the same purpose it did in the original. While, there, it was merely part of the unfolding story and was a more elegant, subtle presence - also being usedf or one of the most iconic and badass moments in anime history (in the finale's climax) - here it feels more like it was included because it was needed only for references and easter eggs (there are quite a few) for TwN1 and maybe for the sake of sells and popularity among a certain demographic, reflecting an "in your face" attitude and feeling, though not really becoming too agressive that it's downright vulgar and unpleasant.
Overall, this indeed feels like very much a sequel to the legendary Gunbuster, while still having a fresh presence, making it a worthy continuation of the story, flaws included.
I highly recommend it to fans of Gunbuster, FLCL, Gurren Lagann, over-the-top action and adventure, tough good looking babes and Gainax in general and I personally consider it and its predessor as the best thing that ever came out of Gainax (yes, even better than NGE and the Evangelion Rebuilds, as much as I love those as well).
Oh, and, while Nono takes center stage, Lal'c is definitely one of the coolest, toughest girls in anime, at least in the past 20 or so years.
Bonus Lal'c. Diebusta!
First and foremost, why is those more beloved and famous than FLCL? This is clearly the superior series. In fact, I dare say Gunbuster & Diebuster are the best thing to ever come out of Gainax, which I'm pretty sure is an unpopular opinion, to say the least, exception perhaps being Archaeon's review on the first Gunbuster.
That said, you absolutely need to go watch the original Gunbuster, because without the knowledge from that, you won't really understand much in this OVA and it will captivate you far less than it really should. It is dependent on its prequel in the way that it tells its story, being full of direct references and easter eggs for it.
That said, where it does bare a lot of simmiliarities with its much more beloved and famous cousin, FLCL, as well as Gurren Lagann, is in its stylistic choices and its much funkier energy. Which is to no surprise, considering it's directed by Tsurumaki Kazuya, who directed Fooly Cooly, as well as Evangelion Rebuild 1.1 and 2.2.
In terms of execution, it's more action packed than the previous one; however, it kind of fails to deliver storywise, because of the attempt and focusing on multiple unnecessary characters, instead of just the protagonist. It's not as much a coming of age story, as it is a battle for victory of humanity story, which feels a bit out of place, as it wasn't the main focus of GB1. This takes slightly takes away from a certain twist that occurs, but it doesn't change the fact that our two leads, Nono and Lal'c are still fun, badass and likeable characters.
As with the first Gunbuster and most other Gainax productions, Diebuster has a sense of escalation, but with a much more intense, direct and over-the-top approach, such as seen in Gurren Lagann.
The designs and art are more reminiscient of modern Gainax, sharing the same artist as FLCL, making this another connection between the two. The animation is incredibly fluid for the most part - the characters, like their G1 counterparts, moving in a very human manner in some scenes - however, the series overall feels a bit more cartoony in both its action and some of its character designs, marking this as somewhat harder to invest in emotionally. While some of the designs stand out, such as Lal'c, others feel slightly generic or like they've been done before, Nono being reminiscient of Haruhara Haruko, while Tycho feels like any other pig-tailed tsundere in modern anime. Then there are truly unattractive and downright carricaturesque designs, such as Casio's or the 3 pilots from the first episode, that really drag down the overall value of the aesthetic and make the series harder to be invested in.
In terms of fan-service, there is enough, more than in the '80's OVA's, especially in the first episode, but it doesn't really serve the same purpose it did in the original. While, there, it was merely part of the unfolding story and was a more elegant, subtle presence - also being usedf or one of the most iconic and badass moments in anime history (in the finale's climax) - here it feels more like it was included because it was needed only for references and easter eggs (there are quite a few) for TwN1 and maybe for the sake of sells and popularity among a certain demographic, reflecting an "in your face" attitude and feeling, though not really becoming too agressive that it's downright vulgar and unpleasant.
Overall, this indeed feels like very much a sequel to the legendary Gunbuster, while still having a fresh presence, making it a worthy continuation of the story, flaws included.
I highly recommend it to fans of Gunbuster, FLCL, Gurren Lagann, over-the-top action and adventure, tough good looking babes and Gainax in general and I personally consider it and its predessor as the best thing that ever came out of Gainax (yes, even better than NGE and the Evangelion Rebuilds, as much as I love those as well).
Oh, and, while Nono takes center stage, Lal'c is definitely one of the coolest, toughest girls in anime, at least in the past 20 or so years.
Bonus Lal'c. Diebusta!
Posted by MZXJ | Jun 25, 2016 5:27 AM | 0 comments
Gunbuster! Aim For The Top!
Anime Relations: Top wo Nerae! Gunbuster
From the now legendary Hideaki Anno we get what I consider a genuine hidden gem about mechs and the people who pilot them. Sound familiar? Well, you can consider this a precursor to his much more famous NGE franchise. As with NGE, this short OVA series does focus on characters a bit more than the mechs themselves and you can see Anno's first attempts and diving into the characters' minds and also messing with the audience. A lot of the key animation was also handled by Anno, which is obvious by its sheer beauty and fluidity.
Oh, and there's full on nudity, a$$ and tit$ galore. Take that, NGE.
But seriously, if you're into Anno's work, Gainax, Mechs, retro fun or '80's montages or in it just for the curiosity of seeing how anime has evolved, I highly recommend this. It can be a bit slow at times, as it focuses more on the human characters and their interpersonal relationships - who do have that '80's feel about them - but it's definitely a gem that should not be ignored.
It's an absolutely epic journey. Great escalation and atmosphere. For something that came out in the late '80's, this is beyond amazing. Anno, you mad man, you always pull through. This is definitely a contender for being better than Evangelion. In only 6 episodes it achieves so much and makes you care about every single character.
The only downside is that we never got a dub for this, which is a real shame.
Oh, and there's full on nudity, a$$ and tit$ galore. Take that, NGE.
But seriously, if you're into Anno's work, Gainax, Mechs, retro fun or '80's montages or in it just for the curiosity of seeing how anime has evolved, I highly recommend this. It can be a bit slow at times, as it focuses more on the human characters and their interpersonal relationships - who do have that '80's feel about them - but it's definitely a gem that should not be ignored.
It's an absolutely epic journey. Great escalation and atmosphere. For something that came out in the late '80's, this is beyond amazing. Anno, you mad man, you always pull through. This is definitely a contender for being better than Evangelion. In only 6 episodes it achieves so much and makes you care about every single character.
The only downside is that we never got a dub for this, which is a real shame.
Posted by MZXJ | Jun 25, 2016 5:09 AM | 0 comments
June 10th, 2016
Time to get hyped
Anime Relations: Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu, Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu (2009), Suzumiya Haruhi-chan no Yuuutsu, Suzumiya Haruhi no Shoushitsu, Nagato Yuki-chan no Shoushitsu, Nagato Yuki-chan no Shoushitsu: Owarenai Natsuyasumi
Apparently there is a new Haruhi Suzumiya anime coming and I couldn't be more excited. Lantis seems to be involved in the project and there will also be an anniversary album released some time this year, which will feature pretty much the entire soundtrack of the first two seasons.
A poster featuring new visuals was also recently featured in the Animedia magazine
I'm so happy, I'm finally getting my wish!
A poster featuring new visuals was also recently featured in the Animedia magazine
I'm so happy, I'm finally getting my wish!
Posted by MZXJ | Jun 10, 2016 8:07 PM | 0 comments