From the monthly archives:

December 2009

12 Moments of Anime #1: The Memories That Revolve Forever

by ETERNAL on December 25, 2009

2009 has been an interesting year, though it was probably more interesting for me than it was for anime. Between finishing up some personal projects, broadening my scope of anime and media consumption, and delving deeper into my selected niche of visual novels, the distance between my last Christmas and this one is vast. Of course, aside from all of the personal growth that I could go on and on about, there was something quite significant that occurred this year, and it’s the only thing befitting the number 1 spot.

It goes by the name of Honey and Clover.

Click here to read the full post (468 words, 1 image, estimated 1:52 mins reading time)

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Secret Santa Review: Kamichu, a God at Heart

by ETERNAL on December 25, 2009

[naruko hanaharu]

What does it mean to be a God?

For most people, this is a question that is rarely seriously pondered – and if it is, it’s probably through the lens of theology rather than Japanese cartoons.

Of course, Koji Masunari’s Kamichu is no more about theology than Fate/stay night is about mythology. The background setting of religion is an interesting means of portraying a fairly simplistic and heartwarming coming-of-age tale, not unlike the works of a familiar studio. It follows the old magic-as-a-metaphor trope perfectly, using fantasy elements to illuminate the development of a very down-to-earth protagonist.

That said, I don’t believe the story contains any concrete themes or specific metaphors. Instead, it’s more of a general feeling, a vague message everyone understands but no one can describe. At the very least, despite its abstract plot and childish imagery, Kamichu will get you thinking.

Click here to read the full post (559 words, 2 images, estimated 2:14 mins reading time)

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12 Moments of Anime #2: Fate/disability shoujo

by ETERNAL on December 24, 2009

[yukitarou]

There’s a lot that one can say about Fate/stay night; I spent about 5000 words on it in total, and I estimate Owen, Pontifus, and Martin have spent about the same.

Of course, when it comes to a game this iconic, there’s no accurate way of counting the impressions and retrospectives of fans. F/SN has always been one of the most popular visual novels in the history of everything, earning not only an anime adaptation and a plethora of merchandise, but also a solid concrete reader score (approximately 9/10 on VNDB and ErogameScape [NSFW]). Long story short, it’s a good game. Period.

Click here to read the full post (623 words, 1 image, estimated 2:30 mins reading time)

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12 Moments of Anime #3: Life Goes On in the Big Dango Family

by ETERNAL on December 23, 2009

I’ve said a lot about Clannad, to the point that I hardly feel like linking to a post. It was a spectacular show while it lasted – maybe not revolutionary, per se, but certainly a change of pace from the standard Key fare that we’ve grown accustomed to. Truth be told, my favourite moments in the series aired in 2008, while the relationship between Tomoya and Nagisa was developing until things unfolded the way that they did. The whole warm-and-fuzzy shoujo-esque bliss of the middle portion of After Story is something I’ll never forget, but it’s also a memory that falls awkwardly on the line between this year and the last.

Click here to read the full post (641 words, 1 image, estimated 2:34 mins reading time)

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12 Moments of Anime #4: KyoAni’s Curveball and MangaGamer’s Home Run

by ETERNAL on December 22, 2009

I don’t really want to talk about Endless Eight. I was away from the blogosphere while the long-awaited sequel to Suzumiya Haruhi was airing, but the drama that surrounded it quickly turned it into a trainwreck. There were some who liked it and many who didn’t; there were theories flying around about trolling and carefully written meta; there was the infamous “betrayal” of Aya Hirano and Yamakan himself. The end result was messy, not unlike a trainwreck, and it’s a little bitter to look back on.

Click here to read the full post (660 words, 1 image, estimated 2:38 mins reading time)

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12 Moments of Anime #5: Conspicuity in Cataloging, Sweet Blue Flowers

by ETERNAL on December 21, 2009

[ame]

Aoi Hana was a spectacular show, easily my top pick from the summer season. It inspired a lot of thoughts in me, too, which I recorded in the post that the awkward pun in the title is referring to.

Interestingly, 2009 was pretty much my first experience with the yuri genre, and I think I’ve learned my way around the tropes in the past year. Marimite was good, no doubt about that – the symbolic memes of ribbon-adjusting and “walking slowly is preferred here” define what shoujo-ai is all about. In fact, I don’t think it’s wrong to simply call Marimite a definitive piece, despite the origins of the genre reaching back to the 70s and 80s.

Click here to read the full post (593 words, 1 image, estimated 2:22 mins reading time)

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