Anime Juke Box - Princess Nine - Princess Nine

Been a while since we popped in a quarter into the anime jukebox, so I figured it was time. We are in the middle of summer and that means - baseball! And what does baseball mean to me? ANIME of course. One specific anime, Princess Nine. Oddly this little show actually helped me appreciate baseball as a sport. I didn't know until watching this how much strategy and tactics are used in the game and how much talent you actually need to have. Being the bookish nerd, I just figured sports are sports are sports.

Princess Nine tells the story of a girl's prep school creating an actual baseball (not softball) team and all the trials the players, coaches and school administrators go through to make the dream a reality. Of course it has the usual high school drama mixed in, and the team is composed of an unusual group of misfits. It is very entertaining and something we will pull out every few summers to enjoy. The ADV dub is solid (if a little squeaky) and while you can predict how some of the sports story tropes are going to play out, we always have a good time with it.

The music was composed by Masamichi Amano who managed to secure the Warsaw Philharmonic for the score! Princess Nine has a lush score with some wonderfully bombastic moments and drama. Very entertaining stuff. He also was able to work the opening theme song as a theme in the score to the series. That means you've got the full power of the philharmonic playing during the opening credits. I couldn't find the full version of the song, but here is the opening credits version of Princess Nine from Princess Nine.

Neon Genesis Evangelion on Netflix

Looking for something interesting to watch this summer? Well you could check out Neon Genesis Evangelion on Netflix. This is one of my favorite anime series, and has been cleaned up a bit for the release over to Netflix. Sure you've probably seen people complaining about the new dub, but you can watch the subtitled version just as easily.

Now, it has been nearly a decade since I revisited the series. But I pulled out my old Platinum edition DVDs and started watching the show again. Some things have held up pretty well, other times I'm seeing some of the seams where the limited budget was peaking through. The show was unique for its time, and these days so many shows have been inspired by it, that many of the fresh elements are tropes.

Still, the characters are handled well, the robot and monster design is unique as hell, and all the philosophical, psychological and religious explorations are still worth delving into. The show doesn't really dive into those elements until we reach the second half, but man does it get nuts. Netflix has also gotten the rights to the End of Evangelion which was the feature film that provided an alternate ending (or the correct ending if you listen to some folks) to the series.

All told, this show is worth watching, and after I finish my revisit I'll delve into a bit more on this blog.

When Marnie was There (2014)

I assumed that Studio Ghibli had gotten all their spooky antics out of their system with the amazing Spirited Away. But it turns out that one of the last films the studio made was a supernatural puzzler… but you know, for families. I was just as surprised as you were. Could a studio long known for their family fare actually pull off a movie that has more in common with Vertigo than Kiki’s Delivery Service?

Summary:

Anna Sasaki (Hailee Steinfeld) is at a rough age. She feels awkward and misunderstood at school. Her home life became difficult after she made an unwelcome discovery. It caused her pull away from her foster mother. After suffering a stress induced asthma attack, Anna is sent to the coast to live with her aunt and uncle. At first things don’t go much better, as Anna’s discomfort around strangers causes her to snap at the people around her.

But things change when she spots a strange mansion on the coast that is accessible only at low tide, but requires a boat to visit otherwise. Anna finds herself returning to the place again and again to sketch it and peer into the abandoned interiors. But one night she sees a young blonde girl inside the house. She eventually meets the girl, Marnie (Kiernan Shipka) who is the same age and also going through some tough issues at home. Anna is drawn to her new friend; despite the fact that no one else acknowledges Marnie or the parties her parents throw. And why is everyone in the old mansion dressed in 1920s fashions? Is Anna suffering a mental breakdown, or is she looking into the past, at a time When Marnie was There?

Good Points:

• Some wonderful animation immerses viewers in the setting and atmosphere
• Effective performances by the English voice cast
• Keeps the viewer’s wondering just what is happening to Anna, and the mystery of Marnie

Bad Points:

• Moves at a very measured pace
• Looking for an outright thriller? Not in this film.
• Why is this animated?

Overall:

I was impressed by how well this film works. Anna is a very relatable character, even if she can be difficult. The more we find out about her, the more we understand her reactions to others and especially to Marnie. The film does a good job of never giving away too much about Marnie until the right moment. An easy recommendation if you are looking for a coming of age film meshed with a psychological mystery.

Scores(out of 5)

Visuals: 5

Sound: 4

Acting: 4

Script: 4

Music: 3

Direction: 4

Entertainment: 4

Total:  4

In Depth Review

For Anna it is easier to focus on her sketches and ignore people.

It is difficult to write too much about When Marnie Was There without giving away the mystery of the film. That mystery is one of the key elements that engages the viewer. But the core of the movie is the excellent characterization of Anna. When these two elements merge When Marnie Was There becomes a very effective and moving film, one that children around Anna’s age, and adults can relate to.

Anna arrives at her new home in the coastal town.

