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“My time with the five leaves was nourishment for the soul. “don’t care about the past, enjoy the present” The man in front of me is yaichi-dono, the one who taught me that”


Althought Saraiya Goyou is set in the Edo period, it does not attempt to capture the ‘historical’ realism of the background premise. That much is obvious from its odd artwork and animation style. Neither does it aim at being an action samurai anime. Instead, it’s more of a character-centric seinen drama with a strong attention to detail on the characters, their motivations, expressions, actions etc. Perhaps that is why it ... is considered ‘slow-moving’; the way the story moves with its characters (rather than the other way round) could put off those who don’t prefer character exposition heavy stories, or those who aren’t able to connect to the characters of the show. Characters are the key here. It’s not about the story, but the people who inhibit it. If you don’t feel involved with the characters, you’ll find the story slow and boring.

The story is about a gang of kidnappers called “five leaves”, with which our main protagonist gets unintentionally involved. We see the story unfold mostly through the eyes of this new member. Masa is new to the Edo, and has desperately tried to cling on to his job as a bodyguard but he always ends up getting fired. On the outside, he looks like a samurai, but the problem is his timid personality; for some reason, Masa does not have enough self-confidence to even survive mildly aggressive social situations, and because of his docile nature has always ended up giving the wrong impression to his employers. It is this timid personality that has him involved with the five leaves, as its leader (yaichi) only needs a bodyguard for show to ensure minimum resistance.

As the show progresses, Masa finds himself playing out a more important role in the gang. The five leaves have some very interesting group of characters. The leader Yaichi is as cool as ice. Nothing seems to faze him and he always keeps a calm demeanor. But he has a mysterious past, and hardly anyone knows what his motives are. He isn’t doing the kidnappings for money, because he hardly spends the money on himself and seems to throw it around on people he knows. Masa finds this fact very interesting and most of the later half of the show follows him trying to understand Yaichi and his past. Then there’s the barkeeper, Ume, whose tavern is the most common meeting place for the gang and its members. Ume is a honest working man trying to support his daughter (Okinu) with clean earnings, but he has his own reason for being involved with the gang. Then, there’s Matsu, a former thief, and Otake, a local prostitute. All these people appear to be shallow at first, but they all have their own background stories and their own reasons for being involved with the gang, at the center of which is yaichi.

In the beginning, it’s really hard to see what the story is about. You keep getting hit with flashbacks and subtle character expositions via dialogues and character interactions, and it could get a bit confusing. It was not before the fourth episode that I started piecing together the flashbacks and the present events. The show keeps giving you bits and pieces about the people and the gang, and you have to put up the pieces together to understand it. The show is often compared to Mushishi, and I suspect it’s because of this quality and the calm, unusually confident, pace of the anime. Just like an episode of mushishi, the show drops you in the middle of this situation and starts giving you clues, and in the end everything falls together. For that reason the show requires you to be attentive. If you’re an emphatic viewer who always looks for a deeper answer behind the things you see and hear, then this just might be the show for you.

The background art for the anime -whether it be the trees, cherry blossom, the rain, a steaming tea-kettle, the bridge over a river, the houses, walls or the occasional countryside- is just stunning. The art is a bit simple, yet seems detailed; modern, yet fairly traditional. The color palette is deep and strong, and rather pleasing to the eyes. The character designs, however, may not be to everyone’s liking. With big round eyes, lean faces and slits for mouths, character art may turn off some people. Personally, I think the character designs are rather fitting; and if someone can stand those ridiculous moe characters, this should not be a problem. The art is quite detailed in some ways; you can see by looking into those eyes what kind of personality the character has, and all their body language and expressions deliver their emotions perfectly.

The show also delivers well in the sound department. Background music goes well with the situation; some tunes are quite up-beat or buoyant, and some very subdued. The subtle pieces are rather beautiful, some hauntingly so, and all the tracks add a unique ambiance to every scene. The voice actors have done an excellent job, and the background sounds are quite decent.

The calm pace and overall presentation of the show makes it quite relaxing. The show is perfect for someone who wants something soothing to unwind. Although I’d like to put a disclaimer here again, if you don’t like the art or the characters, then there’s good chance you’ll be bored to death instead. But the show is worth a shot just for its unique concept and its imaginative presentation.

The world of psycho pass is a cyber-punk dystopian future police society which is based on a mass surveillance ‘big brother’ like Sibyl system with its ruthless crime and mind control system. Since this spoiler free review has been written with the assumption that the reader is familiar with the world of Psycho-Pass, it will not delve too deeply on the background or the world.

Psycho-Pass 2 picks up 1.5 years after the events of the first season. Akane Tsunemori, the protagonist who (much like the director of the show) was an unimpressive rookie in the first season is no longer the same scared greenhorn, but ... has become a polished and talented inspector exuberating the kind of self-confidence and poise that only comes with experience and knowledge.

Apart from the main character, only a few characters return from the first season, such as Ginoza (the former inspector who became an enforcer in the first season after a spike in his psycho-pass level), Shion Karanomori (the analyst) and jouji Saiga. Unfortunately, not much depth or thought seems to have been put into the characters. Even the returning characters disappoint, as in the case of Ginoza whose character was very well developed in the first season, but is just a bland and sometimes annoying distraction in the second season. This is just one reason why P-P 2 falls short of its predecessor, which had a far more compelling character development and exposition, especially in the form of Shougo Makishima and Shinya Kougami.

