FMA: The Brotherhood Diaries – Episode 58

Ani-Gamers staff writer Ink contributes a weekly column in which he examines the differences between the original Fullmetal Alchemist and its re-telling, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. To read previous entries, click here.

Watch Episode 58 – Sacrifices

Continuing its course of having humans finish off the Fuhrer, FMA2 has Lan Fan save Greed-Ling from falling and a random Briggs soldier deliver a shot that causes Bradley to fall into a moat below. Of course the Fuhrer floats away to fight another day, but analysis-wise I’m happy to see random soldiers stealing alchemists’ proverbial thunder. The action and identifiable anonymity of supporting cast is precisely why FMA2 has succeeded in returning the FMA series to the shonen spirit in which the manga was supposedly originally written. If I may generalize, most young boys identify easily with action heroes. Vengeance is a simple concept for humanity, and the more character types you have involved in gun fights and sword battles, the more types of young male readers will identify and keep buying your volumes or watching your episodes.

This runs contrary to FMA1, which more decidedly relies upon feelings of regret and loss – themes not as engaging or identifiable to a younger audience, especially younger males (if I may again generalize). This explains the high percentage of younger girls and older otaku of both genders interested in FMA1’s vastly different tone of redemptive and compassion-driven introspection.

The tone for both series greatly affects scenes involving death. In FMA1, very few main heroes die, namely Hughes. Scar and Greed, who start out as villains, can also be considered fallen heroes, but all other deaths are dealt to homunculi, for most of whom FMA1 evokes sympathy due to their human traits. However, deceptive deaths, such as those of Mustang, Ed, and Al, carry great weight due to the careful (if heavy-handed) layering of character. This contrasts deaths in FMA2, those of supporting characters Buccaneer and Fu specifically, because they die a soldier’s death as witnessed by comrades in arms, a possibility they face every day and are hardened towards. This leaves feelings of respect for having carried out their duty and gratefulness for how they served. There is only a small emotional hole allowed for grief in battle, and that is what FMA2 does best, realistically (at least moreso than FMA1) depicting a war-like environment. This also explains the brief lament and subsequent rage into which Greed-Ling flies over Fu’s death.

Continuing the brave evolution of ancillary characters, Falman gets an expanded role as resistance troop commander at the main gate, or rather he starts to become more comfortable giving orders instead of just taking them. Evolution is not something FMA ever let supporting characters be privy to. They either provided comic relief or emotional support, but always at a static distance.

Something else I found to be an interesting difference between series is that Hawkeye is mortally wounded and it is up to Mustang to save her in FMA2, whereas Mustang was mortally wounded and it was up to Hawkeye to save him in FMA1. Going back to what I said earlier about desired audiences, FMA1 plays to sympathetic sensibilities evoked by a strong female character – something I think would elicit identification more directly from females and compassionate/sympathetic older males than younger males – while FMA2 reverts to the classic man rescues girl. Although Hawkeye is still a strong female character in FMA2 (much moreso than in FMA1), she’s made into the damsel in distress for male viewers to want to be saved by their fire-wielding proxy. Her devotion to him and his straightedge path to the Fuhrer’s throne is what makes the defeat of Mustang’s resolve to not use human alchemy so painful, while it is the unspoken love and support built over 52 or so episodes that makes the sight of his bloody body so identifiably tragic to a delayed Hawkeye in FMA1.

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The Rise of Cosplay in New York City

The sun beams fiercely on the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, and even as evening approaches, the humidity is relentless. Backstage, costume makers prepare to show off their best to a circus tent loaded with strangers who share their eccentric hobby. I glance over my opening speech one last time before noticing a veteran cosplayer sweating bullets through her eye shadow, shaded cheekbones and full-body jumpsuit.

Though she has been modeling her homemade costumes for over six years, earning over thirty awards from conventions across America, Caitlin Beards is sweating through her skintight pleather and spandex one-piece. This is her one-hundredth costume to date, and she has poured three months of her skill into sculpting the seven yards of metal chain and the eighteen-inch tall wig strapped to her head to become the video game heroine Bayonetta. Beards, like many others, belongs to a previously underground sub-culture of geeks that has blossomed in recent years.

The selected nineteen cosplayers standing with me under the tent are accustomed to posing for photos at conventions, but never for an audience of magazine and radio personalities, and never after having their make-up applied by personnel from MAC Cosmetics. For the first time in New York’s history, fashion-centered video game and Japanese anime fans have been pampered and prepped by internationally acclaimed make-up artists. 2010 has so far marked a new step in public exposure and professional treatment for cosplaying, and the community is still rising in the public eye. The hobby of cosplay is easy to explain but difficult to execute: it is the act of dressing like your favorite character from a TV show, movie, video game or comic book. In some social circles, cosplay is a competitive sport, to others it is a challenge to prove their sewing skills, and for some it is purely for fun and an excuse to meet other fans.

Cosplay was arguably birthed at Star Trek conventions, where Trekkies posed as Starfleet officers, Klingons, and Vulcans alike to display their fandom. It was taken to a competitive level in Japan and spread itself worldwide through anime conventions. The hobby latched on in America in the early nineties, but skyrocketed with the domestication of the Internet. Dedicated cosplayers create online personas and profiles on forums to display their various fashion innovations, using materials from sheer linen to duct tape to altered Armani suits.

For the past three years, I have been touring anime conventions with attendance numbering anywhere from a few hundred to over twenty-four thousand. One of my recurring roles as a convention guest is to host a quintessential event: the cosplay masquerade. The largest event I ever hosted was at Anime Boston this past spring. Initial performance submission was so massive that the lead coordinator filtered all entries just to narrow down to forty performances that would fill the three-hour time block. Convention attendees waited outside the main events hall for hours beforehand, hoping for a spot in a room that fits five-thousand, or the spillover room that accommodated another thousand using state-of-the-art video equipment. The convention itself boasted a new record high of attendance of nearly seventeen thousand, despite being held during Easter weekend and competing for its audience with the Penny Arcade Expo East, the largest video game convention on the East Coast to date, which was held the weekend before at the same convention center. It seems neither recession nor religious holiday can deter us nerds.

Cosplay is rapidly blossoming under the public eye in New York, because while the anime industry is evolving from DVDs to streaming websites like Crunchyroll and Hulu, convention attendance (and with it, cosplay exposure) is on the rise. Interest in cosplay has taken hold of a younger, more ravenous generation of anime fans, and with new anime series coming over every season from Japan, the fans are increasing their efforts to respond. The New York Anime Festival, held each fall at the Jacob Javits Center, saw its attendance increase dramatically in its first three years. Between 2007 and 2008, Reed Exhibitions reported attendance swelling from fifteen to eighteen thousand, and for its third straight year, attendance capped just above twenty-one thousand. The event has such immense interest behind it that now corporate sponsorship has moved in to reward the elite cosplayers. At their headlining competitive cosplay event, the winning team is handed a free trip to Japan, which is quite impressive compared to a dollar store trophy and a boxed set of Hayao Miyazaki DVD’s.