Visually Studio Ghibli did some wonderful work here. Don’t come in expecting those wonderful action flourishes or flying moments that thrill in the films of Miyazaki. Instead director Hiromasa Yonebayashi focuses on creating a sense of place and atmosphere in the movie. The coastal town where most of When Marnie Was There takes place feels like a real location. We see plenty of details in the buildings, the countryside and of course the mysterious mansion to have them crystallize in our minds. As Anna explores these locations we take them in with her. Details like a flapping curtain in an “abandoned” building or the way the tide creeps in closer and closer as time passes establish the feel of the town. Like Anna, we find it a bit strange at first, but soon come to enjoy its oddities.

Anna's first glimpse of the mysterious house where Marnie awaits.

For atmosphere Yonebayashi doesn’t go for anything as overt and mind bending as Satoshi Kon did with Perfect Blue. Obviously this isn’t a horror/thriller. But he does use some of the more subtle techniques that Kon would utilize, such as holding some shots just a little too long; building the mystery using pacing. He also uses light and shadow to great advantage, especially as Marnie and Anna meet more and more frequently. Darkness seems to be overtaking Anna and it adds a disconcerting feeling to the whole friendship. The strange hazy light during the parties creates a dreamlike feeling to those scenes. Even simple moments with Anna and Marnie on the boat and talking feel slightly off center. It all builds into in a wonderfully subtle feeling of unease..

Meeting Marnie by moonlight.

The sound and the score do a good job supporting When Marnie Was There. The sound work is mostly real world sound effects, keeping the film grounded, even while are doubting our eyes. The score by Takatsugu Muramatsu works fine. It is low key, supporting emotions and atmosphere without drawing attention to itself. Some of the key emotional scenes at the end do rise to the occasion and work very well in the moment. But the score didn’t really draw me in with themes. That is fine, not every score has to. But I usually expect something a bit more colorful from Studio Ghibli films. The song during the final moments of the film Fine on the Outside by Priscilla Ahn is a soothing piece that works well in the film.

Looks like someone is ready to party!

The English voice cast did a very good job in the roles. Steinfeld and Anna and Shipka as Marnie have the most challenging parts, and both ladies do an excellent job. Steinfeld keeps Anna relatable, even when we think she is being unreasonable. Anna’s struggles come through in the voice acting as well as the animation and Steinfeld’s performance is key. Shipka is also very good at making Marnie feel like a genuine girl, but also keeping a bit of the mystery to the character. It is a tough balancing act, and the animation surely helps. But some of Marnie’s lines need to be said in just the right way, and Shipka is up to the task. Aside from that the voice cast included several well-known names (Vanessa Williams, Catherine O’Hara, Geena Davis and John C. Reilly to name a few) keep things appropriate low key and believable.

"Come play with me Anna..."

Where When Marnie Was There really shines is in the execution of the story and the character of Anna. The film has three parts. The first establishes Anna and her life in the city. The second brings her to the coastal town and into contact with Marnie. The third comprises Anna’s attempt to figure out who Marnie is and the impact it has on Anna’s life. Each portion of the story must be told completely and well for the ending to have the necessary emotional impact.

Visiting the house later, Anna sees that it is a real fixer-upper opportunity.

Pacing is important, and I know the slow pace is not going to work for all viewers, I feel it is necessary. The story does a good job of establishing Anna in the first portion of the film as an introverted pre-teen that is having trouble coping with growing up. Her asthma attack seems to be a symptom of her anxiety. As the film continues we start to get more and more clues about Anna’s life. We find out that she is a foster child. We find out that her parents died when she was very young. Her natural insecurities are increased when she finds out a secret about her foster mother. Each piece of Anna’s puzzle gives her more depth as a character, but more importantly it allows us to understand her relationship with Marnie.

Marnie marvels at the meticulous sketch.

The build up to the first encounter with Marnie is handled so well. It is mysterious and dreamlike all at once. Because we know that Anna has some emotional issues already, we begin to wonder if any of this is really happening. That balancing act is maintained throughout When Marnie Was There. It makes it a very engaging watch the first time through, but I dare say that the characters of Anna and Marnie will draw me back for repeat viewings.

A stormy night in a dangerous tower, what could go wrong?

Finally I would be remiss if I didn’t point out a few correlations between When Marnie Was There eand the films of Alfred Hitchcock. Many of these may be unintentional, but I get the feeling they were not. The obvious one is that Hitchcock directed a film called Marnie. Next is that the mysterious woman in this film is the classic Hitchcock cool blonde with blue eyes. A key sequence takes place in a silo that could be dead ringer for the tower in Vertigo, and we even get a moment where the Vertigo zoom is used when Anna experiences a revelation. Anna spends quite a bit of time peering into window and watching the mansion from a distance, very much like Jimmy Stewart in Rear Window. You could say that the coastal town in When Marnie was There is a sister city to Bodega Bay featured in The Birds. I haven’t seen all of Hitchock’s films, but I’m guessing there are a few more nods to his work in the film.

