In This Corner of the World (2016)

Tags

In This Corner of the World

I never expected to be watching subtitled anime as part of official inflight entertainment. Fan subs off the lap top, yes, official subs off the seat back screen, no.

So it was a real surprise to see In This Corner of the Worldpop up. It wasn't the best conditions to be watching it – I think the headphone connection in my seat was a bit dodgy and I was interrupted several times but…

I think I want to see this film again under better circumstances. In This Corner of the World is quite a melancholy film, as the subject matter more or less demands, but there's also joy in dark times, and a sense of hope at the end. All in all this story of Suzu living through WWII in and around Hiroshima is a film that deserves a better look in better circumstances.

I hope to get the opportunity at some point.

Anime Panels at GammaCon 2017

Tags

GammaCon, sf cons

One of the things I look forward to each year is supporting GammaCon by organizing anime panels. This year is no different, and I'm quite pleased with the panels my co-panelists and I have come up with.

First up on Saturday at 10:30 is Needs More Love in the Spaceship Room where we'll be talking about the (mostly) forgotten shows that really deserve another look. Then on Sunday at 3:30PM, also in the Spaceship Room, we'll be presenting Family As Theme: The films of Mamoru Hosoda. Jordan and Cai are great co-panelists and I'm really looking forward to presenting these panels with them.

Come along and learn about some anime that you may have missed, and why you really should be paying attention to Mamoru Hosoda as a modern director of anime. 🙂

Kado (2017): The Epically Wrong Answer

Tags

Kado: The Right Answer, Kiddy Grade, Say "i Love You", Seikaisuru Kado

Source: http://www.crunchyroll.com/kado-the-right-answer

Wow.

Just wow.

How is it possible for an anime that started so intelligently to veer off course so much and then end so epically badly?

How is it possible to so thoroughly sabotage the core themes of the opening episodes so much?

Kado: The Right Answer (2017): What just happened?

Tags

Kado: The Right Answer, Seikaisuru Kado

Source: http://www.crunchyroll.com/kado-the-right-answer

So you know how I was saying that Kado: The Right Answer was an intelligent, mature, take on a First Contact premise, based around negotiations?

Apparently not.

Between the end of episode 9 Nanomis-hein and episode 10 Towanosakiwa, Kado became … something else entirely. Major spoilers ahead obviously.

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006) Revisited

Tags

Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Mamoru Hosoda, Satoku Okudera

I am currently home sick and took another look at The Girl Who Leapt Through Time today to pass the time[1], and it remains a strong film on a second viewing. There are significant spoilers ahead.

Source: https://www.animelab.com/shows/the-girl-who-leapt-through-time