Series, various

[petronia]

Viewfinder (latest chapter): realised that my gripe with the Hong Kong arc isn't Feilong, it's Takaba. When Yamane's ukes go drippy like that it's over in terms of tension, at least until they meet the seme again. Not only that but it's vaguely cheapening - and irritating - to have him being used by Feilong while pining after Asami all this time. I'd find it more interesting if he held up his end.

But I must be in the minority - among people who even like Asami x Takaba, that is. XD


Ouran (latest anime ep): IMO the series coasts on momentum when it's not being on crack, which is odd - it's usually the other way around. But I feel like the backstory eps haven't told me anything surprising. ^^; Take the twins-related eps: if one must be an insufferable little snot it may well peak around age 13-14, to be gradually grown out of (or smacked out of, thank you Haruhi), but that's neither illuminating nor sympathetic, it's just life. XD And I know Kyouya's type maybe too well. Dunno. I think Haruhi's presence is more integral to the setup's success than readily apparent, given that the point of Haruhi is not being flashy.

Though the character that comes off best is Tamaki. After all's said and done etc. You could actually make the argument that Haruhi is freed from the emotional duties of yr typical purehearted shoujo heroine precisely because Tamaki takes on so many of them. XD Also I really adore his seiyuu, I don't know how they cast someone this perfect.

(There's this thing I want to write involving Kyouya and Tamaki but am stuck, for the same reason I was stuck (briefly) on the TezuFuji Brussels postcard thing: I know the topic it revolves around but I'm not sure of the characters' opinions. ...Who was it said Kyouya and Tamaki are what you get if you surgically separated the hemispheres of Imonoyama Nokoru's brain? XD)


Saiunkoku Monogatari (episodes 1-3): started watching this. I could've been ahead of you all but I was lazy. XD Overwhelming impression is "It's not Juuni Kokki, but then again it's not Fushigi Yuugi either." Principally it's less fantastic than the other two, so far no unicorns or phoenixes, the heroine doesn't come from a different world, etc. meaning I have more leisure to compare it to real ancient China and be offended that it's not. Which is unfair, given that what I mean is I keep expecting the politics to be more complex and vicious and unencumbered by shoujo pastels, and for good people to come to bad ends. XD;

I get the feeling the story proper hasn't kicked in, though. And I'm really, really certain that the author of this thing was into Fushigi Yuugi in high school, then at some point sat down with a beer and was like, "........You know what? I could totally do better," and did, which is the sort of endeavour I could get behind.


GetBackers (volume 36): manga shipment came in a week early. As the previous volume dealt with the Miroku this one mostly wraps it for the Fuuchouin. Oh, Fuuchouin clans, why the hell are there so many of you. =_= The interest of the battles themselves have dipped, since they serve - Kenshin-style - as a sort of shortcut to catharsis, with the outcome dependant on some combination of will and right feeling (explicitly as well as thematically, given the nature of the Beltline). Id est what physically happens during a fight is meaningless and you can't judge by it, may as well sum it up in a sentence. :P At least with Fuuchouin you get the pretty named attacks. I have the impression Aoki-sensei has thrown in the towel and is writing wuxia.

(I've always wanted to compile a numbered list of all the named Fuuchouin and Kakei attacks in the series. You do get to see Kazuki's #99th attack ougi, it's a Cocco song.

And, because it's Kazuki, a dramatic moment of unintentional hilarity:

Kazuki's mom: I can only show you this technique once. It's passed down by those who marry into the Fuuchouin clan, secretly, from generation to generation. So you must never mention it to your father.
little!Kazuki:
little!Kazuki: But if it's passed down by those who marry into the Fuuchouin, why are you showing it to me?
Kazuki's mom: ...*sigh*)

I wish Yohan were introduced earlier in the series, actually, instead of being a Big Boss Out Of Nowhere. Though they did a good job of filling his character in as the arc progressed. I especially appreciate how he explicitly, canonically has a Thing(tm) for Kazuki, and then... yeah. Teamwork at its best, guys.

...Is anyone summarizing/spoilering GB now or not at all? Makubex is in the Archive. Who's female. And wants to eat him. Vagina dentata at its best. He's holding her off by making side bets on the fight outcomes.