A lot could go wrong.

But cast those aside and you still have a really engaging film. When Marnie Was There may not go down as one of the best films from Studio Ghibli. But it is well worth seeking out and watching. It shows that even at the end the famous studio could still craft a movie that draws viewers in and allows you to feel along with these animated characters.

Anna and her new pal are ready for some sleuthing.

Marnie takes us on a little voyage to her home.

Is Anna sketching her new friend... or something else entirely?

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Spice and Wolf - Season Two (2009)

Introduction:

After taking the unusual and engaging trip with Holo and Lawrence in the first season of Spice and Wolf I was ready for another trip. The world created in the first season of the fantasy series was intriguing, and so were the economic based storylines. But I had grown really attached to these characters and was looking forward to seeing where their adventures took them and if they would grow closer or get pulled apart.

Summary:

Kraft Lawrence (Jun Fukuyama) the crafty peddler and Holo (Ami Koshimizu) the wolf goddess traveling in human form, continue their journey to the north. While the final goal is to reach Holo’s homeland, Lawrence isn’t going to shy away from any deals on the way there. At their first stop, they meet a dashing young merchant, Amarti (Saeko Chiba) who falls head over heels for Holo. Soon he engages Lawrence in a contest of merchant guile involving pyrite. The winner will end up traveling with Holo!

After managing to wiggle out of that predicament, the duo arrives in the far north in a city where fur trading is king, and the powerful church hangs like vulture over everything. They meet a sly merchant, Eve (Romi Park) who entices Lawrence with a very lucrative deal. If it works out, Lawrence will finally have enough money (and a location) for a full-fledged shop. He will achieve his life long dream, but does that mean the end of his journey with Holo?

Good Points:

• Maintains the easy going tone of the first season
• Holo and Lawrence have some great interactions in this season
• Introduces some interesting supporting characters and antagonists

Bad Points:

• The two storylines seem too thin to be supporting the full season
• Dialogue sequences go on way too long and too wordy
• Lots of reuse of animation from previous episodes and season 1

Overall:

Sadly, this season was a bit of a disappointment. At its core, the characters take an interesting journey, but the execution turns it into a slog. Pacing gets dragged down by too much dialogue that spins its wheels. The resolution feels unsatisfying. There are some good moments and whole episodes that work really well. But it just doesn’t quite measure up to the first season. I’d say, you could pass on this one, unless you are thirsting for more from these characters.

Scores(out of 5)

Visuals: 3

Sound: 3

Acting: 4

Script: 3

Music: 4

Direction: 3

Entertainment: 3

Total:  3

In Depth Review

Well if there is a festival, you know they have to dance.

When I watched and reviewed the first season of Spice and WolfI mentioned that the pacing of the show was very relaxed. It allowed us to enjoy time with Lawrence and Holo, and absorb the world around them. There were plenty of scenes of the duo traveling the countryside, talking about all kinds of things including religion, economics and philosophy. It was interesting to hear two such different characters (a mortal merchant looking to start his own shop, and a immortal wolf goddess who was used to being served by humans), discuss a wide array of topics and get to know each other. It was the charm of the show. The plots involving moneymaking and negotiations gave it a unique flavor that made the series feel different from most other fantasy anime.

I’m restating this, because Spice and Wolf IIseems to take certain aspects of the first season, but modifies them in ways that hurt the overall series. 

What remains the same is the core relationship between Lawrence and Holo. The writing for these two remains excellent. They are more comfortable with each other, and this allows for some easy going teasing and banter. Some of the challenges to the relationship presented by the amorous Amarti and the scheming Eve twist the relationship in ways that force our duo to make choices they may not be ready to face.

Amarth get's bold about gold (fool's gold).

I like how Lawrence learns that Holo’s homeland may no longer exist, and that centuries have passed since she has been there. He knows this will devastate her, and so he has to decide if and when he should reveal this to her. Because he hesitates in telling her, he also must grapple with the fact that he is really fallen for Holo, maybe not as dramatically as Amarti has, and comparing himself with Amarti doesn’t do any good either. 

In that same storyline, Holo is on the receiving end of Amarti’s affections and this puts her relationship with Lawrence in stark contrast. And when she discovers Lawrence is hiding a secret from her, things take a turn. Yes it is a bit soapy, but it really evolves the relationship even further.

"No you can trust me completely..."

The second story arc in Spice and Wolf II puts Lawrence’s ultimate goal in plain sight. Sure he has to deal with the sly Eve, who is obviously up to no good. If anything goes wrong the church is going to come down hard on Lawrence. And if they find Holo, that could be even worse. Even if Lawrence gets the shop, then he will have to end his relationship with Holo (and their journey together). Holo won’t let him give up his dream, and seems ready to end it all with this deal. Again, some great character development moments built into this storyline.

