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When it comes to seiyuu releasing music, it's usually a flip of a coin. Sometimes it's surprising good (Minori Chihara, Megumi Hayashibara), and some are embarrassingly bad (Yuko Goto, Rie Kugimiya). When it comes to Aya Hirano, though, it's the luck of a draw. Her last album Riot Girl surprised a lot of listeners with its Avril Lavigne-like sound and upbeat tone. Unfortunately with Speed*Star, while the happy feeling is still there the originality is sadly lacking.
The two best songs practically bookend the album (not counting the "stereotype" intro): "Super Driver" and "Unnamed World." While both songs were theme songs to anime series (the former belonging to The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, the latter to The Daughter of Twenty Faces) they certainly stand alone pretty well. "Super Driver" is fast-paced with good guitar riffs and is up to par with some of Riot Girl's best tracks; but the drummer appears to be a bit too snare-happy. "Unnamed World," however, is probably Aya's most strongest track, and while the broken English is spread variously the message of the song is clear.
In-between these two great songs is a mixed bag. While "Sing a Song" and "OH! My Darling" have some sort of life to them, their novelty wears off quickly. It's not that they're bad tracks, but rather it just sounds like Hirano wasn't really feeling these songs when she was recording them. The same can be said for "Set me free" and "VOXX." It's as if she was more forced into recording these tracks instead of letting her do her own thing, which is a problem a lot of seiyuu face when recording an album. However within this bitter taste are a couple of sweet tracks in the form of "Mizu Tamari" and "Ano Hana no You ni," which are both able to showcase the timid and soft nature of Hirano's voice.
While Aya is trying her best in this sort of poppy genre, it's just doesn't seem to fit with her voice. If she had the creative freedom I wouldn't be surprised if she would do something more in vein of Shonen Knife or FLiP (or even Head Phones President). Maybe it's silly of me to think this, but I can't help but think Hirano would do better with something like an Iggy and the Stooges setup. (Imagine her singing Pop's "Tonight.") Unfortunately if she continues on this sort of musical trek her full potential won't be heard, and Aya Hirano will continue to release more mediocrity like Speed*Star.
Media Blasters recently announced it has licensed the ecchi-comedy Kanokon. Does a show like this merit any sort of attention?
Based on the light novel series by Katsumi Nishino, Kanokon revolves around Kouta, a first-year high school student who moves from the countryside to the city. On his first day at his new school, a beautiful second-year female student named Chizuru asks him to meet her alone in the music room. When he arrives, she tells him that she is in love with him and, after some heavy kissing, accidentally reveals to him that she is in fact a fox deity. From that day on Chizuru constantly hangs on Kouta, which embarrasses him greatly due to others watching and calling him the Great Erotic King. Meanwhile, a wolf deity named Nozomu transfers into Kouta’s school and class. Since meeting him, she is all over Kouta, causing Chizuru to become annoyed at her new competition for Kouta’s affection. Who’s going to be the one for Kouta, and will he be able to handle her?
Now this is another show where most of the humor is derived from the fan-service. There is a lot of quirky, perverted silliness, some of which use some great double entendres. Some things made me laugh so hard that I almost fell out of my seat. However one of the biggest issues I have with the show is the fact that it throws away one of its main premises in favor of more perverted humor. I was led to believe that there would be more dealings with the animal deities, but instead we get a cooking episode by #3. This is what happened with Rosario + Vampire, and that didn’t fare out so well. I am also surprised with some of the stuff that made it onto Japanese TV, especially the bare-assed spanking scene at the end of the third episode. Of course it’s not all bad.
I'm on the fence on what to give this series as a grade. It's truly a guilty pleasure of mine, but at the same time there are far better series out there that you could use your free moments to watch. Having said that, I'll go with my gut instinct and give this series a light B-average. However, don't watch this with your family in your premises. Don't watch it with your lover. Don't watch it with your friends (unless you can make a good drinking game out of it). Just watch it alone, and never speak of it in front of anybody. Hell, admitting that I enjoyed it makes me feel like I'm putting myself at risk of damaging my reputation.
Satire is one of anime's so-so friends. Sometimes they work well with one another, whereas other times it just plain sucks. Fortunately for Setokai No Ichizon, satire is its best buddy.
Don't let the opening fool you. This is probably one of the more underrated shows of 2009. Setokai no Ichizon follows the daily routines of the student council members of Hekiyou Academy. Most of the council members are women, with the exception of Ken; who became a member after scoring the top scores in his level. The other members -- Kurimu (the very short Council President), Chizuru (the sadistic Secretary), Minatsu (the tomboyish Vice-President) and Mafuyu (the bishojou Treasurer) -- taunt him for his antics, but at the end of each show Ken shows them their faults, turning everything around them. One unique thing about this anime is that -- for the most part -- every episode takes place in one scene: the Student Council Room. Granted there are some cut-scenes here and there that take them out of the room for a few seconds, but just about everything happens in this one small room. It even shocks the cast members, who in the first couple minutes of the first episode say that animating a series like Setokai no Ichizon would be impossible and boring.
Fortunately, it's anything but.
Setokai no Ichizon is ripe with humor, and on top of that knows how to make fun of itself and just about every other anime that's come out in the last three years. Ken dreams of the other members becoming part of his harem, but instead is slapped in the face with denial (both literally and metaphorically). A swimsuit episode appears, and instead of focusing on the stereotypical fan-service one seems to see in anime the episode hilariously just shows Ken trying to get out of a locker the girls put him in (for obvious reasons). My favorite episode, though, has to be the fourth one, where the council members try to work on a fiction story to improve their image. The ideas range from light-novels to video games; but the best comes in the form of Kurimu starting a rock band. The jokes come fast-paced in this one scene, ranging from the idea of selling character albums for fast cash to just cleverly saying "FUCK YOU!" to Kyoto Animation. (Ken losing it over the lack of dynamic concert performances hit right at home for me, as that was what I thought made K-On! a shit storm of an anime.)
Of course the show does at time flub up a good opportunity to make fun of other forms of stereotypical anime. It tries to parody the concept of moé, but instead just adds fuel to that over-burning fire. Episode 8 pokes at "loli," and while the "playing doctor" and "house" gags are a riot the underlining theme and concept of it all was kind of unsettling. Despite these two flaws, though, a lot of the humor works well; and when it gets to its serious side (with a sort of "what we learned today" vibe) each episode wraps itself up with something any anime fan can enjoy.
Setokai no Ichizon earns itself a B+. It's a funny show that jabs at the obvious flaws of the current anime world, while at the same time pokes at itself for falling victim to said flaws.
When it comes to comedy, Japan knows its stuff. The past decade has brought us many great anime series that have made people laugh their asses off, and choosing a top ten is a no mere task. Nevertheless, I have listed ten anime comedies that have definitely earned a place in our funny bones.
10. Love Hina
This was the show that got me hooked into anime comedies. The story of Keitaro's quest to get into Tokyo University while searching for the girl he made a love promise to many a year ago was something almost any struggling high schooler/community college student could relate to. Add on the fact that Keitaro had to take care of his grandmother's apartment complex -- which contains nothing but girls -- and you get what could've been another harem comedy. Surprisingly the series always managed to make me laugh. Perhaps it was the anime chemistry between Keitaro and Naru (who may or may not be the girl he made the promise to); or perhaps it was the strange and wacky Kaolla Su, the exchange student who was like Cowboy Bebop's Ed on crack. Granted the show did lose its luster with both the Spring Special and Love Hina Again, but the first 24 episodes (and the Christmas Special) were filled with heavy laughs and lots of heart.
9. Kamen No Maid Guy
I always use this show as a sort of gateway anime for my buddies, and for good reason: It's maniacally funny! When Naeka is the lone heir to her grandfather's fortunes, she is put in danger of those who want it. So the grandfather hires Kogarashi: The Maid Guy. A transvestite superhero? Well, yes, but think of what it'd look like to see Jason Statham in a dress. It's hilarious, but you know he'll kick your ass if you snicker. Some may complain about the massive fan-service in the show (and there is a lot), but almost all of it is tied to another big laugh that's just around the corner. For example: when Saki sets up cameras in Naeka's bathroom to spy on her, Maid Guy casts one of his frozen powers on her and fixes the camera feed on the old fish salesman flossing his ass with his towel. You'll cringe with Saki, but at the same time it'll make you roll around the floor laughing your head off. Also when the female maid Fubki comes in to put Maid Guy in his place you can always bet that the end result will be hilarious.
8. Detroit Metal City
Released to coincide with the movie of the same name, Detroit Metal City followed Negishi, a pop singer who is forced to front a death metal band (under the alias of Krauser II). This follows with crazy antics involving an impromptu street performance that ends with Negishi accidentally smashing his guitar in the face of one police officer, Krauser's first movie role, the love of his life reviewing a DMC show (which ends with Krauser flipping her skirt up and calling her a "pig slut" to loud applause) and other things that can't really be named here. (Wait till you see what happens to Negishi's apartment.) The whole parody of metal bands has been done in both This is Spinal Tap and Metalocalypse, but the concept of taking a Mushroomhead-like band and putting a pop-loving vocalist in the forefront of it is a great example of ironic comedy. And with only each episode lasting about 12 minutes there was no room for Detroit Metal City to lose its blood-curdling steam.
7. Azumanga Daioh!
This comedy surrounding a group of stereotypical students didn't have a whole lot of story to it. In fact you can almost compare its plotline to that of Seinfeld: a show about high school students doing nothing. However what we got out of it was pure comedic dialogue. From Tomo's reasons for being an energetic slacker to spacey Osaka's day-dreaming escapades involving Chiyo-chan's hair, the mindset of these seemingly normal (but not really) high school students was not just funny but also imaginative. Not to mention it showed these students growing up in a world too small for them. What also made the show great were the teachers. The bantering between Yukari and Minamo always led itself down the path of drunken silliness, and the creepy teacher Kimura was more hilarious than what is legally allowed. It even succeeds in the fact that, while a Japanese high school comedy, it also has many things that regular high school students can relate to, from the struggles of getting back into school mode after vacation to the stress of preparing for college. And it's all done with a hearty laugh and a wink.
6. Nodame Cantabile
This classical music-based comedy followed the silly antics of Nodame the talented pianist and Chiaki the wannabe conductor. Like The Odd Couple, Chiaki's clean lifestyle was always fucked when Nodame's pigsty of a personality was in the same room as him. Nodame had a lot of heart to overcome her silliness, but at the same time that heart was almost instantly smothered by Chiaki's common sense. And there was that "Gyabo!" that Nodame would shout when things don't go as planned, which always brought a smile to my face. It also made it funny when they would use the works of classical performers to emphasize the comedic elements in the show (though not as criminally insane as when Ren & Stimpy did it). On top of that Nodame Cantabile had a great set of supporting characters, including the perverted conductor Stresemann and the openly-gay Masumi, who once dressed in a ballroom gown for one of the Rising Star Orchestra performances. Plus you would learn about classical music when watching, making it something of an educational aspect for the show. But what made it great was the comedic chemistry between Chiaki and Nodame. They were too different for one another, but you knew they would wind up together somehow. Seeing it happen is both sweet and comic gold. (I also recommend the live-action version, which is at times superior to the anime.)
5. Gintama
Just over 200 episodes have been made since Gintama first premiered in 2006, and it shows no signs of slowing down. Unlike some shows that refuse to die (I'm looking at you, Naruto!) this weekly program continues to bring viewers in thanks in part to its down-to-earth characters, clever plot lines, hilarious parodies and quotable one-liners. Set in a futuristic Edo Period (where samurai warriors watch TV and eat fast food) the series follows three numbskulls who must do various jobs in order to pay their rent; whether it may be saving the universe or walking an old lady down the street. Gintoki always manages to keep the spotlight to himself, even when his costars Shinpachi and Kagura try to steal it. Gintama is the type of anime comedy where watching one episode at a time just doesn't cut it. Watch five in a row, and see how many pounds you lose just from laughing.
4. Ouran High School Host Club
There are not a lot of romantic comedies out there that play out to both genders, and still manage to entertain them equally. Ouran High School Host Club is one such romantic comedy. A reverse harem if there ever was one, Ouran focuses on a host club in a rich high school, where new student Haruhi accidentally breaks the club's prized vase. In order to pay them back, Haruhi must work for the Host Club and bring forth a thousand customers. When the rest of the club members find out that Haruhi's a girl, that's when the strong romantic comedy element appears. Tamaki may be the king of the club, but it's the jesters Hikaru & Kaoru Hitachiin that bring some of the biggest comedic moments to the show. From their school pranks to the classic fight in Episode Five these two manage to create huge laughs that anyone will love. And of course there is Honey-sempai, the small twelfth-grader whose cute shell hides a master of martial arts. Ouran High School Host Club has enough lovey-dovey stuff for the girls, and a ton of comedy to keep the guys entertained without having to look at their watch.
3. My Bride Is a Mermaid
Known in Japan as Seto no Hanayome this anime about a junior high school student who must marry the daughter of a mermaid yakuza leader knew how to bring the funny. From Sun's crazy father and Masa-san to Lunar's Terminator-based dad and the jealous students that always beat the shit out of Nagasumi whenever another girl appears to be swooned by him, My Bride is a Mermaid was one series that got funnier as it progressed (rather than lose its steam halfway through). I especially love the side character Saru, who comes in either to be perverted or to give a hilariously epic speech when times are rough for Nagasumi. What makes this anime great is its timing. The jokes and visual gags flow perfectly, and when they inter-loop one another they mend together in slick harmony. You'll laugh until you cry, and then yearn for more series like this. Yes, it does steal some of its laws of the mermaids from the Ron Howard film Splash. Who cares? In my opinion this is the type of mermaid comedy Mr. Howard would've loved to have made rather than that film.
2. School Rumble
Give props to a comedy series that not only manages to be funny throughout the first season, and then find a way to be even funnier in the second. The twisted love triangle of Tenma, Harima and Karasuma never fails to entertain. From in-class tests to trips to the woods, there was no scenario that couldn't be done in a hilarious fashion. Even the disturbingly violent third episode of Season Two had a great punchline in the end that made all the violence laughable. Plus it managed to do someone many anime series couldn't do: be better than their original manga source. Now that takes a lot of great writing talent to pull off! Props also must be given to FUNimation, who not only licensed both seasons but also made an English dub that was funnier than the Japanese one. School Rumble had it all: great characters, a perfectly-match cast, huge laughs and plenty of plot to keep viewers watching.
1. Hayate the Combat Butler
No other series made me crave more like it than Hayate the Combat Butler. The story of the debt-ridden butler who must serve Lady Nagi was practically BBC-worthy. Viewers couldn't go more than twenty seconds without struggling to keep their head on while laughing. Not only did Hayate and Nagi bring the laughs, but so did every other character (even Random Man #27 Who Stands In Corner). Out of every character, though, it was the Narrator that brought the most personality; and even though you couldn't see him, you could read his facial expressions through his sarcastic wit and fourth-wall smashing commentary. Hayate and the others even get into huge fights with The Man In The Sky (no relation to the one mentioned in The Invention of Lying), leading towards the anime's biggest and most clever laughs. I was sad to see the show end last year, and hope that they renew it for a third season. It had something for everyone, otaku or not, and not a single episode of Hayate the Combat Butler failed to bring the funny. The funniest anime of that decade, and one of the best-written cartoon comedies of any time.
2009 will never be known as a good year in anime. Instead it'll be seen as the year the anime world went down the toilet. Here are five series that prove my point.
5. Zan Sayonara Zetsubou-Sensei
The first two seasons of Sayonara Zetsubou-Sensei were some of my guilty pleasures, with its hilarious dialogue, insane characters and clever plays-on-words. Unfortunately they quickly ran out of ideas by the time they got to Season Three. The jokes were weak, and the background humor went by so fast that it was nearly impossible to catch them. Granted a quick chuckle would come along in each episode, but it's not enough to save what was once a hugely funny program. I would say to not expect a Season Four, but with the way 2009 was with crappy anime there's no way to know for sure. (I will admit, though, that it has one of the best opening theme songs of the year. It at least has that going for them.)
4. K-On!
Imagine you're a really big fan of music-based anime (i.e.: Beck, Nerima Daikon Brothers), and you heard that Kyoto Animation -- the studio responsible for some of the best series of the past decade -- would be making a show about an all-girl rock band. You'd be pretty excited, right? Well...that excitement turned to huge disappointment with K-On!, a series that instead of showcasing -- as Brandon Flowers put it -- glamorous indie rock 'n' roll went on to focus on the music club members eating sweets and trying to act all cute for the loli-moé crowd. Setokai no Ichizon put it best in one of their early episodes: why focus on the dynamics of a rock band when you can just have cute girls doing cute things in order to sell a shitload of character albums and crappy merchandise. Thanks, but no thanks, and I sure as hell won't be tuning in to the just-announced second season.
3. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya: Season Two
Haruhists had a long wait ahead of them for new episodes (three years, to be exact), and what was their patience rewarded with? Eight episodes of the same fucking thing over and over and over again! The infamous "Endless Eight" arc practically killed the entire Haruhi Suzumiya franchise. Fans hated it, critics hated it, the original Haruhi director who was fired from Kyoto Animation hated it, and even Haruhi's voice actress Aya Hirano went so far as to apologize to her entire fanbase for putting up with it all. Rumor is Bandai Entertainment will be releasing it sometime in 2010, but I bet they had to do it in order to get their hands on the upcoming movie The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya (which if it fails to succeed will put to end to Haruhi Suzumiya).
2. Queen's Blade
One of the most sexist cartoons to ever be made. Scantly-clad women fight one another to the death (or until one of them pisses themselves so the whole world can see). Take out all the "fan-service" (if that's what it really is), and they would've had something of a decent plot on their hands. Alas that was not the case, and both seasons (which I still can't figure out how or why it survived the first) pushed the Women's Rights Movement back another 100 years. (Yep, Queen's Blade took away women's suffrage. It's their fault.) How the series managed to score such big voice actresses as Rie Tanaka, Aya Hirano, and Yuko Goto baffles my brain. (Perhaps the paycheck was too big to refuse). It's vulgar, disgusting and will offend any woman who watches it (even more so than the Ikki Tousen saga).
1. Akikan!
The first anime I reviewed in 2009, and the worst show I have ever seen! Soda cans that transform into magical girls?! Is that the best the writers can come up with?! The characters were annoying as fuck, the pathetic male lead was so perverted that the word "sympathy" never crossed my mind, and the fan-service in the show made series like Rosario + Vampire and Ikki Tousen look like Matthew Barney's The Cremaster Cycle (Google it). Not to mention the semi-villain Hidehiko, who always tries to put the moves on the main male lead. It would've made Sacha Baron Cohen's Brüno cry foul, and the GLBT community rally up to beat the shit out of the creator of this atrocity. It was a sign of things to come in the anime world of 2009: a sign to expect the worst shows to come out of Japan since the invention of loli-con!
2009 has not been a good year for anime comedies, with almost every show practically laugh-less and too moe for its own good. Can "Nyan Koi!" manage to escape from that sort of fate?
Based on the manga by Sato Fujiwara "Nyan Koi!" follows Junpei Kōsaka, a high school student that not only despises cats, but is also allergic to them. One day Junpei kicks a can, which accidentally breaks a statue of a cat deity. As soon as this happens he gains the ability to hear and understand every cat he comes across. (Think the feline equivalent of "What Women Want.") Junpei then finds out that if he doesn't complete one-hundred good deeds for cats, then he himself would be turned into a cat. To avoid being allergic to himself, Junpei concedes and begins to complete the one-hundred tasks. Can he manage this without anyone knowing, including his crush Kaede?
After watching the first six episodes I can honestly say that "Nyan Koi!" is a joy to watch. The premise, at first, sounded too clichéd and overdone. However those ideas were put to rest by the end of the first episode. The cats, especially Tama the calico cat, are not just there to be adorable; they are there to add commentary about the humans around them. They are funny, but also a bit philosophical when they compare the lives of people to felines. Plus the Junpei/Kaede love plot is not beaten like a dead horse. How they seem to grow close to one another, and then pulled apart quickly due to feline stupidity, is quite hilarious. And yes, expect a sort of love pentagon(?) between Junpei and just about every girl he comes across, but knowing that he just wants to be with Kaede crushes any chance (thankfully) of another harem anime. In short, "Nyan Koi!" is a show that not only lets you have your cheeseburger, but your fries and shake with it.
"Nyan Koi!" gets an A. It has just about everything cat lovers can want for an anime comedy, and it also has a lot that other people can enjoy too. And this is from someone that's more of a dog person...
Considering the vast amounts of amazing albums that came out this year, I found great difficulty in making a "Top [insert number here]" list. Instead -- to be completely unbiased -- an alphabetical list of fifteen great albums of 2009 will have to suffice.
Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavillion If there ever was a soundtrack to the Burning Man festival, this would be it. The psychedelic sounds that pour out of the speakers are unlike anything you've never heard (unless, of course, you're on an acid trip). Tracks like "Summertime Clothes" and "In the Flowers" sound as if the Beach Boys and the Flaming Lips locked themselves in a garage and just jammed for hours on end, and this was the result.
The LA musician returned to his more experimental groove roots with this one, and it shows why he's the most under-appreciated rapper in America. The fastest rhymer since God knows when, Busdriver comes off as quite the intelligent man (especially on "Me-Time (With the Pulmonary Palimpsest)" and "Scoliosis Jones"). You will actually become smarter by listening to Jhelli Beam.
The Cliks - Dirty King Canadian frontman Lucas Silveria went back to the studio after touring extensively for Snakehouse, and came back with something quite different from that CD. The title track screams with the classic badass approach of the previous album, but it's when things slow down on "Emily" and "Not Your Boy" when Dirty King shows off a different personality for the Cliks. Still, no matter what the tone is on the album people won't find it hard to admit that it has something for everyone. (Check out my interview with the Cliks here.)
The Decemberists - The Hazards of Love Colin Meloy had originally written this album as a planned musical, but it was canned after Meloy's story became too complicated to bring to the stage. Shame. It would've been amazing to see the characters of William, Margaret, the Rake and the Forest Queen brought to life on Broadway. Still, songs like "The Rake's Song" and "The Wanting Comes in Waves/Repaid" are all beautifully melodious, and gave way to make one of this year's best concept albums.
Electric Eel Shock - Sugoi Indeed! With the power (and donations) of their massive fanbase the Japanese metal trio went off and made their most heavy-rocking album since BEAT ME. With the zombie anthem "More" and the mosh pit-worthy "Mr. Toad" appearing on this CD, Sugoi Indeed! succeeds on every level to make sure that this is one fun album to listen to. Guess Aki is -- in fact -- made of metal.
Iggy Pop - Préliminaires The man who wanted to be your dog has finally become "King of the Dogs" on this surprisingly good jazz-rock album. Hearing Iggy croon on the 1940s cover "Les feuilles mortes" and the swamp rock "Nice to Be Dead," and you'll remember why Iggy is truly one of music's coolest vocalists. (Be sure to read Michel Houellebecq's novel "The Possibility of an Island," the main inspiration for Préliminaires.)
Matt & Kim - Grand Matt & Kim have made the happiest album of all year. One will have trouble wiping the smile off their face while listening to such gems as "Daylight" and "Good Ol' Fashion Nightmare." To call them merely the Dresden Dolls on happy pills is an understatement. They're the kind of joyous musicians the world needs in times like this.
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones - Pin Points and Gin Joints Ska is not dead. In fact it is alive and kicking, and the Bosstones have proven so by making their best album since 1997's Let's Face It. From its opener "Graffiti Worth Reading" to its closer "A Pretty Sad Excuse" (which is anything but) the Mighty Mighty Bosstones have made it clear that they are here to make noise, and they want you to dance along.
Mono - Hymn to the Immortal Wind Greatest instrumental rock album of all time. Enough said. (Seriously, if that statement doesn't get you to buy this album, I don't know what else to tell you.)
monobright - monobright two monobright's song "Anata MAGIC" is probably the best song to come out of Japan this year, but the rest of the album shows why the band is the most original Japanese rock band of this decade. "Namidairo FRUSTRATION" and "Monogatari" come off as some of the most well-sounding rock tracks to be written in the Land of the Rising Sun since the pillows' 2002 album Thank you, my twilight. Expect big things from monobright for years to come.
Rammstein - Liebe ist für alle da The top Neue Deutsche Härte band have once again shown why no other musicians can lay their fingers on them. From the masochistic "Ich tu dir weh" and the hauntingly beautiful "Frühling in Paris" to the hilarious "Pussy" (best music video of the year, by the way) Till Lindemann and friends have made an album that makes up for their four-year absence. Also, an American tour may occur, as evident here.
Spinnerette The new band from Brody Dalle and Alain Johannes was overshadowed by Jack White and Alison Mosshart's new group the Dead Weather. Too bad, considering it's Spinnerette's debut album that was far superior to TDW's Horehound. The raunchy sounds from "Ghetto Love" & "Sex Bomb" and the fist-pumping vibes from "Baptized By Fire" & "Rebellious Palpitations" make this album a must for fans of alt. rock that tickles the spine.
Street Sweeper Social Club When Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello teamed up with the Coup's Boots Riley, the result was more tongue-in-cheek satire than political rock. Nevertheless the duo managed to make "The Daily Show" of rock albums: speaking truths ("Fight! Smash! Win!"), getting people's attention with a rally cry ("100 Little Curses") and making them giggle at the mistakes of others ("Promenade").
Them Crooked Vultures What happens when you put the greatest drummer in the world, the greatest bassist in the world and one of the most talented guitarists in the world in the same room? Genius, that's what. Joshua Homme, Dave Grohl and John Paul Jones jolt rock 'n' roll with enough electricity to keep it kicking for another couple hundred years, thanks in part to dino-stomping jams ("No One Loves Me and Neither Do I"), catchy lyrics ("Mind Eraser, No Chaser) and just not giving a fuck about how it sounds and still managing it to sound cooler than anything else ("Interlude With Ludes").
Instead of focusing on a recent anime that’s on Japanese TV, I figured we can look at an anime series that’s been out in America for some time. Today, we’ll focus on the comedy series “School Rumble.”
The show follows two main characters: Tenma and Haruma. Haruma is first seen as the school bully, but in reality he’s a nice guy with a crush on Tenma. Unfortunately Tenma has the hots for another guy, but Haruma doesn’t know that. The two try their best to confess their love to their darlings, but it always becomes a hilarious situation of EPIC FAIL. Will Haruma be able to tell Tenma he loves her? Will Tenma’s thick skull be able to find the hidden signals that Haruma has been sending her, or will she forever be an idiot in love with a disinterested guy?
“School Rumble” follows a very good formula that makes a great comedy series. The antics between the two main characters are fall-off-your-chair hilarious, as well are the secondary characters. There’s never a repeated joke, which is rare in comedies both in Japan, America and even in Britain. The show’s animation is bright and vivid; and though not the best in the world it fits the lightheartedness of the program. I can’t compare the dub voice to the original Japanese voice because I never watched it in Japanese, but the American voice actors seemed to do their homework when it came time to recording. No one is miscast and they sound as if they’re having fun with voicing the characters.
I give the English dub version of “School Rumble” a solid A. This is a fun and wacky comedy that anyone can enjoy. It is available through FUNimation, and you can even stream all the episodes for free on their website and on YouTube.
From the people who brought us “Evangelion,” “FLCL,” and “This Ugly Yet beautiful World” bring us the series “Shikabane Hime: Aka,” or “Corpse Princess: Aka.”
The story follows Makina Hoshimura -- an undead girl who has made a deal to kill 108 zombies in order to get into Heaven -- and Ouri Kagami, a boy who helps out at an orphanage and has a talking ghost cat. They meet one night when Ouri sees Makina, appearing dead inside the orphanage’s temple. She is brought to life by Tagami, Ouri’s adopted brother, and disappears from the temple. On the day he is set to move out a fake-vampire who is really a zombie appears, hypnotizing women and drinking their blood. Makina goes after this fake-vampire, and almost loses. Again, she runs into Oori, who finds out he can help Makina regain her strength just by hugging her. With that, Makina goes back and kills the fake-vampires and zombies that stands in her way of getting into Heaven.
GAINAX is known for doing anime that is the least-bit predictable, and “Shikabane Hime: Aka” is definitely no exception. The show is heavy on the action side, but tilts towards comic relief when appropriate. Plus the characters are sharp and witty, and there is plenty of blood-filled scenes for even classic Grindhouse fans to devour up. Plus, knowing GAINAX, we should be in for some good, trippy fun when it comes to action. I've almost completed the entire series, and so far it hasn't failed to entertain; and with the series (counting the second season) only having twenty-six episodes you can bet that there will be no room for mindless filler.
"Shikabane Hime: Aka" gets an A-. Funimation Entertainment is currently streaming subtitled episodes of the series on YouTube and their website, so check it out online whenever you’ve got a chance.
Wanna know what goes into making a manga? "Doujin Work" might be a good start to do your research on.
Based off of the four-panel comic, “Doujin Work” follows Najimi, a girl who is introduced to the world of doujinshi, or fan-made comic books, by her friend Tsuyuri. After making her first manga she runs into her childhood friend Justice; who, along with his young friend Sora, make a killing at selling their comics at popular conventions. Seeing this, along with grabbing inspiration from Junichirō (a guy Najimi first met at an adult video game store and who winds up being Najimi’s first purchaser), Najimi goes to great lengths to becoming a great manga artist.
To completely understand this series, one must know how hard it is to creating a comic from scratch, which is like creating a short story from nothing; only there’s a lot more drawing involved with it. It is so hard to draw that by the time Najimi makes her fist comic she can only draw a character from one specific angle. There’s a lot of technical humor in it (such as complimenting on the paper quality when the rest of the work sucks), which could go over the heads of some non-anime watchers or comic book writers.
Each episode is only 11 minutes long, which means that sometimes it goes by too quickly to fix conflicts correctly. For the most part, though, the 11-minute time frame is quite the right size to fit this quirky-humored storyline. One of the funnier episodes involves Najimi working at a Maid Café, and how she always breaks her cutesy character thanks in part to her friends that always come by there. There’s a lot of dirty humor underlined in the story, but it’s done quite cleverly.
The show gets a B+ in my review. A lot of good humor and funny characters, but it might go over the heads of some people. It's currently available in America thanks to Media Blasters.
Back in the days of Laserdisc an OVA called “Birdy the Mighty” was released to critical acclaim in Japan, and was able to retain an underground fanbase in America. Almost 15 years later a TV show called “Birdy the Mighty: Decode” was broadcasted, which follows a similar story to the Original Video Animation.
"Decode" follows a Federation investigator named Birdy, who has chased a space criminal named Geega through space to Earth. A male student, Senkawa, stumbles upon a fight between the two one night in an abandoned building, only to be severed in half as he is used as a shield by Geega against Birdy. In order to save him Birdy links Senkawa’s soul to her body, so that the two may live in different forms; but in the same shell. Together the two balance a normal life with that of a warrior trying to save the universe.
The show delivers with great action sequences with a well-toned plot that involves Senkawa’s friends, especially the love of his life. Not only does it show off wonderful visuals, but also its story flows with little to no confusion. Now granted there are some elements here and there that could’ve been reworked, and Birdy’s home planet of Altiar might’ve been a lot better if they didn’t make it look like a “Star Wars” knock-off. The villain is also a bit underwhelming, but his intentions are the complete opposite. Though it may not be that intense of an action show, it’s still fun to watch.
“Birdy the Mighty: Decode” earns a B+. It’s a welcoming change of sorts to the drivel that I had to put up with this past year, but I have yet to watch the second season to see if it was able to retain its charm. Look for it in America sometime around 2010, when FUNimation releases it in stores everywhere anime is sold
This Monday, we have a special new episode of the ESH podcast. In this episode we welcome our very own King Baby Duck to the hosting chair to talk a bit about his new team project, The Boston Bastard Brigade, among other things.
Those other things include EA's The SIMS 3, the new Gears of War 2 DLC, and some knee jerk reactions to the Batman: Arkham Asylum demo available via both the XBox Marketplace and the PSN store. Pandalicious even chimes in with her impressions of the new Xbox experience preview including the Avatar Store, Netflix parties, and even some games on demand stuffs.
We are chock full of laughs, tangents, and maybe a Naruto dig or two. To give you an idea of what this show is like, here are some of the titles we didn't use for this episode:
What Did Cake Ever Do To Her?
I'm Gonna Touch It - No, I'm Not
Perhaps That's Why They Call it Project Natal
The Naruto Door Is Marked "Exit"
This Is a Warning For All Aspiring Spinal Tap Drummers
Your SIM Oughta Check Out That Julia Child Movie
Pana Will Work - For Microsoft Points
Avatar Marketplace - Isn't That What Started the Civil War?
This week's Anime Calamity focuses on the comedy "K-On!"
“K-On!” follows Yui, a clumsy student who just started high school. She is out looking for a club to join, but so far nothing seems to be of interest to her. Meanwhile two friends named Mio and Ritsu decide to join the light music club; but sadly they are the only members in it. If they don’t get two more people to join, then the club will be abolished. Enter Tsumugi, who stumbles into the club looking for choir practice. After hearing Mio & Ritsu’s problem she joins the club as a keyboardist. With only one member needed, the three decide to post around the school for the missing link. Yui discovers the posting, and goes to check the club out. After much begging from the other club members, and seeing how fun it is to be in a rock band, Yui decides to become the final piece in the music club’s puzzle; but will the four be able to rock out, or will their dreams become dust in the wind?
What started out as a show with loads of promise turned into yet another lame-ass excuse for moé-laden shenanigans. There is no character development remotely recognizable, and when it came to showing the girls playing the instruments the animators took the easy way out and either cut to random shots around the campus or just skipped the scene entirely. Those who watch the first episode were given hope that the girls would make a good hard-rocking band, due in part to their references to Hendrix and Jimmy Page. Instead, we’re “treated” to songs that even the Jonas Brothers would wipe their asses with. (Believe me: it’s that bad.) And this is from Kyoto Animation: the geniuses behind “Lucky Star” and “Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu.” How they can go from doing grade-A anime to a show that makes Joe Cartoon look like Miyazaki is baffling. The plot is weak, and the writing is bad. (I recently read a reply on Anime News Network that said the reason why “K-On!” was this bad was because it was bases on a 4koma [a four-panel comic]. This person obviously didn’t watch the brilliant “Azumanga Daioh!” or “Hetalia.”) I’ve been waiting for another great music-based anime since “BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad” went off the air, and this is what I’m treated with?! No thanks.
“K-On!” receives a D-. It started out as a great concept, but it quickly turned into a show that catered to the ignorant. If you want to see a music series done right, watch “BECK,” and pray to God that they make a second series of that soon.
This week's Anime Calamity looks at last year's series "Sekirei."
Minato has failed his college exams…twice. He has no real talents, is unemployed, and feels extremely awkward around women. However, Minato is extremely intelligent, but for some reason is never given a break due to constant pressure. One day, a woman named Musubi falls from the sky, literally on top of Minato. She soon learns that Minato is what is called an “Ashikabi,” a human with special genes that allow them to partner up with people called “Sekirei.” The Sekirei are either extremely cute girls or very androgynous men who must fight one another in a battle known as the Sekirei Plan; with Tokyo being the battleground. Musubi becomes Minato’s Sekirei, but the real trouble comes when it’s revealed that Musubi can have more than one Sekirei.
Is this yet another men’s fantasy turned nightmare? Yes it is. The animation is well-done, and the story is somewhat original. However, these anime series where the one nerd gets all the hot ladies has grown tiresome. Sure it gives hope to people watching that such sweet girls exist, but it doesn’t help when there are already ten series out there like this currently on TV. And why do all the girls have to be so well-endowed? Can’t they learn from the likes of “Special A,” “NANA” and other series that beautiful women don’t need to have giant bean bags chairs on their chests? Also, wouldn’t they hinder the fighting skills of the women? I mean, bigger makes it heavier. Stop messing with Isaac Newton’s theories! But anyways, speaking of the fighting sequences, they are really cool; but after seeing the more creative paths taken with “Soul Eater” and “Witchblade” it pales in comparison. The characters are fun to view, and the chemistry between them is what really keeps the show watchable. It has a lot of good humorous moments, and the dialogue between the characters is filled with some good puns and jabs here and there. Still, there's nothing in this show that pushes it away from every other harem anime that has come out since.
"Sekirei" gets a B-. Good fight sequences, animation, and humor; but nothing quite original.
In a bold move AMC announced that they would open up IMAX screens all across the country in their theater chain. Oh, how that sounded good.
What would've been a solid idea has instead turned into a pit of disappointment. Recently I attended a screening of "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" with fellow Boston Bastard Brigade members Blueonic and Bam Bam, and although they were showing it in the regular theater we decided to put down the couple extra bucks to see it in the brand-new IMAX screen. Fourteen dollars, to be exact. What will $14 get you?
1. A clearer picture. 2. A screen that's a couple feet bigger on each side, but not that noticeably big. 3. The same sound system as the regular theater. 4. The same awkward sticky seats that the regular theaters have.
In layman's terms: a waste of money. How so? Well let's compare the AMC IMAX to a regular IMAX, using both the Jordan's Furniture IMAX in Reading, MA ($11.50 a ticket) and the New England Aquarium IMAX in Boston, MA ($9.95 a ticket) as examples. Here's what they offer:
1. A super-clear picture. 2. A movie screen that makes you drool in anticipation of what you're about to see. 3. A sound system that makes you vibrate with ecstasy and has you feel the action. 4. Comfy leather seats that will always have that new car smell to it.
So compared to the regular IMAX theaters, AMC has little-to-no bang for its extra buck. AMC's IMAX is but an imax: nothing grand or spectacular about it. If I were you I'd stick with a regular IMAX experience instead of an "AMC Presents..." imax letdown. It's cheaper and worth more bang for your buck.
Here with a second opinion is my friend and cohost of the Boston Bastard Brigade, Blueonic:
"Hi this is Blueonic, and I’m going to be chatting about how this weekend I saw a great movie, but in a bullshit light from the multiple projectors of the so-called AMC IMAX theater. I have to say in all my life of watching movies, this is the biggest ripoff/false advertisement that I have ever seen.
Now where I live there is a place called the Museum of Science. Of course it’s gotten boring because there is barely anything new that plays there. But there is this setup that’s called the Omni Theater. It's like you’re sitting in a room that has this massive bubble that almost goes all the way around you. The films on these are always science-based bullshit, so I’ll save you from that. But anyways there is yet again another place called Jordan’s Furniture, which has what is called “IMAX”. This has to be what I call true IMAX, the real experience of watching movies on this screen will make you glad that you’re not blind or deaf. The beautiful clarity of the movie makes you feel like you’re in the actual movie. Hell, with the way the screen is and how comfortable the seats are, you can just pass out. But to keep you awake it has sort of a rumble pack or sub-woofer in the seats, so when shit goes boom on the screen, it rocks your ass in the chairs. F**king awesome setup for the Jordan’s IMAX Theater, because of how the screen wraps around you, when you’re sitting in the chairs, you have your own personal space, which is good because if you’re a person who is single, or hates complete strangers sitting next to you, this is the best thing ever. But if you got your girlfriend/boyfriend/whatever, it is capable of holding hands in comfort for once.
But if you go to an AMC/Loews franchise, then you will be very displeased. For this factor you try to hold hands with your significant others, and your arm will be so numb someone can cut it off and you won't even feel it. It makes you push away from your lover, making them think you don’t love them and thus making your little date a horrible experience. But back to the single person sitting next to a complete stranger, it sucks because either you take the armrest or you'll be the one with your hands in your lap (a.k.a. The Bitch). So I have to say, all together, this IMAX Theater isn’t the IMAX Theater, especially seeing that’s what AMC labeled this as. What they should have called it was “BIG F**KING SCREEN WITH AN INDENT THAT CAN’T BE CONSIDERED AN ANGLE”.
If you’re wondering what I watched, it’s called Transformers 2: Rise of the Fallen. I have to say Michael Bay did an awesome job again with this movie, the only question with how they left it, it seems like there could be another one; but seeing I’m not one to keep up on Transformers I’m not sure what the next script could be about. But all in all I give the movie both thumbs up, with 9.5 out of 10 stars.
But if I would say if you live in the area of a place that has an IMAX theater, make sure it's an actual IMAX theater. It should be a big dome shaped screen, with the multi-projector setup, comfortable seats, and of course a price that won’t burn a whole in your pocket. The price that was paid for the AMC crap was 14 dollars. Which, if you’re a normal movie person, all you can say is “THAT’S JUST TOO F**KIN' HIGH!!!” So do the damn research when it comes to going to the movies. Also, the other thing that you should do is find out from other people whether or not the movie is good, especially friends you can trust. With this crap economy it’s sometimes better to sit at home watching TV, or spending your money elsewhere till that movie comes on-demand, Netflix, or just plain old DVD/Blu-Ray. I don’t condone piracy or buying those pirated movies. I guess if you get it that way, you're still saving money somehow, but sometimes you don’t get the entire movie.
This is Blueonic signing off."
And there you have it: two opinions, same conclusion. Stick with the regular IMAX and avoid AMC's at all costs (and I mean that both metaphorically and financially).
