Category: Editorials
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In which I contemplate One Piece (and nothing less than the meaning of life)
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Read More →: In which I contemplate One Piece (and nothing less than the meaning of life)One Piece begins with the execution of the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger. His death was intended to symbolize the power of the World Government, but had the opposite effect instead, conceiving the Golden Age of Pirates! One Piece is full of mythology. What happened in the Void Century, anyway? What about the meaning behind…
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Anime directors, please don't change your depressing endings. I love them.
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Read More →: Anime directors, please don't change your depressing endings. I love them.Quite frankly, good intentions or not, I’m sick of being lied to. That’s why I loved the original conclusion to Zeta Gundam. It felt like someone had finally snapped and decided to tell the truth, and at first, I was shocked, but, also, inspired to consider what it was trying to say, which brings me…
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The secret life of the otaku
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Read More →: The secret life of the otakuAs I grow up, I don’t want to lose the things that were important to me as a kid. But I also want to address my shortcomings, have relationships, get a job, and (eventually) be an adult. I may not accomplish everything I want, but I won’t let the fear of failure deter me from…
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The Transience of Anime
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Read More →: The Transience of AnimeI often analyze myself in terms of what I’m watching and why I’m more attracted to certain anime over others. I find it easy to forget just how niche a lot of what I’m watching really is, only to then realise I don’t know what’s popular any more, or understand why, or even care. I’m…
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Fast dialogue is fast for a reason
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Read More →: Fast dialogue is fast for a reasonI’m a follower of people in the anime industry, but mostly, it’s just the (good) directors I like to keep tabs on. I delve into their works and the more I find, the more I trust in those same people to deliver yet more good anime. Hayao Miyazaki is a popular example, and Masaaki Yuasa…
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Why you should care about The Tatami Galaxy
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Read More →: Why you should care about The Tatami GalaxyI’m totally hyped about seeing the first episode of The Tatami Galaxy (Yojohan Shinwa Taikei). It finally aired this evening in the beloved noitaminA block and is already streaming on Funimation‘s video site, but… I’m region blocked! It’s been a while since I’ve been excited enough about a series to feel as frustrated as this,…
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Ugly anime is not bad anime
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Read More →: Ugly anime is not bad animePretentious has long since become a word within fandom used by a person to express aghast that another could ever truly enjoy something that he/she doesn’t. It’s no longer a matter of taste, but of pretention, we’re all merely deluding ourselves by enjoying such ugly, complicated and confusing stories.
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Statement of intent: Spring 2010
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Read More →: Statement of intent: Spring 2010I can at least promise you this. I won’t suddenly just up and leave; I won’t go out at the top of my game; the end won’t be glorious, no, it will be a long, drawn-out and disappointing affair.
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The weight of time in anime and manga
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Read More →: The weight of time in anime and mangaI consume a lot of anime in a purely superficial way; I watch it and enjoy it, but then forget about it. My favourites are those that burrow deeply into the subconscious, with certain moments and images able to rise back into mind at any given time; often, years after I’ve seen them, but why?…
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Injections of fun / Trapeze and episodic anime
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Read More →: Injections of fun / Trapeze and episodic animeAt the moment, I’m probably more satisfied with the anime I’m following than I have been for a long time. Whenever a new season begins there’s always the temptation to try to see as much as possible, particularly as an anime blogger with the self-inflicted responsibility to talk about this stuff ad nauseum, but for…
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Trying to get back into anime movies / Sword of the Stranger
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Read More →: Trying to get back into anime movies / Sword of the StrangerWriting this now is probably a bit old hat, but I finally got around to watching Sword of the Stranger at the weekend! Why the delay? I’ve developed a strained relationship with anime movies; having become so used to watching anime in the 20-min TV format, the mere suggestion of watching anything even slightly longer…
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Timelessness and anime / Stand Alone Complex 2nd GIG
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Read More →: Timelessness and anime / Stand Alone Complex 2nd GIGIn the four weeks since this blog was last updated, I’ve seen at least 80 episodes of anime! Not bad, eh? But to write anything of decent length, more than ever, I need to feel like what I’m writing about is really worth your time. That isn’t to say everything airing right now is poor,…
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When all that's left is dust
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Read More →: When all that's left is dustWhen I think about Boogiepop Phantom, I’m also reminded of other recent Madhouse anime, like Shigurui and Casshern Sins. Each has a strange aesthetic; seductive yet tinged by an under-lying sense of sadness and desolation. It would be easy to categorise them as dark and depressing, but they are more complex than that. It’s not…
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Cross Game and Touch, and feminism in Japan
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Read More →: Cross Game and Touch, and feminism in JapanI wasn’t aware Mitsuru Adachi (mangaka) even existed until the spring season of this very year, but all that changed after I’d seen the first two episodes of Cross Game. I realised I’d missed out on a lot of great anime of his and, to fill the gap in-between episodes of Cross Game, I started…
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Slice of life
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Read More →: Slice of lifeI know it has been a long time since I published anything, but I hope you haven’t given up on me just yet. There is warmth in these embers still, I can feel it. I just need stoke them up is all, with a bit of hard work and guts.
