Roxers

Japan is a nation that still to an extent labours under a heirarchical system. Some people don't want to fit into this system, and they escape into the rebellious, unnatural society of the otaku. Otaku are people who devote themselves to their passions, sometimes extremely obscure, and are social outcasts as a result. The most commonly known otaku to the western world is the anime otaku. The easiest cultural comparison would be that of the Trekkie, but the otaku are possibly even more marginalised than them.

1991's Otaku no Video is a satirical documentary lovingly detailing the anime otaku scene of the eighties while at the same time offering some frightening truths.
Otaku no Video balances itself between the real and the ideal by offering the fantasy world in anime form while showing the gritty reality in 'real' interviews.
The animated segments of Otaku no Video tells the story of Kubo, a university student who meets some old acquaintances from high school. While he is initially frightened by their obsessive nature, he realises that they possess the passion that his fellow students do not and comes to see the world through the eyes of an otaku. Kubo comes to understand that being otaku is more than reliving a misspent youth - that anime is genuine artistry! After being dumped by his girlfriend, Kubo vows that if society will treat him in such a way, he will not just be otaku, he will be the otaking!
Throughout the fanciful anime, ostensibly based upon GAiNAX's meteoric rise to fame, are live interviews titled Portrait of an otaku. While they are entirely scripted, each of them rings eerily true. To enhance the idea of the stigma attached to otakudom, each interview subject has his face pixellated and voice digitally altered.
Their names are pseudonymous and at the beginning of each interview a fact sheet that lists "years as an otaku", rather like a documentary's exposé of an alcoholic or drug runner.
The difference between the anime and the "reality" is that Kubo wears his badge with pride, but the "genuine" otaku are ashamed of their position.

As a narrative anime, Otaku no Video develops well. The first OVA is fairly credible, and effectively shows Kubo's progression from tennis player to the uncleansed otaku. The second episode, however, is considerably more fantastic. Kubo takes on Japanese industry and finds contentment. The industry is, of course, little more than a pipe dream to most.
The two segments are edited effectively, with the anime cutting off at appropriate junctures and Portrait of an Otaku weighing down the sometimes overly buoyant anime preventing it from simply floating away.
The juxtaposition is interesting. The sad, pathetic otaku are those in denial. Kubo, however, is completely honest about his otakuhood, and never lets society dictate his behaviour. The anime is shameless, but the 'genuine' otaku is overcome with shame. The anime therefore is about the true otaku; true to himself, true to his way of life. The interviews show the bondage that so many otaku are forced to live under.

The interviews themselves are a mixed collection. Some of them are hilarious, some of them are frightening, and others are simply too steeped in Japanese cultural and social mores to mean much to any other audience. The mosaic goggle segment in particular is ill explained, which is odd as so many of the others offer large amounts of exposition.
While it would be wrong to watch Otaku no Video without the Portrait of an Otaku segments, they don't evoke the same joy afforded by the anime. It's a precarious balancing act that forces the viewer to understand that the anime can't be real.

Production wise, Otaku no Video is standard GAiNAX fare: that is, whimsical and frequently beautiful. The characters of popular 1980s designer Sonoda Kenichi are attractive and showcase a wide array of otaku types, including the cute girl with glasses, the tall guy who speaks archaic Japanese, the old night owl (who allows the group to operate 24 hours a day), the short guy with an outdated crewcut and, of course, the fat guy with glasses. Not coincidentally, Kubo's girlfriend bears a resemblance to Macross' Lynn Minmay, the Chinese singer who earned the love of the entire universe but drifted irrevocably from her love interest.
There are many visual homages to other classics. Cosplay comes up on more than one occasion, with striking results. All of the otaku apartments are full of models and posters, accurate and instantly recognisable. Of course, GAiNAX would never pass up a chance for self promotion, and their characters from Nadia: Secret of Blue Water appear several times throughout; one of them even making the cover.
The whole project culminates in Kubo's vision of Otakuland, which is the pinnacle of both reference and reverence.

The music for the anime segments is good, with an upbeat theme that plays throughout without ever becoming too repetitive. The OP, Fight! Otaking is a marvellous analysis of the noble spirit of the otaku that hearkens back to the golden days of anime songs. 'Burning passion is the only thing I believe in!' It features a powerful male vocal unwavering in its enthusiasm.
The ED, Lost Way of the Otaku, is a duet in the most traditional sense of call and response.
'You tacky, unsightly person, I can't love you.' says She.
'Cosplay is my reason for living!' comes His reply.
Both songs are stylish and hilarious, but their true strength lies in the fact that they're delivered completely seriously and with total conviction.

