Akira News

Well, actually I love 18+ anime and manga. But here in Canada we have lots of rules for manga. Basically anything rated 18+ whether due to violence, nudity, or explicit sexual content is 'wrapped in plastic'. The term 'wrapped in plastic' means exactly how it sounds. The book is wrapped up in plastic so little kids don't open it up and read what's inside. Also, this allows store clerks to easily tell if the manga is suitable for the buyer to read. If you look 18+ you're good to go, but otherwise you can't get the manga. This pisses me off. I get it when the manga is yaoi, yuri or hentai because that falls under Canada's pornography laws. But I can go see an 18A movie all by myself, but not purchase a work of art. Furthermore, they don't really read the manga that they're wrapping in plastic, so they have no idea how inappropriate it actually is. I was in the book store and I noticed titles such as Akira, Ghost in The Shell, and a few serious hentai manga were not wrapped in plastic. But titles such as DOGS, Black Lagoon, Deadpool (comic book) and Code Geass were. 
 
Why the hell is Code Geass wrapped up when Akira isn't? It's actually really frustrating. They just assume that the majority of manga is 18+ by the cover, or rating on the back. As well, the fact that it's restricted is really annoying. I may not act like it online, but I am very mature. I'm not going to read DOGS and suddenly decide: "Hay! Let's f*ck sh*t up!" and start shooting people with my gun. There are people my age (16) and younger that actually can handle 18+ material.

 This is a list of classic anime, that I believe make anime popular
5.

 
I have to say Dragon Ball is one of the most influential anime on its genre (shonen). Its mindless fighting and its flashing colors, make anybody get hype up for the next episode.  A must see for new anime fans, that like mindless action
 
4.

 
Trigun is about a man named Vash the Stampede and the two insurance employees who follow him around in order to minimize the damages inevitably caused by his appearance
An classic gunslinger anime. It have great voice acting, great story and great characters. A must see for new anime fans 
 
3. 

 
Gundam Wing plot is centers around a war between Earth and its colonies in SPACE!!
One of the best Mecha show around. If you like giant robot fighting, you'll like this and any other Gundam show
 
2.

 
Cowboy Bebop follows the misadventures and tragedies of a group of bounty hunters, traveling on their spaceship, the Bebop.
Cowboy Bebop is Cowboy Bebop what else I need to say. 
 
1.

 
Akira is set in a futuristic and post-war city, Neo-Tokyo, in 2019.
I don't really like Akira, but is still a must see if you are an anime fan  
 
This is what I think that make anime popular. What is your Milestone list? 

I always find that there are a few anime that I find myself watching over and over again, or manga that I will read over and over. They are 10/10 or damn close, and I feel like I almost 'miss' the series after another read/watch through. Here is my list and the reasons why.
 

1. 07-Ghost

If you haven't noticed, yes I have an obsession with this series. No matter how many times I read the manga or watch the series there is always something that never gets old. The humour and drama have a perfect mix in 07-Ghost. I can't stand that they stopped the anime, but it's something I'll have to live with. The characters and plot are deep, complex and well thought out. It never gets old. I always find myself laughing, crying, and sitting at the edge of my seat (Not at the same time).
 

2. Baccano!

The combination of story telling and characters makes this crazy train ride (hahaha Baccano fans) close to 10/10. The lovable cast never gets old. It's original, crazy, and everything I love in one anime. The plot has so many twists, I still find myself surprised the second time around. I really love how the whole series is layered. I'll always find something I didn't notice before, and I really like that. It's one of those series that leaves you with questions, only to be answered by a second go. I'm always shocked at the gore because when it's all over I really don't remember the violence, only a well though out story.
 

3. Akira

This classic left me with a numb mind the first time through. I find myself reading the manga over and over again, and slipping that dvd into the player on sick days. Sure the mighty 3 hour movie can get long, but it's an epic. Long, but amazing. It isn't like Avatar where it's 3 hours of plot-less CGI, It's got 3 hours of a deep and complex plot. Sure some characters need a bit of work, but hey, who doesn't love Kanaeda? Just a side note, Akira does make a decent drinking game.
 