Like the first season, P-P 2 relies a lot on keeping the audience glued through shock-factor and mystery, egging the viewers by keeping them in the dark until the end. But unlike the first season which also focused on character development, the rivalry of the Makishima and Kougami (which many have compared with that of L and Kira, Tenma and Johan etc), and psuedo-intellectual/philosophical themes, the second season has little else to offer. Just like Makishima in the first season, Kamui (the ‘antagonist’ or rather ‘anti-hero’) of the second season questions and challenges the very foundation of the sibyl system and the societal order. And like the first season, the second one promotes the Hegelian dialectics and progress through synthesis of opposing ideas/forces.

Of course the thematic nuances differ a bit; the ‘Sibyl System’, which at one point is compared to the Benthamite panopticon penitentiary (a system where one watchman can observe and control all inmates through a central tower), judges and passes orders for putting down or executing people simply based on their ‘psycho-pass’ levels (which is a combination of emotional/mental state, personality and the probability of exhibiting criminal/delinquent behaviour). Such omnipotent and omnipresent yet flawed construct with a God-complex raises some difficult questions, such as who will judge the God? Is Sibyl really that perfect that it cannot be judged on the same grounds that it judges individuals?

Psycho-pass was a show heavily influenced by works preceding it, particularly the dystopian science fiction works of Oshii Mamorou. The ideas explored by it were by no means unique or original; similar themes have already been explored before in numerous Books, TV shows, movies and anime. Psycho-Pass 2 does not break free of the influences or the limitations set by the first series. In fact, one of the downsides of the second season is that at times it seems to be following the footsteps of its predecessor too faithfully in some respects, while overlooking some of the winning traits of the original. At times it turns into a pale copy of the original.

Art and Music are more of the same. Action sequences, however, have suffered a great dip in quality.

Overall, Psycho-Pass 2 is fairly entertaining. Not great. Not bad. But something in the middle.

To dismiss, or to even think of Ping Pong: The Animation as another sports anime would be a gross error of judgement. Ping Pong: The Animation is not about sports. It is not about Ping Pong. Not really. It is a profoundly human story; a look at the lives, passions, and motivations of characters that sound and act so real that you can’t help think of them as real flesh and blood, people with feelings, emotions and souls of their own.

No. Ping Pong is not about sports, or THE sport, or the ‘athletes’. It is not about winning or losing. It is against the very ... concept of competition, the ruthless system that creates winners at the cost of losers. It is a critique of the mindset that glorifies success and distorts life, and things as pure as, say, art, music, and sports (such as Ping Pong), turning these things into a means to achieving selfish desires such as money, power, glory, and honor. When a thing such as ping pong which is meant to direct human passion and creative impulses of man and to allow him to enjoy life by doing things for the sake of the thing itself is distorted or perverted to cater to more selfish desires there arises a need for a savior, a hero, someone to save not just Ping Pong but the true meaning of being alive, of indulging in the pure innocent joy of living, enjoying life and just having fun.

Ping Pong: The Animation is about its characters; it is a coming of age story that explores, among other things, the theme of friendship, and the influence of the past on the present, how our decisions and efforts in the present affect the future and the natural process of constant growth and experience that every single person goes through.


STORY (9/10)

Ping Pong does not has a story or plot in the sense that you can just lay down or explain to someone. It is all about the characters, what they go through, and what they become as a result of their experiences.

It explores its complex of themes through brilliant character sketches, an empathetic narrative, an emotionally profound characterization, a stylish, somewhat surreal art style, and a brilliant direction style that employs a split screen technique to mimic the panels of a manga with occasional bursts of an audio-visual style dubbed as ‘magical realism’.


CHARACTERS (10/10)


Ping Pong’s main protagonists, if such a thematically nuanced story can have protagonists, are two high-school students and childhood friends,Tsukimoto ‘smile’ and Hoshino ‘Peco’. Smile is a reserved no-nonsense stoic, and ‘peco’ is his complete opposite, a non-serious, sprightly loud -mouth. They both possess a natural talent for Table Tennis (or Ping Pong), go to the same table tennis club, and are the best players of their High School Table Tennis team.

But their untapped talent is not without strings attached; ‘Smiles’ lack of ambition and lack of will to win coupled with his gentle personality prevents him from ‘winning’ against most opponents. ‘Peco’, on the other hand, feels that winning is everything and thinks himself indestructible until he meets a Chinese Student, Weng Kong, who utterly defeats him, prompting him to stop practicing. Another defeat during a tournament leaves him devastated and he abandons the game altogether.

The anime’s many characters include Coach Koizumi, who recognizes smile’s talent and vows to train him and make him better, and Wenge Kong, a Chinese student who, after being kicked from his Home team in China, travels to Japan to prove himself against the best that Nippon has to offer and redeem his place back home. The anime as an interesting motley of main, side, and minor characters; a whole list of intriguing characters with their own stories, and even the minor ones have been well fleshed out, including a character who after his defeat by Smile early on leaves on a journey to discover himself, only to find that table tennis has always been the passion of his life.

Going into a detail of all the characters and their roles would be a waste. All I can say is that each character feels painfully and veritably human, is very well developed, and the process of growth that each of them goes through in the story is fascinating to say the least. The painstaking detail with which their characters are crafted, their body language, mannerisms, dialogues, and brilliant voice-acting, makes them feel alive like in a way fictional characters rarely feel so.

This anime is about the journey all these characters go through, a process that cannot be easily described and has to be experienced by the viewers themselves to be understood and appreciated.