I will also add that the music in this season continues to be very effective and appropriate to the series. Some of the pieces may be borrowed from the first season, but it all works well to build the atmosphere. There is an interesting bit of string dissonance used when Eve is scheming. Unfortunately there is only one variation of it, and in certain episodes Eve does a lot of scheming, so you get a little sick of the piece after a while.

The opening and ending J-pop pieces fit Spice and Wolf II as well. The opening song, Mitsu no Yoakeperformed by one of my favorite J-pop singers, Akino Arai. Her lovely voice gives a wistful performance of this melodic piece. The end song brings Rocky Chack back with Perfect World. While not as catchy as the previous end credit song, it is a nice little tune.

Midnight meeting the Leper's quarter, what
could go wrong?

So lets dive into what doesn’t work for the sequel series. First off it looks like the budget was reduced, or the new animation studio that stepped in for this season wasn’t quite up to the task – because Spice and Wolf II reuses a lot of animation. Sometimes it brings up images from earlier in the season. Sometimes it flashes back to scenes from the first season. And sometimes it flashes back to earlier in the episode. To quote Tom Servo “You can’t flash back to something that happened five minutes ago!” Many times the flashback animation doesn’t seem connected to what is happening on screen (which is dialogue 98% of the time). It feels arbitrary most of the time and it adds almost nothing to dialogue. Even worse, some of those flashbacks to season one are pretty much the same set of images from the very first episode. I swear we see Holo standing naked in the cart about 15 times in flashbacks.

There could be two reasons to include all these visual flashbacks. The first is because the animation budget wasn’t too large, so they compensated by adding these moments to keep costs down. The other is to try to add some visual interest to the long, drawn out dialogues that were spilling out all over the place. I’ll get to those in a moment.

"I told you darn peddlers to get off my lawn!"

The rest of the animation does a pretty good job of creating mood. The two cities that Lawrence and Holo journey to are dark and dower locals. They feel imposing and dangerous. While the first city does have a festival going on (that seems to last for days and days), the joy is contrasted with the night vistas and dark stonework. Much of the dialogue happens in darkened rooms and shadowy corners. We don’t get those lovely pastoral scenes in this series. The second story arc in Spice and Wolf II is even darker visually. The port city seems to be in a constant state of gloom, and the inn where our duo spends a lot of time is nearly 100% shadow. It gives the storyline a very uneasy feeling, and works to its advantage. It really feels like this whole deal that Lawrence is working with Eve could go south very quickly. 

One of the few bright scenes in the season.

In the end the visuals feel very dark in tone. It mostly works, and when we do get some brighter moments, like the dance at the festival or the greenhouse later in the season, they really stand out. I appreciate giving the season it’s own tone and mood, but I did miss the open fields, sprawling forests and towering mountains of the first season.

But the animation can only work with the script, and that is where Spice and Wolf II runs into its biggest problem. The first season spread out a series of adventures for Lawrence and Holo to engage in. We had about four mini arcs over the span of 13 episodes. Here we have two storylines spread out over 12 episodes. While there are some great character interactions built into these storylines, it becomes apparent that there just isn’t enough material for 12 episodes. You have quite a number of episodes where everything seems to stop cold while Lawrence talks with another character (not Holo) for scene after scene, going on and on about the same topic, but not really giving us new insight. It feels like padding

Feathers take on a whole new meaning when
Diana is around.

Sometimes I like the discussion as it starts. Lawrence’s conversations with Diana (Akeno Atanabe) are very interesting. Especially when you learn that she is a bird goddess that is living in human form. Obviously parallels between her life and Holo’s make for interesting character examination. But it takes so long to get to that point, and so little is done with it. Instead, Lawrence spends nearly two episodes worth of time making his way to Diana while pondering his fate (with tons of flashbacks) and then talks with Diana about stories and how she gathers them and the philosophy of storytelling (all fascinating topics, but treated here with a lot of words not adding up to much). Again, many many flashbacks occur during these discussions, and the sum total of what we get is that Diana and Lawrence agree about storytelling, and discuss what she found out about Holo’s homeland. 

"Oh I know exactly what you're thinking... dirty mortal."

Yes, I got really frustrated with the pacing in Spice and Wolf II. I appreciated the relaxed storytelling of the first season, because it felt like we were building the world and the character relationships. Here, it feels like padding dialogue in dark uninteresting rooms. Anime writing can go this way often. Even my favorite series Neon Genesis Evangeiion is notorious for long scenes of characters monologuing about philosophy and psychology. But the difference is that in NGE, the monologues or dialogues feel like they are leading us to a revelation with these characters. The series is a psychological examination of Shinji and his battle against fear. In Spice and Wolf II the dialogues just feel like endless words leading to a whole lot of nothing. The key moments occur between Holo and Lawrence, but the two don’t end up spending all that much time together. What moments we do get are the best of the season. I even like the final discussion at the end of the series where they define what they mean to each other.

Divine wrath!