4. Dolls

This unknown manga always keeps me guessing. A cast of unforgettable characters and twisted tales of treachery makes Dolls a stellar adult manga. I'm always intrigued by Usaki's approach to his brand new world, and the First Brigade makes me laugh and hold my breath. The suspense is wonderfully piled up so that no matter how many times I read the same story, I'm shocked by discoveries I already knew. The action is superb and the world in which Dolls takes place is wholly unique. Bad-ass cops and crazed killers place a cherry on top of this fantastic series.  
 

5. Neon Genesis Evangelion

Another classic to be added to the list. This series is messed up and takes a dip into darker waters, which is something I really like. I missed many things the first time I watched this anime, and the ending was shocking. I watched it one more time, trying to solve the mystery. I find myself watching it over and over to pick up on the little pieces I need to fill in the puzzle of an end. The characters are well done, although Shinji is annoying, NGE wouldn't work without such personalities. Although this isn't my favourite, it never ever gets old.
 
So that was my list. They may not be my favourites (most of them are), but they are the ones I can watch over once (five times) more and still enjoy. Those aren't them all, I'm missing a bunch, but those are the ones I think are the biggest. Classic to modern, they may vary vastly, but I know for sure that they stand out from the crowd of anime. What are yours?

Why does anime have so much fanservice? I find a lot of series are fantastic, but the fanservice made them lose a viewer. For example High School Of The Dead. I just watched the first episode. Let's first get this out of the way, I love zombies. So much!! So the zombie part is no biggie. I don't mind violence, I wouldn't say I love it, but I watched the Punisher War Zone and Kick-Ass and didn't flinch. The anime (believe it or not) is really deep, and well done. The CG looks out of place, but in what anime does it look normal? It's just there was so many ass shots, I thought my eyes were going to fall out of my head. Not to mention the jiggling jugs of women-ness hanging off of every female's chest. It's just too much. 
 
I also find it slightly offensive. I'm not going to go into a huge rant, but why so much female fanservice? Why not a little man-fanservice in an anime, eh? (Please keep in mind I am a girl) A guy would feel awkward seeing, say man-ass, in an anime, but it's the same for girls. I'll watch an anime and feel really awkward with boobs jumping around. It's PE class all over again. 
 
Now if fanservice is worked in so that I don't mind it, fantastic! Akira did a good job of that. I barely remember the boobs, and I loved it. Neon Genesis Evangelion had a lot of fanservice, but it didn't make me feel uncomfortable. I found that in some ways it made the anime a bit deeper. More thoughts on human nature. But currently, I'll stop watching an anime because I don't feel comfortable any more.
 
It's hard to find a new anime these days. So many of them make me feel way too uncomfortable. I think all the female fanservice is offensive and over the top. What do you think? 

According to Wikipedia an: "Otaku ( おたく / オタク ) (oh-tah-kooh) is a Japanese term used to refer to people with obsessive interests, particularly anime, manga, or video games." (1)

...And that description definitely applies to yours truly! And for this Blog entry, Ole Pappy W. will serve as your guide into the world of Japan's greatest import: ANIME!  Well... next to ninja, shrimp flipping, hibachi grill, cooks. It's a close second. Let's get started!

Have you ever wondered what those crazy, blue haired, individuals you see roaming around that strange foreign cartoon section of DVD's at the local Best Buy are watching? Ever been slightly curious after seeing the special features from the Matrix why they mention Japanese animation as such a major influence? Perhaps your curiosity was so great you picked up one of those Japanese cartoons only to find that after you watched it you needed extensive therapy and a 12 bottles of Visine to get the images out of your eyes? Well, your in luck scared citizen. This list of awesome Anime pics is all for you! 

It is true that without an Otaku Guide to help you pick a decent Anime your experience could be a nightmare that may require Years of deep Cognitive Behavioral intervention and that is why ole Pappy is here to help you avoid the pain and trauma caused the horror of watching Bad Anime Gone A-rye. Pappy's hear to tell you not all Anime is bad! No..Really! True and good Anime can be a rich and rewarding experience...one filed with flights of fancy and brave bold new adventures. So put off your reservation for just a little while and let me take you through a list of the good stuff. Hold on to your seats Space Cowboy! This list could just change your whole view of  the many wonderful words of Japanese Animation. 