ART/ANIMATION (10/10)

Ping Pong’s art comprises of breathtaking, detailed backgrounds, and minimalist character designs; a combination that allows for great flexibility of expression and creative freedom. Think of Kaiba, Tatami Galaxy, and Tekkon Kinkreet blended together; a combination of the talented Yuasa Masaaki and the unsung auteur of manga Taiyou Matsumoto. The animation is very fluid, stylish, and surreal at times. The jaw-dropping details of the environment, and the complexity of character expression is quite impressive. The art/animation is very different, but not (in my opinion) an acquired taste.

A notable aspect of the show relating to animation, sound and overall direction is the frequent bursts of ‘magical realism’ expressed through images which bring out the emotions and motivations of the characters during action sequences in a comic and fantastical way. For example, Kong Wenge’s desire to return to China is symbolized by a commercial plane in various sequences, Tsukimoto ‘smile’ desire to be saved by a hero manifesting during his early childhood experience of being bullied in school is personified by a hero figure, and so on.These sequences perfectly blend with the overall style of the anime and enhance the experience.


SOUND (9/10)

PP:TA showcases a near flawless VA performance, and the right kind of music used (sparingly) at the right time. Background tracks vary from soothing and laid back piano, use of synths and psychedelic tunes, to upbeat and energetic themes, perfectly timed and fitting, setting up the mood appropriate for the scenes. In short, the anime does everything ‘just right’ in this department.


OVERALL/ENJOYMENT (9/10)

Directed and spearheaded by Yuasa Masaaki (Cat Soup, Tatami Galaxy, Kaiba, Mind Games), and adapted from a manga by Taiyou Matsumoto (Tekkon Kinkreet), Ping Pong: The Animation contains elements reminiscent of previous works by the two makers, such as the theme of friendship, adolescence, empathetic characterization and art of Tekkon Kinkreet, and the wacky, energetic, visceral oddness of Yuasa Masaaki’s previous works.

Ping Pong has an extremely well written and intelligent script, with some of the best dialogue writing I've come across yet. Yuasa Masaaki’s effortless direction with its ‘panel animation’ approach brings alive the pages of the manga in a way no other director could have accomplished. Each episode flows naturally into the next, and the quality almost never falters.

Ping Pong: The Animation is truly a gem, a near-flawless masterpiece that is destined to become a cult classic one day. Or maybe it already is.

"once the rain stops and real tears can be shed, I will put down roots. Until then, with the rain by my side, I will continue to drift like the clouds"


Mushishi Zoku Sho continues the episodic chronicles of Ginko, the white-haired, laid back, chain-smoking, wandering ‘Mushishi’ (Loose TL: Mushi-master). For the fans of the much praised 2006 series, Zoku Sho is, in every technical and aesthetic sense, true to its predecessor. The studio behind it (Artland), and the staff is the same, and there have been no dramatic stylistic changes, making Zoku sho, except in its more enhanced visuals and polished presentation, the direct continuation ... of the first season in every aspect.

For those unfamiliar with this masterful adaptation of Yuki Urushibara’s seminal magnum opus, it is advisable to start with the first season because, despite the whole series being strictly episodic, Zoku Sho assumes that you are familiar with some parts and concepts of the Mushi lore, such as Komyuka (the river of life), its significance, mountain-lords, some recurring characters, and some part of the main character’s background story.

With the above mandatory preface done, I can move on to describing the series, and what the second season is about.

Mushishi is set in ‘imaginary rural Japan’ with the technology and fashion Coeval to 19th Century period. The world of Mushishi is inhabited by supernatural and otherworldly creatures called ‘Mushi’, which exist in various sizes, shapes and types (much like animals and plants); they are as important to the life cycle and ecology of the world as plants and animals. The effect of their interaction with the world and other species (humans, plants, animals) may range from neutral to potentially devastating. There are mushi that can turn the blood inside a human to milk, make cloudless rain to fall wherever their hosts travel, cause various disease/illness, or provide someone the power over life. They can be parasitic, harmless or even beneficial.

The catch is that very few people can perceive, and even fewer understand these ethereal creatures. Some of those who do become ‘Mushishi’, people who deal with Mushi. Ginko is one such person, who has dedicated his life to ‘understanding’ Mushi and help those who are affected by them. In the various episodes we see him travelling to various places, and coming across Mushi related phenomenon, which he is almost always able to handle deftly thanks to his exceptional foresight and erudite knowledge (in fact, after watching two seasons, I am thoroughly convinced that Ginko is something of a PhD on Mushi and mushi related stuff). As a man of learning, Ginko does his best to further his knowledge through research, help people, and keep the ecological balance while saving man and mushi from harming each other.

But Mushishi is about more than that. Almost every episode, despite the fantastical theme, is relatable to a diverse variety of practical real world philosophical, moral, social, or psychological dilemmas and issues. These range from coping with the loss of loved ones, a disease, failure, moral corruption, family woes, relationship breakdowns, loss of self-worth, natural disasters, man’s relationship with the environment, etc.The wisdom contained in these episodes is sometimes esoteric, and at other times, exoteric in nature.

Having said that, every viewer will perceive things from their own lens. Mushishi is not pedantic, and rises above these snippets of existentialist wisdom into the realm of profound and abstruse artistic and aesthetic depth. It transcends to themes and emotions that cannot be easily put in words.

The sparse poetic narration of Ginko and his erstwhile mentor Nui, the sublime background score composed by veteran composer Toshio Masuda, the masterful direction by Nagahama Hiroshi, the exquisite and soothing art direction with its lush, sweeping homage to nature’s beauty, Nakano Yuto’s powerful VA performance, all combine to bring alive the transcendental and minimalist piece of art that is Mushishi. The atmosphere and ambiance of the show is so strong that sometimes I almost felt like I was there, and at times felt what the characters were feeling.

That is, at least for me, Mushishi in a nutshell.

