Month: August 2017

The Complicated Answer to “What Is Anime?”

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What the hell IS Anime? Maybe you think the answer is obvious but the topic of the term’s application seems to be a heavily debated one. It makes perfect sense when we are talking about shows from Japan but in the same discussions about shows like Fullmetal Alchemist or Naruto, you could easily hear someone bring up American animated shows like Avatar or Voltron. There are countless arguments online as to the valid application of the term and just as many debating if the term’s use should even matter.

To me, the term “Anime” can be misused in a way that, by no intent of the person who misuses it, can paint a false image of Anime and perpetuate certain ideas about the medium of animation or the sub medium known as Anime. So today I want to lay out exactly what I consider to be Anime, how I rationalize this, and why I even give a shit.
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What Am I Watching? August 13th, 2017

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Hey look, it’s one of these things again. Haven’t done one of these since April so the question remains, what the hell am I watching right now? I’ve specified which of the shows I’m watching are seasonal, as well as created categories for shows I’m rewatching and even shows on my backlog I’d like to continue (and hopefully finish) soon. Let’s dig in!

Concrete Revolutio: Superhuman Phantasmagoria

I remember seeing previews for this show back in the fall of 2015 and thinking it was a bit too weird for my tastes. Now with the benefit of hindsight, I can see that this show is an underrated gem, like many of my favorite shows. A Studio Bones show with some of the most exhilarating cuts by Animator Yutaka Nakamura and some extremely fun characters. The story seems to jump between two distinct timelines frequently which can be a tad confusing, but I can say with certainty that I’m hooked. Expect a review when I’m finished.
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The Untapped Potential of Ghost in the Shell 2017

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[This analysis contains spoilers for Ghost in the Shell 2017]

Ghost in the Shell, directed by Rupert Sanders, is not a great movie. That isn’t to say it is terrible. I feel the need to clarify that in a world where sometimes it feels like things are either great or terrible. No, Ghost in the Shell may not be great, but it is an average, entertaining science fiction action flick.

Many will accuse this film of whitewashing, though I would argue many of those people haven’t seen much of the series. The hardcore fans who have seen the series mainly dislike the film for being a dumbed down, poor adaptation. Is it dumbed down? Certainly. Is it a poor adaptation? Well, that depends on your perspective.

Keep in mind that EVERY version of Ghost in the Shell is significantly different from the other. The characters and lore change enough between them that it is easier to think of them as completely separate universes. Even the original manga creator, Shirow Masamune, said there was no definitive Ghost in the Shell. Hell, the original film was an adaptation of the manga and by all merits, it was nothing like the manga.

So in this analysis, I’m not judging GITS 2017 as an adaptation, but simply a new, flawed take on the series. I want to look at how this film fails to capture the essential elements of the series and even look what makes this film unique and the themes and messages that- if executed properly- could have led to a truly different, but all-together great classic.
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