Let’s look at the ending for a moment. It feels rushed, as if they were hoping to build up to something else, but realized they weren’t getting a third season, and so they just kind of threw in a final dialogue, and had the characters walk off into a city besieged by riots. The key moment where the two finally come to grips with how much they really care about each other is handled well. But I wanted something a bit more, some kind of moment where Holo finally arrives home, with Lawrence at her side. What gets hinted at, in the discussions between Diana the chronicler, and Lawrence never gets a payoff. It is a real missed opportunity, since storytelling, lies, and deception are key thematic elements in the second season. The series ends with a bittersweet finale, I appreciate that. But if doesn’t satisfy, not because we don’t get “happily ever after”, but because it feels rushed. Spice and Wolf as a series is anything other than rushed. 

I did enjoy my second trip with Lawrence and Holo. There are some really good character moments for sure. And fans of the first season will probably enjoy those. But this is one of those instances where the potential feels wasted. Tighter storytelling (maybe throwing in another arc with Holo and Lawrence arriving in Holo’s homeland) would have helped this season immensely. It would have resolved the flashback issues, the longwinded meandering dialogue, and given us an ending that felt earned and satisfying. If you are a die-hard fan, you’ll probably enjoy this season, but everyone else can stick with the first season, the novels and manga that are out there. 

Divine understanding.

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Anime Juke Box - Konya Wa Hurricane -Bubblegum Crisis

Going a bit classic with the anime juke box today. Heading back to 1987 and the original animated video series Bubblegum Crisis. While there is a crisis in the series, it has nothing to do with bubblegum. It has everything to do with rogue androids and hot women in power suits blowing them up. I've already featured one song from this fun series a few years ago, but there are so many awesome 1980s rock songs in this series that I have to share another.

This is the song that starts off the series. The band Priss and the Replicants (fun nod to Bladerunner - one of many!) are rocking out on stage. The performance is intercut with the destruction one of the androids is unleashing on Tokyo. The style of the song (and the performance sequence) is borrowed from Streets of Fire, and I think it actually makes this even better. It's a great way to start off the series, and the song is pretty darn catchy (with lots and lots of english thrown in there for good measure: "Give me touch... burning touch!")

So here is Priss and the Replicants performing Konya Wa Hurricane from the series Bubblegum Crisis.

Spice and Wolf – Season One (2008)

Introduction:

When it comes to fantasy anime, you have a set of tropes that usually come into play. Sure the setting may be medieval inspired (European or Japanese) but at some point laser guns and robots will appear. Someone will end up wielding a sword at least as big as they are (usually larger). And if there are elves in the story they will have super long pointed ears. But this anime goes in a much different direction.

Summary:

Kraft Lawrence (Jun Fukuyama) is a smalltime peddler in this medieval land. He usually barters his goods for ones with greater value and then obtains surprising amounts of profit for his long travels. One day he stops in a familiar village as they are wrapping up their harvest festival. Before the church really spread this village worshiped a wolf goddess who would favor them with wondrous harvests. These days the folks of the town go through the motions, not really believing, but not willing to anger the goddess.

Good idea, because Holo (Ami Koshimizu) is still around. This long-lived wolf goddess has gotten bored with the little town and decides to take up the peddler’s life. She transforms into the guise of a young woman and teams up with Lawrence, much to his chagrin. But the two work well together. Lawrence is business savvy and knows how to spot a good opportunity. Holo can read people (including Lawrence) very well and uses this to their advantage. Along the way they will encounter a currency manipulation plot, a bad deal for armor, and Holo’s nemesis – a shepherd. In the end will Lawrence and Holo make a profit, fall in love or maybe both?

Good Points:

• Holo and Lawrence are great characters that work well together
• The laid back pacing makes for an easy viewing experience
• The conflicts that revolve around being a merchant make for a refreshing change

Bad Points:

• Some of the financial scheming is explained very quickly and may lose some viewers
• Very little action in the series at all
• Doesn’t really have an overarching narrative, but weaves from adventure to adventure

Overall:

This series was a great change of pace. Holo is a fun character and her interaction and banter with Lawrence are what keep you coming back to see what happens next. Conflicts are never very intense, but they are atypical of what you find in most fantasy anime. The animation is quite lovely and really gives the world a unique pastoral feel. Looking forward to returning to these characters in the second season.

Scores (out of 5)

Visuals: 4

Sound: 3

Acting: 4

Script: 4

Music: 4

Direction: 4

Entertainment: 4

Total:  4

In Depth Review

On the road for fun and profit.

I heard about Spice and Wolf when it first made it to DVD nearly ten years ago. It sounded like a unique and lighthearted tale that was different from much of the fantasy anime I’d experienced. I’ve had it on my radar since then and was pleased to see it appear on Hulu (both seasons). I finally dove in, hoping it was able to live up to the hype.