For the past few weeks, I have been hearing about a certain anime called “Queen’s Blade,” and from my understanding this show was basically a softcore hentai series that somehow was able to air on Japanese television. No one was touching it, and finding streams of the show online was next to impossible. Fortunately (or is it unfortunately), I finally came across it. Before I had even begun to watch it I was prepared to tear it to shreds, but I had to keep an open mind, and began watching it.
The first episode of the show introduces a few of the main characters. We meet Reina, who is battling Mellona the shape shifter. Witnessing the battle is Nanael, who appears to be a fallen angel of sorts. Mellona brutally defeats Reina, but before she can kill her Listy enters to save Reina’s life. Listy discovers that Reina is the missing daughter of Count Vance, and decides to capture her for the reward. They are greeted by Reina’s sister Elina, who seems very happy to see her sister alive, though beaten badly. Instead of offering a reward, Elina has Listy locked away for reasons unknown. Fortunately Listy is able to break free, and since a reward was not given to her she decides to take everything she can get her hands on. Sadly, this does not play out well, as Mellona reappears to try and kill Reina. Reina is able to defeat Mellona in a manner I can’t speak of on the air, and is able to escape from her kingdom with Listy once and for all. The two then decide to travel yonder to whatever challenges they may face.
Now this show has become infamous for its uncensored fanservice, and to be honest with you this fanservice is very unnecessary. The fight sequences are pretty good to a point, though some of the ladies’ weapons of choice seem are very perverted, like one girl shoots acid out of her tits. The plot could be interesting: swordswomen battling it out to the death until one is left standing, but it's been done way too many times in the past. The backstory to some of the characters seem interesting, but not enough to earn itself repeat viewings. "Queen's Blade" also managed to get itself an all-star cast of voice actresses like Aya Hirano, Rie Tanaka and Yuko Goto to play the characters. Perhaps the pay was really, really good and they couldn’t refuse it. Unfortunately, it’s the extremely crude fanservice that almost kills this show all kinds of dead. If there weren’t any of this stuff, we could’ve had a decent anime on our hands. Sadly, that’s not the case with “Queen’s Blade,” which manages to take a good plotline and turn it into rubbish. It's sexist, disgusting, and gives a bad name to anime.
“Queen’s Blade” is slapped with a D-. Good fight sequences and A-list voice actresses cannot mask the truth of what this show really is: one step behind porn, and the fact that it airs on TV uncensored is quite shocking. Though I’m all for uncensored TV, there’s a fine line between being tasteful and vulgar; and this is as vulgar as it can get. What sickens me more is the fact that they just ordered a second season of this shit!
This year saw a wide range of great Anime Music Videos showcased at Anime Boston. Let's take a look at some that shined brighter than most.
Let's first look at this year's best in show: ForeverZeroo's "Dragonball Z - The Silent Movie"
Although some may claim that this is a bit of a knockoff of TeamFourStar's "Dragonball Z Abridged" series, you have to admit the concept of the video is original. The usage of both the "Chibi Moon Piano Suite" from "Sailor Moon" and the transformation of a colorful show into a sepia added more to the feel of a 1920s silent flick, and the usage of that era's vernacular with a mix of our current one gave off a wonderful sense of humor for fans new and old of the Dragonball series to enjoy.
The next one we'll look at is Dianafuse's "Soul Eater - Evil Walks."
First off what a perfect song for "Soul Eater": Brian Johnson's vocals and Angus Young's trademark guitar riffs mixing with images of Medusa and Arachne will run chills down anyone's spine. (The image of Medusa behind the blood-dripping moon while Brian screams "Evil walks behind you!" fit so good it's almost scary.) The second verse of the song sounds as if it was written specifically for the Arachne character. Granted the editing isn't picture perfect, but having lyrics that piece together so well with the imagery it makes up for that in such a big way.
Number three on our list is sideswipe147's "Modern Major Clusterfuck."
Maybe it's because I just saw "The Pirates of Penzance," but this was my personal favorite of the night. Gilbert & Sullivan probably never intended for their showstopping number to be synched with Roy Mustang, but it didn't stop the AMVer for proving that it could be. This wasn't even in competition, and many of those around this Duck thought this was Best in Show; and I had to agree. It's silly, catchy and possibly one of the best AMVs I've seen in the longest time.
The Final one on our lists is DaiKun Productions' "Stranger Than Death Note."
This was the Best Comedy winner, and there's good reason for that. Casting Light Yagami as Emma Thompson as Karen Eiffel and Spike Spiegel as Will Ferrell as Harold Crick were picture perfect. However I spoke with some of my colleagues, and they felt that this wasn't a Comedy AMV (even though its concept was humorous). I guess the people who thought it was a comedy outranked the ones that thought it wasn't.
To close off this article I would like to present to you the best skit from Anime Boston 2009's Masquerade: Celebrity Jeopardy!
The following post may offend, and is quite possibly unsuitable for peoples under the age of 18. Wait...scratch that. It's definitely not suitable for the perverted youth.
Yes, folks, it's that time of the year again. Bigger and badder at this year's Anime Boston was the ecchi-filled hilarity that we've all come to know as the Hentai Dubbings. For those that are unfamiliar with this event, Hentai Dubbings involve people coming up on stage and redubbing a scene from an anime that has people [censored] while they [censored] the [censored] and then sticking their [censored] in the [censored] [censored]. And then there's cake.
Now that I've gone and explained the technique to everyone, let's take a look at the things from this year's event that I will never see the same way again!
1. Deodorant - Hentai Dubbings host Dick Tripwire has created a brand-new deodorant spray made specifically to rid the stank from any gal's-- Okay, I think that was a little bit unnecessary. Let's move on! 2. Parker Posey - You've seen her in "Dazed and Confused" and "Scream 3," and now you can hear her with a techno background talking about her doing the nasty! 3. Bill Cosby - The Cos + Hentai Readings = The most disgusting Jello Pudding Pops ever! 4. Christopher Walken - We already know that Mr. Walken is a weird mofo, but nothing can prepare you for his interpretation of Tentacled Hellbeast Yaoi Hentai. Remember: it's not gay if you're killing them! 5. Pikachu: No, this has nothing to do with Pikachu seiyuu Ikue Ōtani doing the hentai "Cool Devices." (Look it up. It's 100% true, and will scar your inner-child). A woman came up onstage dressed as Pikachu and proceeded to ad lib a lesbian scene. The bestiality line has begun to fade ever so disturbingly. 6. Chewbacca - The Internet is for porn, and porn is for Wookies. Stealing the title from last year's king Chiyo-chan's father, everyone's favorite furry partner performed with another man onstage and spoke in ways that make legends bow to his presence. 7. Ewoks - We all hate these furry bastards, so it's nice to see these hairy beasts were put in their place by Chewie. 8. Light Sabers - PHALLUS SYMBOL!!! 9. Death Star - What would be the equivalent for the term "phallus symbol" when it comes to the testicle area? 10. Harrison Ford - Take a cue from Chewie's bitch, and do it like Han Solo! 11. Mexicans - Not the Dirty Sanchez, but close enough. 12. Jack Bauer - You know by the time he saves the world he'll still have another 12 hours to spare when he uses Cialis. I'm just saying... 13. Candy - Last year Snickers and Necco Wafers were not to be seen the same way again. This year, every other candy ever made can no longer be looked at in the same light. 14. Final Fantasy - Do you know why Cloud's sword is so huge? Send your hate mail my way! 15. America's Funniest Home Videos - I wonder if the new and more awesome Bob Saget would be willing to do a XXX-rated version of his hit TV show. My guess is a firm "Hell yeah!" 16. George Clooney - Maybe this one really doesn't count, since Clooney was seen building a sex machine in the hilarious "Burn After Reading." Nevertheless his reputation will never be looked in the same light after one of the dubbers came onstage and proceeded to do the "Full Tilt Boogie" with his costar. 17. Giraffes - If you really want to make the mood ever so special, make the sound of a dying Giraffa camelopardalis. Yes, I used Latin. Yay I'm smart!
That does it for this year. Now get your mind out of the gutter, and back into reality. On second thought: reality is being cruel right now. BACK TO THE GUTTER!!!
Making their American debut at the Hynes Convention Center this past Saturday (during Anime Boston 2009), the female vocal trio that makes up Kalafina performed a 60-minute set that included beautiful visuals and a wonderful light show backing the women. However, the use of pre-recorded music instead of a live backing band showed that this new group still was nowhere near flawless.
Founded in 2007 by composer Yuki Kajiura (one-half of the popular duo See-Saw), Kalafina consisted of vocalists Wakana, Keiko and Hikaru; who seemed very happy to be performing for the American crowd. Throughout the show the trio sang and danced to their hearts’ content, though at times when they weren’t singing they stood idly waiting for their time to perform. Think of how a puppeteer would use many of his wooden friends during a show, but can only use two at a time; so one would sit motionless until their lines are given. In some moments it was very reminiscent of that.
That’s not to say that Kalafina is a bad group; far from it. These ladies of the Orient had wonderful voices that shined even better than what can be heard on their debut album “Seventh Heaven.” Their opening song “oblivious” (their first hit single in Japan) was the ideal choice to introduce Kalafina to those unfamiliar with the group as it showcased the multiple vocal ranges of the three ladies. Songs such as “love come down” and “Mata Kaze ga Tsuyokunatta” (translated as “The Wind Becomes Strong Again”) rely heavily on loud techno thumps and ear-piercing guitar solos. Even though the crowd got into it, the fact that there wasn’t anything backing Kalafina besides the visuals made it difficult at times to feel any sort of a true live experience. The only time they were backed by an instrument was during the encore, when Kajiura came out to play the keyboard while the ladies sang “Kimi ga Hikari ni Kaete Iku” (You Turn It Into Light”) and “gloria”, two soft songs that helped close the concert on a beautiful note. Having said that, the show lacked a bit of appeal.
If only Kalafina had enlisted the help of Boston’s Video Game Orchestra, the opening band, they could have compensated their inactivity with an electrifying backing band. Unfortunately, this was not the case, and because of that Kalafina showed that they still need help when it comes to fully entertaining a crowd.
This is King Baby Duck: Ain't born to lose, baby, I'm born to win! I'm so Goddamn slick, baby, it's a sin!
Do you want to rock out like Daft Punk? Well now you can!
I recently discovered iDaft, an online computer program where you can do your own version of their hit song "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger." Granted it's the only song you can do for now, but you'll still be playing with it for hours on end.
Click here to get started! You won't be able to stop!
Spring Anime has come in full bloom, and the first series we'll be looking at is "Eden of the East."
The first episode follows a girl named Saki, who is sightseeing in Washington, D.C. She throws a coin at the White House, hoping that it’d reach the fountain in front. The police notice her, and walk up to her to see what she’s doing. Out of nowhere comes a naked man holding a gun, a phone and no memories in his head. With his help Saki is saved, and as something of a reward offers amnesia man her coat. As soon as he leaves Saki realizes that her passport and wallet were still in there; and thus begins to chase him down. The nameless man reaches his apartment (with the help of his cell phone) and sees that he is carrying heavy arsenal and multiple passports. Saki reaches the apartment, and asks for her coat back from the man with no name. The man looks through the passports and chooses the identity of Akira Takizawa; and proceeds to burn the rest of them along with the apartment to destroy any sort of evidence of what he might have been. The two decide to leave D.C. together, and as they head for the plane news hits that Japan has been hit by a terrorist attack.
I think the best way to describe this first episode is something on the lines of “The Bourne Identity” with some humorous elements woven into it. I love the animation style of the show, as I am a huge fan of Chiko Umino, the creator of “Honey & Clover”; and the fact was we have Kenji Kamiyama, who helped make the “Ghost in the Shell” TV series one of the best shows ever, helming it gives me a lot of high hopes that we won’t be in for just some ordinary show. The voice acting is done terrifically, and it was a good call for the Japanese producers to hire American voice actors to play the American characters; instead of the usual badly-broken English we hear in some anime series that have an American setting. Plus, the opening and ending credits are done so wonderfully artistic. The ending is done with stop-motion animation; while the opening is done with written poetry in front of beautiful scenery. Oh yeah, and Oasis does the opening theme song. Yes, the Gallagher brothers! I nearly jumped out of my seat when I heard the opening chords of “Falling Down” playing. Finally, the plotline seems solid, what with the romantic interest and the terrorist plotlines piecing together what could be a sensational story. This might become Japan’s most talked-about show this year.
The first episode of “Eden of the East” earns 2009’s first A+ rating. The humanistic humor in the show mixed with what might be some interesting plot twists will make this series hard to miss; and I hope it quickly gets licensed in the States.
This is King Baby Duck: Ain't born to lose, baby, I'm born to win! I'm so Goddamn slick, baby, it's a sin!
When it comes to Japanese metal, no band shines more than Electric Eel Shock. Their heavy guitar riffs mixed in with vibrating bass and smashing drums -- along with their crazy stage antics -- make them one act everyone needs to check out. I had a chance to ask a few questions to the band via email as they were getting ready to finish the new album. (WARNING: PICTURE OF NAKED DRUMMER BELOW!!!)
You’ve played sold-out shows all over the globe, headlined many rock and metal festivals, and have probably one of the most solid fanbases of any musical act out there. Did you ever think that eleven years ago, when the band first began, that you’d all reach the heights of popularity that you have right now?
No, never. Even we have not thought we will be on tour outside of Japan when this band began. We are really glad there are so many people supporting us!
The band originally started out with 11 members (with a horn section, a keyboardist and female backing vocals). At what point did you realize that Electric Eel Shock would work out better as a trio? Did you ever think about bringing back the rest of the original members for a song or two?
When the band began, it was not actually a “band”. Aki and Kazuto were the original members and all other members were kind of session members. We corrected the other members for each show. So we never play with the same members in each show. And 1 year later, we can not keep going with so many members. All members have gone without Aki, Kazuto and Gian. So we have not had any choice with playing as a trio band.
In the song “Heavy Metal Vagabond” (from 1999’s “Slayers Bay Blues”) Aki says that he does not like Japanese metal. Why was that, and has his feelings changed about the genre (in metal and even visual-kei)?
Aki likes bad taste side of Japanese 80’s heavy metal. But he didn’t find something deep flavor about Japanese Metal… He found more interesting things in the music of Black Sabbath or Metallica. His feeling hasn’t changed by the new age of Japanese metal and visual-kei…
How do you feel about the current Japanese music scene? Do you think more people in Japan are tuning into more indie/heavy-styled bands (i.e.: you, Ling Tosite Sigure, GING NANG BOYZ, BORIS, The50Kaitenz, Maximum the Hormone), or do you think the majority still look at the idols for their musical thirst (such as Johnny’s Entertainment, Morning Musume, Hey! Say! Jump)?
I don’t know anything about the Japanese music scene. I don’t have any interest with Japanese pop music. I wanna rock!!
As a lot of people know Gian wears nothing but a cock sock on stage, which is done in respect to the Red Hot Chili Peppers. However many of your peers believe that Gian has perfected the sock-wearing technique, making him the true king of the trademark. Do you agree/disagree, and why?
I agree. Because he keeps his style longer than RHCP!!!
Where is your favorite country to play in? Your least favorite?
I cannot say only one country. Every country we’ve been has good point for us! But I would like to be back in the USA because we have not been back over in 2 years!!!
You got a Special Thanks mention in The Go! Team’s album “Proof of Youth.” What is the relationship between you two very different but equally great bands?
Kaori, who is the guitarist, is our old friend. And they are always coming to see our London show. Nice guys! And I also like their music. I like happy songs like them! I really hope to play with them one day.
For a few years now we’ve been hearing about “Sex, Drugs and Email,” a documentary about Electric Eel Shock’s rise to fame. Will it ever see the light of day?
It is still under construction…I really hope we will be able to release it this year…
I heard somewhere that Aki was going to be the original singing voice for Krauser II in the hit movie “Detroit Metal City.” How did this opportunity come about and, dare I ask, why’d it not come to be?
Why do you know that?? The thing was coming from Sony Japan. They had an audition for that, but they could not find good voice and somebody recommended Aki. But their choice was other guy because EES joined their compilation album…it doesn’t make sense for me.
You’ve been known to do some great covers (Black Sabbath’s “Iron Man,” 44 Magnum’s “No Standing Still,” AC/DC’s “Back in Black,” Minnie Riperton’s “Lovin’ You”). What is one song that you’d like to cover but still haven’t had the chance to?
Heavy metal version of "La Bamba!" Or Lizzy Borden’s “Give ‘Em The Axe” I don’t know why, I may love bad taste.
You’re currently in Okinawa recording your latest album, which is being spent on with money raised by your fans on SellABand. What made you choose the most southern island of Japan instead of Bauhaws Studios in Amsterdam?
There are several reasons for that. One reason is Gian cannot go out of Japan for a long time. And one reason is that is a resort island and that is where in Japan we can relax! And one more reason is the studio gave us a discount!!
How do you feel the recording process has been compared to years past?
Almost finish. Only mix down is left. We are waiting for our mix engineer to be free.
Does recording help or hinder Aki’s fishing habits? If you don’t mind revealing, what are some good fishing tips our readers can use to make a bigger catch?
Aki loves fishing, Aki hates recording. He is crazy to fish; he wouldn’t mind dying for fishing… He doesn’t sleep, he always bring his fishing pole on tour. He says “Use Gary Yamamoto’s plastic baits, if you want to catch more.” Because he has a sponsorship with them…
What can fans of Electric Eel Shock expect of the new album?
Next one is our 5th or 6th album… Even we can’t count it clearly. Most bands starts to get bored and feel bored themselves from 5th to 6th album… But we never! We are still enjoying it! Because we have 2 sides of EES. One side of EES is keep changing and updating our music style. We are a chameleon, we play funky, jazzy, poppy and of course heavy metal same time. The other side of EES that never changes is the core of our music. We keep making something funny, stupid, lovely but also interesting and sharp. We love EES more than our fans! I think next album has perfect balance of both side of EES. So you will enjoy the new EES sound in the basic EES world.
Do you have a special message for your American fans?
Yes, we will be back to US finally this summer!! We will announce soon, just wait and see!
My thanks to Electric Eel Shock for taking time off from the studio to ask these questions. Look out for their new album later this year, as well as a US tour!
This is King Baby Duck: Doing the Metal and Killing the Blues with Rock 'N' Roll!
Whenever Japan Nite rolls into town, it feels like another Christmas; and this time I got some great presents! Held every year at T.T. the Bear's (this year on March 23), this year's Japan Nite (presented by BENTEN Label and SXSW Asia) had a wide variety of bands. FLiP, Omodaka, Sparta Locals, SA, detroit7 and the Emeralds.
Opening up the show with a great set was FLiP, who performed all the songs from their debut mini-album "Hahakara Umareta Hinekure no Uta," as well as a lively cover of the Cranberries song "Salvation." Watching lead singer/guitarist Sachiko onstage was like witnessing a female version of a young Kurt Cobain. I'm expecting a lot of good things in the future for this band.
Next up was the oddest one of the bunch: Omodaka. Wearing a Shinto priestess's gown and a white mask, Omodaka (whose real name is Soichi Terada) performed his entire set using a Game Boy Color, a Nintendo DS, a PSP, a synthesizer and a TV screen showing random images. Despite his weird appearance, the beats he would conjure up were worthy enough for a much bigger setting than the small Cambridge club. Let's hope he gets a gig opening for Daft Punk soon.
The band everyone was waiting for, Sparta Lo--
Okay, that was weird. Anyways, Sparta Locals came on next. I've heard many things about this band for the past few years, but it was only a week before when I first had a chance to listen to them. That being said, their live set was spectacular and energetic. Great energy, fun songs, and definitely worth the press and fanbase that they have accumulated these past 11 years.
Charging into battle next was SA (Samurai Attack), whose style was like a blend of Dropkick Murphys and the Clash. The leader singer was like a Japanese Al Barr, and about half the floor became a mosh pit. The crowd was chanting their name like crazy and singing along; even though most people couldn't understand what they were saying. They earned the ESH/B3 award for "Most Charismatic Live Act" that night.
detroit7 was a band I've been waiting all year to see live. They were at the event last year, but I missed them because they went on while I was interviewing Ketchup mania. (I also interviewed this band last year, and will one day post their interview on either ESH or B3 in the near-future.) Tomomi was awesome on guitars and vocals; Miyoko was a powerhouse on the drums; and Nobuaki was a monster on the bass. I’ve been in love with this band since I first got into Japanese music; and seeing them live was simply a sight I will never forget.
Finally, the Godfathers of Japan Nite closed the show: The Emeralds. Though half of the crowd left after Detroit7, they still rocked on and off-stage. I got onstage at the end and danced my ass off with the band. I'm really hoping that more people get a chance to see this band, as they're truly one of the best acts to see live and in person.