Any comparisons to the previous season may yield variable and subjective results. Many would prefer the first season, largely due to it offering a greater variety of stories, landscapes, themes and music score. Admittedly, there might be some weight to this preference. The incident fact that many of the stories in the second season have ‘parasitic’ mushis and follow a ‘problem, diagnosis, prescription’ format has also been pointed out by some. However, this point is made mute by the fact that every story is unique in some way or the other.

To sum up, Mushishi is an important milestone in anime, and easily recommendable to most anime fans.

This review is dedicated to Noboru Ishiguro, the legendary director of SDF Macross, Megazone 23, Legend of Galactic heroes, and the founder of Artland, the studio responsible for modern hits such as Mushishi and Katekyo Hitman REBORN!!, who died of lung infection last year in March 2012 at the age of 73. 'Pattenrai!! Minami no Shima no Mizu Monogatari' (or 'Yoichi Hatta - the father of Chianan Canal') was his last directorial work.



‘Pattenrai!!’ is based on the true story of Yoichi Hatta, a Japanese civil engineer who designed the Chianan Canal and Wushantou Reservoir in Japanese occupied Taiwan before the second World War, changing ... the barren southern region into one of Taiwan's most fertile lands.

The story is told through the perspectives of two friends, A-Wen and Chin-yi , who grow up during the years that the canal is constructed, and shows how each of their lives are affected, directly or indirectly, by Yoichi Hatta and the Chianan Canal project. ‘A-Wen’ is the son of a poor Taiwanese farmer in Chianan, who at first shares his father’s mistrust of Hatta and his project, but is later inspired by Hatta to become a civil engineer and take part in his project. ‘Chin-yi’ is the son of a Japanese who works for Construction and Forest Agency but later joins Yoichi Hatta’s Canal project as an engineer.

The movie roughly covers the years that it took to construct the canal, from 1917 to 1930, following the construction of the project and the effect that it has on the people of the region, and especially these two friends. The story of these two kids adds a flavor of slice of life to the historical period drama.

There are some who say that Pattenrai!! is at least borderline propaganda material, meant to promote the now archaic Japanese nationalist sentiments. They say or suggest this because of the history between the two countries and their mutual mistrust, which is present (to some extent) till this day in the current south china sea dispute. A review I read on the internet points out how odd it is that a Japanese production would be made to pay tribute to the Japanese Engineer, when in fact he is more of Taiwan’s hero and lived most of his life there in Taiwan with his family. However, nothing in the movie suggests that there is any propaganda material, and it seems that the movie was made with all the best intentions.

The movie does not criticize nor glorify imperial Japan, or expose the evils that Japanese committed in Taiwan; that is not the intent. It is not a realistic period drama that covers these political aspects. Instead it emphasizes on putting aside all differences and working for the improvement of human beings through science, technology, hard work, and sheer will-power. Yoichi Hatta of the movie believes strongly in his project and the changes it will bring. At one point, A-Wen asks him why he is doing something that will help the people of the land when he is not Taiwanese, and he replies that it does not matter where he comes from, the sea and the water are the heritage of all mankind.

After digging up on the internet, I found out that the movie was used as part of an effort to get Chianan Canal and Wushantou reservoir recognized as world heritage sites. It created some buzz in Taiwan when it was given special screenings attended by political figures, including president and former president of Taiwan. This was eventually followed by the inauguration of the Yoichi Hatta Memorial Park on 8 May 2011 near Wushantou reservoir in Tainan city, on the 69th anniversary of the passing of Yoichi Hatta. The history of the canal and its designer especially after WWII makes for an interesting read and is worth checking out.

The best part of Pattenrai!! is the ending, when the canal is finally completed and the water starts flowing through the barren and arid lands. After the end, as the credits roll, we are led through the events that follow, including the tragic death of Yoichi Hatta and his wife during the second world war, and how they are still remembered and honored in Taiwan till this day.



Pattenrai!! is a low budget project that is doomed to be unpopular, and not without good reason. Its style and content make it unsuitable for mass audience, and it will only appeal to anime fans who like realistic historical drama. Its animation is mediocre at best. Its music is nothing to write home about, and It is far from masterpiece material. It is not anything spectacular or moving, and some may even find it dull or boring. Its plot has not been ‘realistically’ executed in the sense that you would expect in a live action movie, but has been adopted with anime specific ethos and sensibilities. One might say that the content of the movie would have been more suitable for live action or even a documentary, but I suppose animation is a more cheaper and ‘safer’ option considering the purpose of the movie. But it is a decent movie all the same, one that is worth checking out by those who are interested in historical drama.

"Be brave and fight with all your strength son. You have nothing to be afraid of"

(NOTE: Source for history and background: http://www.nausicaa.net/miyazaki/otherfilms/)


When modern anime connoisseurs make their own lists of the most influential anime classics, they miss the name of Horus: Prince of the Sun. This one movie was groundbreaking in many ways. At the time it was released in 1968, animation projects were led more by the parochial philosophy of production companies wanting to market safe animations for as wide an audience as possible. Although Hols could not completely break free from the reins of the production company, it was one of the first ... instances where the artists attempted to wrest control and create something that was a step above what the industry was doing at that time.

