Denkyu: Anime Webzine

by Otakuden

It isn’t often that I get to write about the two main passions in my life in one article, anime and spirits. Thankfully, a little show by the name of Bartender premiered on late night Japanese TV in October of 2006, bringing the sophistication and artistry of professional bartending to the discerning viewer. Based on the manga written by Araki Joh and illustrated by Kenji Nagatomo, Bartender’s main protagonist is Ryu Sasakura, known for his “Glass of the Gods”. A quiet, unassuming gentleman in his mid 20s, Ryu embodies the heart of what it means to be a Bartender.

So, what makes a Bartender more than someone who just serves you drinks? The answer to that question lies within the meaning of Bartender. The bar is where patrons sit, and the individual behind the counter tends to the needs of their patron. Tender literally means kindness, so a bar is a kind place to escape from the burden of the world outside. Therefore, it is a Bartenders solemn duty to ensure their patrons needs, wishes, and problems are attended to with gentle sincerity and kindness. One could say that without a Bartender, there is no tenderness, no kindness at a bar; instead just a cold uninviting place where no one can feel ease and comfort. This notion of a Bartender may seem farfetched to the imbibed, so to understand one must grasp the differences between an American bar and a Japanese bar.

Atmosphere = Customer Service = The Cocktail.

The art of the cocktail and the bar scene in Japan is one of quiet solidarity and adult sophistication. I’m not talking about the dance or host clubs, but instead I am referring to a bar where there are no TVs, no blaring music or families, and no rowdy crowds of collegiate party-goers. Instead, behind those unassuming heavy doors lies your own private retreat from the pressure and responsibilities of the real world. Your Bartender is your guide and your cocktail a passport to forgotten memories, remorseful reflection, inner Zen and joyous celebration. Quite a different standard then the average generic bar that we Americans are accustomed to and a very accurate depiction of the modern Japanese bar scene.

From the glass to the cocktail and its history, I am taken on a sophisticated journey through the world of imbibing which I personally delight in. Each episode features a cocktail or spirit through which the patron seeks personal resolution. The story of the cocktail is a tool with which Ryu masterfully solves his patron’s troubles. The best Bartender is one who listens to the spoken and the unspoken, our own personal therapist, if only for a few hours.

While Ryu is undoubtedly a master of the Glass of the Gods, he is in truth a master of people. So what then is the Glass of the Gods? I would say that the Glass of the Gods is in truth the glass of your soul – that one special cocktail which helps to heal the wounds of your heart. This is expressed most eloquently in the opening song, “Bartender”, performed by Natural High featuring Junpei Shiina:

“Don’t pretend. Don’t hide. Let my clairvoyance reveal everything about you. You’re strong, but you carry a side that is about to break, don’t you? How about a stimulating flavor that will set you aflame more than ever?”

For the most part, Bartender is narrated by Miwa Kurushima, a regular at Ryu’s bar, Eden Hall, and former recipient of the “Glass of the Gods.” We are shown her story in the second episode titled Kokoro no Menu (Menu of the Heart). While Miwa is not always active in each of the 11 episodes, her presence is always felt, allowing us to experience the world of Bartender through her eyes. Miwa’s soft-spoken narration adds a feminine tenderness to the gentleman’s club atmosphere. Through Miwa, I wasn’t just a viewer, but an active patron at Eden Hall.

A self-professed gourmand of spirits and cocktails, each episode was an educational, delightful treat of Bartending lore. From the rumored origins of the Margarita to the timeless relationship between the classic daiquiri and the turbulent island life of Hemingway himself, these classic cocktails come alive through Ryu. The legendary whisky distillery Suntory is featured in episode 2 which is also Miwa’s Glass of the Gods. Ryu explores the cultural and social history of Japanese whisky from its virgin introduction to Japan when Commodore Perry landed, to the whisky explosion of 1919/1925 when authentic scotch-style single malt whiskey was introduced. Such significant evolution has brought us to today, where a Suntory 30 year and a Yoichi 20 year won the two top categories in the 2008 World Whisky Awards tasting.