Hype is really too strong a word for Spice and Wolf. The series is mellow, easy going and for the most part a story about a growing friendship that covers 13 episodes. Yes there are some intense moments in the story, and the world the characters inhabit can be dangerous. But for the most part this series travels along the road slowly but letting the viewer take in the atmosphere and the relationship it is building.

The focus to the series is the two main characters. Lawrence is a pragmatic man with a keen eye for details and the ability to see how these details can be exploited to his financial advantage. But he is not without feelings. In fact his empathy get the pair in trouble, and Holo accuses him of being too kind hearted. Lawrence is obviously taken with Holo, but knows full well that this is some kind of immortal being he is dealing with. The way he attempts to navigate their growing relationship is charming and amusing. He makes the perfect straight man for the more mercurial goddess.

Don't try pulling a fast one on Holo, she got ears like
a wolf... literally.

But the wolf of Spice and Wolf, isn’t your typical over the top anime girlfriend. This is a creature that is hundreds (or thousands) of years old. While she looks like a young woman her experience and keen senses give her advantages over the “youngsters” around her. But she is still the spirit of a wolf, and as such sometimes those instincts overpower her more human aspects. So when she finds something she enjoys eating, apples for example, she will just keep eating and eating them until she makes herself sick. She can be greedy. Other times she can take offense to seemingly minor issues. But she will often toy with Lawrence, teasing him with performances as an ideal partner, before mocking how gullible he is. But through it all, we see how lonely she has become and how much she appreciates Lawrence. By the time we hit episode 13 the two really understand each other and it is great to have that kind of character evolution.

Lawrence is just a nice guy in a love triangle
with a wolf and capitalism.

The other interesting element of the series is the world created in Spice and Wolf. Modeled after medieval Europe before gunpowder was introduced, we have a society in the grip of a powerful monotheistic church. There are trade guilds that wield power over merchants. We see how different kingdoms use different coins (with varying weights) and how this impacts trade as well as currency schemes when one king tries to obtain financial power over others. The world feels like a real place because of these details. But I also enjoy the art style, especially in the open road where we see the lovely countryside or the ominous mountains that loom above the characters. While this isn’t top tier animation, it works very well in the context of the show.

He should have known that a shepherd would cause a
problem for his wolf.

I watched the series in Japanese and most of the cast was very good. Koshimizu makes Holo very appealing and does a great job with a character with so many facets. Fukuyama matches her with his even approach to Lawrence. You can’t help but smile when he gets annoyed or befuddled by Holo’s latest scheme.

I enjoyed the score to the series. It keeps mostly in a medieval style with some lovely a cappella vocals taking over at key moments. It works well in context and adds to the atmosphere of the show. I also like both the songs used in the credits. Tabi no Tochu performed by Natsumi Kiyoura is a melodic piece that sets the opening mood. The Wolf Whistling Song is a cute jaunty tune performed by Rocky Chack. It has charming lyrics and works well with the end credit animation.

"Does this bother you? I'm totally touching you."

On some level I can’t imagine Spice and Wolf working. It seems at times too simplistic in concept or too obscure in execution to really gel. But it does. Part of it is the way the relationship builds over the course of the episodes. The series was constructed with a keen eye to making it all flow together, even if there isn’t a real antagonist for the whole series. Instead you get mini-adventures that last a few episodes. This gives us enough time to hang out with Holo and Lawrence. The characters are the focus and because they are so well realized it brings you back for more.

An atypical anime for me, and miles away from something like Log Horizon or Attack on Titan, but shows that fantasy stories can take many shapes and be uniquely entertaining. In some circles Spice and Wolf is considered a classic, I can see why. I’m looking forward to the second season and where it takes our two entrepreneurs.

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"Here's to good friends. Tonight is kinda special!"

Anime Juke Box - Tabi no Tochuu - Spice and Wolf

Got a new bit of Japanese pop for you today. It is a bit more easy going than the usual opening credits material, but it fits the series Spice and Wolf pretty well in that regard. The series has a casual easy going feel for a good portion of it. It revolves around a medieval peddler who happens upon a pagan wolf goddess who wishes to join him in his travels. While he is savvy in business, she is skilled at reading people. The two make a good team as they travel the land negotiating deals and learning a bit more about each other... and yes, maybe falling in love. It is a very unique show that I really enjoyed. Looking forward to the second season.

The song the opens Spice and Wolf is sung by Natsumi Kiyoura. Her voice has a gentleness and almost a sadness to it that carries the tune along. Hope you enjoy Tabi no Touchuu from the anime series Spice and Wolf.

Anime Juke Box - Truth - Revolutionary Girl Utena

Ready for some more J-pop? This time I dig back into the 1990s with one of the most creative and unique anime series I'd seen: Revolutionary Girl Utena. I really need to write up a review or three for this series and its bizarre film.