Comments

[corneredangel.livejournal.com]

Principally it's less fantastic than the other two, so far no unicorns or phoenixes, the heroine doesn't come from a different world, etc. meaning I have more leisure to compare it to real ancient China and be offended that it's not.

I am currently horrified of having to sit through Yugo the Negotiator episodes 7-12.

...Yugo the Negotiator episodes 7-12 are the Moscow (and, uh, various other places in Russia) arc...

[petronia.livejournal.com]

How are eps 1-6? (Are you watching anything good?)

[corneredangel.livejournal.com]

The Japanese do their idea of Pakistan. The thing came out just around three years ago, when Pakistan really *was* the hot big thing in the news. So, it's researched...oh, about to the level that an American action movie circa 1985 would be...

...and as far as 'anything good', holding my breath for the last episode of Gunbuster 2 (Gainax now and forever, the episode title is 'The Story of Your Life'), and picking up various shounen-ish things here and there. Another week, another Tsubasa episode, and in just a bit, Chevalier should start hitting the torrents. But mostly, really trying to work through all those mid-'90's titles that I really should have watched in club freshman year, but somehow never quite got got around to. Key, Saber Marionette, Rayearth...you know the drill.

[woodburner.livejournal.com]

Makubex is in the Archive. Who's female. And wants to eat him. Vagina dentata at its best. He's holding her off by making side bets on the fight outcomes.

a;lksfja;lskjf WHUT.

[petronia.livejournal.com]

It thinks of itself as his mommy? And now it's like, "I will reabsorb you, irregular male energy seed, and grow immeasurably in the process! :D" and Makubex is like Um I have a better idea LET'S NOT.

[woodburner.livejournal.com]

Oh and

And I'm really, really certain that the author of this thing was into Fushigi Yuugi in high school, then at some point sat down with a beer and was like, "........You know what? I could totally do better," and did, which is the sort of endeavour I could get behind.

That is EXACTLY what I was thinking. XD

[petronia.livejournal.com]

"You know what would be awesome? ...Here, pass that around... If the girl weren't a retard. And the Emperor were bi. That would be awesome."

[canis-m.livejournal.com]

Ehh, which Cocco song? Or should I guess. 風化風葬? XD

[petronia.livejournal.com]

Kachoufuugetsu (no kanji on this computer). Which come to think of it may not be a Cocco song (album?). SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

[canis-m.livejournal.com]

Ahahaha 花鳥風月　is a SPITZ ALBUM.

[petronia.livejournal.com]

I WAS CLOSE.

[worldserpent.livejournal.com]

Eh, but aren't they contractually obligated with VF to have like one sex scene every chapter?

Who was it said Kyouya and Tamaki are what you get if you surgically separated the hemispheres of Imonoyama Nokoru's brain?

I have no idea, but that person was brilliant. I agree with your opinon of Ouran lacking a certain oomph. (Shall post on this later, but am currently distracted by SHINY DSL!!!!!!!!!)

Am going to watch Saiunkoku monogatari, soon. Since I can't read the novels.

[petronia.livejournal.com]

VF: no she isn't (though I imagine the fans like it), but my problem isn't the existence or lack of sex, it's more just how the characters are handled. :P

Ouran: I keep waiting for the series to develop real emotional depth, since one does get attached to the characters and the potential is there, but... it's not going about it the right way, or something. ^^;

[marej.livejournal.com]

while my gut reaction is, generally speaking, Takaba, who? Especially, especially, when Feilong is in the shot, I have given it some thought and:

it's more just how the characters are handled

dude, what are you talking about? because unless i'm getting it wrong--which is possible--Takaba have finally figured out that:

a. if he's going to be a plaything ANYWAY, he might as well be Asami's plaything (considering the crackpipe, i can't say i blame him. at least asami seems to be laying off his toys lately)

b. he's a slut (d'oh) and what he *really* wants is a threesome. that he also prefers sex with Asami to sex with Feilong. now, you know i love Feilong, you know i do, but um...not the bestest seme. srsly.

[petronia.livejournal.com]

XD I dunno! It's not so much realising he'd rather be in Japan with Asami than in Hong Kong with Feilong, that's only sensible.

