me and japan: anime

Showing posts with label anime. Show all posts

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Summer Wars サマーウォーズ

So today I went to watch Summer Wars. It's released on 1st August, though I only watch it after seeing a documentary with Hosoda Mamoru, the director. It's an awesome movie. o_o!!! Here's the first 5 minute of the movie.

Basically the story is about an AI bot went beserk and attacking an online community, OZ, which also ended up messing the communication system in Japan. The main character is a high school boy who (almost) represent Japan in Mathematics Olympic. He won a Janken over his friend and won the part time job offered by his senpai, quite an idol in the campus. The job, was actually to be the senpai's boyfriend! She wanted to introduce him as her boyfriend to the grandma, who'd be having a big 90th birthday party in a village in Ueda. And the problem happened during his stay in the castle-like house...

Some points that caught my attention:
• The amount of tech and gadgets stuff!! The online community and Windows 7 to start, super computer, Japanese cellphones, Nintendo DSi, iPhone (complete with AT&T signal, owned only by Wabisuke-jichan? Not sure if the friend's also own one), a laptop that looks like a Dell.
• Why is it that the stupid action wasn't punished?! The ice, the fight...
• But I suppose without these annoying scenes, it won't be a complete movie?
• I don't understand why the need to damage the completely nice house...
• The family's history went back to Sengoku era, and there were some war talks, which I don't really get, must study on that. So the movie not only includes some high tech stuff, but also the old Japan itself, and very stylishly. I thought it's awesome.
• I thought the nosebleed scenes are so cute. No, it's not perverted.
• Family is important, really. I always like it when my big family gather around in new year's and some other events. Not a family that get along perfectly well, but I do love that we still make time to gather around. I hope it continues.
• Seems like sitting till credit finish will be my habit. They never turn on the light before the credit finishes. I like it anyway, not rushing to go out...

Definitely a must watch anime. I want to rewatch it again! X3

Other than that, Namba Parks, where I watched at, is such a stylish place. Love it. But it'd be very dangerous to visit Namba so often (too much dangerously want-to-get stuff, either otaku goods or zakka goods). Went to Denden town too. Finally got myself an Animate member card. The Bantorra pics is a free brochure from Animate, it has some info on new Anime/goods. Then, by printing out this coupon, you can get the Hello Kitty strap, Animate Tenchou version... XD

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Ghibli Layout Exhibition

Ponyo ponyo ponyo...♪

Today's destination is Ghibli Layout Exhibition!
You can see the map trip below (sorry, only partly..., I was impatient to wait for the GPS to connect).
Not that it's that much of a walk trip anyways.

I love anime. One of my dream is to become a mangaka, or at least doujinshika. I want to try becoming an animator, too. Tough job, but doesn't it sound cool? But to be one in Japan is... really tough. First is the very high average skills people here have, second is the visa thing. But nothing's impossible, I'm sure. One day I'll become one! ^o^/ This Japanese culture is just so world wide already, from time to time I see foreign otaku interviewed on Japanese TV. Though, it's a bit ugh to be stereotyped as gaijin who come to Japan because of anime/manga. ^_^; Though I do can't deny it fully.

First up. The train manner monkey series was at the Osaka-kou Station (大阪港).

And this very cute dog was sleeping... Luckily I went the wrong way, was going through the smaller street, not the main street, a shortcut, I guess.

The ticket is ¥700 for student. ¥600 if I remember to take the voucher...

Outside is a big Totoro board, where you can lay down, pretending you're on top of Totoro's belly. Too bad no one's there to take a pic for me... =/ It was already evening by the time I went out. I was in there for almost 3 hours ^_^;;

There are two long boards for people to put their own stickers. I'm not sure what these creatures supposed to represent. I do remember seeing them somewhere... orz

Mine's somewhere here.

Anyways. I'm not a big fan of Ghibli, actually, sorry. I'd rather see Production IG's or Studio 4C's. But Ghibli is big. And this thing is not something to be missed (ends 12 October in Osaka). The layout exhibition is awesome. From those yellowish ones that are older than me, to the most recent Ponyo's colored layout design.

It just makes me want to watch more Ghibli's anime, and make my own (ahahaha). Bought the book, 400 pages thick for ¥2900 (1 for a friend) and some postcards.

Layout is something drawn after E-konte (storyboard), to picture better how the scenes should look and animated, since it's hard to change once you go into the actual drawing process. Except for Ponyo's exhibition, all of them are only drawn by pencil and colored pencils. Some are just so rough. Some are very detailed. And they have these "technical words" written on them, like "follow" or "pan up". There are other words which are not pure english, but I can't remember them, ahaha. Oh wait, "kumi" which is when the "cell" touches the background. I'm not sure what's the scratch lines (have to see them close enough) doing on the paper, maybe it's explained on the audio tour (¥500), which I didn't get.