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In support of sports drama and Hajime no Ippo
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Read More →: In support of sports drama and Hajime no IppoYou may scoff at the formulaic concept of sports drama, may think that you can ignore anime like this because you’re not into boxing, but I’ll retort by suggesting that that is a lazy way of thinking. Like every great sports anime, Hajime no Ippo is fuelled by great characters. It is overflowing with feeling.…
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A timely message
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Read More →: A timely messageThere’s no specific point to this post, but for a few days now, I’ve wanted to write something for my blog, and thus, here we are, dear reader. It’s just that time of the year, I guess; a blank page and hours to spare. Themes or no, after nearly three years of doing this, I…
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Let's cancel Christmas
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Read More →: Let's cancel ChristmasWhy do you watch anime? Right now, I’m feeling like I can’t see the forest for the trees. Watching too much, swept away by what is new and exciting, but I just want to discover and enjoy great anime, and I’ve remembered I don’t have to wait to do that, new or old, there is…
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Autumn ’08 impressions: week 1
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Read More →: Autumn ’08 impressions: week 1This past weekend was spent watching anime, lots and lots of anime, and below you can read my findings. Having come perilously close to losing my sanity at several points over the last few days, the scariest thing is that there is still so much I’m waiting to see, not least of all the majority…
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Cherry picking in autumn
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Read More →: Cherry picking in autumnHello, my name is bateszi. I’m a generic anime blogger and this is my generic autumn preview. Please enjoy these poorly researched comments on anime that I know nothing about, talking about new series with the same pictures, synopsis and links that you can see in dozens of other autumn previews too. I guess we…
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About an anime fan
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Read More →: About an anime fanI’ve been an anime fan for no more than 5 years and already I’m starting to feel like I’ve been around forever, yet the truth is that my mere half-decade of devotion barely even scratches the surface, after all, some hardy souls have been following this foreign Japanese stuff for more than 30 years; a…
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On the context of dropping anime
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Read More →: On the context of dropping animeOne of the most difficult decisions an anime fan has to make is whether or not to ‘drop’ a series. For me, it’s often a snap decision; not really based on any objective criteria, rather, it depends on how I’m feeling at that specific moment. As a result, I’ll often make some impulsive mistakes; errors…
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When the sky turned blue
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Read More →: When the sky turned blueGone a bit quiet around here, ain’t it? Last update was a couple of weeks ago, so I figured I’d pop-in a quick “Hello, not dead yet”. The truth is that, since finishing Ghost Hound, I’ve not been watching nearly enough (good) anime, so, aside from a few sarcastic paragraphs, I don’t have much to…
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In a land far away, there was a monster without a name
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Read More →: In a land far away, there was a monster without a nameAround this time of year, I suppose many of us are guilty of watching a lot of mediocre and predictable anime because it’s new and shiny, but for me, that’s a waste of time; Monster might have aired in the spring of 2004, but it will always be great. If you haven’t seen it, drop…
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Lohengramm's advantage; contrasting dictatorship and democracy
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Read More →: Lohengramm's advantage; contrasting dictatorship and democracyThough Legend of the Galactic Heroes might seem like a Death Note style dual of fates fought between two talented leaders (Reinhard von Lohengramm of the Galactic Empire and Yang Wen-li of the Free Planets Alliance respectively) it is what they represent, as much as who they are and what they believe, which is just…
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Kanpai! Two years on, still a fanboy
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Read More →: Kanpai! Two years on, still a fanboyPlease forgive the self-serving nature of this post, but I just wanted to point out that on the 4th of March, Bateszi Anime Blog celebrated its second birthday, yes, I know I’m woefully late, the date just totally slipped my mind until yesterday. Anyway, with every new year that passes on the ‘net, the fact…
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Kaiba teaser online, dear anime fans, please value originality
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Read More →: Kaiba teaser online, dear anime fans, please value originalitywe’re in this funny position where Kaiba’s being hotly anticipated on popular indie-film sites like Twitch, yet completely ignored by anime fandom itself. Something is seriously wrong with this; that the most talented directors working in anime aren’t being recognised within the community is both baffling and stupid.
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Real men don't cry, Kaiji
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Read More →: Real men don't cry, KaijiRoasting Kneeling is the ultimate gar test
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Animated eye candy, courtesy of Kazuto Nakazawa
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Read More →: Animated eye candy, courtesy of Kazuto NakazawaOver the last few weeks, I’ve started subscribing to some French anime blogs. I can’t speak a word of the language, but I know good taste, and more to the point, just how priceless it is. On the front page of Manganimation.net, there are burgeoning articles on ‘The Sky Crawlers‘, ‘Kaiba’ and Kazuto Nakazawa. Basically,…
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The aesthetic clause
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Read More →: The aesthetic clauseFor me, the aesthetic ruins the substance, does that mean, then, that the aesthetic is the substance? Are we really that superficial?