Add one part human drama and one part spirit to the glass.
Shake and pour.
I now have an anime cocktail that instantly became a favorite. Bartender will never grow old nor will I ever grow disinterested. Bartender is my own personal Glass of the Gods, and I hope someone in the US will license this spirited treat. If they do, I will be sure to pull up a stool at Eden Hall, sip, and enjoy.

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

by Otakuden

Our future lays before you and I, as vast as the sea and as mysterious as the far reaches of the cosmos. Because the future is the only true unknown, its mystery has always been a point of fascination and imagination. That is nowhere more prolific than in Japan and amongst the creative minds of anime. In 1987, an 8 episode gritty, post-war and natural disaster, rocking cyber-punk anime by the name of Bubblegum Crisis swept up Japanese and US viewers alike in its storm. With character designs by Kenichi Sonoda, Bubblegum Crisis melds a gritty story with corporate terrorism, poverty, punk-pop music, and justice-driven vigilantes. Bubblegum Crisis rocked the anime stage in 1987, creating yet another subgenre which is still emulated to this day.

A devastating earthquake ravaged the region of Kanto in 1925, reducing almost everything to rubble, killing tens of thousands and leaving even more homeless. It was devastation on such a massive scale that humanity had never seen before. From the rubble, a corporate giant named Genom, emerged and quickly built itself into THE super-power to contend with in the newly rebuilt Megatokyo where Bubblegum Crisis occurs. Genom invented, creates, and builds Boomers, a brand new robot technology with multi-functional skills, both domestic and military. Questionable ethics aside, it is an indisputable fact that the devastated city would not have been rebuilt as quickly nor as thoroughly as it was if it wasn’t for Boomers and Genom. Much like our own modern corporate giants, one will see the Genom logo staring back at them from everywhere. Ultimately, it is their corruption and abuse of power which our heroines of justice fight.

Bubblegum Crisis: A Tale of the Knight Sabers.
A futuristic Robin Hood?

Considering this is anime, Bubblegum Crisis is more like a sentai tale of super-powered, super-suited righteousness. Our heroines of modern cyberpunk justice include Sylia, Priss, Linna, and Nene. There are many supporting characters, but Bubblegum Crisis mostly revolves around our ladies and their mission to prevent and expose Genom’s crimes. To accomplish this, Sylia creates a powered suit using Boomer technology and schematics bequeathed to her by her deceased father, Dr. Stingray. As an intelligent, older woman, Sylia symbolizes a modern businesswoman’s power and sensuality. She is the unofficial leader of the Knight Sabers who has earned the respect of her fellow comrades.

One cannot rock out to Bubblegum Crisis without immediately thinking of Priss and the Replicants. Following in the footsteps of previous music-meets-anime series, Priss brings a new rebel, edgy, punk-rock popish edge to the anime music scene. A wild-child of sorts, Priss is hot-headed, rude, anti-authority, crude, and an excellent musician. Even as an underground band, The Replicants have a large loyal fan base. Priss’ seiyuu, Kinuko Oomori of the real-life band SILK breathes life and soul with her edgy, raspy voice. Performing all of Priss’ songs herself, Kinuko is as an anime cyber-punk legend herself, right up there with Mari Iijima as Minmay. Contract issues arose later on in the series, but Oomori was still able to act and perform as Priss, just not in any solo acts. Contract squabbles aside; Bubblegum Crisis still has some of the best songs I still listen to on a regular basis.

There is no denying that Priss and Sylia drive the majority of the stories, but Linna and Nene are also integral characters in Bubblegum Crisis. Linna is the most down-to-earth member of the Knight Sabers. An aerobics instructor by profession, she dreams of meeting the right man and getting married. Her physical agility has helped the Knight Sabers out of many a tough spot while her nurturing nature helps to ground the other members. Nene works for the AD Police, a semi-competent law enforcement body. Nene is actually quite proud of the work she does for the AD Police, as much as she is proud of the work she does for the Knight Sabers. Having an inside source helps the Sabers immensely during their dangerous missions. The youngest member, Nene can be a bit of a cry-baby sometimes, but will always pull through when the Sabers’ are backed against a wall.

Apocalyptic earthquakes.
Evil corporate empires.
Hard-rocking grunge pop music.
Cyber-punk dystopian future.
Advanced AI and cyber-genetic technology.