What I think it is: it actively bothers me that Takaba doesn't put up more of a fight than he has with Feilong. And I can't put my finger on why, because it's not like he has a choice, but... eh. I like how I wrote him better. XD

[z107m.livejournal.com]

Um, yeah. I can understand that after seeing a few ppl pumped with lead Takaba wouldn't quite be as cocky as he was in the first episode. Nevertheless, I'm only keeping up with this series in the hope that he gets his spine back. I'm not expecting him to kick Feilong's ass, that's Asami's job. I just wouldn't mind if he got a few good ones in there.

Hm, perhaps I'm just really tired of the overglorification of uke's with Stockholm Syndrome.

[worldserpent.livejournal.com]

Eh, I think they don't because the whole premise is banked on the premise not changing, so there's just not much ways to go? Oh well. I had a canned post on these thoughts, so if you're interested, see my latest post.

[petronia.livejournal.com]

Heh, I'm glad you stuck it in its own entry since I haven't watched Suzumiya Haruhi. XD

[worldserpent.livejournal.com]

BTW, where did you get the third ep of Saiunkoku monogatari? I can't find it on animesuki.

[petronia.livejournal.com]

Oh, I dled it as the eps came out, and the subbing group in question has a policy of taking the episodes down as soon as the DVD comes out in Japan. ^^;

[worldserpent.livejournal.com]

Guh, thanks for the info. I'll have to try other avenues. -_-

[insaneneko.livejournal.com]

Regarding VF, though it's cheapening I totally expected it so it didn't really bother me. Takaba seems to swing from passive to headstrong uke and back a lot, so I figure he'll eventually do something reckless to make up for all this non-resistance.

Please write Kyouya and Tamaki fic!

[gisho.livejournal.com]

Ahahaha. I always found it amusing how the Fuuchoin attacks apparently come in books.

... If you do decide to do so I can help? At least with the early volumes?

(Randomly, do we ever get any indication of multiple clans, spilts, hell, even that the Kakei family extends so far as, oh, second cousins? 'Cause we have all these random Fuuchoin popping up and they're all using variants of the same fighting style ... but we have seen four Kakei ever, counting Juubei and Sakura's mom and dad, and they have two completely different fighting styles between them! Which doesn't seem quite right.)

Re Makubex, my approximate thoughts:

1. So THAT'S where he went!
2. You know, I always did suspect that Mugenjou had a central, overarching intelligence/soul ...
3. but I always thought it would be Makubex himself.
4. Possibly I read too much Sandman as an impressionable teen.
5. It would really suck if A & A killed him off.
6. But given they brought back Amon, it's not likely. Seems a shame to reform a major arc-spanning villain, turn him into a minor deity, and then not keep him around.

[petronia.livejournal.com]

There are definitely second cousins and such to the Kakei, the way they're spoken of in the series, but you never get to see them. ^^; With the Fuuchouin it's actually sub-clans - the Eastern, the Western, another direct servitor clan of the head family that was wiped out at the same time (I've momentarily forgotten the kanji reading), the head family itself, and then the Dark Fuuchouin. And it's implied there are more.

This is not directly explained but from Sakura's attack names one knows she uses the Kakei female style, presumably the one they teach to their daughters. The Fuuchouin don't have that distinction.

I really don't think A&A would kill Makubex off - if he's still around now there's no reason why he wouldn't be able to hold the fort. XD; I'm not sure what happened to Sakura and Toshiki, though, seem to have lost them along the way.

[gisho.livejournal.com]

Forget Kazuki's attacks, I need a list of his relatives. ;_; Hmm. So if there are more Kakei how come they've never shown up? I vaugely recall someone (it was either you or Harukami, I think) arguing that actually, havivng a Kakei bodyguard was one of the things that defined the legitimate clan head, so Juubei really threw a wrench in by leaving with Kazuki. Do none of the other Fuuchoin we've seen rate? Or is all this stuff going on right now count as intra-clan fighting and therefore something the Kakei are keeping out of? (Not that it's stopping Juubei, but.)

... huh. I'm sure there's a good reason for there being seperate styles for men and women, but damned if I can think of one.

Well, we can hope. Sakura and Toshiki will probably show up at the last minute to save the day; that sort of thing happens a lot in GB. Maybe we'll get more Sakura/Makubex cuteness, not that I am a hopeless fanboy at ALL about this, oh no.