Horus (or Hols) was the first major project for Ghibli co-founders and anime legends Takahata Isao (Director) (Grave of the Fireflies), Hayao Miyazaki (Concept Artist and Scene Design) and their mentor and colleague, Yasuo Ohtsuka (Animation director) of the Lupin III fame, among others. It is an important milestone in anime history, and not just because it launched the careers of Takahata and Miyazaki. Although the immediate impact of the movie was negligible, the long-term results were many and far-reaching. Hols was the first major anime to break free from the ‘animation-for-kids’ Disney mindset that was accepted as the norm at that time, and inspired as well as influenced a whole generation of artists and auteurs. After this movie, the industry gradually shifted away from the producer-centric trend to an approach where the artists would have more freedom and say. The change was slow, but the seeds were sown with Hols. For that reason, this movie is considered as the first modern anime by many anime history buffs and critics.

Hols was a project marred with difficulties throughout its production period; many Toei Doga artists were embroiled in a union tussle with the company and management, and the fallout resulted in numerous problems and disagreements between the management and the team of artists. The paltry budget was not enough to satisfy the movie’s ambitions, and it took three years to complete the movie when its schedule was only 8 months. Toei refused to grant the budget to complete two action sequences and decided to pull the plug soon after release, and kept the movie in the theatres for only 10 days; the movie bombed at the box office, but was a hit with the critics, students and aspiring artists who had not seen anything like it before. Many who worked on the project were singled out by the company and ostracized, including director Takahata Isao who was demoted and was never allowed to direct a project for Toei again.

Hols may be garbed in Scandinavian and East European culture, but it is in fact based on a puppet-theater drama written by script writer Kazuo Fuzakawa, which in turn is based on the ancient legend of aborigines of North japan. The producers at Toei Doga company changed the setting to make it more acceptable internationally, especially to the western audience, and they attempted to tone down the content to make it more ‘safe’ for the intended audience (i.e. children), but the young,and rebellious team of artists made sure that the management would not succeed completely in that endeavour.

The movie’s concept of a chosen hero and the fight between good and evil was in vogue back in the late 60’s, and had not yet become a cliche. Yet the film was ahead of its time in handling the concept, because it not just explored the external concept of the struggle, but also the internal psychological aspect of it. It does this by exposing the depth of cruelty and deceptiveness that even the most well-meaning human beings can fall to, and how xenophobia and fickle-mindedness can degenerate and lead astray even the most amiable and harmonious of people.

This psychological phenomenon is best represented in Hilda, the lone survivor of a massacre, and the movie’s tragic female lead. Her schizophrenic, inner psychological and moral conflicts throughout the story is perhaps the most striking part of the movie, and the one thing that probably stands out the most after the credits stop rolling. The sheer depth of her character overshadows even the protagonist, Hols, and the villain, Gruinwald, and sets Hilda apart from all the ‘heroines’ of not just her own time, but many female leads of today as well. Miyazaki himself acknowledged the character as a breakthrough, and some believe that it influenced his female characters.

There is more to Hols than meets the eye. Despite its outer simplicity and kid friendly tone, Its treatment of such themes as Good and Evil, morality, unity among people, psychological realism etc is such that can only be appreciated by greater minds.The importance of community and rebellion against authority are also among the recurrent themes of the movie, poignantly reflecting the disagreements between the Toei team artists and workers against the company.

However, a warning is due for modern viewers. In all its aspects, whether it be animation, sound, story, direction or pacing, Hols reflects the sensibilities of its times, even if it is superior to most animation projects of that period. This one is mostly for old school fans, or for fans of early Takahata/Miyazaki movies. Age may not have been kind to Hols, but it is so far ahead of its time that more informed viewers would be surprised that this movie was made in 1968 in spite of the production woes and a low budget.

“The master of life always lives his destiny as he chooses...”


Ex-SAS, Archeologist, part time lecturer, traveler, historian, Insurance agent; Taichi Hiragi Keaton is a Jack of all trades and a “master of life”. He is simple, intelligent, humble, and a moralistic goody-two shoes infused with the love of life and the possibilities it brings.

The show itself is an exact mirror reflection of its main character; a “Jack-of-all-trades” in that it touches a wide variety of genres and themes, from slice-of-life, romance, mystery to historical, war drama, thriller. It dips into almost everything an anime of its premise possibly can. And the result is ... a flawed masterpiece packed with enough surprises to make it an easy recommend for old-school anime fans.

For people who are on a lookout for episodic shows that are relaxing and can be watched slowly over time, Master Keaton could be a good choice. But the show can appear to be a bit too bland or simplistic for some, especially anime fans who prefer currently airing or recent anime; the reason for that is that Master Keaton is an old school “realistic” seinen, a genre that is largely ignored by a majority of anime viewers, and its animation is barely decent, even for an anime of its time. The show also lacks the bombast or extravagance of recent anime, which could be a good or a bad thing depending on what kind of a viewer you are.

On a related point, some of the sensibilities the show displays are quite simple at times, such as the mostly black-and-white morality, or the importance of bonds or friendship (a favorite theme in anime), or the single dimensional personalities of some supporting characters, but these characteristics are more preference based rather than something that could be singled out as a flaw; indeed, these “sensibilities” are a part of the show’s personality and make thematic sense, despite the fact that they result in simplistic cliche's at times.

On the flip side the anime is quite intelligent, in a sense that it is set in a real world setting, though stylized to suit the anime medium, and grapples with story concepts that haven’t been seen in any anime. Despite some episodes being predictable, and a few bearing clichés, most of the stories are very engaging. In fact, there are at least a handful of stories that I can safely say are among the most unique and well written in any medium of entertainment, and the show is well worth the watch for these few episodes alone.

Its greatest strength, though, is its simple yet charming personality, and the staggering variety of stories that it tells. The writers have made excellent use of the standalone format to give some of the best variety in episodic anime/manga yet.

