Every educated person knows the contributions of Bill Scott and Jay Ward to Western Civilization. But do you remember Alex Anderson?
Who is awesomer?
The Italian Spiderman, above, or the Indian Superman?
The blame for this one rests with Dale Price, who has returned after too long an absence.
Just about to blow my top
Charles G. Hill notes that today is the Queen of Rockabilly‘s 73rd birthday. Here’s one of her songs from the ’50’s: “Fujiyama Mama.” Far from being offended, the Japanese apparently got a kick out of the tune. It was a #1 hit there, and it’s frequently covered by Japanese artists such as Petty Booka. Jackson herself is still belting it out.
Captain Broccoli and Ms. Doom
In case you can’t understand the actors, the shows mentioned are Otome Youkai Zakuro, Squid Girl, Tamayura and Mahou Tsukai Sally. Also, it’s difficult hear the difference between “Miss” and “Ms.,” much to Ms. Doom’s annoyance.
If the embedded video above doesn’t work, you can watch it here.
Bulletin
People who are fascinated by volcanoes (Erik?) will be interested to know that the Réunion mountain Piton de la Fournaise has begun its anticipated eruption (Google translation). It’s located on the opposite side of the planet — i.e., it’s night there when it’s day here — but the glow is clearly visible in the webcams. Piton is known for Hawaiian-style eruptions, with lots of nice, photogenic lava (scroll down a bit).
Incidentally, you can keep tabs on Hawaii’s Kilauea here. The best viewing time is just before dawn on the big island (around 11 a.m. here in Kansas). Check Erik Klemetti’s Eruptions weblog for breaking news and much more information about vulcanism around the world.
Update: Grrr. Now that it’s daylight in Réunion, it looks like the cameras are all on the wrong sides of the mountain. There are some photos here and here.
Update II: Here’s a video.
Vocabulary question
Very red
One of the 1,714 pictures I took last night at Friends University.
Vocabulary question
20 essential series
Joe Carter posted his selection of “20 essential animated television series.” It’s a quirky and eccentric list (Rocky and Bullwinkle is only #20 (and is “completely unwatchable”), while The Flintstones is #2? Nonsense), but its main failing is that it only includes American shows. Naturally, I had to compile my own quirky and eccentric list of 20 essential anime series. Note that “essential” does not mean “historically or culturally significant.” Sailor Moon, for instance, is of great interest as a cultural phenomenon and for its influence on later anime; but, the show itself is not exactly a great work of art, and I don’t recommend it unless you have a serious interest in the history of anime, or in long legs and short skirts.
The following series I can recommend to anyone interested in animation, television, inspiration and craftsmanship.
20. Azumanga Daioh ((Included because of Osaka, Chiyo, Yomi and Sakaki. (I can hear Astro shouting “Yukari!” off in the distance.) In last place because of Kimura.))
19. Animal Yokocho
18. Mononoke ((Or at least the “Bakeneko” arc of Ayakashi: Samurai Horror Tales.))
17. Princess Tutu
16. Jubei-chan: Secret of the Lovely Eye Patch
15. Divergence Eve ((Including Misaki Chronicles.))
14. Paranoia Agent
13. Petite Princess Yucie
12. Noir
11. Kaiba
10. Kino’s Journey
9. Sugar, a Tiny Snow Fairy
8. Oh! Edo Rocket
7. Ghost in the Shell: Stand-Alone Complex
6. Crest/Banner of the Stars
5. Shingu
4. Cardcaptor Sakura
3. Dennou Coil
2. Serial Experiments Lain
1. Haibane Renmei
This list is somewhat tentative. I still haven’t seen much of Gurren-Lagann yet, or any of Dragonball, and there are probably some classic series that I’ve missed or don’t properly appreciate. ((The omission of Evangelion is deliberate.)) There are also cases to be made that Moribito, Nadesico, Slayers or Utena are as essential as others on the list, and that there should be something to represent Rumiko Takahashi. Nevertheless, I think my quirky and eccentric list is as at least as solid as Carter’s.
Welcome to Mordor
Here’s where this was shot. As far as I can tell, this is for real, though the people probably look closer to the hot stuff than they actually are because telephoto lenses compress distances.
The New Zealand mountains Ruapehu and Ngauruhoe were Peter Jackson’s stand-ins for Mt. Doom, but the video above is closer to my mental image of Tolkien’s volcano. (Tolkien is said to have modeled Mordor on the perpetually erupting Stromboli.)
Miscellaneous silliness
Ubu watched Linebarrels of Iron so you don’t have to.
*****
“This is either going to be a laugh riot, or I’m going to want to hurt somebody.”
The one in pink is Sherlock Shellingford, not to be confused with Sherlock Holmes.
Just wondering: what exactly does the word “milky” signify to the Japanese?
*****
Here’s the second-most impressive Touhou video I’ve seen: ((The most impressive remains this one.))
