Denkyu: Anime Webzine

by Otakuden

In every generation of anime fandom there is one anime in particular that either redefines or creates a new genre, sometimes both. From this anime is birthed a new generation of fans who embark on their journey of otakudom. No matter how many years pass or how much anime is watched, they will always trace their induction with nostalgic fondness back to that one anime which has since been the standard of all its successors to date and to come. There can be only one original.

Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon.

Based on the original manga by Naoko Takeuchi, the manga itself ran for a total of 18 tankoubans from February 1992 to March 1997. An epic romantic drama, Sailor Moon redefined and created a whole new genre of the mahout shoujo medium (magical girl) that to this day is still emulated. Following the manga storyline as accurately as possible and with consultation by Naoko Takeuchi, there were five seasons of anime which ran from March 1992 to February 1997 for a total of 200 episodes. In addition, three subsequent movies and an OVA special collection were also created along with a multitude of live Sailor Moon musicals. Up-and-coming producers, directors, seiyuu, and musical composers may very well not be who or where they are today if it was not for their work on Sailor Moon.

On a personal level, Sailor Moon was discovered by yours truly during my high school years which brought the wide world of anime back into my life, and this time for good. Weekday mornings were spent waking up earlier than usual to ensure I could catch the newest episode. If not, I would make sure the VCR was set to record. It didn’t take long before I was recording every episode no matter what. From my burgeoning passion I turned to the internet, looking at various sites and searches for more information on Sailor Moon. The deeper I delved, my blossoming otaku horizons were broadened and my eyes opened to three things that forever changed my life.

1) Sailor Moon as I was watching it on TV was edited and cut for US broadcast.
2) Sailor Moon was this phenomena called anime which was an infinitely vast creative medium which I had been totally ignorant of.
3) Fansubs aside, anime on VHS could be found in my local brick-and-mortar video store along with online.

Sailor Moon initially follows the bumbling misadventures of your cute and clumsy average 14 year old Japanese school girl. As the story slowly unravels, it becomes readily apparent that the true beginning of the story of Sailor Moon and her fellow Senshi began thousands of years ago in the Silver Millennium in the Moon Kingdom. Alas, a dark and violent tragedy struck at the happy citizens of the Moon Kingdom and the wheels of fate were set in motion. As her family, friends, and subjects fell dead before the invading enemy forces which consisted of Queen Beryl and her Generals from Earth, Queen Serenity of the Moon Kingdom used the last of her strength to seal the dark forces and send her people to the future. There they would be reborn and hopefully be able to live out their lives once more, this time in peace.

From there Tsukino Usagi and cast take center stage, weaving a dramatic tragedy replete with daily monsters and sometimes controversial subject matter. In both the manga and the anime, Sailor Moon broached some rather sensitive issues: homosexuality, transexualism, same-sex families, family division and rife, teen marriage, life and death, fate, true friendship, and hope. For a bishoujo anime geared towards the average teenage girl, Sailor Moon doesn’t pull any punches. Homosexuality in particular was embraced and expressed in a very natural though sometimes tragic fashion. But then, isn’t that just the way of life? Being gay was OK and it was natural; nothing to be punished or feared. The brutally cruel twists of fate that can lead to death and heartache weren’t lessened in any extent to spare viewers. Live can be all things and such denial is a corrosive poison which is harmful to everyone.

In the face of bitter life and death battles is the light of life and hope which will prevail, but sometimes at a price. All things precious and wroth living for must at times be fought for. As Usagi, the Senshi, and Mamoru fight, bleed, and die for us, our everyday normal happy carefree lives continue. Even when youma (demons) attack and the Senshi appear to save the day, there is no personal recognition, no Thank You. Instead, it is their own individual sense of duty, honor, destiny, and love for Earth and Humanity that is the Senshi’s reward. Even the most selfish, cruel, and dismal person is worth saving.

All life is precious.

