03.11.10
Posted in Anime, Events, Reviews Tags: Mai Mai Miracle, movie, Narutaki solo, New York City, New York International Children's Film Festival, マイマイ新子と千年の魔法 at 10:00 am by reversethieves
The New York International Children’s Film Festival is a place I like to experiment and quite often go into movies without much knowledge of them. I guess it comes down to the fact that for many of these films, this may be the only chance to see them, especially on the big screen. With a number of films this year being anime, I was feeling even more of an itch to squeeze in as many screenings as I could. Something about that big screen adds a lot to the experience, at least for me. So with that in mind I went to see Mai Mai Miracle where literally the only thing I knew about it was that it was from Japan.
Mai Mai Miracle follows the ever-imaginative young Shinko in a small, somewhat rural town, of a post-WWII Japan. Thanks to Shinko’s grandfather she has become fascinated with the town’s 1000-year-old history so much so that she often has wild daydreams about it. When shy Kiiko moves to town, Shinko’s curious nature leads her to befriend the quiet girl and the two become fast and inseparable friends. Through the make-believe world that Shinko shares with her, Kiiko starts to come out of her shell, and soon the little town is a place of joy where each day is spent in laughter and adventure. But, as many stories about coming of age do, some sad and very real problems invade their little piece of paradise. Mai Mai Miracle is a story of friendship, history, dreams, and growing up which really and truly feels like the perspective of the young.
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03.08.10
Posted in Anime, Events, Reviews Tags: movie, New York City, New York International Children's Film Festival, Summer Wars, サマーウォーズ, 細田 守 at 10:00 am by reversethieves
When I heard that Hosoda’s plans for his next film were in the works, I was truly excited. Afterall, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time instantly became a favorite or mine, and not one that I will soon forget. So basically after hearing “He is making something, and it is called Summer Wars,” I promptly tuned out any information thereafter. Something made me want to jump in blindly, to be completely caught unaware by this next film. And truly I went into the theater with no knowledge of the plot and having only seen the poster for the film. Going in really on faith alone that it would be amazing seemed to really stimulate my imagination so you dear reader may want to turn back now and enjoy that same feeling. Though there aren’t any spoilers here, even the analysis of Summer Wars characters and themes seems like I’m telling you too much if you haven’t already experienced it.
A question I often hear is “Who is going to be the next Hayao Miyazaki, Satoshi Kon, or Mamoru Oshii? Who is going to be the next reliable anime director that people can expect quality films from?” The worry is that as the great anime directors of today retire there will be no one to take their place. I will say with full confidence that Mamoru Hosoda is a name everyone should be watching as a worthy successor to the great anime directors of the past and present. His outstanding work on the 6th One Piece film and The Girl Who Leapt Through Time had caught my eye in the past. And Summer Wars has solidified him as a director I shall go out of my way to research and keep an eye out for what he is doing next.
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09.16.09
Posted in Anime, Reviews Tags: Gundam, mecha anime, movie, robots, Tomino, 富野 由悠季, 機動戦士ガンダム 逆襲のシャア at 7:51 am by reversethieves
Ernest Hemingway once said that, “All stories, if continued far enough, end in death, and he is no true-story teller who would keep that from you.” And with that in mind we come to the end of the story of Amuro and Char that began in the epic Mobile Suit Gundam. The Universal Century time line and stories would continue on in a variety of fashions including the Gundam F91 movie, the Victory Gundam TV series, and the upcoming Gundam Unicorn OAV. But this is the end of the story that introduced us to the Universal Century. This is the culmination of legendary rivalry of Amuro and Char in the most spectacular fashion possible. Whoever wins shall determine the future of humanity.
Ah, Char’s Counterattack, with a name like that who wouldn’t want to watch this movie? There is a duality to having an ending for a series. On the one hand, it is great because you receive closure as a viewer, perhaps secrets are finally revealed or a love is finally confessed. On the other hand, it can be a bit depressing because the ride is over and you have to say goodbye to characters you have watched for so long. And on either of these fronts, there is a possibility of an unsatisfactory finish. Char’s Counterattack has a big job to do, showing us the last story of Amuro and Char.
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08.10.09
Posted in Anime, Reviews Tags: Animal Treasure Island, anime classics, children's anime, Doubutsu Takarajima, Miyazaki, movie, どうぶつ宝島, 宮崎 駿 at 6:53 am by reversethieves
We usually stick to talking about things we love because not only we like the stuff but because it lets us write better reviews. Nothing gets the reviews flowing on to the page like something you love. But sometimes we find some unique and interesting enough but perhaps doesn’t fall into the love category. They might not be as good as the things we love but for one reason or another they are so fascinating they have to be talked about. This vintage anime movie has many unique oddities worth discovering and examining if you are interested in the roots of Japanese animation.
There are many different ways to approach a work and for the most part we tend to put a lot of emphasis on characters, their development, and the relationships presented. However, those are not the only things that we can appreciate and they are not the only things that can give a work merit. For Animal Treasure Island we take on something perhaps we rarely do here on the blog, we are looking at style and direction and its context in anime history.
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