Y’know, I’ve been thinking recently, and I’ve come to a bit of a realization. Over the years I’ve built up a bit of a reputation among many of my anime-loving friends and among some of the websites I visit (chiefly Anime News Network) as a bit of a Gundam fanboy. I’ve become “The Expert,” the person everyone runs to when they have a Gundam-related question, and the authority whose opinion is often regarded with the most weight. Like many other Gundam fanboys, I took sides in the whole “UC vs. AU” turf war (for the unfamiliar, the Universal Century timeline—the “main canon”—and the various Alternate Universe timelines), and I absorbed every bit of Gundam lore and “political history” like a Trekkie takes to Klingon. I’ve developed my own stubborn, inflexible opinions and had some pretty epic fights online with other people of similarly stubborn, inflexible opinions, and I’ve jumped on bandwagons because Gudam fans were “expected to.” But y’know, after stepping back and taking a more critical look at the actual Gundam anime themselves over the past few months, comparing them to some of the other anime I’ve seen and especially taking a good hard look at the fanbase surrounding them, I’ve become awfully worn out on the whole thing. Kinda sick of it, really.
Monthly Archive for August, 2007Page 2 of 2
I just happened to have taken these photos a few days ago and some people have asked about my figure collection and stuff. I just thought someone might be interested. Don’t misunderstand me, I’m certainly not trying to fit in with everyone or anything. I’m not doing this because I like you. I just felt like it. You’d better appreciate this.
Continue reading ‘Gazing into the Abyss: NegativeZero’s Bedroom’
I complain a lot about Australia, but there are some great things about living here. One of them is that Australia is the home of Eminence. Eminence are a contemporary orchestra who draw the music they play from video games and anime (as opposed to Play or Video Games Live, which only draw from video games). They’ve been getting an increasing amount of exposure this year, primarily through their recent ‘Destiny’ tour. A quintet from Eminence travelled to Japan to stage a concert in Yokohama, which sold out in 12 hours. They then played a slightly different show at Otakon, which seems to have caused a bit of a splash, followed by a performance in Sydney and then finally in Melbourne. Last night I attended the Melbourne concert, and I was extremely impressed.
I have a dark, horrible secret. I am a reformed Evangelion fan. And when I say fan, I mean I was administrator of what was one of the largest Evangelion fanfiction websites out there (note: I got fired :P). But that is neither here nor there. Gainax are engaged in a conspiracy against my wallet. And while reading my ANN newsfeed this morning, I have discovered their next sinister plan. To quote, “The Bandai Channel website announced that Petit Eva ~Evangelion@School~, the “first official super-deformed series” based on Neon Genesis Evangelion, will be adapted for video. …The Gainax/Khara franchise spinoff spoofs the psychological science fiction drama by reimagining the characters as classmates in Tokyo-3’s Nerv School, headed by Principal Gendō Ikari and Misato-sensei. The student body includes three different Rei “sisters,” the EVA-01 mobile weapon reimagined as the school bully Evanchō, and the ill-fated Jet Alone robot as JA-ko, a “hidden character” in the form of a shy android girl.”
What we have here is Gainax whoring out their most successful franchise. The general reaction around it has been rage, tears and condescending remarks. Well, you know what? I think this sounds fucking. awesome. It sounds like pure, unadulterated comedy gold. Like a modern, satirical stab at SD Gundam. I definitely will be watching it.
Incidentally, speaking of super-deformed, those assholes at Wave are in on the conspiracy too. Not content to make me buy every single one of those Angel Girl figures that were made available to the mass market, they’re now starting a new series of them with the cuteness dialed up to 11. This is an absolutely disgusting display merchandise whoring. You should be ashamed of yourselves, Wave.
I’ve aready ordered them both. 