12 Moments of Anime #1: Japan Trip

I'm a day late, I know, but RL caught up and I've got stuff to do. Plus, I wanna finish up the ACAA post first so I can concentrate on this, so yeah... I'm late. Sorry.

Anyway, one of the defining anime-related moments is definitely the Japan trip, as you'll probably realized from my pilgrimage posts. Unfortunately, I didn't go all the way there just to see the anime stuff; in fact, only Akiba and the pilgrimage has anything to do with it. I've already shared my photos of the K-ON and Lucky Star pilgrimage, so here's the final part.

Lucky Star Pilgrimage Washinomiya/Hiiragi Shrine

Opps, I was going to follow this up after the K-ON pilgrimage post, but I kinda forgot about it.

Before I go on, I must state that this pilgrimage won't be quite as interesting as the K-ON one, because first of all, Lucky Star's a 2004 series, and that means that the hype is mostly gone and there probably won't be quite as many otaku-related stuff to see. Secondly, I'm no LS fan, so I might miss out on a lot of details only a real fan can see. Lastly, Washinomiya Shrine is still a fully functional shrine, so you can't expect them to set aside a whole area for the fans. In fact, the only thing in the shrine that is related to otaku culture are the ema tablets (wooden wish tablets). See Zyl's blog for more.

Anyway, if you're planning to make the trip as well, you can take the Tohoku main line in Ueno, Tokyo to Kuki, then transfer to the Tobu Isesaki Line. Washinomiya is just one stop away... remember that there's a Higashi (east)-Washinomiya station, which is also one stop away on the other transfer line... which is not what you're looking for.

Picspam K-ON! Pilgrimage Sakuragaoka Girl's High School/Toyosato Elementary School

Cute pic right at the Toyosato Station

Nearly two months ago I was backpacking through Japan alone, and being an anime fan I feel the need to make an anime pilgrimage, as promised in the final post in my previous blog. So... not much to talk about, enjoy the photos.

What the hell? This isn't the Minatsuki I had in mind (Deadman Wonderland Ep6)

Umm no, I'm not talking about Minatsuki's true personality. As of now I've completed the available 45 chapter of manga awesomeness, so I had a pretty good idea what the rest of the story's gonna be like.

I do appreciate that the anime stuck faithfully to the manga, up to almost every scene, sequence and even dialogue. But these studios also gotta learn that manga and anime had a very different method of storytelling, and this episode shows that how sticking too faithfully to the manga isn't such a good idea.

Go read the these two chapters of the manga and you'll probably see what I mean. The anime had killed off 90% of the fight and Minatsuki's awesomeness.

First off, she had a SHITTY VA. Her voice work was so amateurish, forced, and fake-high-pitched that it hurt my ears.

Then it was the animation quality. The first pic right on TOP of this post is high-quality and detailed, but it didn't carry over to the animation. Sure all the blood hair were waving around, but this pan up of Minatsuki was choppy and had shoddy detailing (see the hair).

Then it was the expression of the scene. See how the "lighting" effect and black background in the manga helps depict her mentality? In the anime, she's just making a face for no good reason. And moving her tongue around while she talks. In the incredibly annoying voice.

And what's with her expression this round? She's a sadistic phycho, and the manga has done well expressing that. But Minatsuki is not a lunatic. She doesn't make crazy mouth movements just because of her temperament.

The "lighting" effects here again. And here in the manga, that frame can just be figuratively expressing her thoughts at the moment. The problem is when you actually sees her turn around and make a face just because, it looks really, really awkward.

I suppose they don't have the budget to animate this awesome scene, so we're making do with yet another lunatic laugh.

Another thing about manga depiction of a scene is that there's no sense of time. That's why you don't feel the flashbacks and all the talk dragging on and on the fight in the Narutoonepiecebleach manga, and how it becomes so painfully obvious in the anime. You see here that all the talk Ganta do was on just one page, but in the anime, you see him talk while walking slowly up to Minatsuki and it's painfully obvious to the anime audience that she could have done him in twice and eat a hot dog while he's obviously coming in for the kill.

The headbutt is a surprise because the manga kept it to one page. The anime totally killed the surprise here.

I think I should be the director of DMW instead.

Lucy and her formidable bust

Just a quick blurb while I wait for the Madoka finale to finish download and yeah... I'm gonna spent a post talking about breasts.
(I love you gg, but how come the torrents are slower than Hidan no Aira?)

Anyway, I just can't help but ogle at Lucy's incredible bust in the above pic for a moment.
~
~
~
~
~
For those who haven't realised, I'm talking about Fairy Tail. Damn, I think I've raised my otaku power level. (I think it's over nine thou-)

It's a good chance for me to say that I really love the way Hiro Mashima illustrate the ladies of his manga. Another artist whose character designs I really love are Kozue Amano, the mangaka of Aria and Amanchu, but in a totally different way. Kozue Amano's characters are exceptionally beautiful, charming and gorgeous, while Hiro Mashima's characters are extremely sexy, moe and cute. I guess one of the reasons he's more popular is because his character's selling points are more mainstream.

And by cute I meant characters like Wendy and Levi. Proof that Hiro can draw incredibly lovable characters even without the use of huge tits.

Although I find the character designs style a bit too similar to that of One Piece (sources say both mangaka were influenced by the same guy, but who knows) but I'm really glad Hiro developed his own taste in the girl's design unlike OP's hideous characters. I really don't know how did OP gets so many figurines.

Don't know what I mean? PICSPAM!

It's really sad that the charm doesn't translate into the anime. Mainly due to:

1. The studio animate FT exactly like how OP is animated: too much recycled frames, too much exaggerated attacks, too much talk, too much talk while "charging" attack or "powering up".
2. Aya Hirano.