New York’s dense population and entertainment industry help stoke the flames of cosplay awareness and provide the perfect environment. Just by Bryant Park is the largest Japanese bookstore, Kinokuniya, spanning three floors, the top one dedicated to Japanese comic books and art books from anime. Other stores such as Image Anime by Penn Station, often hold holiday competitions and offer prizes, which only encourage fans to come out of the woodwork to present costumes they have worked on for as long as three years. These constant events are pulling together a community regularly enough that the experienced can now mentor and encourage the newer fans, not to mention trade off cosplay war stories. Cosplayers now gather for regular public outings in places like Central Park and karaoke bars just to meet up in and show off their newest costume designs. Some go for realism, some for sight-gags like “cross-playing” (dressing as a character of the opposite gender), but all have a great time doing it.

Events like the Japanese Cherry Blossom Festival (a.k.a. Sakura Matsuri) at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and the Japan Society may be elevating the public’s knowledge of cosplay as serious business. Only two weeks after the Fashion Show at the Botanic Garden, another major cosplay event has been scheduled: a competition at the Japan Society, right nearby the United Nations building.

As I prepare to host and present the participants, I see someone standing off in the stage wings: a young girl, fifteen at most, wearing her first cosplay. Even with the eight-foot Styrofoam sword slung over her back, she is shaking noticeably. She’s worried the audience will notice her wig’s ponytails are too short, or the crude stitching around her foam armguards. Moments ago, she approached me backstage and asked to be pulled from the masquerade due to her stage fright. I asked her what her character would do in the face of fear; since she is dressed as a demon-slayer, she might as well play the part. Her eyes grow in reassurance and realization, almost to the Bambi-eyed ratio of the comic book character she portrays. I wink from the podium and announce her name as she steps into the light confidently: a new cosplayer is born. And the tradition goes on.

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Review: Weekly Astro Boy Magazine (iPhone App)

Platform: iPhone, iPod Touch
Publishers: D-Arc, Inc. Tezuka Productions
Release Date: Oct. 2009 (US), Mar. 2010 (UK/AU/etc.)

During Tezuka Month you may have seen my breathless news post about how the Astro Boy iPhone app had been expanded to new countries, including my own native land of Great Britain. As previously mentioned, I had been aching to get my hands on the app since learning of its existence and cursing the arbitrary barriers preventing me from doing so.

So now that I actually have Weekly Astro Boy Magazine firmly installed on my iPhone, was the wait worth it?

To recap, the app allows you to read translated chapters of famous Tezuka manga such as Black Jack, Astro Boy and Dororo, on your iPhone or iPod Touch through a devoted e-reader application. The chapters are arranged into volumes which are released weekly for $1 (or your local equivalent) each, with the selection of manga on offer differing each week. You can pick and choose which volumes you download, so there is no obligation to keep forking out money.

First things first, this application is only available for the iPhone and iPod touch — no other handset types are covered so it you just bought a shiny Android (or any other mobile OS) device you are out of luck. Sorry!

In the app store you will find two versions of the program — a free version with a single issue of the magazine and a paid, $1 version with the first two issues. This is a rather confusing decision given the two could have easily been rolled into one free app that charged you for the second issue. Of course, this could be due to some bizarre rule on Apple's part regarding in-app purchases. Once downloaded, you can buy additional issues of the magazine from within the program, which would be a wonderful way to take the hassle out of getting more content if it was not for two major problems.

First, the purchasing and downloading system is very slow, and it often takes multiple attempts to confirm your purchase of a new volume. The app then takes an irritatingly long time to download your purchased content and has a tendency to fail to complete a download. These frequent failures are infuriating; it is a blessing that the application can resume partial downloads otherwise I would have quickly given up on using it. Due to these frustrations I tend to only download new issues of the magazine when I am work, where I can abuse the powerful wireless connection to get issues in a quarter of the time with fewer errors. A minor note to add here is that, without fail, each time I have downloaded a new issue I have received “Download failed” error at 99% complete only to have it show up, completed, in the program.

The second major problem with the program, and one that is entirely out of the hands of the publishers, is that while the app is downloading you are unable to do anything else on your device. Remember, no multi-tasking on iPhone OS! (At the time of writing, using OS 3.2) This includes viewing already downloaded issues. Add this to the frequent failures experienced while downloading and the entire process begins to become more and more unappealing.

With all that technical rigmarole out of the way, how does it perform when you view the manga you have downloaded? Very well, actually. I must admit I was rather dubious about viewing manga on the iPhone screen as I presumed it would involve an awful lot of moving the page to view the art in detail. I was pleasantly surprised to find that you can read a full page in the portrait orientation quite easily, although the finer details are lost on the more lavish titles included in the magazine. Zooming in/out and moving around the page are smooth and responsive and feel no more obstructive than using a physical book. There is a small delay when displaying a new page as the program loads the image, although this only manifests should you have your device playing music at the time and does not impact the viewing experience. It is also easy to confuse the application at times — should you accidentally turn the page, any attempt to stop it will confuse the program and you have to wait for the transition to complete before making any additional movements on the touchscreen. This may be an issue of an idiotic user however, as I am rather clumsy and tend to use the app while on a bumpy commute.

So far it feels like I am griping, but all of my complaints are incidental points - slip-ups on the path to greatness. The simple fact that this app exists and that it works as intended is a small marvel. For the equivalent of $1 you get a sizeable chunk of manga from a range of Tezuka's works, some of which may be difficult to get a hold of where you live. I personally have never seen a physical copy of Adolf, and the opportunity to read it in any form is wonderful even with the niggling issues attached. Plus — and this is a definite positive for me — it will not clutter your already overloaded bookshelf.

[Passable]

NOTE: At the time of writing, the iPad is not available in the UK, and so I have been unable to review this app on this new platform. The iTunes store lists that Weekly Astro Boy Magazine is compatible with the iPad, however. If you are lucky enough to have an iPad, please try the free version of this app and let us know how it is in the comments below!

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This review is based on the March 2010 version of the iPhone application, purchased by the reviewer.

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FMA: The Brotherhood Diaries – Episode 57

Ani-Gamers staff writer Ink contributes a weekly column in which he examines the differences between the original Fullmetal Alchemist and its re-telling, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. To read previous entries, click here.

Watch Episode 57 – Eternal Leave

I love being led astray. Wrath doesn’t die (yet), but his ego suffers a great wound when Fu’s assault leads to the penetration of the master swordsman’s defenses and subsequent run through. While I said my piece about the implications of having the humans be the ones who draw first blood from Wrath in the previous diary, there is something worth noting via Buccaneer’s surprise involvement: resilience. Humanity’s stubborn nature, as admitted by the homunculi, has been a thorn in their collective sides. This persistence is now personified in battle via Buccaneer continuing to fight despite suffering incurred from mounting mortal wounds, whereas previously this series only showcased (OK, FMAFAN, I’ll finally say it) emotional aspects of determination.