This was truly a memorable night, and one of the best Japan Nite shows in recent memory; perhaps since the year Stance Punks and Ellegarden rocked it in 2006. Much of the credit for this event goes to Benten Label founder Audrey Kimura. Every year she manages to find great acts that everyone seems to love. Each year the tour gets bigger and bigger, and I'm hoping that one day soon this small club tour can evolve into an arena tour. (I'm crossing my fingers that next year we'll see bands like monobright and chatmonchy on the roster.)
This is King Baby Duck: "Ain't born to lose, baby, I'm born to win. I'm so Goddamn slick, baby, it's a sin!"
Could this possibly be one of the best movies ever?
The creatures look amazing, and from the looks of it will have that magical indie feel that Spike Jonze (Adaptation, Being John Malkovich) is known for. I loved this book when I was a little kid, and I for one have high hopes for this movie.
What is a "Gintama"? Who knows. All I know is it's funny as hell!
Current OP Theme
“Gintama” takes place in an alternate 19th Century Japan, where aliens run amuck, guns are a-blazing and other wacky things ooze through the town. The show follows a trio as they perform odd jobs for any cash they cash scrounge up. The leader of the troupe, Gintoki, is a lazy Shonen Jump-reading sugar-loving-to-the-point-of-diabetes samurai whose heart sometimes gets in the way of money, but never the sweets. Second in command is Shinpachi, the somewhat brains of the operation; but a bit of a coward. Finally there’s Kagura, a small Chinese girl (who’s really an alien) with the strength of King Kong, Godzilla and Andre the Giant combined. She’s also got a puppy named Sadaharu, who's so huge that his "business" can conjure up a Mt. Poo-ji. (Sorry, couldn't resist it.) There’s no really big storyline, though there is the underlying plot about an alien war that happened a few years before; but I’m not too far into the series to know exactly the whole story.
This show is intentionally nuts, and should not be taken seriously almost at all times. The humor is top-notched, and the action is great. After watching the first four episodes I realized that this show should’ve been released in America long, long ago. In fact I find that “Gintama” is one anime samurai comedy that could possibly work on a major TV station; right in-between “The Simpsons” and “Family Guy.” It’s accessible for everyone, and you won’t be confused whatsoever. There’s no Japan-only jokes. It’s worldwide humor that all will get. Well, okay, there’s Elizabeth; a character that was described in the first episode as “What the hell is that?!” I’m up to episode 22 (in Japan it’s almost at 150), and it’s hard to stop watching. It’s the potato chip of anime: you just can’t have one.
“Gintama” gets a solid A, and the best part is that you can watch it legally online on Crunchyroll. I can’t stress this enough: watch it.
Favorite ED Theme
This is King Baby Duck: Ain't born to lose, baby, I'm born to win. I'm so Goddamn slick, baby, it's a sin!
Today's Anime Calamity looks at the new anime series "Chaos;Head."
Based on the popular visual novel video game of the same name, “Chaos;Head” focuses on a student named Takumi, a reclusive kid who can’t stand to be around in the third dimensional world. In fact he has secluded himself from his family in lives in a storage container. One day one of his only friends Misumi tells him of New Generation attacks, and to make matters worse Takumi is receiving disturbing images from an unknown sender named Shogun depicted these attacks. As soon as this happens Takumi is befriended, of sorts, by a bunch of sword-wielding women posing as students at his high school. With their help he goes out to search for the truth behind the attacks and stop them; even though wishes he could just stay in front of his PC and away from any sort of reality.
The character of Takumi can be seen as a representation of the current problems with the youth of Japan. He stays away from the outside world, surrounds himself with expensive toys and games while imagining his favorite female anime character is in the flesh and communicating with him. He’s frail and in need of psychiatric help. Nevertheless he manages to pull himself away from the false world of imagination and do his best to save the city with his friends. Although it’s not so much as an action show than it is a dark mystery series. In every episode there’s a twist and turn that keeps you coming back for more. I can’t say what’s going on ‘cause it’s really difficult to explain in words; so let’s just say a lot of screwed-up things happen in this show. But it’s an original story that’s not very common to see in anime these days.
“Chaos;Head” gets an A. It’s a unique suspense anime that you just can’t blink while watching. Otherwise you’ll miss something very important.
This is King Baby Duck: "Ain't born to lose, baby, I'm born to win. I'm so Goddamn slick, baby, it's a sin!"
The Duck is here premiering a new music reviews section (since I haven't been doing much J-VOLUTION stuff). Today we focus on the new Asobi Seksu album "Hush."
Last year I spoke highly of Asobi Seksu's last album "Citrus," saying that it would "surely be ranked up there with many of the classic albums of century's past." After putting "Citrus" so high up on the pedestal I had worried that their next album would not be up to par with it. Thankfully "Hush" puts my fears to rest.
The album opens with "Layers," which could easily be used during the holiday season; as it captures the beauty of a light snowfall in a song. "Familiar Light" showcases vocalist/keyboardist Yuki Chikudate's lyrics, as she hits the high notes with grace and ease, while guitarist James Hanna plucks away in the background (an odd change to the original Seksu sound we're familiar with). The third track, "Sing Tomorrow's Praise," brings forth the loud beauty that the band is known for: angelic lyrics, banging drums (from session drummer Gunnar Olsen) and pulsating guitars; with a psychedelic organ at the end. "Transparence" brings forth an upbeat romp towards a new day coming to greet you in a well-molded manner, mending together melodies and vocals that would even make Bono & the Edge jealous.
"In the Sky," brings forth an image of a new-born phoenix rising from the ashes, soaring higher and higher into the never-ending blue; an odd feeling considering that this album was written, according to Hanna, "while [they] felt destroyed." "I Can't See" is an odd track (for Asobi Seksu), bringing in towards a Top 40 melody. It is here where Hanna's strong vocals are shown forefront rather than in the background, as well as how well both he and Chikudate work in a perfect musical sync. "Me & Mary," the first single from the album, is the playful sex tune that makes Yuki & James a joy to listen to. "Blind Little Rain" closes the album in a somber yet relaxing tone; only to return after a minute of silence to awaken the senses with a soothing organ to sweeten the deal.
Asobi Seksu - "Me & Mary"
It is, at times, hard to describe the sound of Asobi Seksu (as mentioned in my "Citrus" review). All I can say about it is that the sound is hauntingly beautiful. One can be hypnotized by its music, its lyrics or both at the same time. Whatever the case "Hush" showcases the next chapter of Asobi Seksu's career, and this time around it's scribed by Apollo (who not only was the god of light & sun, but also of music & the arts).
"Hush" earns Asobi Seksu's second 5-star rating, putting the band a few spots higher on my list of best artists in the world. I can only hope that with this record Asobi Seksu's name gets further out into the mainstream world. Imagine the type of spectacle they'd be able to pull off in an arena filled with screaming fans, much less a small rock club.
This is King Baby Duck: "Ain't born to lose, baby, I'm born to win. I'm so Goddamn slick, baby, it's a sin!"
Today's Anime Calamity takes a look at "Hetalia: Axis Powers."
“Hetalia” or “helpless Italian” tells the story of different soldiers representing different countries during the first and second World War, and then exaggerating their biggest stereotypes. We meet Germany, who was able to infiltrate the former Roman Empire with a stick. He finds a tomato box that starts talking to him. Germany opens the box, where out pops Italy, a carefree coward that befriends the country and marches off to help him fight his battles. Unfortunately they get caught by France, and are forced to make cuckoo clocks and bills until the start of World War II.
The anime “Hetalia” is shown in five-minute segments. As of right now the first three are available and are quite humorous. The stereotypes are done in such a way that they’re too ridiculous to even be ridiculed. You just have to watch and laugh. It’s even funny seeing England and America constantly fight with one another, as America is the estranged sibling to the country. What’s also interesting about this show is the fact that even with all the wackiness in the series the show is quite educational. Throughout the program the actions of each character mirror an event that has happened in both World Wars. It’s clever, funny, and informative.
However it has come to much attention about “Hetalia,” and its portrayal of South Korea; so much that the TV airing of the show was canceled in favor of just a web viewing. Now first off I don’t see what all the fuss is all about. Every country involved in the series is picked on equally. Second it was revealed that South Korea won’t even be in the anime series, as it didn’t have a role in either World War. Third anime fans in Korea have gotten so angry about “Hetalia” to the point where they are threatening to fly to Japan and kill the original author (even though he lives in New York). As someone who listens to both sides of the story, I feel that the Korean anime and mange fanbase are overreacting about a series that should not be taken seriously. I don’t get offended when they make fun of America, and I am pretty sure no other country would feel offended by this series. So for those who feel offended by the show: shut up and get yourself a funny bone transplant.
“Hetalia: Axis Powers” gets an A-, but I really do urge you to read the original manga first. That way you might be able to follow it better.
This is King Baby Duck: "Ain't born to lose, baby, I'm born to win. I'm so Godddamn slick, baby, it's a sin."
I would like to share with all of you a new project that I am working on.
"Coffee House Central" showcases music, poetry and spoken word acts from Salem State College. We film one or two 3 hour shows a month, and then splice all the acts into 6-12 30-minute episodes.
Coffee House Central - Episode 01 - Part A
This King cannot take credit for this project, though. All thanks go to my fellow Boston Bastard Brigade member Pink Taco, who revived this event at Central Campus. Because of her these students are able to shine and show off their talent to everyone around the world.
If you'd like to check out the show, go to www.youtube.com/coffeehousecentral, or look on the channel below.
This is King Baby Duck: "Ain't born to lose, baby, I'm born to win! I'm so Goddamn slick, baby, it's a sin!"
Today's Anime Calamity looks at the new comedy "Akikan!"
"Akikan!" follows a boy named Daichi, whose can of melon soda transforms into a magical human girl. I think that about explains what the show is about.
First let’s look at what’s good about the show.
....!
Well that does it for what’s good about the show! Now let’s look at what bad about the show: EVERYTHING!!!
First off the plot is total crap! Soda cans that turn into magical girls?! Is this the best that the writers can do?! Say, do you know what you call someone who wishes a soda can could turn into a girl? A fucking psychotic loser, that’s what!!!
Second are the characters. The soda girl, Melon (ooh, clever name!), is annoying as hell and lacks any sort of depth in character! Daichi is a perverted bastard who isn’t worth a lick of sympathy. Finally we get to the villain in the show: Hidehiko, who has a clock behind his desk that reads, “I love men,” and tries to put the moves on Daichi in the first episode. Congratulations, Hidehiko! You have just single-handledly set back the hard work my friends in the GLBT community have worked on for about, oh let’s says, another 70 years!
Finally there’s the humor in the show. It’s just plain stupid. There was only one good chuckle in the entire first episode, and it was wasted in the beginning. I’m not going to tell you what it is because it’s not even worth a mention.
“Akikan!” makes “Rosario + Vampire” look like the Sistine Chapel. It’s that bad. If an American company licenses it, then their headquarters should be destroyed from the inside out!
“Akikan!” gets the lowest score ever in the Anime Calamity: F-! In fact as the J-POP Emperor I decree that if someone walks up to you and recommends that you watch it, you are allowed to punch them in the face! Not only that, but I have decided that “Akikan!” must never be spoken of again, as it is now the most vulgar word in the dictionary!
The Opening Credits (so you'll know when to pull out the gun and blast a hole through the TV):
This is King Baby Duck: "Ain't born to lose, baby, I'm born to win! I'm so Goddamn slick, baby, it's a sin!"
YouTube has begun showing some very interesting short films in their "Screening Room." One film that caught my attention was "The Big Empty."
The Big Empty
The premise of this film is simple: Selma Blair (Hellboy movies) plays Alice, a woman suffering from pain. No doctor can truly figure it out, until she meets The Specialist (Elias Koteas); who discovers that Alice has the Arctic Circle in her vagina. Yes, you read that right. Will he be able to discover a cure for Alice, or will he just exploit her for popular gain?
It's funny, interesting, and -- at times -- touching. Also, look for Hugh "Dr. Motherfucking House" Laurie in a cameo.
This is King Baby Duck: "Ain't born to lose, baby, I'm born to win. I'm so Goddamn slick, baby, it's a sin."
I accidentally stumbled on this little hidden gem called "Kagi Nochi Tobira," or the Escape Game as some like to name it. The rules are simple: find the key and unlock the door. How you do both is the difficult part. You may go through the entire game in a matter of minutes, or (as in my case) it can take a couple of hours.
To give it a whirl, check out this site: http://escape-game.com/dak_en.html
Those stuck on this game will be able to find a walk-through tutorial on YouTube, but you're going to have to find it yourself :P.
This is King Baby Duck: "Ain't born to lose, baby, I'm born to win. I'm so Goddamn slick, baby, it's a sin!"
Sorry for not posting anything lately. This Ducky's been quite busy with a few upcoming projects (more on that soon). Today's Anime Calamity looks at the romantic comedy "To-Love-Ru."
OP Theme
Rito was your average guy with a crush on the hot, quiet girl in class. One night, while taking a bath a hot alien girl named Lala falls into the tub naked with Rito. Because of a contractual obligation (i.e.: Rito copped a feel of Lala) he is now engaged to the strange alien girl. Now, with a hot alien girl with a tail in his life Rito’s life becomes less ordinary; filled with robot costumes (not costumed robots), bulky alien bodyguards who like drinking out of juice boxes, and extremely jealous classmates.
The show has a decent amount of laughs; but after watching both “Kanokon” (which will be reviewed very soon) and “Umisho” the fan-service in this series is just too tiresome. It’s not as bad as “Rosario + Vampire,” but it does get tedious at times. Plus Lala is kind of annoying and a remarkably wasteful character. Some of the supporting characters are good for laughs, but at times the bit of “boys in class getting jealous of scrawny kid with hot girl” gets played out way too many times; and it was done so much better in “Seto no Hanayome.” Despite this, the show is still watchable. There’s always something to come back to in each episode, but it does not warrant repeat viewings.
The show gets a C+. It has some good laughs, but at times it feels clichéd. If it ever gets licensed, please rent it and save your money for something else.
ED Theme
This is King Bab Duck: "Ain't born to lose, baby, I'm born to win. I'm so Goddamn slick, baby, it's a sin."
It was an interesting year, to say the least, in the J-POP world. Let's take a look at the top Japanese albums that have made my list.
10. Pistol Valve - RATATATTAT! This monster of an all-girl ska band released their long-awaited full-length CD this year, and it shows how much work these women put into their album. You might not be able to stand still during such ditties as "Please Mr. Policeman" and "My Best One," and with its ability to mix ska with techno as heard in "YES or NO" you can't help but to get up and dance.
9. Zazen Boys - Zazen Boys 4 From the Matsuri Studio comes Zazen Boys' fourth release, produced by the wonderful Dave Fridmann (The Flaming Lips, Weezer). More experimental than their last releases (and a bit funkier, too), frontman Mukai Shutoku (formerly of Number Girl) makes it his and the band's mission to make the listeners feel groovy, thanks in part to such tracks as "Idiot Funk" and "The Drifting/I Don't Wanna Be With You." Though not an album for everyone "Zazen Boys 4" is a fun CD that will put many smiles on all the indie boys and girls.
8. BORIS - Smile The masters of Japanese hardcore metal return with one of their strongest albums yet. With tracks like "Buzz-In" and "Laser Beam" it's a wonder why more metal acts haven't toured with them. (Thankfully, Trent Reznor had them open for his band Nine Inch Nails this past autumn.)
7. Dir en grey - UROBOROS Dir en grey just keeps getting better and better with each album, and "UROBOROS" proves to be their best album. From its opening "Sar Bir" and "Vinushka" to "Stuck Man" and "Bugaboo" Dir en grey shows off some of the most darkest sounds to come out of your stereo since Bauhaus released "Bela Lugosi's Dead."
6. TsuShiMaMiRe - TsuShiMaMiRe to Rock to Beer de From their raw opening "Mi Kara Deta Sabi" to its mixture of pop rock and psychedelic alternative in "Atarashii Sekai No Yoake Ha Toriaezu Rock to Beer De" the all-girl punk trio from Chiba once again prove to the world that not only can girls rock, but they can also do it a lot better than them. Also listen to "Sakuran Boy," one of the best tracks to come out of Japan this year.
5. shing02 – Waikyoku Japan’s best solo rapper finally released this album after six years in the making, and it shows why it took so long. Great storytelling in “Bijou,” amazing beats in “Nagasume” and a wonderful blend of jazz and hip-hop make this album a strong contender for best rap album of ’08.
4. the pillows – PIED PIPER Sawao Yamanaka and company finally made an album that is about worthy of placing it amongst their “Golden Four” albums of the late 90s. I think now’s the time that the rest of the world (and not just otaku) should be known about the pillows.
3. Soil & “Pimp” Sessions – Planet Pimp Last year this band’s “Pimpoint” was #1 on my J-POP album list of ’07. This year they appear again at #3 with this album, which still shows why they are the best jazz band on the planet. It’s exciting, fun and danceable for all ages.
2. TRICERATOPS - MADE IN LOVE I recently discovered this band this past year, and fell in love with their style. Their album “Made in Love” sometimes feels like a Japanese Oasis, while other times it sounds like a great blend of techno and Red Hot Chili Peppers.
1. SUEMITSU & THE SUEMITH - Shock on the Piano Billy Joel, Elton John, John Legend, and even Ben Folds should be watching their backs. SUEMITSU is about to come from behind to remind them of what real piano rock is. This album is an amazing accomplishment that both classical and rock enthusiasts can sit down and enjoy listening to.
This is King Baby Duck: "Ain't born to lose, baby, I'm born to win! I'm so Goddamn slick, baby, it's a sin!"
A few months ago I came across an album that could only be described as "Pirate Hip-Hop."
No, I do not mean "illegal hip-hop" like 2 Live Crew, I'm talking about honest-to-God-Shiver-Me-Timbers Pirate Hip-Hop! Their name is Captain Dan and the Scurvy Crew, and their album "Rimes of the Hip Hop Mariners" shows how to do a gimmick right. (Check out the song "It's All About the Booty" on iTunes to hear how brilliant it is.)
Captain Dan and the Scurvy Crew - "Yo Ho Ho"
After hearing this album I remembered a pop punk band by the name of Random Ninjas. I dropped a line to them to have them send their album to our radio station (WMWM Salem). They sent it down, and I took a listen. Again I liked what I heard.
Random Ninjas - "Oi" (Live at Anime Expo 2006)
As soon as I heard Random Ninjas, a thought popped in my head: the Ultimate Showdown between Pirates & Ninjas! We will have Captain Dan and the Scurvy Crew take on Random Ninjas in a music battle to settle this long-going battle once and for all; and I can think of no better arena than at Anime Boston 2009!
I call on both parties, as well as Anime Boston, to let this event happen. We will have each band play a 9-song set (whoever goes first will be decided in a coin toss), and then -- if necessary -- have a member of each band take each other on in an old-school battle! The winning group will be picked by the audience.
This was a good year for English-language music. So many great albums and new artists, but only ten have been deemed worthy on my annual list. Read on to see who made the cut.
10. Kaiser Chiefs - Off With Their Heads After the mediocre "The Angry Mob" last year I began to worry that Kaiser Chiefs were going to fade into obscurity. Thankfully I was wrong. Not only does OWTH top their previous album, it also proves to be much better than their "Employment" debut. Its opening track "Spanish Metal" is like a calm matador going against a raging bull that is "Never Miss a Beat," and "You Want History" is a cheery Britpop ditty that calls to the days of Madness. Tracks like "Addicted to Drugs" and "Half the Truth" also show why this is the best album to not be released in the '80s.
Kaiser Chiefs - "Never Miss a Beat"
9. The Streets - Everything is Borrowed Mike Skinner's fourth album is a bit softer than his previous takes, but that's what might make this his best work yet. The sound is very reminiscent to his first album "Original Pirate Material," which helps to disprove that you can never go home without success. "Everything is Borrowed" shows why the UK is on top of the rap game, from its opening title track and the danceable "The Sherry End." The album ends with "The Escapist": this year's most beautiful hip-hop track. Let's hope that Skinner's final album under the Streets name will be as grand as this piece of British treasure.
The Streets - "The Escapist"
8. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend When Vampire Weekend first hit the scene, people claimed they were all hype and no promise. The critics were silenced with their debut album, which mixes alt. rock with African/Jamaican tribal. (Think the Police if they had continued to evolve as a band instead of disbanding.) "A-Punk" proved to be a wonderful, simple hit, while other tracks such as "Campus" and the harpsichord-friendly "M79" tickled the ears.
Vampire Weekend - "A-Punk"
7. Weezer - The Red Album If the only good song on this CD was "The Greatest Man That Ever Lived (Variations on a Shaker Hymn)," it probably still would've made this list. Thankfully there's a lot to love on this album. The YouTube-friendly "Pork and Beans" is catchy and fun, and "Heart Songs" brings out something of the history of the band. Having Rivers Cuomo share the lead vocal position with the rest of the bandmates also helped to make this an interesting album. While still not up to par with "Pinkerton" Weezer showed that it's still got a lot of great songs under their sleeve.