At face value, Bubblegum Crisis can be taken as just a fun romp through the streets of Megatokyo with armored vigilantes of justice fighting crime and evil deeds. But at the heart of Bubblegum Crisis there more than your typical sentai flash. In 1982 a movie by the name of Blade Runner premiered and cinema has never been the same. In a post-apocalyptic setting, Blade Runner raised the question of what it means to be “Human.” In Bubblegum Crisis, that question is raised once more as the line between human and AI is blurred.

Just what is “Human” and when does one cease to be Human or become Human?
Does being Human mean one has to be born from a father and a mother?
Is being Human more a summation of the inherent qualities in Humans that make us who we are?
Compassion. Intelligence. Consideration. Curiosity. Fear. Hatred. Naiveté. Ignorance. Selflessness.

All these Human qualities can be found in you and me, but what if they can also be found in advanced AIs such as Boomers and cyborgs. If they can reason, think, and feel, does that also make them Human? Such philosophical questions have pervaded our existence for years, and while Blade Runner made it an art form, Bubblegum Crisis made it a phenomenon.

Pretty impressive for an 8 episode OVA from 1987 and Bubblegum Crisis is just as good today as it was when it first premiered. A revamped version was released in 1998 by the name of Bubblegum Crisis: Tokyo 2040, but the original is still the best, an anime classic. Bubblegum Crisis is conveniently collected in an affordable box set available from Animeigo. Be prepared to rock out with Priss, the Knight Sabers, and other various characters as you inevitably find yourself wondering what it means to be “Human”.

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

by Otakuden

Cute is as cute does, and if there is anyone who I would call a master of cute, it is Japan. Cute is prevalent everywhere, and not just in anime, though the most commonly known forms of cute are the various incarnations we experience in anime. I am quite in touch with my cute side and have no qualms with cute, chibi or super deformed, pink, Lolita, or limited moe. All in good taste, as arguably individual and universal good taste can be. Strawberry Marshmallow, aka Ichigo Mashimaro, is a wonderfully bliss, kawaii, fun foray into the world of cute meets dead-pan humor and wit. Quite frankly, nothing puts a grin on my face faster than an episode of Ichigo Mashimaro. Based on the manga by Barasui serialized in Degenki Daioh, the endless mischief and loveable characters will endear themselves to your heart.

Ichigo Mashimaro opens up with the older sister, Nobue, introducing herself and her fellow cast members. Nobue, a self-professed lover of cute, states that she is in high school while lighting up a cigarette and cracking open a beer (Heineken: I know that green can with white label anywhere). A disbelieving moment of silence passes…and it is revealed that Nobue is in fact 20 years old and a junior college student. This is an interesting mixture of facts, as Nobue in the manga is 16 years old but still smokes and drinks. Considering Ichigo Mashimaro was going to be shown on national TV, a slight compromise had to be made so as to not create any potential bad press. In Japan, 20 years of age is the legal smoking and drinking age. While Nobue is not the only main character, she does serve as the narrator and over-all perspective from which this slice-of-life comedic anime is told.

Nobue lives at home with her younger sister, Chika, aka her bank account. A part-time working college student has to pay for her cigarettes and beer somehow. Known as Onee-chan or Nobue-onee-chan. while somewhat irresponsible and childish in her obsessions, Nobue is the easygoing big sister figure that everyone loves and wishes they had themselves. A ‘wise old-man’ in her outlook on life, Nobue enjoys the little things and appreciating the moment, whether it be a flower blossoming amidst a field of weeds or a quiet afternoon with Chika and friends at a little known sweets bakery.

Don’t let that lull you into apathy though. With each episode of this 13 episode TV series, your face will be split into a constant grin while your belly begins to ache from laughing so much. I am a huge fan of dry wit and perfectly executed dead-pan humor and Ichigo Mashimaro executes this with masterful ease and skill. At times I am reminded of the excellent finesse with which the dry wit and gentle touch of human lives are brought to life in Lost in Translation just as they are in Ichigo Mashimaro.
Per Nobue’s introduction, we are introduced to the rest of the cast:

Chika: Nobue’s 12 year old sister who is in grade school. To say she is the more responsible of the two is a stretch, but she definitely is the more “strait” of the two siblings.