Regarding the battles therein, FMA1 is never so cleverly indirect in execution. Usually fights consist of metaphorically mano-a-mano battles where the hero faces the villain(s). The only comparable situation is Ed’s fight with Sloth, when he is unsuspectingly aided by Wrath’s mommy complex which ends up paralyzing the reincarnation of Ed’s mother for long enough to enable the final alchemic blow. Both series, however, use the surprise attack exactly according to their strengths. FMA2 has Fu’s proximity to Wrath blind the homunculus’ periphery long enough for Buccaneer to sneak a sword through Bradley’s chest in a brilliantly sacrificial (if only misguided) tactical move, while FMA1 uses overly strong (and equally misguided) familial attachments to bring about the downfall of a loved one.

Failure pertaining to choice and application of incidental background music continues to dog FMA2. When Izumi and Olivier are discussing sacrifices and feelings of longing for the dead, there’s what sounds like a light violin bouncing behind the scene. While the music does offer a stark contrast to what happens next, it is totally inappropriate for the conversation at hand and detracts from the overall tone. Once again, as with Pride’s face-off with Al in an earlier episode, the writing can more than carry the scene, showing FMA2 does not quite know when silence is more appropriate than superfluous noise. FMA1’s music always seems appropriately chosen and implemented, which can be chalked up to the fact that the abundant emotionally dramatic scenes laced throughout are easier to put music to than reflective, intense discussions.

As per the “WTF” moment in this episode, the sacrifice of our favorite taboo-committing alchemists, all I can say is that FMA2 wields human transmutation as a homunculus weapon and means to self-induced physical harm for humans as opposed to FMA1’s self-destructive faux pas that inspires lifelong penitence. Sure, both series use alchemy to level cities as well as sacrifice all the souls within them, but what matters is who uses the taboo and for what purpose.

FMA2 has Dwarf-In-A-Flask manipulate Hohenheim into sacrificing everyone in Xerxes via alchemy to gain immortality and now uses the gold-toothed doctor, creator of Wrath, to sacrifice Ed, Al, and Izumi. While the purpose of the latter is not known as of yet, what is identifiable is that FMA1 never launched an alchemic sacrifice against others. In FMA1, it was always an act of self-sacrifice that led to personal harm. Not to say FMA1 didn’t attempt it via the homunculi plan to sacrifice Al’s body and consciousness in order to turn him into a “true Philosopher’s Stone,” but the plan’s offensive was thwarted by Al’s emotionally driven self-sacrifice to return his dead brother to life. In FMA2, there is no counter to this evil execution of transmutation.

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Review: Dragon Ball Z Kai, Part 1 (Hyb)

Medium: TV Anime (57+ episodes, 13 reviewed)
Genres: Action, Adventure
Director: Daisuke Nishio (original series director)
Studio: Toei
Release Dates: Apr. 5, 2009 – ongoing (Fuji TV–Japan), May. 18, 2010 (FUNimation–N.America)
Rated: Not Rated (appropriate for 13+)

Dragon Ball Z kids, you know who you are. The generation that came home from school every day excited to watch the ongoing adventures of Goku and friends may have grown up now, but Toei's classic adaptation of Akira Toriyama's smash-hit shōnen manga remains a staple of fandom for many anime fans. Of course, before going any further, I should mention that I too was one of those exuberant DBZ kids. (In fact, before making Ani-Gamers, I once created a stupid DBZ fansite filled with photos, episode summaries, and ridiculous made-up power level comparisons.)

Despite the widespread love for Dragon Ball Z, though, many fans who have returned to the series since watching it as a child have found it to be tiresome and plagued by filler episodes (made to hold off production of the animation so there would still be manga content to animate). Enter Dragon Ball Kai, Toei's 20th Anniversary revival of the original TV series. Unlike many other anniversary projects, however, this is not a new series based on the same basic plot (like the 2003 Astro Boy series), nor is simply remastered footage (like the DBZ "Dragon Box"). No, Dragon Ball Kai (christened "Dragon Ball Z Kai" in North America) is, in a way, a "director's cut" of the original Dragon Ball Z, with remastered footage, new sound effects and background music, re-recorded dub tracks (in both English and Japanese) and — perhaps most importantly to many grown-up fans — all of the filler cut out.

The story of Part 1, which features 13 episodes about the martial artist Son Goku and his allies as they fight off an evil alien race called the Saiyans, moves along at a brisk pace, with barely any of DBZ's trademark scenes of laborious power-ups and staring contests. In fact, the 13 episodes of the first DVD set cover the events of the first 30 episodes of the 1989 Japanese TV broadcast, setting a pace that nearly matches that of Toriyama's manga. Granted, there are a few scenes not depicted in the manga, such as a brief moment of comedy when the Saiyan Nappa scares away a news crew, screaming, "I hate the media!"

Furthermore, Kai includes new opening and ending songs from Tanimoto Takayoshi, called "Dragon Soul" and "Yeah! Break! Care! Break!" respectively. (Beware of the awkward — yet thankfully optional — English versions of the songs included by FUNimation!) Fans of the recent Dragon Ball video games might also notice flashy new eyecatches and opening/closing animations, which I assume were drawn by the same team that creates the art for games like the Budōkai Tenkaichi series.

FUNimation's new dub (presumably made up of all new audio) sounds scarily accurate to their fantastic original, which was recorded over 10 years ago! However, the folks at FUNi have clearly made a concerted effort to appeal to hardcore anime fans this time, with frequent uses of mild profanity ("damn," "hell," and the occasional "bastard"), untranslated attack names ("Makankōsappō" instead of "Special Beam Cannon"), and a subtitle track with a notably different, more accurately translated script. Clearly this is a release for the kids who grew up on DBZ and have now grown into older otaku with the disposable income to buy a fan-centric re-release. Considering this, it's surprising that the DVDs have no special features beyond textless openings and closings, but such is the state of the struggling anime industry at the moment.

Most importantly, behind all of the great modifications from both the animators at Toei and the folks at FUNimation, the backbone of Dragon Ball Z is still surprisingly strong, even two decades after its Japanese TV release. Toriyama's unforgettable characters and trademark slapstick comedy are still an absolute joy and the action scenes have a quickness and a sense of power that served as the inspiration for many modern shōnen fighting anime. What's more, there are actually some really great-looking pans around characters in the show, notable for their fidelity despite being drawn entirely using cel animation on a weekly TV budget. Unfortunately the anime version fails to fully bring out the beauty of Toriyama's exquisite sense of shot composition, though it makes some noble efforts in many of the fight scenes.