Weezer - "Pork and Beans"
6. Metallica - Death Magnetic Produced by Rick Rubin, Metallica brings forth their best album in 18 years. The three-minute guitar solos are back, as well as the raw energy that made the band famous. From the opening track "That Was Just Your Life" and "Cyanide" to "The Unforgiven III" (bringing the trilogy to a stunning finale) and the instrumental "Suicide & Redemption" "Death Magnetic" still proves once and for all that Metallica are the kings of heavy metal.
Metallica - "The Day That Never Comes"
5. Ben Folds – Way to Normal Ben Folds has come a long way since his BF5 days. His recent solo album brings him back towards his classic wit and and humor in his previous solo outings, as well as some great piano playing that will make even Elton John jealous. From “Hiroshima” and “You Don’t Know Me” to “The Bitch Went Nuts” and “Effington” Benny shows how good piano folk rock is done the right way.
Ben Folds - You Don't Know Me (feat. Regina Spektor)
4. Eagles of Death Metal – Heart On The kings of sex rock return with their strongest album yet. Jesse Hughes (aka Boots Electric) and Josh Homme (aka Carlo Von Sexron) bring out the best in erotic rock. From its title track to “Wannabe in LA” there is plenty of grind-inducing riffs that will most surely cause the birth rate all over the world to greatly rise.
Eagles of Death Metal - "WannaBe in LA"
3. Flobots – Fight With Tools I think it’s safe to say that we don’t need Rage Against the Machine to release another album. This Colorado group has made an album that’s not only catchy but also political in the right ways. Their hit song "Handlebars" is just the icing on the cake on this amazing CD. "Mayday!!!" and "Rise" shine the most on this album, but the rest of the tracks also are bright with great beats and lyrics. Look out for this band in 2009. If you saw them in a small club this year, you're lucky. Next year they'll probably be taking their songs to your arenas (and possibly stadiums).
Flobots - "Handlebars"
2. Coldplay – Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends No longer can this band be considered a light U2. Chris Martin and company made an album that blends J-POP, Britpop and classic strings; and transformed it into one of this year’s most powerful albums. It speaks to so many people in so many volumes, and has a soulful tune that no one can turn their ear away from.
Coldplay - "Viva La Vida"
1. The Gutter Twins – Saturnalia Mark Lanegan and Greg Dulli’s new band shines in the darkness thanks to their long-awaited debut album. Like a soft apocalypse in your ear canal “Saturnalia” is a desert road album that you play alongside the Four Horsemen. What makes this album the best of the year is its mix of dark undertones with beautifully orchestrated rock music. The album opens with the rapture in "The Stations," stops in the middle for "Circle the Fringes" (which should have its own music video, IMO) and ends peacefully at "Front Street." "Saturnalia" is fantastic from start to finish, and is a big reminder to everyone on how to do a dark rock album properly.
The Gutter Twins - "All Misery/Flowers"
Look out for the J-POP Top 10 sometime soon. Until then, this is King Baby Duck saying, "Ain't born to lose, baby, I'm born to win! I'm so Goddamn slick, baby, it's a sin!"
The Sistahood is about to get some new neighbors...
You might have read about it on their Facebook, but it's finally hitting your desktop! The Boston Bastard Brigade (or B3) is coming for you, so you better prepare! Join me, along with new crew members Blueonic, Dark Heart, Bam Bam, Pink Taco, and Spoony Sleuth as we talk gaming, anime, music, film, TV, sports, and what's pissing us off in our "Oh, For Fuck's Sake!" section.
As of this writing there have been two episodes recorded (one in October, one in November), plus the interview I did with Japanese punk band TsuShiMaMiRe back in September. More will be coming each week (or every other week depending on our schedules), so look out for more info as the days go by.
B3: Coming this December...
This is King Baby Duck: "Ain't born to lose, baby, I'm born to win! I'm so Goddamn slick, baby, it's a sin!"
I apologize for not posting for so long. I have been busy with paper after paper at my college. (God, I'm so happy I'm done in December!) Anyways, today's Anime Calamity looks at "Special A."
Opening Theme:
Hikari has always been behind her childhood friend (or rival) Takashima. Since the age of six, when Takashima defeated Hikari in a wrestling match, she had sworn that she would defeat Takashima in anything that is challengeable. Now, both in high school, both are in the Special A ranking; which means they are the top students in the class. Takashima is the #1 student; and Hikari is the #2, which earns her the nickname “ni-san.” However, despite their rivalry, Hikari is unaware that Takashima is in love with her. Will Hikari realize that she is number one in Takashima’s heart? One can only speculate.
This sounds like your ordinary shojo anime series; and it is to an extent. Yet behind this lovey-dovey story are a lot of great plotlines and hilarious gags that will keep your belly sore for days to come. The other members of Special A are also quite silly such as Megumi, who only speaks with giant cue cards due to the fact that her voice destroys buildings; Tadashi, the wanderlust student who is frequently attacked by some of the other members; Ryuu, the animal lover that seems to be breaking some sort of animal protection act by keeping some of the most endangered species as pets; and Akira, who is fond of cute girls, but is not a lesbian and is really in love with Tadashi.
Even with its 26-episode season, the series doesn’t lose its luster. However, when I started to watch it I was worried that they might drag the secret love thing a bit too long. (I really hate it when shows do that. If you love someone, just say it!) However, if that were to happen, the show will probably be over, and some people might not like that. I did worry that the inevitable cooking episode showed up in Episode 3, which usually signals the slow painful death for a show; but in all honesty it was a good episode. Sure, the main heroine can never cook, but it’s all about how the scriptwriter tells the story; and they did it quite well. The show is fun and silly, with a good romantic side of it. It has a lot of good qualities that will please both sexes. (It’s even better than the original manga, which is a bit too slow-paced compared with its anime counterpart.)
Ending Theme:
The series earns an A-. It’s a clever shojo anime filled with laughter and a couple tears; and will surely be yet another series one should look out for in the near future.
This is King Baby Duck: "Ain't born to lose, baby, I'm born to win! I'm so Goddamn slick, baby, it's a sin!"
To fully understand what Dir en grey is about, you need to see them live. I did just that last night at Boston's Wilbur Theatre, along with my Boston Bastard Brigade cohost Pink Taco. We got there 15 minutes late, but all we missed was the first couple songs by DeG's opening act the Human Abstract. They were good, but they were a little bit too strobe light happy. Anyone with Epilepsy going to this show would've probably been hospitalized with the first 3 minutes of what I saw.
After setting up, Dir en grey finally emerged from the darkness. Kyo arrived and stood on his pedestal. No "Hello Boston," no wave to the crowd; just an evil stare towards the screaming fans (mostly from the women). From their first track ("Obscure") to their last ("The IIID Empire") Dir en grey was at their A-game. Kyo's vocals were at full force, screaming from the top of his lungs and singing his heart out. This was best heard in the unplugged version of "Aggitated Screams of Maggot" (which they also played plugged), "Merciless Cult" and "Dozing Green."
Dir en grey - "Merciless Cult" [Live]
The show was filled with surprise tracks, with the band digging through songs that have never even been released in the States yet (such as "Obscure" and "The IIID Empire"). Hopefully, if demand is high enough, we will see Dir en grey's earlier work being released in America. Some of the set introduced new tracks from their recently released "Uroborous," with "Glass Skin" and "Toguro" sounding just as loud and nasty as they do on the CD.
Guitarist Die and bassist Toshiya were having a ball on stage, eating up all the audience's applause and screams; while Kaoru played to the far-right of the stage for the most part until the end. Drummer Shinya proved that he is one of Asia's top drummers, smashing and bashing his way on a drum kit with so many cymbals that it could almost make Dream Theater envious. Kyo, the center of everyone's attention, was a wonder to watch; from his dancing to his five-minute acoustic screaming (yes, acoustic screaming). One may wonder if he'll ruin his vocal chords again, as he did in '06. (He is also partially deaf in his left ear.) He only spoke to the audience once (to introduce "Saku"), but perhaps as a theatrical rocker he did not want to break the fourth wall too much. The fans didn't mind, and I didn't mind either. (I was also shocked that Kyo didn't do his trademark self-mutilation. Maybe he didn't have enough fake blood that night. At least I think it's fake...)
Dir en grey - "Agitated Screams of Maggot" [Live]
Although not the greatest show I've ever been to, Dir en grey put on a memorable and entertaining concert that everyone who was there will remember for years to come. (Pink Taco thought they were "pretty good" too.)
Setlist: 1. Obscure 2. Grief 3. Agitated Screams of Maggots 4. Disabled Complexes 5. The Fatal Believer 6. 蜷局 (Toguro) 7. 艶かしき安息、躊躇いに微笑み (Namamekashiki Ansoku, Tomadoi ni Hohoemi) 8. Agitated Screams of Maggots -unplugged- 9. Conceived Sorrow 10. Glass Skin 11. 凌辱の雨 (Ryoujoku no Ame) -acapella- 12. Hydra -666- 13. Merciless Cult 14. The Deeper Vileness 15. Dozing Green 16. Repetition of Hatred
Dir en grey's new album "Uroboros" is now in stores, and will be continuing to tour America through December 5. Check the dates below and go as if your life depends on it!
11/16 - Kool Haus - Toronto, ON 11/18 - Clutch Cargo's - Pontiac, MI 11/19 - House of Blues - Chicago, IL 11/20 - First Avenue - Minneapolis, MN 11/22 - The Eagles Club - Milwaukee, WI 11/23 - Pop's - Sauget, IL 11/25 - House of Blues - Houston, TX 11/26 - Palladium Ballroom - Dallas, TX 11/28 - Marquee Theatre - Tempe, AZ 11/29 - The Wiltern LG - Los Angeles, CA 11/30 - Warfield Theatre - San Francisco, CA 12/2 - Hawthorne Theatre - Portland, OR 12/3 - The Showbox - Seattle, WA 12/5 - Gothic Theatre - Englewood, CO
This is King Baby Duck: "Ain't born to lose, baby, I'm born to win! I'm so Goddamn slick, baby, it's a sin."
When I started watching "Samurai Champloo" a couple years back, my ears caught the sound of an amazing rapper. As the curious ducky that I am, after I watched the first episode I went online to check out who it was. My search found one name: Shing02.
Since 1998, when he first started recording under the Mary Joy Recordings label, Shing02 has been changing the underground rap scene dramatically. From his fast and philosophical lines to his catchy, original beats Shing02 has proven to anyone who listens that he is one of the world's best. This year marked the release of his long-awaited (and brilliant) album "Waikyoku." Via email I decided to ask him a few questions about his past, his career, and his hopeful future.
King Baby Duck: Do you remember the first rap album you ever bought?
Shing02: I actually don't, regardless of genre! I remember when I got my first Walkman though, that was in junior high. I thought it was so crazy to listen to music with ear phones. I remember dubbing a lot of my sister's music collection, and swapping cassettes with friends in Japan. I was a very casual listener until i moved up to college, that's when I really got into the music "scene" which was absent in my high school days.
KBD: When did you realize that you had this sort of musical talent? What inspired you to go forth on the path of an aspired rapper?
S02: I don't know how you define musical talent, but I started making hip-hop because it was fun. I enjoyed every single aspect of it, like writing, recording, mixing, doing the album covers, selling it at stores, etc, the whole DIY [Do It Yourself] ethic, and finally doing shows and tours off your work, which did take a long time to develop.
I would have to say my environment that I was brought up in as an artist inspired me the most, if it weren't for my fellow artists and friends in the Bay Area I would not be making music right now. Maybe some kind of art, but most likely not an MC.
KBD: You have lived in many different parts of the world. You were born in Japan, raised in Tanzania and England, and now currently reside in California . How have the cultures of these different worlds inspired you to be the person and artist that you are today?
S02: I think seeing different sceneries when you're young and having diversity ingrained in you as a child is very fortunate. My parents were definitely thinking ahead. (For instance, making sure my name would be easy to pronounce, etc.)
My dad was a businessman so we moved around a lot. It was definitely hard leaving friends behind every time, but you learn to adapt wherever you go. I know some kids who couldn't fit in to any culture as a result, so I am lucky my family kept me positive.
Interestingly enough, I've been sort of a hermit in terms of having a home because of my childhood, I think. I live in LA now, but I was in the Bay Area for 18 years because it was so comfortable. I still love touring and traveling though.
Shing02 (prod. Eccy) - Ultimate High
KBD: You’ve collaborated with the likes of DJ Krush, Nujabes, DJ A-1, DJ $HIN, and many others. Who has been your favorite person you’ve worked with?
S02: I've learned something new form every collaborator, because they all have very distinct styles, and because I always look for those type of people to work with. The best situation is to do something you've never done before, so you challenge yourself to grow.
Working with the sorts of DJ Krush, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Tadanobu Asano would be something I never dreamed of when I started, but it definitely wouldn't have happened if I didn't make sure I was satisfied with every project along the way.
KBD: Many people know you from the song "battlecry" (with Nujabes), which was featured in the hit anime series "Samurai Champloo." How did performing this theme song come to be, and do you feel that something like "Samurai Champloo" helped to bring the sounds of Japanese underground hip-hop into the ears of the mainstream crowd?
S02: I first worked with Nujabes on a song called Luv(sic). When I first heard the beat I knew I had to rhyme over it, so I had to beg Pase Rock to give it to me who was originally going to use it.
The Luv(sic) series have been popular (part 3 and counting) so I'm quite happy about that. So after working with Nujabes on several projects, he asked me to do Battlecry. Originally I did a Japanese version on a different instrumental of his but he didn't like it (I did!) so we switched to a darker beat for the English version. At the time I recorded it, I had no idea it would be syndicated in the US, so it's been interesting to see people get into my work because of it.
KBD: You invented an instrument called the Vestex Faderboard. Where did this idea originate from, and how do you feel about the fact that many other people in the rap industry are using it?
S02: The idea came from different sources. As much as I was into writing songs, being around world class scratch DJs had me thinking about experimental sounds. One day I just put it all together and came up with the idea that I could duplicate with a multi-track recorder, and the rest is history.
You can check out the FAQ page for more info (http://www.e22.com/faderboard/). I'm really glad people continue to use it all over the world. The distribution is very limited now, but the idea will get out more in the future. Hopefully upgrades.
Shing02 (with DJ A-1) - Embrace [LIVE]
KBD: Your latest album, "Waikyoku," was recently released in many parts of the world. I remember hearing a couple of the demo tracks from the album over two years ago, notably "Jukou," "Houyou" and "Nagusame," and how it felt refreshing to hear something new and refreshing in the hip-hop world. Was there an idea for a concept for this album (perhaps dealing with "Waikyoku," or "torture" as it is translated)? What was the lengthy process of making this album like?
S02: Waikyoku actually means Distortion (as in a story) or Contortion (of a shape). Wai is like Y, the chromosome, Kyoku also means Song, so a lot of play on words. I just thought it would be a good title so I had it saved for like ten years. The concept was really dealing with being human and overcoming trials and tribulations from the spiritual side.
Musically, I wanted to keep it analog and organic as much as possible. I started out sampling sounds from my drummer Motoki and musicians around me to build the basic track. Then I got busy finding antique gear for mixing and adding EFX over the tracks. Dub music influenced me a lot over the years too.
Making the whole album was very much like creating a feature film. Although it involves a lot less people, I feel the effect you can have on a listener is just as great because it asks for the visual imagination of the audience. The final phase of editing in Tokyo was so hardcore, I was holed up in a studio for two months. I don't think I can ever go through something that strenuous for a while. when I finished mastering, I joked around with my mates that I had PTSD (Pro Tools Stress Disorder), no disrespect. I did not want to look at waveforms for a while.
KBD: You’ve mixed many different styles into your music, such as the Pink Floyd-ish "Shakunetsu," the reggae feeling in "Saikou," and the traditional Japanese flavor in "Kushi to Kanzashi." When writing a song do you already have in mind the beat and feel of how it will sound, or does the idea of the rhythm appear after the song has been scribed?
S02: With an album like this one, the songs literally took a life on their own after a while. Or I allowed elements to brew on purpose, just for kicks. For example, after I finish the basic track and the rhyme, I would take a step back to see what would make it complete.
Sometimes it took months, if not years, for the right concept or musician to come along and make it full. It was really about paying attention to the layering that would enhance the vibe the most.
It's not the most efficient way to work, but I am glad I took the time for this particular album. Looking back I was too ambitious to involve so many live musicians, but being able to feature the talent was the reward that I was looking for.
KBD: The two-part song "Bijou" tells a story of some kind with exciting speed and flow. However, as it is a story told in Japanese, the story is lost in the ears of the gaijin (foreigners). If you can, please describe the tale for the non-Japanese listeners.
S02: OK :) The gist of the story is about the Hunter (Karma) meeting the Princess (Mei), by way of freeing this creature (Bijou) from a trap. By the end of the story (lol), he is involved in a war, risking his life to save the Princess, and he doesn't even know whether he trusts her or vice versa. At the same time, he subtly confesses to the audience that it was actually his trap that caught Bijou in the first place. The narrative also suggests that the creature may not have existed at all.
So the story is really a tale about love, how we get entangled into relationships (AKA war between two nations) but it's really our own undoing in the first place. How educational. Anyways, writing the story was a lot of fun, I actually wrote the entire tale from the perspective of four characters, and I had to cut a lot of the narrative out while editing (a la movies) so I might have to retell the tale in different episodes.
Also working with Kakushin Nishihara (biwa) and Philip Gelb (shakuhachi) for the intros and outros was so crucial to this play, it really wouldn't have happened without it.
Kakushin's late teacher (Kinshi Tsuruta) was a collaborator of Toru Takeitmitsu for the epic "November Steps", which was a huge inspiration as well. Kakushin now has a biwa version of the whole tale, which is wonderful. I don't think an original biwa score has been written in a while, at least in this kind of production.
KBD: Do you think that Japanese music has (or ever will) become popular in America as it has in many other different parts of the world? How is music able to break the language barrier so much easier than other forms of communication?
S02: I think the good thing about the current technology is that if you're interested about anything, you can grab the information instantaneously. It's quite a luxury we take for granted.
Even in my eyes Japanese music is often looked upon as extremes (pop or quirky), so I would like keep feeding the world of music that I think is universally interesting.
KBD: Besides your hip-hop stuff, you are also involved with the futuristic jazz trio Kosmic Renaissance. How was this band formed, and how do you balance both styles of music? Do you feel that jazz and hip-hop still share a strong connection, or has this connection weakened as years passed?
S02: The band was formed as a result of me carrying around the Faderboard and reaching out to musicians to spread the word. I have to credit Charles Brack for putting us together.
Honestly I haven't really balanced my hip-hop style and the free jazz too much, I like to keep things separate somehow. I can envision rapping when I am old, and also playing Faderboard when I'm even older. (Maybe develop some crazy natural transforming.)
My involvement with music comes in circles. When I started Kosmic Renaissance I was purely interested in sound, I had little inspiration to rap. Back then around 2003, with the global turmoil I had to go back to re-learning music because I actually felt I wasn't getting anywhere with words. I lost confidence in shooting blanks at the world, it was that deep. Now I feel I can relate to music in a positive light, so I am very grateful I'm able to continue doing it.
KBD: Not only do you keep yourself active in the music world, but also in the activist world; most notably "Stop Rokkasho" (founded by Oscar-winning composer Ryuichi Sakamoto), which deals with the dangers of the recently-built Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant. How important is it to have a voice in a matter such as this (or for anything with a greater cause), and how did you find yourself becoming part of something that was crucial to the world?
S02: It's extremely important, because the more you learn, the more you'll be conscious of your actions and how you can influence the world. You need knowledge in order to form an opinion, so you can speak on it at the least.
The energy issue is really all about values at the end of the day, whether you choose to exploit natural resources at the expense of the environment and more immediately, health issues. People have a right to be alerted to the truth. I encourage people to look at both sides of the issue and not just listen to the benefits that corporations advertise. That's too easy.
Shing02 - Nagusame
KBD: It seems that a lot more people are listening to more hip-hop with a more peaceful, and hopeful image (i.e.: Flobots, Gnarls Barkley, and the Streets to name a few). Do you think the changing times (political, economical, environmental, etc…) have something to do with the rise of serene rap, or do you think that it is something else?
S02: That's what everybody is saying, but times have been changing drastically every year. Music serves both as tools of education and entertainment. Some people are good at one thing, some are good at both.
I have no knock on the current state of music. As long as the creators are responsible enough things are going to be alright.
KBD: What’s the future hold for Shing02? Any touring plans that the American fans should look out for?
