I have always liked anime, though, like many people my age, I haven't always known it was anime I liked. As a kid I watched things like Speed Racer, Battle of the Planets, Voltron, Robotech, and... um... The King Kong Show. What I remember most about each of these (with the exception of the last one) was that, unlike any other cartoons, people would. Actually. Die. Unlike in, say, G. I. Joe, where every exploding plane was accompanied by a guy floating away in a parachute.
I rediscovered anime (or discovered I knew of anime, depending on your perspective) in my early twenties. I'm not sure on the exact specifics, because at the time I didn't know it wasn't a Life Altering event. Brother Eric and I rented a movie called Vampire Hunter D and it started us off.
Now for the life of me, I couldn't tell you squat about "Vampire Hunter D". A talking hand, a scared girl, and, I think, some talk about Dracula. Oh, and a Vampire Hunter. Beyond that, your guess is as good as mine. Which is pretty damning, considering I can remember the plot of Equinox from better than two decades ago.
But, then again, "Equinox" has been proven to gouge the brain and mind...
Which no doubt explains why I want to see it again.
...
Where were we?
Ah yes.
Something about "Vampire Hunter D" did appeal to Eric and myself. Maybe it was because the characters looked like something out of "Robotech" or "Voltron". I dunno. We went back and rented Fist of the North Star.
Which sucked. Big time. The main character could cause people to explode with a single hit, something that got old real quick. He spends the entire movie looking for a girl who he comes close to rescuing but never actually does. Pass. Pass, pass, and pass further down the field.
But there was a moment. Two supporting characters are plummeting down the side of a ruined skyscraper in a futuristic vehicle. One of them, (the girl as I recall) flies out of her seat and her companion has to pull her back to safety.
That reminded me, strongly, of a scene in "Robotech" where the hero, Rick Hunter, saves the damsel Minmei in a similar maneuver. It was enough to give anime one more shot, at the very least, before going back to my Horror List.
The next movie was Project A-ko, and that sealed my love for the genre. "Project A-ko" is about a super-powered high school girl (A-ko), a mad girl genius (B-ko), and the annoying girl they fight over (C-ko). With the feats of superhuman speed and strength, the mad schemes to win C-ko's affections, childhood rivaries, the robots built to avenge said rivaries, alien invaders searching for their princess, the missiles fired to defend same, the honking huge space ship, and cameo appearances by Clark Kent, Diana Prince, and Colonel Sanders, there is very little ground not covered in some way or another. The film was hilarious and exciting and while no doubt and acquired taste, it signaled the discover of what was the few genres Eric and I shared an enthusiasm for.
In fact, one of my few major projects before this current push into drawing was a HUGE picture of my beloved B-ko. The girl was insane. Clearly insane. But she's the best thing about an excellent movie.
I rediscovered anime (or discovered I knew of anime, depending on your perspective) in my early twenties. I'm not sure on the exact specifics, because at the time I didn't know it wasn't a Life Altering event. Brother Eric and I rented a movie called Vampire Hunter D and it started us off.
Now for the life of me, I couldn't tell you squat about "Vampire Hunter D". A talking hand, a scared girl, and, I think, some talk about Dracula. Oh, and a Vampire Hunter. Beyond that, your guess is as good as mine. Which is pretty damning, considering I can remember the plot of Equinox from better than two decades ago.
But, then again, "Equinox" has been proven to gouge the brain and mind...
Which no doubt explains why I want to see it again.
...
Where were we?
Ah yes.
Something about "Vampire Hunter D" did appeal to Eric and myself. Maybe it was because the characters looked like something out of "Robotech" or "Voltron". I dunno. We went back and rented Fist of the North Star.
Which sucked. Big time. The main character could cause people to explode with a single hit, something that got old real quick. He spends the entire movie looking for a girl who he comes close to rescuing but never actually does. Pass. Pass, pass, and pass further down the field.
But there was a moment. Two supporting characters are plummeting down the side of a ruined skyscraper in a futuristic vehicle. One of them, (the girl as I recall) flies out of her seat and her companion has to pull her back to safety.
That reminded me, strongly, of a scene in "Robotech" where the hero, Rick Hunter, saves the damsel Minmei in a similar maneuver. It was enough to give anime one more shot, at the very least, before going back to my Horror List.
The next movie was Project A-ko, and that sealed my love for the genre. "Project A-ko" is about a super-powered high school girl (A-ko), a mad girl genius (B-ko), and the annoying girl they fight over (C-ko). With the feats of superhuman speed and strength, the mad schemes to win C-ko's affections, childhood rivaries, the robots built to avenge said rivaries, alien invaders searching for their princess, the missiles fired to defend same, the honking huge space ship, and cameo appearances by Clark Kent, Diana Prince, and Colonel Sanders, there is very little ground not covered in some way or another. The film was hilarious and exciting and while no doubt and acquired taste, it signaled the discover of what was the few genres Eric and I shared an enthusiasm for.
In fact, one of my few major projects before this current push into drawing was a HUGE picture of my beloved B-ko. The girl was insane. Clearly insane. But she's the best thing about an excellent movie.
From "Project A-ko", we dived into anime series soon enough, though these tended to be harder to manage back in the days of VHS. Episodes tended to come two to a tape, if you were lucky. However, we would watch stuff like Tenchi Muyo, Ranma 1/2, Mermaid Forest, The Laughing Target, Record of Lodoss War, and so on and so forth.
I intend to speak a bit more about these titles, as well as others. However, I hope this serves as a small introduction to my enjoyment of the subject.
I intend to speak a bit more about these titles, as well as others. However, I hope this serves as a small introduction to my enjoyment of the subject.
1 comment:
I was a fan of anime when I was a kid, as well. Japanese imports such as "Astro Boy" ("Atom Boy" in Japan), "Kimba, The White Lion" and "8th Man" were shows I watched religiously ("The King Kong Show", too - yikes)
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