All in all, Dragon Ball Z Kai is well worth the $50 for anybody with an interest in experiencing the joy of DBZ all over again. It distills the best qualities of the show through improvements to its visuals, sound, pacing, and top-notch English adaptation, and should be a treat for anybody who grew up watching the TV airing. For new fans of the series it might not work so well, since the 13 episodes finish up partway through the fight with main villain Vegeta, prompting a necessary purchase of Part 2 for interested viewers. Actually, newcomers might even be better served by picking up volumes 1 through 4 of Viz's release of the Dragon Ball Z manga, which cover the entire Vegeta fight and can be purchased for well under the price tag of DBZ Kai Part 1.

Still, as a lifelong fan of Dragon Ball Z, I can confidently say that, if given the choice, this is absolutely THE release of the Dragon Ball Z anime that I would purchase. With Dragon Ball Z Kai, you don't just get 13 episodes of Dragon Ball Z, but you get 13 legitimately good episodes. It's a wonderful chance to experience the best that DBZ has to offer and a chance that no true fan of the show should pass up.

[Recommended]

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This review is based on a review copy of the DVD box set, provided to the reviewer by FUNimation Entertainment.

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Ani-Gamers Podcast #030 – Code Geass (a.k.a. Pepperoni Hotdogs in the Pizza Crust?!)

Hosts: Evan "Vampt Vo" Minto, Hisui and Narutaki
Topic: Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion (both Season 1 and R2) (2006)

In part two of the Reverse Thieves' podcasting extravaganza, I chat with them for a lengthy hour-plus podcast about the 2006 TV anime Code Geass, from studio Sunrise. The show, a modern take on the classic 50-episode Sunrise mecha formula, follows the events of a political and military revolution, masterminded by the exiled prince Lelouch Vi Brittania. We get pretty in-depth regarding the series, so a massive SPOILER ALERT is in effect throughout the episode.

Let us know what you think of the episode, and please feel free to chime in with your own thoughts on Code Geass in an e-mail or the comments thread. Show notes and links are after the break.

DIRECT DOWNLOAD - RSS Feed - iTunes - Send us Feedback! - More episodes


(Runtime: 1 hour, 22 minutes)

[00:00] Opening Song: "COLORS" by FLOW (Code Geass Season 1 first OP)

[00:20] We've got the beat! And we've got the Reverse Thieves back on for more anime podcasting shenanigans.

[01:46] Let's get right into things with the summary of Code Geass, provided by Alain because Evan gets too confused when he tries to sum up all of the ridiculous events going on in this show.

[7:53] Is Lelouch a hero or a villain? Is he neither? We also begin comparing him with Light Yagami from Death Note, who is also a morally gray mastermind, despite distinct differences in their personalities.

[20:01] Discussion of Lelouch's blind, parapalegic sister Nunnally, and how she's totally the best character in this show.

[25:48] Everybody else seems to hate Suzaku, but we find him really interesting, especially in how he interacts with both Lelouch and Nunnally.

[35:14] Evan's not a huge fan of C.C. (pronounced "C-Two"), but Al and Kate are fascinated by her vague past and subtly revealed motives.

[44:01] Promo: Viga the Otagal Podcast

[44:33] A big argument ensues around our hosts' opinions about Princess Euphemia. Evan hates her "stupid pink hair" and the "accidental Geass" scene, while the Thieves think she's a particularly strong character.

[52:30] We discuss how much we love the ending of Code Geass, while reminding shippers and wishful thinkers of THE TRUTH about the ending. Shut up Cart-Driver-Theorists, we will hear none of your lies!

[1:03:10] Finally! Time to talk about the robot fi — aw never mind, the fights suck in this show. It's not really about the robots. Also, we make fun of Kallen (a.k.a. Karen) and her badonkadonk for about five minutes.

[1:10:10] Uh-oh, now we're talking about Ashford Academy. Evan thinks it's a ridiculous waste of time, but Alain cites Shakespeare in defense of the comedy episodes.

[1:19:20] End of the show. The Reverse Thieves pimp their awesome blog and their new podcast, The Speakeasy. Follow us on Twitter (Ani-Gamers, Evan, Alain, Kate) and please leave us a review on iTunes.

[1:21:59] Ending Song: "WORLD END Instrumental" by FLOW (Code Geass R2 2nd OP)

[1:22:15] Enabled by the story of a futuristic robot revolution, Kate's trying to usurp Evan's host powers once again!

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Aniblog Tourney: Round 2 START

As many of you are likely already aware of, Ani-Gamers is currently participating in a 96-entrant anime blog tournament called, fittingly, the "Aniblog Tourney." Essentially, readers are voting for which anime blog they'd prefer to read. We won our first round against Anime Full Circle, and this week we face off against THAT Anime Blog in the second round.

First off, I'd like to thank all of our readers who supported us in the first round, and I hope you'll all vote for us in Round 2 as well. In addition to that, however, I would also like to provide a brief explanation of our site for newcomers finding us through the Tourney. Don't worry, I won't go into any superfluous bullet-point lists here, just a brief paragraph.

Pretty much, Ani-Gamers is based around the idea that it is possible to combine focused, intelligent coverage with the unique spirit that comes with being a geek. With a multifaceted staff of a variety of tastes and writing styles, we seek to provide genuine fan opinions without the tiresome navel-gazing attitude of many personal blogs. Very importantly, we also have a real editorial structure here, a system that puts almost every article through at least one editor before it sees publication. Finally, we strive in every article to advise our readers on buying decisions, educate them on the history and culture of anime, manga, and games, and/or provoke critical thought about their own geek hobbies.

If any of that interests you, please check out our articles through the News, Reviews, Features, etc. links above, or read our About Us page. Oh, and of course, please vote for us in the Aniblog Tourney!

CLICK HERE TO VOTE IN ROUND 2 MATCH 15

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FMA: The Brotherhood Diaries – Episode 56

Ani-Gamers staff writer Ink contributes a weekly column in which he examines the differences between the original Fullmetal Alchemist and its re-telling, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. To read previous entries, click here.

Watch Episode 56 – The Return of the Fuhrer

The value of human souls is once again emphasized in FMA2 via Hohenheim’s “conversations” with those sacrificed for the sake of his own immortality. The closest FMA1 came to this was having Ed break down in Hamlet-esque indecision over whether or not to use those souls sacrificed for the stone to help his brother and himself, or Al’s final sacrifice in the series (excluding Shambala). But FMA2 personifies those lives sacrificed to make the Xerxes Philosopher’s Stone via little scenes from ordinary life and explanations thereof through the recollections of Hohenheim. But for all of the personalization employed by FMA2, the impact is less personally emotional, as in FMA1, than it is supportive of a sense of coalition. Obviously, this suits FMA2 better, as overly sentimental outbursts are not part of its repertoire.