S02: I really don't know what the future holds. I really don't make extended plans because the world is in a flux. It's more important to be available whenever the opportunities arise.
Right now I'm in the works to make more stuff with talented people, and I just want to travel more!
I would like to thank Shing02 for taking time off his schedule to answer these questions. His new album "Waikyoku" is available on iTunes, as well as his "iTunes Live From Tokyo" EP. I urge you all to check these out, as well as some of Shing02's earlier works!
This is King Baby Duck: "Original organic till the day that I die!"
On today's Anime Calamity, we look at the drama series "H20: Footprints in the Sand."
OP Theme:
Based off of the Visual Dating H-Game (yes, another porno game adapted into an anime. Who knew?) H2O follows Hirose, a boy who was blinded by a strange condition that might have been related to the death of his mother. While there he meets three women: Hayami, an outcast whose family was kicked out of the village; Hinata, the granddaughter of the village headman; and Otoha, a spirit who only Hirose can see. When Otoha gives Hirose the ability to see again he manages to help Hayami become one with the village people again. However, when Hinata’s grandfather finds out about Hirose and Hayami he does everything in his power to break their love and friendship about (including revealing to Hirose the reason why his mother committed suicide).
This is a series that has a bit of a problem with trying to balance light comedy with extremely dark drama. Although the series is good, it really isn’t for everyone. There are scenes where Hayami is beaten by some of the male students, which may be very disturbing to some people; as well as the way Hinata’s grandfather treats both Hayami and Hinata (from beating his granddaughter to trying to kill Hayami). However if you are able to look past the dark undertones of the series you’ll be able to find a good plotline that may not be original; but it is quite different from what is usually being done in the animation world. My grade for the series is a B-. Nice story, good characters, but at times too dark for its own good.
ED Theme:
This is King Baby Duck: "Ain't born to lose, baby, I'm born to win! I'm so Goddamn slick, baby, it's a sin!"
Like a terrorist from Hell comes the metal comedy "Detroit Metal City."
OP Theme - SATSUGAI (Murder)
Negishi leaves his farm home to live in Tokyo, with a dream to become a famous pop singer. Unfortunately he winds up becoming Krauser II, the lead singer and guitarist of Detroit Metal City; a death metal band that sings about death, murder, rape, sex, and other vulgar acts. DMC winds up becoming a huge band, but Negishi’s pop star dreams still flourish. Will he be able to shed off the death metal shtick, or will Krauser II overpower Negishi, making him become a true death metal god?
We have found our next Spinal Tap! To see the band members out of character, and then see them onstage is like watching two completely different characters for each person. Plus, the secondary characters are a riot, as well. The real star is the Death Records Manager, who spits f-bombs and c-words like free $100 bills and tortures the entire band to make them more death metal-ish. The sweetie in the show is Yuri, an old friend of Negishi who he still loves. He has a chance to show his true feelings, but every time he's interrupted by his Krauser alter-ego. What happens is too funny for words, but what he does I can’t say here. Your going to have to watch it yourself. Negishi and his Krauser character is something like a cross between "Metalocalypse" characters Nathan Explosion and Toki: a soft, scrawny man with an intimidating double. Anyone who loves that [adult swim] show will love “Detroit Metal City.” Plus with the live-action movie out now in Japan -- and with many offers to bring this film to America -- this anime series will greatly prepare you for what looks like the comedy event of the year.
“Detroit Metal City” gets an A. This is Japan’s wonderful answer to “Metalocalypse”: great metal, hilarious characters, and fun for college students everywhere to watch. Let’s hope the live-action movie is just as good.
Actual Video for "SATSUGAI" for DMC Movie
This is King Baby Duck: "Ain't born to lose, baby, I'm born to win! I'm so Goddamn slick, baby, it's a sin!"
It’s that time of the year again: new fall anime. Today we look at the romantic comedy “Toradora!” which means “Tiger (Tora) Dragon (Dora).”
Toradora! OP Theme
Based on the light novels by Yuyuko Takemiya, the story follows Ryuji, a second-year high school student who’s nice, but due to having the eyes of a cold-hearted murderer everyone except his friend Yuusaku thinks he's a bully. On the first day of classes, he literally walks into Taiga; a woman who can only be described as the female reincarnation of, well, let’s say Satan. When he goes back to class, Ryuji sees the desks all messed up; and Taiga rolling out of a locker. He goes to grab his bag, only to have Taiga attack him. At home, he finds an envelope in his bag addressed to Yuusaku from Taiga. Out of nowhere Taiga appears in Ryuji’s house, attacking him for knowing the existence of the envelope. When it’s revealed that the envelope is empty -- and Taiga looking all-so embarrassed for trying out the love letter cliché -- Ryuji shows her a box of stuff he wants to give to the woman he loves; but doesn’t have the balks to confess to. Taiga quickly finds out that Ryuji’s in love with Minori, one of her best friends. In order to keep Ryuji’s secret love from being revealed, he decides to help out Taiga with not just Yuusaku, but also with everything else she needs.
“Toradora!” is a series that, so far, has a good balance of humor and sweetness. Even though Taiga is going to be the type of girl who won’t let her soft side be seen until near the end of the show, it should be interesting to watch as she slowly progresses to being an open person. Ryuji (whose first syllable “Ryu” means “dragon”) is one of the rare leading male characters who looks evil, but is kindhearted in every sense of the word. The comedic action sequences are well-animated, but there are a couple of sketchy corners here and there that the animators could’ve cleaned up with before going to broadcast. Finally, the storyline is well thought-out. Instead of the usual “boy-meets-girl and become lovers,” we have “guy meets cynic and is blackmailed in order to keep his love interest a secret.” It might’ve been done before in past anime, but it’s not that often that we get this sort of treat.
The first episode of “Toradora!” gets an A-. It looks like we’re going to be in for another good romantic comedy this year. Let’s just hope that the writing staff won’t run out of things to come up with; as some other series have in years past.
Toradora! End Theme
This is King Baby Duck: "Ain't born to lose, baby, I'm born to win! I'm so Goddamn slick, baby, it's a sin."
Just why isn't this song playing on the radio here?!
Anna Tsuchiya - Rose
First opening theme to "NANA." Wes Borland (Limp Bizkit), Josh Freese (Nine Inch Nails, A Perfect Circle), and Chis Chaney (Jane's Addiction) plays guitars, drums, and bass respectively.
GING NANG BOYZ - I Don't Wanna Die (Aidonwanadai) [LIVE]
I was trying to find the actual video for this song, but I couldn't find it. If anyone finds it, be warned of the sex!
Thee Michelle Gun Elephant - Out Blues [Live]
Their album "Gear Blues" was called "hard muscle and euphoric velocity" by Rolling Stone Magazine. Yes, the American print of Rolling Stone. Sadly, TMGE disbanded a couple years ago; but look up Chiba Yuusuke's new band the Birthday, who are just as equally good.
m-flo - Luvotomy ~ m-flo loves Namie Amuro [LIVE]
Let it be known that m-flo brought the SexyBack before Timberlake with the album "Astromantic." Their recent album "COSMICOLOR" proves that they can create tracks that make even Diddy shit his pants in fear.
And with VERBAL book-ending this segment (once in Teriyaki Boyz, the other in m-flo), I close this segment for today.
This is King Baby Duck: "Ain't born to lose, baby, I'm born to win! I'm so Goddamn slick, baby, it's a sin."
What happens when you mix punk, rock, ska, and then place it in the hands of three Japanese girls? You get the best all-girl band on the planet: TsuShiMaMiRe!
Since 1999, TsuShiMaMiRe has rocked both America in Japan with their songs about food, sex, and death (and sometimes all three at once). Composed of Mari (vocalist and guitarist), Yayoi (the self-proclaimed "fucking crazy bassist") and Mizue (the greatest female drummer in the world). Their styles range from soft in heart to evil as hell; and this wide variety of song styles makes them an act you can't miss!
TsuShiMaMiRe - Air control remote control
They have so far released three albums (the critically-acclaimed "Pregnant Fantasy," "no-miso shortcake," and "TsuShiMaMiRe to Rock to Beer de), a couple singles, two mini-albums ("Love and Peace & BOU" and "Six Mix Girls"), and a Live DVD that captures a live show in Japan and clips from a couple US tours. Out of the seven US Tours they've done, two were with the famous Suicide Girls burlesque show. The second tour was where this Duckie met and befriended the girls.
TsuShiMaMiRe - no-miso shortcake (Live)
Last night, I went and interviewed TsuShiMaMiRe at the Middle East in Cambridge, MA (which may appear on here in text or in a special audio form). I won't reveal much, but they told me that they are going to be appearing in a music video on Cartoon Network featuring the Powerpuff Girls starting next month; which will help TsuShiMaMiRe more well-known in the eyes of many. They also dream of opening for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, which I think could happen very soon; considering J-METAL band BORIS will be opening for Nine Inch Nails in November & December, and J-PUNK band melt-banana opened for Tool last year. After the interview I was treated with one of the most exciting shows I've ever witnessed (even more than Queens of the Stone Age). These women are not just proof that women can rock, but that they can do it much better than the guys.
TsuShiMaMiRe - Sakuran Boy
"Pregnant Fantasy" is available on CD and iTunes, "no-miso shortcake" & "TsuShiMaMiRe to Rock to Beer de" are available on iTunes, and "Six Mix Girls" is currently only available on their US Tour. I highly recommend checking out this band more than any other group from Japan. Their music is catchy, experimental, and just simply amazing!
The Duck hath returned with another great music act to look out for from the Land of the Rising Sun. This week we look at monobright!
I was watching Space Shower TV (greatest music channel ever, by the way) while staying in Japan one July week in '07, and monobright's first mainstream single came onto the TV. It was called "Mikansei Riot" (or "Incomplete Riot"). For almost four minutes I was spellbound by the most original rock 'n' roll I had heard in years.
monobright - Mikansei Riot
The following Thursday I was in Shibuya, where I picked up the new single; as well as their indie EP "monobright zero." When I listened to both, my thoughts had been confirmed: monobright was going to be the next big thing in Japan, and possibly the world.
Following "Mikansei Riot" came "Atama no Naka no SOS," a bit similar to the first single, but with more of a skip-down-the-street-happily feel to it. Then, their first major album "monobright one" was released a month after. The album mixed past rock, blues, and the current sound to make one solid CD.
monobright - wARp
In late-January came "wARP," a single that opened with something sounding like the classic Adam West "Batman" series; which brought a nostalgic sound into my ears. It was followed in May by monobright's next EP "Ano Toumei Kan to Shounen." That month also saw the band hit the UK for the first time, meeting success by both fans and critics. Whether or not monobright will hit the US anytime soon is anyone's guess; but let it be know that once they do it'll be hard to not notice this band.
monobright - Ano Toumei Kan to Shounen
monobright's music is not currently available in the US (or the rest of the world), but if you got money to spare I highly recommend importing their music through either CDJapan or HMV Japan. If demand is high enough, maybe a good-natured indie record company might pick them up (looking at you, Matador Records!).
This is King Baby Duck: "Ain't born to lose, baby, I'm born to win. I'm so Goddamn slick, baby, it's a sin!"
So many Japanese CDs to review, yet so many bands that are needed to be heard. Welcome to the first of a (hopefully) weekly look at Japanese music that truly matters. Today we look at Electric Eel Shock.
I first heard of Electric Eel Shock while looking on the website of the popular South By Southwest (SXSW) festival in 2006. Each year I look on the site to see which bands from the Land of the Rising Sun will grace this spectacular event. That year, Electric Eel Shock would be playing there. The song they had listed for a free listen was the addictive "Scream For Me," from their 2005 album "Beat Me."
Electric Eel Shock - "Scream For Me"
Composed of Akihito Morimoto (vocals, guitar), Kazuto Maekawa (bass), and Gian (drums, cock sock), this Japanese heavy metal trio eats, breathes, sleeps, and bones pure heavy metal rock 'n' roll! Not only that, but their live shows are simply a marvel to watch. In June of 2006 they played a show in Cambridge, MA at the surely-to-be-famous-one-day Middle East. My cousin and I caught their show, and had the chance to meet the trio; who were the most down-to-earth guys I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. That night, in that tiny club, they played a show that was football stadium-worthy. I knew right then and there that Electric Eel Shock would be one of the biggest bands of all time.
Electric Eel Shock - "Suicide Rock 'n' Roll"
They have released four albums so far: "Slayers Bay Blues," "Go USA!" (or "Go Europe" in non-American countries), "Beat Me," and "Transworld Ultra Rock." Each album has been able to capture their live sound to a key, a feat that many bands have dreamed of doing. The mix of heavy metal, hard rock, and punk has also helped Electric Eel Shock with creating a distinct sound (meaning that when you hear one of their tracks out of the blue, you know it's them). They have also made fans of the likes of Ozzy Osbourne, Bloodhound Gang, Judas Priest, and the Presidents of the United States of America to name just a couple. Plus, this year, they were the fastest band ever to raise $50,000 to make their next album on the new site SellABand. Their fanbase is continuously growing, and soon not even the biggest rock festivals will be able to contain their sound. In short: Electric Eel Shock is one of the top bands that every person should turn their ears towards.
This is the full show from the SellABand Festival. (Sadly, Gian has not been able to tour outside of Japan due to him taking care of his Mom; who is recovering from cancer. My thoughts, prayers, and wishes go out to his entire family; and I hope a speedy recovery comes soon for the mother of one of the world's greatest drummers!)
This is King Baby Duck: Ain't born to lose, baby, I'm born to win! I'm so Goddamn slick, baby, it's a sin!
Today's Anime Calamity looks at the motion picture "The Girl Who Leapt Through Time." And like time, this review waits for no one.
Makoto is having the worst day of her life. She loses her pudding to her sister, falls asleep during a surprise test, almost burns down the school kitchen during Home EC, and is crushed by a student that lands on top of her. While bringing her fellow students’ notebooks up to the lab, she hears a noise coming from the back room. Makoto looks inside, but sees nothing. A sudden noise causes her to trip and fall on top of an acorn-looking object, sending her and her brain through a series of trippy visuals. After she returns to the real world, Makoto heads home. Unfortunately, she learns that her bicycle brakes have been shot; and she is sent flying into an oncoming train. When she is just about to die, Makoto is sent back just a moment’s time before she hits the train. In a state of shock, she runs to her aunt; who tells her of the concept of “time-leaping,” where a person literally leaps from the present, and lands in a past moment.
After learning this new trick of hers, Makoto uses the power of time-leaping to her advantage; such as grabbing the pudding before her sister gets it, singing in a never-ending session of karaoke, acing the surprise test, and avoiding adverse incidents involving her friend Chiaki, who starts thinking of Makoto in another way. Eventually Makoto finds that this new power of hers is limited, so she starts to use it to make things right with everyone, like helping her friend Kousuke to notice a girl that likes him. However, an incident occurs where Kousuke steals Makoto’s broken bike; and is about to be killed with his new girlfriend in the same accident that would’ve killed Makoto. Just as it is about to happen time stops again, and Makoto goes face-to-face with someone who is very familiar to her. Who is it, and how is it related to time-leaping?
To call this film a prime example of animation at its best is an understatement. The characters and the settings are as bright and beautiful as many top-notched Disney flicks. The storyline is whimsical, and it teaches a valuable lesson on how one can spend time correctly (as it is commonly reminded that “Time waits for no one.”) The voice actors and actresses -- like Riisa Naka’s Motoko and Takuya Ishida’s Chiyaki -- are played so well that it even outshines a lot of the real-life teenage stars. The music, composed by Kiyoshi Yoshida, is written so beautifully that if Claude Debussy were alive today he would have tears of joy running down his face. Finally, the movie was told so astoundingly that anyone, from the youngest child to the eldest person, could follow it without confusion.
However, what makes me upset about this film is the fact that it was not given a chance here in America. There should’ve been no reason why “The Girl Who Leapt Through Time” couldn’t have been picked up by a major film studio, or even a small independent one like Focus Features or Fox Searchlight. How a movie like this was easily brushed away -- and movies like “Disaster Movie” and “Mamma Mia” are given inexcusable amounts of promotion and screen time -- is beyond my comprehension. Granted it’s an anime from Japan, but this is the first time I’ve ever watched an anime that could easily draw anyone’s attention in. Kids, teenagers, college kids, adults, and senior citizens will leave a movie like this with a lighter heart and a thoughtful outlook on life. In laymen’s terms, this movie was made to make anyone feel good; and it does the job perfectly.
“The Girl Who Leapt Through Time” is a five-star movie, hands-down one of the most amazing animated flicks I’ve ever seen. The real tragedy of this flick, as I’ve said, was that it didn’t get the wide release it most definitely deserved. If it comes to your town, I heavily urge you to go see it with your friends and family. If not, look for it on DVD sometime this year from Bandai Entertainment; who should be given a medal for bringing a gem like this to our shores.
This is King Baby Duck: Ain't born to lose, baby, I'm born to win! I'm so Goddamn slick, baby, it's a sin!
The Royal Quackster is here, days before he and Pandalicious go off on their final semester at The College That Must Not Be Named. Today's Anime Calamity takes a look at the series "Library War" (Toshokan Sensō). In 1989, the Japanese government passed the Media Betterment Act to protect the youth from being influenced by negative materials in the media. To counter this, the country established the "Library Defense Forces" to prevent the Media Betterment Act agents from infringing on people's right to access media deemed as banned material. One day Iku Kasahara had been accosted by an MBA agent after finding out that she had a banned book in her possession in a local bookstore. After being saved by an LDF agent, Kasahara decides to join in the Library Defense Force. Gradually, her passion and exceeding athletic capability leads her to become a member of the elite unit, the Library Task Force. Through her battles against the MBA and her own teammates Iku does her best to be the best in the Library Task Force.
After sitting through this series, I came to the conclusion that there is absolutely nothing special about "Library War." Granted there are some good action sequences and humorous moments, but there seems to be nothing attention-grabbing in this show. The animation is pretty good, but sometimes it looks kind of shoddy. The characters are okay, but they seem too run-of-the-mill. The show gets repetitious, even when Iku’s parents show up almost unexpectedly. That would’ve given the writers a chance to spice things up on the show, but instead they took the easy way out and made the parents one-shot characters. The only thing that deserves praise for “Library War” is its plotline. It’s reminiscent of the old book burning incidents, and the series could be a seemingly wake-up call to those wishing to keep their favorite novels still in print and uncensored. However, a show too mediocre like this will not be an easy eye-catcher for the average viewer, anime fan or not; and it is possible that it’ll fall through the cracks of obscurity by the end of the year.
"Library War" gets a C-average. The idea of the series is good. Everything else is just lacking the magic needed to make a stand-out series.
This is King Baby Duck: Ain't born to lose, baby, I'm born to win! I'm so Goddamn slick, baby, it's a sin!
In March of 2005, a couple days after seeing the pillows live at the Knitting Factory in New York City, I went into Tower Records inside Trump Tower. The new Queens of the Stone Age album had just come out, and I went to purchase it. Sitting next to the new QOTSA album was an album from a band that I had (at the time) just recently heard of: "The Best Little Secrets Are Kept" by Louis XIV.
I had only heard their song "Finding Out True Love is Blind" on the radio and in an EA Sports baseball game, but I was enchanted by its album cover: the song titles written on the back of a naked woman. I had to own it. The next night I took a listen, and I was enthralled by its power and sound. The era of Sex, Drugs, and Rock 'n' Roll had returned; and I was a happy little ducky. TBLSAK wound up being my favorite album of '05.
This year Louis XIV's third album "Slick Dogs & Ponies" was released, and it has proven to be one of this year's best. I went and saw them play last Monday at the Middle East in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and they put on a show that was almost too good for words.
I was originally going to interview the band, but by the time the show had ended my ride had arrived. I sent a letter of apology to guitarist/vocalist/pianist Brian Karscig, who told me to send him the questions; and then would proceed to email me back the answers.
The following email interview contains 10 of my own questions, 6 from the fans taken from the band's forum, and one final question from me:
King Baby Duck: Where did this asphyxiation for Louis XIV originate from? Why not another king?
Brian Karscig: Well, we recorded our first self titled album (out of print now, but soon to be re-released) at a friend’s flat in the Latin Quarter of Paris in 2003. We were just ending a long relationship in another band, and went to Paris to get away and take advantage of a cool place to record and free place to stay.
If our friend lived in England, we very well may have been Henry VIII.
KBD: When you go into recording an album or a single, do you have a special routine that you do (like something that motivates you to create and record)?
BK: There is no better feeling than completing a song, or any piece of art for that matter, and feeling good and confident about it...In fact, I think that is what has kept me a songwriter to this day, is chasing that feeling of accomplishment.
Jason, Mark, and myself have been friends since grade school, and have been playing in bands together since then....We have an irreplaceable knack with working together, and all love making music.