[petronia.livejournal.com]

[out-on-a-limb extrapolation]The Kakei were and are physicians first and foremost - acupuncturists, much like the ones in Jewel in the Palace - and their fighting style is an outgrowth of their work with the human body. Probably they're hidebound traditionalists who don't train their women to practice medicine, so Kakei females have a separate martial arts style for self-defense (using a scarf or sash, which is something a traditionally dressed woman can be expected to have on her).[/out-on-a-limb extrapolation]

Because there are so many clans under the Fuuchouin umbrella, the legitimacy of the clan head does depend on him being accepted by the other families, and that includes the Kakei. What happened was they all (including the Ura-Fuuchouin themselves) swore allegiance to Yohan because he's so strong and deadly they didn't feel they had a choice. ^^; The Kakei could have put up a good fight but they gave in without one (and were oppressed afterward; Yuuri talked smack about making them kiss his boots). But yeah, it seems that it's specifically the Kakei clan head who's the assigned bodyguard/physician of the Fuuchouin clan head, so it would have been Juubei and Kazuki in the next generation. If Juubei and Sakura had stayed they would have been working for/under Yohan, which is a bad end because Yohan slaps the black thread tattoo on everyone he uses - he doesn't have such a thing as a trusted subordinate.

[amamiyarin.livejournal.com]

Also I really adore his seiyuu, I don't know how they cast someone this perfect.

Miyano Mamoru is amazing, yes. ^^ When he's acting on stage, he's also really awesome! ^^ And Tamaki = Yagami Light = WIN. XDD

[petronia.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah, I remember you saying something about that. I hope the anime is good. ^^

[fable.livejournal.com]

Which is unfair, given that what I mean is I keep expecting the politics to be more complex and vicious and unencumbered by shoujo pastels, and for good people to come to bad ends. XD;

hee. I know very little about Ancient China, but the politics seemed really simple and shoujo-like to me, too. They didn't have the complexity of, say, a series like LoGH; there were just the good guys (that you knew would end up winning in the end) and the bad guys - no real shades of gray, no feeling of complex machinations going on behind the scenes. Some of the characters, such as the king, are written as clever, but they don't seem clever to me, because the plots they uncover and the schemes they carry out are either totally obvious or needlessly complicated, and they do really dumb shoujo-like stuff that they never have to face the consequences of.

There was one exception to this, but I don't want to spoil you. Aside from that exception, though, the world created felt rather simple. Which, yes. Is just about what I should expect from a shoujo series, innit? XD;;


I get the feeling the story proper hasn't kicked in, though. And I'm really, really certain that the author of this thing was into Fushigi Yuugi in high school, then at some point sat down with a beer and was like, "........You know what? I could totally do better," and did, which is the sort of endeavour I could get behind.

*diesss* So true. Watched Fushigi Yuugi on breaks while preparing for a huge test, too, most likely. XD

[petronia.livejournal.com]

I really wonder if Ancient China carries the same connotation for fantasy-reading Japanese schoolgirls as Celtic Europe does for their Western equivalents? Because that's how it's starting to come across.

Also, when they asked the girl "But what would you say to the Emperor if you saw him?" I totally hallucinated she said, "Invite him to join my Host Club, of course!"

[reynardine.livejournal.com]

I really wonder if Ancient China carries the same connotation for fantasy-reading Japanese schoolgirls as Celtic Europe does for their Western equivalents? Because that's how it's starting to come across.

I was thinking that myself. Actually, that would make a great AU, wouldn't it? For any of the pseudo-China based shoujo series--try to make them Celtic (or British)!

[fromastudio]

Who was it said Kyouya and Tamaki are what you get if you surgically separated the hemispheres of Imonoyama Nokoru's brain?

*excuses herself to go die laughing* That is strangely...apt.

I agree on the backstory episodes - while they make fantastic fodder, they just haven't been particularly entertaining as a whole, and the progression hasn't been very cohesive. At least not as cohesive as you'd expect of a series that's wrapping up in two more episodes. The Honey-backstory episode worked, maybe because there were healthy doses of crack as well.

My favourite of the recent eps has been 21; it seemed to get the proper mix of DE SERIOUS and the silly and the strange, exuberant metaphors that make the anime such love.

[petronia.livejournal.com]

Is it really wrapping up? I guess I'll have to pick up the manga at some point. ^^;

I loved Honey's little brother's final rant. XD "Does that not seem like a space alien to you? Well!?"