As this is the first time (I think) that I've reviewed a show only in fansubs I'd like to have a bit of a history lesson to start.

I've been an anime fan for a good 10+ years now. There's no secret that in that time anime has gone from an emerging niche market to a full blown marketable product that just about everyone knows about. While it still has yet to become mainstream, you can at least walk into your local video store (or even Walmart) and pick up a copy of some of the more popular titles.

Back when I was just starting to become an anime fan I got my fix through VHS tapes which cost $20 and up for two to four episodes. In order to watch as much as I could on my limited budget I got into the fansub market trading tapes and requesting Nth generation copies from fansub distros. Back then I was watching mostly shows from the 80s and early 90s as all the "new" stuff would take a year or two to come to LaserDisc in Japan and then it might get picked up by a fansubber. If not, you were SOL.

Today, if you want a fansub you can usually get an episode a few days after its airing on Japanese TV. Many in the anime communities feel that fansubs have lost that amateurish feel and that "By fans for fans" comradery and that today's fansubs are little more than piracy. While I won't argue that fact here, I will state that fansubs are still the only way to see some shows and sadly, they will most likely be the only way to ever see such shows.

Bewitching Nozomi is such a show. Made in 1992 around the Barcelona Olympics we get the story of a young boy named Ryotaro who, after being scouted by his neighbor Nozomi starts his trek to become a boxing champion and fulfill Nozomi's dream for him.

The plot is relatively simple and yet it works. The element of realizing a dream for a female love interest is certainly not new to anime. Touch did it back in the 80s with baseball instead of boxing. Yet there is something enduring about the show which I can't put my finger on. Perhaps it's because the characters are so enduring despite only getting to know them over the course of three episodes.

As a three episode OVA from 1992 the animation is perhaps a bit dated by today's standards but it holds up very well, outside of a few early digital type effects in the OP.

It should also be noted that the OP song, "Flash of Thunderlight", bears a striking similarity to both "Eye of the Tiger" and also Bonnie Tyler's "Ravishing". Not that that's a bad thing.

If I had any complaints about the show it's that the story does, at times, feel a bit rushed and that it could have easily have been expanded to a 13 episode TV series. Yet I'm satisfied with what we have and I think you will too.

Nozomi Witches a.k.a. Bewitching Nozomi is a pretty rare find, even for fansubs. Checking the usual places I can't find a copy. Mine was a copy of the old Lupin Gang SVHS so the video quality isn't quite what you expect. Still, I say this is a show worth hunting down. When you finish it, be sure and send a note to the anime companies in the States and ask them to license it.

Labels: Animation, Anime, Fansub only

Emma: A Victorian Romance is the tale of two lovers across social divides trying desperately to overcome prejudice and social constrictions of 19th century London. Sure the story has been done countless times in books, films and television shows and yet never once does it feel forced or fake. They could have taken this in a trashy romance novel direction and yet they deliver a great deal of honesty and accuracy. I really don't want to say any more as that would spoil the plot but I will say that the show kept my interest throughout.

For someone who appreciates antiques and Victorian fashion in general the show is a plethora of Victorian fashion and stylings. To do such a show in live action would require either an astronomical budget or fall into the anacronism trap that many period pieces fall into. Still, it would be nice to see.

RightStuf (aka Nozomi Entertainment) did a great job on this DVD set. The picture and sound are excellent and the extras are nice. I try and support every release of Nozomi as they tend to listen to the fans the most. In fact I already have Season 2 of Emma and Season 1 of Maria Sama ga Miteru ordered.

In short it is simply one of the best anime releases this year.

Labels: Anime, Classics

Tonight in the middle of a marathon of shows I managed to finish up the first volume of the 1972 tokusatsu series, Kikaida (aka Kikaider.)

Kikaida is about a humanoid robot named Jiro who was created by Dr. Komyoji to fight against the evil Destructoids (evil robots) of the DARK organization that the doctor was forced to build. He goes around fighting a new monster each week while he and Dr. Komyoji's children seaarch for their lost father.

The show is really just another of the many Japanese live action shows for children made in the 1970s with one major exception, every character here is human sized. As is the case with these types of shows, everything is rather silly since the target audience was the under 10 year old male demographic so don't take it too seriously.

DARK is a strange organization lead by the sinister and somewhat eccentric Professor Gill. For whatever reason their main robots have names and characteristics consisting of a color and an animal. Their foot solders on the other hand look like luchadors from Mexican wrestling and they go around chanting "DARK" in a rather annoying fashion similar to the Miniblin from The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker.

Kikaida is a lot of fun but if I have to say anything bad about the release it's that it's rather expensive. I know that such niche shows are seldom cheap, though I have been spoiled by the releases of Iron King and Super Robot Red Baron as well as all the super cheap subtitled Godzilla and kaiju releases. I could definitely see myself picking up the rest of this show tomorrow if it averaged out to $1 or so an episode but for now I'll just keep watching the used bins, Amazon and eBay for the rest.