Re-enter Fuhrer Bradley ... with a vengeance. One should expect nothing short of a full-on assault from a homunculus named Wrath, and the details in his storming Central HQ are just as important as its execution is impressive. Cutting to the quick, the first thing to notice is the slicing of a tank cannon shell in twain and the pieces of which subsequently take out 3 different, Fuhrer-loyal, Central soldiers. This is important to notice, as compared to Mustang’s merciful (up until now death-free) coup, because the advance shows blatant disregard for human life by killing friend and foe with the same blade.

Speaking of swordplay, another big inter-series difference is this very showcasing of Bradley’s bad-ass blade. While already featured in previous episodes against Greed, the importance here is timing. If I’m correct in assuming this will be Bradley’s last fight, then a comparison with the same in FMA1 is in order. First off, FMA1 only allowed Bradley to show off his specialty in his fatal battle with Mustang. Aside from some really well animated thrusts, however, the swordsmanship was only cursory, and the most impressive animation was the personal injury done to Mustang. Mostly, FMA1 uses the swiftness of the wielding itself to disrupt airflow and counter Mustang’s alchemy ... and the Flame Alchemist is helpless against it until Selim accidentally causes his father’s downfall. This exemplifies the monsters vs. alchemy theme, which is a steady difference from FMA2. On the other hand there is a similarity between series when Selim betrays his father. Humanity vs. monsters is a steady theme in FMA2, and FMA1’s Selim does indeed enable the killing of Bradley via Mustang’s alchemy. However, true to FMA1, the betrayal is accidental and done out of love — not political reasoning as in FMA2.

Bradley’s slashing skills in FMA2 are already well defined, and now we get to see wrath personified as the Fuhrer slices and dices his way with ease to the front gate. At the front gate, after dispatching with the regular humans with utter effortlessness, there comes another Greed/Wrath battle. The fact that Wrath has such an upper hand against Greed makes the execution of this battle disappointing compared to others betwixt the two, who strategically serve as foils for each other. However, what follows makes the same battle fantastic in terms of analysis: Fu arrives to once again serve as Ling-Greed’s bodyguard. In the few seconds Fu counters Bradley, he seems to have more of an edge in fighting him than did Greed. Cheating a bit by including assumptions based on next week’s preview, I’ll venture a guess that, in line with contrasting FMA1, FMA2 will have Fu finish off Bradley (possibly with help from Greed), furthering the series’ human vs. homunculus theme.

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Editorial: A Question for Fansub Supporters

So it seems that fansubs have become a big topic of debate yet again among Internet anime fans, thanks to a recent message to fans from Eric P. Sherman, President and CEO of Bang Zoom! Entertainment. In his message, Sherman described the state of the anime industry in North America, claiming that, if fans don't stop downloading fansubs, "anime will die." A bold claim to be sure, but does it hold some truth?

In the comments thread for the post, fans lashed out against Sherman, claiming that the North American anime industry might be in danger, but anime as a whole is safe and sound. Among all of the arguments, however, I noticed that there was a prevailing idea that the industry needs to justify its existence to the fans. Well I've got a different idea. Fansubbers and fansub viewers, justify the existence of fansubs to me!

That's my question: Why do fansubs exist? Why are there legions of people ready and willing to rip anime from TV and DVDs, add their own subtitle tracks, and distribute them illegally to fans around the world without permission from the original rights holders? I ask partly out of innocent curiosity, though I certainly am a personal supporter of the North American anime industry.

Nobody denies that fansubs served a useful (if not exactly necessary) purpose in the 1980s and 1990s, when fansubbers brought over series that fans would probably never get to enjoy. They were risking illegal action in order to provide access to a medium that had little to no American industry to aid in legal distribution. So if fansubbing exists to give fans a way to watch unlicensed series, why does the practice continue to this day, and with such high participation?

Surely 480p Hulu streams or free simulcasting on Crunchyroll (together, an ever-increasing total of nearly 300 series that include over 50% of each new TV season) is enough to displace fansubs, right? If the content is out there, fans don't need to turn to illegal methods, right? Or is this about something else? Has this become an issue, not of obtaining unobtainable material, but of acquiring material at the highest possible quality for completely free? You give an inch and they take a mile, as they always say.

But really, those are just a few of my personal thoughts on the matter. I swore off nearly all but the most retro fansubs a couple of years ago, so maybe I "just don't get it" when it comes to modern fansub usage. I'd love to hear some theories from both sides of the fence on this issue. Why do we still have fansubs? Are they serving a worthy purpose to fans? What would happen to the North American anime industry (and/or the Japanese industry) if fansubbing stopped altogether?

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Con Report: Kitacon II (2010) – Packed with People and Goodness

March 25-27, 2010
Park Inn, Northampton, UK
Attendance: 650 (full capacity)
Official Site

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AUTHOR NOTE: I apologize for the delay in presenting this report — a house move dragged out the editing process. –Elliot

First of all, I wish to give a small disclaimer. I am assuming that the majority of people who view this site are from the US and so I want to make obvious here that UK anime conventions are a lot smaller than what you may be used to hearing about.

At 650 attendees, Kitacon is a respectably sized fan-run con by UK standards, fitting snugly into the confines of the conference rooms of Northampton's Park Inn. (Sometimes a little too snugly, as with the exception of the main events hall many of the other event rooms were often packed out with attendees during panels.) The games room in particular was a victim of this, and while the staff running it (DDR:UK) did a stellar job setting up the room, there simply was not enough space for it to accommodate everyone who wished to enter.

Thankfully this kind of crowding never became a major issue, due in part to the 16+ age requirement that the convention enforces. This age requirement is starting to spread among fan-run conventions in the UK, and as someone old enough I heartily endorse this measure. It helped to set a much more mature, measured tone for the convention, as well as a marked lack of idiotic “Hug me” signs and random glomping. From talking to staffers it appears that this move was made in order to prevent insurance costs from crippling the convention, so don't think this was an act of ageism!

While some of the convention rooms were rather small, the events within them were excellent. The main defining event of the convention, and something I want to see stolen and put on at all anime conventions, was something called “Build-a-Mecha.” Provided with a basic set of materials such as cardboard, tape, pens and wallpaper, different teams were tasked to build a robot shell around one of the team members. The whole thing was great fun, with lively joking and a great sense of humor throughout. Not to brag, but my team won the event. Shout-outs to Zelly, Caroline, Chris, and Guy, my teammates! You can see our horrific entry, “Ravager, Warrior of Love”, below.

Another of the stand-out events was "Kita's got Talent?!," a send up of the recent trend of reality talent shows that are on UK TV. This differed from the usual "Omake" event at conventions as none of the sets were anime-based, and because it was actually good. I could write a whole additional review of this single panel, but it would just be a thousand words of me gushing about how pleasantly surprised and genuinely entertained I was by the event.

Some fan-run panels were available, such as the “Cosplay On the Cheap” panel, the “Metal Gear Solid Fan Panel”, and more than a few boisterous quiz events. All those I attended were good fun, well presented, and well received by the audience. Personally I would have liked to seen more on the timetable, but the practice of putting on a panel is not as widespread in the UK as it is elsewhere, sadly.