By comparison, Portrait of an Otaku has very basic production values, at the end cutting to graphs with "summary" music and a soothing voice over explaining otaku mentality. It's essentially approached as a "hard hitting exposé of what is wrong with today's society" and boasts similarly cheap values to those of tabloid TV.

Otaku no Video is at times hilarious, at times disturbing and at times obscure. Admittedly, the audience that would get the most from this OVA are Japanese anime fans of the time of production, but to someone who knows more than a little about anime, Otaku no Video provides a nice indication of the culture that surrounds it. As a direct love letter to anime and its fans, they don't come much better than this.

With a cameo from Jack Black and Kyle Gass as Tenacious D!

I think this calls for a Kylie marathon.

(Slip: I originally typed "Kylie Gass")

ADV Films, Madman Entertainment, 25 minutes

In 2002, Shinkai Makoto quit the game design company that he worked for in order to tell a personal story. That story became the independent 25 minute anime project, Voices of a Distant Star. An intensely personal film, Voices of a Distant Star compensates for its lack of technical polish through sheer emotional power.

Voices of a Distant Star is about two teenagers, Nagamine Mikako and Terao Noboru. Just as they are at the point of their relationship where they want to be open about their feelings, Mikako is called up to fight a war against the unknown Tarsians. They promise to keep in touch, but hyperspace relativity means that while little time passes for Mikako, years go by for Noboru. Still, they resolve to be loyal to one another.

The thing about Voices of a Distant Star is that the story is not important; it’s just a frame for Mikako and Noboru. The use of hyperspace and war to illustrate human loneliness is nothing new; in anime it was used to perfect effect in Gunbuster. Hyperspace and war tear the two apart, and their pain is palpable. While Mikako never changes, staying in her school uniform for the duration of the war, more than eight years pass for Noboru. Their dedication to each other as the gap between them grows ever wider is something incredibly sad. Mikako is really just a teenaged girl, not ready to face the reality of war. Noboru himself says that 'it’s a pretty stupid story if you think about it.'
Circumstances beyond the control of people are a strong cause of pain, and Shinkai has allowed this pain to be realised perfectly through the situation of Mikako and Noboru. The love and dedication of these two characters who knew each other for only a short time is tangible, and this is truly a testament to Shinkai’s ability.
The most surprising aspect of the project is the ending, an ambiguous conclusion that stuns with its incredibly abrupt nature while still managing to be wholly satisfying.

The most impact that Voices of a Distant Star boasts as an individual piece is its mentality. Without the contribution of a committee at any level, it doesn’t have an "anime mentality". This shows in that it can’t be classified in the traditional ways: Voices of a Distant Star is neither TV series, film or OVA. The closest that it comes to a definition is that of a short film, but the personal nature lends itself to the idea of a "project".
Shinkai himself calls it a "short story" - something that can be picked up and appreciated at any time, like manga or a novel. Shinkai had very strong ideas about his project and he has allowed them to dominate.
Shinkai Makoto is an excellent director, but his work is not without its shortcomings. As a solo production, the animation and character designs look somewhat amateurish. Mikako and Noboru have simple, sometimes misshapen, faces. Their eyes are pale, and seem almost lifeless. The space battles are roughly animated, with jerky movements and odd CG aliens dampening the mood of the piece.
Paradoxically, Shinkai’s direction is flawless. He has a perfect sense of scene composition, that he taught himself while trying to discover "the skills to cheat his way to making things look right with the least amount of effort". His eye for framing and lighting is what makes Voices of a Distant Star so impressive; despite the substandard character design and animation, he has manipulated them in such a way that the project can stand as a work of art.

The music by Tenmon almost never stops. The opening ten minutes consist largely of light hearted and repetitive music that is almost suffocating. The continuous piano work is an overly optimistic tune that effectively suggest early days and a quick return for Mikako. But as the story progresses, the music is used more sparingly to emphasise the uncertainty that descends upon the characters.
The score culminates in the beautiful song Through the Years and Far Away, performed in English by Low. This concluding sequence is the one point of Voices of a Distant Star where the project transcends the boundaries of the screen and becomes something almost magical.