The first thing you should know about  Japanese animation is that it is not just one genre of entertainment. Japanese Animation covers not just kiddie cartoons but the whole gambit of genres. Unlike America, Animation in Japan is nothing more than another means by which viewers enjoy all genres and stories. And unlike the social shame felt here in the United States when one decides to read a Graphic Novel on a Bus or In Public, In Japan this is an every day occurrence and is often encouraged. 

That's Right, In Japan even older people read Comics!  They call there comics in Japan: MANGA. It is from these many Manga novels and comics that Anime got it's start. Not so here in the US. Thanks to the likes of Disney and Warner Brothers, The U.S. sees animation as solely the domain of young children and over-sized nerd fanboys. Which to many American fans of Anime is REALLY Freaking Frustrating!  In Japan Anime is for everyone! It has every kind of genre from things for kids to really bad awful crazy porn fetishes. That's why it's important to know a thing or too about Anime before you go diving in and watching any old thing. 

So with that being said lets look at some Amine that has been greatly admired for some time now by fans of the "Genres within a Genre":

1. Number one is Akira...an Anime film made in 1988 that dealt with fallout of a crazy post-apocalyptic Japan filled with an intrusive government, terrorists and rival motorcycle gangs.  Akira deals a lot with the issues out of a post apocalyptic world and illustrates quite well the pains, thoughts and fears that have greatly affected Japanese Culture prior to World War II even to this day. The ending may be a little much for some American audiences but the visuals and action sequence may make up for that lack of Japanese sensibilities a non-anime watcher may have. So it's a good introduction into a different way of thinking about the role animation can play in it's expression of humanity. It also has a really sweet motorcycle! What more could you ask for! Akira is an R rated film for good reason and is not made for a child audience but It's an awesome film and well worth a watch for fans of the SciFi genre.

2. In no particular order (you should watch um all) is one of the most fun action pack SciFi, martial art, bounty hunting Anime's of all time...Cowboy Bebop. Cowboy Bebop is a series. Now in Japan most Anime shows or series do not go on endlessly until audiences get tired and stop watching. No, they usually run for an entire series and then end. Most of the arcs build toward a climatic finish and often resolve themselves entirely. If they do a movie, it usually takes place sometime between the series or after as an addendum to the story line and arcs established in the series. This is the case with Cowboy Bebop the movie. This way of making films from TV and not insulting the audience by reexplaining every little thing can be quite refreshing and unique for American movie goers.  since you don't have to have your intelligence insulted every time your TV characters finally make it to the big screen. They assume if you like the movie you may want to go back and check out the series if you haven't already.

The cool thing about Cowboy Bebop the movie is that it does take place close to the end of the series and can be watched as a stand alone film or with the series as an added part of the overall series story arc. 

The story centers around a rag tag crew of characters that make their living as bounty hunters  who catch bad guys to make ends meet. Spike is a cocky, crazy haired, baddy who beats up, shoots and often flies his way into any situation to catch his bounty. Faye is the equally cocky and very conniving bounty hunter with a wit and sarcasm to match that of Spikes. Jet is the giant, older, but no less tough, owner of the spaceship (the Bebop) who, unfortunately for him, is the only real responsible member of the team. And then there is the odd and peculiar, computer genius, kid known as Ed. What can I say about Ed? Ed's a little loony to say the least and a lot of fun to quote randomly to people who have know clue what your talking about. "Lympho, Lympho, Lymphocytes"! 

Whether you watch the movie or the series, Cowboy Bebop has got everything you need for a real good time. Space battles, gun fights, martial arts, and bounty hunters that often shoot first. The soundtrack is completely awesome and if you like jazz or catchy tunes it's not a hard soundtrack to find even in big chain stores. The series is PG-13 for the occasional bounty hunter expression of anger and occasional cheeky situation. But nothing you wouldn't see on prime time TV! Be warned... Cowboy Bebop, like crack, is very addicting.