For instance, in one episode we see Keaton in Burgandy as an insurance agent to investigate one of the most expensive wine bottles in the world, and in the next he is escorting a fugitive through swamps while his criminal buddies attempt to rescue their leader from his clutches. Another episode sees him deep in the mountains of Spain being hunted by a highly trained K9. And in yet another episode we see him spending summer vacations in Japan with his dysfunctional family.

Any other show with such a variety would either fall from the burden of its own elephantine ambition, or succumb to acute schizophrenia. But not so Master Keaton. Its stories are never convoluted or over-ambitious, and it never forgets its identity. Diversity may be the key here, but the aesthetic values remain the same.

In the sound department, the use of music is not always perfect but it’s quite fitting. The overall OST is among the more memorable ones I have heard yet and suits the series perfectly. The dub version does a good job of making the anime feel “global”, as different characters have accents that correspond to their backgrounds, which obviously could not have been done in Japanese. But the English VA direction falters at times, and the overall delivery is not always convincing. The Japanese voice acting, by contrast, is pretty solid.

Lacking in budget, the animation is not as great as some anime from the same period, but it is very much passable. The basic art style is very similar to Monster, which is not the only solid proof of Naoki Urasawa’s involvement in the project. The anime has a strong European feel to it, as the stories take place all over the world, especially that particular part. The art style, music and writing suits this well, and helps create the right European feel, without sacrificing the anime-specific elements.

Despite the flaws, "Master Keaton" delivers something unique that you will not find anywhere in the medium. Its niche oriented content might drive away some people, but its worth checking out for fans of 90s anime and episodic shows, and anime fans who are looking for stories that are more grounded in the world we actually live in.

"This planet is full of liars"
"But it gets us a lot of cash"

Shounen anime has continued to experience an unabated spike in recent years, and shounen comedy, specifically, has had quite a few entries recently with more coming up every season. Many of these titles have not been all that great, so when Level E was first announced many people, myself including, were skeptical and expectations weren’t all that high. But after finishing the anime I must say it not only exceeded my expectations but it also turned out to be a pleasant surprise; I mean, the kind of pleasant surprise that makes you feel ... thoroughly trolled, leaving you either somewhat disappointed OR wanting for more, depending on your taste.

The anime adapts 7 of the 8 arcs from the 90s manga of the same name by Yoshihiro Togashi (Hunter x Hunter, Yu yu Hakusho). The manga has a strong experimental feel to it, in that it seems to follow more of a “stream-of-conscious” approach to storytelling; its as if the author chose some lazy afternoons to just sit, relax and write whatever came to his mind. A direct result is that the story has no central point or anchor to it for the most part, and the mangaka hardly makes an effort to bring any complexity to the characters or the narrative. It just flows freely; employing clever humor, adding flavors of different genres such as romance and suspense/thriller, and a structure that resembles more like a 80s/90s sitcom with strong classic sci-fi “alien” culture influences (for instance, the “E” in the title, was intended by the author to be a direct reference to “E.T”). This has been translated by the anime with strong visuals, a streamlined narrative, more comedy and added dialogues to make it more suitable for TV viewers of today. Failure to appreciate this experimental nature, or a conscious dislike of this attribute, may completely ruin the experience of the show.

The synopsis is highly misleading and could give a warped image of what the show is; and its hard to tell what the story is about without spoiling much. Keeping that in mind, I think there are some things about the show that everyone should know right off-the-bat..

The main character is a blond alien called Prince Baka, who likes to make everyone’s life miserable because, well, he’s a jerk; a highly intelligent, devilish and poker-faced master prankster (to be more precise). He is the only central ‘thread’ that holds the plot, and the supporting characters are more or less ancillary to his existence. Your enjoyment of the show will partly hinge on how much you end up liking his character.

The show does not follow a central story and instead has a episodic story-arc format comprising of 7 story-arcs in total. Furthermore, the cast of characters is huge compared to the short-length of the show and you wont see the same faces in every arc, giving the impression of a lack of central characters at first glance. There’s at least 2 episode where we dont even see the main character and the focus is instead on some supporting cast. This is less of an oversight and more of a natural consequence of the experimental nature and aesthetic inclinations of the show. The cast is a motley collection ranging from alien mermaids, high school students to a elementary school teacher-cum-alien assassin and her students who unwittingly fall for the prince’s impish pranks etc.

A note of warning here; if you’re the sort of person who looks for a central direction or plot to their anime, with dramatic character expositions; and a lack of complexity or central structure bothers you, then you should probably think twice before watching this show. But if you tend to appreciate episodic shows more due to their potential variety than you might feel right at home with Level E. Its a crying shame though, that despite its sitcom-like structure it is a very short series when it could have been much longer.


Not only is the show episodic, but it also dips its beak in a wide variety of themes; if you’re under the impression that Level E is an all out comedy than you have to know that that's not true. To borrow a famous movie quote, Level E “is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re gonna get” next. Comedy is a major part of the show, but the mangaka/writer takes full advantage of the episodic format and delves into other genres such as drama, thriller/horror, mystery and- yes you guessed it- romance. Each of these themes are explored in at least one story arc.

Again, this is a double-edged sword, as some might not appreciate how the show does not stick to one genre, theme or story. But others might like it for exactly the same reason. A natural downside of having an episodic structure and a variety of themes is that some episodes aren't as good as others or some people may like a particular arc that others don't, and vice-versa.