KBD: How was recording "Slick Dogs and Ponies" different from the process of making "The Best Little Secrets Are Kept"?
BK: Well, it was a little more difficult. We went crazy trying to figure out what kind of album we wanted to make, and there were points of anxiety and self-consciousness...
The one certainty we all agreed on is that we did not want to repeat ourselves and make the same album...
Louis XIV - Guilt By Association
KBD: Your band has some of the most unique album covers. Your first album had that sort of classic 1950s song-titles look, and then for both the "Illegal Tender" EP and "The Best Little Secrets Are Kept" you had the nude ladies (which fit the style of your music perfectly). For "Slick Dogs and Ponies" what made you want to return to the classic record look instead of the girls?
BK: I think we wanted to go back to the beginning in some way. Try to not over think anything, and set out to just be artists again....That was our mentality when the group started, so we brought it back.
KBD: One song in particular I’m interested in learning about is "Stalker." How was the song and its rhythm created, and is there a story behind the song?
BK: Jason came to the studio one day with the b-minor descender part on the piano, and made a beat around the sound of a gun shot, a match being lit, and a clock. I thought it was the coolest thing ever, and we both came up with a story of a stalker, because the groove had an evil feel to it...We both went out on the mic and started just kind of vamping melodies and wrote the words around them.
KBD: In "Sometimes You Just Want To" what is the meaning behind the lyrics "You used fucking as an adjective/But you can’t save time at a bank for kids"?
BK: It’s about my girlfriend...She's the most lovely woman in the world, but loves the "F"-word to describe everything.
KBD: In the song "Money Bunny" you say "Who wants true love when you can buy it temporarily." Do you truly believe in that? Why or why not?
BK: Not really, it was sort of a double meaning and tongue and cheeky at the same time...The song was about women who love money, so it just seemed suiting, but at the same time, we wrote it shortly after the success of “Finding Out True Love is Blind.” I was ready to move on from just being the FOTLIB band, so "Who wants True Love when you can buy it temporarily" was also in some ways a statement about moving forward into the next phase of the bands identity.
KBD: What has to be the worst show that you’ve ever played, and why?
BK: That’s a toughy...Probably NYC black ball with David Bowie, and Alicia Keys...It was mind blowing being on that bill, and Tom Cruise and his wife were 5 feet from me in the front row...Weird? But they were super cool afterward.
KBD: Recently, you lost a good friend: Natasha Shneider. On your website you talked about how "everyone whom she had contact with is better, different and changed." How did she do that, did she give any kind of advice to you that any one out there can follow?
BK: I still haven't come to terms with her passing...She's hands down the most talented musician we've ever worked with, beautiful in mind and spirit. I’ve taken a lot away from the experience with working with her.
KBD: What do you think of the state of American rock ‘n’ roll? Do you think it’s gotten better or worse in the past few years, in your honest opinion?
BK: That's a tough question...I don't really like speaking negative about anyone’s music or politics for that matter, but I think that American music is becoming more homogenized...Everything is starting to sound the same, and it feels very forced and sterile.
Bands that I listen to (i.e.: Led Zeppelin) used to make "albums,” and that’s what we like to try to achieve as LOUIS XIV, not just a "single" and 9 filler songs...which is what the state of the business seems to have become.
Louis XIV - God Killed the Queen (from the album "The Best Little Secrets Are Kept")
Now I would like to present to you the questions from the fans!
Sans Nom: I always kind of wondered why they named their label The Pineapple Recording Group.
BK: We all lived in a house many years ago, and when we built our first studio in there, there were these bronze etched Pineapples...So we just named ourselves Pineapple Recording Group.
janna: What is their favorite city to perform in?
BK: I love a lot...NYC, Berlin, Paris, London of course, but also some of the smaller ones Montreal, Tolouse, and Zurich.
orangeblossom: Will Brian ever lose the beard?
BK: I'm sure I will.
samwise: I would like to know if they are planning to release another single from SDAP.
BK: None planned.
xxiolla: do they know about all the remixes that have been done to their songs and how do they like/feel about [them]?
BK: I haven't heard them, but would love to hear them...
Kat: Whatever happened to Dominique?
BK: The world may never know...
The final question:
KBD: What is Louis XIV’s plan on taking over the music industry?
BK: We will do what we've always done, and just make uncompromised music for ourselves, and keep challenging ourselves creatively, and hope our fans come along for the ride.
Louis XIV - Air Traffic Control
I would like to thank Brian for taking time out of his extremely busy schedule to answer these questions. My gratitude towards him and the rest of the bandmates is ever eternal. I would also like to thank the people on the Louis XIV Web Boards for their great questions.
Louis XIV's "Slick Dogs and Ponies" is available in stores now. It's one of my top albums of 2008 to check out.
This is King Baby Duck saying, "It takes a lover that knows I love her like no other."
You probably have noticed that every CD that I have reviewed has been positive. This is not to say that every Japanese album I've listened to this year has been that great. Let's look at some of my biggest disappointments of January-July 2008!
March 5 saw the release of Asian Kung-Fu Generation's newest album in almost two years: "World World World." After the release of their last singles "After Dark" and "Korogaru Iwa, Kimi ni Asa ga Furu" I had very high hopes for this CD. Unfortunately those hopes turned into despairs. Sure the songs were okay, but the flow and style were quite dull in comparison to their previous albums. Not only that, but many of the songs lacked the variety seen in "Sol-fa" and "Fanclub." It was as if AKG were trying too hard to keep the average fans entertained instead of expanding their horizons towards new listeners. Unless you are a hardcore fan of Asian Kung-Fu Generation, I cannot recommend this album. (However, their recent EP "Mada Minu Ashita ni" has what "World X3" lacked. If only they replaced half of the album with the songs featured on the EP.)
In late 2007 POLYSICS released the CD single for the song "Rocket," their best song in recent memory. Before the release of their 2008 album "We Ate the Machine" the fans were told to expect a new, exciting sound from the quartet. What I heard, sadly, were some of the most annoying songs these ears were forced to hear. Granted, "Pretty Good," "Pony to Lion" and "Kagayake" had some good sounds, but tracks like "Kikai Tabechaimashita," "Mind Your Head," and "Digital Coffee" were too noisy to bear. Now I am for bands expereimenting with their music; but this had to have been the first time I had wished that a group would stick to what they know best instead of trying something different. POLYSICS is already a standout band, so there should have been no need for them to go forth with trying to widen their surroundings.
My final disappointment appeared in the form of FLOW's "Isle." Their last singles "Colors," "Answer," and "Fuyu no Amaoto / Night Parade" were all really good, but many of the tracks lacked the fun that FLOW is well-known for. In fact half of the time they sounded like one of those shitty boy bands out from Johnny's Entertainment. (NOTE: If you've never heard of this Japanese boy band company, then I envy your ignorance.) Their previous album "Golden Coast" was filled with radio-worthy tracks. "Isle," though, is too sappy for its own good. It made me want to fly to Japan myself and slap the band members silly for blindly taking the wrong path on this album. (Where's Rick Rubin when you need him? Seriously, if he could help Linkin Park make their best album yet, then he should have no problme getting FLOW back on track!)
These three great bands have all hit creativity speed bumps this past year. Let's hope that by next year these music powerhouses will keep their heads straight, and their minds well-tuned to some better song choices next time around.
This is King Baby Duck: Ain't born to lose, baby; I'm born to win. I'm so Goddamn slick, baby, it's a sin!
King Baby Duck here, making his first post as an official brother of the Electric Sista Hood (meaning my Blogger account is now linked with the site)! This week's Anime Calamity is not a TV show, but rather a movie that caught my eye. It's called "Kappa no Coo to Natsuyasumi," or "Summer Days with Coo." A young kappa (a Japanese mythological water creature) witnesses his father murdered by a samurai, and then falls down a hole made by an earthquake. Almost three hundred years later a young elementary school student named Koichi finds the kappa fossilized in a stone. After bringing it home and washing it, the kappa comes back to life. Koichi gives the kappa the name Coo, which is one of the first things the little creature says. Coo adjusts to the lifestyle of Koichi and his family, and quickly becomes a member. However, the changed outside world makes Coo worried about his other kappa comrades. Koichi and Coo set out for the countryside to find more kappas, but to no avail. However, when Coo’s existence becomes apparent to the public, he comes face-to-face with the challenges of the outside world; which leads to Coo meeting with an ancestor of his father’s murderer. What the ancestor has in his possession freaks Coo out, and his actions lead the outside world to think that he is a danger. Will there be a happily-ever-after with Coo, or will he have to face the fact that he will never be accepted into today’s society? And what of his kappa comrades? Are they still alive, or have they disappeared with much of the nature?
The first thing I thought of after watching this film was how wonderful the storytelling is. The tale flows gracefully, even at its almost 2 ½ hour timeframe. Although a fantasy (despite many incidents of kappa being seen in Japan) the anime has a real feel to it. It has a lot of emotion, and it also teaches a lesson about not just fitting into society, but also about how nature must be preserved. Plus the humor in the film is top-notched, especially when it deals with Koichi’s little sister. She is the most realistic of the characters, with the jealous brat thing down to patch. One scene that pops into mind is when the sister brings home pet snails, which Coo eats; thinking they are food. This freaks the little girl out; especially when she discovers that some people eat snails, too, leading her to inspect every morsel of food on her plate to make sure she’s not eating little escargots. The soundtrack to the film, composed by Kei Wakakusa, almost sounds like a score written by top American country artists. Whether that is a good thing or a bad thing depends on your taste in country music. Finally, the animation is also really good, almost up there with the quality of Miyazaki films. Its director, Keiichi Hara, who also directed some of the “Doraemon” and “Crayon Shin-chan” movies, knows how to appeal to both kids and adults of all ages, and this film will surely entertain anyone; even with its long running time.
Now speaking for the kids, in Japan this is considered a family film; but because our standards here are a lot more strict than Japan’s it wouldn’t be for younger children. There’s a lot of blood in the first couple minutes of the film, and the scenes dealing with death might be too traumatic for children. Plus, you see Coo’s yarbles throughout the entire film; which, in a country where the mindset is “nudity is bad!!!” might leave parents uneasy. However if parents can look past the violence and kappa nudity, kids will be able to learn a valuable message from this film. I’d say this film should be PG here; but if your younger kids (who are, like, four or five) are okay with a little blood then I’d say they can watch it, too.
Since this is a movie review, I’m going to give it a star grade: 5 stars. It’s a wonderful tale that the folks at Disney should really look at to see how to properly do a family movie that is for anyone in the family, and not just the young tykes.
This is King Baby Duck: Ain't born to lose, baby! I'm born to win! I'm so Goddamn slick, baby, it's a sin!
Ladies and gents, I am happy to report that two of the best animated comedies of all time are coming to the US on DVD! One comes from the great nation of Japan, the other from the great nation of America.
I'll first talk about the Japanese one. This year's Anime Expo in Long Beach, California had many great surprises for everyone; but no surprise was greater for me than this announcement on Anime News Network:
The North American distributor Bandai Entertainment has announced at its Anime Expo panel on Friday that it has acquired the Hayate the Combat Butler! [anime].
So some of you are probably asking, "What the hell is 'Hayate the Combat Butler?!'" Well King Baby Duck is here to tell you.
"Hayate the Combat Butler" (or "Hayate no Gotoku!" as it's known in Japan) follows the story of Hayate Ayasaki, a poor boy whose parents sold off to some "very nice men" (AKA the yakuza) to pay off their debt. After running away from the nice men, Hayate meets Nagi Sanzenin, a rich 13 year-old hikikomoroi. Hayate comes up with a plan to kidnap her, but miswords the plan to Nagi; who takes it as a love connection. After rescuing Nagi from really bad kidnappers, Nagi hires Hayate on the spot as her new butler. What follows are some of the most funniest moments in recent anime history.
I have watched all 52 episodes in this series (and will definitely tune in when Season 2 airs sometime in the next few months), and I can say with confidence that everyone will be in for a big treat. "Hayate the Combat Butler" is filled to the brim with humor, from the pop culture parodies (like when Hayate sneaks into Nagi's school in Solid Snake's trademark box) to the surprise guests (anime director and self-proclaimed "sex god" Nabeshin appears in episode 32). Now some of the humor might go over the heads of some new to the anime world, but even so you'll be laughing your ass off. Expect "Hayate the Combat Butler" to be released sometime early 2009. Until then, I present you with Part 1 of Episode 1 (and yes, children, Santa Claus is a bastard in real life!):
Now for the American cartoon. In the 1990s, Steven Spielberg was not just a big film director, but also a producer of some of the best cartoons in American history: "Tiny Toon Adventures," "Animaniacs," "Pinky & the Brain," and "Toonsylvania" to name a few. On July 29, his most brilliant of them all will finally be seen on DVD: "Freakazoid!"
Dexter Douglas was working on his computer, when all of a sudden the high schooler is zapped into his computer; giving him powers of the Freakazoid. With these powers Freakazoid makes the villains' lives a living Hell, thanks in part to his lunacy.
Like "Hayate," "Freakazoid!" has a chunkload of pop culture references. One of the funniest ones I will share with you now (which features Ed Asner as Cosgrove and Late-Night TV's Craig Ferguson [AKA the one that's Scottish] as Roddy MacStew):
I've watched that clip hundreds of times, and I still fall off my seat laughing!
What shocked me the most about "Freakazoid!" was the fact that, despite being the funniest of the Spielberg-produced cartoons, its length was the shortest of the cartoons (lasting only two seasons before being cancelled); but perhaps if DVD sales are good enough, maybe the folks at Warner Bros. will revisit this hilarious superhero. That will make at least one little duckie a happy bastard!
Here's one of the more clever episodes for you all to enjoy (featuring the great Ben Stein): "Relax-o-vision."
This is King Baby Duck saying, "THAT'S A GUY IN A SUIT!!!!"
King Baby Duck here, working very hard (but not hardly working) on a few projects and J-POP CD reviews. Until the CD reviews are ready to be seen by the public, I've got another Anime Calamity for you all to read up on. This time we will be looking at "Kyōran Kazoku Nikki," or "The Diary of a Frenzy Family."
Based off of the light novel series by Akira, “Kyōran Kazoku Nikki” follows Oka: your average guy working as the head of the operations department of Supernatural Phenomenon Treatment Bureau. One day he runs into a cat girl named Kyoka, who used to be queen of Shangri-la. Upon capturing her, the Bureau makes Oka part of the Cozy Family Operation. Through this operation the Bureau must find the child of Enka; who swore that when he or she will be born, the destruction of the Earth will begin. As a result Oka is forced to marry Kyoka.
After their marriage the two set out to find the other members of the Cozy Family Operation. The other family members consist of Ginka, the eldest son who suffers from Gender Identity Disorder; Yuuka, the second-eldest daughter who is gentle despite her abusive past; Teika, the second-eldest son who is really a talking lion; Hyouka, the youngest son who is really a robot bent on destruction; Gekka, the youngest daughter who is really a jellyfish; and Chika, the eldest-daughter and biological sister of Yuuka. Together the family goes out on wacky misadventures, and learns the concept of love while Kyoka changes the rules at every corner and makes Oka’s life both pleasing and a living Hell.
OPENING THEME
Has this concept lost you? Well it sounds wild and crazy, and it definitely is. In fact if you look up the word “bonkers” in the dictionary you’ll probably find Akira's face. However, there are a lot of great qualities, and some good morals to learn in this crazy series. Kyoka can be annoying at times, but by episode’s end you’ll see she has a reason for everything. Oka, though, doesn’t seem to be evolving as well as the other characters; which could be blamed on the scriptwriters who make Kyoka change her tune and personality traits at every turn. The other characters, though, evolve gracefully. Hyouka the robot boy learns about peace and how everything can’t be solved with things going boom; the relationship between Yuuka and Chika become stronger after harsh times; and Ginka is able to tap in to both his masculine and feminine personalities whenever needed be. In short, behind this off-the-wall series is a tale of overcoming one’s defects and learning to come together as a family to defeat any odds thrown at them.
“Kyoran Kazoku Nikki” gets a B+. The show is a good time-killer and lesson-learner, and by the end of each episode you’ll feel like you have a sugar rush that’ll last long enough for the next episode to come around. That is, if the series doesn’t leave you in a diabetic coma first.
This is King Baby Duck saying, "If it ain't made in Japan, it's usually crap!"
Japan’s answer to the Beatles and the Pixies are back, and they’ve made an album that calls back to their 90’s roots. Ah, the good ole days have returned!
The title track is quite the hip-shaker; and it puts anyone listening into a groovy trance, just as the man from Hamelin would. “New Animal,” their most recent single, wakes up every sense in the body; and would give anyone a sudden burst of energy. “No Surrender” is the track that truly calls back to the band’s glory days; when they released four masterpieces in a row (“Please Mister Lostman,” “Little Busters,” “RUNNERS HIGH,” and “Happy Bivouac”). It’s got just a little bit of magic from each of these four CDs rolled into one song; making it clear that songwriter Sawao Yamanaka truly was listening in to what his fans were clamoring for.
the pillows - NEW ANIMAL
“Last Holiday,” another track that would’ve fit with the band’s Big Four, just about matches up with “One Life” as one of their most beautiful and lighter-in-the-air-inducing ballads. “Tokyo Zombie (The Knock Came At Dead Of Night),” a fun little instrumental, is quite the monster; stomping its feet and destroying everything mediocre in its path. “Across the metropolis,” a B-side from the “Tokyo Bambi” single is the only real misstep in this album; though the Beatles homage in the chorus is kind of nice. “Purple Apple,” the album’s first English song, doesn’t make much sense; but its happy-go-lucky beat makes it quite the enjoyable track.
the pillows - Ladybird girl
“Tokyo Bambi,” which gets some horn help with the guys from the Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra, is a poppy ditty that’s perfect for any party needing life. “Ladybird girl,” originally released a month after their last album, was the first track that showed the fresh new path that the pillows wanted to walk on; and it’s still fresh to this very day. “That’s a wonderful song,” which is dedicated to their friends Hermit, is a 60s-inspired rock song that sounds like it could’ve been perfect for a young Paul McCartney. The album ends with “Poison Rock’n’Roll,” the album’s other English track. It starts off soft, and then goes into a riff that literally sends a message to the people that don’t like their ever-changing sound: “If you’re dissatisfied, disappear.”
Yamanaka, Manabe, Sato, and Suzuki are always making sure their albums never sound the same; but they also want to make sure that everyone recognizes that it is a pillows album. They succeeded very well in doing just that with this recent CD. “PIED PIPER” is a solid album that not only new fans of the pillows will enjoy; but will also put smiles on the older fans that have been waiting for their classic sound to return. That wait has ended.
“PIED PIPER” gets 4 ½ stars out of 5.
This is King Baby Duck saying "If it ain't made in Japan, it's usually crap!"
(CLICK "DIGG" after the 2nd paragraph, too.) One might think that they are going after EVERY Japanese song and album that is out there to download, and that is untrue. They are just going after the music they they contractually sell on their website. Although some people might find that unfair, it's far much better to buy an artist's album on there rather than spend $30 to import the CD. Granted, some people like the feel of holding a CD case, but I digress.
JapanFiles is not trying to hog all the music for themselves. In reality they are trying to keep the J-POP industry in America from going under (like what is currently happening in the US anime industry). I believe that if more companies like JapanFiles and HearJapan pop up and sell Japanese music at a very good price, then the J-POP world of America would not only be safe, but also flourish.
When it comes to the other music, I feel that some of these communities do what the actual Japanese labels aren't doing; and that is promoting music to the non-Japanese audience. For example: Gackt's entire discography is now up on iTunes, but other than a tiny blip about it on JaME there was no promotion whatsoever. Not even iTunes themselves did anything. Many other Japanese bands are on these sites, but again no one but the bands themselves are saying anything about them. On the other hand, when JapanFiles signs an artist they make it their mission online to make sure that the people in the music community knows about it.
One big problem with Japanese record companies is that they are stubborn. They fear that if they try to work with a company like JapanFiles, that their music won't get out there and make the profits they want. I feel that this is closed-minded thinking that needs to stop! Although sites like JapanFiles and HearJapan are independent companies, they work their asses off to make sure their artists are heard. Not only that, but they also bring these artists to America at anime conventions and music festivals: something that only a tiny fraction of big-named music companies do.
That's why I say it's time for a change. IT IS TIME FOR A J-VOLUTION!!!
In order for this to happen, I ask you all to try and do the following three things:
1. Call up your local radio stations, and start requesting these bands that you know and love. Once they know that there is a big-enough fanbase for this type of music, they will start to play them. 2. Write to the record labels in Japan, and let them know that they want to hear more artists over here in America. By demanding these artists, the labels will start supplying them. 3. Write to your favorite bands, and let them know you are listening. It would help more if you had someone translate it in Japanese; but even if you can't find someone to do it, just send it anyway. They'll still think it's cool that their music is being heard besides in Japan.