3. Though many Anime flicks and shows are SciFi or Fantasy oriented, a lot of them are not. Which brings me to my third choice...Grave of the Fireflies. If your going to watch this movie you are definitely going to have to bring a box of Kleenex. This one's a tearjerker.  This movie is by far the saddest Anime I have ever seen and I've had to watched Pokemon several times (nephew).  

Grave of the Fireflies takes place after the bomb was dropped during World War II and deals with sharply and sadly of how two newly orphaned siblings struggle to survive. This film is more than critically acclaimed by Anime fans but film buffs of all kind. It's a touching tale about what happens to innocence in times of war and how the human spirit struggle to survive. Grave of the Fireflies is not Rated but is a PG-13 type story for the harsh subject matter.

4. Funny thing about Anime ...sometimes people have seen it and didn't even know they were watching it. Transformers, Speed Racer, Robotech and Battle of the Planets were all children's Anime slipped in with American animation and most people didn't even notice. The same is true for my next Anime choice...Spirited Away. 

The folks at Disney in an attempt to appease their guilt at brainwashing Americans into thinking animation is only for children stretched out their big mouse-like hands and decided to distribute some real Anime classics by a great Anime artist known as Hayao Miyazaki. In Japan Miyazaki is a big name and so when Disney started playing distributing his films it was nice to see him get some the wonderful attention and addoration that he deserves. Most of Miyazaki's stuff is fantasy oriented and deal usually with young children in world of fantasy. I would recommend anything Miyazaki has done. But my personal favorite is Spirited Away. It's about a little girl who gets drawn into a world of odd, amusing and sometimes scary creatures. It's a beautifully illustrated movie and well worth a watch. Spirited Away is PG for its somewhat scarier characters but a very light PG! 

5. My next pic is a Japanese Samurai Anime with a a Hip Hop Twist known as Samurai Champloo. Now, I don't have any clue what a Champloo is but I do know that I really like this series about a 2 samurai wielding, wild, Ronin-type guys and crazy young girl roaming the country side in search for a Samurai that smells of sunflower and might be the long lost father of the young precocious girl. Along the way they encounter many dangers and villains and sword dueling ensues!  It's fun, snarky and full of action for 26 wonderful sword-wielding episodes. It is PG-13esk for that a fore mentioned sword-wielding oh.. did I mention the sword-wielding?

6. Are you a fan of Angel and Buffy? If so, this next Anime is for you! It's called Witch Hunter Robin. True to it's title, Witch Hunter Robin is about a special government task force that hunts down secret cases involving magic users. Robin is a young girl with a special talent for fire-starting who helps her team catch these genetically altered magic users. This show is not as dark or occult as one would think. The magic users are only able to use magic because they carry a very special gene. The show is more like Bones meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer but with a much more serious and dramatic take on the the whole hunting bad guys genre. 

like most Anime Series, it's 26 episodes and its very well drawn. Like Buffy or Angel , the subject matter would make this a strong PG-13 and depending on your views on fictitious magic this may not be for you but if you like a good ole cop/monster catching agent show Witch Hunter Robin is the one for you.

7. Last, but by no means least, is a little film that inspired the Warchowski Brothers' Matrix Trilogy and by inspired I mean totally ripped off and when I mean ripped off, I mean everything from the green scrolling letters at the beginning to being hardwired to the net in the back of the head. The film is called Ghost In the Shell (GITS for short)  and is about a secret Japanese government agency known as Section 8 that deals exclusively with cyber terrorist, cyber criminals and the occasional computer that decides to go sentient and kill a bunch of people. In this future, people have cyberneticly enhanced their bodies to the point where they are more machine than they are flesh. Some have even made the complete transfer to a cybernetic body. Everyone can hardware into the net in the back of their head and or recreate themselves in both the virtual and the real world. It's a beautiful mix of both animated hand-drawn images and realistic computer graphics. If you watch this film and don't at least think "wow how beautiful" then perhaps Anime is not for you. It has everything from guns, tanks, aircraft battles to martial arts and government espionage. 

 

The original movie was based on the series of Japanese Manga Comics created by a Japanese Frank Miller-like equivalent known as Masamune Shirow.  His Ghost in the Shell Manga has gone on to inspire this movie, it's sequel, as well as a series that is based more on the original Mangas than the films were. 