Humor, is a highly subjective aspect, and depends a lot on taste. Level E’s humor has certain attributes; Its basically a sitcom approach with a clever running-gag, spontaneous plot-twists, somewhat restrained bursts of crazy antics and devilish escapades, and the occasional spoofs thrown in for good measure. Besides the obvious nod to “E.T” in the title and the first episode, the series has strong references to 90’s JRPGs, Power Rangers and, among all things, Lion King. People more acquainted with the Alien sub-culture before its death at the hands of vampires, zombies and werewolves would also pick-up some occasional X-Files and Men in Black vibes. As such, the manga has a distinct 90s feel to it that is clearly discernible in the anime adaption despite the modern production values and techniques employed.

Speaking of production values, the character designs and art of the manga have been revamped and presented with top-notch realistic art style, atmospheric backgrounds and a handful of scenes with dazzling experimental visuals that are sure to stand out long after you have finished the show.

The background music is not anything stellar, but its quite decent and fitting. Its the Op/Ed songs, however, where the music really shines.The punk and alt rock influenced Op song with its galloping riffs and catchy vocals, sung by Chiaki Kuriyama (of the Kill Bill fame) and animated with some brilliant visuals, is easily one of the most memorable OP songs I’ve heard in recent times. The Ed song by ViViD is a fiery and energetic Alternative/Progressive JRock more reminiscent of “Abingdon Boys School”.

The Seiyuu cast has done an excellent cast and delivered their punchlines with natural ease whenever needed. Special mention should be given to Takehito Koyasu (Kraft) and Daisuke Namikawa (Prince Baka) both of whom have had a considerable experience and have lent their voices to some of the most recognizable anime characters in recent memory.

To sum-up, Level E has some interesting tricks up its sleeves; its variety, strong visuals and charming characters are some of its strongest points. At the same time, its short length, lack of central direction/structure, sudden plot-twists and its artistic inclinations can be potential downsides for some, depending on tastes.

Spiral Labyrinth is the last release related to Legend of the Galactic heroes, and, like the first prequel gaiden series ('A hundred Billion Lights; Hundred Billion stars'), is made up of various story arcs that flesh out the background of the main characters and some supporting characters of the main series as well.

These ‘side stories’ were conceived in both written and anime form after the main series, and they contain a significant amount of foreshadowing and allusions to future events and important characters from the main series that are only named or shown in passing. These references would likely not be appreciated by those ... who haven’t seen or don’t like the main series. Hence the two prequel series’ should be treated as exactly what they intend to be: A ‘side story’ collection, not unlike some of the ‘specials’ that get bundled with anime DVD’s these days. Except that there’s no filler here, and we get to witness stuff direct from the source material. For that reason, it is strongly recommended that these two prequel Series should be watched after the main series, and this review is aimed at those who have already seen the main series.

Just like the first gaiden, Spiral labyrinth takes up a relaxed pace with a tone that is quite different from the main series’ tension filled drama. It doesn’t have the epic space fights or the massive story or character exposition of the main series. Instead, it presents the highlights of the past lives (mainly the military career) of the series’ main characters i.e Reinhard, Kircheies and Yang wenli. It is quite interesting to see what kind of (shitty) assignments (and misadventures) these future legends had to put up with when they were on the lower end of the military ladder. The lack of an overarching story would normally be worrisome; but the writer(s) takes good advantage of the story arc format, and the result is a commendable variety of stories which differ from each other in nature and theme, and helps keep things fresh.


Since the two prequel Gaidens were released from 1998-2000, the quality of animation is much better than in the main series. The colors are much stronger, the drawing more firm and overall the animation is more vivid. Like the main OVA, the series uses classical music and it fits perfectly well with the scenes. The infamous narrator is back again, except he doesn’t seem too keen on spoiling the story this time around (there’s not much to spoil anyway, as suspense level is much lower for the most part). The Seiyuu cast is the same, except for Kei Tomiyama, who did a perfect job as Yang wenli in the original 110 ep OVA. Due to his death by Pancreatic cancer in 1995, his role in the LOTGH franchise as Yang Wenli was taken over by Hozumi Gouda (hunter x hunter, D-gray man), who doesn’t sound as natural as Kei did in the role, but he makes for a perfect replacement.

The first half is entirely dedicated to Yang who, starting from his humble beginning as the son of a merchant ship Captain who dies in an accident on duty, is dragged into a military career by a strange twist of fate, and is then shot to fame when he saves the population of the planet ‘El Facile’ from an enemy invasion. All this we are told in the main series, but the first two episodes of SL cover the early part of Yangs life in a bit more detail.

His next assignment after El facile is a secret investigation into the death of a famous Free Planet Alliances war hero, ‘Bruce Ashby’, who supposedly died in an accident after winning the second battle of Tiamat. This investigation then takes up the better part of the next 11 or so episodes, during which we see Yang researching history, meeting historical figures, getting posted at a remote POW camp where he meets Patorichev for the first time, and comes across an old history obsessed ex-imperial soldier-turned-POW. As interesting the focus on Yang is, the long arc starts to drag towards the end. Despite that slight hiccup, the cameos on the FPA side are quite interesting. We get to see a much younger Bucock as a Turret operator. Yang’s interaction with Czellnu and Dusty Attenborough never fails to lighten up. The strict and principled Murai also makes an appearance towards the end of the arc to lend Yang a hand out of a tight situation. Overall the arc is interesting and enjoyable thanks mainly due to the history lesson and the solid cameo roles, although the plot itself starts to stagnate towards the end.