For all of its seriousness, Sailor Moon has an overabundance of humor and silliness. Part of what sets Sailor Moon aside above all the rest and why it truly is a genre unto itself is the balance between a complex theme and a light-hearted tale of girls growing up while trying to find a peaceful balance between finding love and friendship and protecting the Earth.

The first four seasons and three movies of Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon were previously released in collections and single DVDs by both ADV and Geneon, respectfully. Unfortunately, the DVDs are long out of print. The last season, Sailor Moon Star, and the OVA specials collections have never been licensed. While the releases were for the most part uncut and unedited and for the first time available in Japanese with English subtitles, Sailor Moon didn’t receive the best loving treatment possible. An entire episode was left out of the second season and the original video masters along with the English subtitles were at times rather shoddy. That being said, I consider myself lucky to be a part of this timeless classic. I dream of it being relicensed and rereleased with the love and care that Sailor Moon and tachi deserve, but in the meantime, no matter how many years pass amidst a continuous plethora of anime I watch, Sailor Moon will always hold a very dear place in my heart as the progenitor of my otakudom.

To check out all of Otakuden’s reviews, check out her blog at http://otakudenreviews.livejournal.com/

by Otakuden

Life is a very serious matter, but that doesn’t mean that life is meant to be taken seriously all the time. If it wasn’t for laughter, for outrageous comedic moments, outlandish parodies, and priceless satire, surely humanity would have gone mad eons ago. While the serious moments of our lives give purpose and drive, the laughter and smiles is the glue that holds us all together and makes living possible.

This is nowhere more evident than in the creative genius that is Photon: The Idiot Adventures. Brought to me by Masaki Kajishima, the same creative genius who was behind Tenchi Muyo and Dual, Photon perfectly bridges the gap between the serious tragedies of life and the gut-busting insanity of our day to day reality. What is life but one big cosmic joke in which taking things too seriously is just as detrimental as being too lackadaisical.

Enter our main characters: Photon, Keyne, Aun, Papacha, and Lashara. In the distant past on a remote planet, there was once a spaceship which crash-landed, thus opening our anime, Photon. During its fiery descent, a mysterious object from the ship fell to the ground, landing amidst the primitive people there. Recovered by one of the natives during its descent, this seemingly mystical and sacred object is help aloft for all too see, and in one single instant, the path of evolution and society takes an unexpected turn. Hundreds of years later, the Holy Object has catapulted the original natives to a civilized agricultural state by giving motion and life to various objects and implements: tools, machinery, modern conveniences, and even producing fire.

So, just what is this Holy Object?

A marker.

Yes. None other than a marker, also known as an Aho pen in the civilization it came from. To truly appreciate the double, triple, and sometimes quadruple entendres of this and other linguistic parodies within Photon: The Idiot Adventures, one must first understand what the word Aho means in Japanese.

Translation: moron, stupid, idiot.

In other words, an all around buffoon. The counter-agent to the great power of Aho is Un-Aho, and the center of all Un-Aho is known as the Singularity Point. This would mean that whoever is the Singularity Point is the antithesis to all Aho in the known universe.

Amidst all the silly hijinks unravels a tale of power and corruption, love and heartbreak, promises made and promises kept, and intergalactic conflict. Thrust into this mayhem is our main characters. While there are multiple important secondary characters, the main character in this tale is Photon, our loveable mascot, or man, for whom this particular OVA series is named. Photon, our token idiot with whom we adventure is simple, quiet, and sensibly down-to-earth almost to the point of simpleton. In summary, Photon embodies the basic principles of chivalry which, unfortunately or fortunately, this also makes him an idiot.