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Blame! Adventure-seeker Killy's Cyber Dungeon animated
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Read More →: Blame! Adventure-seeker Killy's Cyber Dungeon animatedIf there’s one genre I’m always likely to love, it’s dark, heavy science fiction. As attested by the bitterly disappointing Ergo Proxy and Oshii’s philosophically-loaded Innocence, it’s a subset of anime that’s prone to artistic pretension of the highest order, but even still, when it works, as in the case of the viscerally despondent Texhnolyze,…
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8-bit impressions
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Read More →: 8-bit impressionsInstead of spending hours writing about just one series, this week I’ve dragged myself in the opposite direction and reflected on four of my current favourites. There’s no real reason for the Tekkon Kinkreet image above, except to say that it’s one of the finest examples of fan-art I’ve clapped eyes on; tobiee is an…
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Musical memories of Gurren Lagann, recalling a whimsical dystopia
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Read More →: Musical memories of Gurren Lagann, recalling a whimsical dystopiaNot sure how I missed this, but the full soundtrack for Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann was released recently; that’s 51 tracks of epic, exciting, heavenly music, and even better, it contains the one song I’ve be longing to hear since late-July. I’m talking about track 13 on Disc no.2; the translated title is “The Days…
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This anime fan forever looks back on 2007
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Read More →: This anime fan forever looks back on 2007Jesus, it’s the end of another year. I’ve had fun in 2007; being a part of the anime blogging community and writing for you, dear reader. I’m not sure I’d last long if it wasn’t for your comments, but here we are, almost two years on and still talking, ranting, in love with anime. Back…
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Speaker for the New Layout
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Read More →: Speaker for the New LayoutIt’s nearly 2008, and the new year wouldn’t feel proper without a new look for Bateszi Anime Blog. I’m not sure how long you’ve been visiting (today might be the first time), but I’ve actually been blogging since March 2006 and this new layout is the sixth incarnation of my humble corner of the internet.…
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When merely good anime is good enough
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Read More →: When merely good anime is good enoughI’ve just spent the last few hours messing around on MyAnimeList. The result? This is the closest I’ve come to realizing how much anime I’ve actually consumed over the years. Apparently, I’ve completed 70 TV series, 51 OVAs and 61 movies, and out of all that, I’m dishing out an average score of 7.9 out…
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Attention Yoko Kanno & Steve Conte enthusiasts!
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Read More →: Attention Yoko Kanno & Steve Conte enthusiasts!A Gabriela Robin Site have posted an awesome acoustic live set by regular Yoko Kanno vocalist/collaborator Steve Conte. Performed songs include “Heaven’s Not Enough” (my favorite), “Living Inside the Shell”, “Words We Couldn’t Say”, “Rain” and “Call Me Call Me” – so that’s some of the best music from Wolf’s Rain, Stand Alone Complex and…
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Disposable anime, or not?
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Read More →: Disposable anime, or not?Every now and then, it’s nice to take a break from long-standing hobbies. I’ve never been one to binge on anime and the idea of day-long marathons positively scares me. At most I can take about five standard length episodes in one sitting; any more and my brain gives up. I begin to feel like…
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Hey there Delilah, what's worth watching?
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Read More →: Hey there Delilah, what's worth watching?I must admit, I haven’t approached this autumn season with my usual enthusiasm for all things Japanese animated. Every review I read says it all sucks, I’m confused; has anime suddenly turned bad? So, since I don’t have the will-power to sit through dozens of mediocre first episodes, I’m asking you instead; what’s worth watching?…
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Anime fan forever?
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Read More →: Anime fan forever?In the wake of Ten’s exit from anime blogging, I can’t help but reflect on my own love affair with anime. In a few years time, could I find myself feeling similarly ambivalent, thinking back on this odd fascination as a mere fling? Or rather, am I destined to be forever an otaku? Decades on,…
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Polling Yoko Kanno's best soundtrack?
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Read More →: Polling Yoko Kanno's best soundtrack?I’m a big fan of Yoko Kanno’s music; be it the atmospheric electronica of Macross Plus (1994) or the acoustic style contributed to Wolf’s Rain (2003), it’s hard to ignore the core emotional beauty of her work; a quality that, not matter which musical style she borrows, ensures that she captures our attention (and often,…
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Anime going mainstream, what's the point?
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Read More →: Anime going mainstream, what's the point?The idea that someone would presume to ignore all anime simply because Pokemon sucks. I want to prove them wrong.
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Someone said "anime isn't deep, it's just entertainment"
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Read More →: Someone said "anime isn't deep, it's just entertainment"Anime is entertainment. Anime is deep. Anime is ugly. Anime is stupid. Anime is beautiful. Anime is isolation. Anime is culture. Anime is anything to anyone.
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Breaking out of the moe box
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Read More →: Breaking out of the moe boxSo many of us are missing out on great anime for no reason other than ignorance.