Who is That and Why Should I Care #10 – Second Lieutenant Alice L Malvin

Who:  Second Lieutenant Alice L Malvin
What Show: Pumpkin Scissors (2006)
Why You Should Care:

Alice is from a family of nobles but she acts nothing like that family. She has a real soft spot for the poor people of her country of the Royal Empire (which looks like World War One era Germany). Her life goal is to help as many people harmed by the devastating war as possible. She is quick to anger when others insult her goal, her men, or take advantage of the poor people just trying to get by. She believes in a universal idea of justice, where no one is above the law, and everyone is equal (even if the reality does not always live up to that ideal).  Her family wants her to take up the life of a rich , feminine, aristocratic socialite, not a manly soldier. Her disinterest in that, and the way she tosses away common gender roles is inspirational. She is her own person, and will do what she wants, when she wants. And she wants to help people. 

Who is That and Why Should I Care #9 – Lala-Ru

Now and Then, Here and There is without a doubt one of my all time favorite anime series. It’s truly a heartbreaking and emotional masterpiece, with a perfect ending. The story is so impactful, so very tear jerking, that I think everyone needs to see it. It is brilliant in its way of weaving in an important and timely message in a fantasy series, all while dissecting (or deconstructing) the Isekai genre. It is a very brutal story, but an important one. However the story would not work without an excellent cast of characters. And Lala-Ru is my favorite from the show.

Who:  Lala-Ru
What Show: Now and Then, Here and There (1999-2000)
Why You Should Care:

Lala-Ru is first introduced in episode one, however it will take the entire 13 episodes of this series for you to get a full understanding of who this character truly is. Lala-Ru first appears to be a blue haired, stoic, quiet cute girl around the main character’s age. She is eventually revealed to have supernatural powers over water. It turns out she is thousands of years old and magical. In the future world of this anime water has become scarce, and many technological devices run on water; not to mention everyone needs water to survive. Lala-Ru has a pendant that stores the water, yet every time she uses it, she weakens.

What I like so much about this character is she at first appears stoic and emotionless, but we later learn that she’s just worn down. She has lived for thousands of years, and must have seen countless people fight over her and her abilities. She’s seen the worst in humanity, and has lost faith in people. She used to think there were good people, but she must have watched them be murdered or die. She famously says “All the good people of this world are already dead.” Yet by the end her hope in humanity is restored, she believes in someone. That is so inspirational. The way she shows this, what she does in the last episode is heartbreaking.

I also really like the way she looks. Her blue hair, calm eyes, and cute face helps to depict the type of character Lala-Ru is. It also helps her name is so cool and unique! There’s really nothing else like that name! She’s also a very powerful but vulnerable character. I like how this character grows, how she changes with the story, and where she ends up. She is the type of person I would like to meet in real life. She is the central point, the catalyst, to everything that happens in Now and Then, Here and There. And she makes the entire anime work. She’s an all time favorite character of mine, as I like how cynical and dark she is, yet also how she can change her mind.

Dante’s Inferno: An Animated Epic

“In the middle of the journey of our life I found myself within a dark woods where the straight way was lost” – Dante Alighieri

Back in the day Japan used to pump out these anthology films, short experimental works directed by the big new names in Anime. They were often highly experimental, sometimes non-narrative, always creative, artistic, and sandbox pieces. The new and cool director was given pretty much free range to direct a good 10 to 15 minutes of anime; they could do whatever they wanted in whatever way they wanted. Then the next director was given a chance to make his little piece. Want to make an anime all about the evolution and history of mankind depicted through clouds and lightning? Fine here’s the checkbook, make daddy proud. The money spent on animation and artwork alone was something no sane production company would ever greenlight today. I can’t imagine the money guys at these production studios seriously thought these would be money making endeavors, but hey it was the baburu keiki. Money was not hard to come by when the salarymen were sprinkling their sushi with gold. I half think some of these projects were ways to avoid taxes “Oh no we are going to make a profit this year, and then we will have to pay taxes! Blow it on some crazy project that will let us do a write off this year”. Think of projects like Robot Carnival, or Neo Tokyo. And yeh once in awhile they’ll throw us something similar, like this project or Short Piece, but they are ever so rare.

Jinki: Extend

Jinki: Extend is the most “anime-ed” anime out there. And I mean that in the most positive way possible. This is an anime with cute girls doing cute things, slight fanservice, Eva style philosophizing and psychoanalysis, complex storytelling, big bads hidden from the spotlight, unrequited love, exciting action, powerful drama, and of course all the characters have giant robots! I really cannot understand why this show never caught on. I hate to sound like a dork but isn’t this kind of why we watch anime? Explore one of my favorites with me!

Legend of the Dragon Kings

Few anime come with so much pre-packaged prestige as Legend of the Dragon Kings. The original novel was penned by Yoshiki Tanaka, the author of classic epics such as Legend of the Galactic Heroes and The Heroic Legend of Arslan (not to mention other hits such as Tytania ). The anime adaption was directed by old school master himself, Osamu Dezaki. Dezaki (Golgo 13: The Professional, Black Jack, Ashita no Joe) is well known for his “dramatic triple takes” and “freeze frames” in the anime he directs. When this bad boy was announced in Japan, fans were ecstatic. “Can you imagine Tanaka’s work adapted by Dezaki?”. It’s akin to say Stanley Kubrik adapting an Arthur C. Clarke novel. One master’s look at another’s work of art. What masterpiece will be created when these two geniuses work together? Well when Japanese fans got a look at this, they were sorely upset. Let’s find out why!

Predecast Episode 02!

In Episode 02 of our Podcast, we review the oldschool OVA Judge, along with the Mamoru Hosoda Masterpiece Summer Wars. Be sure to give it a listen!

Case Closed: Zero the Enforcer

I know I just reviewed a Case Closed/Detective Conan movie, but I told you guys I am a super fan after all. I eat this stuff up. This is one of the few franchises that can go on for decades without losing steam, or my interest. ANDDDDDD the good news here is this film is much better than Crimson Love Letter . Let’s check it out eh!