I always find it amazing that the Japanese have so perfectly mastered the craft of pairing absolutely outrageous comedy with very real, very taught emotional human drama and circumstance. In one moment Keyne and Aun are having a no-holds-barred showdown to see who can cook a better meal for Photon, thus proving who is more worthy of being his wife. In another, Keyne battles for her life against Papacha and the Galactic Emperor, both of whom wish to utilize her body which is also the Key to unlocking the limitless power of Aho. Through various turns of events, our heroes will have you laughing vigorously in one moment and on the edge of your seat, pillow clenched in hand the next, as they battle to save the universe and each other.

Photon, Keyne, Aun, Lashara, and Papacha have forever endeared themselves to my heart. Whenever I reminisce about the anime Photon, I can’t help but to smile and snicker. Papacha is one of the most selfish, arrogant, and unbelievably stupid villains I have ever experienced. There is no boundary that cannot be crossed and no parody too crazy. From dancing black dots strategically placed in delicate areas to exploding nose bleeds and sake-swilling hot spring mischief, Photon has something for everyone’s funny bone.

Fortunately, Photon: The Idiot Adventures is available domestically from US Manga Corp. Collected on one DVD; Photon delivers three solid hours of Aho hilarity. No matter how much time passes or how many times I revisit Photon and friends, it is always just as good as the last.

To check out all of Otakuden’s reviews, check out her blog at http://otakudenreviews.livejournal.com/

by Andromeda

Have you ever watched an anime and fell so much in love with it that you’ve said, “I need more!”? Have you ever fell so much in love with the characters you’ve said, “I want to see what happens later on!”, after the story has ended? Yes, you most likely have. There have been dozens of characters I’ve liked and wanted to know, what happens after the crisis is over and the bad guy is gone.

Fushigi Yugi: Eikoden helped with my craving for more Fushigi Yugi. Taka, a.k.a Tamahome, and Miaka are now a few years older and are starting a new chapter in their lives. They’re getting married. It’s a happy day for everyone. Well, everyone except for, Mayo, a girl who has a major crush on Taka. Unrequited love. We all know how homicidal and crazy it makes some people.

The Universe of the Four Gods is calling for a hero once again to save the land and the people within from disappearing completely. Walking home one day, Mayo discovers the book in the trash and takes it home. Upon reading it she learns some interesting things about Take and Miaka. Coveting what she doesn’t have, and the book needing a new priestess, Mayo goes inside The Universe of the Four Gods.

Just when things couldn’t get better for the newlyweds, a pregnant Miaka collapses. Taka, finding out the reason why knows that to save Miaka and their unborn child, he must go back into the book and find Mayo. Things become worse when he finds Mayo and hears the lies she has told to the young Emperor, Hotohori’s son. But this isn’t the only problem that has arisen.

It’s been ten years since Taka (Tamahome) has left The Universe of the Four Gods. Upon his return he discovers something is tearing apart the land, destroying the book. Before he can take Mayo back he must gather together the Suzaku seven, bring back their memories, and once again save the land. Time is running out quickly for The Universe of the Four Gods and Miaka.

I enjoyed this installment of Fushigi Yugi but thought it was rushed. No, that has nothing to do with my wanting more Fushigi Yugi. For the storyline, much more could have been added to make it complete. A lot of characters are brought in but their time in the spotlight was extremely short. One thing I liked about the original series was the character development of the Suzaku seven. I know that they were being gathered again, but those who were dead were reborn.

There was very little of Miaka in it, despite her not being the main character. The story revolves much more around Taka. All the familiar main characters make an appearance. Yui – her best friend. Tetsuya – Yui’s boyfriend and Keisuke’s friend. Keisuke – Miaka’s brother. Keisuke was there when Mayo went inside the book and even tried stopping her. This time he’s reading the book while at Miaka’s bedside.

The art is the same as the series, so you will have that familiarity with it. I know I enjoy movies and OVAs much more when the drawing style is the same as the series. It makes me feel like it’s something different when it’s not.

