Category: Editorials

The OVA Reborn?

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The OVA market was a unique canvas for exploration within the anime industry. They allowed the industry to sell directly to the consumer with a nice markup. This let the industry do experimental projects that would either be rejected from a TV broadcast because they were either to racy, niche, or experimental to be viable. It also let the studios put more time and effort into their productions as they were freed from the demands of a weekly schedule. There were good deal of OVAs made that were both spectacular and horrible but many of them might not have been made any other way. It was propped up by the fact that the single episodes were expensive but hopefully you got what you paid for. But all good things must come to an end. A mixture of piracy, complacency, and competition from other media markets have reduced the OVA market to an oddity. A simple look at the Spring 2011 release chart shows that most OVAs are nothing more than extensions of existing shows. The question is what can take their place?

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Blogging, Podcasting, and Playing for Japan

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Relief efforts are in high gear from all over the world while Japan holds its breath as they watch the nuclear reactor and brace for continued aftershocks throughout the country. The fan communities of anime, manga, and video games have been coming out in droves to give back. More and more causes are popping up all the time.

The newly started Anime and Manga Bloggers For Japan page is a gathering place for encouraging donations to Doctors Without Borders and Shelter Box. They are about 70% towards their goals and hopefully can exceed them. We are joining the call and you can too by simply posting to get the word out on your own blog. Over at IGN they are taking pledges for their 24-hour marathon of Japanese video games taking place right now. And The 24-hour Anime Fans Give Back to Japan podcast has already raised more than $7000 before the show begins on Saturday. We will be at 8:30AM on Sunday chatting it up and showing our support.

Remember, every little bit helps!

Darkness is only driven out with light, not more darkness.

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I have said in the past that we can be drawn to characters who are similar to ourselves or have the qualities we admire. In contrast we are often most annoyed by the characters who have the same flaws we hate about ourselves. On that note Saori Chiba is a fascinating character to me and a highly personal character. In the Wandering Son anime other than a few flashback she comes off as an outright little monster up until very recently. I find her behavior detestable and pointless as it only hurts herself and those around her. That said I can’t say that I could not easily see myself doing the things she is doing in the show. In fact I have done some of the nonsense that she does so it makes it all the more pertinent, powerful, and painful.

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