Trivia that matter
Nick did a little research into the production costs of several movies. If his figures are accurate, what’s astonishing is not how much Princess Mononoke cost but how little Five Centimeters Per Second and Perfect Blue did.
*****
Since Amaenaideyo!! has been licensed, I dropped it from the poll at right. It makes little difference; it only received one vote of the seventy-one cast so far.
… from an alternative universe. If you need a demonstration that our universe’s Nobel is meaningless, here it is.
(Via The Rat.)
Does your cat turn up his nose at a saucer of milk? He probably prefers scotch.
If you really want to know about fairies, skip Earl and Fairy. Read Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell and Little, Big instead.
I wish fansubbers would occasionally look things up to make sure thay have them right, e.g., the Index Librorum Prohibitorum.
I shot about 1,500 frames at the dance rehearsal last night. There’s no doubt about it: this year’s bunch of kids can really jump.
I shot about 1,500 frames of dance last night, and it’s going to take a few evenings to go through all the pictures, selecting and editing the best. That and some projects for work mean that I will continue to be scarce here. I’ll be back eventually, but don’t hold your breath.
*****
I watched the first episodes of a few recent shows. Surprisingly, most didn’t stink and might be worth a second look. Let’s see ….
Macademi Wasshoi — It’s energetic and entertaining, but I would enjoy it more if the characters looked older: neotenous faces and fanservice is a distasteful combination. If future episodes emphasize humor over fanservice, I might continue with it. By the way, I’m not convinced that we actually have a dog-girl here. Her tail doesn’t wag properly. ((If you want a true dog-girl, albeit without the tail, see O-Nui in Oh! Edo Rocket.))
Kannagi — There’s an opportunity for easy but effective parody and satire if this divine Galatea continues to learn about the modern world from television. Otherwise, the series looks to be mildly amusing and bland. Update: Hideyuki Kurata is responsible for the script. Expect wildly erratic writing.
To Aru Matjutsu no Index — Promising, and that’s about all I can say at this point.
Detroit Metal City — Cute premise, but romangst and death metal are unlikely to wear well. Pass. (I would like to see the live-action movie, though.)
Yakushiji Ryoko no Kaiki Jikenbo — “Sexy adult women in anime.” ’nuff said.
*****
A few links:
Pixy recently posted some of his collection of openings and endings. N.B.: Dokuro-chan is not recommended.
Neojaponisme. (Via Eve Tushnet.)
Japanese matchbox art, ca. 1920-1950. (Via Lynn.)
*****
I didn’t recognize the reference, but a bit of searching did turn up this:
Bewitched: I got four kings.
Bothered: I got five — all hearts.
Bemildred: One a’ you is mus’ be cheatin’, ’cause I never had no kings of hearts in no deck of mine.
We have the answer to one of the great puzzles in anime. Marc Hairston talked with Yoshitoshi ABe recently and asked what radio station the shopkeeper was listening to in the second episode of Haibane Renmei.
He said it was local and the antenna was inside the wall. Apparently the wall blocks any radio signals from outside Glie.
There’s also a possibility of the story continuing with an older Rakka, and ABe is working on a novel.
The “Touhou Project” is a family of shooting games. According to what I’ve read, they are mostly the work of one person, “ZUN,” who, as “Team Shanghai Alice,” writes the code, draws the art and composes the music. They are noteworthy for their complex bullet patterns and large casts of pretty girls. ((if you don’t mind cockeyed mouths)) I don’t have any particular interest in playing the games, but I was curious to note that the very active Touhou doujin community includes many musicians who record their own versions of ZUN’s music in various styles. Most I’ve sampled have been okay but nothing more; I forget them as soon as I’ve heard them. One album did catch my ear, though. It has the perfectly comprehensible title “Cubical Another Perspective Has Violated Systematically” and was recorded by something called “Cytokine.” Here’s a sample:
It’s no substitute for ELP, but what we have here is good, old-fashioned prog rock.
*****
No only is Polysics one of the most energetic bands around (they’d be the world’s greatest rock ‘n’ roll band if only Hayashi could carry a tune), but they are also one of the most uncompromisingly intellectual:
Squidpunk — if it’s not for real, it ought to be.
(Via Eve.)
Update: it is for real. It’s got a website and a video and everything.
I really would like to read Anne McCaffrey’s contribution.
Update II: There is indeed a Squid Vicious.
Consider the Harding/Agnew ticket:
Remember when you vote that the Fringe Party, in matters of economics as in every other matter, stands in favor of good things and against bad things. No other political party can say that with a straight face.
The advantage of dead guys in office: they might smell a bit, but they won’t screw things up any worse than they already are.
Update: Big steps require big feet: Bigfoot/Nessie ’08
(Via Dustbury.)
I want one, too. (Not that that’s likely to happen. I’m not as cute as Steven, or Pete.)
If you are a werewolf, and should the opportunity arise to rip out Kid Rock’s lungs, please do so. Listen to “All Summer Long,” and you will understand why.
Here’s a curiosity: a Japanese dub of a Tex Avery cartoon. You don’t need to understand the dialogue to enjoy it.
(Via the comments at Cartoon Brew.)
*****
I’ve been feeling less than wonderful recently, and after a day on the computer at work, I don’t really want to spend the evening staring at another computer monitor. I’ll be back eventually with comments on Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne and PetoPeto-san (the latter features music by Masaki Kurihara of Kuricorder fame) and more pointless lists.