The best and the worst part of the series is in the second half; Focusing entirely on Reinhard and his trusty companion Kircheis, the last 14 eps are divided into 4 arcs, each with a unique story. Thus, we have an excellent 4 ep ‘Mutineer’ arc, which places Reinhard and Kircheis in a ship trying to save it from enemies without, while facing an internal discord within its ranks (complete with an epic Lotgh-esque death scene); the somewhat dull ‘duelist’ arc in which Reinhard faces off his would be assassin in a duel is the only blot-mark on the OVA; another 4 ep long masterpiece ‘Retriever’ sees the duo deep in enemy territory on an espionage mission as Reinhard commands a battleship officially for the first time; and finally the 2 ep long ‘third battle of Tiamat which is surprisingly the only arc with a proper lotgh-esque space battle.

While the ‘duelist’ is somewhat underwhelming (although mildly interesting), the ‘Mutineer’ and ‘Retriever’ are so good that they easily come close to the quality of some of the better episodes from the main series. These arcs also add details to LOTGH-verse, as we find out the origin of the zephyr particles, and how Reinhard gets his flagship Brunhilde. There are also some references to characters such as Merkatz; a small (random) cameo by lutz, and a somewhat larger one by Wahlen.

Overall, Spiral Labyrinth is slightly better than the first Gaiden due to a more consistent quality, a better variety of story arcs and a stronger role by Yang wenli. Definitely a must watch for LOTGH fans.

Prosit!

"I'd rather be a pig than a fascist"

Miyazaki movies can broadly fall in 2 or 3 categories; some of them are driven by their uncanny and bizarre plot (princess mononoke, spirited away etc). And then there are some where the direction almost completely overshadows the plot-line. Like Totoro, Porco Rosso falls in the latter category. From the opening scene to ending, this movie is all about direction, direction and direction.

The movie, set in the 1930’s, starts on a deserted island which acts as a hideout for the famous war-veteran turned bounty hunter ace pilot known as porco rosso (scarlet pig) who, we soon learn, ... has been afflicted by a curse which turned him into a pig. Just knowing this much can give you a false impression that this movie, like most miyazaki movies, has a lot to do with the mystical or the supernatural, but nothing can be further from the truth. Our ‘manly’ protagonist is a pig for a reason, but that reason has little to do with magic. The movie follows the scarlet pigs journey to reclaim his honor, after being 'shot down' by an American mercenary. For the most part, its a comedy drama with sprinkles of romance and slice-of-life

As the movie progresses, we learn more about the scarlet pig and some of his background. Eventually we get to the reason of his current predicament. There is a strong lesson to learn here, and thankfully it’s not force-fed into your head like Disney does with some of its movies. Here, the message is subtler and yet strikes a stronger chord.

‘Porco Rosso’ is different from miyazaki’s other endeavors. For one, it has a lot more comedy in it, and this aspect is amplified by the comical and, sometimes, witty dialogue. The humor is in-your-face laugh-out-loud funny, filled with wise-cracks, puns and word-play. And the concept of a man-turned-pig ace pilot flying the skies of a fictional Europe dueling pirates and an arch-nemesis from America is not something you’ll find in every anime.

Speaking of arch-nemesis, this movie has a really good one in the form of Donald Curtis, a notorious womanizer, and an over-confident and pompous, yet funny and very likable American, who also happens to be Porco’s rival in lurrve. Two of the funniest sequences of this comedy ride are his ‘encounters’ with porco in the skies. Characters in general have been done very well, with each of them lending to the comical aspect of the movie really well.

The airplane designs and all the flying sequences are really good. Some of the flying sequences are especially enthralling- not in the eye-candy sense, but it’s just that they’ve been done so well that it feels like whoever did it must be in love with airplanes and flying in general. In fact, a good part of Miyazaki’s early life was spent drawing battleships and airplanes. That life-long fascination of his mirrors very well throughout his works, especially this movie.

The premise and the post WWI European setting gives a very unique and exquisite feeling to the movie; and this fact is reflected well in the artwork, with its lush sceneries, views of exotic islands and beaches, cities and some of the characters, especially the pirates, which really do look like something from cartoony Europe of the 30’s. The leader of the pirates, for one, can pass for a Bluto (from Popeye) look-alike. For the most part, the miyazaki like feeling is intact. The animation is just gorgeous for a movie made in 1992. The color palate is exceptionally vibrant and has a certain depth to it that Miyazaki fans have come to associate with his movies.

The music is vintage Hisashi joe; fans of the maestro will find some of his best tunes in this movie. The animation and music blend perfectly to evoke the right emotion at the right time, bringing to life the world of Porco Rosso while lending it a unique charm that you probably won’t see in any other anime movie. Disney’s dubbed version has excellent voice-overs that fit perfectly with each character’s personality. I find that the Disney version does not deserve the hate that it is often subjected to by the fans of the older pre-Disney dub versions.

However, there are two things that might put-off people. The first is the minimalistic approach to storyline. Plot-junkies who expect their animes to be filled with deep and complicated plots might not find this to their liking (I’ve heard a few complain about this). But if you like Miyazaki movies in general, you’d know that complaint is baseless. With Porco Rosso, everything might be charming and simple on the outside but there’s more to this movie than meets the eye. The second complaint, which is actually a little more common, is that the ending is too abrupt. The ending is a bit subtle, yes, and it may leave a you wishing there was more, but the movie manages to tie all the loose ends very well, and it is by no standards an unsatisfactory ending. Porco Rosso is more like an old friend from a long forgotten time who stops by your front door to have a nice cup of tea, has a warm and pleasant chat with you but then quietly leaves from the back door with a quick goodbye.

Thanks to Miyazaki’s captivating direction, the movie is very soothing and peaceful and I think its best watched at the end of a hard and tiresome day, when you want to watch something calm and relaxing. All in all, Porco Rosso is a unique movie; not just as miyazaki or a Ghibli film, but a unique anime movie.