Then there’s this:
*****
I enjoyed The Triplets of Belleville — one of the few movies I’ve seen in a theatre this century — and I’ve been waiting impatiently for Sylvain Chomet’s next movie. Unfortunately, The Illusionist is apparently a disappointment.
*****
Can’t get out for your morning run because of the weather? Crank up your organ and dash through Chopin’s “Revolutionary” etude:
(The 19th-Century Czech pianist Alexander Dreyschock played this piece with left-hand octaves, which is at least as impressive a stunt as this.)
(Via Frëd.)
Uchu Senkan Yamato
YIPE!, “the costume fanzine of record,” attempts to come to terms with anime in issue 2.9, now available for download. Of particular note are Karen Dick’s recollections of her enthusiasm for the Leijiverse, illustrated with pictures of the costumes she made thirty years ago. There’s also some discussion of conflicting fandoms, an interview with a costumer, more reminiscences, and pictures. In addition, the writers admit the obvious:
Face it folks, anime may be a medium not-entirely-catering-to Sci Fi, but it produces more Sci Fi and Fantasy than American television. Better quality, too.
Books as investments
What does $1,186.27 look like?
If that had been the paperback edition of Lafferty in Orbit, you’d be looking at $2,162.26. However, a hardcover like the one pictured is available for a mere $23.98.
By the way, if you ever spot any collection of Lafferty’s stories in a used book store — Nine Hundred Grandmothers, Strange Doings, Does Anyone Else Have Something Further to Add, Ringing Changes, Lafferty in Orbit, Iron Tears — grab it. There never was any other writer like him.
I have measured out my life in login codes
The .doc File of J. Alfred Prufrock
Let us go then, you and I,
When the evening is spread out against the sky
Like a laptop, put in sleep mode on a table
Let us go through certain half-deserted streets
The blinking-light retreats
Of restless nights in free-wifi cafes
And public libraries with internet
Streets that follow like messageboard argument
of insidious intent
To lead you to an overwhelming blog post
Oh, do not ask, “What, yaoi?”
Let us go and post an entry.***
I grow old… I grow old…
I shall add some links to my blog roll.
(Via First Thoughts.)
Addendum: Not fond of 20th-century poetry? Here’s a bit of apocryphal Chaucer for you.
The universal language
I wasn’t able to go to Winfield this year, so I only just now discovered that the winner of the International Fingerstyle Guitar Championship last Thursday evening was Akihiro Tanaka of Kyoto. He took second place last year, and I caught his main stage performance then.
Update: The international language II
Old-time music has its followers in Japan. Some friends of mine recently discovered one of their videos on this bulletin board. (See item #104.)
Higanbana
Lycoris radiata was blooming this morning at the local botanical garden. This is allegedly called “the flower of the dead” in Japan. It figures prominently in episode 18 of Shingu, in which Harumi and Moriguchi discuss events eleven years earlier.
The last time I watched Shingu, I was surprised to realize that I was smiling and occasionally laughing. Laughter is social behavior; when I watch the Marx Brothers or read Terry Pratchett alone at home, I don’t crack a smile, no matter how much I enjoy the absurdities. The people in Shingu are alive for me in a way fictional characters rarely are.
*****
A couple of noteworthy links from the two Jonathans:
Jonathan Tappan writes an introduction to Shintoism.
Jonathan Clements provides context for Summer Wars. (Via Ubu.)
Saturday morning at Botanica
The final round
The top ten finishers in the fist round of the “best opening” poll were pretty much the ones I would have predicted (though I did expect a better performance from Azumanga Daioh). Cowboy Bebop took a clear first place when voters could choose three. Will it still be the winner when the voters can only choose one?
Fifteen in fifteen
Blame John Salmon and Terry Teachout for this.
The rules: Don’t take too long to think about it — choose fifteen albums you’ve heard that will always stick with you. List the first fifteen you can recall in no more than fifteen minutes. (These aren’t favorite albums, necessarily, just the fifteen that will always stick with you.)
Mahavishnu Orchestra, Birds of Fire
Chopin, Waltzes (I forget who played on the first recording I heard. It was a record I found in the University of Dallas library back in ancient times.)
Bach/Isolde Algrimm, Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I, first disc (This and the next were other records in the UD library that I frequently checked out.)
Songs by Tom Lehrer
Simon and Garfunkel, Bookends
Fairport Convention, Liege and Lief
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band et al, Will the Circle Be Unbroken?
Beethoven/Claudio Arrau, The Last Four Piano Sonatas
Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks, Last Train to Hicksville
Norman Blake, Whiskey Before Breakfast
Don Ross, Bearing Straight
Pentangle, Basket of Light
Mothers of Invention, Absolutely Free
Scott Joplin/Joshua Rifkin, Piano Rags (The first disc, with the green cover.)
King Crimson, Discipline
Damp morning
