Grave of the Fireflies

~ Grave of the Fireflies: Studio Ghibli ~

 

At the end of this film, I did not cry. It was extremely sad, yet I did not cry. The movie itself was so impacting, so full of meaning that all I could do was sit through the credits, so many thoughts going through my mind it seemed empty. An ‘old’ movie (for anime standards), the message that it gives out applies to not only today, but the future. This is by far the deepest anime movie I have ever seen. Possibly too deep for my little mind to comprehend.

 

The story begins with 14-year-old Seita and his little sister Setsuko, running from an air raid in world war II which destroyednot only their home but their entire town. A bit later on, they learn of deaths that would catapult them into life with a distant aunt and her family who are particularly rude to them. This is shown in many ways, but what struck me the most is that when Seito told his aunt about his mother’s untimely and grotesque passing, she said simply, “Oh. How awful. Better write to your father and tell him,” and then she walked away to do housework. After getting by with this family for a while, after lots of verbal abuse, Seito decides it would be best for Setsuko and himself to leave, so they set off on their own.

(Major spoilers follow, please highlight to read) This decision leads to Setsuko’s severe malnutrition and ultimately, death. Driven to complete grief and helplessness by her death-a life he worked so hard to preserve and nurture- Seito himself passes in a train station like a common homeless man. The story is told first person from the dead Seito’s point of view, though it is mainly told through dialog between the characters with a few narrations from Seito. The film ends very abruptly, but in the perfect place. It leaves you with few questions unanswered and the the worst parts that aren’t explained, can easily be assumed with a shudder by the audience.

Many critics acclaim this 1988 film as one of the greatest anti-war movies of all time, and I must agree with that comment 100%.

Unlike many of the other movies I have reviewed, this is one of the ones that you truly, simply, must see. The music, characters, and altogether animation make it a classic and revered film for many, many people. I will post more about this movie when I have a chance to think about it and that infinite amount of sadness and morale managed to seep into my mind.

 

The Woe of the Lonely Otaku

Sigh…

Me…stuck in this private school with a little-to-no otaku population. The only one’s that I know of are already my best friends (Anji-chan and Dennise) and so are the half-otaku’s (Alice and Alix). Oh the woe, oh the shame…I feel like a fish out of water sometimes~! >.< The other so-called ‘anime fans’ in a grade below us, are cheap, english tv dub worshipers. They’re anime-subtitle coordination is apparently too bad for them to watch both at once. I can’t wait until the NYC anime convention *twitch twitch* I need…to…splurge…on…anime….manga….stuff….lucky…star…dvds….

Well, this one has to be short!! Talk to ya later~! Bye-ni!

Rounding Up The Year

2007 has been a very eventful year for me in many ways, though on of the very most prominent ways is anime, manga, Japan, and just plain Japanese culture.

I know the year isn’t over for another month and a half or so, but I can’t help but thinking how fast this year has flown by! I am so grateful to be blessed with th chance to get to see so many amazing (and not so amazing) anime shows, read some fantastic manga, and get many many wonderful expiriences of Japanese culture.

I’ll do the real yearly anime sum-up a bit later on, more toward 2008~!

I calculated approximately how many hours I spent watching anime this year (all the episodes and shows are in the ‘anime’ section) and it came out to:

363 Episodes

 

10,890 Minutes

 

181.5 Hours

 

7.5 Days

WOOT! And there’s still more to go! For Christmas break, I think I’m gonna be pulling a few anime all-nighters to finish those ‘started but set aside’ series! Well, talk you later! Dewa matta~!

First Impressions: Maria-sama ga Miteru

Maria-sama ga Miteru – First Impressions

 

First 3 words that pop into my head when I think of this show: Drama, Beautiful, schoolgirl

Plot in 3 sentences: Yumi is a first-year student at prestigious Lillian Girls School, a private Catholic academy. After a mishap, she becomes the ‘petit souer’ (little sister) of cool, pretty, Sachiko, a second year. To prove that she really does care for Yumi and is not just using her, Sachiko must get Yumi to accept her ‘souer proposal’, though it doesn’t come without a price.

3 Questions I want answered: How did Yumi, who has a seemingly average life, get into such a high-class school?

Why exactly did Yumi turn down Sachiko’s offer in the first place if she liked her so much?

Does the ‘Rosa Foetida’ family only have two members the whole series, or is it just in the beginning.

3 Good Things so far: I love the whole private school atmosphere, sheltered and well-maintained.

The characters are really well-designed and drawn: I especially like how the eyes are drawn.