I also presented my own panel “Anime You Should See”, to introduce fans to a wide variety of well-regarded anime. (Credit to Geeknights for the name.) This was my first time putting a panel on and I was nervous as hell, especially as there were a few difficulties with the equipment and the timing of the event. Despite initial nerves the panel went over well, and at one point I remember mimicking the signature “Piston Punch” move from Big O to an amused crowd. Rather predictably, some experienced fans attended (not the target audience!) and after the panel gave me some very solid advice for developing the presentation. One kind person even bought me a drink, which shows you the friendly atmosphere of the convention.

There were a number of problems early on with event scheduling, including for my own panel, due to one simple issue: The printed con guides that staffers handed out at registration were out of date mere hours after the convention started. One inspired idea that the convention had was to provide a constantly updated copy of the timetable in xhtml format on the website, which was a great help when planning what events to attend. However as not everyone present at the event had a smartphone like myself, there was some confusion with events until halfway through Saturday. At this point updated color-coded printouts of the revised timetable suddenly appeared next to every set of doors and convention room and all confusion was dispelled.

The convention staffers handled registration (usually a horrific rigmarole at UK cons) with the utmost efficiency. The staff even put on an impromptu pre-registration session the day before the convention started, and I was one of the lucky 50 people who were present for this.

The hotel staff was helpful for the most part, with the notable exception of the cleaning staff. These brave souls were also acting as room checkers for the duration of the convention to prevent over-capacity hotel rooms. I am not against room checks in principle (and will admit I have stuffed a room with extra people at other conventions to lower the price of the stay), but they border on insulting when they occur at 7:45 in the morning. We were then told to vacate the room, along with our hangovers, so that the staff could start cleaning. There was no budging on this demand.

A good measure of a con is how willing people are to return next year. At the bombastic closing ceremony the staff announced next year’s convention date and venue to roaring applause. I have to admit that this is a masterstroke — get people when they are most pumped and sell them on the next event. Kitacon was, without a shred of hyperbole, the best convention experience I have had to date, and I cant wait for next year!

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FMA: The Brotherhood Diaries – Episode 55

Ani-Gamers staff writer Ink contributes a weekly column in which he examines the differences between the original Fullmetal Alchemist and its re-telling, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. To read previous entries, click here.

Watch Episode 55 – The Adults’ Way

At no point in FMA1 is the killing of a homunculus attributed to the hands of ordinary humans; the only people chosen to destroy such monsters are those well trained in alchemy (and usually the ones that made the mistake of creating one themselves). FMA2, which pretty much plays the same tune, changes things with this episode, where regular human soldiers join forces to slow down Sloth (irony!) so that the Armstrong siblings and Sig can finish off the rampaging homunculus. The difference is one mentioned before, but it’s so well illustrated by this battle that I cannot fail to comment: FMA1 concentrated on individuals’ battles with their own personal demons, while FMA2 makes the case that humanity coming together to battle its collective demons is a force capable of confronting issues much larger than itself.

That being said, Izumi Curtis and Alex Louise deserve some generous applause for their battle with Sloth. FMA2 Izumi, much like her FMA1 counterpart, is allotted a brief role as combat-ready alchemist tempered with the faux humility of a housewife and pride of an alchemist. As apt a fighter as FMA1’s Izumi is via alchemy, FMA2 Izumi officially joins the ranks of the privileged saviors of Amestris, not by alchemy alone but by her use of martial arts, when she initially takes down a charging Sloth with a shoulder throw ... no alchemy involved. This supplement of her alchemy skill set (with greater explanation via the OAV, Tales of the Master) is further proof of the series’ ambitions in showing regular human action as capable of confronting foes of any nature. FMA1 Izumi is yet another tortured soul using the only gift she had to correct what she was responsible for via the misuse of said gift.

Up until this point in FMA2, Alex Louise Armstrong has been portrayed as powerful but undependable or at the least hindered by sentimentality. The battle with Sloth shows that Alex fights for the protection of his fellow citizens and family with unshakeable resolution and will not waiver from any goal set before him so long as he believes in it. FMA2 constantly belittles Armstrong’s capabilities via his older sister Olivier’s constant chiding and (let’s face it) greater military prowess. This immediately changes when the battle directly threatens those Alex loves. Much in the same vein of this battle, FMA1 uses Alex as a dependable, protective father figure for Ed and Al. He also serves a greater role as comic relief, but not in so much that viewers ever doubt his ability to take down whatever it is that stands in the way of his muscle and alchemic talent. Speaking of muscle, the Sig-Alex buff-off (mine are bigger than yours) in FMA2 does not take place in a civilian meat shop a la FMA1, but the battlefield that has become Central HQ. The resulting collaboration between Sig and Armstrong in taking down Sloth furthers the bond between human and alchemist, illustrating the show’s theme of humanity vs. non-humanity.

The following is an exchange in FMA1 episode 49:

Izumi: Don’t tell me you’ve risked your careers on the word of kids.
Maria Ross: Those children hold the state’s future. It’s our duty to enable them. At least that’s what Hughes used to say.

Now a similarly timed (storyline-wise) exchange in FMA2 episode 55:

Alex: We adults can’t very well be caught lying down when the youngsters are fighting.
Olivier: What if we adults, who carry the burden of the world, failed to show the youngsters, who will carry the burden of this world after us, the way to live?”

A fundamental philosophical difference between series stands out upon reading both selections. FMA1 lays salvation purely in the hands of the younger generation heroes, with their elders only lending support. This in and of itself lends to an emotional track, as what are children but fleshy sacks of unbridled feelings. However, FMA2 bolsters the role of adults (befittingly, given the title to this episode) as the template to which youth must subscribe to inherit prosperity. This is a well-reasoned and structured approach, which makes the most sense given the alleyways available for advancement concerning the betterment of the state or even humanity as a whole.

There are two last observations worth some mention. First, FMA2’s consistently emphasized protective nature of humans by humans is further exemplified via constant concerns over holding the Immortal Legion to the interior gates in Central. This stands in stark contrast to FMA1, where there was a similar threat to those who would be sacrificed for the Philosopher’s Stone but a decided lack of concern for all those of the State who might have to suffer under continued homunculus rule. FMA1, in other words, didn’t care much for the ordinary people, just its main characters, whereas FMA2 does an excellent job of constantly reminding viewers just why the alchemists are battling so intently. On the same front, FMA2’s rebellion is not as straightforward as FMA1’s, allowing for a countermeasure by the until-recently unseen Bradley.

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Ani-Gamers Podcast #029 – I'll Take My Chances With the Robot

Hosts: Evan "Vampt Vo" Minto, Hisui and Narutaki
Topic: What'cha Been Doing?

