Genshiken Season 2 Coming... I Think...
September 22, 2007

Well, it looks like the second season of Genshiken will be coming soon! Their web-site seems to indicate that it will be out on October 12th - which means that I might be watching Genshiken Season 2 Ep 1 on my birthday! Yaaae! A very kick-ass series that I'm very much looking forward to being continued. Of course, I'm still watching Zetsubou Sensei and Season 1 of Higurashi... so who knows when I'll have time - but for Genshiken, time will be made.

I wonder if Haruhi is amongst this Fall's line-up or not...

WRRRRRRRRRRRRYYYY?!?!!!!
April 02, 2007

So I just watched Ep. 23 of Code Geass. Lelouche is crazy, CC is a devil, there's another Geass "infector" and Euphie has caused Suzaku to go on a killing rampage... and they're attacking Tokyo! What's wrong with all of this? I have to wait until Summer to see Ep. 24!! WRRRRY?!

Code Geass
March 13, 2007

Code Geass; Freakin' great. James, go watch it if you haven't.

Another Thing American Media Won't Touch
October 08, 2006

So... I finished watching .Hack: Twilight last night; and I'm officially obsessed. See, I talked awhile back about my love of Anime and certain trends that they have that aren't addressed by American media. Another trend that they address (that American media doesn't) is computing. Whether it's video games (.hack) or simple programming / hacking (Battle Programmer Shirasi)* - Anime covers it beautifully. The Japanese are not afraid to touch technology in a relevant and accurate manner. I love watching a show involving a programmer / hacker contracted by various entities to save them from evil hackers from America without flying numbers, pretty graphics and gross simplifications ala Hackers. American media is just... not interesting.

It's the same damned thing over and over and over and over again. Bah. Done ranting.

* Baddleduh Programma Shirasi

Why Do I Love Anime?
September 16, 2006

So, I found myself addicted to and forced to finish the Melancholy of Haruhi Suzimaya today. I felt like commenting on my love of Anime. I don't mean the art-form and the "style" of drawing. I mean the plotlines and culture surrounding it.

There seem to be two running themes in Anime. Shyness and Love. These are the two traits that I love most in a person. Shyness indicats a sort of reverance. It is an indication that you do not believe that you are the most perfect entity to enter the world. With this, you believe that other people have value greater than that of your own life. There is a certain vulnerability that comes with shyness; you accept that you cannot take the world on by yourself and that you need help to accomplish what you desire.

Meanwhile love indicates that there is a vested interest. You believe that there is something greater than yourself; something worth sacrificing for. You think that perhaps there is some greater reason to live. There is always some sort of sacrifice or special place associated in most anime. It is often that a bond is necessary to overcome some terrible situation; and it is this that interests me.

Most American and Mexican television focuses on the aspects of individuals alone. It says that through one person you can achievee your goals. I don't believe this to be true. I believe that you need many differnt people to get what you need; and that is what is so amazing and interesting about the homosapien species. We cannot continue our lives alone. We must network and build out relationships. We must have others to support us, even if it is but one soul - we cannot exist alone. Imagine the man in the twilight zone who loses his glasses - he will never encounter another being (in his imagination or not) again... he may as well die, as his anguished scream indicates.

Even if all but one nation disappeared, we would not be able to continue as we do now. We need each other. We require others in order to continue.

Getting back to the original point; anime is typically about the love of a male and female. To wit, it is love. It is rarely "sex" as most American media portrays love. It is not about individuals fulfiling some needed roles to get sex or some physical feeling. It is about sadness and happiness. Dependenance and hatred. It's about all of the interesting things that happen in a human relationshop. It's about longing and the portrayal of the true human spirit; not some consumerist ideal that discards their loved ones whenever it is fit or follows the latest fashion trends to a T fearing the laugh track.

So, next time that you hear someone talking about their latest anime infatuation... check it out; or better yet watch it with them. If you can get over the stereotype that non-humorous animatio0s are only for children; you may just find something interesting and enlightening.