Labels: Japanese, Tokusatsu, TV Shows

Ahh more Good Eats! It's no secret that I absolutely love this show. The mix of science and cooking is pure genius and honestly there's nothing I can really say about this show that I haven't said before.

On this collection so far I haven't tried any of the new recipes though I have considered trying some of the Wonton recipes. Sushi and Pad Thai ... not so much. I may make the Egg Nog this Christmastime sans alcohol of course.

All in all a good solid collection. Pick it up at your local Target and be sure and catch the show on the Food Network.

Labels: Good Eats, TV Shows

Last night in honor of Halloween (a holiday that I normally have no love for) I did manage to get in one monster film. As is expected for me, it was a Godzilla film.

Terror of Mechagodzilla or Mekagojira no Gyakush? ( ????????) is the last of the Showa or original series of Godzilla films. It's also one of the best.

The film is a direct sequel to Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla and generally picks up where the last movie left off. INTERPOL is searching for the remains of Mechagodzilla, apparently to study its technology. Strangely they can't find any space titanium but they do find a giant aquatic dinosaur which destroys their sub. It turns out this is Titanosaurus, a new monster, under the control of the mad scientist Dr. Mifune who has teamed up with the aliens of the Third Planet of the Black Hole. Teaming with Titanosaurus is a new upgraded version of Mechagodzilla.

The film, despite scoring the lowest ticket sales of any Godzilla film is a return to the greatness of much earlier Toho monster films without being flat out weird like Hedorah. While there are some rather silly elements to it (e. g. Godzilla saving some children from Titanosaurus) and the horrors of the dead and dying on the mass scale are kept relatively minimal, there is a dark and somewhat depressing look at the Mifunes, especially Dr. Mifune's daughter Katsura. Akira Ifukube's score is wonderful and it certainly fits the dark nature of the film.

I definitely say to watch this one but to skip the English dubbed version. There's an annoying intro tacked on with a completely innacurate narration. The Japanese version also has some scenes not included in the dubbed version.

Labels: Classics, Godzilla, Japanese, sci-fi

It's no secret that I love cooking. I also am a big fan of science and comedy. Thus, it's no big surprise that I am a huge fan of Good Eats. Alton Brown mixes comedy, science and a lot of fun with his cooking to create some culinary masterpieces and some darn entertaining TV.

In this collection AB explores a bunch of different topics like fish, poultry and some meat shows. Personally I expect to at least try the chicken dissection and hopefully try making a good duck.

Labels: Good Eats, TV Shows

I know, my blog has been neglected quite a bit lately. The reason for this is that, quite frankly, I haven't been watching any DVDs lately. I have however, been catching up on my fansubs as well as getting a little bit of a social life again.

Anyway ...

The Story of Sue San is a one of the classic Huangmei opera and as such it's a sort of folky simple Chinese tale. It's adapted from the 15th century story "The Miserable Yu Tang Chun Meets Her Husband" and, quite frankly, can be downright depressing at times yet still pleasant to watch and listen to.

I think what makes Huangmei so fascinating to me is just how culturally different it is from western style stories. I don't know if it's related to the Buddhist belief that life is suffering but the film seemed to show people really down on their luck a lot. All the while the system of brothels is never challenged seriously by the characters (which based on my scant knowledge of Chinese history and culture may in fact be entirely accurate) but yet to me it seems appalling how such a system of buying your wife would lead to happiness. Still, it seems nice and the two really must have loved each other so who can argue with that?

The Story of Sue San is an interesting opera and for those curious of Chinese opera or those who want to see Shaw Brothers outside of Chang Cheh bloodbaths, give this one a look!

Labels: Hong Kong, Huang-Mei, Musical

In what seems like ages I have returned again to one show that gets put on the shelf for far too long. Maison Ikkoku is quite simply put an absolute masterpiece. It's also a crying shame that I shelve it to "spread it out" over time instead of just watching it all. After all, I can tell that once I'm finished with it I will go back to it again and again.

In these episodes we get to peek more into the life of young Yusaku Godai. The poor guy never can catch a break and yet strangely has a few female admirers despite his undying love for Kyoko. In these episodes things seem to get more and more confusing for the guy as he now heads out looking for a "real" job. As a man who was in this situation last year (and is somewhat considering doing it all over again next year or the year after) I can certainly see where he is coming from and how frustrating life can be.

What's a crying shame is how these are now out of print. Sadly, despite Maison Ikkoku being a masterpiece, the American anime fan never was willing to pony up the cash for it. If you do get a chance, check it out. You won't regret it!

Labels: Anime, Classics, Maison Ikkoku