The Reverse Thieves are back for a podcast double header in episodes #029 and #030. In this episode, I talk with them about the latest anime, manga, and video games we've checked out, and in episode #030, we'll be discussing the anime series Code Geass.

Oh yes, and this episode's intro announces the winners of our Black Jack giveaway. Check it out to find out if you've won! Anyway, check out the show notes after the break.

DIRECT DOWNLOAD - RSS Feed - iTunes - Send us Feedback! - More episodes


(Runtime: 49 minutes)

[00:00] Contest winners announced!

[00:55] Opening Song: "R.O.D. Theme" by Taku Iwasaki (Read Or Die OAV OP)

[01:12] Brief introductions. Kate tells everybody about the Aniblog Tourney, which is already well underway.

[05:34] Alain has been watching 1976 shojo anime Candy Candy. Somehow we start talking about Cutey Honey's boobs.

[11:12] Kate has been watching Yasuhiro Imagawa's 2004 anime remake of Mitsuteru Yokoyama's Tetsujin-28, a.k.a. Gigantor.

[19:42] Evan has been watching Poly-Matrix (the 1997 compilation movie of the 1994 cyberpunk OAV Armitage III) and the 2002 sequel movie, Armitage III: Dual-Matrix. Justin Bieber-related threats somehow ensue.

[26:09] Alain has been reading the 1987 shonen manga Jojo's Bizarre Adventure.

[31:06] Kate has been reading the 2004 "healing manga" Kingyo Used Books.

[36:42] Evan has been watching the 1996 mecha anime Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team. We also discuss Miller's Report.

[45:39] Alain has been playing the 2010 Wii game Sakura Wars V.

[48:36] Time to say goodbye.

[49:05] Ending Song: "WORLD END Instrumental" by FLOW (Code Geass R2 2nd OP)

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AniMayDay #4: Dragon Ball GT

Evan: For the last entry in AniMayday, Kit provides us with his mini-review of the infamous Dragonball Z sequel series, Dragonball GT.

I once heard a joke about Dragon Ball: “How many Dragon Ball characters does it take to screw in a light bulb?” Any guesses? “One. It just takes 40 episodes!”

This is only one of the reasons that Dragon Ball GT fails horribly. First off, the storyline is full of plot holes from the beginning. Why is there another set of Dragon Balls hidden inside the Lookout? Why were they never mentioned? Why does Emperor Pilaf of all people know they're there? Shouldn't Garlic Jr. have known about them and tried to get them back in Dragon Ball Z? Ugh ... my head hurts ...

Then we have to sit through 16 episodes of filler until we get to the first main arc. Which is against what you might ask? How about a villain that can regenerate and possess others bodies and abilities? And again you might be asking, “Wasn't that the Majin Buu arc?” Well, I thought the same thing.

It's at this point that DBGT really begins to crash and burn. The Baby Arc lasts for 24 episodes, of which only five minutes per episode are dedicated to fighting. The rest either revolves around talking about a strategy that doesn't work out or useless back-story that anyone who's watched any part of this series should already know.

The other 21 episodes are divided into two arcs: the Super 17 Arc that lasts 7 episodes and is the equivalent of a Bleach Filler Arc as far as story is concerned, and the Shadow Dragon Arc. In the latter, we get a long-winded explanation about the Dragon Balls containing positive and negative energy and we find out that when you make a good wish the negative energy increases to balance out the absence of positive energy that was used to make the wish. Then the balls each turn into dragons that want to rule the Earth ...

This doesn't even make sense! All the wishes that create the negative energy responsible for creating the dragons aren't “good” wishes. Wouldn't wishing for power be a selfish act, thereby releasing negative energy and allowing more positive energy into the ball to counteract it? Also, why is it that all of the wishes together didn't create the dragons? Why did only some wishes create dragons while others didn't?

Overall, there are way to many plot holes and not enough fighting to warrant watching DBGT. (Not to mention, this isn't even considered canon by most fans.)

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AniMayday #3: MD Geist

Today I contribute my own mini-review to AniMayday, our collection of bad anime reviews in celebration of the beginning of May. Get ready for ... MD Geist.

Ah, the legend. Quite possibly the worst-regarded production in anime history, MD Geist has actually become a cult classic simply for being so bad. The main reason why this hunk of turd is anything more than a footnote in American anime fandom is that John O'Donnell, founder of now-defunct anime distributor Central Park Media, had an unshakable love for Koichi Ohata's awful two-part OAV, and promoted the heck out of it in the early 1990s.

Despite Mr. O'Donnell's high praise, MD Geist a show that is literally awful in every single facet of its production. The first episode opens up on generic wasteland planet Jerra, upon which two armies are fighting about ... something. There's some sort of super-soldier dude codenamed "MD Geist" (for "Most Dangerous"), and he blows up a helicopter.

Before you even have time to register the cheesy text crawl opener, Geist has joined a gang of thugs and met up with some soldiers who need to destroy the supercomputer in their former capital, "Brain Palace." Why? Well of course, because the computer is about to activate a program called the "Death Force" that will wipe out all of humanity. Did I mention that the army actually wrote this program themselves?

Clunky animation and silly mech designs (shaped like winged football uniforms and giant horse penises) plague the show, while Geist himself — an almost completely mute killer devoid of emotion, personality, or motivation — proves himself more and more to be an utterly unlikable protagonist. Of course, MD Geist was graced with a classic CPM dub job, complete with lame pick-up lines, high-speed dialogue, and comically overemphasized line readings.

Worth watching with a group of friends, if only for its disregard for simple coherency and character motivation, MD Geist is truly one of the worst things I have ever seen put to film. Often bad anime can cause some raised eyebrows or disdainful chuckles from the viewer, but I can honestly say, without exaggeration, that I sat in front of the TV for the hour and a half of MD Geist and MD Geist: Death Force with my jaw completely agape, stunned by the cinematic atrocity being committed before my very eyes.

That said, MD Geist is now available on Hulu, absolutely for free! That's, like, a whole dollar more than you should probably pay for it, but it's all good.

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AniMayday #2: Girls Bravo

Evan: Oh man, this ship just keeps on sinking! For the second entry in AniMayday, our collection of bad anime reviews in celebration of the beginning of May, we've got Elliot's mini-review of the awful 2004 anime series Girls Bravo.

My pick for May Day is Girls Bravo — a truly wretched piece of dross. I was roped into watching this show when it was presented at a University Anime Club showing, with the chairwoman reassuring us that it was “a real cute show!” She even did a little joyous hop after saying “cute.”

She lied! This show was not cute at all, and instead was so terrible I had to leave the room for fear of having my mind rotted away. To sum up the show, it’s a harem comedy. Loser guy who looks like a girl goes to magical land full of nothing but women, meets a dumbass priestess lass and brings her back to the real world. Suddenly everyone in the show is after his junk and wacky hijinks ensue.