Miu: Their eccentric next door neighbor and Chika’s childhood friend. Who needs a door when one can leap from her rooftop to theirs and on in through the window. On occasion, even successfully.

Matsuri: A timid 11 year old who has a pet ferret named John and is constantly the recipient of Miu’s teasing. This results in Nobue’s swift protection and justice for such cuteness must not be upset. Her cuteness is wonderfully overwhelming, and at times I just want to scoop her up, hug her, and never let her go.

Ana: The newest member of this quintuplet of friendship and in the same grade and class as Matsuri. She is a gaijin raised in Japan whose greatest frustration is her lack of English skills and constant teasing by Miu. She also suffers from a complex that I have not seen portrayed all that often in anime: maintaining one’s ethnicity while embracing their adopted ethnicity. At times, Ana is uniquely more Japanese than her fellow Japanese counterparts.

Ichigo Mashimaro’s story progresses along with the natural flow of the seasons, beginning in spring and ending in winter. Through Nobue and her friends, we get a glimpse into their everyday life. Fiction at its best will always be a mirror to nonfiction. All that separates the two is that the people in the fiction may not be real, but everything about who they are, what they do, the life they live is as real as you and me. I may not be able to pull off the killer one-line zingers or handle Miu’s eccentricity with the effortless flair that Nobue or Chika possess, but their characters are such that if I were to know them in real life, it might just be possible.

Ichigo Mashimaro has its share of poignant moments amidst all the chaos. One of Miu’s episodes in particular, where she feels that Nobue-onee-chan doesn’t like her anymore, breaks down in tears believing Nobue’s teasing to be real. Realizing she has gone too far, Nobue asks the others girls to sleep in Chika’s room (they are having a sleepover) so that Miu can be with Nobue alone. It’s not ecchi or dirty in any way. It is quite sweet actually, and reminds you that despite her unique personality, Miu is still just a 12 year old little girl who looks up to her Nobue-onee-chan and was subsequently devastated when she thought that she wasn’t loved or anymore. I would have to say that personally, the Christmas Matsuri episode was the best in sweet, down-home cuteness, but I won’t spoil that particular episode for any future viewers.

Currently, only the 13 episode TV series has been released in the states by Geneon. As with my previous review of Black Lagoon which was released state-side by Geneon, it goes without saying that finding Ichigo Mashimaro on DVD in the US may be hard. Geneon pulled out of the US late in 2007 and their DVDs are increasingly hard to find. I hope that in writing this review of Ichigo Mashimaro, anyone whose interest I have peaked will still have a decent opportunity to find and purchase this anime. Hopefully, in the near future, another US company will relicense Ichigo Mashimaro along with the three episode OVA because “Cute Is As Cute Does”.

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

by Otakuden

Whether you are a seasoned anime veteran or fresh off the otaku block, it’s close to impossible to watch anime without slowly picking up on some of the more traditional and cultural aspects of Japanese culture. It’s not to say that one can become a professional scholar just by watching anime, but there is no doubt that a few years of watching will instill a curiosity and know-how of various traditional and modern quirks of Japan. When I come across something that is a unique aspect, symbol, or part of Japan, I research on my own to learn more about what the anime only gleamed over. Is it a vital task that anyone watching the anime must undertake? No. But the creators used that type of tree, that specific building, festival, youkai, or mushi, because there is something they wished to express. Anime is Japanese so the Japanese audience has an advantage over any foreign audience. Personally, it brings me closer to the creator’s original work, and that is an integral part of what makes anime so special to me.

To my delight, there have been a lot of new anime which simply ooze Japanese symbolism, culture, and traditionalism. One such recent gem has been the anime Mokke, an adaptation of the manga created in 2000 by mangaka Takatoshi Kumakura. The manga is still contusing its serialization to this day in Afternoon, and was adapted into a delightful twenty-four episode slice-of-life anime in October 2007. Kumakura’s story centers around two sisters, Shizuru and Mizuki, who live in the countryside with their grandparents.

I think that we all at one time or the other have wondered what it would be like to be able to see and interact with spirits, but is such a gift really all that it is cracked up to be? How would your life be affected by it? How would you be able to balance a normal societal existence with seeing and being possessed by things that no one else can see or understand and that you cannot mention? Such is the situation for Shizuru and Mizuki, both sisters with a strong connection to the world of spirits.