The two films are one take on the Manga and the 2 series are another take on the Manga. It's kind like how they did the Superman Returns film based on the Superman comics but it had nothing to do with the TV show Smallville; which was also based on the comics.  But to make it a little confusing the Ghost in the Shell Series did their own movie that ties to their show. So it would be like if they did a Smallville movie. 

So Where to start? Start with this first movie.... If you like it, watch the first Series called Ghost in the Shell stand Alone Complex.  Remember they are not tied together but they are very similar. So keep in mind that the series will not build towards the movie at all but relies more on the Comic Mangas for its inspiration.

 

If you still like the first series and your starting to get GITS withdraws, watch the second series called Ghost in the Shell S.A.C. 2nd GIG. 

 

If by now you are addicted and you can't get enough, watch the TV film called Ghost in the Shell S.A.C. Solid State Society.  This film will tie in the show so don't confuse it with the movies.

 

After you've sold your blood to get another fix of GITS Anime, your family has left you and it's still not enough,  watch the sequel to the original movie. since it's all that is left. You may have to go back and watch the first film because this is it's sequel and has nothing to do with the series. I leave it for last since it's not nearly as good as the rest of the stuff but what do you care! At this point, your an Addict!

 

For you N00b's to Anime, it's probably best to just stick with first movie and maybe the series But I'm tell you it's addictive so don't be shocked if you a make it all they to the bottom of the list!

So there you have it... Uncle Pappy Wolf's Otaku List for Non-Anime Lovers! Feel free to let us know your favorites or what you think of our picks. We'd love to hear from you! Just don't blame Pappy if you find you want to dye your hair blue and hang out in that strange section of the Best Buy!

References and Guides  

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otaku 

2.   http://ghostintheshell.wikia.com/wiki/Ghost_in_the_Shell_Wiki 

3.  http://anime.wikia.com/wiki/Animepedia  

4.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Cowboy_Bebop_episodes

 

Yep, I'm pretty much an anime virgin. I've seen a few anime flicks in the past, read a couple manga, but never really got into it. Something about the tone used to turn me off. I think. Honestly, I can't put my finger on what bothered me. 
 
I say this because I'm now hungry for more anime and manga. First I went back to the classics--the stuff I've seen, but never really appreciated, like Vampire Hunter D and Akira. Hell, I'm even checking out friggin' Sailor Moon. That stuff is well and good, but I want to move on to less-obvious material. By this I mean simply that I want to view/read stuff that is well regarded but not necessarily popular. But I'll take popular stuff too, assuming it is of high quality. 
  
Now if you'll excuse me, I need to check out this Franken Fran book I found...

Why the hell is Hollywood thinking? I mean come on! Get your heads straight! Don't ever take an anime and turn it into a live action film! Just look at Speed Racer... I think my eyes bled... 
 
Confused? Good. Let me explain... 
 
Akira is my all time favorite manga/anime movie, Death Note is also up there on my tops list. I love them to bits and I don't know if I could live with out them! (Exaggeration) 
 
Last night I was bored and began to look up at what was happening in the movie business. I wasn't expecting much until I looked on 'up coming movies'. 
 
I think I died... Inside and out. 
 
I'm never going to be the same. 
 
First off I saw in the December section "AKIRA: Live action film"... What is this tyranny! I thought! Anime should stay anime. Why? Because the things they do in anime is physically IMPOSSIBLE to do in real life. Humans cannot jump 10 feet into the air! Even if they are ninjas. Humans cannot jump onto a moving motorcycle and kick the driver in the face. It just isn't possible. It's bad enough that they're turning it into live action-ness but now they take one of the most american men ever and have him star in it. Yes, Leonardo DI Caprio is going to star in AKIRA the live action film. 
 
To make matters worse I saw "Death Note: The Live Action Film". The Japanese couldn't get it right so what makes Hollywood think they can do any better. Also Zac Efron is interested in playing Light's part... No explanation is needed to show my hate for this. 
 
Why? Why? Why is Hollywood so stupid!!!! 
 
~Superevil