If you are a Fushigi Yugi fan and you haven’t seen this yet, you really should.

by Otakuden

Life as you know it consists of your bedroom, a large gathering room where you and other children play, and the adults who raised you. There is no outside world, just the institution with its hospital white walls, sterile atmosphere, and impersonal staff who tend to your basic needs. Years pass, friendships are made and lost, as you and the other children living there grow into teenagers. Protected by the staff members who work in the institution, your home, you trust them as one would trust family.

And then, betrayal.

Ignorant of the institution’s real purpose, the children’s role as nothing more than cattle to be farmed for their organs is brutally revealed to one young girl who had been raised by the institution for as long as she could remember. Within seconds, her quiet, peaceful life was shattered because some powerful multi-millionaire’s daughter needed new eyes. Instantly, she was reduced from human being to objectified organ donor. With her eyes stolen and any usefulness over, only death awaits our tragic victim as an unknown armed force attacks the institution. In physical pain, emotionally shocked and shattered, she awaits her fate in listless resignation. Bursting into her life, a shadowed figure scoops the young girl into his arms and fights their way to freedom.

Blind and incapacitated, our young lady is brought to the mysterious Black Jack, a doctor of almost magical abilities. He restores her sight with new set of eyes capable of x-ray vision, giving our young lady a new chance at life. Black Jack informs Ray, our tragic heroine, that her life is now hers to live and her new ability hers to use as she sees fit. While not an original character created by Yoshitomi Akihito, mangaka of the manga Ray, Black Jack is an original creation of Osamu Tezuka, the grandfather of manga. A mercenary doctor who operates on seemingly anybody and everybody, Ray feels greatly indebted to Black Jack.

After being rescued from the institution, Ray was raised by Dr. Kasugawa, a surgeon and Ray’s adoptive mother. A kind lady, wise and caring, Ray admires Dr. Kasugawa as she was a major influence along Ray’s path to becoming a surgeon. Ray is supported on all sides by Dr. Kasugawa, the eccentric surgeon and hospital director Sawa and his staff, and Shinoyama, a genius at manufacturing artificial organs. Shinoyama works closely with Ray on multiple occasions and harbors a not-so-secret crush on Ray. Unfortunately for Shinoyama, Ray doesn’t take notice, and if she does, her memories of Koichi interfere. While she was at the institution, there was a young boy there, Koichi, whom Ray fell in love with. Their relationship was mutual, a quiet tragedy which would be revealed many years later.

Much of the first half of Ray the Animation is spent getting to know our main protagonist and heroine, Ray. Despite having gone through such a hellacious tragedy, Ray grows into a beautiful intelligent young lady and a very skilled surgeon. Using her special ability to control her x-ray vision, Ray performs seemingly impossible medical feats, saving lives that had been written off as lost. Each case ranges from average to the bizarre; a plot similar to Black Jack, but Ray operates for personal reasons and not profit or gain. Ray cannot see someone in pain, hurt, or dying and not want to help. Her personal creed as a doctor and her morals won’t allow it.

Throughout all her operations and her daily life, Ray has never forgotten nor forgiven the institution for what it did to her and her friends, nor the “H-Ring” man who stole her eyes. While Ray never saw the powerful billionaire who bought her eyes, she did see his hand which had a large ring on it with the letter “H”. Thus, he is known only to her as the H-Ring man. Together with Director Sawa and his staff, who are revealed as being part of the team that raided and burnt down the institution years ago, Ray searches for lost friends and the “H-Ring” man. It was Director Sawa himself who saved Ray so many years ago, losing an eye and a leg in the process. A rather intimidating figure of a man, Sawa is actually a gentle giant, and cares deeply for Ray as he would for his own daughter. It was Director Sawa and Dr. Kasugawa who raised Ray after her rescue.

Through a devastating sequence of events, Ray learns the truth of her origins, her original purpose and why H-Ring is so obsessed with her. She also finds Koichi and is finally able to put an end to everything. Supporting her throughout her ordeal is Director Sawa, Dr Kasugawa, Shinoyama, and hidden in the shadows, Black Jack. The shocking truth acts as a release, breaking the chains which had bound Ray to her past. Truly free now, Ray continues her chosen path, continuing to use her gift, her special eyes and surgical talent to help people and save lives.

