Category: Anime

The Speakeasy #020: The GaoGaiGar, Learning to Love Robots

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Anime 3000 presents The Speakeasy Podcast:
Drink #020: The GaoGaiGar, Learning to Love Robots

With our special guest Carl from Ogiue Maniax, we look at one of the most off-putting genres in anime. Mecha is one of the few not phonographic genres that people easily decide they despise. At the same time, it is a genre that has a fanatical base of fans that can turn away anyone who is not  predisposed to liking robot shows. This is the podcast for anyone who has tried a mecha anime and decided they do not go together. This is also for anyone who is trying to get their more skittish friends to watch robots. We present a selection of shows that have enough robots to qualify as mecha while not being too down the rabbit hole. You might not find yourself building Gundam models while watching Mazinkaiser SKL but you might also not run away any time you see Valkyrie on the screen.

(Listen)

And now your helpful bartenders at The Speakeasy present your drink:

GaoGaiGar

First, separately mix each of these:
Robot
Orange Lion
Bullet Train
Drill
Stealth Bomber

Simultaneously pour the robot and Orange Lion into a large glass while shouting FUUUUSIOOOON!!!
Once the pouring is complete shout the name of your new drink: Gai! Gar!
Then wait for Final Fusion to be approved.
Once Final Fusion is approved and the Program Drive has been activated shout FINAL! FUUUSIOOOON! and pour the Drill, Bullet Train, and Stealth Bomber into the GaiGar as heroic music swells in the background. Once this is complete loudly shout to the heavens the name of your King of Drinks: GAO! GAI! GAAAAARRRR!

Ongoing Investigations: Case #134

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I started watching Ashita no Nadja on and off in between other shows, I’ve seen four so far. It is a shojo series with a small following. I’ve always been curious about it because it has a It also boasts a fabulous opening. Nadja is a young orphan girl who receives a mysterious package on her 13th birthday which contains a letter revealing her mother is still alive. This sets her off an adventure where she joins a traveling troupe and becomes a dancer, as she searches for her mother she meets various people along the way including many suitors, and she is pursued by villains trying to stop her progress. Nadja is a hard-working dear girl, the troupe is a colorful bunch, and there is a blond prince plus a phantom thief so far! This is such a children’s wish fulfillment show and it is utterly charming in its execution. It also has a bit of a Masterpiece Theater feel. I’m looking forward to watching more.

With a morbid curiosity I decide to brave the first 4 episodes of the 2011 reboot of Thundercats. The original Thundercats is distinctly one of those show that you might have liked as a kid but does not age well at all. The new series is produced by Warner Bros. Animation but the animation is done by Studio 4°C so I also watched for the tenuous anime connection. But make no mistake while some of the visual fair has an anime feel this is very much an American cartoon. It is closer to Avatar: The Last Airbender than Bleach. And that is not a bad thing. The story telling for children of all ages make entertainment that has the ability to stand up over time. Some of it dips into the just for kids cache at times but overall it is a fairly smart remake. The reboot wisely keeps many of the things that people remember fondly about the original and jettisons some of the more frankly stupid parts at the same time. I mean Snarf is now a clever pet as opposed to his old annoying nursemaid persona which I am sure earns the show a metric ton of goodwill. The first episode setup the main cast, had them soundly beaten, and gets them on the run. I will say that Mumm-Ra plan that involved assault mecha, a turncoat, AND a Trojan horse seemed a bit overkill but it does show you that he is a credible threat. The next two episode have been fairly entertaining with a Moby Dick story and the tale living for the day. I think I will keep watching to see where it goes. Be warned no matter how this series turns out it will  be a furry generation engine like the original. This is just an unavoidable fact.

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Nervous in the (Fan-)Service

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This single tweet is what sparked this whole post but in Mike Dent’s defense when I asked about Sacred Seven on Twitter the majority opinion seems to be that most people find the show inoffensive but rather lackluster so most would agree with his decision. (I am really enjoying the show but that is a discussion for another time.) What struck me as interesting was that it was the beach episode that was the straw that broke the camel’s back. I was discussing the episode with my roommate and we both agreed that the episode barely dwelt on the girl’s in bathing suits and the shots of them at the beach were rather tame. But I think Mike’s reaction is the symptom of a the divide in the community that the recent brand of fan service has created. The extremes of fan service have created an equally extreme but opposite reaction from a majority of the vocal parts of fandom.

When I started watching anime in the mid-90’s I thought lots of fan-service was just part of the deal; if I wanted everything else I liked about it, it was just something that I had to accept. So in a way, I understand the inkling now to reject fan-service outright because there are so many other options. And admittedly, I have a much lower tolerance level than I once did. However, I find there can be an acceptable balance that won’t ruin a story.

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