One of the most striking things about the series is the music, which combines wonderful orchestral moments with full blown 70s style rock opera. I sampled one of the rock opera bits before, but today I'm taking a look at the end title piece from the first season. It's still got the wailing guitars, the full throated female singer and a disco backbeat - all things that Utena has in spades. One of my favorite end credits pieces from 1990s anime here is Truth performed by Luca Yumi. And yes she is saying "Kissing love and true your heart." Because why the hell not.

Anime Juke Box - Mirai-Seiki Maruti Club - Boogiepop Phantom

Yep it is October again and that means I get to write about one of my favorite anime series: Boogiepop Phantom. Well I have a whole review of the series out there if you are curious (and if you like fractured horror narratives you really should check it out).

The music for the series is all over the place, including industrial electronic sound design, techno tracks, a 70s jazz inspired opening credit piece called Evening Showers and of course Wagner opera. But today I'm going to share the end credits. It is a angry rock song performed by Kyoko called Marai-Seiki Maruti Club. Not sure what it means, but the lead singer is awfully passionate about it. Like everything else with Boogiepop Phantom it doesn't seem like it should fit a horror series, but it works. When it kicks in for the end credits it just feels right. So enjoy this little bit of J-rock with an attitude.

Anime Juke Box - No Need for Promises - The Vision of Escaflowne

Been a while since the old Anime Juke Box has spun some j-pop for you. I was going through some of my older anime soundtracks and ran into all three of the wonderful CDs for Vision of Escaflowne. The music was co-composed by wonder woman Yoko Kanno and her husband at the time Hajime Mizoguchi. The score is one of her most bombastic orchestral powerhouses, with amazing action cues, sweeping romance and gothic horror. It works well in the series and is always a treat to listen to.

But Kanno's skills go well beyond her ability to compose for orchestra. She almost always writes the opening and ending pop/rock songs for the anime series she works on. Vision of Escaflowne is no exception. She gets the series started with this cheerful number called No Need for Promises. Like most J-pop of the 90s it is perky, happy, and well produced. Kanno has a thing for using bagpipes in her 90s scores and songs, so you get an interlude with them here too.

Perhaps the biggest thing about this song is that Kanno got the voice actress playing the main role of Hitomi to sing the song. The actress's name is Maaya Sakamoto, and this song launched her successful singing career at the tender age of 16. Kanno and Sakamoto worked on many projects afterward, with Kanno even writing the songs for an entire album of Sakamoto's songs. Both women are still hard at work in the world of film and anime music to this day. So here is where it all began with No Need for Promises from Vision of Escaflowne, written by Yoko Kanno and sung by Maaya Sakamoto.

Full Invasion Part 2 - Robotech: The New Generation

Just look at this crew. Does it get any more rag tag?

In Part 1 of this blog I went in depth into The Masters saga of Robotech and how it falls flat in the overall scheme of the story. There is a reason not many people mention it when talking about this anime hybrid. Most folks are talking about The Macross Saga instead. But what about the third series - The New Generation?

One of the big advantages the third series has over the previous one is the fact that its narrative is much clearer. It focuses on getting Scott Bernard to Earth and then getting him and his team to Reflex Point to stop the Invid. This gives the whole series a forward thrust that The Masters series was lacking.

I feel that the characters in The New Generation are a bit better defined and more interesting overall. The fact that you have this group cobbled together with mismatched personalities creates natural drama. Scott's hard headed determination clashes with Rand's devil may care attitude. Rook is surly and aloof at first and it is really hard to like her. Lunk seems like a nice enough guy, but you get the feeling that he's hiding something. Annie is just a kid and she feels like a tag along. Then there is Lancer/Yellow Dancer who just seems like a complete outsider of the group.

Rook may have her gun ready to take on some Invid,
or Rand may have ticked her off again.

But The New Generation builds on all these characters. They all change to various degrees because of the adventures they face together and what they learn from each other. For example, Rook mellows a bit and starts to learn to trust the team. Her survival instinct is very strong, and as we learn more about her past we understand why. But we also see her bond with the rest of the team, especially Rand.  So when she considers leaving the group near the end of the series because of the increasing likelihood that they are all going to die, we are not surprised. But it says a lot about her that she stays to fight the final battle. I appreciated that almost everyone in the group had some kind of character arc that developed over the course of the series.

One of the places where The New Generation falters is in the details. Because this turns into a road trip type story, it hits on many over familiar tropes. It starts to feel a little too scripted in places where events and locales are set up just to have our characters interact with them. Thankfully the big events seem to impact our characters and they don't reset for the next episode (compared to something like Cowboy Bebop). But at the same time it feels a little bit stale the longer it goes on. Especially with the endless Invid pursuit that just keeps pushing the team forward. I can't help but feel that Robotech is cribbing from The Fugitive.

I really like the design of the crab-like Invid mecha.

But this mid series slog isn't unique to the New Generation, it happens in all three series. But one big missed opportunity is the use of resources in this series. It comes up a few times, but it never really seems to impact the action. Our heroes are using proto-culture powered mecha and vehicles. They are constantly firing missiles and energy weapons. But there are only a couple episodes dealing with them attempting to wrest the necessary resources from the occupied cities or the Invid.