I know that some of the stuff I say may look silly, but it's better than doing nothing!
I have said my piece. Now it's your turn. Get out there, and support these artists like your life depends it!
Thank you!
This is King Baby Duck saying, "If it ain't made in Japan, it's usually crap!"
There are thousands upon thousands of great bands from Japan; but as it is sometimes difficult (and expensive) to import music from the Rising Sun Nation, KBD is here to give you a recommendation that will not only be easy on your wallet, but will also fill you with enough happiness to explode.
I was searching online one day, when I came across some great news from one of my favorite bands:
“We are finishing up a bunch of new songs for the next record and the plan is to hit the studio in June to record them. We will be going back to Europe this summer for some festivals...and we promise a lot of US touring this fall and next year. We can't wait to see everyone. More details soon!”
This was on the official site of Asobi Seksu (which is Japanese for “playful sex”), an American indie rock band that mixes both English and Japanese lyrics. To fully explain the sound of Asobi Seksu is like trying to find the meaning of life. Their songs touch on so many different genres that it’s difficult to categorize them into one set type. (So, for time’s sake, let’s call it Alternative.) I have been listening to band for almost two years now, and every time I hear a song from them I feel a rush of exquisite joy. And because of their blend of both English and Japanese lyrics Asobi Seksu could be considered the band that’ll easily bridge the music worlds of America and Japan together.
So to prepare all you Kawaii Kitties and Quack Packers for Asobi Seksu’s next release, we’ll be looking at their last album: 2006’s “Citrus.”
The first track on the album, “Everything is On,” is a quick 17-second intro that transports the listener to vocalist/keyboardist Yuki Chikudate and guitarist/vocalist James Hanna’s world. “Strawberries,” the second track, plays with the ears with its fanciful vocals about a strawberry field asking the patrons to not “forget about me.” The next track “New Years” feels like a sped-up first day of the New Year in Shibuya; giving one listening to it the vision of the bright lights and the fast life in that part of Tokyo.
In “Strings” Yuki mixes both English and Japanese, telling of boys who speak to a lady’s eyes; while the bass in the song gives a warm shiver up the spine. “Pink Cloud Tracing Paper,” with its elements of Flaming Lips-styled synthesizers and UFO sounds, lets Hanna have a chance to shine vocally on the album; proving that he is the only one that can really stand toe-to-toe with Yuki.
Asobi Seksu - "Goodbye"
“Goodbye,” though not the last track on the album, sounds like an upbeat Cure track, and anyone who’s seen the video would be lost in happiness at the origami that comes to life. (If you haven't, click on the YouTube video above and watch with glee.) Its chorus of “Can’t pretend, until you’re mine/will they ever know/Can't deny, the world outside/just needs us both” begs one to wonder if the answer to life’s problems can be found in the love between two people. The lyrics in “Nefi+Girly” (especially "Disconnect the feeling factory/put your tongue up to my battery") describe the literal meaning of Asobi Seksu; its playfulness and sexiness rolled into one giant clash of sound waves and calm, beautiful vocals. The savagery of “Exotic Animal Paradise” also has this clashing of sound waves; but whether it’s a fight for territory or a fight for love can only be told by Yuki and James themselves (though my money is on love).
The last song I want to talk about is the fourth track on the album: “Thursday.” It is perhaps the most beautiful song since the turn of the century, and will probably go down as one of the greatest tracks to ever be written by humankind. The chorus of “Now that we’ve lost our way/The rest can all fall apart/All I see here is you/All it does is remind me” is both sad and striking. All the angels in Heaven would weep with joy whenever this track is played, and God Himself (or Herself) would smile wholeheartedly. If you don’t feel anything during this track alone, you cannot call yourself a person.
Asobi Seksu - "Thursday"
Both separately and as a whole, “Citrus” works in every way possible that music is allowed to function, and sometimes goes beyond that. One can listen to this CD thousands of times, and they will still find something new and enjoyable about it. It will take some time for others to notice, but once word spreads fast about Asobi Seksu’s sophomore album it will surely be ranked up there with many of the classic albums of centuries past.
Asobi Seksu’s “Citrus” gets five stars. I cannot stress how wonderful this CD will be in your collection; and if you disagree you either have no taste in music, or you don't like being happy.
POST SCRIPT: I’ve read in interviews that Yuki is also quite the talented drummer. I can only hope that her skills on this instrument can be shown, even if it be briefly, on the next album.
This is King Baby Duck, wishing the gals at Electric Sista Hood a happy 100 episodes, and hoping for at least 100 more!
King Baby Duck here, back after a bit of turmoil relocating my kingdom. Some J-POP reviews will be coming your way in the next few weeks. Until then, the leader of the Quack Pack's got another anime series to chat about.
Faster than a speeding bullet! More powerful than a locomotive! Able to steal panties off of a dozen women without them realizing that they aren’t wearing them anymore! Wait, what the hell was that last one? Anyways, it’s “Kamen no Maid Guy!”
Fumiwara Naeka is the granddaughter of a billionaire; and the heir to his massive fortune. She is pursued by those who desire her inheritance, including those who wish to kill her for it. In order to protect her from them, an agent named Kogarashi with sharp claws and teeth is dispatched in the form of Maid Guy. During his stay, Maid Guy -- along with Fubuki, the cute maid who beats the living bejesus out of Maid Guy whenever he does something out of line with a nail-filled baseball bat -- gives his best effort to serve Naeka. His noisy and pushy services make her daily life exciting to the 10th degree; filled with weird potions, boob-grabbing karate fighters, panty-stealing thieves, and a crazed lesbian who wants to do nasty things to Fumiwara.
This is a show that’s made to make you laugh your ass off! From start to finish each episode is filled to the brim with stuff that’ll have you falling off your seat. To describe the feeling one may get from watching an episode, think of how it feels to be tickled nonstop; up to the point of when it hurts. This is what you feel when watching a show like “Kamen no Maid Guy.” In fact sometimes the zaniness of this anime may be too much for some people. In fact, if you have asthma you might die laughing. However, there seems to not be much of a giant storyline, so if you’re looking for a show with a strong plotline then look elsewhere. If you want a good chuckle, though, then I highly recommend “Kamen no Maid Guy.”
My grade for this series is an A-. It’s the wackiest anime in recent memory, but it might be too wacky for some to handle.
This is King Baby Duck saying, "If it ain't made in Japan, it's usually crap!"
In 1997 two students at Aoyama Gakuin University named Kumi and Naoki Sato formed the J-POP band LOVE PSYCHEDELICO. Since then the two have been making waves in Japan, Taiwan, and the United States. This year the band will release their first album in America: the compilation CD “This is Love Psychedelico.”
A blend of rock, blues, and folk, “This is Love Psychedelico” is a CD that calls out to anyone yearning for a 60s-styled love-in. From its classic organ-filled opening track “Standing Bird” to its sing-along closer “A Day For You,” the album serves one purpose: to spread happiness to those listening in. “Your Song” has a style to that of early Sheryl Crow, one of Kumi’s influences; and “Lady Madonna” (no, not the Beatles track of the same name) has the sort of beat that will make anyone sway their hips. “Fantastic World” blends George Harrison’s “Something” with a twist of Natalie Merchant for good measure; “My Last Fight” could possibly be a lost America/Buffalo Springfield track; and “‘O’” sounds like LA band the Ettes jamming with Blondie’s Debbie Harry.
Kumi’s perfect English mixed with Japanese will help to bring the band to the mainstream; and Naoki’s guitar styles range from that of Jimmy Page, Lenny Kravitz, and Bob Dylan. This wonderful combination helps to create a sound that would’ve been perfect for any moment in the modern-day time period. However, the one downside to this American release is that it is missing two new tracks: “dry town” and “Mind across the universe,” which will be released in Japan under the heading “Bonus Tracks for Japan.” This is quite a shame, seeing as this would be an opportunity to show the American audience what’s on the horizon for LOVE PSYCHEDELICO. (EDIT: "Mind across the universe" will be released on the iTunes version, but not "dry town".)
Despite this slight speed bump, the compilation of tracks shows that Kumi and Naoki are worthy adversaries to the likes of Crow, Robert Plant, and Jewel; and could have been wonderful friends with Harrison and John Lennon. This is a great summer album, perfect for those drives to the beach with the convertible top down and the CD player turned up.
“This is Love Psychedelico” gets 4.5 stars out of five. The songs are fantastic from start to finish, and it serves as a near-perfect introduction to this indie J-POP duo. After all, you can’t spell LOVE PSYCHEDELICO without “L-O-V-E-L-Y.”
“This is Love Psychedelico” is being released by HackTone Records, and will be available in stores nationwide May 20.
This is King Baby Duck saying, "If it ain't made in Japan, it's usually crap!"
I am just about ready to give another J-VOLUTION in the next week or so. Until then, here's another Anime Calamity for you all to read. This week we look at GONZO's "Rosario + Vampire."
Tsukune is your average student. He’s so average that there is nothing special about him. After failing to get into any private schools due to poor grades Tsukune just about gives up; until he finds an acceptance letter to Youkai Academy, which he’s never heard of. Without hesitation Tsukune goes to his new high school, only to find that he has entered a high school for monsters (youkai meaning monster). Tsukune has to keep his humanity a secret, for if a human finds out about the school he/she must automatically be executed.
At Youkai, Tsukune meets Moka, a sweet high school girl with a very short skirt. She is a vampire who prefers the taste of Tsukune’s blood, but is always kind and gentle. Almost immediately Tsukune falls in love with her. Around Moka’s neck is a rosary, which if taken off reveals Moka’s true vampire nature; one of coldness and arrogance. Also at the school is Kurumu the succubus, who always tries to seduce Tsukune into making him her slave, and Yukari, the 11-year old witch prodigy. A love-square for Tsukune’s love becomes imminent.
There are a few humorous moments and such; but it feels like the same jokes are repeated over and over again (and not in a good way like “Umisho” did it). The fan-service gets tiresome, as well. You cannot go ten seconds without seeing Moka’s or Kurumu’s panties; and when a straight guy like me says it’s getting tedious then it’s seriously getting dull. The characters are very uninteresting, and when the "heroes" are in danger I just wished they would be killed off so I wouldn't have to watch another episode of this crap! In fact the only good character in this show is Nazo, the narrating bat. He is quite funny as he is adorable; going around school covering naughty pictures and giving the exact time of the previous battle with his charm and cuteness. However watching “Rosario + Vampire” just for an animal character is kind of pointless (like watching the loli-con anime “Moetan” just for Ah-kun the Duck). The action scenes -- well-animated as they were -- were too quick for their own good; and it feels that Gonzo and the writers did this so they can satisfy the need to add more and more panty-shots without seeing these dimwitted female monsters and stupid human being in so much peril.
The only reason why I kept watching this show was because there was nothing good on American TV; and now I regret wasting my time watching this series. In fact I’d rather watch a marathon of really bad tentacle-filled hentai than this drivel! And here's the worst part: another season is now in the works. Make another "Afro Samurai" series instead of this sore excuse for fan-service, humor, and action!
This series gets a D-average. It wears out its welcome by episode 4; and although it ends a little bit better, "Rosario + Vampire" should be ignored by even the biggest fan-service lovers.
Usually this is where I'd say, "This is King Baby Duck saying, 'If it ain't made in Japan, it's usually crap!'" However, since this was quite the awful show I am going to leave my quote this week as this: "Even Japan produces a stinker or two once in awhile!"
Before you begin, I must let you know that I've only seen the first episode. Usually I wait until I see at least two episodes before I review a series, but this show needs to get its word out.
“Soul Eater,” based off the manga by Atsushi Okubo, takes place at a Shinigami technical school for weapon Meisters in a “Nightmare Before Christmas”-like world. The two main characters, Maka the Meister and Soul Eater, are near to getting their 100th spirit (an evil witch one), making Soul Eater a “Death Scythe.” Yes, boys and girls, Soul Eater is Maka’s weapon that can transform into a human when not in use. They meet Blair, who Maka and Soul Eater see as a witch; and proceed to defeat and eat her soul. As it turns out Blair is just a powerful magical catgirl with nine lives (which means Blair comes back after being eaten by Soul Eater). Because of this mistake Maka and Soul Eater have to start from scratch, and their journey for Soul Eater to become a Death Scythe begins anew.
Now that I’ve gone over the synopsis of the first episode, my thoughts: it’s got action, it’s got comedy, and it’s got excellent characters. Maka and Soul Eater are the best partner team since Edward and Alphonse Elric in “Fullmetal Alchemist,” and it should come as no surprise that Bones Studio made both these series. There’s also Maka’s father Spirit, who is a total crybaby and can’t even go pick up a couple of cabaret girls without hearing someone talking about his pending divorce from his wife. He reminds me a bit of Tamaki from “Ouran High School Host Club,” what with his style of fatherly instincts. Finally there is the grim reaper himself: Shinigami-sama. He’s like Grim from “Billy & Mandy,” Ryuk from “Death Note,” and Tingle from Zelda all rolled into one being. Plus his finishing move, the Direct Noggin Shinigami Chop, is so damn funny! One whack over the head and you’re out like a light; and he tends to do that a lot to Spirit.
The action sequences are to drool for, and seeing Soul Eater transform into Maka’s weapon is probably one of the coolest visual effects I’ve ever seen. And the animation is simply marvelous. It’s like a blend of Tim Burton, Gorillaz (Soul Eater looks like the bastard child of 2D and Murdoc), and Takeshi Murakami. Plus, as mentioned, the jokes are great. Soul Eater always talks about being cool, but he’s just a giant womanizing idiot looking for a good pair of melons. There are also awesome music-inspired tributes. One of Blair’s fighting moves is called “Smashing Pumpkins,” and there’s an upcoming zombie character named Sid Barrett (named for the former Pink Floyd guitarist).
Now you must be thinking, “Well if you’ve only seen the first episode of this series how can you make a good judge of a show?” Well normally if I watch the first episode of a series, and then see if it’s worth following. I’ve done it with everything I watch, and have actually stopped watching a couple after the first episode (such as “Blue Gender” and “Reign: The Conqueror”) because it was so terrible. However this is the first time, probably not since watching “Furi Kuri,” that a series has grabbed my attention so wonderfully. I do not see “Soul Eater” becoming a dull show anytime soon. It’s fresh, wild, imaginative, and will probably pave way towards a new genre of anime. It’s already the first series to air in two versions: one for kids Monday evenings and one for adults late on Thursday nights. By doing this TV Tokyo has made the smart initiative to market a series for both the young and old to enjoy. There is no way in Hell that an American company isn’t going to license this show. It’s too damn good for the Japanese audience to keep to themselves! (Also, early reports say the second episode of "Soul Eater" is actually better!)
After saying that, I’ve already made my prediction: “Soul Eater” will be the anime series of 2008. It’s got everything that I, personally, look for in an anime: great fights, hilarious gags, and characters that are easy to fall in love for. Oh yeah, and its end theme is by STANCE PUNKS: the greatest punk band this day and age; and it’s the first time since I was a kid that I actually started singing along to a cartoon theme song. My grade: A+.
This is King Baby Duck saying, "If it ain't made in Japan, it's usually crap!"
I think the title says it all, but just in case. Do not read on if you are too goody-two shoed!
This year's Anime Boston Hentai Dubbings '08 was filled to the brim with dirty humor, shocking video footage, and just plain ole nastiness from start to finish. For this first timer I was quite, um, at awe at some of the things I heard, which leads us to the following list. I will never look at the following things the same way again because of hentai dubbings:
1. Queen - The guys played "Fat Bottomed Girls" before the event began; but I would've rather seen them screen the music video for "Bicycle Race." Nothing makes a good mix like anime porn and naked girls riding bikes ^_^. 2. System of a Down - The guys also played "Violent Pornography" before it began, and we all stood on our seats and sang along. All that was missing was the whimsical bouncing ball! 3. PoKeMoN - Hentai Dubbing host Dick Tripwire said he was an expect at hentai and PoKeMoN; which begs the question: what's the difference? 4. Ham and Cheese Sub Sandwiches - Can you say "phallus symbol?" 5. Tuna Casserole - The video Tripwire showed us had a woman making sex sounds using this delicious treat. Does anyone else here who went get kind of randy eating casserole now? 6. Cottage Cheese - Same as #5, only worse -_-;. 7. Future Demon Tentacled Hell Beasts - Now I am friends with many Future Demon Tentacled Hell Beasts, and they are quite nice creatures. They like ice cream and listening to jazz music; and many of them have wonderful families. I fear that if too many people look at these Future Demon Tentacled Hell Beasts in the wrong light, this species might be considered a danger; when, in fact, they really aren't. I'm just saying... 8. Green Rooms - And I thought just the Green Door was bad enough. 9. Masquerade Hosts - This year's Masquerade host went up onstage and said some C-words that I don't think the Sistas would like me to print. 10. Puppies - From now on "puppies" will be referred to mean "going toilet." Let's practice: "Would you excuse me for a moment? I have to let the puppies out of the kennel." Try it at your next dinner party. 11. Kittens - SURPRISEBUTTSEX! 12. Snickers Candy - They call it "Snickers" 'cause it laughs at your tiny penis. 13. Hard Candy - You can insert your own joke here. 14. Necco Wafers - I don't know what they are, but when I do I'll surely remember this night! 15. Arnold Schwarzenegger - This just in: Schwarzenegger started out as a porn director! I was also going to put what he was filming, but some of you are probably eating right now. 16. Chiyo-chan’s Father from “Azumanga Daioh” - You oughta be ashamed of yourself, Mr. Chiyo-chan's Dad!!!!! Oh, how can I stay mad at that cute face? 17. Yeah Dudes! - Now whenever we see these human creatures at the bar, we can all laugh and say, "They're gettin' ready for some tazing!" And speaking of that... 18. The “Don’t Taze Me, Bro!” guy - Now whenever we take part in the mating ritual, we can forever call it "Tazing." 19. Anime Boston Pre-Registration - Although we will never forget the Great Wait of '08, those two gals doing the yuri hentai scene will make us never forget all the "groaning" and "moaning" of having to wait in any sort of line. 20. Flowers - They say some flowers look like a woman's ladyparts. Now you know, and knowing is half the battle. 21. Doctors - Nobody really likes going to the doctors, especially those that like to stick their finger in, well, I should probably stop myself here. 22. The people that I do anime screenings with; a couple, of which, are also ESH members!!! - We are naughty, and we're proud of it!
But these dubbings are a lot of fun, and they allow even the most pure of people to be just a wee bit perverted. It’s all in the spirit of fun, so don’t take it too seriously.
This is King Baby Duck saying "If it ain't made in Japan, it's usually crap!"
As I am currently scrounging for some J-POP I can review, I would like to tell all my little duckies and kawaii kitties out there about an anime series that's got me going quackers! (Okay, I think I should stop with the duck puns before the Sistas beat me senseless!) The name of the anime is called "Kenko Zenrakei Suieibu Umisho," or "Umisho" for short. When Kaname was a small boy he almost drowned when he was pulled down by what appeared to be a mermaid. Since then he has never been able to swim. That hasn’t stopped him from being the swim team manager at Umisho, which is short for a high school with an extremely long name that I’m not even going to try to write. Unfortunately the swim team sucks, having won no tournaments since its inception three years before. One day a girl on a houseboat appears on the shores. Her name is Amuro, and boy can she swim. Without hesitation Kaname and vice-captain Momoko ask her to join the swim team. In no time at all the swim team gets better and better, while a seemingly lovely relationship between Kaname and Amuro begins to blossom; even though Kaname is always quick to deny it.
This is a show where the characters shine as bright as the sun. Amuro is probably one of the funniest, optimistic leading ladies in recent anime memory; and the chemistry between her and the other members of the swim team is truly memorable. The show-stealer, though, has to be the team captain Ikamasa. Not a single moment goes by where he isn’t bringing in the biggest laughs on the show. Plus with all the fan-service that goes into a show involving swimming you can bet on plenty of boob and butt jokes, as well as some below-the-belt humor that any high school and college kid can enjoy. What’s great about the series is that these usually-tiresome jokes do not wear out their welcome. It’s got that sort of Benny Hill lucky charm. It can be the same joke a thousand times, but it’s still just as funny as before.
“Umisho” aired in Japan last July, and its manga is currently still running. However neither has been licensed, so it could be a year or two before it comes to these shores. But be patient: for it’ll be worth the wait when “Umisho” gets released here. Funny, heartfelt, and wonderful plotlines that will have you screaming for more. “Umisho” gets an A- in my book.
This is King Baby Duck saying "If it ain't made in Japan, it's usually crap!"
Oh, how can I stay mad at that cute face?