Abandoned by their parents who couldn’t control or handle their spiritual nature from childhood, Shizuru and Mizuki were sent to live with their Grandfather and Grandmother. Their grandfather is a wise shaman who has lived his whole life being able to see and interact with spirits. With his gift, he helps others deal with various problems that may have attracted the spirit or been caused by it. He is simply called Ojii-chan by Shizuru and Mizuki. Their grandmother, Obaa-chan, cannot see spirits, but she has been Ojii-chan’s support and is very knowledgeable of the spirit world.

Shizuru is the older sister, while Mizuki is the younger sister. They have a very close bond as sisters, though they do have the occasional squabble or argument as all siblings tend to do. Shizuru is able to see and interact with spirits, and to a small extent, the spirit world. She is very protective of and cares for Mizuki dearly. She wants to be mature enough so that she can always be there to protect and help Mizuki. Mizuki cannot see the spirits, but she is very easily possessed, so her spiritual ability is more of a medium. Mizuki has been randomly possessed by spirits for as long as she can remember, and Shizuru has been helping save her from them as best she can. Being in the country with her Ojii-chan has helped both Shizuru and Mizuki gain understanding and control over their spiritual abilities.

While both have a rather busy, normal life outside the spirit world, none of their friends know of their gift which is something both girls struggle with occasionally. Shizuru writes creative articles for the school paper based on her daily experiences which have earned her recognition outside the school paper. To her friends though, they are ultimately creations of Shizuru’s very active imagination. In a way, the articles Shizuru writes could be therapeutic, helping her accept and understand her gift and the lessons gained from each experience. Whereas Shizuru is of a quieter, resolute personality, Mizuki loves to run-around and explore, protected to a large extent by a powerful talisman Ojii-chan gave her. A constant fear of never knowing when the next spirit might latch onto her is what drives Mizuki to be overly outgoing. That is a rather scary reality for a child to learn to accept, live with, and control.

At its heart, Mokke is a mellow, slice-of-life anime that celebrates the ebb and flow of life which includes the world of spirits. Each episode has a ‘spirit of the day’ which is a tried and true formula of anime, but Mokke adds a different twist. Usually the ‘monster of the day’ is an aberration, an outcast, a deviation from normal life that is not meant to exist. In Mokke, the spirits that Shizuru and Mizuki run into are a natural part of everyday life. Through Shizuru and Mizuki, I get to catch a glimpse of another world that surrounds me unseen.

Mokke has an unexpectedly somber ending as the natural cycle of life brings Mokke full circle. Life is what Mokke is about – how all beings are important and have their place. Whether good or bad, the spirits that we attract or encounter every day serve a purpose, and sometimes in our ignorance we are intruding on their world. The animators took great care in breathing a very tangible existence into Mokke. The animation is beautiful in its detailed simplicity, a perfect complement to the characters and atmosphere. The opening song starts with a gently flowing river and leaves floating by as we are introduced to the two sisters playing in the passing winds. Beautiful!

The unspoken gems like Mokke enrich and enforce my love for and fascination with all aspects of Japanese culture, history, mysticism, religion, and people. While Mokke is a work of fiction, there is also truth to the culture it is steeped in. This is, after all, anime made for a Japanese audience. No matter where you are from or where you live, the mystical and spiritual may also surround you in ways unseen. Who is to say what is real and what is not? Maybe both go hand-in-hand. There is a part of me that would love to believe this is a world where Shizuru, Mizuki, and the world of Mokke really do exist. It brings out a little bit of that child-like wonder and belief in the magical which adulthood and modern responsibility have tempered. I look forward to the day when Mokke is licensed by an American anime company for a domestic release.

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

by Otakuden

It has been quite a few years since I have marathoned a new anime. I work for a living like most of us, and I don’t usually have the time to sit down and just be absorbed by any one anime. But something happened this week when I put the first DVD of Fantastic Children in my player and sat down to watch this oft ignored yet fantastical series. Apparently, fantastical and magical don’t even come close to representing the artistry and power of this anime. In two days back-to-back, I watched all six discs (twenty-six episodes) of Fantastic Children, and discovered a new Classic for my library. I feel it is now my duty to share my love for Fantastic Children with all who might listen, and find those who are willing to give this unassuming anime a chance.