I honestly don't have anything against harem comedies — done well they can be really funny, and it is a shame that most examples of the genre, like this show, are lazily produced. The harem itself is full of forgettable interchangeable characters orbiting the most useless excuse for a person ever created. Every piece of lackluster comedy falls flat or comes off as creepy, as do the show's frequent ecchi elements, which feel forced and pandering to an embarrassing degree. You may have already seen the animated gif of the main heroine “taste-testing” a banana, which is so blatant in its pandering that you’ll want to bury your head in your hands.

Even together these elements would not normally be enough to make me run away from a social gathering, but the final straw is that the show is entirely without charm of any kind. Utterly devoid of any hint of love, warmth or thought in the final product, it is clear that the creators of Girls Bravo did not give a damn about what they were creating.

This show is a truly wretched piece of garbage you should stay away from as best you can.

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FMA: The Brotherhood Diaries – Episode 54

Ani-Gamers staff writer Ink contributes a weekly column in which he examines the differences between the original Fullmetal Alchemist and its re-telling, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. To read previous entries, click here.

Watch Episode 54 – Beyond the Inferno

To start, FMA2 makes Hawkeye’s father’s research, Hawkeye’s back tattoo, and the supposed formula for the creation of any flame alchemist responsible for Mustang’s talents. Mustang and Hawkeye are never subjected to such interpersonal development over the course of FMA1. She’s more the supportive lover to his inherently charming and ambitious self. So the tattoo, as well as the back story explaining why Hawkeye initially supported Mustang in FMA2 (changing the state for the better), makes for a more solidly emotional statement on human reasoning and perseverance than FMA1 ever attempted to define in the same characters via understated romantic interest and alluded-to notions of political reform. In fact, FMA1 has Mustang sacrifice any aspirations of becoming leader in the name of avenging Hughes, something FMA2 Hawkeye almost shoots Mustang for considering. After all, FMA2 Mustang and his devotees have set up an elaborate ruse to fool the citizens of Amestris into thinking he’s not behind the coup in order to safely obtain the title of Fuhrer. Having all his compatriots sacrifice themselves for naught would be … well, not equivalent exchange.

The fiery battle betwixt Mustang and Envy in FMA2 that causes this reflection can very readily be likened to that of FMA1’s battle between Mustang and Pride. Both Mustangs are fighting to avenge Hughes’ death. But whereas FMA1 Mustang’s revenge means bettering the nation by ousting the homunculi (a very FMA2 theme), FMA2 Mustang’s revenge means righting his own sense of grief by killing Hughes’ killer (a very FMA1 theme). Of course, FMA2 smartly saves itself from hypocrisy by stemming the emotional killing and focusing on the larger sociopolitical goal.

Also worth noting in this fight is that FMA2 puts Mustang on higher ground morally and alchemically but not physiologically, and yet he still prevails. This directly shows the series’ intent that capabilities and purpose define righteousness, not capabilities and breeding. This may be why Hiromu Arakawa, while advising in the FMA1 production, was ok with its pre-WWII parallel universe. After all, pre-WWII Germany was a nation listening to a man, a future Fuhrer, laud the abilities of one specific race as justification for ruling the world and the expendability of all in their way. Sound familiar?

Not to harp on a singular battle, but another vast difference between the series is seen in the target of Envy’s envy. FMA1 made the homunculus’ source of jealousy his own sense of dejection by Hohenheim, who, through Envy’s eyes, showered affection upon Ed and Al, while FMA2 turns Envy’s jealousy towards the human race in general, which is a smart and logical idea ... if only a bit too cliché in its reasoning. In the same vein, something I hadn’t thought on but thought fairly amusing is that both series make Hohenheim Envy’s father. FMA1 takes the direct approach via the failed resurrection of his child with Dante, and FMA2 has Father, who is “born” from Slave 23, subsequently make the lower-rung homunculi (including Envy).

I’ll end with a point of pure conjecture: if Anime Insider were still around, I’m sure FMA2 Envy ripping out his own worm-heart would be worthy of the “death of the month” just as FMA1 Martel’s slaying-in-a-can (Al) did.

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AniMayday! Celebrating spring the wrong way (#1: Chu-Bra!!)

Aside from Vampt Vo’s consistent anti-moé diatribes, everyone here at Ani-Gamers usually tends to review anime they like. After all, sharing the good stuff and making sure it gets around via positive reviews is half the fun! But today is May 1, 2010, and as much as there is inherent value in helping people find new series or movies to admire, the Ani-Gamers staff cannot overlook our equally pressing duty to help our readers avoid the unnecessary wastes of time, effort, and money we have come across in our individual explorations.

There are several countries that designate the first day of May, known as May Day, as a holiday devoted to the celebration of spring or end of winter (as well as various other causes), but the phrase “Mayday” was created to act as an unmistakable distress call that could be readily understood by any person within earshot. As winter has finally abated and the sunshine beckons us away from our DVD players and video portals, let us offer forth on this AniMayday a few rants about specific anime we have encountered that made us cry out in distress and tap out an S.O.S. via the remote control's Stop button.

Evan: These writeups are a little bit lengthy, so we'll be releasing them throughout the weekend. Tonight we begin with Ink's own mini-review of Chu-Bra!!

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Rasputin believed that to be truly free from temptation, one must over-indulge in whatever sin it was that did the tempting. The notorious Mad Monk survived several attempts on his life, including stabbing, poison, firearms, more firearms, and clubbing, before he finally succumbed to exhaustion in icy waters and drowned. But whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right? I don’t know anymore.

Chu-Bra!!, which I had the horror to experience over its 12-episode run on Crunchyroll.com, is a pedophile’s dream-come-true: a moé-driven series, pushup-padded with undeveloped, developing, and overly developed middle-school girls who either have a lingerie fetish or are sucked into the world of feminine underwear study by proxy of bra-and-panty aficionado, Nayu Hayama. Every episode revolves around Hayama and friends discussing underwear’s fit, form, or function; flashing their own and others’ unmentionables; as well as groping each other in some misguided and rarely effective attempt at humor. Any semblance of an interesting notion of plot or character (and there is at least one via Kiyono Amahara) is immediately tossed aside for a boob joke.

The only possible redemption for this complete waste of time lies in the vein of a fan service-laden after-school special that shows female viewers of similar ages how certain aspects of bras can lend to ergonomic comfort. I say this is the only saving grace, because reading too much into the “dispelling social stigmas concerning underthings” line the pedos will feed you is just another excuse to get this series onto DVD and released so they can buy it over the Internet and have it shipped to their houses in discreet, plain brown packaging. Also, do we need to have Amahara, who views lingerie as a sensual weapon used for influencing men, actually SUCCEED by becoming an underwear model? What messages are this series sending to the young girls who watch it? So avoid Chu-Bra!! at all costs ... unless you’re a pedophile. In which case, this anime might just be the knife, cyanide, pistol, club, and icy dip you need to exorcise the panty demon from your moé-driven mind.

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