The DVD comes with three audio tracks: The original Japanese demo cut featuring Shinkai and his fiancée in the lead roles, the professional Japanese recording, and the English dub.
The best of the three is the professional version; Mutoh Sumi and Suzuki Chihiro are right on as Mikako and Noboru, hitting the emotional range perfectly. Shinkai and Shinohara are, unsurprisingly, raw in their demo performances. A drawback to watching this version is not only that they don't have the range, but also that the subtitles aren't quite timed to the dialogue.
The English dub is a disappointing effort from Stephen Foster, who has seen to it that the work has been almost completely rewritten. To further complicate the matter, Cynthia Martinez has been completely miscast as Mikako, with a voice far too deep. This is especially confusing as Martinez has used a higher pitch in the past. Adam Conlon simply sounds bored as Noboru.
Sadly, Voices of a Distant Star can not be recommended for those who can not watch subtitles.

As a whole, Voices of a Distant Star leaves a strong lasting impression. Despite its amateurish production values, Shinkai's abilities as a director allow it to become something special. While it's difficult to call Voices of a Distant Star anime, it's definitely a worthwhile departure.

She and Her Cat

The real highlight of the Voices of a Distant Star DVD is Shinkai Makoto's 1999 animated short, She and Her Cat, winner of two Grand Prix awards.
Perhaps even more personal than Voices of a Distant Star, as it came forth from a difficult time in his life, She and Her Cat is a simple story told from the perspective from a cat about his feelings for his owner.

She and Her Cat does not feature any colour, and animation is almost non existent. Shinkai wholly relies on his abilities of composition and lighting to create the atmosphere. This was his training ground as a director, where he taught himself how to make maximum output with minimum effort. The minimalist direction of the piece combine with the attention to detail to make an interestingly contradictory experience.

The monochromatic world of She and Her Cat is incredibly realistic, as is She Herself. But Her Cat is just a cute and simple cat. Her Cat is a pure character, with somewhat complex emotions. He refuses to marry his cat girlfriend because he "prefers the love of an older woman". Her Cat's emotions seem entirely realistic, but at the same time impossible.
Of course, it sounds freakish that a cat would love a human so deeply; but it's the purest form of love, one without sex. Still, the idea of such a multi-layered cat is intriguing and makes She and Her Cat well worth watching.

Her Cat is voiced by Shinkai himself, and he does it perfectly. Her Cat is a character that is in total control of his emotions, and the delivery of his thoughts is with total and matter of fact conviction. Shinkai makes everything so believable in She and Her Cat that it is real.

Three versions of the short are present; a digest, a three minute cut and the complete five minute version. It is interesting to watch each of them one after another to witness Shinkai's editing skills; he can tell the same story just as effectively with his careful works. The five minute version is, of course, the definitive, and completely immersive. The other two are nice counterpoints.

She and Her Cat may only be a five minute short with almost no discernible animation, but it is something that should stay with you forever. She and Her Cat by itself would be worth buying; in fact, it's almost as if the DVD were She and Her Cat with special bonus feature Voices of a Distant Star.

I think memes are stupid... but... well.... that sisn't sto me creating a roxette one, hehe..... i posted it over at roxettefans I dont wanna cross post it :-)

The video was recorded in the Eastern suburbs of Sydney!

Vulnerable was recorded at Katoomba and Bondi Beach!

I was reading the paper about teh singer Delta Goodrem... and three things surprised me....

A) How young she was compared to my impression of her
B) That she has cancer and
C) That she was in Neighbours.....

The relevance to this community is this....

so just who was she in Neighbours? Was she in it for long? When? etc

I'm not a huge fan I was just really curious after reading that.
I watched Neighbours yesterday for the 1st time since Holly left and this is what happened... Steph's live in boyfriend's sister came to stay and was being a complete two faced bitch, digging for info from his daughter (hey i don't know their names, I only know steph as i used to watch it... she's really good looking) then at the end steph ran to karls house and was crying saying she doesn't want to die.

heh... last time i watched it, michelle chickened out of moving to new york (what a wuss) and flick was still there.

i know neighbours in the UK used to be 12-18 months behind australia, but i reckon it must have caught up a lot. (it was about 12 years ago when it was THAT far behind Oz)

Anyway info on Delta would be nice :-)

Thanks :-)

War on Izzy.

Karl living with Taj.

I just noticed that it's been entirely revamped and has Harvey at the end! I'll have to pay attention tomorrow ... it includes the entire Bishop family!

The Scullys and the Kennedy’s settle their differences, and decide to find Jamie Clarke.

I was surprised that Ian Dickson was thinking the same as I!

Well Jiao and Rico, we want a full report ... right?