Ray the Animation features amazing medical mysteries, detailed, gritty, and out-of-this world surgical procedures amidst top-notch animation. At the heart of Ray the Animation though is Ray herself. The horrible journey she has had to endure through life and the path she has chosen for herself despite said tragedies. It takes great inner strength to continuously turn tragedy into hope and resolve. With the help of close friends and family, Ray uses that innate inner strength to build her a new life.

As sentient, intelligent human beings, just what value and worth do we put on people and life? Are we nothing more than just organs waiting to be farmed out or donated to someone else after we die? Is someone else’s life more important than mine? Who deserves to live and who deserves to die? Should it matter whether the patient is a saint, or a vicious cold-blooded serial killer? If you only have one chance at life, how will you choose to live it?

Life and mortality. Morals and justice. Forgiveness and redemption.

Ray the Animation puts these issues at the forefront as our heroine Ray searches for her own answers. Strong yet vulnerable at the same time, Ray is the lost, hurt child in all of us: fighting to live, to find meaning and purpose in life, and to find who we were and who we are going to be. As Ray searches for her answers, so too does the viewer. Unfortunately, Ray the Animation is unlicensed. At thirteen episodes long, it is an enjoyable anime, and one I could easily watch in one sitting. Once Ray grabs a hold of you, she doesn’t let go. The manga is currently available translated, but it is my hope that someday soon Ray the Animation will get the US DVD release she deserves.

To check out all of Otakuden’s reviews, check out her blog at http://otakudenreviews.livejournal.com/

by Otakuden

What do you get when you combine one of the greatest anime directors and an English techno dance band? A funkadelic sci-fi romp through adventure and romance in vivid colors and classic anime style.

Leiji Matsumoto has been writing manga and directing anime since the early 70s, bringing into existence such timeless classics as Galaxy Express 999, Captain Harlock, Space Battleship Yamato, Queen Millenia, and Queen Emeraldas. To this day, Matsumoto-san is still very active in the anime industry, writing and producing new anime, all occurring within a fictional world known as the Leijiverse. Over the decades, Matsumoto-san has singe-handedly created a living, breathing anime universe that is uniquely his own. Space Opera; were there to be a king of this genre, Matsumoto-san would definitely be sitting in the throne.

Daft Punk is a French techno dance funk band who got their start in the late 80s. Back when dance and techno was in its fledgling stages, Daft Punk was tearing up the dance floors and club scene, pioneering new ground in this emerging musical frontier. Daft Punk’s search for their own unique sound culminated in the mid 90s with their debut album Homework, and they haven’t slowed down since. Closet otaku and life-long fans of Matsumoto-san, in 2003 Daft Punk approached Matsumoto-san with a completed script and their desire to create an animated musical movie centered on their album, Discovery. Matsumoto-san agreed and joined the creative team of Shinji Shimizu, Kazuhisa Takenouchi, and Tamiyuki Sugiyama as the visual supervisor.

Between the fall of 2000 and the spring of 2003, a modern classic was born: Interstella 5555 – The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem

Interstella begins with the slow, building beat of One More Time, the opening song on the album Discovery and the opening song for our nonstop musical thrill ride through Interstella, an epic space opera. On a colorful planet amidst distant stars, citizens dance free and enjoy life to the funky beats and musical styling of the stars of the Crescendolls, a blue-skinned four member band which includes Octave, Baryl, Arpegus, and Stella. In true Matsumoto-san style, Stella is strikingly waifish and feminine, yet vibrant and strong-willed. She plays the bass guitar and is the heart of the Crescendolls. Matsumoto-san has always been a proponent of what I would consider a well-rounded, strong female lead who is both vulnerable and indomitable. Her fellow band members fill the roles of quietly stoic, fun-loving rascal, and noble leader.