I love the whole ‘family’ idea, where the upperclassmen care for the youngers.

3 not-so-good points: The families can be hard to keep track of at times.

I get confused with the family names a lot @_@

Yumi is your typical large-eyed super-lucky and mega-bubbly so-called-average schoolgirl- I wish she was slightly more unique.

 

Rating so far: 4 stars

I will continue to watch this series!

Look for more updates on Maria-sama ga Miteru soon!

 

New Layout and Sushi

I hope everyone likes my new layout!! ^–^

I loved the picture of Tokyo I found so I had to incorporate it!

Anyways, I’m shifting the main focus of the blog from just anime to Japanese culture as a whole. Sure I am obsessed with anime and manga, but I am also just as obssesed with the culture and place it came from as well! So lets discover Japan together, right? ^-^

By the by, yesterday I had my first…sushi! (Actually it was very delicious maki)

We went to this traditional Japanese restaurant very close to us because we had driven by it so many times, but never bothered really stop. That was one of the most beautifully decorated places I have ever been in. It was complete with shoji, taiko drums, sumi-e and all the traditional art you heart could desire. The waitresses dressed in pink sakura-adorned yukata and the men were out on the large burners spinning knives galore.

My mom ordered a vegetable dinner and I, I ordered some vegetable maki with a side of raw wasabi-ed salmon. It was brought out with gorgeous presentation and a pair of disposable chopsticks. The chopsticks were a pleasant suprise because for all who know the show ‘Azumanga Daioh’ , splitting them prefectly is extremely lucky, or lucky to those who are extremely unlucky. I opened them as pulling them apart was a lot harder then I had pictured. I grasped them, pulled hard, and they broke quite unevenly D: I’m not worried though, because I am generally lucky!

I picked up a whole roll of the maki with my chopsticks and popped it into my mouth. It was rather large, so I ended up eating one half at a time. It was delicious!!!! YUMMY! Dipped a little in soy sauce made it taste even better. It was like a swirling wonderland of vegetables, things that I didn’t even know I was eating, rice, sesame and seaweed. The salmon (Which I didn’t know had wasabi on it in the first place) came as a big shock as the intense heat made my mouth simmer, but it was oddly addicting. Normally I can’t stand spicy stuff, but this, this I could handle.

Although eating sushi was new and novel to me, I think I’m going to be eating it a lot more often from now on! Who knows? Maybe in a month or two, downing octopus and eel will be second nature to me!

Updated Anime Section, Millennium Actress Still On My Mind

Hello hello! It’s been quite a bit since I last updated, and I apologize for thi will have to be pretty short ^–^

Well, I added a ‘movie’ section to the anime to better help me keep track of all the anime movies I own or saw! I think Millennium Actress inspired that section. I know it’s kind of an old movie and not many people even mention it anymore (if there is a MA or Sennen Joyu message board or group anywhere, PLEASE tell me!!!) but I am hooked on it. Every time I listen to the soundtrack, it’s as if I am watching the movie all over again. It’s just so beautifully animated and told. The story line completely captures me @__@

Well, I’ll be posting a lot more often~! See ya! Ja’ ne!

Millennium Actress

~ Chiyoko: Millennium Actress ~

 

First, this movie was much more than I expected it to be. And sadly, it has been denied much of the popularity and publicity it deserves. This movie came out in the same year as the huge mega-million blockbuster, Spirited Away and was sadly somewhat cast into the shadow of this mega film.

Satoshi Kon, director of the animated masterpiece Perfect Blue, made a comeback with this film, combing the camera and perspective genius of Perfect Blue with the magical storytelling elements of a Miyazaki film. The character development and portrayal is superb and the musical score sets the mood perfectly.

The main plot is the story of a girl name Chiyoko Fujiwara who shelters a mysterious man during the turmoil of World War II. In one night, a mysterious connection sparks between young Chiyo and the man who is apparently a painter. The next morning, the man mysteriously vanishes, leaving behind only a scarf and a key. Chiyoko is devastated and makes a desperate run to the train station after being clued in by an old houseworker that he made it to the train safely after being pursued by the police. Missing the train and feeling downhearted, she suddenly remembers that he said he was headed to Manchuria. With that in mind, she accepts a role as an actress (much to the disapproval of her mother) because the film was to be shot in Manchuria. This story is being re-told to the movie watcher and interviewers by the much older Chiyoko (similar to the re-telling of the story in Titanic by the older female character-but not alike in any other way).

