Category: Anime

Broken Blade Movie 2: The Split Path, Golem Unicorn

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CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR MOVIE 1


hisuiconNow that board has been set the game can start for real. Movie two is where we see the opening moves for both sides and their initial strategies. Everyone in the main cast wants as quick and bloodless resolution to this conflict but as this movie progresses it is apparent that the point of no return was passed long ago. The cast is forced to make hard decisions that sadly dig them deeper into the positions they never wanted in the first place.

After finally getting a taste of Broken Blade, I was eager to watch more. They did a lot of things right and I found myself engrossed in the setting. The second film really starts pushing the characters into difficult decisions as friends meet again, old feelings are awakened, and violence erupts on the borders.

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Broken Blade Movie 1: The Time of Awakening, Ancient Technology is Always Superior!

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hisuiconMecha fans are always looking for the next great show.  Whenever a new property comes out they rush to check it out and give their opinion on the matter. So when Narutaki and I realized that there were six planned movies based on the Broken Blade manga series we were mildly shocked that no one is talking about it. I vaguely remember Dave Cabrera talking about how unusual it was that CMX was releasing the manga but I did not know about the movies until I heard about them on the Decoration Disorder Disconnection Podcast. After watching the first two movies and discovering they were quite good we knew we had to get the word out about this series.

Break Blade, Broken Blade, whatever you call it, I only had a foggy recollection of CMX releasing the manga when Hisui mentioned the series to me. This is unique in itself as there are few mecha manga that don’t originate from an anime. So while I still haven’t picked up this oddity in print form, I dove headfirst into the movies. As there aren’t a ton of robot series coming out each year, the fact that Break Blade seems to have slipped under the radar is rather astonishing. And believe me, it isn’t because these movies aren’t any good. Quite the contrary.

hisuiconThe world of Broken Blade is  a medieval world with a major difference. In broken Blade quartz has supernatural properties that have led the creation of a wide variety of magical technology including mecha. A small percentage of people called un-sorcerers cannot manipulate quartz making them handicapped in society. Therefore when the un-sorcerer, Rygart Arrow is summoned by his old friend the king to pilot an ancient robot he is somewhat perplexed. But his homeland is being invaded and he is the only person capable of piloting the suit that may be the tide of the war. Unbeknownst to him the head of the task force sent to kidnap the royal family is also an old friend putting him between a rock and hard place.

As far as we know, even the lowliest people in the society are able to use magic and Rygart is the only one we’ve encountered thus far that can’t. So he is not only handicapped, people fear him for this abnormality and treat him with everything from pity to malice. Though the few friendships he’s made are solid and trusting. Rygart while seemingly aloof, understandably carries a lot of sorrow much of it stemming from his relationship with his father and his own guilt about not having power. Though we don’t yet know all about Rygart’s past, we do know he hasn’t had a solid life and when he returns to the kingdom things are strained between him and the royal family despite him being summoned specifically and the eagerness with which they greet him.

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Ongoing Investigations: Case #106

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I picked up Solanin on a whim really but I had a good feeling about it. I want to call it a coming of age tale, but have to state it’s the coming of age that occurs in your 20’s after you leave college and are thrust into the “real world.” The story follows Meiko who quits her boring job and spends the next couple of months deciding just what she wants out of life. In the middle of all this is her long-term relationship with musician Taneda and her many college friends who are going through all these questions, too. Each character is in a bit of holding pattern; knowing who you are and what you want to do with your life doesn’t happen at the same time for everyone and Solanin shows what a road it can be. I have to say that I recognized these people, the relationships, and their questions about where to go. It also touches on Japanese youth culture and the difficult economy of find a job, making it all the more relevant to American 20-somethings these days, too. The art has a bit of an indie-feel to it giving it even more duality. While I did find the climax to be a little too melodramatic, convenient for the story, it doesn’t take away from the truth found in these pages. The emotions, reactions, and thoughts seen through the characters of Solanin are utterly genuine and honest. Plus, the ending felt quite right without a concrete conclusion but still a step forward. It just might be one of the best things I’ve read all year.

hisuiconIf there is one thing I know too well it is the feeling of doing just well enough that you are not in deadly peril but light years away from happy. The first half of this book should resonate with anyone who has felt trapped in their own life with plenty of ambition but no real plans. The quiet desperation of being lost is powerful and probably familiar to anyone over 20 today. But the book is not all dark emotions and hopelessness. There are moments of happiness and progress with everyone moving at their own pace, some people doing better than others. But everyone is changing if not always growing and it is sort of amazing to watch. Half way through the book there is an event that comes off a bit like a plot point in an otherwise seemingly organic story. This can be noticeable to some people but I don’t think anyone should let it detract the from the powerful effect it has on the story and themes. This is a beautiful story that really needs more people to read it. I think this is a book that will resonate with many older manga fans and can even be given to people who don’t read manga at all. It is a universal story that reaches beyond the medium.

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