By the tenth episode I just had to wonder why the heck they were still using the pistol and rifle energy weapons against the Invid. The aliens have very thick and resilient armor. The energy weapons do nothing to them. Only a shot directly into the single eye seems to have any effect. But many episodes have our heroes blazing away against the Invid with energy weapons for no reason I can figure out. I mean if it slowed them down or something I could see it, but they do nothing but waste precious resources the team needs. But the series never addresses this.

They are still making toys from the "New Generation"
for collectors. 

It is the constant stream of missiles that gets me. Scott has no problem launching wave after wave of missile against the Invid. I can't blame him since those are the only weapons that seem to do any damage to the creatures. But man, I can't imagine them trucking all those missile around in Lunk's truck.

I know I'm picking nits here, but I will admit that it did take me a bit out of the story, especially during those more routine road trip style episodes. But when we got good solid character episodes, I was able to forgive The New Generation its faults and enjoy the ride.

But lets take a look at the Invid themselves. I find them to be the least interesting of the antagonists in all three series of Robotech. Their leader is essentially a commanding female voice for about 80% of the series. The Regis spends most of the episodes telling her soldiers to find and kill Scott and his team. A few episodes hint at the Invid attempting to use proto-culture for some master plan, but it takes quite a while for that to be revealed. I do like the concept of the Invid creating all kinds of life forms to determine which one they will put their consciousness into. It creates a ticking clock for our heroes, because the Invid feel that once they find the perfect life form they will be unstoppable.

Her green blood confirms the truth, both for Ariel
and her companions.

Of course they decide that human life forms are the most adaptable they've encountered so far and that leads to the creation of Ariel/Marlene. So the drama of human meeting alien and falling in love is repeated. Is it any different from the Miriya/Max, Dana/Zor or even Bowie/Musica relationships from the previous series? Well a little bit. It mirrors the Dana/Zor relationship the most. But in many ways Ariel is a more interesting character. She is vulnerable and confused for a lot of the series. She seems very fragile and her companions want to help her. You understand why Rook looks after her, why Scott starts falling for her and why Lancer doesn't say anything when he begins to suspect that she isn't human. Zor always came across as aloof and stubborn. I never really feared for him or what the revelation that he was clone would do to him. But with Ariel, you know she won't be able to handle a revelation of her origin, or the fact that some of her companions may turn on her when they find out. There is more tension in her character's story and it plays really well into the finale of the series - because of course she finds out what she is and yes some of her friends can't deal with it.

Rand is a jolly guy, even if he is trying to survive
an apocalypse.

But Ariel is the exception to the rule. Mostly the Invid are a huge hulking menace, and yes they are very destructive and powerful. But they don't really do much more than chase our heroes around and cause some trouble. It seems like they are mostly around to provide an action scene each episode. A few episodes do use them effectively, especially when the two human/hybrid pilots arrive the on the scene. But I think some better planning of the scripts could have really helped build the Invid and their culture into something as fascinating as the Robotech Masters from the previous series.

In a lot of ways I think the writing team for Robotech had better source material to use in The New Generation than they did for The Masters. The focus on the mismatched characters and their interaction with this war torn world and its people made for some very memorable storylines and events. Even if the villains were a little lackluster, it didn't hurt the finale too much. But once again, I feel like we are missing the punch to the gut that landed so well with The Macross Saga. It is a bit like the too pat ending of Return of the Jedi in that way. None of our heroes die, no one is even really hurt. The earth goes back to its old self and everyone rocks out to Yellow Dancer Live and in Concert. Even the Invid survive to fly off into the cosmos to find a new world to torment. It is celebratory but it feels like the costs to get there weren't all that high, or at least not as high as I would have imagined.

"Are you really ready to Robotech Rock?"

I'm picking a bit on Robotech because of my adult tastes. I fully realize that a kid back in 1985 isn't going to really care too much about same old road trip plot lines, bland enemies or endless ammo. I sure didn't. But I'm not sure I can recommend Robotech to a new viewer in this day an age. Anime and science fiction shows in general have gotten more sophisticated and better plotted out (for the most part). The messiness of The Masters Saga and The New Generation will cause viewers to lose interest.

What it all boils down to is that Robotech was a great series for its time. It was an interesting experiment that really clicked with a lot of young viewers back in the day. But I think the nostalgia goggles can blind some old time fans to the faults of the show. But the truth is pretty plain: The Macross Saga is the best of the series and that is why everyone always talks about it.

But if someone wants to reboot the series, I think there is a lot of room to build something bigger, more impactful and intense. The Robotech concept has a lot of potential to it, and maybe we'll see something that give us a sprawling generational adventure that was inspired by this unique animated saga.

They aren't panicking because of Invid. They just
realized Annie has a loaded plasma cannon
in the cockpit with them!