I was hooked within the first minute and a half, which is about the length of the OP “Voyage” sung by Mikio Sakai.
Beautiful. Ethereal. Magical.
I am taken to a fantastic place which seems full of mystery, beauty, and wonder. Then the story begins, never stopping until the last minute of the last episode comes to conclusion. I felt like I was watching a puzzle being put together as pieces were slowly gathered and placed in their appropriate spot but I never got to see the picture on the box. The ED “Mizu no Madoromi”, sung by Origa of Ghost in the Shell: SAC fame and paired with three beautiful portraits of Greecia, memorializes this multifaceted love story which transcends and defies time. And yet, it’s not until at least halfway through the series that the ED became more than just a beautiful song as I slowly realized the connection between the three artist’s renderings of Greecia. By the last episode, the ED alone was almost enough to bring tears to my eyes.

Fantastic Children begins in the fictional Belgium town of Befort with what sounds and looks like a loony old man ranting and raving away in his poorly lit, cramped, disheveled study. Gripping old, tattered documents and notes in trembling hands, he records his frenzied ravings on an old phonograph, indisputable proof that his discovery is real. He rants about these mysterious Children of Befort (pronounced Bay-For), immortal monsters who have made some kind of devilish pact, never dying, and being reborn every so many years. Like goblins, they sneak into your house, kill your children, assume their place in the world, and then leave to continue their wanderings as they search for something, maybe even someone. This horrific tale of devil children is laid out before us in his wild ramblings, setting the stage for the beginning of the story.

Fantastic Children starts off running and never stops. We meet the Children of Befort in the first episode as they continue their endless search. Jump into the future of 2012 and we meet a spunky young boy named Tohma. He lives on a remote island with his parents. His father is the caretaker and head priest of the old temple there, and his mother helps make money by telling fortunes in the neighboring mainland village. His normal life is forever changed when he stumbles across a runaway orphan, Helga. Unable to get their chance meeting out of his mind, Tohma rescues Helga from the oppressive orphanage with the help of her only friend and fellow orphan, Chitto. Together, the three set out to find the mysterious place in Helga’s drawings. Withdrawn and quiet, Helga can’t explain how or why, but the place she keeps drawing is somewhere she has to find, somewhere, something that she is missing which creates a great sadness in her soul.

Chased by the shadowy organization GED, Tohma, Helga, and Chitto ultimately receive help from a seemingly unlikely source, the Children of Befort. As the pieces slowly come together, identities are rediscovered, pasts explained, secrets revealed, and trusts betrayed. There was never a moment in all twenty-six episodes that I was ever able to really figure the story out, and that is a precious rarity for me. Especially Tohma – just when I thought I knew…BAM! I was shockingly proven wrong. It was pure raw emotional intensity. I couldn’t tear my eyes from the screen, and my heart ached.

The character designs are of a more simplistic nature compared to some of the current anime, but don’t let that fool you. It is the simple realism of the character design which lends power to their personalities. The background art and attention, especially when portraying old Belgium, breathes nostalgia in sepia colored memories. You can feel the love that the animation staff put into each cell.

At its heart, Fantastic Children is a star-crossed tale of true love and soul-mates which certainly pulled at the heartstrings of this hopeless romantic. But it also deals with very real themes of redemption and forgiveness, life and death, and the consequences of playing around with the universal balance. It is this universal order that the Children of Befort violated, and for which they have lived centuries, dying and being reborn, taking the lives of dozens of children as they tried to right the wrong they committed. To what end is it acceptable to right a wrong, and at whose cost? Can there exist hope and forgiveness when all else has been lost?

I could rave endlessly about Fantastic Children, but then I would deprive you of the pleasure of experiencing this anime for yourselves. Fantastic Children has been rereleased by Bandai as a collected digi-pack at a very reasonable price of $40. While I regret waiting so long to watch this TV series, I am eternally grateful I did. Fantastic Children is one of those rare, timeless, gems that are gifts unto us, and I am honored that I was able to experience its magic.

(Make sure to watch the “special ending” in the extras on the last DVD, but only after watching the last episode. It is worth it.)

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