Another three episodes on this month's disk.

Fist up is Innocent Venus, set in a world where a series of natural disasters has
led to economic collapse and where there are two classes, the upper class who live
in the cities and an under class who live in poverty outside in the ruins of the
old cities.
The story starts with a man and a young girl running through a ruined city, they
are being chased by soldiers and it soon becomes clear that it's the girl they're
after.
This is a fairly dark series, in more ways than one as a lot of the action takes
place at night. There's lots of violent battles between combat mecha equipped
soldiers and there's also evidence that there's a political conflict going on as
well.
This looks like it could develop into quite a good series if you like violent mecha
battles and political intrigue.

Next up is Mushi-shi, which is as tranquil as Innocent Venus is violent. The story
of a man who travels around looking for, and helping, those people who are in
contact in some way or other with the elemental spirit like beings known as mushi.
The episode exuded a very laid-back, peaceful charm. It seems to be more of a
series of one-off stories based around the travels of one man rather than a
continuous on-going story, but it's none the worse for that and may actually be its
strong point. This could well be the perfect series for those who prefer
thoughtful, contemplative stories.

Last up is Air. I saw a couple of episodes of this a few years ago at Minamicon
and really liked it, so I'm pleased that it's finally getting a DVD release. The
story opens with a traveller arriving a small coastal town and trying, not very
successfully, to earn enough to buy his next meal by putting on a strange puppet
show. Throughout his travels he is searching for the Girl in the Sky, a legend that
his mother passed down to him.
Shortly after arriving in the town he is befriended by an energetic, but rather
dizzy, young girl who introduces him to her enigmatic friends and he realises that
there is a possibility that one of them could be a clue to what he is searching
for.


== Peter ==
-----------------------------------------------------
"Making a clean getaway is the mark of a professional."
(Mireille Bouquet: Noir)

In a futile gesture against entropy, Peter Boulter wrote:
>
> Next up is Mushi-shi, which is as tranquil as Innocent Venus is violent. The story
> of a man who travels around looking for, and helping, those people who are in
> contact in some way or other with the elemental spirit like beings known as mushi.

Having just got the first DVD of this series, I'm pleasantly surprised.
They seem to have done a good job with a tricky translation (we even get
a fair number of the honourifics left in - a trend which really should
continue, IMO), and the DVD brings out the artwork very nicely compared
with the fansubs. Oh, and the episode count (5) isn't bad either.

The show itself is one of the best anime of recent years by a fair
margin - thoughtful, understated and often beautiful to watch.
Definitely recommended (although probably not to the mecha fans...).

Peter Boulter wrote:
> Another three episodes on this month's disk.
>
> Fist up is Innocent Venus, set in a world where a series of natural disasters has
> led to economic collapse and where there are two classes, the upper class who live
> in the cities and an under class who live in poverty outside in the ruins of the
> old cities.

(snip)

> This is a fairly dark series, in more ways than one as a lot of the action takes
> place at night.

Dark is the new Black. ^_^

(snip)

> Next up is Mushi-shi, which is as tranquil as Innocent Venus is violent. The story
> of a man who travels around looking for, and helping, those people who are in
> contact in some way or other with the elemental spirit like beings known as mushi.
> The episode exuded a very laid-back, peaceful charm. It seems to be more of a
> series of one-off stories based around the travels of one man rather than a
> continuous on-going story, but it's none the worse for that and may actually be its
> strong point.

Its quite an extraordinary little series; fans of Miyazaki and Haibane
Renmei will probably lap it up. Its very Japanese is a way somewhat
removed from what is normally meant by that phrase. Its not exactly a
fast-moving series, and theres no bouncy bits (so far), but one of the
more astonishing series I've seen in the past few months.

(snip)

Adam Jones wrote:
> In a futile gesture against entropy, Peter Boulter wrote:
>> Next up is Mushi-shi,

(snip)

> The show itself is one of the best anime of recent years by a fair
> margin - thoughtful, understated and often beautiful to watch.
> Definitely recommended (although probably not to the mecha fans...).

I *knew* someone was going to say that. Prepare to be surprised... ^_^

Quoting Peter Boulter <starhunter>:
[Line lengths corrected]
>Next up is Mushi-shi, which is as tranquil as Innocent Venus is violent.
>The episode exuded a very laid-back, peaceful charm. It seems to be more of a
>series of one-off stories based around the travels of one man rather than a
>continuous on-going story,

If it ever got a plot, I didn't notice it. I did quite like Mushishi, and
I'm the exploding helicopters guy at Anime Night.

While strolling carefully through the minefield that is Usenet, on 07
Aug 2007 14:16:20 +0100 (BST), David Damerell
<damerell> wrote:

>Quoting Peter Boulter <starhunter>:
>[Line lengths corrected]
>>Next up is Mushi-shi, which is as tranquil as Innocent Venus is violent.
>>The episode exuded a very laid-back, peaceful charm. It seems to be more of a
>>series of one-off stories based around the travels of one man rather than a
>>continuous on-going story,
>
>If it ever got a plot, I didn't notice it. I did quite like Mushishi, and
>I'm the exploding helicopters guy at Anime Night.

It sort of wends a loose plot together towards the end of the series,
but it is pretty well hidden :)

Justin Palmer <justin> wrote:

> Adam Jones wrote:
>> In a futile gesture against entropy, Peter Boulter wrote:
>>> Next up is Mushi-shi,
>
> (snip)
>
>> The show itself is one of the best anime of recent years by a fair
>> margin - thoughtful, understated and often beautiful to watch.
>> Definitely recommended (although probably not to the mecha fans...).
>
> I *knew* someone was going to say that. Prepare to be surprised... ^_^


You mean the mushi are actually nanobots?

starhunter (Peter Boulter) wrote:

> Next up is Mushi-shi, which is as tranquil as Innocent Venus is
> violent. The story of a man who travels around looking for, and
> helping, those people who are in contact in some way or other with the
> elemental spirit like beings known as mushi.

I've seen a couple of episodes of that. It's a bit intriguing but it
didn't grab me to the extent that I would go out of my way to get it. It
was immensely popular in Japan but the plots had an inconsistent feel to
me, like when he gives away his glass eye to a girl who's gone blind - I
thought he needed that himself to see the mushi?

> Last up is Air. I saw a couple of episodes of this a few years ago at
> Minamicon and really liked it, so I'm pleased that it's finally
> getting a DVD release.

It's not good news for those who put money on it never being licenced,
who must be crying over their torn up betting slips right now. It is a
modern classic though.

Washi wrote:
> Justin Palmer <justin> wrote:
>
>> Adam Jones wrote:
>>> In a futile gesture against entropy, Peter Boulter wrote:
>>>> Next up is Mushi-shi,
>> (snip)
>>
>>> The show itself is one of the best anime of recent years by a fair
>>> margin - thoughtful, understated and often beautiful to watch.
>>> Definitely recommended (although probably not to the mecha fans...).
>> I *knew* someone was going to say that. Prepare to be surprised... ^_^
>> You mean the mushi are actually nanobots?

No, but in the last episode Ginko leaps into a giant robot to fight the
Mushi-King Kaiser X. ^_^

Washi(washi) added

<snip>
> > Last up is Air. I saw a couple of episodes of this a few years
> > ago at Minamicon and really liked it, so I'm pleased that it's
> > finally getting a DVD release.
>
> It's not good news for those who put money on it never being
> licenced, who must be crying over their torn up betting slips right
> now. It is a modern classic though.

These days it's not a good idea to place bets on a series never being released.


== Peter ==
-----------------------------------------------------
"Of all the books I have ever read,
this was the greatest one."
(Miaka Yuki: Fushigi Yugi.)

In a futile gesture against entropy, Peter Boulter wrote:
> These days it's not a good idea to place bets on a series never being
> released.

Indeed. Seeing Simoun get licenced pretty much used up my supply of
surprise for the next year and a half.

In a futile gesture against entropy, Justin Palmer wrote:
> Adam Jones wrote:
> > In a futile gesture against entropy, Peter Boulter wrote:
> >> Next up is Mushi-shi,
> > Definitely recommended (although probably not to the mecha fans...).
> I *knew* someone was going to say that. Prepare to be surprised... ^_^

Note the "probably". Heck, even *I* can be a mecha fan at times...
(Specifically the times when Bokurano is on. ;) There can be an overlap
between navel-contemplation and mecha; rather less, however, with the
subset of mecha containing BURNING PASSION.


And thinking of navel-gazing and mecha, has anyone else seen the
trailers for the Red Garden OVAs? Is it just me, or do they look like
being the most messed-up piece of Bubblegum Crisis fanfic ever?
(Seriously. Girls fighting giant robots using cyber-tech baseball bats
whilst singing about their existential angst. Sign me up!)

On Wed, 08 Aug 2007 09:58:47 +0100, Adam Jones
<adam> wrote:

>There can be an overlap
>between navel-contemplation and mecha; rather less, however, with the
>subset of mecha containing BURNING PASSION.

All really good mecha contain burning passion! Many of them also
contain burning pilot but that's beside the point!

On Wed, 08 Aug 2007 09:51:50 +0100, Adam Jones
<adam> wrote:

>> These days it's not a good idea to place bets on a series never being
>> released.
>
>Indeed. Seeing Simoun get licenced pretty much used up my supply of
>surprise for the next year and a half.

I kind of gave up buying Jp LDs and DVDs after Crest of the Stars got
a US release. Ten years ago the very idea was just a pipe dream!

In message <7jhjb3tlpvnpf29o0blj99v1qo2kdojh0s>, Stuart Dawson
<stuart> writes

>I kind of gave up buying Jp LDs and DVDs after Crest of the Stars got
>a US release. Ten years ago the very idea was just a pipe dream!

I'm still waiting for the four "Yokohama Kaidishi Kikou" OAVs to get a
Western release with English-language subtitles. <Crickets chirping>

It's an insult that the YKK manga has never been licenced for Western
publishing either, although if it wins the Seiun Award this year for
SF-based manga at the World SF convention in Yokohama that might change.