Unfortunately for the Crescendolls, Earl de Darkwood, an evil megalomaniac has set his eyes on their underground popularity with selfish designs of profit and power. As the album plays nonstop, so too do the unraveling events of Interstella. Kidnapped mid-concert by masked, armored humanoids sent by Darkwood, the future seems bleak for the Crescendolls as they are ferreted away in Darkwood’s ship. A distress signal is sent to our hero, Shep, aboard his spaceship which just happens to be in the shape of a huge electric guitar. A fellow otaku of the band and harboring a boyish crush on the beauteous Stella, Shep dons his battle gear and steers his ship for the kidnapped Crescendolls final destination: Earth.

In a hidden facility, the Crescendolls are brain wiped of their vibrant personality and identity and turned into mindless automatons. No originality. No creative freedom. No passion or inspiration. No sense of genius or style. No heart or soul. Originally nameless to the viewers, the band was given their name Crescendolls by Earl de Darkwood which eventually becomes their accepted identity. It may be the only redeeming contribution they receive from their time on Earth.

With their minds reprogrammed, appearances disguised with a human skin-tone spray, and a new hip look, the Crescendolls make their Earth debut and are an instant hit. While Darkwood would like to credit their success and achievements all to him, it is really the Crescendolls original passion and creativity which lends them their success and lovability, whether it be on Earth or the far reaches of space. Darkwood is, after all, stealing their music, their talents, and their image to rake in the millions of dollars of profit he can make from the band, gaining the coveted Gold Record. And when their use is over, he plans nothing more than to store his Gold Record and their musical essence in some heartless machine and then dispose of the leftovers.

Shep, who crash landed on Earth in his pursuit of the kidnapper’s spaceship, witnesses the Crescendolls concert on TV. Recognizing their disguised form, he plans their rescue. Without a human disguise, Shep covers himself to hide his blue skin and alien features from the dangerous inhabitants of Earth. As our musical space opera continues, Shep plans a desperate rescue during one of their concerts which quickly falls apart in the face of Darkwood’s armed guards and the Crescendoll’s disoriented confusion. After all, they have no memory of who they really are, so Shep is just as alien and a dangerous threat to them and their audience. Valiantly, Shep is able to release Darkwood’s mind-control over all the band members except Stella. Freed from Darkwood’s clutches, Shep and the other three band members eventually rescue Stella, but not before misfortune strikes and tragedy claims her first victim.

Octave, Baryl, Arpages, and Stella head for Earl de Darkwood’s lair, an ominous castle nestled high upon a craggy cliff. Inside, they learn of the Earl’s devious plan. Every one of his Gold Record bands have kidnapped, brain wiped aliens. After he receives the 5,555th Gold Record award and places it and the representative band member into his evil machine, Darkwood would be granted absolute rule over the Universe. Appalled and enraged, the Crescendolls foil his plans, sending the Darkwood to his deserved doom. With their identities restored and their disguise abandoned, the Crescendolls return home. Arriving safely, they hold their first concert in honor of their fallen hero as their performance is broadcast on digital sets throughout the Universe.

Peace, Love, and Musical Freedom is restored. For the Crescendolls and the viewing audience, there is once again goodwill and happiness in the universe. Interstella 5555 is one of the best collaborations between two creative forces, and another timeless addition to the Leijiverse. While watching Interstella, I can’t help but wonder where the original story ends and the cynical criticism of commercialized music begins. Ultimately, I believe it to be Daft Punk’s love for original music and Matsumoto-san’s love for impassioned story-telling which gives credit to both social points.

Social studies aside, anytime is always Daft Punk and Matsumoto-san time, and Interstella 5555 will always be a modern space opera of retro funkadelic pleasure to watch, hum, and think along to.

To check out all of Otakuden’s reviews, check out her blog at http://otakudenreviews.livejournal.com/