It looks like these (from the thick book). The display for Spirited Away one is the best. The castle-ish building is printed big on the wall. And the layout drawings fill up the wall from below till the ceiling. And they're so pretty and detailed... =A=

Afterwards, I went to get something to eat. Suntory Museum where the exhibition's held is just beside the aquarium. These lamps are just so sparkly cute. I don't like aquariums, though... Uncooked real fish scares me, though salmon sashimi is kinda yumm.

This is at a nearby mall. I think there's a similar place in Dotonburi? I've never been there.

Restaurants and shops. I ended up eating a Tendon. Haven't had tempura for a long time.

Next to the mall is this giant ferris wheel. One of the world's biggest. ¥700 for one adult (oh wait, I just see it's having a special price for ¥560). This place really reminds me of Odaiba, on a much smaller scale, though...

And that's the end of today. Two gallery trips in a week. =D
Next coming up is Inoue Takehiko's exhibition, I think... sometime next year?
Most of special events is ending this early October. Hm, well. Summer ended and new semester is beginning soon...

ghibli layout exhibition
Map created by EveryTrail

Friday, July 17, 2009

Haruhi S2

I'm so late in hearing this news. Over a month here and I didn't know that Haruhi has new episodes along with the old ones. Well, you see, Sun TV broadcasts it with such a lame quality, so I thought it's the old one and never bother it. It's the broadcast called Windowbox in English, and 額縁放送 (Gakubuchihousou) in Japanese. *sigh* This is so evil.

So apparently it'll have 28 episodes. The just now broadcasted was episode 16. Seems like I'd have to catch up with 6 episodes.

And apparently there's a website that has lists of what anime airs on what in Osaka. Except for KBS, I have all of the channels.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

I Watched Eva on Harry Potter's Premiere

And I made such a big post, just for watching anime at a cinema... Not such a fan of Eva, I wanted to watch Harry Potter actually. But Eva seems to come first. And anime being my first movie to watch in Japan... Didn't regret it at all. It was such a great movie. Or is it because I watched in on theatre? But still. I couldn't understand some of the dialogs. And probably even with English subtitle I still couldn't understand some parts of Eva. But it was so moving, I guess.

Some differences with cinemas I've been before. Watched the movie at Ema. It was an interesting cinema. I think all of the cinemas I know has entrance doors on the same level. But this one is different. The first floor is the lobby. Then there's an (one) entrance to go to the theaters above, through a (one) very narrow escalator. So 10 min before the scheduled time, people queue in front of the entrance and go up. Really sorry for the very blurry picture.

The theater I watched was number 1, so I didn't get to know other theaters, but others are at the upper floors. Interesting. And while queueing, I saw a girl dressing up as Hermione (a gaijin), almost look like one. The ticket is checked at the theater's door, so you can't go in wrongly, I guess, not like in Aussie.

The interior was, unexpectedly... normal, a bit disappointed actually. Aussie's big chair is much nicer. And the air conditioner wasn't that cold too, more like a bit warm. But I won't complain much since I only paid for 1000 yen, around 500 yen cheaper than normal? Because it's a lady's days every wednesday.

On the scheduled time, they played trailers for upcoming movies. One Piece seems interesting. And the closer one, Summer Wars. Must watch that one. Then the movie starts. Amazingly, everyone follows the cute warning movie, no speaking. It was so quiet, except for some almost inaudible giggle at several moments. And when the credit comes up, I was surprised that no one is getting up o___o;;; Normally, when the credit comes up, the lights would turn on and people would start leaving. But no one left the theater until the credit finished. And so, after the credit there's the "on next episode" "service, service" thing. Then after that everyone left. Seriously, I was surprised with the quietness.

At the lobby, there's also a place where they sell harry potter / eva goods, but didn't get to see it closer. And was wondering about these movie pamphlets. Will look at it when I watch Harry Potter. I suppose the cinema food is as expensive as Aussie? I'm not sure. But there was also a vending machine, which has, of course, higher price than normal.

Then we went to Loft. Such an amazing building. It has lots of cute and stuff, from chairs, yukata, those useless toys, cute stationery... And we had pasta there.

This summer special pasta taste different than normal pasta. Quite okay. But the tomato garlic pasta tastes better. I guess I still love tomato pasta nonetheless.

Then, they have service of getting free tea/coffee after the meal. WOW. Then I was somehow confused about the milk. Thought I have to pay more or something. But I think she's saying it differently... orz Anyway, got my milk and coffee. It was so good as well. Very satisfied. I must pay back my senpai in the future somehow... She's so kind and paid for my meal. I feel bad for not using formal Japanese, but I can't help myself.

Actually, I'm always confused when the kouhai (juniors) speaks in formal japanese, and the senpai (seniors) speak in non formal japanese. I'd definitely get influenced to use non formal to answer the senpai. Unless, of course, they're teachers.

Oh well. Such a good day, so I'd better study more dilligently ;_;

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Summer 2009 Anime (Osaka) [edited]

Listing Anime I'm gonna watch on TV this summer. Well, will practice my Japanese, going to watch it all raw! It's so hard to see which channel air it in Osaka, since all of them are Tokyo based and different regions have different channels =( But apparently Wikipedia lists them... But still.

Fuji TV = Kansai TV?