The way the story is told is very complex and hard to describe in words, but the films Chiyo starred in reflected what really happened in her life. I hate using other people’s words, but is a “play within a play” movie. To truly understand, you must watch.

The lives of the interviewer and Chiyoko’s become surprisingly interwoven as her determination and faith for her lost love become more and more clear and she steadily grows older. Ultimately, she begins to question why she searched her whole life for him in the first place.

    Overall, I was delighted and emotionally moved by this movie. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to see a well-written, well-told and heart wrenching anime film about love, longing and the challenges of growing up.

Rating:

 

 

Rozen Maiden Overture Episodes Up~!

Just a quick reminder that the Episode download section is up and running and now I will have even more shows available than before >..< The first episodes available now are Rozen Maiden Overture 1 & 2 😀

Enjoy~! There will be many more animes to come!

Brand New Breeze FULL Lyrics ~

Brand New Breeze Full Lyrics

La Corda D’Oro Opening

Artist: Kanon

Fukoi deru toki no naka

Meguri aeta ne YOU & I

Afuredasu kono omoi

Kienai youni atatamete

Kirameku mirai ni

Anata to futari de itai kara

—————————-

BRAND NEW BREEZE (brand new breeze for two)

Honji ita koto

Nagu…THIS FEELING

JUST FOR YOU zutto naku san ai you ni (I’m singing just for you)

(It’s never ever gonna end, cuz you’re my real best friend…

Baby I can touch the sky with you by me)

——————————————

Uureshi toki kanashi toki mo

Mayo wa zutto-n de yuku kara

Dakishimete ugeto mete

Egao mistete hoshii no

Anata ga iru kara

Kyou wo mo ashita mo I CAN KEEP ON GOING

————————————-

BRAND NEW BREEZE (When you whisper to me)

Ima hajimaru mono gatari

JUST FOR US Zutto owaranai youni (I’m singing just for us)

———————————————————–

Baby, I just want you to know,

That you make me feel so beautiful

And no matter what happens,

I’m never gonna let this go

Cus I know that we’re meant to be…together…forver

———————————————–

BRAND NEW BREEZE (When you whisper to me)

Ima hajimaru mono gatari

JUST FOR US (I’m singing just for you)

Zutto owaranai you ni

(It’s never ever gonna end, cuz you’re my real best friend) ~BRAND NEW BREEZE~

(Baby I can touch the sky with you by my side) ~ JUST FOR YOU…ZUTTO OWARANAI YOU NI~

(It’s never ever gonna end, cuz you’re my real best friend…

Baby I can touch the sky with you by me)

Air TV

 AIR TV:

 

I recently finished watching the show Air, which I heard from from a friend and viewed the first episode on a NewType USA DVD.

I fell in love with the first episode, the animation, sound, characters, setting and overall ambiance. I immediately decided to watch the rest of this 12-episode plus 1 recap episode show.

I LOVED Air TV!

This show is definitely not for everyone, though. For those big fans of violence and blood, I am sorry to say it contains little to none. It also contains none of those unrealistic girls with huge chests or any hentai/ecchi things. There is only brief, undetailed nudity shown in a responsible and artistic form.

 

The main plot focuses on a traveling young man named Yukito, who knows how to control a small doll with his mind, and it doesn’t seem to be attracting a lot of attention. With only a mysterious doll and the clothes on his back, Yukito finds himself in a beautiful, quiet town by the sea (based on Kami City in Hyogo Prefecture in Japan) where he soon, and nearly accidentally,  meets a young girl named Misuzu.

Misuzu has had a very difficult and somewhat complicated life, but now lives with her seemingly uncaring aunt who she affectionately addresses as “mommy” anyway.  Yukito begins to live with Misuzu and her aunt, discovering that the people in this town aren’t exactly ordinary beneath the exterior.

Stories from the past and myths of a ‘flying girl’ begin to unravel before the characters’ eyes, leaving them with hard decisions to make,  and even harder fates to meet.

 

I can truly say this series made me laugh out loud, cry downpours of tears, and everything in between.

I would truly recommend this series to anyone looking for a breath of fresh air (no pun intended) in the anime world. With animationand sound effects from the same people that brought you The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Air is certainly one of the best I have seen in a while.

Rather than the usual magic and other-worldly characteristics of  most anime, Air focuses on human relations, fate, simplicity, complexity and emotions.

Air truly is a work of art.

 

RATING: