tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91524803619096124782024-03-05T01:21:46.963-08:00Arc Rose StudiosWelcome! This is my writing and reviewing blog, though it may from time to time include nonrelated musings. Sit down, have some tea, and please leave your shoes at the door.GrimMoodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14711339376401950830noreply@blogger.comBlogger309125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9152480361909612478.post-82574351411043358572018-01-01T12:12:00.000-08:002018-01-01T12:12:41.504-08:00Azumanga Analysis -- Kasuga "Osaka" Ayumu<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Ah, everyone's favorite character, including mine. The shining star of Azumanga, the one and only Osaka. I read this analysis online where someone claimed if Osaka hadn't been in the show, the fanbase would not exist, at least not as large as it was at Azumanga's peak. This is certainly true, given how strong a flavor character Osaka is. It's also been stated by many that there was no character like Osaka in manga before, and that there were many imitators afterward. <br />
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Granted, I don't know enough manga history to know if that last claim is true. I don't really doubt it, it just surprises me because Osaka is pretty normal. No, I don't mean "normal" as in a common example of a person in society. Osaka is a normal example of a very small portion of the population. She's the perfect example of a Myers-Briggs INTP, and in the world females of this type make up less than 2%, approximately, of the world's population. While Azuma might not have been familiar with the Myers-Briggs system, it's entirely possible he knew someone like Osaka in real life, as INTPs are characterized as extremely withdrawn, imaginative system designers with love for innovation and near inability to follow through with even a small percentage of their ideas. <br />
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As you can tell, I've put a lot of thought into Osaka's character. Who wouldn't? We all love her, so of course out of all the characters we think about her the most, yes? And because we love her so much, we all try our hardest to deny the truth. That truth?<br />
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Kasuga Ayumu is destined to be a failure.<br />
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Don't get angry. Search your heart; you know it to be true. If you require evidence, well, here we go. <br />
<a name='more'></a>Let's start with the will/talent keys to success. In terms of talent, Osaka appears to have none. She's not athletic, not flexible, not academically inclined, and never shown doing anything artistic. In terms of will, as much as she knows she should get it together, she never does. Indeed, she prioritizes sleep over school, and merrily joins the bonkuras in their race to the bottom. Nor does Osaka have any clear interests that would give her some direction in life.<br />
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When I was saying that Kaorin's subconscious philosophy of "take what life hands you" isn't the worst life philosophy to have, I meant that because Kaorin has been handed general Japanese culture, she'll do well enough. Osaka doesn't even take what she's handed; she doesn't take anything at all, because she's so insulated from anything outside of herself. <br />
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Despite telling herself to "get it together", Osaka only seems to do this because she knows she's different from other students. Her former classmates did call her slow and spacey, after all. Avoiding these labels is more important to her than reaching a destination. The downside of that is that avoiding negative labels would only lift Osaka up to the same level as the other girls -- the other girls who are still trying to figure out who they are and what they're supposed to do with their lives. <br />
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Unfortunately, Osaka seems to enjoy life moment by moment. While that sounds like the kind of thing from an inspirational quote book, it's terrible in practice. Osaka enjoys the small things in life. Very small. While other girls enjoy doing well in school or running fast, Osaka enjoys hot baths, sticking her face in flour, and watching a commerical where lotion drips into a bottle (in the manga). It seems that so long is Osaka is happy in the absolute present, the right now, she is content to give the future not another thought. This, combined with her general lack of talent, destroys any hope she had of taking advantage of her youth to discover what she's meant to be or wants to be.<br />
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In fact, Osaka doesn't appear to want to be anything. Even her wish to get out of school every day primarily hinges on getting to leave and then go pursue whatever random desire occurs to her, like searching for Tokyo earthworms. Osaka just takes whatever idea comes up and runs with it.<br />
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Like Kaorin, Osaka lets her life be up to fate. Unlike Kaorin, she apparently has no one to nag her into pragmatic outlets or any self-determination to do the same. Perhaps her parents are too concerned with their jobs to really pay attention to her, and while she isn't unloved, she's clearly left to her own devices, without facilitation into finding some job. Even people with no obvious talent (Tomo) can do well if they have the strength of will to make a place for themselves. Osaka's thoughts all scatter in impractical directions, making her only hope for a future Chiyo's questionable advice.<br />
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And no, I don't think Osaka would be good as a teacher. Teachers generally have to teach the same things over and over again, and Osaka is better in situations where new ideas replace the old, not where new students replace the old. If Osaka wasn't fired, she'd quit.<br />
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What's another personal resource? Friends. Like Sakaki, Osaka does not go out of her way to seek friends. She falls in with a group through the course of social circumstances. Her two closest friends, Tomo and Chiyo, are responsible for bringing her into the group. <br />
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(Note: I use the term "closest" because it makes the most sense, but Osaka isn't genuinely close to anyone. No one knows who she really is on the inside, and her ideas are rarely given more than a guarded measure of respect.)<br />
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Tomo's stupid antics provide the perfect entrance for a girl without friends. By being excited by Ayumu's arrival, Tomo loudly sparks the class' imaginations. Then Osaka's contradictory nature makes her even more of a noticeable oddity. Tomo's failed attempt at rivalry draws her into their group, both by making Tomo like her and by allowing Yomi to ask questions about who Ayumu really is. By the time they've gotten over their interest in an Osakan transfer student, Osaka has her nickname and is firmly a part of their group. <br />
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Tomo is also generous to Osaka as the series rolls on. Actually, this is due more to Osaka's nature than Tomo's. Osaka, being someone who loves new ideas and has no ability to tell the difference between strange and normal, thoroughly enjoys hearing what Tomo has to say. Which is mildly messed up, because Osaka takes these ideas more seriously than Tomo. Tomo is often clearly joking or just trying to get on someone's nerves, but Osaka takes her ideas and runs with them: Even if it's not possible for Chiyo to become president of the United States, Osaka is still going to pretend America can be a land full of tiny Chiyos. It's especially funny when Tomo creepily monologues when Chiyo is talking about their school trip, and while Yomi and Chiyo get annoyed, Osaka thinks it's super funny. Seriously, look at her expression afterward.<br />
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Chiyo is also closer to Osaka than the other girls, because she's open-minded and Osaka is immune to her cuteness. Honestly, Osaka is lucky to have her around. But Osaka didn't seek her out as a friend. She sought out Chiyo as an athletic equal, because she's absolutely horrible at physical challenge. If Chiyo hadn't been there, Osaka would have despaired as the weakest of the class. Though at least Tomo would have been there with her at the back of the marathon after the first kilometer.<br />
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That doesn't mean Osaka doesn't have serious issues. While Tomo does like some of the things Osaka says, you'll notice that Osaka never led a "victory parade" or gave anyone a nickname. No one ever really listens to her, Tomo included. Likewise, Osaka is jealous of the other girls, primarily Chiyo. Very jealous. It may not seem clear, but it's there. Let's look at some examples.<br />
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At the first changing of the classes, Yukari is reassuring Chiyo and Osaka that they'll be in the same class. She tells Chiyo that she's a strong part of their fighting power. She never says anything similar to Osaka, and Osaka slowly points to herself, wearing an inscrutible expression. This expression becomes clearer when you read the manga. In it, Osaka and Chiyo have returned to their summer job at Megatron Burger the second summer, and the boss gives Chiyo a raise. Osaka only points to herself, hoping but probably not getting that same raise.<br />
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Osaka is jealous because she wants to be taken seriously. Osaka insists that her culture fest ideas are homeruns, only to be shot down by the other girls. She wants her disposable chopstick charm to be enjoyed, but everyone instead values Chiyo's charms. Why do you think she was so upset that Tomo didn't pull apart the chopsticks right? So as much as the two have a lot in common and can enjoy each other's company, Osaka can only dream that she'll achieve the respect and love that Chiyo gets. And she won't even do that, because she's too busy dreaming about sentient pigtails.<br />
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The question does come up of why Yukari bothers keeping her in the class. I suspect it's because Osaka is such a good sport. When Yukari makes her pretend to be "Yukichi-san", or the ten thousand yen bill, Osaka goes right along with it with a big smile on her face. Clearly Yukari knows Osaka isn't going to be weirded out by stuff like this.<br />
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Sakaki, on the other hand, probably could have really gotten to know Osaka. They have much more in common with each other than they do the other girls. Both are introverted girls who spend their time thinking of weird things. They're also the only girls who understand the nature of Chiyochichi. I absolutely love the moment in the manga where Sakaki tells Osaka that he's Chiyo's Otou-san, and Osaka not only accepts this, but proclaims it makes sense. It's also a great scene in the anime where they're talking about the Japanese language on the beach. There's an acceptance there that wouldn't be present with the other girls.<br />
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Then again, Sakaki does know the difference between normal and weird. She wouldn't be shy if she didn't know how unusual her cat obsession is. Osaka is introverted, but not shy. Sakaki also focuses all her strange ambition into one general category, which will enable her to have a jumping point for a career. Osaka's randomness and love of too simple things means she can't do that. <br />
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Also, they both have non-social behaviors in common. Two nerds who don't go out of their way to reach out to friends aren't going to hang out, no matter how much they have in common. In the end, Sakaki and Osaka are like two laptops passing in the night, with every reason to be best friends but no opportunity. <br />
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Osaka, however, isn't without her powers. She can solve pointless riddles (probably because she's read them before). She...uh, she...<br />
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Give me a minute...<br />
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Well, Osaka does have her shield of oblivion. Because she's so wrapped up in her own little world, things don't reach her emotional core. It's like Yomi or Sakaki's shell, only far stronger. And also not fear-based. Osaka is introverted simply because she likes her thoughts, not because anyone scared her. This is clear when you notice that Osaka is more capable of acting in social situations than Sakaki is, despite having more issues than Sakaki. She's also free of Yomi's emotional hangups.<br />
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This shield protects Osaka from being too startled by Kimura, from Yukari's nonsense, and from fully realizing the extent of her inferiority to the other girls. Indeed, she's too busy chasing the dust in her eye to notice screaming, a roach, and Tomo smacking other people.<br />
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Not that this shield doesn't have negative implications. It says something that in the second episode in, nobody's surprised at the idea of Osaka having a mental disorder. This is one of the moments where Osaka expresses more than minimal emotion, but she recovers quickly, probably not giving it another thought. Also, at one "next episode" segment, Osaka is asked what she wants to do about her future. Osaka quickly changes the subject to a discussion of the phrase "blue spring of youth."<br />
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It's entirely possible that Osaka simply doesn't choose to think of bad things. Or things she isn't interested in. She'd probably be better at school if she cared. Chiyo knows that Osaka thinks differently, and Sakaki even calls her smart. Just like the way Tomo puts her physical energy into the wrong things, Osaka puts her mental energy into the wrong things (except for Yomi's good luck charm. If you notice, Osaka's "power" worked). Osaka is plenty smart, she just has no outlet for her intelligence, and doesn't appear interested in finding one. Instead she just dwells on trivial things like pigtails, sea slugs, earthworms, tiny people....<br />
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....and characters from an over ten year old anime that nobody ever talks about anymore. Trust me when I say that Osaka is going to need some hard knocks from the real world to get anywhere in life. Trust, and don't ask questions.<br />
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Also, the shield of oblivion has downsides in Osaka's character development. Not in outworld character building, but Osaka's development into a more caring person. You know how I said Sakaki was kind of selfish? Osaka is much more so. If you notice, Osaka only exits her introverted fog if something gets to her personally. Nothing bothers her if it doesn't affect her.<br />
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Take the start of the second year. Chiyo is upset because first year students squee over her, when she wants to be taken seriously. Osaka is there when it happens, and freaks out right alongside Chiyo. Then, perhaps less than an hour later, Osaka feels free to bounce Chiyo's pigtails as though nothing had happened. Chiyo is still upset, but Osaka doesn't appear to care. Likewise, when seeing Mayaa again, Osaka immediately abandons any desire she had to see the cat, because she can sit at Chiyo's heated table. And when she leaves, she says goodbye....to the table.<br />
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Osaka is never shown feeling pity for someone else, not until the last episode when Chiyo cries at graduation. This sort of dense self-regard is especially creepy when taken in regard to the knife incident and her story where she kills everyone. Granted, Osaka doesn't seem like she would ever really want to murder, but her detachment from life is a sign of emotional trauma either present or to come. When Osaka encounters the real world, she'll be forced to know exactly how inferior to the other girls she is. And if she's already jealous, then she's headed for a moment when she finally understands exactly how behind she is.<br />
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All in all, I suspect that Osaka is simply younger than her age. She's physically and mentally behind the average, and it may take time for her to reach maturity. She simply has to learn who she is, absent of her random interests and people like Tomo. As much as the Tomo-Osaka friendship is probably Tomo's healthiest one, Osaka needs to stop being a follower so she can determine what she wants. <br />
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In any case, picking a favorite Osaka moment is even harder than picking one for Sakaki. Basically all Osaka's screentime is a funny or cute moment, because of her role as a flavor character. Probably my favorite moment is a manga-only one, where Osaka has a nekoconeko on her head -- nekoconekocosaka! It's so darling, especially when Osaka tries to open her eyes, but Sakaki shuts them again. Adsfkslnlfkdsx. So cute, can't type.<br />
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The second moment is likewise cute. In the second culture fest episode, Osaka tries to pretend to be scary, and it's so surreal that you can't help but laugh, and maybe be a little frightened...of the cute.<br />
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Poor baby, you sure do have some potentials on you, don't you girl? Osaka --<br />
- vanishes and is never seen again by the other girls.<br />
- gets stuck in a dead end job and spends every day waiting for quitting time.<br />
- makes a decent McG's manager.<br />
- tries, and fails, to become a teacher.<br />
- discovers new interests in college and new friends who have common interests with her, and as a result leaves the Azugirls.<br />
- becomes a marine biologist to study sea slugs and other sea creatures.<br />
- gets caught up in a dumb get rich quick scheme with Tomo, which results in bad things for the both of them.<br />
- causes or is otherwise in a horrible accident because of her absentminded tendencies. <br />
- gives fake fortunes to people in the street, which most people find unbelievably entertaining.<br />
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The trouble with Osaka is that she was never tested in high school. The other girls faced challenges of various kinds, like Kagura's ambitions or Chiyo's fish-out-of-water circumstances. Osaka's shield protected her too much, and so she was never in a position to learn about herself, how to deal with others, and how to make a career. Thus, no matter what happens to Osaka, she will inevitably go through trials as she enters the adult world.<br />
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Kasuga Ayumu's Ending: ----- Time is Pavement for No One -----<br />
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Osaka goes to college, separated from the Azugirls, but ready to finally get it together. Her first year at university is much like being at high school, with her thinking more about her missing friends or random things of the day rather than the things she's supposed to be studying. Instead of simply allowing this behavior to continue, Osaka's professors go out of their way to ask why she even bothered going to university if she's not going to work hard. This scares Osaka, and she tries her hardest to think of what she likes as she studies. While she encounters various topics in school she likes, she can't focus on any one, and also can't find any talent in which she is more than mediocre.<br />
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But as long as college goes forward, Osaka is able to delay her worries about the future. She also has contrary feelings about getting out of the "stifling" school and finally being able to have a real job. As a result, she gets a degree in general studies and ends up with an office job as a secretary, because her boss thought she was nice. Osaka, however, is notoriously bad at this type of work. As hard as she works, she can't make herself like or be organized enough to stay there. She thus loses her 9-5 job, losing those precious afternoons she used to relax. <br />
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For the next five years, Osaka doesn't do much significant. She works at a music store and a coffee shop at different times, just getting through the day so she can have time for herself. Due to the nature of adulthood, and to working evenings and weekends, Osaka has no close friends, and maintains her relationship with the Azugirls through the internet. Osaka hangs out with Yomi sometimes during the day, but this friendship is strained when Osaka finds out that Yomi doesn't trust her to babysit. <br />
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Throughout all this time, Osaka does not date anyone at all. She sees the other girls getting married or otherwise receiving attention, but no guy says much to her. Her bustline does start to develop some, but her absentminded nature, inconvenient work hours, and increasing insecurity means that the only guys interested in her are ones not worthy of interest. Osaka realizes that she's just carrying on, not doing anything. <br />
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Osaka considers trying some risky ventures, but by this point Tomo is getting along well in her career with the police, and she's not going to ruin that. Osaka asks Kagura for a job, hoping to have some excitement with travelling. Kagura says that she doesn't really have any positions for someone not an athlete, and she's dubious at hiring friends after Tomo's injury. Osaka does not approach Yomi for ideas, still miffed that Aunt Ayumu can't watch the kids while Yomi is at the store. <br />
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Out of ideas, Osaka decides to go to Okinawa find Sakaki, because Sakaki is the one friend who struggled the most with her job situation. Sakaki explains that there isn't much money in wildcat preservation, but Osaka's welcome to volunteer. Osaka is actually decent at this work, and Mayaa accepts her. This brings the two closer together as friends. Osaka also manages to babysit Sakaki's girls without incident.<br />
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But because Osaka isn't a saver, it's not long before she has to find work. She manages a food cart for a while, until Chiyo, on a visit, offers to find her a job in her Okinawa branch, where Osaka gives local and foreign investors presentations. Osaka isn't ideal at the job, but she is very cute, so her impact is generally more positive than otherwise. Except for when she accidentally spills the beans to Sakaki that her husband asked Chiyo for a job, but that eventually blows over.<br />
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And still Osaka doesn't date. Her presentations attract some attention in that way, but it goes no further than occasional flirting, as Osaka is not as business-minded as her job would imply, and most of the men there are looking for relationships that will boost their image or business. Osaka remains underqualified in this regard. She does manage to date one guy, but she finds out he's really after favor in Chiyo's sight and never speaks to him again.<br />
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All of this finally comes to a head when, after a business dinner with company employees, Chiyo's husband starts hitting on Osaka in a karaoke room, making drunken comments about seeing her on the side. Osaka, more than mortified, finally loses it. She screams him down about betraying Chiyo and using her, then throws a drink in his face and promptly quits. Herself not entirely sober, Osaka rattles off a tipsy email to Chiyo when she gets home. Chiyo's husband later insists that he had too much to drink and didn't mean it, but the damage is done. They do eventually work things out, but this takes time.<br />
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Leaving them to solve their marriage issues, Osaka immediately quits her job. She blames him for losing it, because this was finally a job where she could earn some real-world credibilty. Trying to salvage his reputation, Chiyo's husband offers her paid time off and a raise on her return, but Osaka is only briefly tempted by this. At Chiyo's insistence, she is paid a substantial severence package. <br />
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Osaka spends an entire month out of work, more or less locked in her own apartment. Taking out her anger on available notebooks, she scrawls down horrible fates for people she feels are deserving. After about a week, Osaka realizes that she's got the start of a good horror story. She discovers that she has a real ability to tell stories. Sharing this with Sakaki, the latter replies that it's a bit too on the depressing side, and that she likes it better when Osaka mentions random observations, like she did in high school. Taking this advice to heart, Osaka finally becomes frugal, sacrificing all else to spend as much time as she can writing. <br />
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Eventually she goes back to working a food cart, but she spends a full year writing novels with whatever spare time she has, taking breaks only to allow Sakaki to beta read. Sakaki claims not to be one much to judge books, so Osaka ends up emailing Yomi her manuscripts to beta-read. Yomi, who can judge a book, is astounded by the talent. She helps Osaka get her manuscripts ready, but Osaka insists on submitting her work for publishing herself. She does, with success. In another year she has a book on shelves, and thanks to her famous friends Chiyo and Kagura, it doesn't take long for the general public to get wind of her work. Osaka becomes a famous author, producing two series, five independent books, and two manga adaptations in short succession. She even gets a movie deal for one of her books.<br />
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This is where she meets director Azuma Hiroyoshi. Feeling protective of her story, Osaka insists on meeting him, only to discover that he's as protective as the story as she is, because he's a big fan. Hiro is immediately enthralled with her, expecting that someone nicknamed "Osaka" would have a different personality. He's thrilled to see her real self, and they get along swimmingly. And finally, at the age of 35, Osaka marries Hiro. They continue to make films together, as well as continuing their separate projects. They weren't planning on having children, but they end up having one girl, who adores her parents and their creative careers.<br />
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GrimMoodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14711339376401950830noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9152480361909612478.post-9994960577364732572017-09-02T12:50:00.001-07:002017-09-02T12:54:27.621-07:00Azumanga Analysis -- Sakaki<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Y'know, if I weren't such a slacker, I could have had these past two posts up a year ago.<br />
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*sigh* There's a reason why I stopped updating this blog.<br />
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Anyway, I'm at least going to finish off the Azumanga analysis. Only two left, after all.<br />
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There's something I recently realized about Sakaki that I haven't heard anyone mention. She's rich. That's right. In the Chiyo episode, Chiyo mentions that Sakaki lives in her neighborhood. As shown by the first summer vacation episode, Chiyo lives in a wealthy neighborhood. Thus, we know that Sakaki's family is wealthy. This is almost confirmed by the fact that Sakaki never questions her ability to get her own place in the final year, nor talks about a job to keep it. This of course isn't full confirmation, but it's a good speculative detail.<br />
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And it's also pretty much irrelevant to Sakaki's conflicts. Just thought I'd mention it.<br />
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Sakaki is the introverted protector of all things cute. She's also the one character whose talents are not a prime determinant of her future. As athletic as Sakaki is, she has no interest in pursuing those fields. Though her will is generally weak -- she can't fend off digs at her physical attributes -- her will is very strong when it comes to the specific things she wants. She wants to pet a cute thing? Then nothing will stop her in her quest to pet kamineko. She wants to remain peaceful and calm when Kagura insists on a lunch-eating contest? She does. Not a thing Kagura can do will change Sakaki's mind.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
It seems like Sakaki thinks she's weaker than she is. Because Sakaki so desires to be like the cute things she loves, she never gives her athletic prowess much thought. Also, she seems disdainful of competition. Unlike Kagura, Yukari, or Tomo, Sakaki can't be motivated by competition. She doesn't even show her test scores to other girls. The only way to get her to work hard in sports fests is by reminding her that she's doing it for someone else. More than protecting Chiyo, I think Sakaki is also motivated by not letting her class down. Granted, that seems to be speculation, but I really like the moment where Kagura is telling her that they can't rely on Chiyo, Osaka, and Tomo. The two athletes both know what they have to do, and that's why they're good as friends.<br />
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As I said before, Kagura and Sakaki are close friends. They're both sensitive, athletic girls who show protective tendencies. Sakaki is clearly the more sensitive of the two, given that she can't actually make friends in the sledgehammer way that Kagura goes about it. At the same time, despite Kagura's blunt nature, Sakaki never gets exhausted of being around her -- which's she's fairly likely to do if someone is too boisterous, given her extreme introversion.<br />
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When I was talking about Kaorin, I mentioned a lot of reasons why the two can't be together. There's one I haven't said yet, because it applies only to Sakaki: she's not ready to date anyone at all. Sure, Sakaki is level-headed, good looking, and knows in general what she wants, but she's also socially repressed. If you notice, Sakaki never once goes out of her way to make friends with someone who isn't an animal. Her reaction to Kaorin's almost invitation into the astronomy club illustrates in one moment how Sakaki feels on the matter: she wishes someone would befriend her, and feels helpless to make someone do so. <br />
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Someone of that social insecurity shouldn't date, or else they'll be vulnerable to guys who will take advantage of her lack of social knowledge -- they'll think something is normal or fine, when it's really a sign of some unhealthy behavior. Also notice that Sakaki watches her friends from the sidelines a lot -- instead of enjoying being with them, simply watching them seems to fill her social need enough. Being a quiet watcher is not attractive to men.<br />
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While Tomo inviting her to a race helped, the one who really pulled Sakaki into the Azugirls was Chiyo. By means of the career essay, Chiyo learns that Sakaki really isn't scary at all. Notice, however, that despite the fact Yomi, Tomo, Osaka, and Chiyo are forming bonds at this point, Sakaki is still on the outside. When everyone is trying to deal with Osaka's hiccups, the other three are trying methods and Sakaki is nowhere to be seen, not until after school when she can put in her two cents. This implies that Sakaki didn't feel close enough to the girls to hang out with them at lunch, where Osaka got her hiccups in the first place. <br />
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In fact, Sakaki's place within the Azugirls isn't confirmed until their first summer vacation together. The other girls meet at Chiyo's place, where they decide to go to the beach, and Sakaki, absent, isn't in until Chiyo sees her at the library and invites her. Then, afterwards, Sakaki smiles over her first vacation pictures with friends. Clearly girl hasn't had much success making friends up to this point. Heck, even afterwards, Sakaki doesn't always insert herself into the group. When Tomo is dissolving the bonkuras, notice that Sakaki is still sitting at her desk, away from the others. <br />
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We can guess a little about Sakaki's past. I don't think anything too bad has happened to her (or any of the girls, really), but because she's so sensitive, she feels even minor things very strongly. She nearly dies of shock when discovering that the person in the cat costume was Kimura. Though any of us would have reacted in that position, most people wouldn't burst into tears and run away. Likewise, I don't think most people would say goodbye to a stuffed animal or cry over a fake cat getting hit by a cork. <br />
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It seems Sakaki's past was dominated by her inability to be cute. Twice in the anime Sakaki compares herself to Chiyo's cuteness, once concerning ribbons and the other concerning being dressed like a cat. In both scenes, Sakaki feels herself a failure and even ugly. Sakaki probably doesn't think she's unattractive, but since she can't be cute, she knows that any attempt to try will only make her look awful. I'm suspicious Sakaki knows this by experience. Like, when she was a little girl, she tried to be cute like all the other little girls, and it worked out about as well as it does in her musings. One doesn't become socially repressed without reason to do so. Sakaki's fear of not being accepted is more than likely provoked by not being accepted when she was in her previous schools.<br />
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The audience likes Sakaki's cute side with good reason, but I kinda wonder why Sakaki is trying so hard to escape who she is. She's a tall, attractive girl with athletic prowess, and she should like these things about herself. Instead, she's the anti-Tomo, where other people's attention frustrates and shuts Sakaki down. Heck, that's another reason why she and Kaorin don't work. When other girls admire Sakaki, Sakaki is shown sighing in exhasperation (see: beginning of 2nd year). And then Kaorin treats her like these same girls by squeeing from afar. That's exactly what Sakaki doesn't like.<br />
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Because Azumanga isn't a drama, we don't know the real source of Sakaki's identity issues. All we know is that she very much likes cute, yet defies the parameters of cuteness. Sakaki's shyness and reluctance to be around others creates around her a barrier of aloofness, one that people falsely interpret as being cool. Sakaki doesn't appear to know how to control this exterior, or why people choose to view her this way. At the same time, it's something she does on purpose -- when she is caught playing with Mayaa in the last year, Sakaki immediately sits up and pretends nothing happened. <br />
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Like Yomi, Sakaki is clearly trying to shelter her inner self from outsiders. Unlike Yomi, Sakaki's inner desires are fairly weird. As much as people like cute stuff, Sakaki's internal monologing and melodrama over cats is super strange. Imagine how you'd feel if someone talked that way about cats in front of you. Granted, maybe you're the sort of person that would get over it quickly, but when everyone else thinks you're cool, and you start creating a fantasy about a kitten named Marco travelling 3,000 miles to find its mother, that's bound to be taken with a raised eyebrow. That's not even mentioning Otou-san.<br />
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Likewise, it's also kind of annoying. Sakaki is so obsessed with cats that if she continually talked about them, people would get tired of it pretty soon. It's easy to imagine middle grader Sakaki telling the other kids about her cat fancies, and then they start making fun of her for it. Seriously, 13-14 year old girls are the worst. At that age they think they know normal, but they really don't. Poor Sakaki-san is too sensitive to stand up to the intolerance of pre-teen girls. <br />
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At the same time, her outer shell is still a part of herself. She's not particularly cool because "cool" implies a certain degree of social savvy, and any social savvy she appears to have is simply the result of her not talking to people. Silence is golden, and prevents people from knowing that Sakaki imagines that a flying orange cat-creature is Chiyo-chan's father. But other than the "cool" moniker, Sakaki is athletic and attractive. That is a part of who she is, whether she wants it or not.<br />
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So in terms of will, Sakaki doesn't know her own strength. In terms of talent, she's averse to exploiting her talents for her own benefit. Which is a bit iffy, given that we don't know if she's talented in shopkeeping or veterinary medicine. <br />
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Well, if she wants it enough, she'll get it. We know this because while Sakaki fears not having friends, she's relentlessly bold when it comes to animals. She'll accept being repeatedly bitten in the hopes of winning over kamineko. She'll buy cat merchandise, show up an hour early to pet Tadakichi, include herself stalker-style when Chiyo walks her dog, watch cat-themed tear-jerkers and bawl her eyes out, and willingly risk being attacked by an iriomote mountain cat so that she can meet one. There is no extent to which Sakaki won't go. <br />
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Sakaki's closest friends are Kagura and Chiyo. Kagura I've already thoroughly discussed; she's the partner that provides an alternate perspective to Sakaki's approach to cats. Chiyo, of course, is Sakaki's idol, in a sense. Chiyo is who Sakaki wishes she could be, to the point where she can't stand Chiyo being unhappy. During the sports fests is the only time Sakaki appreciates her talents, because that's the only time she knows she can put a smile on Chiyo's face. <br />
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Also, Chiyo is Tadakichi's owner, so Sakaki has to befriend her if she wants to be able to pet the dog. Despite the fact that Chiyo is the only one she ever tells the truth to about her obsession with cute things, Sakaki's friendship with her is primarily to her own benefit. She wants to hang out with Tadakichi and she wants to be near a cute person, so Sakaki hangs out with her. There's a mild selfishness to it. This selfishness is demonstrated perfectly in Chiyo's episode, when Sakaki is walking with her to school, and rather than listen to her friend, Sakaki chases after kamineko for another chance to pet him. <br />
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Sakaki repeatedly drops out of conversations while walking home with others for the sake of cats, and takes finding the alley of cats so seriously that she brushes off Chiyo when they meet. She is also completely disinterested in Yukari's box in another episode, until she discovers that the box holds a kitten. All of this indicates that Sakaki likes what she likes, and is very straightforward in prioritizing it. She's very willing to drop something she's less interested in, despite the fact that Chiyo is far more important than trying to make a mean cat like you. <br />
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So as much as we all like Sakaki, she's selfish in her own way. While her introverted nature makes her look cool from a distance, the other Azugirls can know (if they're perceptive enough) that Sakaki contributes far less to their social interactions than anyone else in the group. Even Osaka, whose introversion is worse, manages to be more involved. At the same time, everyone likes Sakaki for who she is. Her disappearing act makes her interesting, and since she doesn't spend forever talking about cats, it's not a steamrolling obsession. That, and the other girls seem open enough to new ideas to want to learn more about cats, the few times when Sakaki is able to share with them. <br />
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The thing that sets Sakaki apart from all the other girls is the fact that she's the only one with a real arc. At the beginning, she starts with no friends and is enemies with kamineko. She slowly becomes part of the Azugirls, and after many cat mishaps gains an ally in Kagura, then finally discovers a cat of her own. The denoument of this arc is Sakaki apologizing to kamineko, because she never considered that maybe he didn't want to be petted. And then it tricks her one final time, because it's just a jerk. This is a marvelous arc, and the reason why Sakaki can be considered the main character, if you want to argue that Chiyo isn't.<br />
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Also, thematically speaking Sakaki's cat solution is also her cuteness identity solution. That is, Sakaki is not a normal cat. Sakaki spends all her time pursuing the love of regular cats, just the same way she craves the standard definition of cute. However, she can't have cats or cuteness. But then she encounters an Iriomote mountain kitten, which is not only cute, but also dangerous. This symbolizes Sakaki's self. She's someone whose sensitive side makes her endearing, yet at the same time she's a person who is more than just a powerless cute thing. Sakaki is yamamayaa, the cat that can't be normal. Because it's better than normal, and so is she. <br />
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The ultimate lesson to this is that Sakaki needs to stop judging herself by the standards she's artificially forced upon her person over the years. She needs to stop thinking she's a failure because she's not "cute." If cute were the only standard by which people were judged, think how many failures would fill the world. Sakaki isn't cute because she's not supposed to be. She's supposed to be awesome, the defender of the cute. This is probably what helped her apologize to kamineko at the end. Because she was desperately reaching for something she couldn't have, she wasn't regarding other people's (cat's) feelings. But now that she has Mayaa and is more confident in herself, she realizes that she doesn't have to chase cuteness. She's already who she's supposed to be.<br />
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My favorite Sakaki moments are hard to straight out say. I prefer all the moments where she's dealing with a person one on one, whether that be discussing the Japanese language with Osaka or playing with cat dolls with Tomo, or any time she's hanging out with one person alone, Sakaki adds a lot to every moment. When everyone's there, Sakaki tends to recede into the background and just enjoy everyone else's company, so she gets less focus.<br />
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I'll pick when Sakaki says who she really is to Chiyo. I like when Sakaki is being bluntly observant. I also like that she's finally opening up, and going from the closed shell she was at the beginning to more of an equal friend. Granted, to the others, Sakaki was equal. In her own mind? She's the weird one. Granted, her obsession with cats makes this somewhat true, but Tomo and Osaka pretty much blow her oddities out of the water. Even the more normal girls like Sakaki just fine, and Sakaki telling Chiyo how much she likes cute things is the moment when she finally begins to trust, believing that she is the friend that everyone else already knew she was. <br />
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My second favorite Sakaki moment is when she's accepting the baton from Chiyo in the third culture fest. Seeing that someone was mocking Chiyo, she had an epic tie-back-the-hair transition, and then she's smiling happily to encourage her friend. That's Sakaki's way, a combination of awesome and adorable. She always does her best when she's helping someone else. <br />
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Bearing all this in mind, let's talk potentials. Sakaki -<br />
- becomes a veterinarian. <br />
- becomes a stuffed animal shopkeeper.<br />
- becomes a florist.<br />
- becomes a kindergarten (Japanese equivalent, of course) teacher or daycare worker, then quits because she overestimates her own ability to deal with wild younguns. Cute =/= well behaved.<br />
- gets a sports job to support her way to getting her own vet practice.<br />
- accepts her talent for what it is and becomes a professional soccer or basketball player.<br />
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While all these potentials could happen, probably the biggest determinant of Sakaki's future is Mayaa. She has to make accomodations for having her exotic pet, particularly if people find out about Mayaa. <br />
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Sakaki's ending: ----- Taking the Long Way ----- <br />
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So despite Sakaki's personal ambitions as concerns being a vet, she still has issues with cats. Having Mayaa doesn't stop other cats from mistrusting her. So as well as she does in school, her first experience working as a vet ends up being rough. While most animals are nice to her, the urban nature of Tokyo means that a lot of pets will be cats (though Sakaki is very fond of the hamster patients). Her boss, concerned with the way cats treat her, thinks she's doing something wrong and tells her to shape up. Sakaki, unable to explain her strange cat conflicts, decides it's worth the risk to smuggle Mayaa into the vet's office to make the visiting cats behave. Her boss catches her, scared out of his wits that his employee has an Iriomote cat in his office. He scolds Sakaki, telling her to bring Mayaa back at once. <br />
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Sakaki considers this, realizing that her boss is right. She was thinking about it anyway, because Mayaa's species is endangered, and she wants Mayaa to have a chance to have kittens. So she enters a letter of resignation into her boss' office, then goes back to Okinawa to return Mayaa. She does, but neither she nor her cat much like the idea of separating, especially since Mayaa's survival skills are dulled by pet life. Given that she's already resigned from her job, Sakaki finally gives in and stays in Okinawa, getting a job at a flower shop. She does what she can to visit Mayaa every week, and eventually lands a job as a nature preservationist and wildlife veterinarian.<br />
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Note that during this time Sakaki doesn't date much. She thinks about it, but with her extremely introverted nature, men feel that she's too hard to get to know. Sakaki's protective shell sends subconcious signals to those around her that she would rather be alone, and most guys who approach her are the ones too socially inept to notice her cues -- and are hence clumsy in their approach. Sakaki dates one guy, but he ends up breaking up with her because she's "boring." Sakaki wonders if her life is really that boring, and she and Chiyo discuss it online. Sakaki finally wonders if her obsession with cats is too much, but Chiyo insists that she should keep her own interests, and find a guy who shares them.<br />
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About this time, Mayaa's mate has kittens, and Sakaki counts them as part of her job. As the babies are being born, she suddenly thinks about Chiyo's words, then glances at her dorky male coworker. She finally realizes that he's been trying to do all the grossest parts of their job, despite the fact he's more squeamish than she is. Sakaki thinks about it, suddenly realizing that he's probably been crushing on her for as long as he's known her. <br />
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Sakaki meets with him later, uncertain, but determined to find out if she's right. Not knowing how else to approach it, she suggests they walk through town. They have awkward conversation for a while, and he buys them pork buns. That's when Sakaki gets to the point. She asks if he likes her. He says yes, and asks her the same. Sakaki says she doesn't know, but she likes that he's an animal person. He nervously suggests that they hang out more together, and then see what happens over time. Sakaki agrees.<br />
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After a couple of years, the two marry quietly (or as quietly as they can with Tomo witnessing). They struggle financially for the first few years of marriage, and this causes some arguments. Sakaki wants to try competing in athletic events to make them more money, but her husband protests, knowing that she doesn't want that life. He takes matters into his own hands, then gets an office job in Okinawa. He insists that he has to, because no one else he knows loves cats as much as Sakaki, and he's going to do everything he can to keep Sakaki happy. Sakaki doesn't know that the company he's working for is Chiyo's, and that he asked Chiyo for a job. <br />
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The arrangement works out well. Their money woes peter out, though they are never rich. They have two girls, and Sakaki raises them to be especially good with animals. It helps that Chiyo gave them two of Tadakichi's grand-puppies. And they all lived happily ever after, with all the men they meet wondering how such a dork ended up with a gorgeous wife.<br />
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GrimMoodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14711339376401950830noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9152480361909612478.post-51286393541493603162017-01-16T10:34:00.000-08:002017-01-16T10:34:11.187-08:00Azumanga Analysis -- Takino Tomo<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
When I was watching the series to get an idea of the characters, I took the most notes on Tomo. She's surprisingly deep for a flavor character. A flavor character is someone in a story who is there to be interesting and provoke interesting reactions from other characters. Which Tomo does with flying colors. But she also can't quite be fully summarized by her wildcat idiot label. In fact, Tomo's kind of a genius. Stupidity and intelligence are fully capable of coinciding with each other, for some reason.<br /><br />But of course Tomo isn't a genius by natural talent. She's a pathetic scholar, because she's not really capable of putting her energy into studying without extra motivation. It's like when she was first in the relay race of a sports fest -- she's very energetic, but she's not capable of using that energy efficiently. This is something that affects every area of Tomo's life. So in the end, we don't really know her natural talents because she's too busy being over-enthusastic to settle down in any of them.<br /><br />In the manga, it mentions once that Tomo would be a good cheerleader. I'm sad that this never really made it into the anime, but it's pretty much the perfect career for Tomo. Sadly, I also think it's too girly to have much appeal. Despite how Tomo insists that she's cute, Tomo isn't really interested in girly-girl things -- she likes to have a cool side, too. Granted, maybe she'll realize that it's a good idea, but for the time being she still thinks she has better options.<br /><br />Where Tomo really excels? Will. Tomo's strength of will is the greatest of anyone in the franchise. Only Kagura's comes close, which is one reason why Tomo declares them rivals. Tomo's will keeps her confident in the face of her own lack of talent, refusing to let her see that she really is a wildcat idiot. <br /><br />This is why I say that Tomo is a genius. She knows in her heart that she isn't as smart or athletic as other girls, so she figures out ways that are both clever and dumb to manage to be "equal" to them. For example, in the first episode, when neither she or Chiyo can answer a question in class, Tomo declares that they are both the same. This isn't true, of course, but it's a funny way of dealing with natural inequality. <br /><br />This is the same sort of thing she does when she picks out certain passages to study for her second year exams, and when she decides that since she can't win a marathon, that she'll be in first place for the first kilometer. When you think of this in terms of passing a test or winning a race, it's stupid. But when you see it as a way to manage stress, it suddenly becomes sensible. In a way, Tomo is setting a goal for herself and then achieving it. Unlike Kagura, however, part of how Tomo sets her goals is by knowing how much she can achieve. Kagura thinks she can win a marathon, so she tries. Tomo knows she can't win a marathon, so she she tries something that takes less effort. While there is some merit to what Tomo is doing, it in the end proves that Kagura has both a better attention span and willingness to put in effort. So while Tomo might feel good about herself, Kagura actually placed well.<br /><br />That's the downfall of Tomo. She rarely tries for things that take sustained effort. While her "short spurt" approach has supported her some, it won't help her sustain a career. And who knows if she'll actually try to join the ICPO? She'd just as likely think of some other idea and give that a try. Just like getting into high school -- Tomo tried desperately hard to get in just to piss off Yomi, but after clear, concrete evidence that she can do well, she gave it up, because doing well in school just takes too much work. Not even the thought of pissing off Yomi by doing better than her on a test seems enough to motivate Tomo now.<br /><br />That's not to say Tomo brings nothing to the group. She does have a talent, one that the other girls don't seem much blessed with. And it is: the leadership talent. Now, while I personally believe that all people can lead in one way or another, people who don't have much in the way of the specific leadership talent generally depend on circumstances to tell them when their expertise is best. Tomo doesn't. She immediately takes charge, and she has no expertise to reference. What she does have is a group of friends with a wide range of talents and interests. And knowing the best way to use those talents and interests, as well as being able to read a situation, is what the leadership talent is all about.<br /><br />Note that Tomo takes charge a lot. In the first sports fest, she sets Chiyo up for a speech, and later leads everyone to the tug-of-war event. She's the one who led a "victory parade" at the end of the first culture fest, the one who provided a "logical" reason why they should go to Magical Land without Yomi, and persuaded everyone to eat lunch early in the second year. Indeed, when she gave Ayumu her nickname "Osaka", everyone immediately accepted it. Not one person questioned why the wildcat idiot was telling them what to do. Heck, even Nyamo uses it. <br /><br />It's a bit early to say this, but my favorite Tomo moment perfectly illustrates my point. The girls have just discovered that Kimura's wife is at the sports fest, and they want to find out if she's a good person or not. Tomo, in mere seconds, comes up with the test of rolling a soda can and seeing if Kimura's wife picks it up. The test works perfectly, demonstrating Tomo's ability to think on her feet.<br /><br />Everything I've been saying to this point confirms Tomo's ability to handle pressure. Anyone else would have buckled under the pressure of their circumstances, their peers, or their own mistakes. Not our Tomo! She doesn't let anything get her down. Which is probably unhealthy in one way or another, but that's beyond the scope of the show.<br /><br />If you're wondering why I'm going on so long about Tomo's good points, it's because her bad points are so obvious. You don't need me to tell you that Tomo is an annoying, unproductive dummy. Her impulses become actions (like stealing the key and throwing it away) to render everyone else pissed off at her. <br /><br />With the exception of Osaka. If you'll notice, Tomo doesn't aggravate or attempt to rival Osaka past the first episode (except for the hiccups stunts, but everyone was in on that). In that episode, she thinks she's getting an Osakan stereotype, and Kasuga Ayumu defied everything she knew about the city by being a quiet and reflective ditz. You'd think that because Tomo enjoys picking on Chiyo that she'd do the same for Osaka. Nope. Chiyo and Yomi are vulnerable to Tomo for clear reasons: Chiyo is small and Yomi reacts quickly to anything out of her comfort zone. They are thus far easier for Tomo to get at. Osaka is surrounded by an impenetrable barrier of her own indifference, and Tomo can neither understand her nor find any reason to mock her.<br /><br />But another reason why Osaka isn't a target is because she takes Tomo very seriously. Keep an eye out for any moment where Tomo is telling a story. Osaka's normally listening intently. She's also the first one to agree when Tomo mentions having a victory parade. Any time Tomo introduces a new idea, Osaka never disagrees with or questions it. Tomo even reciprocates this attentiveness, to a degree. As a result, Tomo doesn't seem to feel the need to poke fun at Osaka. <br /><br />The key here is that Tomo craves attention. She can get it from Osaka easily, so she doesn't try that hard for her. But when it comes to Yomi and Chiyo, they would much rather be doing something reasonable. Kagura is sort of in the middle, because while she listens to Tomo on occasion, she also provokes mischief from her too. Sakaki's introversion makes her less of a target, as is her self-control -- no entertainment to be found there. <br /><br />Tomo so much craves attention that she's willing to get it even from acting a fool. She'll mess up Chiyo's jump rope session, make pointless challenges, and tell negative stories about how she got into that school just to make people pay attention. Attention is a drug for her, and it makes it seem like Tomo grew up in a family full of pranksters and silly people (see: summer vacation festival) that she had to fight for attention to get anyone to notice her. And she continues to fight in high school, despite the fact nobody there is as hyper as her family.<br /><br />Tomo also expects to be mocked. She feels strange in the final year when Chiyo quickly notices the cleverness of her riddles. Likewise, when she's roughhousing with Kagura and Kagura knocks down the tent, Tomo is surprised that Kagura feels bad about it. Tomo herself doesn't feel at all bad, as though she's denying herself the option of feeling that way. And she doesn't feel comfortable until Kagura is yelling at her again. Tomo doesn't mind being known as a screw up, so long as she's being known.<br /><br />It's funny. As much as Yomi is shown to be closest to Tomo, Tomo herself doesn't feel that close to her. Through Tomo we see Yomi's weaknesses, but we never at all see Tomo's inner being. At best we get a few hints of it, but her loud behavior prevents anyone from really knowing her. As much as she pokes at Yomi for fun, she's actually closer to Kagura and Osaka. Because Kagura is less self-controlled than Sakaki and less mature than Yomi or Chiyo, she can play with Tomo on a more level field. They're actually sort of equals, on an emotional level -- in the game of life Kagura is still going to far outdo her, but Tomo can't see a vulnerability in Kagura that she herself doesn't likewise have. <br /><br />Bah, it's so hard putting words to it. Watch the show! Kagura and Tomo totally act like doofuses together, and it's undeniable they accept each other. Kagura almost seems to admire Tomo's ability to be happy despite failing, and she doesn't feel bad admitting to Tomo that she got a lower score on her exam. Kagura knows that Tomo will understand her.<br /><br />The other bonkura, Osaka, is the other person Tomo is close to. They're less close, as it's less fun to aggravate Osaka, but Tomo clearly appreciates Osaka's willingness to listen to her. It almost seems like Tomo knows the depths of Osaka's nonsense, but having a follower is too nice for Tomo to take for granted. This is why Kagura is closer, as she has greater credibility. Kagura is the best of both Yomi and Osaka, so far as being Tomo's friend goes. <br /><br />Yukari is almost certainly a bad influence on Tomo. If you look carefully, you can kinda tell that Tomo is more Tomo as the series goes on. During the first year, Tomo sees Yukari and Nyamo arguing on the street, and that causes both her and Osaka to give up on their plans to act silly. But in the third year Tomo is referring to her teachers with the -chan suffix and stating in the middle of class her sympathy with Yukari's worst impulses. It's as if Tomo allows her most annoying side through because she knows Yukari will let her get away with it. Any hopes Yomi might have had about school ridding Tomo of her nonsense are entirely dashed.<br /><br />But there are still plenty of differences between Yukari and Tomo. The similarity between these two is definitely stronger than between Nyamo and Yomi, but their differences are enough to ensure Tomo doesn't turn out like her teacher, assuming the absence of some horrible event, or that Tomo's will doesn't give out on her. <br /><br />That's the primary difference between the two. Yukari is strong willed, but her strong will is like hanging from a ledge by your knuckles -- she's desperately trying to deny the depressing nature of her life and behavior that she has to be strong simply to stay up. Tomo, on the other hand, has it pretty good. She's surrounded by friends and has her entire future before her.<br /><br />Likewise, Tomo could never be a teacher. Yukari takes great pride in her english, and this pride enables her to do her job well. Tomo not only lacks a clear and objective talent like this, but any particular need to rub in it others' faces. Sure, Tomo's New Year's dream proves she has a love for beating her "rivals", but Tomo is clearly content so long as people are paying attention to her. <br /><br />Take for example her behavior at Chiyo's birthday party. She gave Chiyo a box with a paper that says "feelings" on it, and a toy magic wand. Despite Tomo opening the segment by calling it a birthday present contest, Tomo clearly wasn't at all trying to have the best, most expensive, or most practical present. In fact, she seemed upset that everyone was talking about names for stuffed cats rather than about her antics, and changed the topic to an inane denial of a baseball team's ability to do well. It wasn't even an interesting conversation, but Tomo preferred the focus on herself, even if what she says makes Chiyo mad.<br /><br />As a reverse of this, Yukari doesn't care too much about people's attention. So long as Yukari feels good enough about herself, she is content to nap and play video games all day. She doesn't need to be admired by all (and indeed her need for superiority conflicts with her need for admiration), and she doesn't have the energy of a wildcat. And as much as she likes to use other people for her own amusement, it does not appear to be her primary source of fun. In fact, annoying other people seems more of a side affect of Yukari trying to do something else, much of the time.<br /><br />Yukari also seems to enjoy other people acting foolishly or being unprepared (see: any time she leaves another person in front of an english speaker). Tomo would rather behave foolishly than watch anybody else do anything. Tomo is also not obsessed with fancy foods. <br /><br />And on a leadership level, Yukari is best when she sits on the sidelines and lets her students make decisions for themselves. She's pretty good at facilitating, if for no other reason than she's not at all controlling. Tomo can actually make people follow her whims, even her silly ones. Tomo's the sort of leader whose risk-enjoying nature makes her the kind of person who could shake things up and provide innovation to old ideas, and any occupation needs innovation to survive and make progress.<br /><br />In the end, however, Yukari probably did have some positive influence. That is, Tomo could constantly see the a person similar to her, living an awkward life that's absent of achievement. If Tomo is smart enough, she'll learn from this. Big "if", huh?<br /><br />I already mentioned my favorite, but my second favorite Tomo moment is when she is walking with Osaka and Chiyo, and the latter two can't help but accept tissues from the charity workers in the street. Tomo here is counseling them on how to avoid being taken in, and for just this one scene, Tomo is the solid, mature one. She's not running around, doing something stupid, saying something stupid, or annoying other people. She's even helping other people. It's one of two moments where Tomo is actually living the self she brags about being. The other is when Tomo is asking Yomi what she wants for Christmas, but Yomi's sourness ruins Tomo's temporary goodwill. If Yomi had answered honestly, Tomo probably would have bought her what she wanted.<br /><br />Tomo may have the leadership talent, but the trouble with such a talent is that one can be a leader anywhere, and so being good at leadership can take a person nearly every place that exists. Thus, it becomes somewhat difficult to narrow down her potentials. Tomo --<br />- becomes a drunken partier in college, ending up in a bad relationship and not really doing anything with herself.<br />- gets frustrated with her own lack of talent, giving up on herself before discovering what she's really good at.<br />- becomes a cheerleader.<br />- bums a job from Chiyo or another friend.<br />- gets into a serious accident from her wild behavior, possibly ending up dead.<br />- slowly loses her teenage energy over time, and settles for a more normal life.<br />- becomes an actress.<br />- realizes how annoying she is and continually, not to mention hilariously, struggles to change her ways. <br />- joins with Osaka in some half-baked, idiot scheme that gets the both of them in trouble and/or makes them lose all their money. And maybe some of Yomi's money too.<br />- becomes a tour guide for vacationers. <br />- becomes an airline stewardess and uses her flight privileges to travel to many places.<br /><br />Tomo seems far better-natured than Yukari. She hasn't yet become bitter about life, and she still has every chance to get ahead. But like the quest to destroy the One Ring, Tomo's life stands on the edge of a knife. Either she uses her energy productively, or her passions will destroy everything she hopes for.<br /><br />Takino Tomo's ending: ----- Enough Drama for a Wildcat ----- <br /><br />Much to everyone's surprise, Tomo actually tries to become a cop instead of just talking about it. She makes some progress to that end, but her discipline issues leave her in constant trouble in the force. Tomo manages in the end to only become a security guard. Kagura, however, has a sporting event in Japan, so she hires Tomo to be on her security detail. The other Azugirls arrive to the event, excited to watch as Kagura competes. <br /><br />However, a political disagreement causes a lone man to want to cause trouble, and he starts shooting at the event. Tomo stops him, but is shot in the process. Because those holding the event wanted to avoid giving the shooter's political aims any publicity, the sporting event continues as planned. Kagura doesn't find out what happened until the event is over. It's revealed that Tomo's dumb antics actually provoked the man into shooting sooner, so he never got a chance to shoot many people. In fact, no one else was hurt.<br /><br />Tomo is in critical condition in the hospital, but after a day or so it seems that she'll live. Her injuries will take several weeks to fully heal, and she has to spend a full week in the hospital. During her last night there, Yomi visits. Tomo, frightened by her brush with death, tells Yomi that she's going to give up and just settle for a normal life, like Yomi's. Yomi is silent for a moment, then confesses to Tomo that she's been living vicariously through her. Yomi says she's never at any point in her life had a real, crazy dream that she was trying to achieve, but by watching Tomo continually try, it felt like she was trying too. Yomi begs her not to give up, and they both end up in tears. <br /><br />Yomi takes Tomo into her home while she recovers. Tomo, re-energized by Yomi's hope, returns to the police academy to try again. Everyone there knows what she did at the sporting event, and the faculty bows to her when she arrives. Tomo does her best not to cry. <br /><br />Despite the fact she hasn't given up, her weeks spent recovering and being unable to get out her energy has changed Tomo. She is calmer, more focused, and able to graduate the academy. Nowhere near the top of the class, of course. In the end, she doesn't join the ICPO, but is content being a police detective and crime scene investigator.<br /><br />Tomo does marry, but she and her husband never have children. Tomo is perfectly fine with this, as she considers Yomi's children her own, much to Yomi's dismay.<br /></div>
GrimMoodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14711339376401950830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9152480361909612478.post-30675868328299807892016-12-29T10:26:00.001-08:002016-12-29T10:26:14.251-08:00Azumanga Analysis -- Mizuhara Koyomi<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Yomi is the "boring" one. She is, in every possible way, the most normal of all the girls. She has no wild fantasies, social repressions, or unnatural goals. Not a flying orange cat or sentient pigtail to be seen. Indeed, all of her character conflicts hinge on really normal things: losing weight, getting left out of a group trip, and getting into college. This is of course due to her role as straight man, bearing the brunt of the weirdness of the others. It's her job to react to them as only a normal girl would. Granted, Yomi clings too tightly to normalcy, and she would really benefit from loosening up. Fortunately, Yomi never seems that bad about it. She's got a dose of nonsense about her, like how she immaturely brags about her trip to Hokkaido, follows along when Tomo suggests a "victory parade", and allows Chiyo to "put her energy" into a good luck charm. <br /><br />As for Yomi's will, it's of questionable strength. At times it seems like she's got an iron will, and at others, particularly when she's talking about food, her willpower wimps out, and Yomi finds some excuse to eat what she wants. Strangely enough, her will hinges on normalcy. That is, she knows Tomo is fully of nonsense, so she's strong enough not to budge an inch when Tomo starts telling a story about mold monsters. <br /><br />Basically, if Yomi knows that something is the normal, cultural way to do things, she's pretty confident because she knows what to do. Where she loses confidence is in areas that are more open ended. What is the best way to diet? Who knows? Therefore, Yomi struggles. However, I will give Yomi points for actually deciding to lose weight. Despite not reaching her goal, Yomi has at least picked one out. Which is more than can be said for most of the girls. <br />
<a name='more'></a>The unfortunate reality of Yomi being the normal one is that she doesn't have a much to talk about. That is, I want to talk about her talents, and yet we don't really know them. She's a reasonably good athlete and reasonably good scholar, but not remarkable in either category. Because she's stuck on normality, she doesn't really show any special interests that give her a special aspiration. The only thing she's shown to be genuinely good at is being flexible, and I can't say a large number of jobs that hinge on physical flexibility, or that Yomi would want the few that do. Koyomi-san, pole dancer? Not likely. The only specific thing that Yomi seems to like is cheerleading. There's not even any proof that that's something she wants enough to pursue. <br /><br />On the other hand, like Kaorin, she's a generally friendly, competent person. Chances are she'll turn out alright. She needs to think harder about her options. As much as she comes across as a J in Myers-Briggs terms, she also doesn't seem to know what she wants. She seems like the person who is better at saying "no" to things she doesn't want than at saying "yes" to anything. <br /><br />Like Chiyo, Yomi's outworld role in Azumanga prevents her from being as well known as the others. However, what we get to see in the little hints and in the Hokkaido/Magical Land episode, Yomi seems like she's hiding a bit of herself too. We know about it a little more because Tomo brings out a lot of Yomi's hidden side, but Yomi rarely expresses her desire to lose weight directly. In fact, when she takes personally innocent remarks about food or weight, the others seem a bit astounded, as though they don't know that Yomi's insecure about it. Note that she never is shown discussing career options with the girls either. All the other Azugirls state their desires or lack of desires, but Yomi never brings up the topic.<br /><br />Yomi is afraid of being strange. She does give in to her silly side here and there, but normally it takes some sort of desperate situation for her to get in that position. She wants to lose weight, so she's willing to write to a radio show about it. She's the only one not earmarked for a college, and if Chiyo-chan's "power" can get even Tomo and Osaka into school, then she'll take it. But under normal circumstances, she can't tolerate much in the way of nonsense. No joining the yawning dojo or allowing herself to be associate with Osaka's hunt for Tokyo earthworms.<br /><br />One thing I love about Yomi is her tough side. She's not going to sit there and let anyone steamroller her. Granted, Tomo takes this as a sort of challenge, but hey, Yomi decks Tomo twice. The bigger the intrusion, the bigger the reaction. It's sort of like how Sakaki guards herself with a shell, except while Sakaki receeds into herself, Yomi insists on making it clear to any offender (or "offender") that their behavior is unacceptable. Yomi's extroverted self-defense is likewise a shell, one that paints Yomi as a supporter of rationality -- and just like Sakaki's shell, it's not the core of who she is. <br /><br />Actually, I think Sakaki's shell is more a part of her genuine nature than Yomi's is of hers. Yomi isn't nearly as uptight as her shell makes her look. On the inside, she's a normal, vulnerable teenager with normal hopes and normal immaturity. Yomi's desire to protect herself is extremely strange, because nothing about her inner self seems odd enough to need protecting, particularly since she's far less weird than anyone else in the group. <br /><br />When people get all pair-y with the Azumanga characters, they pair up Tomo and Yomi. They never seem to realize how horrible an idea this is. Tomo is poison for Yomi. In Tomo's presense, Yomi becomes violent, angry, and impatient. Tomo's buffoonery is both selfish and hurtful. Being continually exposed to that, not to mention in combination with Yomi's general sense of normalcy, results in a Yomi who can never have anything good.<br /><br />All of this is laid out explicitly in the Hokkaido episode. Yomi is trying to express her happiness at getting to go to Hokkaido, and while yes, she was bragging, she also wasn't being all that bad. Tomo, however, is so jealous of Yomi, she screams in jealously when she hears of it on the phone, she tries to stop Yomi from telling the others, accuses Yomi of getting fatter, gets upset when a drink dispenser "favors" Yomi, and attacks Yomi in the lunchroom. This kind of extreme behavior in the face of a simple family trip is a sign of extreme emotional depravity, the kind of thing that renders Tomo unlikely to be a good pair for anyone.<br /><br />For Yomi in particular, it's even worse. Yomi tends to inadvertently encourage Tomo to be an idiot by trying to change Tomo's behavior. This is the exact wrong thing to do, as Tomo appears to take it as a challenge. When Yomi tries to guilt Tomo into feeling bad for not recording her favorite show, Tomo refuses to take the bait. This kind of thing, in turn, causes Yomi to become more harsh. Because Tomo is capable of taking a great deal of crap without getting upset -- seriously, she takes a punch from Yomi in the final episode and is fully cheerful immediately afterwards -- Yomi is encouraged to be more aggressive and defensive in situations where neither reaction is warranted.<br /><br />In other words, Tomo is the source of Yomi's defensive shell. Her influence makes Yomi a worse, less happy person.<br /><br />Let's get back to the Hokkaido episode. Here, Yomi is shown with a guide to Magical Land, trying to plan out their day at the theme park. Chiyo finds and approaches her, only for Yomi to get nervous and pretend that she has to go do some shopping for her mother. This is a confusing moment, as there's no reason for Yomi to want to avoid Chiyo. Chiyo was going out to buy the guidebook too, so they probably could have just went to a cafe and planned things out together. Chiyo would never have made fun of her for being excited to go to Magical Land.<br /><br />But Tomo would. And did. Tomo acted as though Yomi was being childish for being excited to go to Magical Land, mocking her for showing even the slightest emotion. Everyone else would just realize that Tomo is an idiot and there's no real point in caring about her mockery. Yomi, however, has been beaten down so much by Tomo over the years that she can't help but be affected by it. And so she reacts irrationally to Chiyo and ends up getting sick. <br /><br />Not to mention that Tomo's immaturity provokes reactions in Yomi even inappropriate for defense against Tomo herself. In the Christmas episode, just prior to the Hokkaido one, Yomi reacts with sarcrasm to Tomo's honest inquiry about a Christmas present. There was no need for this sarcasm, but Yomi has been so scarred by Tomo's annoyance over the years, that she always treats Tomo like she's up to something stupid. To make it worse, Tomo receives this treatment and is only encouraged to continue to be more immature and irrational, as a way of punishing Yomi for trying to control her behavior.<br /><br />Thus, while the two of them work well for a comedy show, they're a sinister cycle for one another, poisoning each other's perspectives. Tomo continues to be too entertained by stupid things, and Yomi continues to shield her inner self from everyone unnecessarily. The ironic thing is that this shield was formed because of Tomo, and yet does not protect Yomi at all from Tomo's negative influence.<br /><br />In other words, if you're a pairing fanfiction writer and you pair these two, for shame. Every time Yomi tries to have something nice, Tomo mocks her or gets mad. Everything Yomi likes is just another vulnerability to be exploited by Tomo's teasing. I suspect that the main reason Yomi hasn't talked about her future career is because she knows Tomo will either make fun of it, or attempt to join her.<br /><br />Some people compare Tomo and Yomi to Nyamo and Yukari. I don't know how much I agree with that. While it's certainly a case of two friendships that consist of a crackhead and a normal person, their reasons for being friends don't seem that similar. For one thing, Yomi has a far stronger will than Nyamo does. Yomi also seems to realize more that her crackhead friend is indeed a crackhead, and would never group herself as "childish" along with Tomo. <br /><br />They also seem to be friends for different reasons. Nyamo hangs out with Yukari as a way of delaying adult decisions. Yomi seems more like she's just accustomed to Tomo, and can't get away from her because they're in the same class. And while the adults' friendship is worse for Yukari than it is for Nyamo, the Tomo-Yomi friendship is more mutually destructive.<br /><br />One of the very few flaws in this show is that the Tomo-Yomi friendship seems artificial. The only time Yomi is shown really appreciating Tomo for who she is takes place in the end credits song. Well, that, and in the two scenes where Tomo is shown fighting crowds to buy food at school. Other than that, Tomo does nothing but bug Yomi all the time. Tomo relentlessly mocks everything Yomi likes, and can't even let her enjoy a trip to Hokkaido in peace. <br /><br />So it's really up to fan theory as to why they're friends. Probably it has something to do with Yomi's mean streak. She wanted Osaka to try the spicy food despite Osaka's intolerance for hot stuff, and seems to take pleasure in bragging about Hokkaido. In fact, she seems to like bragging about it as much as Tomo would had she been the one to go instead. Their bragging is different, but it's all bragging. In other words, it may be the case that Yomi is secretly a lot more like Tomo than Nyamo is like Yukari.<br /><br />Another possible explanation for this friendship with Tomo is her friendship with Chiyo, who is second closest to her. I just watched one of those "look forward to next week" bits that they have at the end of the ending themes, and it's the one right before the Chiyo episode. In this bit, Yomi is announcing the episode, and she seems inordinately passionate about Chiyo's future. She's talking about Rome, and ten years being an epoch, and other such over-important silliness. <br /><br />Yomi has always seemed to take Chiyo under her wing. She tries to keep Chiyo away from nonsense and spends time in class studying with her. The extent of their friendship is hard to tell because neither character gets lots of focus, nor is either character funny enough to support many scenes on their own on a comedy show. They're also the most smart and sensible people in the group, so writing a scene with them together wouldn't produce any interesting reactions. <br /><br />In any case, Yomi seems to take to heart her elder status over Chiyo. None of the other characters can have that relationship with Chiyo to the same extent. Osaka is Chiyo's sort-of-equal, Kagura isn't academic or mature enough, Tomo really isn't mature enough (though at times she pretends to be), and Sakaki's friendship with her is based on different standards. As the most mother-y person in the group, Yomi feels like she can guide the young and impressionable Chiyo to more sensible ways. This is especially apparent when second-year Chiyo protests being doted on by the first years. Yomi gets all "older sister" on her, explaining life to Chiyo when all Chiyo really wants is validation of her feelings. <br /><br />And that's why she pals with Tomo. Yomi knows firmly that she is superior to Tomo in terms of maturity and responsibility, so she can treat Tomo like a child in much the same way she can treat Chiyo like a child -- they both "need" her guidance. <br /><br />There's a real ugliness to her relationship with Tomo, and part of me suspects that Yomi would be happier if she just hung out with Kaorin and Chihiro instead of the Azugirls. These two, particularly Chihiro, are far more sensible and practical than her current group -- Osaka and Sakaki are introverted weirdos, Kagura doesn't appear to share any interests with her, and Tomo is Tomo. Chiyo is the only one practical enough to have the potential for a close friendship. <br /><br />At the same time, Yomi does seem to take a perverse pleasure in dealing with Tomo. She gets to exercise her irrational side when she deals with Tomo -- as much as her shell insists on normalcy, it's something of a relief to her to have a crazy person to drain her of her desire to do anything crazy herself. It's a thing that happens. Sometimes people want to be immature, and yet when someone encourages them to give in to their immaturity, they balk and return to sanity. I don't have an explanation for this phenomenon, I can only say that I've seen it happen. It's like the vague desire of something crazy is more entertaining than actually doing that thing. Since Yomi is friends with Tomo, she can both have her crazy and not get blamed for it. <br /><br />My favorite Yomi moment is when she's bragging about Hokkaido. Ordinarily Yomi is long suffering, having to put up with the immaturities of the bonkuras as well as the challenges of high school. We rarely get to see her having nice things. I like the idea of her being the subject of Azumanga's goofy happenings. Her episode is one of my favorites of the entire series, despite the fact that she's not one of my favorite characters. It's just so great to see the reality behind the "normal girl" and the "straight man." It's also hilarious to see how badly she misjudges their souvenirs -- bear stew for Sakaki and "white friend black" for easily confused Osaka is hilarious as all get out. It gives the feeling that Yomi isn't nearly as aware of reality as she thinks she is. <br /><br />Actually, a tie for this favorite is near the end of the same episode, where Yomi has just traced the Magical Land mascot on the window, and Chiyo gave her a souvenir snow globe of the mascot. That moment is just so nice, illustrating both Yomi's maturity and the one time her storyline really gets to be magical -- it's almost as if the snow globe is causing it to snow for real. <br /><br />Despite the fact Yomi is a pillar of support for the other characters, she's also a deep, rich character herself. I wish we could have seen more of this, but the fact that we're left wanting more is only proof that Azuma did his job well.<br /><br />My second favorite Yomi moment is when she kicks the mascot drawing from Kimura's hands. Y'know, at the part where he's trying to show off a costume design he wants the girls to wear for the sports fest. I like that side of Yomi. It's the part of her that keeps others from taking advantage of her or her friends. It's the part of her that earns the right to protect Chiyo, and is the perfect partner for Tomo. Y'know, it's kinda like Gon and Killua from Hunter X Hunter. Gon (Tomo) is the one with low patience and wild ideas, while Killua (Yomi) is the pragmatic, tough one that talks him out of the dumber ones. Tomo and Yomi should totally be magical girls together.<br /><br />Potentials time! Yomi --<br />- gets an office job in which she does well but unremarkably.<br />- gets married, has kids, that's about it.<br />- becomes a news anchor.<br />- becomes roomies with Tomo because Tomo can't get a place of her own. <br />- ends up working alongside Tomo.<br />- gets some other career that the audience doesn't know about because we never really knew her personal interests.<br /><br />No matter what else happens, I don't at all think Yomi will end up like Nyamo. She may have less athletic talent, but she's also a hard worker and strong-willed. Yomi will certainly make decisions in her life before she reaches Nyamo's age, and while she'll still be friends with Tomo, she won't be so emotionally dependent on her nutjob friend, and she'll have other people to hang out around.<br /><br />Mizuhara Koyomi's ending: ----- In Every Way a Normal Girl ----- <br /><br />Yomi has always represented normalcy. Thus, her future isn't going to involve any weirdness that doesn't come from the other girls. She goes to college for general studies, and there meets the man who becomes her husband. She becomes a mother and a newspaper columnist, having four children -- two boys and two girls. Concerned about her weight gain as always, Yomi goes back to school to become a nutritionist, then eventually owns her own gym. Along the way she writes articles for health magazines, and uses her friendship with Kagura to get interviews with the pro athlete. Not to mention gives Kagura lots of health advice. <br /><br />Yomi is a good mother, and instructs her children well. She encourages them to have constructive interests, and all four of them are good, diligent students. Though it does take Yomi time to get them in order again every time Aunt Tomo comes to visit.<br /><br /></div>
GrimMoodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14711339376401950830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9152480361909612478.post-32733346021454128912016-12-23T11:25:00.002-08:002016-12-23T11:25:35.203-08:00Azumanga Analysis -- Mihama Chiyo<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It may seem strange to talk about Chiyo so soon. She's the core character of Azumanga, and perhaps the closest to being the main character (though arguably Sakaki's equally close). The trouble is, Chiyo has the most potential. As a result, she's the least predictable, and the least analyzable. Defining someone so young isn't generally a good idea. Especially since Chiyo herself is so childlike and open-minded. She can literally become anything at this point.<br /><br />Except for a loser, of course. Chiyo has perhaps the most natural ability of any of the Azugirls, with her intelligence, independence, cooking skills, and social grace. The non-involvement of her parents seems to have influenced her to become her own person at a young age, and there's even a hint when she wakes her parents that she may possibly be more responsible than them. Or else her independence at so young an age made her lonely for companionship. Her sheltered, wealthy existence also renders her open and unassuming, so she is one of the least likely of the Azugirls to judge other people. She's not the least judgemental, but we'll get to that when we get to it. <br /><br />Likewise, Chiyo has the will to do well. However, her will is very much based on her abilities. If she were a less intelligent person, her insecurities would overwhelm her, because she doesn't have a Tomo or Yukari-like will that can withstand inabilities. Granted, Chiyo's so young that her will hasn't really be tested at this point, and her sheltered childhood prevents her from seeing all potential obstacles to success. Which may not be a bad thing, so long as she sees some success before life inevitably teaches her a lesson.<br /><br />Chiyo's contribution to the group is the group itself. She is the glue that holds it all together. She inspires Yomi's and Sakaki's protective sides, provides an outlet for Tomo's silliness, has a strangely equal friendship with Osaka, and...doesn't actually interact with Kagura that much. Sure, she's happy Kagura is part of the group, but for some reason the two aren't shown doing much together. Kagura and her have little in common, and Chiyo has other protectors. I will point out the cuteness of how she and Kagura were napping together in the back of Nyamo's car during their last trip to Chiyo's summer home. <br /><br />I'd imagine that Chiyo's friendship with Kagura is an extension of her friendship with Sakaki. Both of them are athletes and helpful, sensitive people. Sakaki, however, along with Osaka, is Chiyo's closest friend. Chiyo is the first person to see beyond Sakaki's outer shell (careers survey), and is her closest companion in her quest for cats. Chiyo is also the only person to see Sakaki really give in to her love of cute things, of course because Chiyo herself is a cute thing. She's also the only person that Sakaki directly tells about her love of cute things. Kagura and the other girls might suspect Sakaki only loves cats, but Chiyo knows the full story. By the end of things, Sakaki looks much more comfortable and open with Chiyo. Despite their differences, this friendship shows the signs of being the most long-lasting. <br /><br />Osaka is second place for Chiyo (as much as a person like Chiyo can have a "second place"), because of one important characteristic: she's immune to Chiyo's cuteness. The other girls unintentionally patronize Chiyo because of her great adorableness. Osaka, however, doesn't react to it at all. This enables the two to communicate on a more level field, because neither is "older" than the other, in a sense. It's the same situation with their lack of athletic skill, and they can fail together in PE without pissing the other off. Thus, when the other girls in their second year marathon run up ahead, Osaka is right there by Chiyo's side at the back of the pack. The only thing that makes them unequal is Chiyo's aptitude. <br /><br />Other than that, the two are able to have the most normal of Chiyo's relationships. Because Chiyo has skipped ahead in class, she doesn't have someone her age to grow with. Osaka's mental youth lowers her to about Chiyo's level, so they can experience life with a similar sort of fresh-eyed wonder. Simply put, while the other girls advise Chiyo from above, Osaka walks by her side. Indeed, the gap between their intellectual abilities isn't even that large, given that Chiyo seems to know at the end of it all that Osaka's way of thinking has value.<br /><br />But Chiyo is such an open individual that there's basically no one she can't get along with. Unlike the other girls, she makes less of a distinction between friends and best friends. That's part of her young age, but also who she is as an individual. I don't feel that Chiyo's openness will shut all that much, not even as she ages. It would take a seriously bad incident to make that happen. Chiyo loves new and challenging things, as proven by her statement that high school classes are more "fun" than grade school classes. So does the fact that she wants to go to America. Plus, the broad range of people and attitudes she discovered in high school have a positive affect on her ability to appreciate those who are different from her. <br /><br />Arguably, Chiyo is the most similar to Yomi. They're the two most intellectually driven of the class, and the two most responsible -- and the two Tomo copies from the most often. Also, while Chiyo has more adventures and humorous moments with all the other characters, the person she's most often seen with before or after a comedy scene is Yomi. Yomi also makes attempts to protect Chiyo from the oddity of other characters, but this is more or less a side effect of Yomi's own intolerance of the unusual. <br /><br />Tomo and Chiyo get along surprisingly well, though it's kind of telling that Chiyo helps Osaka study for entrance exams, and not Tomo. Probably that's more Tomo's fault for not asking or taking studying terribly seriously, but it's indication enough that the closeness isn't there. Which isn't to say that Chiyo doesn't appreciate Tomo. Tomo's wildness and poor attempt at rivalry with Chiyo provides a perspective that Chiyo isn't that familiar with. Chiyo is reasonable and observant, while Tomo is wild and persistent; Tomo's inner resource of crazy confidence is something entirely foreign to Chiyo's logical inner workings and gives her a perspective she wouldn't have otherwise understood. Probably her friendship with Tomo enabled her to understand Yukari better. <br /><br />Over time, however, Chiyo seems to notice Tomo's worse aspects more. She grows more Yomi-like, not able to really take Tomo's immaturity with the same openness that she showed in the first season. This is especially evident when Chiyo reacts to Tomo's haircut. Granted, Chiyo was going to get wearied to Tomo sooner or later, particularly given that Tomo prides herself in taking advantage of Chiyo's naivety and small size. <br /><br />Still, Chiyo is able to appreciate Tomo for herself, and she wants Tomo to succeed just as much as she wants the other girls to. She's willing to encourage Tomo's desire to become a cop by dressing as Tomo's suspect in the costume race, and by trying Tomo's running strategy the year before. And that's who Chiyo really is, the support of the other girls. She'll do anything to encourage the others to do their best. She'll help them study, create good luck charms, try Osaka's charm as though it matters, provide a summer place for them to go, and provide a listening ear whenever the other girls have something to say. <br /><br />While Yomi is more often the direct straight man, Chiyo's role is similar. She's quite often the comic victim, either of a direct prank or just of someone's oddity. Her reactions are there to provide a childlike perspective and emphasize the weirdness of everybody else.<br /><br />Which makes analyzing her kinda boring. Her existence is for others. The episode dedicated to her spends a large amount of time focusing on how she observes everyone she meets. Even her choice to go to America renders her a pillar of strength for the others in their struggle to go to college, since she doesn't need to take entrance exams. <br /><br />Chiyo doesn't crave approval, but it makes her feel good when others feel good, which is why she's so upset around sports fest times. At those points, she knows she can't contribute much to victory. What she never seems to get is that her presence alone is enough to want to make others try. It motivates Sakaki, makes Osaka feel better about her own ineptitude, and causes the others to want to do well for her sake. All of them wanted to hear her give a speech at the first sports fest, and nobody questioned Chiyo's right to give one. Not to mention Chiyo makes the competition feel bad about beating a little girl and steals the judges eyes at the chearleading competitions.<br /><br />It's like at the Yukari-forced basketball game, when they renamed their team from "sea slug team" to "Chiyo team." Chiyo is the support of the girls, but she's also their flag and standard bearer. As much as she wants the others to be happy, all the girls equally wish her the same, and contribute to her esteem in their own way. If Azumanga is a soup, Chiyo is the broth, which flavor both contributes to and takes from the flavor of the vegetables.<br /><br />My favorite Chiyo moment is when she and Osaka are on the roof, and Osaka proclaims that she feels on a day like that day, she could jump off the building and fly. Chiyo immediately grabs onto her sleeve, fearing that Osaka might actually do it. What makes this moment so special is that normally Chiyo is the one who needs protection, and here she's taking on the role of protector in the only way she can. See, all the girls, Osaka included, are tougher than her in one way or another. The only way Chiyo can alter someone's behavior is by her heart. Here Chiyo is showing her vulnerability by revealing without words that if something happened to Osaka, it would hurt her very badly. Osaka doesn't get the message at the time, but it only makes the scene cuter. <br /><br />Indeed, protecting Chiyo's emotions is something all the characters do at one point or another. Sakaki works hard at sports fests for her, Kagura tries not to risk Chiyo finding out that Santa isn't real, Yomi drags her away from Tomi's weird stories, Tomo leads the graduates in applause for Chiyo, and Osaka provides her with a friendship free of the biases an older person would have in befriending a child. Heck, their graduation ceremony even ends with everyone worrying about Chiyo crying. <br /><br />It's a symbiotic relationship. Chiyo loves the others wholeheartedly, so they love her back.<br /><br />My runner up Chiyo moment is when she and Osaka are walking hand in fin during the second culture fest. It's an especially nice moment, particularly since neither of them really notices how cute Chiyo is to everyone around them. <br /><br />Chiyo has too many potentialities to count. She - <br />- becomes a scientist in a world far removed from the other Azugirls.<br />- becomes a Japanese politician who changes things for the better.<br />- becomes prime minister.<br />- becomes a philanthropist well known throughout the world.<br />- owns her own chain of companies.<br />- joins the UN.<br />- joins WHO.<br />- does any number of ridiculously successful things.<br /><br />Mihama Chiyo's ending: ----- The World is NeoHappy ----- <br /><br />Because this is a cartoon and not real life, we can give Chiyo a cartoonishly large amount of successes. And we should. She goes to America, where she graduates from Harvard ridiculously quickly. She then goes for her PhD while working in a computer technology field, after which she sets up several pharmecutical research centers, at the tender age of 22. About this time she realizes she's been working too hard, and starts doing more travelling with her American husband, who is ten years older than her. They do a lot of good around the world, primarily in technological and medical fields. They even visit Japan for Nyamo's wedding, as well as arrange a summer vacation with everyone. <br /><br />After setting up a computer manufacturing company with a range of stores throughout Europe, America, and Japan, Chiyo discovers that she's pregnant with twins. These two are her only children, a boy and a girl, and they, like their mother, are independent at a young age. They fight sometimes, so it's harder for Chiyo than it was for her own parents. Chiyo does not have any more children, but continues to travel and work in science. She remains as close as she can with the other Azugirls, and surprisingly does a good job of including them in her life. She remains their standard bearer, and any time something goes wrong, at least one of them is always there for her.<br /><br /></div>
GrimMoodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14711339376401950830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9152480361909612478.post-25357196322181796992016-12-05T08:37:00.001-08:002016-12-05T08:37:39.347-08:00Azumanga Analysis -- Kagura<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
To me, Kagura is the most real of all the girls. Despite the fact that Yomi is supposed to be more normal, no real person is 100% normal, and thus Kagura's quirks make her more real rather than less. Both Yomi and Kagura are characters that serve to emphasize the true weirdness of all the other girls, but Kagura has a stronger almost-arc. She's also, along with Chiyo, the most likely to succeed of all the girls. In terms of natural talent and self-will, she has both aspects of success. Despite not being academically inclined, Kagura is athletic. Her self-drive is unmatched, so despite being lesser than Sakaki, Kagura knows that working hard on becoming strong will help her achieve her goals.<br /><br />Unlike the other girls, Kagura both has goals and goes after them. Kaorin, Yomi, and Osaka don't appear to have any specific future plans, and while Chiyo, Sakaki, and Tomo have some idea, none of them appear to know how they can reach their goals or ever make any direct progress toward them during their time in high school. As confirmed members of the "Go Home Club", the other Azugirls are taking the time to enjoy their youth as they see fit.<br /><br />Not Kagura. Kagura has a greater awareness of her own flaws, and thus pursues what she has with direct action. She wants to be stronger, so she jogs. She wants an athletic future, so she joins the swim team and trains hard. No one has to tell Kagura to do any of these things. She knows it must be done, and does it. The second summer vacation discussion on yukatas implies that Kagura even may be making these choices above her family's desires for her to be more feminine.<br /><br />This also relates to the Kagura vs. Kaorin conflict I mentioned. Kagura wanted a rivalry/friendship with Sakaki, so she makes it her goal and works toward it. Since Sakaki never goes out of her way to make friends, Kagura puts in all the effort by repeatedly approaching Sakaki, inviting her to mini-challenges, volunteering to walk home with her, and protecting her from kamineko. None of the other girls, not even the teachers, has this ability to choose what she wants and then get it. They lack either the talent or the will. <br /><br />This is why, despite all her flaws, Kagura is going to succeed in life. Barring some horrible accident, Kagura will become a professional athlete. Actually, since she understands sports better than people, she's probably going to have issues when it comes to dating. <br />
<a name='more'></a><br />But let's talk about her flaws for a bit. As much as Kagura wants to have a rivalry with Sakaki, Sakaki can't fill that role as she doesn't care enough about sports, and cares even less about competition. So Kagura ends up having a rivalry with Tomo, sort of. Like Tomo's other rivalries, it's really more about Tomo trying to establish her own ego than a true contest of ability. At the same time, Kagura really is a goofball, so the two get along very well. Sakaki and Tomo are Kagura's closest friends. Which is interesting, because these two are the deepest and the shallowest characters respectively.<br /><br />And as much as Kagura was described as the "constantly running after Sakaki girl", Tomo might as well be the "constantly running after Kagura girl." In both cases, it's more about one person attempting to get a friendship where none previously existed. Kagura wants a rivalry with Sakaki and can't have it, and Tomo wants a rivalry with Kagura and can't have it. In the first case, Sakaki hasn't the will. In the latter, Tomo hasn't the talent.<br /><br />Except, of course, in academic matters. They are more or less equal in that regard, and this is where it becomes obvious that Kagura is relying on her athletic talent to carry her places, as she knows she can't get anywhere with her schoolwork. She has neither the talent nor the will to succeed in school, as her grades and unwillingness to take notes prove. This is okay, however, because school isn't the only determinant of success. In fact, it's not a determinant at all, other than in regard to how certain people perceive you. A lot of people couldn't care less about your school grades, even people who offer jobs. Kagura already has enough self-resources to get what she wants, so even getting a 30 on an english test can only have minimal affect on her, particularly when she has friends to share her poor performance with. <br /><br />God bless the bonkuras. They're so great.<br /><br />One of the things that makes Kagura feel more realistic than the other girls, besides the fact her conflicts are usually more on the ordinary side, is her sensitivity. My absolute favorite Kagura moment is when she and Tomo are goofing around before a sports fest, but Kagura bumps into the tent the other girls are setting up and knocks it down. It's so sweet, and realistic, how this brings Kagura to tears. Instead of blaming Tomo for it, she accepts responsibility. <br /><br />Also, her question "Why am I such an oaf?" indicates pain. In her past, Kagura has likely done clumsy, insensitive things. Noticing her aggressive behavior in her interactions with Sakaki and the neighborhood cats, it's pretty easy to see that Kagura doesn't always notice how her behavior affects others. She's just a small bit oblivious, and it takes moments like knocking down the tent for her to suddenly realize what she's done. Kagura never wants to hurt anyone, and disappointing others tends to bring her to tears (see: end of first sports fest). Kagura, despite her socially clumsy behavior, feels things very deeply. Unlike with someone like Yukari, Kagura's confidence is not a defense mechanism, it's just genuine belief in her own abilities, with perhaps a measure of naivety. It does not shield her ego, particularly not when the fault lies with her, or she feels it does.<br /><br />Runner up favorite moment is when Kagura defends Sakaki from the cats. Sakaki is ordinarily the defender of all things cute, but Kagura takes the role of defender for her. It's also great to see Kagura offer her own perspective on cats, because as much as Sakaki loves them, she also lets them walk all over her. Kagura's more disciplined, "punish the offender" approach presents an option that Sakaki never before seemed to know existed. It's pretty awesome how Kagura is the only girl to put kamineko in its place.<br /><br />I also like how in this moment Sakaki reacts by speaking to Kagura in a way she'll know Kagura will understand -- that is, Sakaki says she wants Kagura to stop protecting her so she can face her fear, when really Sakaki would rather have violent cats around her than no cats at all. But of course heavily guarded Sakaki would never actually say the latter out loud. Still, Kagura's persistence got behind Sakaki's shields, making her person #2 to do so (the first being Chiyo). <br /><br />And that's what characterizes the relationship between the two. While Kagura attempted to start a friendship on the athletics they have in common, it's really their differences that make them work out as friends. They appreciate each other's perspectives. Kagura respects Sakaki's dedication, and Sakaki, so far as I can tell, seems to appreciate Kagura's dependability. Kagura is social and goal-driven, as opposed to Sakaki's reticience and stability. Their individuality is respected in the end.<br /><br />Probably my favorite aspect of Kagura is that she sees rivalry as a form of friendship, rather than the more common idea of rivalry being based on having a kind-of, sort of enemy. Kagura's "we're rivals, so we must be friends!" approach is hilarious, dense, and sweet. Despite her ability to set and fulfil goals, Kagura retains a certain childishness which keeps her interactions with Tomo ridiculous and prevents her from understanding Sakaki's lack of competition.<br /><br />Honestly, with Kagura I don't need to analyze much. She's a "what you see is what you get" sort of person. While her sensitivity shows when she feels guilty about something, ordinarily her skill and will combine to keep her in a good place. Kagura is the most emotionally healthy person on the show, even including Chiyo, the close second. While her ability to be provoked by someone like Tomo, along with her indifference to intellectual pursuits, is her downside, she has enough athletic skill, concern for others, pragmatism, and self-knowledge to cope with her flaws. <br /><br />What are some potentials for Kagura? Well, Kagura -<br />- becomes a high school PE teacher.<br />- suffers an accident which destroys her athletic career and confidence, forcing her to completely rethink her life.<br />- ....<br /><br />Okay, I can't think of any potentials that are worth a flip. Let's just get on with the real one.<br /><br />Kagura arrives at her college already with a reputation for being a star athlete. She fulfills this reputation with flying colors, quickly being picked up by a coach who prepares her for Olympian level competition. Kagura spends ten years traveling around the world and competing, and becomes a famous Japanese figure who participates in two separate summer Olympics. She even visits her old school and speaks in front of the current swim team on three different occasions.<br /><br />During her career she marries her coach, and her career is only interrupted once by childbirth, a son. After some debate on the matter and agonizing decision making, Kagura finally decides she wants to try being a little more domestic. She gives birth to one more child, a girl, and her older son takes a role in caring for his younger sister. During this time her husband is still coaching and training, and he cheats on her with another athlete. After a brief struggle with trying to hold things together, they divorce. Kagura plunges into obscurity as she tries to reconfigure her life.<br /><br />Still, sports are a world that Kagura never fully departs. She "trains" her children, who share her love of sports, and when they're both in school Kagura returns to training other athletes and picking them for future sporting events. She ends up being a scout for the Giants baseball team, partly due to her son's interest in baseball. <br /><br />Kagura remains friends with the Azugirls, and her friendship with Yomi deepens after the birth of her daughter, as the two bond over losing weight after having children. Her relationship with Tomo weakens, due more to distance, as well as the fact that the things they had in common arose mostly from immaturity and schoolwork. Since schoolwork is gone and Kagura matures pretty quickly, their old friendship changes dynamic.<br /><br />All in all, Kagura has a happy life, despite some marital troubles and not really being that much help when her kids struggle with schoolwork. She remains attached to sports for the rest of her life, through both her own and her children's activities, and she's especially close to her son. He walked her down the aisle for the second marriage, to an assistant coach of the Giants. She adopted his two sons, but they had no children together. They remained married for the rest of their lives.<br /><br /></div>
GrimMoodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14711339376401950830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9152480361909612478.post-25507832068721173782016-12-05T08:36:00.001-08:002016-12-05T08:36:35.498-08:00Azumanga Analysis -- Chihiro<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hey, guess what? I found the backup of my Azumanga analysis files! And that means the next girl is...Chihiro?<br />
<br />
Uh...I have nothing to say about her. Besides the fact that I think it's funny Kaorin never discusses Sakaki with her, and she's constantly being dumped on in favor of Sakaki.<br /><br />Chihiro's ending: ----- Okay! -----<br /><br />Chihiro gets a high paying office job with lots of responsibility. She's still friends with Kaorin, but is ultimately busy with her own thing and hangs out primarily with the fast pacers. She's married with one daughter, who loves her mom despite the tough schedule to work around.<br /><br />Or stuff. Whatever.</div>
GrimMoodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14711339376401950830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9152480361909612478.post-41372118811605107582016-07-18T09:29:00.002-07:002016-07-18T09:29:50.009-07:00Sorry...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I meant to update my Azumanga posts, but my laptop's hard drive died, so things have been interesting. Let me see what I can do...</div>
GrimMoodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14711339376401950830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9152480361909612478.post-45583636475734213362016-06-27T09:04:00.000-07:002016-06-27T09:04:08.761-07:00Azumanga Analysis: Kaorin<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN">Of the students, Kaorin is
definitely my least favorite. She's
awkward, and primarily defined by her crush on Sakaki. On the other hand, she's at least more
interesting than Nyamo (in my opinion, anyway).
The huge difficulty in analyzing her is that she's almost never doing
anything that doesn't involve acting like an idiot in front of her crush. We simply don't get to see her at her best,
or know anything much about her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Most fanfiction writers who
pair like to pair her off with Sakaki, making it so that she achieves her lofty
goals of catching her classmate's attention.
Why do people do this? Maybe they
feel sorry for Kaorin. Maybe they just
like gay fanfiction. Or perhaps they
identify with Kaorin, because her struggle reminds them of times in their past
when they were too afraid to get what they wanted. Maybe by giving Kaorin what she wants, it'll
feel like a cathartic way of having that thing the fanfic writer missed out on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">But you know where they
aren't getting this pairing from? The <i>show.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">I mean, holy crap, Kaorin is
the dictionary definition of awkward. Do
you see how she acts in front of Sakaki?
Sakaki is too reserved to do much about it, but do you really think she
doesn't see how ridiculous Kaorin gets?
Kaorin is forever staring at her in class, and always freaks out if it
looks like someone else is attracting Sakaki's attention. She says weird things all the time, too. Like when they were about to go on the third
summer vacation, and apparently the thing Kaorin says to her when she arrives
is something Japanese wives say to their husbands right after they marry. And the folk dance, when she won't let go of
Sakaki's hand? What is Sakaki supposed
to think about that? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">The absolute worst was
during the three legged race in the second sports fest. Let's count all the ways Kaorin makes a fool
of herself. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">1. freaking out when Sakaki
is drafted into the event.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">2. growling at her best
friend when Chihiro suggests she could do the race after all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">3. making panicky promises
of trying her best before the race starts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">4. completely losing her
mind when they win.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">5. suggesting they remain
tied together afterwards.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">I'm a bit suspicious that
it's this event that causes Kaorin to be sent out of Yukari's class for the
third year. Yukari was standing right
there when 1 and 2 happened, and possibly more.
I can't help but imagine that Yukari said to herself, "that girl is
messing up the mojo of my best athlete.
She's definitely not staying in <i>my</i> class."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Before you start saying that
Kaorin still has a chance, imagine how you'd feel if someone acted this way in
front of you. While Sakaki is generally
too contained to react much to anything not extreme or cuteness-related, keep
an eye on her when Kaorin is acting a fool.
She notices. Also, it's kinda
funny how at the beginning of the second semester Kaorin is saying how nice it
is they're in the same class again, and then Sakaki is all like,
"yeah", then immediately walks away.
I lol'ed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Deeper than this is the
issue of why Kaorin is attracted to Sakaki.
Kaorin is obsessed with Sakaki's shell, that is, her coolness. Kaorin barely knows that Sakaki likes cats. She doesn't know how dramatically obsessed
with them Sakaki is, or that Sakaki wants to be a vet, or that Sakaki hasn't
the slightest interest in being cool -- any apparent coolness on Sakaki's part
is unintentional, a way to hide her inner self, or a side effect of her
cuteness obsession.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">In one episode, Tomo and
Kaorin are arguing about whether coolness or cuteness is better, with Kaorin
firmly on the side of "cool."
In a later episode, however, Sakaki admantly tells Chiyo that it's
"stronger" to be cute. And
Kaorin never finds out Sakaki's opinion.
Even worse, the somewhat dense Kagura is the first one to find out
Sakaki's struggles with kamineko, and how much all cats refuse to return
Sakaki's affection. And at the end of
that episode, Kaorin walks up to Sakaki in an arcade, only to assume that
Sakaki plays racing and shooting games.
She walks away before noticing that Sakaki is holding stuffed cats. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">So how would Kaorin feel to
know the real Sakaki? She's spent so
much time being obsessed with Sakaki's exterior, that it's bound to be a shock
if she ever discovers how weak and uncertain Sakaki really can be. And who knows what would happen if Kaorin
ever found out about Chiyochichi?
Knowing that her crush thinks a flying, orange cat-like being is Chiyo-chan's
father would certainly make Kaorin raise an eyebrow. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">What makes this particularly
heartbreaking is that Kaorin seems like a decent person whenever Sakaki isn't
around. She can make costumes, having
made both the mascots for the culture fests. She's also the first person shown attempting
to make friends -- she invites Chiyo to eat lunch with her. Clearly Kaorin is a nice, socially competent
person. The stupids only attack when
Sakaki is nearby.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Actually, let's get back to
Kagura. Did you know she's Kaorin's
rival? As much as Kagura isn't attracted
to Sakaki, she has a very similar goal to Kaorin. That is, to befriend Sakaki. And Kagura succeeds where Kaorin has failed,
becoming the last member of Sakaki's circle of friends. What makes it worse is that Kagura
accomplished this by the dumbest means possible. She (1) approached the most reticent,
socially uncertain of the girls and (2) continually talked about things Sakaki
clearly doesn't care about -- sports teams and mountain bikes -- while (3)
disrespecting the things Sakaki does like by doodling on nekoconeko and smacking
cats. Kagura never appears to realize
she's doing 2, and only half realizes that 3 isn't a good idea. Yet she's in Sakaki's circle, and is Sakaki's
companion for their graduation trip to Magical Land. Sucks to be you, Kaorin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">This brings me back to my
Nyamo/Yukari assertion about natural skills and personal confidence being the
two reasons why anyone succeeds at anything.
Kaorin seems to have decent natural skills in sewing, design, and
friendliness, but she is entirely lacking in self-drive and initiative. She drifts through high school, just kind of
hoping that life brings her and Sakaki together, without putting any real effort
into accomplishing this goal. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Indeed Kaorin's first
interaction with Sakaki (when attempting to invite her to astronomy club) is
remarkably similar to Kagura's (when declaring to Sakaki that they are rivals),
in that they both tried and failed to initiate interaction with Sakaki. The only difference between the two is that
Kagura doesn't let apparent failure stop her from trying again. If Kaorin hadn't given up, Sakaki would have
joined the astronomy club, changing both the nature of their relationship and
indeed, all of Azumanga. After all, she
was the first one to approach Sakaki, and Sakaki clearly wanted companionship
from someone, and was too introverted to know what to do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">But alas, Kaorin apparently
felt helpless, and could only hope for outer circumstances to bring them
together. While "going with the
flow" has its moments, all water flows downhill, and Kaorin's lack of
confidence ultimately is what ruined her chances. By the end of high school, Sakaki (and
certainly Tomo too) knows how awkward she is and has lost any interest she
might have had in close friendship.
Kaorin just never believed in her own ability to affect her life
circumstances. Of course, if she did,
she'd almost certainly realize how stupid she was in front of Sakaki.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">This is all laid out very
clearly in the New Year's dream episode.
Kaorin dreams that Sakaki has rescued her, and upon waking, attempts to
go back to sleep and return to the dream.
And where was she supposed to go that day? To the temple, to go hang out with the real
Sakaki. Kaorin's insistence on going
back to the dream indicates that she prefers a fake but achievable Sakaki to
the aloof, real one -- the one she actually has to try to have a real
friendship with. The one who is more
than just a hero who comes in on a white horse and saves the day. Someone with insecurities, passions, and
obstacles. Someone who is nowhere near
as perfect as Kaorin seems to think.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">This isn't just a matter of
Sakaki either. Kaorin never takes
initiative to change the direction of her life.
Like, when she is put in Kimura's class.
Not only does Kaorin never consider that she might have done something
to upset Yukari, but she also doesn't take any action to stop Kimura from being
attracted to her. She's just concerned
with enduring her final year. Honestly,
homegirl had lots of options. We know
that Kimura doesn't like boys or Osaka, so clearly Kaorin could have wrapped
her bust in gauze or athletic tape, or worn a boy's uniform to school. She could have reported Kimura to someone, or
stopped speaking to him, or gave him an insulting nickname, refused to be class
representative, or just taken any sort of action that would have discouraged
him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">One interesting thing of
note is that while Sakaki and Yomi have bigger boobs than Kaorin, Kimura never
reaches obsession level with them.
Clearly Sakaki and Yomi have personality aspects that make them less
appealing. Sakaki is guarded, and Yomi
is never unwilling to defend herself. If
Yomi had been the one stuck in his class, you better bet he wouldn't get away
with labelling a garden with both their names.
Kaorin really needed to put up a shield of some subtle kind to make it
very clear she's not putting up with his crap.
Instead, she's a nervous, timid, vulnerable girl...the exact thing that
Kimura likes. She's making herself a
victim by being unable to take action or ask for help, and therefore collects a
predator. It's seriously scary how
self-victimizing Kaorin can be.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Heh, what Kaorin really
should do is lean back in her chair, put her feet on her desk, and say,
"So Kimura Sensei, when your daughter grows up, don't you want her to have
a teacher just like you?"</span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Kaorin had every opportunity to be close to
Sakaki. She was the first person to
approach her, she's friendly with all the other Azugirls, she owns cats, and
she's invited to every summer vacation trip.
One interesting thing of note is that despite astronomy club interfering
with her being able to go on these trips (as well as keeping her at school when
the Azugirls are going home or hanging out), Kaorin never quits it. She acts as though astronomy club is something
like fate, without realizing it's not something she has to do. Why is this?
Does her mother want her in a club?
Does she think it improves her chances for college? How bad does she want Sakaki if she's not
willing to take any action to get her?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Again, Kagura is the more
successful rival. Despite her own club,
ambitions, and dumb methods, Kagura is far closer to Sakaki. Kaorin, in the meanwhile, doesn't even know
that Sakaki is shy. She clings as hard
as she can to a false image of Sakaki, making no attempt to learn who the real
Sakaki is. Then there's the question of
whether or not Kaorin is actually gay.
I'm reluctant to label Kaorin here because we don't know her well, but
she does seem to like guys. There's a
shot of her at the folk dance where she seems happy to be dancing with a
boy. She also seems to like Sakaki for
all her masculine qualities, both real and imagined. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">And that's why they'll never
be together. Kaorin doesn't know Sakaki
and she doesn't try. She clings as hard
as she can to the image she has in her head, because that image will give her
all the things that the real Sakaki won't or can't. And she can never act a fool in fake Sakaki's
eyes. By now, real Sakaki's figured out
that something with that Kaorin chick just ain't right. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">I kinda wonder about Kaorin's
past. Probably nothing especially bad
has ever happened to her, given that she's on the whole an optimistic
person. On the other hand, she's
immediately attracted to Sakaki's protective nature. Clearly Kaorin feels vulnerable in one way or
another, and she wants someone to protect her.
Maybe Kaorin is especially sensitive, and it's this sensitivity that
makes people like Kimura drawn to her.
She thus knows she's missing something.
What she thinks she needs is protection, but what she really needs is a
greater sense of confidence in herself.
She, like Nyamo, is better off than she thinks she is. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Again, it's Kaorin's
awkwardness and vulnerability that makes fans like her. Those are also the things that determine she
hasn't the slightest chance with Sakaki.
She's also in danger of letting her life get out of her control; if
Kaorin never takes initiative in any aspect of her life, she'll continue to be
pushed along by general Japanese culture.
Granted, Kaorin is competent enough to have a decent life even despite
her "go with whatever's handed to you" nature, and that's not the
worst personal philosophy to have. It's
just that if Kaorin never switches gears from "endure" to "achieve",
she'll never do anything particularly remarkable with her life. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Y'know, people compare Yomi
to Nyamo a lot, but quite frankly Kaorin is more likely to turn out like
Kurasawa Sensei in the end. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">My favorite Kaorin moment is
when she and Chihiro announce they've made Chiyo's penguin costume. It's the one moment where Kaorin is
competent, happy, and showing a personal talent. My second favorite moment is
when she's picking flower petals at the beginning of the second year, because
this action sums up her character all too well: she's trusting the arbitrations
of fate, while all along never realizing that she had control. Psst, Kaorin.
If you want flower petals to give you what you want, pick one with an
odd number of petals. Picking an
even-numbered flower means you'll always land on "loves me not."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Let's think of some
potential endings. Kaorin - <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">- has a decent, boring life,
at the end of which she feels disappointed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">- suffers through a career
of continually being taken advantage of, due to her ever-enduring nature.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">- suffers a personal tragedy
because her vulnerability makes her weak to predators. This causes her to question her entire life
and make poor choices.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">- learns to be stronger, and
becomes a hardworking careerist who ends up making a real difference in the
business where she works.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">- becomes an astronomer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Despite the negativity of
some of my above potentialities, Kaorin's adulthood actually has a pretty good
chance of turning out well. It hinges on
whether or not she can actually see herself the way she really is, and that is
the catalyst which will determine how her life goes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Kaorin's ending: ----- High
School Nostalgia ----- <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">For the time being, Kaorin
follows societal expectations. She does
well at college, gets a decent job, and works hard at it, doing good and being
paid well. After an awkward time of
flirtation and dating, Kaorin is proposed to by the cute guy in the corner
office. Kaorin briefly wonders if this
is what she really wants, but she goes ahead and gets married. They have three kids, all boys, and Kaorin
ends up staying home to raise them, because she never felt that attached to her
job anyway. She becomes more or less
like her own mother, except very sensitive to her kids' needs. Despite being a good mother, Kaorin grows
more doubtful over time, feeling like something is missing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Then their high school
reunion comes up (I have no idea if this is a thing in Japan, but if it isn't,
let's just say that Tomo or Chiyo decided it would be a good idea and organize
it themselves), and Kaorin sees Sakaki again.
All the old feelings come up, and Kaorin bemoans her fate. But as Kaorin watches Sakaki, she finds out
that her former crush is a vet, and that everyone besides her knew of this
dream in high school. Kaorin suddenly realizes that she's never really known
Sakaki at all. Because she's fairly
reasoned and doesn't suffer from any Yukari-brand self-delusions, Kaorin is
able to look back at her past and see all the wasted time and awkward activity
that held her back. She suddenly
realizes that she's never at all asked herself what <i>she</i> wants out of
life. Sakaki's known for years what she
wanted, while she's never put much thought into it at all, only doing what
she's "supposed" to.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Kaorin goes to her husband
and insists that she wants a change, that she doesn't want to be just a
housewife. Because the boys are now all
in school, she insists on going in to design, and ends up creating mascots, as
well as complex costumes for famous singers.
Her family is supportive of her in these efforts, and Kaorin is put into
a tough cycle of working on her dreams and caring for her family. Kaorin knows, however, that it will all be
worth it in the end, because she's finally making her own decisions. Her story ends with seeing Sakaki in the
distance one last time, and she says quietly, "Thank you, Sakaki. Thank you for everything."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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GrimMoodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14711339376401950830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9152480361909612478.post-67514985846865722332016-06-20T11:44:00.002-07:002016-06-20T11:44:38.999-07:00Azumanga Analysis -- Kimura Sensei<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I killed him. The end.</div>
GrimMoodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14711339376401950830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9152480361909612478.post-37973186688099494382016-06-20T11:44:00.000-07:002016-06-20T11:44:01.621-07:00Azumanga Analysis -- Tanizaki Yukari<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Yukari is perhaps the hardest of all characters to properly analyze, because she's the least like a real person. While most everything she does is fairly natural, a person with all of those flaws and willingness to give in to them at any point in the day is very absurd. Especially since she hasn't lost her job or been involved in a bar fight. Maybe Nyamo is serving a good purpose in taking all of Yukari's aggression: she's insuring that Yukari doesn't hurt other people. <br /><br />At the same time, Nyamo is a huge enabler. Yukari is entirely dependent on her. She requires Nyamo's companionship, immediately assumes she can sleep at Nyamo's house when construction workers are working near her own, constantly needs to shove her superior knowledge of english in Nyamo's face, and needs rides to different places. If Nyamo would just put her foot down and choose other people to hang out with, Yukari's current life would fall apart -- and she'd try to make Nyamo's fall apart too. <br /><br />It's kind of amazing how much Nyamo lets her get away with it. The story sort of implies that Nyamo sees the two of them as basically equals, as Nyamo, who despite criticizing Yukari's behavior, never calls Yukari a bad or immature person. And in the spring episode, Nyamo calls them both childish, when she could have very easily only called Yukari childish. The audience would have no reason to disbelieve her. By including herself, Nyamo is making a statement about how she perceives her own flaws, flaws which by and large the audience doesn't get to see. Nyamo, however, does see her own flaws, and thus is apparently incapable of viewing her own life as more advantageous than Yukari's.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />Which brings me back to Tanizaki Sensei. Despite Nyamo not seeing their differences, Yukari clearly does. She knows that Nyamo is more popular, a better driver, a better athlete, and probably also more employable than her. Nyamo also has more self-control. Most of these are fairly small things, or things Yukari could easily achieve on her own if she actually put forth the effort. Thus Yukari is constantly trying to look better than Nyamo, by means of gossiping about her past, using her english to impress, and pretending her horrible driving is a more adventurous way to live. <br /><br />Also, Yukari is great at making excuses for her own behavior. When she can't remember something, she insists that people should let go of the past. When she doesn't have something that another person has, she stubbornly calls them bourgeoisie. When she has a kitten to get rid of, she claims the cat is too young to be on its own. When the cat escapes, she happily pronounces that it'll be fine. Basically, Yukari has an excuse for everything she does. Even if these excuses are flimsy, she'll still have something to defend herself with, almost every single time. And when she doesn't, she resorts to volume, then violence. <br /><br />This is the thing that ruins it for Yukari. Nyamo seems to think they're more or less equal, and Yukari is clearly angling for any way that she can prove that life's deck isn't highly stacked in Nyamo's favor. Which perception is accurate? Yukari's. Nyamo is clearly in a happier place than her. Someone as sensitive to privilige as Yukari is always going to notice when the playing field isn't even. However, it's this inferiority complex that makes Yukari inferior. Well, that, and Yukari's general laziness, like her willingness to choose video games over being at school on time, and how she's perfectly fine with showing how unmotivated her summer vacation has made her.<br /><br />But to the first flaw, Yukari is taking Nyamo's advantages too seriously. Yes, Nyamo is better at sports, but there's no real reason to care about that. After all, if Yukari had chosen to use her time on athletic training (she's at least no Osaka), she might not have had the time to become fluent in english. It's all about opportunity cost, and what a person is naturally talented in. In other words, knowing a foreign language is at least as useful as being good at sports. <br /><br />But no, Yukari has to feel superior to Nyamo in athletics both personally and class vs. class. Yukari is so desperate to try and make others feel bad, that, for example, after the second sports fest she mocks Nyamo's class for losing. And in the process completely humiliates both herself and her class. This behavior is constant, and Yukari is perfectly willing to scream in public, force her students to play sports with her at a disadvantage (Team Yukari vs Team Sea Slug, soccer/dodgeball in the winter), and rat out Nyamo's past to her students just to feel better about her own life. She craves superiority over Nyamo, and also over whoever else she can get it from.<br /><br />All of this protects Yukari from the truth. And what is the truth? That all of Yukari's flaws are self-made. If she stopped yelling in public, the students would like her more. If she saved her money, she could have her own car. If she drove better, she could keep it. If she thought more about the things she said, guys would like her better. If she stopped treating people like means to ends, she'd have more real friends.<br /><br />The reason why Nyamo doesn't seem to feel she's superior to Yukari is because on a superficial level, they are equal. They're both teachers that work in the same school and make the same amount of money. Both of them are good looking. Both of them have a talent which enables them to keep their job. If Yukari were kinder and less lazy, the two of them would absolutely be equal. As it is, Yukari's inferiority complex keeps her firmly in the crazy territory, rendering her incapable of keeping any friends other than the long-enduring Nyamo. As much as she might have remained friends with any of the Azugirls after their graduation even despite her behavior, let's face it, Yukari's too lazy for that mess. <br /><br />If you will allow a history fan to mention a particular era at the risk of sounding like a crazy person, I have to make a point about Yukari's use of the word "bourgeoisie." She uses it as an accusation, as though she swallows wholesale the myth that every advantaged person is feeding off the poor, and no one can have without taking away from someone else. This is the exact attitude that leads to things like communism. When you read about a nation coming to communism, its leaders often encouraged their less educated followers to pillage the local landowners and businessmen, citing them as the cause of all the nation's problems. It often got to the point where if a person hired someone else, they were accused of being "petite bourgeoisie" and attacked. I even read about one girl who was targeted because someone paid back a debt they owed to her father in candles, and selling these candles apparently was too capitalist. In an ultimate form of irony, the destruction of businesses ended up destroying communist economies.<br /><br />I mention it because I want to state how absolutely devastating an attitude like Yukari's can be. Her jealousy against people like Yomi and Chiyo for doing things she didn't get to do causes her to go into a violent rage. All of the girls in this show are based on real attitudes, despite how much they've all been cartoonified. And the moral of Yukari's story is that when you strike others for their advantages, you don't make yourself better, you only make things worse for everyone.<br /><br />So that's Yukari's flaws: laziness and self-pity. However, let's look at Yukari's good points, which she does have. Remember, the Azugirls did feel respect for her at the end of the show, so no matter how bad a teacher she was, she did enough for them to appreciate her. Or else their good natures, graduation nostalgia, and Japan's educational culture combined to form good feelings.<br /><br />Clearly Yukari cares about english. To an extent she appears to like it as a way to show off, but that doesn't seem to be the entirety of her passion for it. We see little glimpses of her assigning work, and through these glimpses we get to see how she really feels about her job. For one thing, despite her behavior and tardiness, she never appears at risk of being fired. Yukari scolds Osaka for sleeping "while she's working." She hands out english workbooks and forces students to finish them before they can leave for break. Yukari can tell when Tomo is copying other people's homework. Heck, even Chiyo pays respect to Yukari's ability to teach, in the entrance exams episode. It even seems that Yukari's negativity in class is partially a way to motivate students: in the last summer vacation episode, she scared Tomo and Kagura by telling them it was too late for them to study and do well in the entrance exams. And then they both studied hard.<br /><br />Despite all Yukari's issues, she seems engaged and focused when she's actually teaching. Part of me wonders if, in her past, Yukari had hoped to go travelling to an english speaking country, and it just didn't work out for her. Maybe her laziness/self-pity combined to make her believe she could never afford it, and that scholarships or other subsidized means of traveling outside Japan aren't within her reach. I'm also suspicious that Nyamo's family is wealthier than her own. Probably not that much wealthier, because Nyamo ended up in the same place, but perhaps just enough to engage Yukari's jealousy. It's not like it takes much.<br /><br />Yukari's main advantage, as I see it, is that she has exactly what Nyamo lacks: confidence. Granted, in Yukari's case it's a rotted confidence, a kind of self-regard that's more of a defense mechanism to protect her own ego than true confidence. At the same time, Yukari expertly dodges all attempts for other characters to ask about her personal information. Nyamo sweats bullets over her own rumors, but Yukari is able to put in minimal effort and calmly maintain her own anonymity. Even when Tomo attempts to get information on relationships from Yukari (see: first summer vacation), the teacher expertly dodges the question, completely stopping the most stubborn student in her tracks. Tomo might get one off on any other person in the class, but Yukari will never be taken in. Indeed, she's the one most capable of dealing with Tomo.<br /><br />In the end, Yukari appears in certain ways more socially intelligent than Nyamo. Yes, I know what I'm saying. Yukari may not know how to act, but she knows how to defend herself emotionally, which is why she'll never be stomped on the way she stomps on Nyamo. If Yukari could put her social capabilities to good work, she'd be a real powerhouse. Unfortunately, the social awareness she has is dedicated purely to self-defense.<br /><br />Yukari's confidence, rotten though it may be, is enough to keep her going throughout the day. Despite her problems, she always attacks life with energy and persistence. And it's that persistence which has enabled her to keep a job at a school with a good reputation. Basically, Nyamo and Yukari represent the two halves of success. Nyamo represents natural skill, and Yukari represents self-drive, will, or the ability to go forward despite apparent opposition or obstacles. They're not the perfect examples of this, but as teacher characters they symbolize two different ways to succeed in life. I'll be referencing both of these characteristics as I describe each girl in the analysis ahead.<br /><br />My favorite Yukari moment is when she uses her excuse generating power for good: when she's talking to Kagura after graduation, and she's telling her that her memories are her souvenir from school. Yukari is of course full of little sayings like this, and she is surprised that Kagura takes it so to heart. But it's really the moment where Yukari feels the most "teacher-ish", and she's being a proper guide. For all of one minute, but it's a really nice minute.<br /><br />Her runner up moment is when she's telling Chiyo-chan and Osaka that they'll be together in second year. Normally Yukari is too lazy to put much effort into making her students like her, but since she has to set up her classes anyway, why not make the girls feel good about it? What I especially like about this moment is that she knows Osaka is no good either athletically or academically -- Yukari's main reasons for keeping any given student -- yet endeavors to keep her around anyway. Sure, Yukari doesn't like memorizing new names, but clearly she at least likes keeping friends with friends, as shown by her encouragement to Kaorin during the first class switch (oh, but we'll return to that subject, we will). <br /><br />Though honestly, I have to say both moments are dulled by the fact Yukari doesn't realize how much she can potentially mean to the students. They like her despite her, and if she only woke up and realized this, she would be in a much happier place.<br /><br />Predicting Yukari's future, however, is hurtful. Her bad behaviors are clearly deeply rooted, and Nyamo shows no sign of ending the enabling relationship. Here's some potentials. Yukari -<br />- realizes she's capable of more and stops whining. (hahahahaha!)<br />- gets into an accident, which either propels her into further self-pity or refocuses her life.<br />- spends the rest of her life in the teaching job, unfulfilled and out of excuses.<br />- gets promoted within the school system, getting a job as the principal of her school. Despite her reputation, her approaches see moderate success. <br /><br />Tanizaki Yukari's ending: ----- The Worst Ending -----<br /><br />Yukari spends the next few years of her life living as she does on the show. One day is like another, one year is like another. All of a sudden, she finds out that Nyamo is getting married. Yukari realizes that this means radical changes in her life -- no more rides, no more hanging out in bars, and no more treating Nyamo's house like her own. She reacts poorly and behaves like a buffoon in front of Nyamo's fiance. <br /><br />Nyamo, concerned, talks with her former student Kagura, who tells her to invite the Azugirls to the wedding to help keep Yukari under control. This Nyamo does. Tomo assigns herself as Yukari's guardian, and the two have drunken, raucous adventures, which the other girls are able to keep somewhat in check. Chiyo and Yomi attempt to comfort Yukari by telling her about their successes (more on that as the other girls are mentioned). Chiyo's works, but Yomi isn't successful enough for drunken Yukari to care. Sakaki blocks Yukari from drinking too much. Osaka is there, but her attempts to comfort Yukari are more funny than successful. <br /><br />Afterwards, Yukari feels lost and alone. Unable to cope with being single and behind Nyamo, she goes to major extremes to find men, which are likewise funny and unsuccessful. Her confidence inadvertantly attracts the attention of an awkward but kind man. Yukari's wild, persistent behavior causes him to have the confidence to say what he needs to say at his work. He gets a promotion, and insists on wooing Yukari because of this. Yukari is less than thrilled about the little dork until she finds out about his money situation. He makes more money than Nyamo's husband, so she's willing to keep him. They marry, and Yukari quits her job. <br /><br />For a few years, things are alright, and they travel a bit. However, Yukari's bad habits don't disappear, and over time her husband starts to get more and more disillusioned about her. Things come to a head when Yukari insists on children, because Nyamo's already working on her second, and they don't have any. A divorce comes instead. <br /><br />Yukari manages to get a job working for Chiyo, but her fragile ego can't handle being divorced, working for a former student, and not having some sort of priviliged position within the company. Eventually Yukari returns to Japan, where she becomes an english tutor. Swearing off men, Yukari accepts her lonely life with bitterness, unable to see Nyamo anymore and be exposed to a happy life she feels she'll never have. <br /><br />Can Yukari's life get better at that point? It all depends on how long it takes her to realize that other people aren't the source of her problems, and they're not the source of her solution.<br /></div>
GrimMoodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14711339376401950830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9152480361909612478.post-1430330457511565152016-06-16T09:55:00.000-07:002016-06-20T10:22:46.887-07:00Azumanga Analysis -- Kurasawa "Nyamo" Minamo<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Y'know, until I started thinking about this analysis, I didn't realize how much Nyamo annoys me. I don't really like her at all. That is, of course, a purely subjective opinion. Kurasawa Sensei is a well-defined character who serves her role in the story perfectly well. It just so happens that I don't like her. Something about her rubs me the wrong way, and it took me a while to figure out why.<br />
<br />
The trouble with Nyamo is that she's kind of a wimp. It's not simply a matter of her being steamrollered by Yukari (that is, someone with a steamroller-type personality), but being unable to to cope with anyone not clearly inferior to her in status. Basically put, she's easily intimidated. It doesn't take a lot for her to give in to other people's demands. For example, take when Kimura was trying to watch the girls in the pool. Any sensible person would have told Kimura to leave the pool immediately or be prepared to spend a very, very long time at the bottom of it. But because Nyamo has a hard time pushing for her and her students' rights, she ended up allowing a predator to eye up the girls. <br />
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This isn't the only example. Nyamo can't tell Yukari to stop intruding and napping her apartment, can barely admit to the girls that she can't remember high school math or tie a yukata, and constantly fears any mention of her past. You'd think that since both she and Yukari know things about each other they wouldn't like revealed, that they would be more or less equal. But that's not how it works out. Instead, Nyamo fears the slightest mention of what she's done, while Yukari casually sings "love letter" as she strolls down the hall. Yukari, while not eager to reveal her own flaws, is able to casually dodge any mention of them. Nyamo, when threatened in this regard, immediately cringes and screams. <br />
<a name='more'></a>What's amazing about this is that Nyamo has no particular reason to be afraid of anything. She's a reasonably successful person who is good at her job, admired by her students, and attractive to men. She has nothing to really be ashamed of. I mean, who cares if she used Yukari to learn how to tie a tie? That's actually pretty adorable. <br />
<br />
Nyamo seems to be under the impression that just because she's in the same place as Yukari and Kimura, that she's only as successful as they are. That's not true. Unlike them, Nyamo has upward potential. She can get married or take up a better job offer at any time she wants, and her only real obstacle is her own uncertainty. She doesn't have a job just because she has to, and she's not at risk of being arrested. Anything Nyamo wants she can get, so long as she believes she can. Instead she surrounds herself with people who are clearly inferior to her, people that need her guidance and understanding. Remember, she's a single teacher who's going with students on vacation. They're not even in her class, either.<br />
<br />
Minamo is the character who has the most trouble coping with the fact she's in a comedy anime. The others each have their ways of being funny, while Minamo is usually struggling to keep her spirits up or busily confronting some other character (usually Yukari) for their issues. We don't get to enjoy Nyamo for being herself. While she serves her role of straight man just fine, Nyamo would be better served by starring in her own adult drama, something where she has room for depth and age-appropriate conflict. <br />
<br />
And that's why my favorite Nyamo moment is when she's flower watching with Yukari, and a petal lands in her drink. At that moment, she realizes that she can have what she wants. And for the whole episode, she's not merely the straight man in Yukari's comedy hour; instead, Yukari is the comic relief in Nyamo's personal drama. If the two of them weren't supporting characters in a story that hinges primarily around students, Nyamo would clearly be the deeper of the two.<br />
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Runner up moment: when Minamo sinks a basketball in the third episode, she does a cool little pose to show off her goal. It's the only moment where Minamo seems to understand that she really is a competent person, and just because she isn't good at everything doesn't mean she isn't a capable adult who deserves to be proud of her accomplishments. <br />
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And until she realizes that, she'll always get on my nerves. <br />
<br />
Future predictions! Let's start with some guesses, then I'll go with my official theory. Minamo --<br />
- Gets married, leaves her job.<br />
- Accepts the offer given to her by her friend in the spring episode<br />
- Accepts some other job.<br />
- Finally gets fed up with Yukari and makes friends who are her true equals. <br />
- Moves back to her mother's neighborhood, helps her out financially/medically.<br />
<br />
In the end, Nyamo is in a position that won't last forever. She's on the verge of leaving her youngest years behind, and given her behavior in the spring episode, clearly she's thinking about her future and what she wants in life. She's apparently been delaying answering her major goals, as she seems to fear them. However, these questions will come to a head sooner rather than later. <br />
<br />
Kurasawa Minamo's ending: ----- Riding into the Sunset ----<br />
<br />
Whether or not she accepts the arranged marriage her mother offered, Minamo will get married to a man with a good job. She's pragmatic, popular, and good-looking, and it's pretty inevitable that she'll fall for someone. She'll leave her job behind, perhaps a year or two after her wedding while she and her husband figure out their lives together. She'll work a while in a high-paying company, but after a while will have children of her own, two girls. After a bit, she'll go back into work, because Minamo enjoys helping others too much to stay at home. However, her main fate will generally be decided by her husband, who will end up resolving her indecisive nature either by his own goals or by the requirements of his job. They will probably move away from Minamo's old neighborhood. From there, it is impossible to predict, other than the fact that Minamo will be helping others, and generally have a content, quiet, and reasonably successful life.</div>
GrimMoodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14711339376401950830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9152480361909612478.post-43874674476448172782016-06-14T14:23:00.000-07:002016-06-14T14:23:01.968-07:00So...Azumanga.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Well, I said this blog was over. I have to work on things that will help me earn money. I have a lot of things to learn. Heck, I have to get ready for an interview and work on my programming, also. But, for some reason, I decided to do a character assessment for every character in Azumanga. Because procrastination works that way.<br />
<br />
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Okay, so here we go, my Azumanga analysis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, I know that this anime/manga is an older
one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, it is a classic franchise
whose story will never really grow old.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Not even when technology and culture change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When that happens, Azumanga will simply be a
snapshot of the past, its value undiminished by the fact the world no longer
resembles it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">That and Azumanga is my favorite manga.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dare I say, it's the best one out there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Subjectively speaking, it represents exactly
what I want from any given media: slow pace, heavy character emphasis, out of
nowhere randomness, real world personality referencing, basically no violence
or romance, and lots of cuteness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
only thing I like that it doesn't have is some sort of science fiction bent or
worldbuilding emphasis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But that's okay,
because a given media can only do so much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I can always read Farmer in the Sky again for the sci-fi/worldbuilding
aspect.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">*imagines the Azugirls setting up a colony on one
of Jupiter's moons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Giggles
incessantly.*</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Anyway, I've always wanted to do a personality
analysis of this show, because every single attitude on it, though cartoonized
to various degrees, is a real attitude that a person can have.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, I want to make some estimates on what
could have happened to the girls after the show took place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Note that any time that I say "Azugirls," I mean the circle of six friends: Chiyo, Osaka, Tomo, Yomi, Kagura, and Sakaki. People use this term to refer to all the characters, but for the purpose of this analysis, it'll just mean the mains. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Look forward to the first post Thursday!</span></span></div>
</div>
GrimMoodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14711339376401950830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9152480361909612478.post-21890668334631661782015-10-18T19:24:00.000-07:002015-10-18T19:24:30.169-07:00It's Over<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hey y'all. So I've enjoyed writing these blogs. Too much, in fact. I keep track of what I write, and my blog wordcount overwhelms the rest. And it's the least important of my work. There's so much out there in the world I want to do, including find a new job, learn a new language, and write things that are publishable. This blog, quite frankly, is more of a self-serving place to vent my observations on things. While I'm proud of some of the things here, most of it is just kind of there, at best ideas unpolished and not entirely coherent.<br />
<br />
It's been a fun exercise, and has stretched me in ways I needed to be stretched. However, the passion for it is gone, weighed down as I am with real world concerns. I need to be able to express myself as either a way to gain in life or as a way to communicate with others, not simply put my own opinions out there into the void. While having a popular blog would have been fun, I never had a consistent enough series of work on this site for people to have anything to expect -- again, it's all been pretty self-indulgent.<br />
<br />
In any case, I'm stopping the blog now, with no plans to bring it back. It's just another thing on my plate causing me stress, and I need to simplify. No nagging inner thoughts about keeping it up. I like writing here a lot, but it's profitless for a variety of reasons. Will I write more again later? Perhaps. Not sooner than a year, and no guarantees after that. I don't want this to be a rant-fest, if it does. I want to have consistent, good content, that's both clear and regularly posted. Something I have neither the time nor inspiration for at this point. That, and I'd probably want to put it on a different site. <br />
<br />
So, farewell. I'm leaving things up, so browse through it, if you like. </div>
GrimMoodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14711339376401950830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9152480361909612478.post-10619574066965431272015-10-10T21:20:00.001-07:002015-10-10T21:20:46.141-07:00Nitpickery: MirrorMask<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hey y'all. So I watched Mirrormask. It was part of a three-pack including The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth, and my friend insisted that I see it. We were having a discussion about old, classic fantasies, and so Mirrormask.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMcTWL-KR9sdR7xQHEHZJ-PNM4P-7HaeiLt2savfxlfE8qUP8ShwZf75L2yVUpG7DBBljpyoc23PPi61Qq0AgnbGlq7fZ9Jf5zJvphXGns2QfmzfSoZnxqdyalMxe53tritiF-KuIAKSM/s1600/large_lIIu8wIEyxN0Wttc22fAPzPyUWK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMcTWL-KR9sdR7xQHEHZJ-PNM4P-7HaeiLt2savfxlfE8qUP8ShwZf75L2yVUpG7DBBljpyoc23PPi61Qq0AgnbGlq7fZ9Jf5zJvphXGns2QfmzfSoZnxqdyalMxe53tritiF-KuIAKSM/s400/large_lIIu8wIEyxN0Wttc22fAPzPyUWK.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
How is the movie, you ask? It's a 5 out of ten, average. It's the most 5 of any 5 I've ever seen. That is, it's a combination of very good things and very weak things that all balance out in the end. I do like it, because there's a level of thought in the film that a lot of modern films don't have. The filmmakers obvious care, and if they care, I care. All the same, there are several weaknesses in the film that could use work. It's rather like an old, fancy house. It's lovely, but we still have to break out the power tools before we can sell the place.<br />
<br />
Nitpickery is spoilers. <br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>And so summary: Mirrormask is the story of Helena Campbell, a circus performing 15 year old who wants out of the life. Her parents are dedicated to it, and as a result, Helena has a nasty argument with her mother, Joanne. Joanne passes out after a performance, requiring hospitalization from something life threatening. The night of her mother's surgery, Helena falls into a fantasy consisting of beings she's created in her drawings.<br />
<br />
In this realm, ruled by a light queen and a dark queen, Helena must find the mirrormask to save the light queen from a deep sleep, all while avoiding the dark queen's machinations. Both queens resemble her mother, and a strange girl she sees through certain windows resembles herself -- only as Helena is trapped in the dream world, her counterpart is in reality, rebelling against her father. Not only that, but anti-Helena is destroying all of Helena's drawings, and the dream world along with it. It's up to Helena and her newfound friend Valentine to journey together to find the mirror mask, which will enable her to switch back and come home.<br />
<br />
Only nine notes, this time.<br />
<br />
<br />
9. The beginning of the movie is near perfect.<br />
<br />
It's amazing. I'm watching the film again as I write this, and the beginning, before Helena enters the fantasy realm, it's a fabulous film. There's a cold, casual grit to it, and all the performances are great. Even the smaller characters shine. Someone said that the movie started to suck about the time Helena traveled, and while I don't agree with that sentiment, it is a fulfilling movie before this point. If the whole thing had been a surrealistically-shot but otherwise realistic story about a girl coping with her mother's condition and her own pride, then hey, that could have worked too. Might even have been really interesting. <br />
<br />
Perhaps the most pertinent reason why the beginning is so good is that it doesn't feel, at this point, like it's trying to market itself to anyone. It's its own story at this point. Ultimately it is in the comparison to other stuff that takes this movie down. I watched it on a DVD set that came with The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth, so clearly whoever did that wanted to capitalize on the old film fantasy thing. Likewise with this being done by the Jim Henson studios -- gotta hitch the wagon on the famous filmmaker, yo. That's why no one should name their studios after themselves. People might mistake it for something actually made by them. Henson was in fact dead for fifteen years when this movie came out.<br />
<br />
<br />
8. A "visual feast"? <br />
<br />
Let's talk about an accusation that gets thrown around a lot. People say that this film is all visuals and no story. That's not quite true. For one thing, the visuals are oftentimes questionable, looking like they came straight out of the nineties. Kinda hard to call it a visual feast, and it's surprising how they went for that when they knew their budget was so small. And for another, this does have a story. It's just really choppy and poorly constructed. But certainly, story was sacrificed for visual appeal. This isn't true at all before the entrance to the dream world, but afterwards, the story definitely becomes an excuse for things to show up on screen. Granted, some scenes are worse than others in this regard.<br />
<br />
It's simpler to go over the visuals first. Obviously, a lot of care and thought went into them. Or some of them, at least. Sometimes I wonder if this is bias because of modern technology -- we forget that visuals really are expensive, and complain about stuff that we should just accept. In any case, the visuals for the real world are generally very good. Their choice of locations was spot on, and the masks given to the circus performers, while not always the best looking, perfectly emphasize the story of the little circus that could. Some of them even foreshadow the story, particularly Joanne's split colored mask (the thing on its mouth was weird looking, though).<br />
<br />
In the dream world, there are the digital characters and the humans with makeup. Usually the latter group is very good. Most of these characters are one-sceners, but the masks are very imaginative and fun. With one single exception. The Prime Minister -- the guy who tells Helena about the fate of the light queen -- has an awful mask. I've mentioned it in my past post. He's the one who looks like he's wearing painted tinfoil. It's kinda just taped to the front of his crown, and spreads out like a double mustache. We can even see 80% of his face, defeating the point of even having a mask. Granted, they probably did it to show that this is the same guy who plays Helena's father, but since nothing relevant comes of this parallel, it's narratively pointless. Get the guy a pretty mask, or let him just have the crown.<br />
<br />
Still, most of the makeup work was good. It's the digital visuals that aren't so hot. It's making me really miss the muppets, but certainly those would have been too expensive for this film. CGI is always a risky venture, particularly with multiples. The bird-apes all look copy-pasted, as do the caterpillar men (but that latter at least make narrative sense -- they're caterpillar segments). A repeated detail across various creatures is having human faces or parts of them slathered across their wonky, digital bodies. This usually happens with mouths. Even if this where done up with a proper budget, it's still conceptually very nineties. Nineties CGI isn't good.<br />
<br />
Some of the digital beings are pretty cute. For example, some of the creatures fleeing the land of light at the beginning are interesting. One has two shoes for a head, soles facing each other which flap when he talks. His wife is a fish-headed person. Granted, none of these are phenomenal in the way Jim Henson's muppets were, but they are conceptually nice.<br />
<br />
Things go downward from there. The Librarian looks like Windows 98 clip art. The clockwork dressmaidens are slapdash. The worst, artistically speaking, are the sphinxes. They have human faces over cat-like bodies, with rainbow wings. It's the cheesiest thing you've ever seen. Given that these creatures are supposed to be frightening, the effect is rather spoiled. Quite frankly, the librarian is scarier than they are. <br />
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<br />
<br />
Probably my favorite visual is the dark queen's flying face near the end. This, and another good visual -- the twin rock giants -- are pretty compelling if the video is on mute. Unfortunately, these are, for various reasons, the narratively weakest scenes in the entire film. Actually, maybe it isn't so much that they stifled story to promote visuals. It's probably more like they shoved in visuals to distract someone from the iffiness in the story.<br />
<br />
Overall, though, if you're fond of cheesy imagery, you'll probably forgive most of the weaknesses of the CGI characters. They're cute, in an "isn't that so precious?" way. Which is certainly another reason why Mirrormask shouldn't be compared to Henson's gorgeous creations in The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth. It simply doesn't have the budget to compare, assuming CGI of any kind is capable of being as artful as the muppets.<br />
<br />
Brief comment on the soundtrack: it's overwhelming. The jazz does run across the grain, and for the most part only kicks the 90s cheese into high gear. Also, occasionally the mix for the music is too loud compared to the dialogue, like in the mask shop. The end credits song was really good, though. Appropriate for the film.<br />
<br />
But hey, criticizing story is what I'm all about, so let's get to it.<br />
<br />
<br />
7. The transition into fantasy is the beginning of the trouble.<br />
<br />
After a trippy dream sequence, Helena appears in what she thinks is
the apartment building where her aunt lives. She then encounters two
jugglers and a violinist. She then bugs the violinist because he looks
like someone from the circus. Then a murky substance called the shadow
creeps along the wall, turning the violinist into brittle, crumbling
rocks. One of the jugglers also gets hit, but the other helps Helena
get out of there by throwing a book at a sphinx, and riding two more out
of there. <br />
<br />
There's immediately pacing and mood
problems. It's fine to start off with an action bit, but for a minute
there it seemed like something would come out of the violinist looking
like someone Helena knows. Nothing ever does, and it feels derivative
of the Wizard of Oz for the pointless comparison. It's fine to re-use
actors, but this should never be called out unless it's a plot point.
For example, it's plot relevant for the queens to look like Helena's
mother for many reasons. But is the circus guy a phantom from her
imagination or another dreamer? Maybe it's supposed to be a rich detail
or whatever, but since he's basically a redshirt with no payoff, it
feels pointless.<br />
<br />
And then both he and a juggler die,
because they aren't important enough to the story to live. The other
juggler, Valentine, and Helena escape by...going through a door. That
stops a mystical slime-smoke how, exactly? It even oozes through the
bottom of the door, then stops moving. Why? It was going pretty fast
before. This is where a sphinx appears, and Helena has to throw it a
book to make it leave them alone. Uh, did they really need to have two different antagonistic elements? It's easy enough just to have the slime/smoke chase them until they get a chance to ride library books out of there.<br />
<br />
This jump from
fleeing a quick, malevolent smoke-slime (running from an active pursuer) to subduing a cat creature (outwitting a curious predator) is
jolting. What needed to happen was a slightly longer scene, where
Valentine and Helena outrun the smoke-slime, think they're safe, and
then oh no! A sphinx! Quick, find some books! Frantic searching
until...found them! Just one or two more minutes to properly transition
it all before they fly away on their library books. More than just a
quick switching of antagonists for the sake of setup.<br />
<br />
The
library book thing was cute, though. If a book feels like someone doesn't like
it, it will travel back to the library, and people can ride them.
That's the kind of world detail that is both fantastic and narratively
interesting. It implies a bigger world, unlike most of the detail in
the film, which is weird purely for weirdness' sake.<br />
<br />
<br />
6. The story is a jumble.<br />
<br />
A main problem with the story is that it never seems to know which details to explain and which to keep a mystery. There's also massive weaknesses in setups. That is, a thing will be referenced, but never become an important plot point. <br />
<br />
For example, Helena is made fun of for not wearing a mask, but after the first few minutes of being in the dream world, no one ever brings it up again. Not to mention that many of the characters aren't wearing masks, particularly the CGI characters. The Prime Minister's face is mostly exposed, so how is he that different from Helena? Why doesn't he get made fun of? He also seems weirded out by Helena's lack of a mask, yet never criticizes anti-Helena, the dark queen's daughter, for going without one. You'd think he would, given that her taking the mirror mask is what sinks the light queen into her seemingly eternal doze. Maybe he'd associate a lack of mask with bad behavior, if this were a consistent world.<br />
<br />
Finally, if the light queen doesn't wear a mask, shouldn't that be weird? Or is the mirror mask what she would be wearing ordinarily? Who knows? It's not like the movie makers ever told us.<br />
<br />
One of the weirder things about the story is that most ways Helena gets from place to place are pretty contrived. Okay, so it makes sense that she would be taken in to the Prime Minister, as she looks like the mirror mask thief. Perfect sense right there. But then he just tells her about the light queen and all? Why is the Prime Minister taking a stranger who looks like an enemy to see the queen? Well, that by itself isn't so bad. That's a very dream-like thing to happen, because everyone's the protagonist in their dreams.<br />
<br />
Helen goes to the library for information, okay. But then she finds her next target by seeing a light out the window? What? What is it about a shiny light that means she'll find what she's looking for? As she's walking to her next destination (the orbiting giants), she sees through another window into the real world, and manages to get a glimpse of a drawing she did with fish swimming down the road -- the very road she's walking on in her dream. You'd have thought that she would have realized already in the library that everything there is based on her drawings. The "History of Everything" book did state as much.<br />
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All the same, how do we know that fish road is "the right way"? Do fish always lead to helpful things? Does Helena remember that she drew fish road, and that it leads to helpful giants? It would have helped if she'd said so. Since the giants are supposedly the result of her art, she should have some reason for drawing them. They can be her idea of romance, or something. As is, a shiny light tells her to go that way, and fish means she's doing it right. For some reason.<br />
<br />
We'll go over this scene later, but the giants leave Helena with this piece of advice, "get higher." Okay. But why do they want her to get higher? I thought it was originally to get her away from the slime/smoke covering the land, but apparently that's just something the dark queen did to try and get her daughter back. All that's higher are the bird apes, all named Bob (laaaazy). There's nothing there Helena needs, unless the giants meant for her to get help from the birds. The birds didn't even seem to appear to understand her, and it took a careless move from the slime/smoke to get them to actually help. And they help by carrying her. Which is fine, except that again Helena decides where to go next based purely on another shiny lens flare.<br />
<br />
Sheesh. Helena would never find her way anywhere if she were trapped on Abram's (not) Trek. <br />
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Then there's weird things that are never set up, but get payoffs. Like the future fruit. Right in the middle of the final chase, where all Helena has to do is look through a window while wearing the mirror mask, companion Valentine suddenly gets hungry. He then eats a fruit, which a random passerby tells Helena is a future fruit. Valentine gets a vision of his non-dream world persona, and then scene. Back to running.<br />
<br />
Um, why? Why was the future fruit, something that powerful, not mentioned sooner? Maybe someone could have told Helena about it, and she could attempt to use it to find if she gets the mirror mask or not. Or maybe she reads about it in the library while looking for other information. Also, why is this jammed in a part where Helena needs all the speed she can get? Shouldn't she just ditch Valentine and go on? What value does his reveal as a normal person give the film? It would have just as much impact, perhaps even more, if his appearance at the very end were his only real-world cameo.<br />
<br />
Y'know what? Let's just get this guy out of the way. There's more to talk about on how jumbled the story is, but we'll get to it as we touch on individual aspects.<br />
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<br />
5. Valentine is a real drag on this movie.<br />
<br />
Now, a journey type story does require a companion or two. Valentine even has the best makeup of the movie. But, in both concept and execution, he's weak. Very weak. For primarily a couple of reasons. First, he's portrayed terribly. Jason Barry doesn't do a good job with this guy. He goes into the role with all the ham and over-sincerity of the host on Blue's Clues. While the other actors do adequate jobs, Barry consistently tries way too hard in his scenes. It's annoying, particularly since Stephanie Leonidas, Helena's actress, adds so much life to every scene. She's marvelous, and it's annoying that she has to act her way through the movie with a lesser talent at her side.<br />
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At the same time, I'm to a degree willing to blame the director and writers. The writers definitely gave Barry no help. The Valentine character is supposed to be a teenager, but he speaks like a child and has a childish arc. It's no surprise that his acting is consistent with this kind of writing.<br />
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What's his arc? Refusing to say "sorry" to a tower. The climactic moment in this conflict? Valentine finally says sorry and
the tower rescues him and Helena.
The tower is treated like it's a person, but it shows up the very
instant Valentine says sorry. Uh, how can it hear or see him? How does it
feel about Valentine? The tower was just about to leave Valentine to
certain death, and a "sorry" was what convinced it to change its mind?
Just "sorry"? If it really cared, wouldn't it save Valentine anyway?
If it didn't, "sorry" probably wouldn't have any affect at all. Unless it was grudgingly paying back some old favor. We never find out, though. The tower is just a narrative convenience to get Helena to win in the end. <br />
<br />
To make it worse, Valentine spends the entire journey whining about things. Whether about perfectly legitimate advice or completing the job he could quit at any time, Valentine always finds a way to be negative about whatever's going on. He even repeats his negative comments about the advice givers after they've already proven themselves trustworthy.<br />
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It doesn't help that his first impression is pretty terrible. In the scene where Helena finally gets a chance to talk with him after escaping the smoke/slime, he reveals that his friends, the ones that died when Helena entered the fantasy world, were people he only cared about for his own sake. They'd help him put on a juggling show, and it's awfully inconvenient now that he has to find replacements. He's not even that upset that his friends died horribly. He pities no one but himself.<br />
<br />
You know, this type of character isn't a total wash. No, really. It can work...in a story with simpler themes, clearer rules, and no death. That is, children's movies. Valentine is the primary (but not only) aspect of the movie that is too childish for it. So this is about teenage rebellion while one's mother is on the edge of death. How do we make it better? Cram in a duckupine, cheesy dialogue, extremely obvious symbolism, and a companion who would be better suited for an episode of Sesame Street, of course.<br />
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Valentine is just too simplistic. Moreover, we don't even get to know his background, or the background of his real world counterpart. It feels almost as though they are the same person. They're both goofy, silly, bad-joke-making dudes. Why isn't Valentine different from anti-Valentine? Are both his counterparts the same? If so, why is Helena split into two?<br />
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The movie ends with Helena in the real world, making a "joke" referencing her experiences with Valentine to his real world counterpart. Awkward laughter, credits. Sigh.<br />
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<br />
4. The fantasy world in this film is never consistent in what it's supposed to be.<br />
<br />
A scene in the library where Helena reads a book on its origins states that her drawings are the basis of its existence. Helena, however, believes it's all her dream. And then the light queen, turns into Helena's mother, who believes she's the one dreaming (why is she having surgery in the middle of the night? Is that normal?). Valentine then is revealed to be a real person, and moreover one neither woman knew beforehand. It's also stated later in the film that anti-Helena caused damage to the fantasy world simply by leaving it.<br />
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(I looked it up. While apparently night surgeries are/were a thing, they also take longer and have an increased chance for the patient to die. Or so said a study done concerning liver transplants. Another option said that it didn't make a difference, because doctors might not have a full night's sleep at any point of the day.)<br />
<br />
Okay, so that leaves us with several options.<br />
- It's the world of Helena's drawings, that she and she alone created.<br />
- It's Helena's dream, which happens to be about her drawings.<br />
- It's a collective dream, which for some unexplained reason involves her drawings and has no other inspiration.<br />
- It's a real place that only people's dream dopplegangers are allowed to live, and it's wrong for waking citizens to go there.<br />
<br />
I know what the supporters would say. They'll say that it's supposed to be like Labyrinth, where we don't know if it's real or not. Thing is, it worked with Labyrinth because the fantasy world works either way. In that story, Sarah is a dramatic teenager who gets irritated with her little brother and wishes that the goblin king would take him away. And then the goblin king does. If the adventure Sarah goes on to get her brother back is real, then it's a wonderful way for Sarah to learn her lesson. If it was all just in Sarah's imagination, then she's had a personal epiphany about her own selfishness, and the fantasy was just her way of expressing this epiphany poetically. Both options are perfectly fine, so there's no need to elaborate which it is.<br />
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Also, neither option is important to the foundation of the goblin king's world. Real or imagined, Labyrinth's fantasy world behaves on consistent rules. The mechanics of said world are unaffected by the nature of the fantasy. <br />
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That's not the case with Mirrormask. How we're supposed to interpret the movie depends heavily on what the dream world is supposed to be. I only call it the dream world because dreams seem the most likely option -- this world is never named. The rules of one possible option contradict the others.<br />
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For example, if it's a collective dream, why was Helena responsible for designing it? If it's her own dream, I'll buy that her mother might be able to intrude on it. They do love each other. How did Valentine stumble on her world, then? He was a stranger to them both. If it's a world meant for the sleeping personas of people who would never ordinarily leave (i.e. anti-Helena), then why does Helena have any ability to control it? Why does Joanne have two dopplegangers, as opposed to Helena's and Valentine's one? Is the dark queen as much of a representation of Joanne as the light one?<br />
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So is the dark side evil or what? Some of the people there seem alright, or they at least mind their own business. The dark queen is the only one who does truly evil things, but she still is more concerned with helping her lands stay together than conquering the light kingdom. There's little evidence that the slime/smoke was anything but an outragous means of getting her daughter back. She never appears interested in conquest.<br />
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That's the real failing of the fantasy world in Mirrormask. Because it never defined what its fantasy really is, the audience can't ever grasp the inherent rules of the place. This is especially true once Helena starts to believe she's in a dream. Everyone who knows that they're dreaming tries to control their dreams. By having Helena do this in more than one scene, we'd get to see the limits of her power.<br />
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For example, dreams have ways of tripping people up, so her attempts to control the dream world should almost never turn out 100% as she intended. This is demonstrated well exactly once, in the scene where she dreams up a room and a bridge -- only to find out that there's a pillar of nothing but locks, and she has to find the right one. That's a very dreamlike thing, and if this rule were continued throughout more of the scenes, it would be fun.<br />
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It would also explain how Helena can know how to get from one place to another without any information whatsoever. Sheesh. If it's her dream, the movie needs to show her thinking about her drawings -- more than once -- and figuring out what they mean. That way we assume that the rules come from the drawings she created.<br />
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Having Helena attempt to exercise her powers would also be good in a collective dream. Because Valentine and her mother have their own dreams, any attempt to control them should fail. Like, if Helena got really angry at Valentine, she might use her powers to try and wipe him out of existence. But she can't, because he's real.<br />
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Simply put, the world needs rules. Rules of what can exist in it, and what can't. Why its people live the way they do and how things would operate if the emergency weren't taking place. None of these rules need be stated directly, but the audience needs to be able to know or guess what the fantasy's foundation is. In Labyrinth, the foundation is Sarah's imagination (assuming what happened isn't real) or it's the books which Sarah has read (assuming that it's a magical place as described by Sarah's source for her knowledge of the goblin king). <br />
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My favorite possible interpretation, however, is that it's all a fever dream, where not only are Helena's drawings invading her mind, but so are her secret desires and hidden dark side. It's not the most likely interpretation for a couple of reasons, but it could have been a good one. Because --<br />
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<br />
3. Anti-Helena needs more development.<br />
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I really like her conceptually. So she's the dark queen's daughter, and Helena's dream doppelganger. She represents the dark side of the rebellious teenager. She's the girl that smokes, lights fires in her room, wears emo clothes, and makes out with losers. All because she doesn't want to listen to her family and she knows her behavior will hurt them.<br />
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Thing is, the audience gets most of this through osmosis. We only see anti-Helena through certain windows in the dream world, the ones that represent windows in Helena's drawings that still hang on her bedroom wall. Thing is, anti-Helena is potentially a sympathizable character. Her mother is supposedly smothering (we'll get to that in a bit), and she only wants to be free. She's just going about it at the worst way possible. And without considering that Helena herself isn't particularly free either. Though, certainly having relaxed parents and an aunt is way less troublesome than having a queen who can shoot smoke/slime out of her mouth and spy on you with a spider eyeball.<br />
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Trouble is, we don't see enough of the dark queen's smothering. Yes, we see her cover the light kingdom in slime/smoke (whatever the heck it is) which can kill light kingdom citizens easily, but so might any tyrant do when their daughter is lost. It's entirely possible that this smoke/slime has other purposes, such as taking out the light queen while she's sleeping. The only smothering thing we see that we know for sure is smothering is the dark queen having peepholes into her daughter's bedroom.<br />
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The reason why I bring it up is because late in the film, when Helena finally has the mask and must use it to switch back with anti-Helena, the dark queen shows up in the form of a flying face and insists that Helena return. Helena then tells her to stop smothering, and the queen replies, "You mean...let her choose her own food, her own clothes, make her own decisions?"<br />
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The ultimate problem with this line is that we never see the dark queen do this to anti-Helena, and she barely does any of it to Helena, who she does know isn't her real daughter. While the absurd dressing scene possibly implies that the dark
queen drugs her daughter, we have no reason to know that the sparkle
drugs weren't something she forced only on Helena. We also don't know that the clockwork dressmaidens never let anti-Helena choose what to
wear, nor is the dark queen shown ordering them to put something specific on Helena.<br />
<br />
And heck, when does a queen even choose <i>her own</i> food? She's bound to be busy with things, so except on certain occasions, it's way easier for a ruler to just let the cook decide what to make on a daily basis. While we're at it, the dark queen is shown to care about her duties. How is she not too busy to smother her daughter? Wouldn't a real smother force anti-Helena to perform state duties with her?<br />
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Anti-Helena's actions are likewise iffy. If she's never been in the real world, how does she expect to survive in it? Heck, that's bound to be something interesting to watch. And yet we get barely a glimpse. Also, what was anti-Helena's plan? Was she, like Helena, too dumb to quickly realize that the drawings were the dream world? And when she realizes this, why doesn't she tear down all the drawings immediately? She's shown burning some of them, so clearly she has no moral issues on that front.<br />
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Why did anti-Helena bother moving the drawing Helena is located on to the dark kingdom? All she's doing is getting Helena closer to stopping her plans. Anti-Helena might have hoped to spare her world the trouble of destroying it, but at no point does she show any concern for other people. Besides, such a goal would be easily accomplished by simply running away from the apartment, and away from her counterpart's drawings.<br />
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Likewise, there's contradictory evidence. Helena, while forced to be the dark queen's daughter, says this, "when she left she threw this whole world out of balance and now, it's falling apart." Ignoring how Helena could possibly know that, she's placing the destructive catalyst on Helena's departure, not the tearing up of her drawings. So which is it? Is the world out of balance, or are the drawings the primary cause?<br />
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Also, anti-Helena's plans are questionable. Everything she does to get the mirror mask and switch with Helena is clear, but after that, buh? Wouldn't anti-Helena still have the mask? If not, how did the mirror get to AH's bedroom? Why did Helena think it was in the pillar with all the locks in it? Did she remember drawing the pillar at some point? Clearly both Helena and AH had logical reason to believe the mask could be there, as AH left a note and Helena showed up. Why, though? This location was originally at the border of the light and dark kingdoms, so sayeth the dialogue. Didn't the light queen have it? I thought AH took it from her. Why would the queen store something so vital in a place so distant? AH never had the key to the locks, so it couldn't have been stored there previously. <br />
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Long story short, we're supposed to be distracted by the shiny visuals to the point where we don't notice that anti-Helena does whatever the plot finds most convenient. There is, however, a fix. A very, very simple fix. Have the plot confirm that AH and Helena are the same. "But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being" -- and that evil is Helena's own doing.<br />
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AH is all the dark thoughts, secret desires, and hidden anger that Helena has stored up against her parents for keeping her in the circus when she'd really rather be doing other things. In AH's behavior we see all the things Helena wishes she could say -- the things that made her absentmindedly wish her mother was dead at the beginning of the film. As a result, we get to follow more with AH in her plans, all while Helena slowly realizes the darkness in her own heart.<br />
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This would also have the impact on the dark queen. She should be shown as an emotionally weak, desperate woman, trying waaaay too hard to keep AH in check. Her actions should be over-exaggerations of what Helena sees in her real mother -- instead of being a real person, she's a manifestation of Helena's dislikes. Given that all we see of Joanne is a friendly and mildly flawed woman, it should be pretty obvious that Helena is making her mother into something she isn't. That way the mirror mask represents vision, and how the fact that it's missing means that Helena isn't seeing her mother as she is, but through teen-angst-colored lenses.<br />
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In my idealized version of the movie, Valentine isn't there, but he would work just fine if he were allowed to be a teenager. It would also have been really cute if it were all a collective dream, and Helena had to escape to his dream world to defeat anti-Helena. Dunno, just havin' fun.<br />
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<br />
2. Some short things worth mentioning.<br />
<br />
Like I said, Stephanie Leonidas does a lot to carry this film. Had someone else been cast, this thing would have been an utter mess. It's like Interstella 5555 or Hollow Fields; if the emotional believability of a story is strong, then technical believability can be cut some slack. Leonidas does well, and I hope she gets cast in good things in the future. While I'm at it, most of the acting is good. Besides Valentine and, at certain moments, the Prime Minister, the acting was spot on and believable. <br />
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Helena's drawings are good. I wish they'd been used more, but for what it is, they're lovely.<br />
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Joanne's circus outfit is appalling. I imagine it's pretty distracting for the audience when they can see under her skirt as she's performing. The color of her tights makes it look like there's nothing underneath, too. And while we're at it, Stephanie really needed a bra.<br />
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I'm not quite sure the whole circus thing was the best for Helena's story. It's a nice visual addition, but it seems weird that someone from the circus would feel so disenfranchised as a teen. Teen angst comes from insecurity, but circus-like atmospheres tend to make a family of the bunch, as well as removing the teen from other teens and preventing her from comparing their lives. Well, it's not impossible that a teen would feel this way, even in a circus, it's just so odd that Helena is so good at working the circus and somehow hates it. Juggling even puts her in her right mind after she's been drugged by the dark queen. Not a big deal, but it's just weird.<br />
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I wish there was more of the Really Useful Book. It was very cute, despite being a bit deus ex machina.<br />
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<br />
The way Valentine reacts to some of Helena's lines feels off-putting and weird. He doesn't take notice when Helena ends conversations suddenly or when she jokes that she doesn't need him. You'd think he would. Also, at the point where Helena is saying, "I couldn't have done it without you" is really forced. She's supposed to be having an emotional connection with Valentine, but at this point he hasn't been useful since he mentioned how to use library books to escape the sphinx. Any emotional connection is purely artificial.<br />
<br />
They really shouldn't have bothered to make the charm a mystery. Nobody
wonders what it is when it's the movie's title. Also, are the sphinxes
normally in the light kingdom? Any reason why there are so many,
despite being supposedly dangerous? What do they do when the light
kingdom isn't in danger?<br />
<br />
They really shouldn't have bothered to make the charm a mystery. Nobody
wonders what it is when it's the movie's title. Also, are the sphinxes
normally in the light kingdom? Any reason why there are so many,
despite being supposedly dangerous? What do they do when the light
kingdom isn't in danger?<br />
<br />
Why does the mask saleslady only insist that Helena wash her hands? Why shouldn't Valentine wash his?<br />
<br />
The librarian says that the top floor is paperbacks, but there's an awful lot of hardbacks there. I do love the History of Everything segment, despite paper not having light and dark sides. It's a great mythology, and from this point Helena really should have emphasized her power.<br />
<br />
I was going to go over the scene with the giants, but this review is long enough. Shortly put, the sphinx at the beginning weakened all appearances of the sphinxes, the giants came out of nowhere, Valentine contradicted himself by stating they should be polite and then finishing the giant's sentences for them, and it's awfully convenient that the giants have the key they need. How did it get there? Who knows? Just enjoy the visuals of a stone couple being brutally torn apart and don't question a thing.<br />
<br />
The scene where Helena is changing clothes to a trite pop song is horrendous. Why that song? Its cheese level is through the roof. That, and it's a love song, so it's really disturbing that it's being played as a part of a mother/daughter relationship thing. Unless they were going for the whole gay incestual thing for the creep factor. <br />
<br />
Y'know, when I first watched this movie, I thought Valentine had "betrayed" Helena on purpose -- not simply as a cliched character arc for a guy greedy for money, but rather as a good guy with a plan. By giving Helena to the dark queen, Valentine enabled her to gain intel on what was going on in the dark kingdom, as well as buy himself time to try all of the locks on the lock pillar. Heck, if he hadn't, they wouldn't have been able to get the mirror mask. I wish they'd played it up that way. Would've been clever.<br />
<br />
Why doesn't Helena tell the duckupine that she's just going out for a walk or something? Running right by him without even trying to give an alibi is just nonsense, especially since she knows how possessive the dark queen is. And why is the dark queen so eager to have at her side someone she really should know isn't her daughter?<br />
<br />
There's no need to hide Valentine's face at the end. We all recognize his voice by this point, and he's the most obvious character who would appear in Helena's life in this scene.<br />
<br />
On a second viewing, the movie felt a lot stronger. When a person is wide-eyed and fresh, they notice flaws more. But once a first viewing is out of the way and the audience already knows all the weaknesses already, they suddenly become less important. The viewer can have fun just watching a cheesy 90s movie that was made 5 years after that decade ended. It's kind of amazing, really. What other movie you've seen so firmly places itself in the wrong decade?<br />
<br />
<br />
1. The ultimate fate of this movie is the reviews given to its book form.<br />
<br />
I said this story would be better as a novel than a movie. I stand by that, even though the book wasn't well received. For some reason, Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean, the writers, decided that the book version of this should be for kids. That's the exact wrong thing. The protagonist is a teen, and her conflict is teen, so this novel shouldn't be anything less than a 50,000 word work with rich detail and extended plot. I mean, heck, everything is there. The characters, the themes, the world -- all this story needed was a calm, patient treatment and it could have outshone the film easily.<br />
<br />
Instead, we get reviews like this:<br />
<br />
"The artwork was good and the concept is great - but to read it without
having seen the movie will leave the reader a bit perplexed."<br />
- Ravenskya<br />
<br />
"I think I did myself a disservice by listening to this story on audiobook
instead of checking out the actual illustrated book or viewing the
movie. I have a sneaking suspicion the illustrations enhance much of
the story, which felt a bit bare bones without them, and that I've
missed out on the full experience...there simply wasn't enough character development for my liking and
something happens that is glossed over and forgiven instantaneously that
weakens Helena as a character in my eyes."<br />
- Barks Book Nonsense<br />
<br />
"<span class="a-size-base review-text">It's been a few weeks since I
listened to MirrorMask, and while I enjoyed it, the book felt like it
was a testrun for 'Coraline,' in which the themes are repeated, but
fleshed out further."</span><br />
<span class="a-size-base review-text">- Nemo </span><br />
<span class="a-size-base review-text"><br /></span>
<span class="a-size-base review-text">In other words, it's a nice try, but not quite there. It's visually dependent, and scattered in storytelling. Does that mean people shouldn't like it? No. People can like what they like, and this movie is harmless. </span><br />
<span class="a-size-base review-text"><br /></span>
<span class="a-size-base review-text">It does bring me to a psychological difference between viewers. There are two types of viewers: people who side on execution, and people who side with concept. This movie is bound to appeal to conceptual viewers, those who can look past the executional flaws and enjoy it for what the filmmakers were going for, even if they didn't entirely reach it.</span><br />
<span class="a-size-base review-text"><br /></span>
<span class="a-size-base review-text">The thing, above all else (besides maybe poor budget), that weakens this movie is its comparison to Jim Henson's fantasies. Some blame critics for the comparison, but it wasn't critics who added in old fantasy nostalgia, chose Jim Henson's company to produce it, or packaged it in a three-set with The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth. If this film had been allowed to be a teen fantasy film with no attempt made to recreate the stories of the past, many of its flaws would never have happened. It could be something good, all on its own and free from stereotypes. </span><br />
<br />
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GrimMoodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14711339376401950830noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9152480361909612478.post-2897167774993498302015-10-02T21:29:00.000-07:002015-10-02T21:29:04.793-07:00Write Club: Things you Don't do When Commenting on a Review<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hey y'all. So I just watched Mirrormask (review upcoming) and now I'm going through comments of the movie on IMDB. I have to say, I'm pretty ashamed of the movie's supporters. They're heaping insult upon insult on anyone who says anything negative about the movie. They act as though anyone who doesn't like it is an idiot. One supporter even blindly states that critics "lose their senses"
over it. That's really unfair. It's one thing to defend a movie you love, but it's quite another to insult someone on a personal level just because they don't share that love.<br />
<br />
Holy crap, look at this gem --<br />
<br />
"It's a charming movie, and if it upsets you enough that you feel the
need to post a negative opinion where others can see it: Seek help."<br />
- Wavelength121<br />
<br />
I'm sorry, but critiques don't always come from emotional places. People naturally feel the need to talk through stuff they see, and a negative reaction to a movie isn't a sign of mental disorder. Quite in fact, reacting so strongly to a logical critique is a greater sign of emotional weakness. Not that either position requires psychiatric therapy.<br />
<br />
I've seen this in other places as well. In Amazon's reviews of the movie Clue, commenters got ridiculous on anyone who disliked it. Not to mention how people react when someone makes a negative comment on youtube about a song. "If you don't like this band, then why are you listening to this?" Because they have to hear a song to know if they like it or not, obviously. Or are only positive comments allowed in this oversensitive world of ours?<br />
<br />
So let's go over some rules of etiquette about respecting others and their opinions.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>1. Never insult someone for disagreeing with you.<br />
<br />
Okay, so you're on the internet, discussing things with various people online, and you come across someone who makes a comment with a sentiment you don't share. You're trying your hardest to think of how you can convince them that they are wrong, and demonstrate your intelligence at the same time. Or at least just get them to consider that your perspective matters too.<br />
<br />
So you lean forward over your keyboard, typing furiously. Finally content with your articulate and educated response, you sigh with relief and hit the "submit post" button. And what is this response?<br />
<br />
"Your an idiot."<br />
<br />
Let's face it, even with proper grammar, insulting someone for having a different opinion only makes a person look dumb. Especially when the other person has clearly put a lot of thought into his response, and a rabid supporter put only as much thought in his response as it takes to make an unclever insult. At least call negative reviewers scurrilous sons of monkeys, or something funny like that.<br />
<br />
<br />
2. Never assume something is wrong with a person just because they don't agree with you.<br />
<br />
I don't get why anyone would do this. It's a little deeper than just insulting them. Anyone who does this insists that only mentally deranged or ignorant people would have a different opinion. This would be understandible, if, say, someone tries to advocate forced castrations on large percentages of the population. Y'know, big stuff. But if someone just doesn't like a movie, that's hardly a case for a psychiatrist and a couch. People have the right not to like something. A lot of the time their critiques make perfect sense. Even if they dislike something for a silly reason, it's still their right. After all, how do you know you don't like something for silly reasons?<br />
<br />
<br />
3. Don't act as if disagreers aren't allowed to comment.<br />
<br />
Okay, so perhaps there are some supporters who are okay with people having negative opinions. They just don't want any of these opinions mucking up the lovefest that the reviews of their favorite movie has become. Wait, did someone just say something negative? <i>Thumbs it down until it disappears! </i>We'll have none of that negativity nonsense in OUR comments!<br />
<i> </i><br />
<br />
It's not your comments. It's the comments section of whoever provided the content and server. The fact that a comments section exists means that the content providers want different opinions to appear. How pretentious would it be if they only allowed positive comments? Wouldn't we all accuse the poster of being an egomaniac if that were the case?<br />
<br />
It's the same with movies and music. It's wrong to only allow positive reviews. It's even creepy. For example, I've been struggling to find a negative review of Starcraft 2 on youtube, which should be easy considering how many internet folk I've met who feel that way. Instead, the top responses for Starcraft 2 reviews are all positive, and the one review that did go into depth about its massive plot issues suddenly disappeared for a time, as though it were blocked (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIZI3gMnlsw&list=PLcD6TKn5OgZfJLZj6ATU1ZtJCr5a4qTOD">it's back now, though</a>. Possibly there were copyright issues on the channel...?). That's makes it look like either Blizzard paid off a lot of people, or youtube reviewers all suddenly lost their minds. <br />
<br />
In other words, there is no true discourse without negative opinions. Like science without alternate testing or a nation without free speech, bullying a person into not expressing how they feel is no less than oppression, bound straight for ignorance in the name of happy feelings. At the end of the day, all artistic endeavors are subject to the whims of the audience, and everyone has the right to show how they feel, whether positively or negatively. Indeed, how can an artist take themselves seriously if no one calls them out for their weaknesses?<br />
<br />
<br />
4. Avoid "that's just your opinion" statements as though they will kill you.<br />
<br />
A strong statement, yes, but "that's just your opinion" is a trite cliche that no longer conveys useful information. Everyone knows that an opinion is an opinion. The assumption being made by a person saying "that's just your opinion" is that all opinion is irrelevant, and that having an opinion says more about you than it does about whatever you're talking about. They miss, however, the logical inference that their positive opinion is likewise "just an opinion," and is therefore equally unimportant.<br />
<br />
By following this train of thought to its logical end, we realize that "just an opinion" reduces everyone's observations into pointless ponderings over our feelings about a given work -- it renders us unable to say that one artist is truly better than another. After all, if all opinions are just opinions, how can we tell that Citizen Kane is a better movie than Transformers? That Beethoven is more talented than a random garage band in Seattle? So, it is at this point that we are forced to acknowledge that while all opinion is opinion, some opinions have much relevance, and others less. <br />
<br />
Some claim that all musical analysis is subjective, but I learned otherwise when reviewing, of all things, Mega Man music. I was listening to the Mega Man 1 soundtrack, trying to make objective observations about it. As it turns out, MM1's music is on shorter loops than future music in the series. Nearly every song is impacted by this. The tracks would be better if they went longer before looping, and therefore anyone who wants to criticize the MM1 soundtrack for this has a good point when they do so.<br />
<br />
So, when someone makes a negative point on a movie, why shouldn't it be for a reason that makes sense? They have both objective and subjective right to do so. On the objective side, one negative point of Mirrormask is that a certain character's mask is noticably more poorly made than everyone else's. It looks like painted tinfoil. A more subjective complaint is that the music doesn't feel fantasy enough, and at many points is contradicting the movie. A world created by an emo teen's drawings isn't exactly what most people would call a jazz fantasy. A type of sound with more grit would seem to match better. Granted, some might say that the jankiness is the point, but nobody's wrong to say that there's jankiness there, or that they don't like it.<br />
<br />
In otherwords, no, Miss Wavelength (she seems like a girl to me), people with criticisms don't need therapy. They are merely pointing out observed weaknesses. Sure, some might be rude about it, but repaying rude with rude only leads to internet arguments.<br />
<br />
Saying "that's just your opinion," stifles debate. Let's say someone doesn't like the music in Mirrormask. Wouldn't it be better if the supporter, instead of "opinion"-ing them, makes reasons for why the music does work? They could say that it makes the soundtrack unique, or that the jazz was post modern like the art style. The supporter might even concede the point, allowing the negative commenter to point out what style of movie would work better with a jazz soundtrack. That might lead the conversation into a discussion of music rather than the movie that started the topic, but hey, at least you're talking to a person, rather than angrily insisting that you're right.<br />
<br />
<br />
5. Don't act as though your favorite thing has no flaws.<br />
<br />
Maybe this is easier for me than it is for other people. After all, my favorite movie is Mortal Kombat (1995), and if I can't admit that has problems, then I <i>do</i> need help. There are several things wrong with it. The computer images are cheap, Johnny Cage's lines are in desperate need of a rewrite, and the main characters give weak performances (the film does have rather splendid extras and side characters, though). None of that stops me from loving the film, but they do make me realize on an objective level that Mortal Kombat doesn't deserve to be included in a list of top 100 films of all time.<br />
<br />
In other words, flaws need have no impact on your positive view of a movie. So long as it's got enough good points to make up for it, there you go. Actually, flaws can make a film more entertaining. Interstella 5555 is a film replete with plot holes, and I enjoy picking them out. It's great. Even bad movies are good for a laugh sometimes. So long as the viewer is entertained, isn't a movie accomplishing something?<br />
<br />
When I'm watching/reading a review for a movie and the reviewer says, right at the beginning, "It's an excellent film!" -- that's the number one thing that will get me to stop watching. Thing is, reviews that are average or negative in response tend to be more reasoned. The less than thrilled reviewer will point out details that the enthusiastically happy reviewer will not. The happy reviewer is just so pleased with everything that he'll tend to say stuff like, "it's great, the acting was good, everything was wonderful!" rather than talk about what made that movie so great. While it's possible to give a detailed, positive review, it's apparently easier to do so when making a negative or unenthusiastic response. As such, I like negative reviews better. <br />
<br />
In short, flaws are wonderful! Flaws are interesting! They create debate that otherwise wouldn't exist. <br />
<br />
<br />
6. Don't nitpick things irrelevant to the point.<br />
<br />
One of the things Mirrormask supporters did is repeatedly comment on an OP's use of the term "those are two hours you will never get back." Is this a trite cliche? Yes. Is it worth five or so different people commenting over? No. Everybody knows that every two hours is hours you can't get back. The point of the expression is to say that you have wasted that time in which you could have been doing something productive. And yet people act as though the usage of a common expression means that OP is wrong for criticizing a movie.<br />
<br />
Look, it's a silly, worthless expression, but it, like all expressions, exists purely to make a point, not to necessarily make sense. You're missing the point if you think about it too hard. Take the expression, "I'm changing my mind." Is anyone literally saying that they are removing their brain and replacing it with another? Of course not. By being hyper-literal about an expression, Mirrormask supporters failed to grasp logical arguments against OP's comments, chosing instead to explain an expression everybody knows the meaning of.<br />
<br />
This sidetracks real discussion. If a person wants to say positive things about a movie, they should say positive things. Responding to the actual points that the negative commenter made is how someone can logically prove their point. Otherwise, their response is no better than "your an idiot."<br />
<br />
<br />
7. Don't get emotional.<br />
<br />
It's just a movie. The success or failure of Mirrormask has little to no bearing on most people's lives. It won't hurt anybody if someone points out a flaw. If what they're saying is "just an opinion", then why bother being all upset about it? Yes, some people are Myers-Briggs NFs, but that just means it's important for them to realize there's times to put aside their feelings. Heck, they might realize this need more than Ts do.<br />
<br />
Emotional impulse is what leads to things like insulting people for saying negative things about a film. If a film means something to a person, and spoke to them in a way that may seem nonsensical to others, then they're going to defend a film whether it's quality or not. Sometimes people who aren't normally that emotional will freak out if there's a favorite actor or important message in it. They instead see the actor or the message and defend it with their whole heart.<br />
<br />
(I'm reminded of a conversation I had with my dad. I was telling him I didn't like a movie, and he answered, "But it had horses in it!" "Dad, not every movie with horses in it is good. If horses were in the Star Wars prequels, would those be good movies?" "....Yes." Heh, normally my dad is more sensible than that, but he's all about horses.)<br />
<br />
In any case, don't be that guy. Don't be the guy that acts as if someone shot his pa just because that person said they don't like the Christopher Nolan Batman movies.<br />
<br />
<br />
8. Don't feed the trolls. <br />
<br />
As a continuation of my last point, don't react when other people are that guy. It's easy to be weirded out when someone goes ALL CAPS to explain to you why you're wrong, but it's in the same line with trolls. Don't feel the trolls, and don't respond with emotion to a person overreacting. Just explain with reason how you feel, and even if people don't agree with you, they'll at least think you're more sane than the other guy.<br />
<br />
Heck, it might even get the other guy to calm down. Sometimes the best way to confront irrationality is with rationality. I've tried it before. Let people express their emotion. Then, without confronting them for their rudeness, tell them something you liked. In Mirrormask's case, let's say someone says you didn't get the artistry of the film. What's the proper reply? Well, first you compliment something about the art style (be honest), such as the eyeball spider. And then you transition into a negative comment, like how the guy with the painted tinfoil mask looked awful. If you remain polite the entire time, the supporter will probably concede the point, or at least be polite about disagreeing.<br />
<br />
Long story short, it's easier to control the virulence of other people if you can control yourself. <br />
<br />
<br />
9. Don't feel like you're always right.<br />
<br />
Sometimes a matter is not an opinion. Sometimes it's a fact. And sometimes you're on the wrong side of that fact. Let's say you've watched...oh, that old episode of the Twilight Zone where Bill Shatner sees a monster on a plane wing. A friend, who has also watched that episode, insists that Shatner did a good job acting. You, being sensible, know for certain that bro hammed it up.<br />
<br />
The difference here comes from entertainment value. If a person is entertained by acting even when it's not actually good, they might feel as though that's equivalent to good acting. This is "true" if all you really want is to have a good time. But it's rather like saying a person who plays the bongos with his feet is as good as a master violinist because he made you laugh.<br />
<br />
In other words, some opinions are more right than others. You may not want to admit that you're wrong, but it's better than an emotional outburst on the subject. Also, there's sometimes when you shouldn't insist that you're right, even when you are. Maybe you're facing an egoist, and you know if you say one word they'll spend an entire night hassling you with bad logic. It's better to let them think you're wrong than to argue about it.<br />
<br />
One situation I often find myself in is how to explain to other people why I dislike something. I'm a high iNtuitive and synaesthetic, so I often find myself unable to express how the emotional context of a movie feels wrong, even when the movie itself appears to have a positive message. It makes it hard to communicate, and I sound like a moron if I try to explain before converting my feelings into words. For example, I couldn't really explain why I disliked the King's Speech for some time. I'd even written a review before coming to my <a href="http://arcrosestudios.blogspot.com/2011/06/kings-speech-beyond-nitpickery.html">final conclusion</a>. So it's really best I don't debate with other people until I know exactly what I feel, and can communicate it. Make sure you know if you're like that, too.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
10. Don't make excuses for other people's dislikes.<br />
<br />
One of the most arrogant, pretentious things a person can do is try to explain why someone dislikes a movie. It's one thing if someone tries to explain a good friend's reaction, but commenting on a stranger's attitudes and reasoning without knowing about either is absolutely presumptuous. <br />
<br />
A major example is the top review on Amazon.com, by Nikki. Here's a brief quote.<br />
<br />
"<span class="a-size-base review-text">It seems criticisms of this
movie are stemming from two basic complaints: first, that the story is
unoriginal/derivative; and second, that the movie is all visuals, no
plot. The first complaint misses the point completely. The whole point
of the story is that it is ARCHETYPAL. It deals with fundamental human
issues of identity, growth, dark and light, good and evil. To complain
that an archetypal story is unoriginal is like complaining that an apple
doesn't taste like an orange. To have completely unrelated expectations
is to be disappointed.</span>"<br />
<br />
Already we can point out a couple of flaws. She's emotional, using caps, and making broad assumptions about all the people who disagree with her. Not to mention that her full review doesn't even talk about the movie itself. It's merely addressing all the people who didn't like it. Um, the purpose of Amazon reviews is to help others know if they want to buy something. Complaining about naysayers isn't going to do that.<br />
<br />
I won't mention my feelings on Mirrormask until I write the review (soon), but suffice it to say that this kind of attitude Nikki displays is off-putting. And what if a negative reviewer has other reasons for not liking it? What if they don't like the acting? Makeup? Soundtrack? Visual style change as the film transitions from the circus to the dream world? None of those boil down to archetypes or lack of plot. How does she know unrelated expectations are the cause of all the troubles? Well, other than the fact this movie is marketed as a successor to The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth. <br />
<br />
Really, it's better to refer to a specific critic, a detailed one, when trying to support a movie that one feels is good. That way you know what to argue against without making presumptions about people you don't know. It's one thing to guess what someone else is thinking, say, after you've read a massive review someone wrote that nitpicked the whole thing. There's logical inferences you can make. But rolling everyone's opinions into a ball and ignoring their finer details is a great way to gain the support of avid fans. Nikki's review is, after all, the top one on Amazon.<br />
<span class="a-size-base review-text"><br /></span>
<br />
<span class="a-size-base review-text"><br /></span>
<br />
Hm. There's one thing that will make all this easier. That is, to enjoy, without sarcasm, different opinions. <br />
<br />
You know who's an unpopular character in the Legend of Zelda? Fi the player assistant from Skyward Sword. I haven't seen a playthrough of that game all the way through (for various reasons), but I've seen many clips and comments on how people don't like her. They have logical reasons for doing so, such as how she talks too much and in an annoying way.<br />
<br />
But I was puttering around youtube, watching top ten lists of favorite Zelda characters. One person picked Fi. And you know what? He made a convincing argument as to why. He mentioned that she did shut up after a while, and that she's beautifully designed. Do those things make her worthwhile as a character? Maybe not. But it's still a funny opinion, one well thought out and believable. Maybe I would hate Fi just as much as others if I played Skyward Sword, but it's hard not to laugh at the simple fun of loving a character everyone hates.</div>
GrimMoodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14711339376401950830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9152480361909612478.post-38619948978749430492015-09-26T22:13:00.000-07:002015-09-26T22:13:07.567-07:00Me and Aldaris Season 2 (p1): Welcome Back<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I yawned, stretching out over my bed with a smile. It's kind of annoying to do that, considering that my bed is kinda small, so every time I stretch when I'm not on the exact top of the bed means my feet get to stretch over the side and allow cold air into my sleepytime cuccoon. But whatever, that's my one complaint. It was the first day after my graduation: associates in accounting. Huzzah! No class to go to or test to make up! Now I only have to study my korean, write a bunch of stories that I can get published, and study my textbooks so that I don't forget anything important. And get a job that doesn't entail shelving books, food service, or customer interaction in general. Bring on an office in the back and tedious paperwork! Hooray!<br />
<br />
But today, the happiness of sleeping in. Or it would be, if my body didn't force me up at nine in the morning. That's sleeping in for some people. For the time being, I just got out of bed and put some real clothes on. Y'know, I really need to sleep in my clothes until I know for sure Aldaris' teleporter is fixed. I ran downstairs to the kitchen for to caffeinate that thought out of my brain. That works, right?<br />
<br />
"I need more Infected Mushroom in my life." I said out loud as I loaded the coffee maker, even though I live alone. "Computer, summon the internet and make it so."<br />
<br />
Because my computer is not from the twenty-third century, it does no such thing. So I typed up some videos and got them playing. I really need to get Infected Mushroom's cds. Even though I can listen to them on the internet, I'd much rather just own the discs. It's kind of annoying to depend on the internet to listen to what I want. That, and I want to support my favorite band.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>Ah, the life. I sank into a comfortable evening of fixing cover letters, writing stories, and doing whatever random internet nonsense amused me. Not to mention that Infected Mushroom had released a sample of one of their songs on the internet Yay, psytrance glee! I don't know how long I sat there, but eventually Aldaris contacted my head. I wonder how he does that. Maybe something on his ship amplifies his brainpower, or something.<br />
<br />
"Bethany, you have been listening to that same song for over an hour." he snapped out of nowhere. "How can you not tire of it?"<br />
<br />
"Uh....may I ask how you know?"<br />
<br />
"I have been trying to contact you for some time. You appeared to be occupied."<br />
<br />
"Oh, okay....so...what's up?"<br />
<br />
"As you know, my recall unit has not performed to standard since my arrival here. Having tried as much as possible to keep it under control, I remain at a loss to a proper solution."<br />
<br />
I chuckled. "You don't want me to help you fix it again, do you?"<br />
<br />
It was a joke, but the animosity coming down into my brain felt exactly like one of Charlie's classic staredowns. But it passed quickly. I guess Aldaris didn't like thinking about the time I apparently nearly electricuted myself while trying to move some rotting oranges from his ship. Yeah, that was a thing. I'm still not convinced oranges are all that good at conducting electricity.<br />
<br />
"<i>As I was saying</i>," Aldaris near growled, shoving my thoughts in a relevant direction. "The need to remain in control of the recall unit is clearly observable. I am forced into creative techniques to maintain its neutrality, but until I am certain of the effectivity of these measures, I must have means of securing the four of you."<br />
<br />
"Mm'kay. What do I need to do?"<br />
<br />
"Protoss technology does not run by means a human would understand. It has a more open approach in its functionality. Thus, understanding your mind shall make it easier if it malfunctions once more. To do this, I must have something you possess. An item of great significance to you as an individual can aid the computer in this endeavor."<br />
<br />
"Uh, how would that work? Objects don't have minds."<br />
<br />
"I see that in all areas concerning technology, I must repeat myself to you: this is something beyond your meager understanding. Had I all of time and greater patience, perhaps I might elaborate to the extent that you might grasp the general principle. As it is, I have neither, and must ask you to simply select something dear to you, but you may for a time allow me to borrow."<br />
<br />
"Technically, you have plenty of time. Unless you're closer than I think you are to going home."<br />
<br />
"Are the remaining years of my life long enough to teach you? Were that enough, still your years would end first. That likewise assumes that you will not use this knowledge for foolhardy endeavors."<br />
<br />
"...Charlie, I'm not as dumb as you think I am."<br />
<br />
"Be that as it may, can you do as I ask?"<br />
<br />
"Yeah, I think I have something that can do the trick."<br />
<br />
"Think over it carefully. Within the week I will contact you again on this matter."<br />
<br />
By that point, the Animatronica preview I'd been listening to ended. I clicked to the beginning of the video so that I could once more hear the beautiful art of Erez Eisen and Amit Duvdevani. So purty.<br />
<br />
"...Please do not select a recording of that music as your item."<br />
<br />
I laughed. "You're in luck, Charlie. This album isn't out yet."<br />
<br />
"Very well, then."<br />
<br />
Aaaand Charlie was out of there. Sheesh, why can't a bro appreciate the artistry of Infected Mushroom?<br />
<br />
\\\\\\<br />
<br />
Author's notes:<br />
<br />
Alright, so we've reached season 2 of this thing. Because I hate people having to go back to the previous story just to keep up with what's going on, here's a quick summary of what happened last time. Fortunately, there's not too many details.<br />
<br />
- Judicator Aldaris has been sent to Earth of our day, and no one has answered his transmissions he's been sending out to space. There is no evidence of other Protoss here.<br />
<br />
- Aldaris' presence is not known to Earth, except to me and three friends because he accidentally teleported us all on his arbiter when he first arrived and his ship was totally out of control. He's working on it, but since he's not the most mechanically minded, we humans have suffered accidental trips to various places, particularly China.<br />
<br />
- John Statkus is from California, and he's dating a girl named Tanya. His attempt to catch Aldaris on film was thwarted, and now he's seemingly content to say nothing. Statkus is a cranky materialist, but generally means well. He made a video we made of Aldaris just in case something goes wrong. I am the current holder of this cassette tape (older camera model). <br />
<br />
- Toby Collins is a black guy from London (hot accent, what what), who works in a geek novelty shop. He's got no intention of ratting out Aldaris, because he loves being friends with an alien. Huge Dr. Who fan, covert brony, recent discoverer of Starcraft. He's the only one that truly likes Starcraft 2.<br />
<br />
- Lee Cheonha is a North Korean who was inadvertently rescued by Aldaris the day he arrived. After I convinced Aldaris to send her to Seoul, she lives a quiet life there, still on her one year of government support. She speaks only a few words of english, and as a result we know nothing about her and can't tell her to keep things under her hat. However, she does know that Aldaris is from Starcraft, and the weirdness of that keeps her from saying anything to anyone else. Because of teleporter mishaps, she now owns a hamster named Pappa. Despite keeping to herself, she does have a friend named Choi Eunha, who is the only reason Cheonha ever leaves her apartment for non-grocery reasons.<br />
<br />
Also, Infected Mushroom's latest album isn't out yet, but you can listen to it here if you remove the spaces: http://edm.com/articles/2015-09-10/infected-mushroom-converting-vegetarians-2<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
GrimMoodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14711339376401950830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9152480361909612478.post-8153741641698561322015-09-25T23:46:00.001-07:002015-09-25T23:46:06.544-07:00Write Club: How Not to Write with Dr. McNinja<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hey y'all. So the webcomic Dr. McNinja is coming to a close. It's a fun webcomic, if randomness is what you're after. Y'know, what with a doctor who is also a ninja, and all the silliness that Chris Hastings decides he wants to jam in there.<br />
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<br />
However, as much as people like it, it's kind of...well, not great. Several things about it get on my nerves. Given that I'm not a fifteen year old male, that's to be expected. But when I was younger, I did in fact share many likes with that particular demographic, which is how I got started with it, when it was...oh, about the beginning of issue three. I really liked it at the time, but at the end of issue three is when Gordito was introduced. I somehow got the feeling that something had gone wrong in the comics, and that Gordito's entrance would somehow damper the comic. I was half right. Something did change, but it wasn't his fault. Interestingly enough, Hastings mentioned <a href="http://comicsalliance.com/christopher-hastings-dr-mcninja-interview/">in an interview</a> that issue three was in fact a turning point for both himself and the comic. <br />
<br />
This isn't going to be a proper review, for the record. There are many reasons why a review of it isn't entirely appropriate. For one thing, Dr. McNinja appears to be something Chris Hastings created more for fun than anything else. It comes across as more stream of consciousness than straightforward, and serves as a way for Hastings to develop his comicking/storytelling abilities. This tends to be the case with many webcomics. The long stretches a webcomic lasts mean that they can't always think of everything as a narrative the same way a novel writer would. Everyone needs practice, so what better way for a comic guy to practice than to make a webcomic?<br />
<br />
There's many positive aspects of the comic. It's funny, and has good ideas on how to parody life as it is. If you're a guy who enjoys stupid humor, I highly recommend you take a look at it. Note that I don't mean "stupid" as an insult. "Stupid humor" is pretty much its own genre by now, is all. Y'know, the kind of humor that makes people laugh at how dumb it is.<br />
<br />
However, I've always wanted to get off my chest why exactly this comic gets on my nerves at times. As a result, the things I write here will make the comic seem more negative than it really is. Bear in mind that despite these errors, the comic is not the worst thing ever, or horrible in general. It's fun for what it is. This will just be a post addressing the writing errors present within the story that any writer worth their salt should be aware of. Flaws in storytelling transcend their particular mediums, in most cases. <br />
<br />
Alright, so quick story summary. Dr. McNinja is an Irish American ninja who abandoned his family's more ninja occupations so that he could become a doctor. After teaming up with tween Gordito, nephew of the Mexican raptor bandits, he goes after such enemies as ninja-killer Frans Rayner and ruler of all things cool King Radical. Together they face time travel, evil dinosaurs, a weatherman, giant robots, and all manner of random whatnots.<br />
<br />
This post will probably be easier to understand if you've already read the webcomic.<br />
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<br />
<a name='more'></a>1. Almost every character is a white, teenaged, male nerd.<br />
<br />
Not physically, but mentally. McNinja himself, despite being in his thirties, acts not a day over eighteen. King Radical declares things cool based on things a stereotypical teenage guy obsesses over: fireworks, skateboarding, and Mountain Dew. A senator makes a joke about chickens tasting like farts, before proceeding to make fart noises. McNinja's brother geeks out with technology and awkward teen lingo. An adult man names his chickens Mr. and Mrs. Rockadoodle. Dinosaurs wear jetpacks. Gordito, despite being raised by raptor bandits and a guy starring in a gun circus show, constantly putters on laptops. Every single woman in this comic acts like a dude.<br />
<br />
Actually, there aren't a lot of women in the comic at all. Not that I mind. Artificial equality is always patronizing. Hastings is a dude, after all, and he is not intimately familiar with the female mind...as the comic makes excruciatingly obvious. Every woman in the comic is a man with boobs, or a joke based on someone Hastings has met. I have never seen this level of non-female females without it being on purpose. Another comic he wrote, based on the game Galaga, is even worse in this regard. These women are not offensive, and are often funny, but it is a weakness in the writing nonetheless.<br />
<br />
I dunno, maybe it is on purpose. Being married, he's got to know something about women by now. <br />
<br />
The biggest disappointment in this regard is McNinja's sidekick. Gordito, at the beginning, was a steely young lad, and chose to stay with Dr. McNinja because he believed it would make him stronger. In a way, he was more mature than the doctor himself. His name apparently means "fat little boy", which he chose himself as a way to be motivated into working harder. That's a potentially really great type of character, funny in a completely different way from the others.<br />
<br />
Well, he was fun, until he became that kind of guy that watches funny commercials on the internet and quotes Stephen King novels to try and make himself look cooler. Anything Hispanic about him, other than looks, just vanishes entirely. His motivation of becoming stronger vanishes as well, and he ends up just being a hapless companion on Dr. McNinja's adventures -- or left behind, as often as not. He becomes another white, teenaged male nerd, just inside the body of a Mexican twelve year old. It negates the point of his existence.<br />
<br />
In the end, all the characters are filtered through a screen of 90s
teenaged boyhood pop culture. Some will find this appealing (that is,
those who are now teenaged males or were in the 90s), but it's wearisome
for the reader to spend the entire comic wallowing in the mind of one
particular type of person.<br />
<br />
One of the base appeals of
storytelling is to meet with a variety of characters, particularly those
who aren't like you. The clash between how a reader thinks and how a
character thinks is the most compelling aspect of any story.Characters
should not merely be expressions of the self, but also expressions of
reality. Real people give depth to any fiction world, and that means
having multiple people with multiple mindsets. <br />
<br />
<br />
2. Dr. McNinja needs more focus.<br />
<br />
Much of the time Doc isn't acting on his own. He's partnered with Gordito, his family, Hortense the ex-girlfriend, Chuck Goodrich the time traveler, Judy the gorilla receptionist, and even his own clone. While technically this is fine, McNinja has always been something of a Batman parody -- he's always idolizing Batman, and trying to be him despite the fact he's nothing like the guy. Thus, the comic works better when he's alone, dealing with everything around him on his own.<br />
<br />
While a group thing could work, it contradicts the natural randomness of the comic. Hastings is forever introducing bizarre characters to the mix, and when random characters get added in, particularly ones with gimmicky powers, they tend to take up a lot of Hastings' attention. Often the person McNinja is paired off with is more interesting than him. It's like we're expected to know everything about McNinja's personality after issue four, so he never gets a chance to be developed further.<br />
<br />
In short, Dr. McNinja is criminally underdeveloped. Keep in mind that character development has nothing to do with screentime. A character can be around for a long time and have no more impact than a random animal drawn in a background. The protagonist in TRON: Legacy, for example, was a lifeless, robotic, paint-by-numbers action lead. Characters like Stephen the Irishman from Braveheart, on the other hand, can do in less than twenty minutes what other characters can't do in an entire movie. <br />
<br />
McNinja is better than TRON's lead, at least. We know he's a nerd. We know he's obsessed with Batman, and is generally nice. We know he has emotions that he doesn't understand, and fears failing his family. And that's about it. Dr. McNinja is the embodiment of randomness, and it's near impossible to sum him up in a few words. What began as a crazy character in a half-realistic world became the only character still somewhat grounded while the rest of the world has gone crazy-go-bonker-nuts. Post issue four he only remembered on special occasions that he was supposed to be the nutty one. This effect is greatly lessened when everyone else is nutty too.<br />
<br />
It appears as though Hastings had so much fun creating new characters
that he didn't consider the effect it would have on McNinja himself.
Particularly King Radical, whose constant appearances stole the show at
times. It's fine for McNinja to have regular bad guys, but since he
never really defeats Radical at any point, it makes McNinja's
characterization look weak by comparison.<br />
<br />
This is kinda
the result of having so random a comic. If a character can be the
clone of a historical figure, a president dinosaur, an alternate
universe wizard, then any form of inspiration can instantly become
something fun and new. As a result, it can be more fun to make smaller
characters work, rather than developing McNinja and Gordito.<br />
<br />
Note also that during issue four he stopped doing much of anything really doctor-y at all. One of the things I most loved about early McNinja is that he really used to be a character who was a doctor and a ninja. He stopped seeing patients almost entirely, however, and Hastings stopped adding medical terms and situations to McNinja's adventures. In other words, he ceased being <i>Dr</i>. McNinja.<br />
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<br />
I say all that to say this: McNinja's family should have been around less, making their impact greater. Gordito's entrance as Dr. McNinja's sidekick should have been delayed to give McNinja more development time. And McNinja should have been doing more actual doctoring.<br />
<br />
Is it harder to make McNinja feel like a plausible doctor? Yes. But it's also better. The more ties a fantasy, superhero, or science fiction character has to reality, the easier it is for readers to accept the weirder elements. Particularly when the world in question has fewer rules.<br />
<br />
<br />
#3. Don't explain the joke.<br />
<br />
I've seen this happen in more than one comic, and even in a book, once. It's very pertinent in Dr. McNinja, though, because the comic thrives on randomness. Thus, things are going to be coming out of nowhere extremely often. These things are funny because they are random. Explaining these things ruins the joke.<br />
<br />
I'm talking about things like Gordito's mustache and Judy's background. It's funny that a kid grew a mustache out of pure will. It makes Gordito seem tough and determined, and possibly even more tough than McNinja himself. When we don't know how or why Gordito grew his mustache, it's left up to the reader's imagination to where he got it. Because this mustache is not relevant to future stories in the comic, there's no point in bringing it out of reader imagination, where it is bound to be more interesting.<br />
<br />
Judy's backstory is even more disappointing. Granted, the idea of her welcoming Dr. McNinja into a gorilla society is just fine. However, the idea of a gorilla receptionist is funny because we don't know where it's from. It emphasizes the mystery of her motivations. A gorilla from nowhere is funny. The only sane character being unable to talk sense into the doctor is funny. The more you explain her origins, the less funny she becomes. <br />
<br />
The same principle applies to why Dr. McNinja knows so much on various topics, why the McNinjas are bad parents, and other things as well. This is a humor comic, not a fantasy epic. Explaining backstories waters down the comic's foundation of randomness.<br />
<br />
Note that it doesn't apply to things like the McNinja family's heritage presented in "So What is a McNinja?", because that storyline brings up more questions than answers, as well as introducing the family. It is not explaining something that was previously referenced.<br />
<br />
<br />
#4. The references....oh man, so many references....<br />
<br />
References aren't funny in and of themselves. They're cute when they point out obscure things that only some of the audience is going to get. They're funny when the reference is part of a joke. Referencing things that are very obvious to a large number of people without making a joke of it is not funny. And there's <i>so much</i> of it in Dr. McNinja.<br />
<br />
Let's see how many references I can think of on the top of my head.<br />
- Naming a ridable dinosaur Yoshi.<br />
- Pizza making brothers that are a bad parody of Mario and Luigi.<br />
- Ronald McDonald rip off<br />
- Video game boss logic in Frans Rayner's third appearance.<br />
- Ben Franklin clone.<br />
- Ben Franklin clone dancing to Michael Jackson's thriller.<br />
- Eighties song references <br />
- Internet joke: pirates vs ninjas.<br />
- Purple Hulk rip-off. <br />
- Legend of Zelda type traps in an ancient temple.<br />
- Lost reference during discussion of temple. <br />
- Vampires running the Red Cross.<br />
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<br />
<br />
And those are only the ones I thought of without looking. It should be noted that most of McNinja comic's flaws are nothing I take too seriously. They're there, but do little to interfere with the entertainment value of the comic. The references, however, are offensively apparent. It's the typical "look at me, I'm mentioning that thing you like!" that's become so common in bad writing these days. <br />
<br />
It was this massive glut of references that killed off my desire to read the comic for many years. They were so many and so often that it made me question Hasting's ability to write original work. Everything he was writing referenced or based itself on other things. The point where I gave up was when he had Dr. McNinja wearing one of the shirts Hastings produced for sale (temporarily, as it turned out). When I saw that, I abandoned the comic in disgust.<br />
<br />
What brought me back? Eh, boredom.<br />
<br />
The short of it is that inspirations should be as invisible as possible, like stitches in a garment. There's a time and a place for exposed stitching, but it's an occasional decoration. The more references your writing has, particularly obvious ones, the worse your writing is. People should be able to be entertained by what you have, not by other people's ideas. <br />
<br />
<br />
#5. Some of the ideas presented are too intelligent for this comic.<br />
<br />
I left Dr. McNinja at a bad time. The comic pretty much went on a quality arc -- good at first, then declined for a long stretch, and then the story right after "Death Volley" (where I quit) the story immediately started getting more clever, particularly with its time travel trickery. As I read the whole comic again, I noticed that some of the ideas were really great -- the time travel combined with alternate universes, while to some degree confusing, is actually a really great idea. As I read more of it, I couldn't help but think that the time travelling would make a great basis for serious science fiction story, rather than as a gimmick in a humor comic where a doctor is also a ninja.<br />
<br />
I really hope that Hastings makes serious science fiction, perhaps based on the alternate universe Chuck Goodriches. These characters could be far removed from McNinja, enabling them to showcase Hasting's knack for oddities without drowning the ideas in stupid humor.<br />
<br />
There's also good ideas like the technomage McNinja's brother becomes, or McNinja's first name being imprisoned by a wizard's curse. Those are all great, and could be the basis for their own stories. Instead, these ideas are forever doomed to be momentary bright spots in a story that thinks dinosaurs with jetpacks is automatically funny. <br />
<br />
Maybe I'm taking this too seriously, but this is one of those literary things that writers tend to learn after spending a long time constructing stories. Indeed, the rise in cleverness is more than likely Hastings figuring these things out for himself. The trouble is, the intelligence of some of these ideas clashes with the humor type of the comic. Because Hastings stopped doing medical research and depended so heavily on stupid humor, he firmly established that that's what the comic's base notion is. Reintroducing the cleverness so late in the game dilutes what people have come to expect from it, not to mention being a waste of potential for those ideas.<br />
<br />
Eh, this one isn't so bad. Hastings has been learning and growing throughout his time making this comic and other things, so he's bound to get good ideas in over time.<br />
<br />
<br />
#6. The episodic structure of the comic archive clashes with the epic, flowing nature of the storytelling.<br />
<br />
This relates a lot to the webcomic affect, what with how comics change over time. Early on, Hastings told his stories through episodic stories whose only connections were generally McNinja himself and Judy the receptionist. Given the random nature of the comic, this worked pretty well. Each story was meant to stand on its own.<br />
<br />
However, over time, starting with the D.A.R.E. storyline, each story became part of a greater narrative, where one thing led to another and future events became based on established events. Each story, the further it went along, stopped being an episode and started being just another chapter. Yet Hastings continually used an episodic framework, even when it made continous stories feel choppy and inconclusive -- "Palentologists, Presidents and Prologue" in particular.<br />
<br />
Granted, I really do like the episodic structure. It allowed McNinja to have different adventures where different things could happen. But if Hastings is inspired to make a continuous, flowing narrative, then the story structure should reflect that, diminishing the use of strong storyline breaks and McNinja's Final Thoughts segments. His thoughts can't exactly be final if the storyline hasn't really ended. At best, the Final Thoughts can be used at the end of each arc, becoming clever breaks from the storyline. However, the more sensible option is to excise them permanently, particularly since they became lazy after the first few.<br />
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<br />
#7. Directing the readers to a past story every time the past is referenced is really annoying.<br />
<br />
Yes, the comic is ten years old. There's a lot of updates in there, and the audience isn't going to remember everything. That's no excuse to waste space by a plethora of "[see this story]" boxes all over new updates. Most comics presume that readers have been keeping up, and/or make the stories comprehendible in other ways. That's why the episodic structure worked a little better. You didn't need to know McNinja's run-in with the Ronald McDonald parody to understand his Katanakka adventure.<br />
<br />
But when a story continually bases future events on past happenings, like chapters from a book, there still needs to be clear arc divides in the story. Things that allow the past to be the past, something that enhances present reading for returning fans, but isn't all that necessary for new fans.<br />
<br />
Take Girl Genius (mild spoilers). Despite likewise having a flowing narrative, it has clear arc divides by location -- Castle Wolfenbach, the travelling spark circus, Sturmhalten, Castle Heterodyne, etc. While it's good to remember that Gil Wolfenbach was the first guy to acknowledge Agatha's potential (Castle Wolfenbach arc), it's not necessary to know that now Agatha is in Paris. All we need to know at this point is that Agatha is the Heterodyne, and she's in Paris looking for a way to un-time-freeze her home city. We didn't need a page number reference to Castle Heterodyne's personality when Agatha encountered it in Paris, despite not having seen the Castle for over two years.<br />
<br />
The audience of any story, no matter how much a story may rely on stupid humor, should always treat its audience like they're smart. Treating readers intelligently makes them feel intelligent, and thus like the comic better. That means no constantly referring the audience to past issues, or constantly reminding them that the forest near Doc's office is haunted. There's that whole 4th wall thing, y'know.<br />
<br />
<br />
#8. Some smaller stuff.<br />
<br />
I hate that they brought back Frans Rayner. The original Rayner arc was exciting, and very well wrapped up. Bringing him back negates the fun of the original arc, particularly since Rayner's activities afterwards are really boring. Not to mention obvious setups for some payoff down the line.<br />
<br />
It's nonsensical to say that Paul Bunyan disease isn't recognized by the scientific community. After all, they were the ones that came up with the cure to it, not McNinja.<br />
<br />
While King Radical does do some shifty stuff later on, McNinja's rabid obsession with taking him down seems poorly motivated in the beginning. It feels like something Hastings knows about McNinja that isn't clear in the comics.<br />
<br />
The link for new readers isn't really helpful.<br />
<br />
Judy getting a kitten was probably the most cliche thing the comic has ever done. Well, other than vampires running the Red Cross.<br />
<br />
"Dame Dudical"? Really? <br />
<br />
I don't really get the whole Dracula on the moon thing. It works as a story point, but why does Dracula forgive Doc for messing up his moon base? Why didn't the dinosaurs take over his moon base in the alternate timeline? Why did he wait so long to stop the dinosaurs? Waiting for a polite request to do so is a cheap convenience. <br />
<br />
Just because Dr. McNinja points out how dumb the name "Old McNinja" is doesn't mean it isn't bad writing to give a character that name. That, and Old's motivations for joining King Radical are unclear. <br />
<br />
<br />
#9. Tell the story you want to tell, not the story cultural sensitivities are okay with.<br />
<br />
Now,
I'm not saying that people should "push the envelope." Many
stupid things are done in that name. I am merely stating that one
shouldn't be bullied into weakening a story because certain people are
worried you're going to be offensive. Being gracious to others is good,
but let it be your graciousness and not other people's manipulation
that decides what you have and don't have in your story. <br />
<br />
For
example, some people are offended by the idea of a woman being rescued
by a man. This feeling not only refuses to
acknowledge that there are many types of heroes (not just
punch-the-baddie-save-the-princess types), but ignores reality. Men
more mentally inclined toward heroics (the superhero genre is the result of the male psyche), and man's greater
testosterone levels mean they are capable of developing greater muscle
mass. Meaning, men are going to end up doing more of the stereotypical
heroic activities. Female heroics, with some exceptions, tend to be subtler in nature. <br />
<br />
In
other words, I don't like Dr. McNinja apologizing for "accidentally
implying" that Hortense needs rescuing, despite her being a competent ninja herself. He's inclined to save her
because he still cares about her. It has absolutely nothing to do with
whether or not she can defend herself, because it's a statement about
McNinja's feelings, not a statement about her (That is the entire basis of male-psyche heroics -- rescuing is a show of love, not of dominance). If Hortense is silly
enough to be offended by a statement that most readers wouldn't even notice
until McNinja started apologizing, then she's not girlfriend material.
Huh, maybe that's why they broke up.<br />
<br />
Also, if cultural
sensitivities are what made the raptor bandits feel so watered down in
their second appearance, then that's lame. Granted, I'm not Mexican, so
my ability to say what's offensive to them is limited, but this is a
parody comic. It's making fun of everything it comes across. Besides,
clearly nothing in the comic was meant to offend, and honestly, I really
loved the bandits. They could never make me think less of Mexicans, simply because they
were too absurd to reflect anything realistic about Mexico. By watering
them down, they become less interesting. It would have been better if
they'd never returned at all.<br />
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<br />
Take the
anime Hetalia. It's a show where each nation is represented by an
individual, and their personality is based on stereotypes about that
nation. America is a dork who gobbles burgers and constantly proclaims
"I'm the hero!" France is a gay pretty-boy, Italy is a wimp, Russia is a
jolly bully who wields a metal pipe, Germany is an awkward tsundere,
Belarus is a creeper, and the Baltic states are three cowards. And
you know what? It's hilarious. People love these characters for their
unabashed dedication to stereotype and constant wonky adventures.
Granted, Dr. McNinja isn't quite as extreme as Hetalia, but the point
is, you're not a horrible person if you know how to have fun with
potentially serious topics. <br />
<br />
I've also sensed some
sensitivity on religion. The Christian aspects of Dr. McNinja
are fun, and it's great to see a little bit about Catholic school. However, the way it was handled seems restrictive,
like Hastings is constantly on the edge of trying not to offend. It feels like Hastings
should be a bit more comfortable with his topic than he comes across.
Instead he jams in forced references to evolution in the attempt to make
sure the reader knows he's not "just another religious nut," as well as
some forced Catholic references to keep people from thinking he's a
dense materialist. He's trying too hard to look unbiased. In the end, all it does is make the comic feel weird at times. <br />
<br />
Look, Hastings, it's okay to have opinions of your own. Stop feeling like you have to be unbiased. This is just a dang webcomic. No one's going to slap Article 58 on you and drag you to Lubyanka.<br />
<br />
Let's refer again to Girl Genius. It's pretty obvious that any statements
made on the topic are the opinions of the characters, not the writers.
Some characters are dismissive of religion, while other characters
believe. My favorite group in the comic is the Corbettites, train-traveling monks who
serve God by providing politically neutral transport across Europa.
They're just another group, adding a rich layer of detail to a marvelously constructed world.<br />
<br />
Girl Genius neither panders to believers or makes passive-aggressive
stabs against them. What makes Girl Genius so genius is that it's not
merely the author's "reality," but actual reality, just filtered through
a fantasy, steampunk aesthetic. Hence, steampunk monks. We can learn nothing about the actual beliefs of the Professors Foglio from reading their comic, other than that they aren't directly antagonistic toward believers.<br />
<br />
Dr.
McNinja, on the other hand, is clearly suffering from
sensitivity pressure. The entry concerning how he met Judy is replete
with McNinja making accidentally insensitive remarks to hypersensitive
gorillas. Is it really that politically correct in Cumberland,
Maryland? Will people fly off the handle over the slightest things? Well, it is fairly close to D.C., so that would make sense.<br />
<br />
What
it all boils down to is telling the story you wanted to tell, without
being too fearful that you'll step on someone's toes. Any realistic story is going to piss off a few people. Be gracious, but
not wimpy. People will respect someone who can say what they wish to
say. Being afraid to introduce a story element because people can't
handle talking about about religion, politics, or social reality will
weaken what you're writing, as well as inhibit your ability to respect
yourself. Listen to reasoned objections against your work, but
recognize when a commenter is bullying rather than critiquing, or when
the content of your work is more important than unrealistic
sensibilities of the person in question.<br />
<br />
<br />
#10. I am super sick of all Dr. McNinja's failures.<br />
<br />
At the beginning of the comic, Dr. McNinja was a great character, and clearly the protagonist. Each story arc was a new reason why he was so awesome. While he still had his awesome moments later on, in many of his major story arcs, he fails completely. In the There's a Raptor in my Office story, the conflict was mostly solved by a weatherman, whose identity McNinja never discovered. That was kinda funny, so no biggie. In the D.A.R.E. arc, he failed to save Gordito and Ben Franklin's clone, but that was alright because it only emphasized his struggle against Rayner and heightened his victory in the end.<br />
<br />
But then McNinja never really seemed to succeed again. He failed to save Ben Franklin from becoming a headless horseman. He didn't stop Dracula. He isn't shown stopping the other vampires from eating babies. He repeatedly failed to subdue King Radical or figure out what he was doing. Rayner comes back, not only escaping McNinja, but also establishing that his original defeat was really another of McNinja's failures. He failed to save everyone from a planetary dinosaur invasion. He manages to stop the giant robot Radical created, but fails to catch Radical again. And then McNinja failed to save President Funkhouser from being trapped in the Negazone, Radical from taking over the presidency, and himself from being trapped in an underwater prison.<br />
<br />
(It should be noted that it's strange the Doc could even be trapped underwater this way. Who is good enough to trap him? Are Hortense and Old McNinja so loyal to Radical that they would? If not them, who? McNinja has always been agile enough to escape any number of ridiculous enemies.)<br />
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More importantly, McNinja is never using his abilities to do anything interesting anymore. McNinja is supposed to be an awesome guy, but aside from a few stunts and the times he cleans up his own messes, he stops doing anything truly effective since the first (and should have been actual) death of Frans Rayner.<br />
<br />
Basically put, Hastings seems torn between the cartoonish, Batman parody McNinja started out as, and a more complex protagonist who doesn't always save the day at the end of the episode. I would be fine with the latter, if this weren't a comic about a ninja who is also a doctor. <br />
<br />
<br />
You know what? I think that about sums it up. Chris Hastings, throughout the run of the comic, is caught between clashing ideas: the cartoon hero vs. the detective, episodic storytelling vs. flow storytelling, stupid humor vs. intelligent science fiction, good jokes vs social sensitivity. Choosing one out of each pair would work, but because the comic never really falls on either side of each pair, it feels weaker than it could be.<br />
<br />
At the end of the day, I hope Hastings' sense of humor takes a back
seat. I really like his science fiction ideas, and it would be better
if, after he finishes McNinja, he writes a serious book. It needn't be a
comic. If he were to write a novel about a time travelling astronaut,
or thought of some other seemingly wacky idea and took it seriously as a
concept, he could have something truly deep and interesting. As it is,
his attempts at being funny undercut his real potential to create
something truly good, and his attempts at making a serious story undercut his ability to be funny. <br />
<br />
As I write this, the current update is Friday the 25th's. In it, a submarine is firing. The captain says, "Do all the stuff we have to do to shoot at him and then <i>fire torpedoes!</i>" The alternate text claims that it's "more fun" to give the captain that line then to do research and then be emailed about how the submarine proceedures were wrong. Let's be clear. This is only "more fun" for the writer, presuming the writer doesn't take pride in his work. For the reader it is lazy (for not at least trying research) and uncreative (for not coming up with his own procedures typical of his fiction world). <br />
<br />
In summary, Hastings is better than this. He knows it. We know it. We're all just waiting for the other shoe to drop.<br />
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GrimMoodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14711339376401950830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9152480361909612478.post-17376302332280815362015-09-19T00:06:00.002-07:002015-09-19T00:06:40.298-07:00Nitpickery: Converting Vegetarians II<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hey y'all. So Converting Vegetarians II is out digitally, and the audio cd will be out in October. The songs, however, are all out on Soundcloud now. I don't know if that's the best business decision, but what do I know about the music industry? <br />
<br />
It's been weeks since I started my Daft Punk vs. Infected Mushroom review. I've been listening to IM near nonstop since then, with a break for three different versions of Los Peces en el Rio when the mood struck. But it's been a crap ton of Infected Mushroom, particularly a number of their non-album songs. Holy crap, these guys do a lot of work. Apparently Duvdev and Erez have their solo careers as well. I don't know how they get it all done.<br />
<br />
In any case, the point is that my experience with the band has changed. I still love them and everything, but my inner cynic is rising to the surface. As it does. After repeated listening, I'm starting to see what the critics of Infected Mushroom are saying. Granted, I never did fully disagree with them. Over time, Infected Mushroom has become a little more open to people not of the electronic genres. My defense was that this was IM's choice because of what they as musicians like, not because of executives, and that they stuff they make, whether mainstream or not, is generally good.<br />
<br />
Also, some of the protest against IM's apparent usage of more mainstream sounds is because some people want their musicians to be like their secret club: only the hardcore allowed. I sympathize with this opinion only to the degree that I don't want IM to just do club music. Club music, particularly these days, is generally shallow. It only requires a danceable beat.<br />
<br />
All the same, complexity is very important. These guys need to remember to be complex, because their complexity has generally been their major draw. Particularly if they're going to do a throwback album. I was very excited for Converting Vegetarians II, especially since I discovered the guys at the right time to get into their stuff and learn to appreciate them for who they are in time to anticipate it. Now that I can listen to it, let's assess how well it did. I'll be judging its songs based on two criteria: how much I want to listen to them, and how much they reflect the Converting Vegetarians spirit, as established by the first album of that name.<br />
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But before we get into that, let's talk about the album cover. I part like it, part don't. It sort of reminds me of the Vicious Delicious cover, in that it's trying too hard to be creepy, and the color combination isn't that eye-catching. At the same time, it does imply a sinister world, and has much more depth. Notice that the brain is being converted both by machine and by organic life. I like that. On the other hand, it's nothing but implied violence, lacking the bright blue background which made CV1's cover stand out. Though I do appreciate that it's primarily orange instead of red.<br />
<br />
All in all, I'd rank it as one of the lesser album covers. It lacks humor and worldbuilding evident in most of Infected Mushroom's art. I'dve liked it better if someone had decided not to make it a metal-like cover. Had they tried for something more odd, more in line with the first four albums' art, it would've been more interesting.<br />
<br />
Alright, to the songs now. The things that characterized Converting Vegetarians 1 were oddity for its own sake, humor, and calm, relaxed complexity. It personally reminds me of jamming on the back porch with good friends. Which of the songs here does the same?<br />
<br />
1. She Zorement<br />
I like this one. It's a little more club-ish than I'd like, but it's still got humor. The humor makes it a little like Converting Vegetarians, as do the odd sounds Duvdev blends in. It's not quite the album opener that Converting Vegetarians was (holy crap, they need to stop naming stuff "Converting Vegetarians"), but the lyrics are great. Thumbs up.<br />
<br />
2. Yamakas in Space<br />
This is kind of a weird name for a trancey song, but alright. I really love this one. It's very odd and ambient. It's the sort of thing I'd expect for an album with this name. So yeah, it represents the CV sound very well, calling to mind some of the later tracks on disc 2 of its predecessor.<br />
<br />
3. Sense of Direction<br />
I like this one. It's always fascinating to hear Duvdev's voice edited into sounding female. "Duvdevina" is a great singer. This isn't as strong as the previous two songs, but it's something that feels very nice, and does sound CV in the non-lyric parts. The lyrics are a bit emo, but I think they're the best lyrics on the album. They aren't trying too hard, and they blend well with the music. It's not a standout, but it's nice. <br />
<br />
4. Animatronica<br />
Saslknsfdovsdph. Andafoldsdnsknvds. This song is so great it melts my brain. This sounds exactly like the way an 80s child fantasy movie feels. This is like flying through space on a centaur. Like fantasy turned into reality. Like all the best bedtime stories. Like everyone's favorite metaphors in a blender. When I first heard the preview for this song, I listened to it on repeat for over an hour. Not joking. Then when the Soundcloud playlist came out, this track went on again and again. Akfsnofiewishdsfd. 10/10, gg no re.<br />
<br />
My only complaint about this song is that the transition from the introduction into the part which became the preview is really clunky. It's like IM made the preview, and then just stapled the first part onto it for the full version. I'm getting used to it, but it's still a little weird. Not that it's stopped me from listening to this song a million times more. Is it like Converting Vegetarians? I don't think so. CV1 was more meditative -- it wasn't the sort of music that takes me on a journey the way this song does. At the same time, when a song is this good, I don't particularly care.<br />
<br />
5. Feelings<br />
Maybe this would be better if it didn't have lyrics. Also, I'm not a huge fan of how accoustic this song is. It's definitely not at all CV, besides perhaps being a little meditative. Honestly, it's not great. If they'd removed the words and just played around with the background music more, it would be better. I don't hate it or anything, but it's letdown right after my new favorite. Plus, Duvdev said it reminded him of Justin Timberlake. Gross.<br />
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6. Pink Froid<br />
Uh, no. Not so much. It's too derivative of Pink Floyd. Some people might like that, judging from Soundcloud's listen counter, but I personally don't find it that appealing. Not to mention that the name is an old, old pun.<br />
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7. Demons of Pain<br />
Despite being off put by the name, I actually like this one. The background music is nice and icy, and the words are fitting. There's something nice and 90s about this one. Again, not CV, but it's good for what it is. I love the simple pleasantness of it.<br />
<br />
8. Zoan Zaound<br />
Uh....nice name. Anyway, this is probably the most "Converting Vegetarians" the album gets. It has both the oddity and chirpy humor of CV1, though not quite the depth. Perhaps it's a more of a disc 1 feature. Shockingly repetitive for an IM song, but still worth hearing.<br />
<br />
9. Blue Swan 5<br />
Not at all CV. Converting Vegetarians never depended on electric guitars like this. At the same time, I do like the track. It has a nice level of complexity to it, feeling very adventurous and exciting. Which is good, since it's one of the longer tracks on the album. Seriously, there's so many short tracks on this one.<br />
<br />
10. Fields of Grey<br />
Ah, the commercial hit of the album. The lyrics are CV1, but not the way they were used. To be honest, the words are super cheese. Very typical of electric pop. I'm very glad to hear, however, that the words were written before Sasha Grey entered the picture. Her participation in this song is its worst aspect. She adds nothing to the song that couldn't have been done by Duvdevina, or any female vocalist. Her words are auto-tuned to death. At the same time, I'm not all that excited about Duvdev's vocals either. Not in the album version, that is.<br />
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J'adore the accoustic version. <br />
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As far as the album version goes, I'm getting used to it. The background music is nice, and Duvdev does a good job. Strangely though, I like both the words and background music when they're split up more than when they're together.<br />
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11. Leopold<br />
I like the first minute or so. At the 1:27 point, it turns right into cheese. In fact, it comes pretty close to a video game song I've heard before. This is straight up NES here. I suppose the random, mixed nature of the sounds in this song is very like CV1. This is oddity for oddity's sake, undeniably. I like more the more I listen to it.<br />
<br />
12. On the Road Again<br />
Glitchy anthem trance. More of a no, for me. Not CV1, and not something I'm excited to listen to. It's not awful, but it's pretty forgettable.<br />
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13. Stuck in a Loop<br />
It's alright. Very calm, very trancey. CV1 in a sort of meditative sense. The vocal samples are unnecesary, but it's a nice, sleepy song. I'm sorry to say it's a bit too typical for my tastes, but there's nothing really wrong with it.<br />
<br />
14. Mexicali<br />
Ah, here we go. The rockish elements take it further away from CV1, but Mexicali is a good song overall. It has complexity and depth, and is perfect to sit there and listen to with your headphones on. It doesn't seem all that Mexican, but hey, if it sounds good, whatever.<br />
<br />
15. The Surgeon<br />
It's a nice album ender, one that encompasses the old and new sounds of Infected Mushroom very well. It builds slowly, becoming one of those songs you really have to listen to a lot to appreciate well.<br />
<br />
Overall, this is a pretty good album. Sadly, I don't feel it's a proper sequel to Converting Vegetarians. The first album of that name was strikingly different, and each song (on the second disc) was its own meditation on sound. While there are good sounds here, they incorporate rock in a way CV1 never did. Also, the last four songs tend to blend into each other too much. It would have been much better if they'd named this album Animatronica, and given the album art some sort of mechanical do-up. That way fan expectations wouldn't have been so high.<br />
<br />
Then again, by naming this Converting Vegetarians II, they brought back in fans hoping that this would be another pure psytrance romp. While it's certainly closer than any album since Vicious Delicious, CVII represents the place that Infected Mushroom is at now, not any place it used to be. While I would love a pure psytrance album from the guys, even if they do go back to the genre, it will be on their terms, not on expectations of things gone by.<br />
<br />
Trouble is, the guys seem to have interpreted Converting Vegetarians as an ambient album. Well, they made it, so I can't really argue. To me, though, ambience wasn't the defining feature of Converting Vegetarians. Yes, things were mellow and intense, but there's more than one way to be ambient. CV1 represented cold oddity, a sort of sinister concoction of tunes that each went their own direction. This album doesn't live up to that. It lacks the bold experimentation and relaxed humor of its predecessor.<br />
<br />
At the same time, Converting Vegetarians II isn't bad. It just didn't need to be burdened with all the expectations of one of Infected Mushroom's best albums. If you like imaginative ambient, here you go. This album is perfect to write to, what with its emo lyrics and imaginative music voyages. It's just not as intense as some of their previous work. <br />
<br />
Fans can complain about it all they want, but Infected Mushroom has changed. You can either take them as they are, or whine that nothing stays the same. Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger, my friends. Daft Punk didn't stay grungy, and we don't stay children. We have to move on. It's not as if modern Infected Mushroom sucks. At its worst, IM is meh, and IM is very rarely meh. I'm a bit concerned that their move to America made them emulate American music too much, but so far, they've been doing pretty good. Next time they just need to be inspired by things that aren't Justin Timberlake related, and have guest vocals who are actual singers. <br />
<br />
And now, to listen to Animatronica again. And again and again.</div>
GrimMoodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14711339376401950830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9152480361909612478.post-12528437156018464512015-09-14T00:14:00.000-07:002015-09-14T00:14:33.903-07:00Top Ten Songs and a Review Conclusion<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hey y'all. So what better way to end a series of music reviews than with a top ten list? Two, in fact? So these are my top ten songs for Infected Mushroom and Daft Punk. That is, the top ten I like to listen to. While I normally like to be objective, this is music, and to call something a top ten song of a band, well, you've got to have pretty clear standards for why those particular songs are the best. Here, these are just my personal favorites.<br />
<br />
Let's start with Daft Punk. I like a fair number of their songs, and Musique is good to play when I'm baking. It keeps me going. The only downside is that Daft Punk's best songs tend to be the more popular ones, making searches for hidden gems a difficult task.<br />
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10. Funk AD<br />
Yes, I'm going to be that person. I like this song. It works very well as an outro song, also proving that Da Funk actually can work backwards. This represents fun experimentation, and its silliness makes me happy.<br />
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9. Aerodynamic<br />
Of course, everyone likes this song. What I like about it is that it's an example of rock submitting to electronic music rather than the reverse. It's plunky, fun, and exciting. What's not to like?<br />
<br />
8. Instant Crush<br />
Yes, I know I said that this is more of a Julian Casablancas song than a Daft Punk one. At the same time, it's still got Daft Punk on the label, and I like it, so here it is. It's a hypnotic electro punk track that captures the imagination.<br />
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7. Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger<br />
Of course. This is only the single most popular Daft Punk song ever. I have kind of an emotional attachment to it because of a Mega Man music video someone made, where each incarnation of Mega Man defeats his enemies. Silly, yes, but the song is what makes it a driving force of old to new, with everything changing out from under you. Best not to think of that too hard.<br />
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6. End of Line<br />
I don't rant and rave about the Tron Legacy soundtrack. It's good for what it is, and Daft Punk was a perfectly appropriate choice for it. That said, End of Line works well. It's the perfect end of movie "hero walks into the sunset" kind of track. Very meditative, which is not something DP has done a lot.<br />
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5. Human After All<br />
I like this song, and nothing will stop me from liking it. Not even the fact that the rest of the album is meh.<br />
<br />
4. Veridis Quo<br />
Why do people dislike this song? It's very antique, strange and haunting. The buildup is slow, sure, but that's what makes this song so good.<br />
<br />
3. Short Circuit<br />
If I wanted to pick a song by Daft Punk that I would consider objectively the best, it would be Short Circuit. This is the one with the most complex song progression, going from happy and funky to sinister and twisted, all without being clunky or artificial. This is the kind of thing Daft Punk needs to do more of.<br />
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2. Face to Face<br />
The perfect electronic pop song. It's weird, but meaningful, with refreshing lyrics that bring the funk. <br />
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1. Forget About the World (Daft Punk Don't Forget the World Mix)<br />
When I want to listen to something headbanging and electronic, this is what I pick. I love both it and the original song it's based on, and this is the number one DP song I look for when I want to listen to them. <br />
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Next!<br />
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There's a reason why there are so few top ten Infected Mushroom lists on the net. IM has so much good stuff that it's really odd to force favorites out of it. This list is more for fun than for any concrete absolute. And will probably change over time -- because I'll forget about really awesome songs and then listen to them obsessively later -- with the exception of the top two. For now, these are the songs I listen to/appreciate the most.<br />
<br />
--- Top Ten Favorite Infected Mushroom Songs (For Now) ---<br />
<br />
10. Noise Maker<br />
I probably shouldn't like this song as much as I do. It's not IM's best work, and becomes a bit too much near halfway. But I do like it. It makes me happy. It's cold, melodious, and absurd. A great example of the more underground sounds of older electronic work.<br />
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9. Smashing the Opponent<br />
This song might not be the most electronic IM's ever done, but it's glorious. The lyrics are beautiful and meaningful, and the featured artists in the song actually make it better, unlike a lot of music out there where featured artists either add nothing, or feel like they're just putting one of their own songs on someone else's cd. This song is a confession of sin and weakness, and all the more gumptious for doing so.<br />
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8. Vicious Delicious/Heavyweight<br />
Yep, a tie. While most people come down firmly on the side of Heavyweight, these two songs are really more or less on the same level. They're both nu metal in sound, the classic pattern of IM's sound-story collages, and a combination of serious and silly. While Heavyweight's emotional appeal is strong, I'm really into the high-energy of Vicious Delicious. And that part around 2:48 is awesome.<br />
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7. Saeed<br />
Who doesn't love this song? It's wild, wacky, and emotional. It manages to be both dark and fun at the same time. The lyrics are pleasantly mysterious, but are just clear enough to convey some sort of meaning behind it. It seems to be about deeply rooted insecurities, and how we act in relation to others because of these insecurities. Or as much as I can guess, anyway.<br />
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6. Cities of the Future<br />
Sue me, I like this song. It introduced me to the band, is great for running, and the breakdown after the main body of lyrics is marvelous. Plus, the lyrics are actually fun. I don't understand all the hate this song gets.<br />
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5. None of This is Real<br />
This represents IM's earlier usage of rock, in how they made it submit to psytrance instead of the other way around. It also just sounds awesomely terrifying, like robots taking over the world or ancient beasts crying out in despair over the dystopian landscape. Gorgeous.<br />
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4. Dancing with Kadafi<br />
A beautiful adventure track that takes the listener on a trip through the world. There's something in this song for everyone, even people scared of electronic music. The part at five and a half minutes in is just glorious, then leads into a dark adventure. I've said that the album Legend of the Black Shawarma would make a great inspiration for a story, but this song by itself can do the same.<br />
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3. Shakawkaw<br />
I love this song. It's relaxed, serious, humorous, and almost computerish, all at different points. It feels beautiful and strange, yet regular. There's just something so...blue to it. Yes, that makes sense. Sort of.<br />
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2. Send me an Angel<br />
Yes, I do feel a little bad about putting a cover at the number two spot. But not bad enough. I love this song -- it inspires me and makes me feel happy. I can write to this song, and write well. It's meditative, odd, and in hebrew. Perfect.<br />
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1. Converting Vegetarians<br />
I can understand why someone would be upset that this is the track I favor the most. It's not all that representative of Infected Mushroom, either their newer or older sound. This, however, is exactly what I want from electronic music. I'm not picking the song that's most representative, I'm picking the one that makes me the happiest. This song, from concept to execution, is weirder than all get out. The music and words blend together into a transcendental cacophony of sound and madness. It makes me happy, so it wins.<br />
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<br />
Alright, I've said a lot of good things about Infected Mushroom, but I do want to mention a couple of things that Daft Punk does better than them. It's only fair. The reason why there is such a huge difference between the two is that while IM is focused only on music, Daft Punk tends to be more well rounded with its various art forms.<br />
<br />
One area in which Daft Punk generally excels is in music videos. While I criticized their Random Access Memories videos for being typical, they weren't outright awful. They don't change the fact that Daft Punk has a whole history of avant guarde music videos to its name. Daft Punk knows how to play the image game, and being French, they have access to a broad artistic history that, while sometimes too weird for its own good, is definitely something to talk about.<br />
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People go on and on about Da Funk's music video, and it got Daft Punk a lot of attention. It portrays a dog-man with a broken leg going about life in the streets of a large city. Notedly, I don't actually like this much. In my opinion, a video should enhance or support a song. Here, the talking and visuals do nothing for it. On the other hand, the visuals and non-music audio aren't bad in and of themselves. It's a cute short film, and the idea that someone is holding a stereo blasting Daft Punk is a good one. I just don't think the song and video meshed all that well. My opinion of the similar music video for Fresh, one which also stars the dog, is virtually identical. It's definitely artistic, though.<br />
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Around the World is a classic video, one that captures exactly what Daft Punk was about. While repetitive, it's avant guarde in a way that is very fitting for the robot duo. While it's not the most interesting thing ever, it fits the song and catches people's attention. But you have to imagine that those dancers had to have giggled relentlessly between takes over the silly costumes and dance moves.<br />
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Revolution 909's video and Burnin's have something in common. They're both more interesting than the songs themselves. They're both a story about something really simple. Burnin's video is a story about a little boy who wants to be a firefighter, and 909's is the story of how a cop got tomato sauce on his collar, which allowed a couple of partiers to escape him. They're both solid videos, I suppose. The tomato one is more interesting because of the absurd factor. Do we really need to see the tomato go from vine, to factory, to kitchen, to shirt? No, but the journey there is fascinating, in the same way that the old kids show clip of watching crayons being manufactured was fascinating (that was from Sesame Street, right? Or was it Mr. Rogers?).<br />
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So yeah, all the Homework era Daft Punk videos were on the grungy, urban, obtuse side of things, with the exception of Around the World, which was just obtuse. While only one of them really represented synergy between the sights and the sounds, they were all interesting, for different reasons. But of course, the Discovery era videos surpassed them all.<br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hVFTUFSdIs">Interstella 5555 is long, so you might as well watch it off-site where the screen is larger.</a><br />
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It's pretty impossible for most other music videos in existence to compete with this. Not only does Interstella 5555 perfectly meld with the music, it actually improves it, creating something that can be enjoyed by a far broader audience than just the Discovery album alone. This is one of my favorite films ever. Granted, the film is full of plotholes, but the movie is such an experience that picking out plotholes is more for fun than for criticism, and none of the flaws in storytelling hurt the movie.<br />
<br />
Simply put, Interstella 5555 is perhaps the best music video of all time. You can argue with me about that point, but few videos reach the artistic high that this does. Granted, few attempt to (time and expense, you know), but the fact that these songs could so easily be made into story speaks for their quality.<br />
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And then there's the Human After All era vids. Nosedive! Well, anything's a nosedive after Interstella, but this is the point where Daft Punk seemed to go off the deep end, both in terms of visual art and music. If Human After All was the story of Thomas Bangalter's issues, then the music videos certainly match that.<br />
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To be fair, the music video to Technologic perfectly matches the song. It's very avant guarde to show a robot baby wearing dentures "singing" it, and it's creepy. I don't particularly care to watch this video again, but it does as it was meant. It's pretty clever, even if I personally don't find it that appealing.<br />
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As much as I like the song, the video is just okay. All of the previous Daft Punk videos showed a lot of thought conceptually, like they had clear, specific ideas for what they wanted. Even if those ideas didn't fit the song or didn't appeal to everyone, there was obviously a firm conceptual foundation for them. This right here is just visual gimmick. Granted, there are lots of music videos like this, weird for weirdness' sake. So while it's not technically horrible, it's still a step down from their older stuff.<br />
Cute in its own way.<br />
<br />
Y'know, I could post the Prime Time of Your Life's video, but I don't think I will. I don't like it. Granted, it mostly fits the song, and interesting and well shot, but eh...how interested are you in watching a girl cut off all the skin on her upper body? Yes, it's all done in a cheesy, nineties way, but that doesn't mean it isn't creepy. The video cleverly sets up the story of a girl who sees everyone else as skinny (actual skeletons) and herself as fat, hence the extreme method of weight loss. The video ends with her skeleton waving to the skeletons of her friends. I'm not sure how well that goes with lyrics about living your life, but okay....<br />
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Also, I should mention the video Electroma. It's technically not a music video, but it is a Daft Punk directed film where they tell the sad, lonely story of two robots wanting to be human. They attempt to hide their robot faces with masks, but then robot society kicks them out. They then wander in the desert, where one robot asks the other to punch the self destruction button on his back. The other robot, unable to reach his own, sets himself on fire, and then wanders into the night.<br />
<br />
....Seriously, guys, someone got Tom his therapy, right? Guy-Man, you holding up as well? People love you, so don't ever feel alone. We got your back. Call someone, okay?<br />
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In any case, the Human After All era was a strange one for the guys. While you could still see their creativity, it was all dark and depressing. I don't get it. How could they go from their best album to so brooding? Did something bad happen to them while they were promoting Discovery? I seriously want to know.<br />
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I've already commented some on Random Access Memories' videos. They were just kind of there, very typical for music videos. You've got the guys playing instruments and singing. As though every band ever hasn't done that. The Instant Crush video, while being a bit creative, didn't really fit the song. It felt like it originated with studio executives instead of French artists.<br />
<br />
At the same time, the downward spiral of Daft Punk music videos isn't really that negative. They went from highly creative to typical, which makes them above average overall. They've done a lot of good work over the years, and even their less likable stuff is simply mediocre, rather than outright terrible. Say what you will about Daft Punk, but they know their artistic vision.<br />
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As for my beloved Infected Mushroom....holy crap, no. They don't have many videos, which in itself is fine because musicians really should be more about the music. It's just that what they do have is bad. Truly terrible. I don't even want to post the videos here. But I will comment on them, in no particular order.<br />
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Becoming Insane, while a popular song, could only lead to a really dark music video. It's just two people beating themselves up. Simple and to the point, yes, but also derivative of Fight Club. And while Fight Club's self harm was at least narratively interesting, Insane's video glorifies the gore of it, without adding anything else to the mix. It's not scary to watch people beat themselves up, just uncomfortable. Only the truly masochistic will want to watch this more than once. <br />
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The most bizarre choice for a music video was definitely the song You are So F-d. This song is a joke, from the lyrics to the music. It has no meaning, and doesn't represent the powerhouse of musical talent that Erez and Duvdev have. And yet for some reason, it gets a music video. A music video where two of my favorite people dress up in tight gold spandex and leather chaps, while allowing themselves to get beat up by two of the most disgusting looking women ever. And then the women's heads explode. The video is as much of a joke as the song is, except not funny. Again, it's uncomfortable to watch. Neither is it particularly creative or meaningful. <br />
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Even worse is the video to Pink Nightmares. While the song itself has value, the video is once more uncomfortable and unnecessarily violent. It portrays a disgusting man living with his daughter, and he watches creepy porno on the telly (a woman with her face covered in a rabbit mask, boobs half out). When he puts his daughter to bed, he does so in the creepiest manner possible, before going back to the porno. Nightmarish creeps then attack him.<br />
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Granted, I actually like the nightmare beings in this video. Too bad they're there for maybe a minute. Also, if you're going to make a video about television degrading women, then perhaps the message would be better served by not creating more female degradation. Just sayin'. And nobody wants to watch a disgusting lout with his hand on his crotch. I can do without that, thank you very much.<br />
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The best music video Infected Mushroom has done is Smashing the Opponent. It's not the greatest, but it does show creativity. It's at least non-violent. It shows Infected Mushroom getting ready for a show, while all along everyone is ignoring them for the likes of one DJ Von Douche, a guy who is as obnoxious as the name implies. He's the uncomfortable factor for the video, but he's also a funny message about the flaky nature of popularity -- people will freak out for someone who has the image, despite the fact he's an attention whore with minimal talent.<br />
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Thing is, the only part of the video that matches the song in any way is Jonathan Davis' television cut-ins, apparently filmed on a bus. The rest of the video has nothing to do with the words of the song. It's about admitting guilt, but DJ Von Douche is unrepentant. While the video does tell a clear story that's at least a little funny, it's ultimately a distraction from the song, which I didn't fully appreciate until I heard it without the video.<br />
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Duvdev...Erez....please. How about making a music video that I can watch without feeling disgusting? Maybe even want to watch more than once? How about that? Maybe? Just a little? You guys are not nearly as edgy as you seem to want to appear. Why not just make a video for a quieter song, and have a quieter message? I'd settle for a video of Erez picking flowers for five minutes. And by "settle," I mean I really, really want Erez to pick flowers. He's pretty, and should be surrounded by pretty things. <br />
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So yeah, Daft Punk easily takes the cake as far as music videos go. They know a thing or two about image, and it shows. Mushroom, on the other hand, doesn't seem to get the whole image thing at all. Not that they really need to, because they've never been about the high sophistication and avant guarde elements Daft Punk is known for, but they should at least be able to be artsy without being repulsive. As is, in the music video department, it's not fair to Daft Punk to compare the two.<br />
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Another downfall of Infected Mushroom is their live shows, though this may be more of a personal problem than anything else. That is, I don't like them using the guitar and drums during their live shows. To me, watching a DJ set is like going to a classical music performance. I don't go for a rock show, but to see masters of the craft work their instruments. Perhaps I'm being too uptight about this. Maybe it's cool that they're playing live instruments alongside the electronic recordings. After all, the crowds seem happy. <br />
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But at the same time, here's where Daft Punk has a strange advantage. Because Infected Mushroom is far superior in song progression, the end result is that the songs on their albums are fully realized. They've reached peak artistry in the studio already. Thus, the drums and electric guitar just make the songs louder, not better. Likewise, the samples already present in the songs are great the way they are. Duvdev singing over them during the live shows is like somebody singing over your favorite songs on the radio. Duvdev does have a good voice, but not so much when he's running about on stage.<br />
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Daft Punk, on the other hand, has albums full of repetitive beats and edited samples. Because Daft Punk is masterful at sampling, they can take their songs, repetitive and incomplete as many of them are, and blend them into each other. Their fragmented nature of their repertoire means that they can treat their own songs like samples, thus giving their live audience something they can't get by simply buying the studio albums, remix albums aside.<br />
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So it turns out that the thing that makes Infected Mushroom so great is exactly what sabotages their live shows, and what renders Daft Punk mere samplists in the end turns them into world class DJs. The ultimate irony is that while Infected Mushroom performs live at over one hundred shows per year, Daft Punk DJs live so little that DJ Mag[azine] practically begs people to not vote for Daft Punk in their list of top 100 DJs. I'm not joking. Here's some quotes.<br />
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From the 2012 list:<br />
"<span style="font-size: small;">In recent years the Daft duo have done
no publically-advertised gigs, no live shows and released only their
brooding, Vangelis-inspired soundtrack to Tron Legacy.....It's previous success with game-changing
albums such as 'Homework' and the spin-off remixes and reworks that
have followed that keep them popping up in this Top 100 DJ poll."</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">2013:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">"</span><span style="font-size: small;">If Daft Punk seem like improbable inclusions on this list, that's only
because they're not strictly DJs. Extremely sporadic appearances aside,
the French duo barely even played a live show this side of 2013...."</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">2014:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">"</span><span style="font-size: small;">Brilliant! Daft Punk are in the Top
100... again! And we're still completely befuddled as to why you lot
keep voting for them. Because, wait a minute... they don't DJ! Hello?!?
At least not on a regular, 'here we are' basis. Maybe they do the odd
friend's weddings or make the occasional 'did they or didn't they show
up' appearance. But as a rule they're just not regular DJs."</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">The 2015 list isn't out yet, but I'll be sure to post something when it is. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Also, we can't disregard how genius the robot masks are. With them, Daft Punk insured they will never be forgotten no matter what they do next. On the one hand, Infected Mushroom's shirts and jeans are perfect for their image (that of fun-loving, more or less regular guys), and a costume gimmick on their part would be pretentious. Besides, Daft Punk has already rendered most DJ masks unimpressive by comparison. Not that Deadmau5 and Mike Candys had any chance impressing anyone with their mediocre attempts.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">At the end of the day, we have to give Daft Punk credit. If someone one thousand years into the future found a picture of each band, all they'll see of IM is a couple of guys. They'll wonder for a long time about the robot masks. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">In any case, it really looks like both bands could learn from the other. Daft Punk, while producing things that people enjoy, lacks the massive volume and musical background of Infected Mushroom. Likewise, Mushroom lacks the revelation of music as an art. While DP takes this artistry to an extreme most bands probably shouldn't, that doesn't mean Mushroom shouldn't try a little harder on that end. Where Daft Punk succeeds is in identity. Even when they fail, they tend to do so in a way that makes people remember them. </span><br />
<br />
On that note, let's get into some unasked for and pretentious advice
that will probably never be seen by the people it's intended. Daft Punk
should really consider what they're good at. So many of their singles
have good ideas, but these ideas don't get repeated enough. They don't
pick what they're good at and play with those ideas. I'd suggest they
continue with funk and hip hop. For French guys, they really have good
sensibilities for those genres, and their funkier songs tend to be more
successful. There's no reason why they can't continue more in this
direction.<br />
<br />
Also, they should try for something meditative.
They haven't done much at all in the way of truly relaxing songs
(seriously, think about it), and it might be fun if they just did
something quiet and unpretentious as Nightvision again. Actually,
another thing they could try is remixing other people's songs. The
three mixes on Musique are quite good, and more performances of this
nature could be a lot of fun. Daft Punk does know how to use samples.<br />
<br />
And
finally, they should write words as though they're writing pop songs,
not house music lyrics. DP isn't very good at middle ground. They are
better at phrases and avant guarde non-lyrics (Teacher, Technologic,
Human After All) or lyrics that would be perfectly acceptable by pop
standards (Digital Love, Something About Us, Face to Face, Instant
Crush). What they aren't good at are those transcendental,
pseudo-intellectual sounding phrases that are supposed to make the
listener feel things. When DP tries those things, they sound drunk
(Touch, Game of Love, Within). Since DP is clearly capable of writing
full songs, they should. Why not?<br />
<br />
If I could meet Infected Mushroom, the first thing I would do (after waking up from faining after direct contact with Erez's pretty eyes) would be to take them by the shoulders and shake vigorously, yelling "YOU ARE NOT EDGY! YOU ARE NICE ISRAELI BOYS! CHILL OUT ALREADY!" Granted, the shaking of them by their shoulders probably isn't the best way to get them to chill, but you know what I mean. They need to stop it with the whole grisly metal imagery in their music videos, or with trying to be rock stars. I love Duvdev for being funny, and Eisen for being sweet. They're at their best when they're happy and having fun, and trying so hard to be edgy takes away from that.<br />
<br />
Also, I might suggest they use more hebrew. If they released an entire album of nothing but Mashina remixes (I have discovered Atid Matok, and it is glorious), I would be happy. That would probably the number one album I'd ever listen to in my life. Or if they just write hebrew songs of their own. Hebrew is gorgeous, and the more they sing it, the happier I get.<br />
<br />
Actually, I'd take most any language from the guys. They did well with the spanish in Becoming Insane. If for some reason they did korean, I would lose my mind. Yes, that's a bit of a pipe dream, but hey, let me have fun. The short of it is that they don't have to stick to english.<br />
<br />
When they do lyrics, that is. I don't want the guys to lose control over their non-lyric work. In fact, I would love it if they upped the complexity in their music (we'll get to Converting Vegetarians II when we get to it), and tried more weirdness for weirdness' sake. I'd like fewer rock/metal conventions and more nonsense. I'm addicted to nonsense.<br />
<br />
So
y'know what? I've come to a conclusion. It runs thusly: I love
Infected Mushroom. I love them when they're being insightful, and when
they're being immature. I love them when they're artsy IDM, and when
they're mainstream rock. I love them when they're serious, and I love
them when they cheese. This is my band, and I like 90% of what they do.
Even the 10% I don't isn't subject to absolute hate. I listened to
The Gathering again, and I appreciate its existence. It's not great,
but a song or two from it is good to listen to every so often to blast conventionality from my brain.<br />
<br />
So
what that IM has changed over time? Their albums are like the first
five Mega Man soundtracks: each one a different musical concept for a
different mood. Feeling mellow? Turn on that Mega Man IV. Feeling
happy? Celebrate with Army of Mushrooms! Each album exists for a
different reason and a different purpose, and I'm happy with them as
they are, with an exception here or there. <br />
<br />
Infected
Mushroom is changing over time, much in the same way any of us change
over time. No personality is static, and if we're always too hardcore
or serious all the time, we'll never have fun. IM somehow handles this
change over time better than any other band I've known. Not that I'm
the most knowledgeable music critic in the world, but these are songs
I'll be listening to for years to come, not gimmicky stuff I'm going to
forget in a year or two as I mature. Like I once told a friend, I only
need one Coldplay album.<br />
<br />
I started this review series
in the effort to compare Infected Mushroom to Daft Punk and really
clarify why I feel more negatively about Daft Punk's change than IM's.
There are several reasons for this, and now that I've listened to IM's
work to a very detailed degree, I think I understand. For one thing,
The sound philosophy between IM and Daft Punk is clearly different.
Daft Punk's heavy sampling made it more confrontational in sound,
whereas the classical background of IM allowed them to transition into
different sound forms whenever they wanted. Pytrance, psytekk, nu
metal, rockstep, whatever.<br />
<br />
Thus, IM had places to go,
while Daft Punk's importance depended a lot on the kind of musical
statements it wanted to make. When I listen to Daft Punk, I feel their
messages -- they're trying to say something with most of their songs,
even in the ones without words. One More Time is clearly about partying
near an important life transition. Television Rules the Nation is very
obvious social commentary. Something About Us is about love between a
starcrossed couple. Teachers is about their musical inspirations.
Duh.<br />
<br />
Despite the lack of lyrics in most of Daft Punk
songs, it's not hard to figure out what each song is trying to say. So
when Daft Punk is unable to say specific things in their music, it
becomes more difficult for them to produce something that sounds nice. Their ability to do music depends on the message entailed. Each of their albums is a clear statement about the nature of music for that stage in the Daft Punk duo's lives. <br />
<br />
People
calm down as they age from teens and twenties, and learn to accept and
understand what's around them. Thus, it's hard for anyone to continue
to be message-based after that point in time, because they're usually
too mature to be the "stand at the side of the road with a signpost"
metaphor any longer. Daft Punk grew up, but had no pathway for their
music to join them in what they became. Its reputation is tied into its older
songs, and after a wide gap of nothing original between Human After
All and the Tron Legacy soundtrack, they've changed without giving
themselves or their audience a proper transition.<br />
<br />
IM
almost never has messages in their music, not even when they have
lyrics. The closest they came was with Send Me an Angel (which perhaps
doesn't count because it's a cover) and Smashing the Opponent. You
can't tell what most IM songs are really "about" because they're more
about the music than the message. Even the ones with meaning, such as
Saeed, are open to interpretation. Clearly IM is out to have fun and
play with sound. Sounds and samples are their toys, not their words. <br />
<br />
IM's transition into today was with experimentation. Heck, they <i>had</i> a
transition. It's pretty obvious when you listen to their stuff that
not only is each album different, but their changes were slow and
steady. There's a clear and obvious difference between each Daft Punk album. IM's transition isn't as clean cut, and didn't cost them
several years of rehashing their originals. Their music could age and
mature along with them.<br />
<br />
Another separation between the
two is that Infected Mushroom learned about album structure, and
seemingly Daft Punk forgot it. That is, IM's first and third albums
lacked flow. As I've said before, The Gathering is too "up" and BP
Empire is too "down." Most albums from any genre will have ear-catching
early tracks, slow down in the middle, and then wrap things up with
something catchier. Even if an album doesn't follow this structure,
there's a combination of higher and lower energy songs to keep the
listeners entertained.<br />
<br />
IM learned this quickly enough,
and Converting Vegetarians disc 2 and onwards are well structured
albums. Random Access Memories, on the other hand, was one great big
glop of smooth, unintellectual, marginal songs, and they all muddled
together in a big, pretentious mush. The only one that didn't have a
dragging tempo was their dumb hit, Get Lucky. <br />
<br />
Not that
I hated most of Random Access Memories. It just felt like it was
giving up: Daft Punk wasn't going to be weird anymore, it was just going
to put out mainstream whatevers in the attempt to be important again,
with a half hearted message about EDM not being so hard. Granted, all
kinds of djs are saying things about the decline of dance music, so
clearly Daft Punk had a point. I
don't think their reaction was the most appropriate, but props to them
for giving things consideration.<br />
<br />
Infected Mushroom's
changes have always (so far as outsiders are able to tell) been from the
artists themselves. If they chose a more "mainstream" sound, it was
because they <i>wanted </i>to. They liked rock, so they added more rock
elements. A new sound popped up, so they wanted to play with it. They
liked some restaurants, so they named some songs after them. I mean,
come on, how silly is that? It's really nice when people are silly.
It's so unpretentious and free. Never trust anyone too afraid to be
silly.<br />
<br />
In other words, Infected Mushroom is better than Daft Punk. Daft Punk is more self-aware, but at the end of the day I am going to listen to Infected Mushroom far more often. Now, to find a way to make Erez wear flowers in his hair....<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilqxo1XrE1bmz2_sLLYoJpa7tW19XIDFK4whIeyYJGBYxK8WjqyCuC-5q83hSwt2yT5qqBgW_7J3RkkdW92EeRtx89DAGvjBKwFGJxyoUlWloMuxWPo4SChbWFJxN_3Eaads48a6Y3_uk/s1600/why+did+I+do+this.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilqxo1XrE1bmz2_sLLYoJpa7tW19XIDFK4whIeyYJGBYxK8WjqyCuC-5q83hSwt2yT5qqBgW_7J3RkkdW92EeRtx89DAGvjBKwFGJxyoUlWloMuxWPo4SChbWFJxN_3Eaads48a6Y3_uk/s400/why+did+I+do+this.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See? Better, right? ...Yes, I spent the last few minutes pasting flowers on Infected Mushroom. Shut up.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
GrimMoodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14711339376401950830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9152480361909612478.post-81367147071842536902015-09-04T21:05:00.001-07:002015-09-04T21:05:58.156-07:00Nitpickery: Discovery and the Musique Mixes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hey y'all. So I've been really hard on Daft Punk, but there's a reason why they got so popular. Usually it's due to their singles rather than their full albums, but with Discovery they struck gold. Not only do the songs feel like they're really an album, but the fun and funky sounds chosen to create the album are appealing and emotional. It's surprising they went a more warm route after their edgy, avant guarde Homework, but hey, I'm just grateful they did. <br />
<br />
Thence came Discovery, the album that launched Daft Punk into the semi-approval of the mainstream, as well as attracting attention from the anime crowd for its conversion into the anime Interstella 5555. It deserves its accolades, overall being a solid album that anyone can enjoy.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-MRe8aYVm88lOsEJndtDPbvVnadxxn1c9l7MgGcPAYyfC18HW-rpEucFGEdRjC1jC0wZpzlXOV0WHBzUZbEiLv_wR2M9sQC51qiEk_pSJ5Ers7AYe_HZqkGurZ4R_0sk7u3hgwRh5pwA/s1600/discovery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-MRe8aYVm88lOsEJndtDPbvVnadxxn1c9l7MgGcPAYyfC18HW-rpEucFGEdRjC1jC0wZpzlXOV0WHBzUZbEiLv_wR2M9sQC51qiEk_pSJ5Ers7AYe_HZqkGurZ4R_0sk7u3hgwRh5pwA/s1600/discovery.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>1. One More Time<br />
<br />
Who doesn't love this song? It's the perfect dancefloor song, with both fast and slow elements. Yes, it does repeat, but without overdoing it. This is the song that will draw you in and bring you right into the moment.<br />
<br />
2. Aerodynamic<br />
<br />
And from dance to adventure, here comes Aerodynamic. How can someone not rock out to this? The electric guitar is perfect, creating a sense of urgency and power. Love the bells at the beginning and end.<br />
<br />
3. Digital Love<br />
<br />
This one isn't my favorite, but that doesn't mean it isn't good. In objective terms, this is a nice pop song that many people are bound to be captivated by. It also has a perfect place on the album, bringing down the energy level from the previous track to a more mellow place. It's simple, but has a lot of appeal to the pop crowd. I especially love that the ending tries to distance itself from the beginning. That's how to make a song travel.<br />
<br />
4. Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger<br />
<br />
The song that needs no introduction. AND NO REMIX. Ahem sorry, heh, I'll stop. In any case, this song, despite being mechanical, has a perfect blend of emotion. It feels like a never-ending wave of continually improving technology. This is the most emotional a vocoder has ever been.<br />
<br />
5. Crescendolls<br />
<br />
This song is so silly and cheerful, with a touch of cynical. Sure, maybe it overstays its welcome just a little, but it's great that the lyrics are matched with the music, so that they blend and become a part of it, instead of stealing focus from the beat. On the other hand, if it were any longer, it would be annoying.<br />
<br />
Heh, it helps the review that I'm listening to this without watching the Interstella 5555 clip. The clip does improve this song's monotony, giving it an unfair bias. Sure, it's happy monotony, but monotony all the same.<br />
<br />
6. Nightvision<br />
<br />
Nightvision is not even two minutes long. It's just a little downtempo break from all the hyperactivity. While this song isn't going to win any awards, it serves its purpose for the album perfectly. And it's nice and mellow.<br />
<br />
7. Superheroes<br />
<br />
Like Crescendolls, this song is happy monotony. The intro helps, but it's pretty repetitive until the lyrics cut out. Pretty effective use of Barry Manilow, though. Again, like Crescendolls, it's better with the Interstella video. On the other hand, Superheroes pulls ahead because there are more sounds mixed in, and the ending stops the words and goes into a different, bubbly direction. Feels very superhero-ish. Particularly with the laser sounds at the end.<br />
<br />
8. High Life<br />
<br />
The triplet to Crescendolls and Superheroes in terms of vocal sample usage. I'd say it's between the two in terms of quality. You might like Crescendolls better if you prefer its dance party feel. It's high energy and fun, but could use a little more sound variety. However, the emotion of the track is effective for the mood it wanted to create. <br />
<br />
9. Something About Us<br />
<br />
A classic if there ever was one. This song right here is definitely one of Daft Punk's best in terms of lyrics. The words are romantic without being cheesy, and the emotional direction is spot on. It's way more subtle than anything on Random Access Memories, that's for sure.<br />
<br />
On the other hand, this song can come across as kinda creepy. The singer is saying he "might not be the right one", but wants the girl anyway, as though he's just trying to get into her pants rather than form a relationship. I dunno, maybe I'm reading too much into it.<br />
<br />
In any case, this is a tragic, romantic song, and anyone who's seen Interstella will hate me forever for thinking sinister things about this song. <br />
<br />
10. Voyager<br />
<br />
Even though this isn't called "Discovery", I always think of this as the title track. This is a song of great subtlety, whose soft sounds will lure you in and take you places.<br />
<br />
11. Veridis Quo<br />
<br />
I went wandering down the internet and discovered that some people actually dislike this song. That's a bit astounding. This is one of my absolute favorites of Daft Punk. The sinister feel and organ-like sounds are captivating and mystical. It slowly builds weirder and weirder, more hypnotic by the minute. It feels like wandering a castle by candelight. Must've been pretty easy to come up with the Interstella clip for this.<br />
<br />
12. Short Circuit<br />
<br />
In terms of experimentation, variation, and playing around with sound, this is Daft Punk's masterpiece. Sure, they have catchier songs, but catchiness is only one aspect of music. This song, starting happy and pulsing and then ending sinister, shows a mastery over sound like nothing else DP has ever produced. It's avant guarde and still appealing to all. I wish they'd taken the talents on display here and produced more emotionally experimental songs of this nature.<br />
<br />
13. Face to Face<br />
<br />
Essentially an electric pop song. The words are perfect, the sound is perfect, and it's an inspiring, happy song. These lyrics add a lot to the song. Even without words, the song is happy but twisted, with weird sounds out of nowhere popping up every now and then. If all pop songs were like this, I'd be happier with the genre.<br />
<br />
14. Too Long<br />
<br />
The only real miss of the album. It's not that much of a miss, but the rest of the songs of the album have a lot more emotion and/or subtlety. In electronic music, the longer songs need to be more complex so that people will be interested in listening to them for longer. However, this ten minute long jam is far more simplistic than the others. It proves my earlier point that DP can't do long breakdowns. They tried, and this is what they ended up with. <br />
<br />
To be fair, it's not awful. It's just incredibly simplistic, and the first six minutes are kind of annoying. I tend to skip until it reaches the "I know you need it...." part. Even then, it repeats way too much. Fortunately it does form an emotionally satisfying conclusion to the album, even if it can't stand on its own feet so much.<br />
<br />
<br />
That's the real glory of Discovery. All of these songs flow into one another so well, that it forms a cohesive whole where the listener is taken on a long journey, with all the ups and downs that entails. This has been called one of the best albums of all time, and it's hard to argue with that. It's a very solid set of songs that accomplish basically all they set out to. <br />
<br />
That's what makes it all the more tragic that Daft Punk never seemed to learn what made this album good, and never used those lessons to create more lively, artistic work. They just jumped from one idea to another, never making forward progress on any one. Granted, no band should always sound the same, but at this point the only real consistency with the albums is repetitiveness. Then again, of all Random Access Memories' flaws, repetitiveness wasn't really one of them -- other than the constant stream of low tempo songs. Sheesh, was there ever a band more inconsistent than Daft Punk?<br />
<br />
But let's jump ahead to the Musique album. It's just their "best of" album, but there are four songs on it that I haven't talked about yet. Let's do this, shall we?<br />
<br />
1. Musique<br />
<br />
This was released as the B side to Da Funk before Homework came out but ended up not being put on an album until now. It's alright. It feels very Homework, in that it's repetitive and not particularly innovative. I admit, I don't listen to this song often. I hear the beginning and skip it unless it's just distraction while I study or something.<br />
<br />
2. Mothership Reconnection (Daft Punk Remix Edit)<br />
<br />
The beginning is really fun. The whole song feels like it's not taking itself too seriously, and I appreciate that. It's a great dance song that's fun and humorful. It's not especially outstanding, but it's a great time. Why didn't Daft Punk do more songs like this? This right here is their niche.<br />
<br />
3. Chord Memory (Daft Punk Remix)<br />
<br />
Much more experimental, Chord Memory is out to be weird. Some might think of it as too weird, and the beginning is a tad dry. All the same, it's fun. Pretty hard cheese, but it's a great dance song without compromising experimental artistry. Still, it's the weakest of the three remixes. Probably because it's so all over the place. Whatever, it's still fun.<br />
<br />
4. Forget About The World (Daft Punk 'Don't Forget the World' Mix)<br />
<br />
I love this song. It's one of my all time favorites, and one of the most entrancing songs Daft Punk has ever done. What's so good about it is that it's an appropriate remix. Some remixes are too similar to the original, or are nothing but the original hacked up and spliced with amateur beats. The Daft Punk mix of Forget About The World basically creates a new song with their mix, allowing people to enjoy both the new and old versions for different reasons. Where Gabrielle's version is dramatic and R&B, this one is sinister and squelching. Amazing.<br />
<br />
<br />
Okay, time to confront the whole "Daft Punk used to be better in the old days" idea. I think this is comfortably proven false. They weren't better in the "old" days, but in the Discovery days. Their album styles and musical choices are all schizophrenic, definitely based on whatever idea happened to occur to them. Since they never made any real musical progress, the only reason they were better in the "old days" is because Discovery didn't come out recently (opinions on the TRON: Legacy soundtrack aside). It's baffling to me that DP couldn't pick a direction. This is probably why their best work is represented more in their popular singles than in their collective works.<br />
<br />
Ugh, I was wandering around daftpunk.com, and it was nothing but ads for their products: clothing, yo-yos, stickers, etc. Granted, the ads were humorously retro, but the only thing on their website is shopping and a link to their Random Access Memories website. Which only has a music video, download/shopping links, and some videos on their collaborations. No bio, no news, no tour information, nothing. <br />
<br />
It might be too late for Daft Punk. Maybe they're so deeply entrenched in fame and "artistry" that they can't come back down and just do some good songs that people enjoy. It feels like they're trying so hard to be taken seriously that they can't just have fun anymore. They like to trick people with mainstream "Get Lucky", but quite frankly, how many songs on Random Access Memories are comparable to it?<br />
<br />
Let's face it. They've become sellouts at this point. Here's my advice to Daft Punk fans: don't expect anything. Their four albums to this point have four completely different audiences. Homework is underground, Discovery is electro funk, Human After All is creepy political, and RAM is trying too hard. There's almost zero consistency, so in the end, there's no hope that we can have expectations for Daft Punk to fulfill. We can't expect good, bad, artsy, mainstream, repetitive, funk, creep, or anything else. Thus, there's no particular reason to anticipate any new album, as we can't expect consistent quality.<br />
<br />
But hey, the random usage of sounds Daft Punk chose over the years does at least provide us with absurd hits every so often. Like the rolling of the dice, surely they'll come up with something that'll appeal to your particular music tastes every so often. So ante up, and we'll see what's in the cards. <br />
<br /></div>
GrimMoodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14711339376401950830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9152480361909612478.post-46853359103598186932015-08-29T07:24:00.000-07:002015-08-29T07:24:19.130-07:00Homework Vs. Human After All<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hey y'all. So I've decided to really sit and listen to early Daft Punk. Because I've always been sort of stuck on the Discovery period, I haven't really given much of a listen to their first and third albums, Homework and Human After All. Post listen, it's pretty clear that Discovery eclipses them both. While Discovery had not a single bad track (though I admit I'm not that fond of Digital Love), these other albums by Daft Punk are shockingly weak. Only a few of the songs were really listenable, and I feel lucky that in my early electronic days, I bought Musique instead of either of those. <br />
<br />
But people like Homework. It's "important" to them, as a part of the history of electronic music. Even when people acknowledge its weaknesses, they seem compelled to talk about its importance in the grand scheme of things. As for Human After All, people complain about it, saying it's the worst album Daft Punk has ever done. <br />
<br />
Allow me to speak the controversial, but true. Homework is only marginally better than Human After All.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that Human After All was all that great. It's a weak album, and I don't feel inclined to purchase it any time soon. It's just that Homework is boring. It's not innovative. Most of the tracks on the album are ones of the same level of quality I can find elsewhere. Likewise Human only has a few tracks I like, and only one I want to own -- and note that thanks to Musique, I already do. Actually, I have the only Homework songs I want too, for that matter.<br />
<br />
Another thing that astonishes me is that people seem to want to excuse Homework for its flaws, but Human, whose flaws are similar in nature, is absolutely hated. To me, they're both mediocre at best, and Homework edges out only on its artsy factor. Yet while Homework has a few more standouts, the collective tracklist of Human at least has more interesting riffs. Both are extremely repetitive.<br />
<br />
So let's get into the songs and talk about what their deal is. Starting with Homework, of course.<br />
<br />
1. Daftendirekt<br />
<br />
This feels like a track that could have gone full hip-hop, but wasn't pushed far enough. Quite frankly, it would sound better if it were one. Or if the lyrics were removed for a longer period of time. I loved the end. As is, it's alright. Slightly annoying.<br />
<br />
2. WDPK 83.7 FM<br />
<br />
This is only an intro track a few seconds long, but it's really cute. Short tracks have a place in albums, and this one does its job.<br />
<br />
3. Revolution 909<br />
<br />
Will you forgive me if I say I don't quite get the appeal of this song? While the only thing truly bad about it is the intro, it's just a bit...there. Well, it is a nice, smooth song. It's very good when you want to have a downbeat moment. When it's late at night and I'm in the mood, this is a fun song. It could definitely stand to be shorter. Or more varied. Some of the mellow sounds included here sound great, and those should have been played with more.<br />
<br />
I dunno. Why would I listen to this when I can listen to BP Empire? Same tones, more variety, more songs.<br />
<br />
4. Da Funk<br />
<br />
Da hit. It's as good as everyone says, although I have heard it way too many times by this point. For some reason, it reminds me of Judicator Aldaris. But that's neither here nor there. It's just a good, solid track, perfect for walking with your crew down the street. Seriously, why hasn't DP done more urban funk?<br />
<br />
5. Phoenix<br />
<br />
I kinda like this. The sounds chosen for this song were good ones. It feels a bit like minimal anthem. Still too repetitive, but there's something there.<br />
<br />
6. Fresh.<br />
<br />
I love the water sounds. Intro is very nice. The beat that comes in after that is alright. Again, this track is something that's better in the club than just plain listening to. <br />
<br />
7. Around the World<br />
<br />
A nice, peppy track. It's so bubblegum silly and robotic strange at the same time, that it has immediate appeal. A perfect exercise song. Classic Daft Punk. I don't play this song much, but I don't have any complaints about it. <br />
<br />
8. Rollin' & Scratchin'<br />
<br />
Note that there is no actual scratching in the song. Just a sort of Casiotone snare drum sound and some squealing. This is pretty annoying, actually. Let us skip.<br />
<br />
9. Teachers<br />
<br />
Does no one else think it's a bit pretentious to make a song out of musical inspirations when this is just their first album? Whatever, this is a cute song. I like it. It's relaxing, not too long, and pretty humorous. Very silly, but in a fun way. It's not really that much of a song, so I get if other people don't like it. But it is a successful form of avant guarde in music.<br />
<br />
10. High Fidelity<br />
<br />
There are some nice sounds here, but the way they're cut is really annoying. It works a bit better when the vocals aren't involved. About two and a half minutes in, the vocals sort of click into place and sound better. The "DJ bring it up" part. If this part had been emphasized, as well as turned into more of a traditional song, it might have worked better. As is, it's a bit annoying.<br />
<br />
11. Rock 'n' Roll<br />
<br />
The handclaps. The cheese. The yawns. The tedious. The skips.<br />
<br />
12. Oh Yeah<br />
<br />
The experimentation is a little better here. The nineties-ness of the sound is evident. It's alright. Nothing spectacular, but it wasn't as hard to listen to as other tracks on the album.<br />
<br />
13. Burnin<br />
<br />
This is alright, but it's also typical. That, and the squeaky "wee-ooo, wee-ooo, wee-oo" could have been removed and only made this song better. Absolutely marginal.<br />
<br />
14. Indo Silver Club<br />
<br />
This is kind of nice. Very club. The minimalism of the song prevents it from being as annoying as the previous few tracks. At the same time, it's not all that catchy and it could stand to be shorter. Will work very nicely for the club, though. <br />
<br />
15. Alive<br />
<br />
While I'm not sold on the beginning, this is a nice, relaxing track. Again, it's better for the club, but this one feels a bit more listenable than the previous. Oh, what am I saying? I won't be re-listening to this one for a long time. It's inoffensive, but nothing that's going to appeal to me when I crave electronic music. Note that I can say the same thing for the previous five tracks as well.<br />
<br />
16. Funk AD<br />
<br />
Now this I really, truly like. Sure, it's only a few seconds of Da Funk played backwards, but this is shockingly good for backwards music. I wouldn't mind a full version of it at all.<br />
<br />
Oh, look what I found: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbqZcCl7h5M">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbqZcCl7h5M</a><br />
Hm, not quite as good as I expected. Oh well, with a little polishing it could have been fun. <br />
<br />
<br />
Anyway, the second half of this album is just club mix stuff. While the first part had its shining stars, it too was repetitive and lacked a lot of creative punch. I honestly can't understand why this got hyped as much as it did. It's not awful, but I'm willing to bet that better albums were released at that same time. To be fair, apparently Daft Punk didn't intend to release an album, but ended up producing enough songs so decided to put them all together on one cd.<br />
<br />
Alright, so between Homework and Human, Daft Punk released Discovery. Discovery is shockingly good, and represents the golden period for Daft Punk. However, once that was over, for some reason DP didn't appear to learn from its past album. None of the happiness and pure electric fun of Discovery made it into Human After All. <br />
<br />
Oh, okay, this is shocking. Apparently Guy-Manuel said that, "We were definitely seduced at the time by the idea of doing the opposite of Discovery." You mean the opposite of your best, most successful album? What? I'm cruising their wikipedia page for the album, and it's astounding. Apparently Daft Punk intended to make an artistic statement about robotic music and the power of the media. Surely Daft Punk has always been message-driven, but holy crap, music is better when it's not a political statement. <br />
<br />
This pains me, but it really pulls things into perspective. I've always wondered why they went from the beauty and fun of Interstella 5555 to suicidal robots in Electroma. Huh, they're saying that the album is about "fear or paranoia" and that it has to do with the "internal, personal" stuff that Thomas Bangalter was going through at the time. Um, Tom, buddy, are you alright? <br />
<br />
So therapy aside, let's get talking about the album.<br />
<br />
1. Human After All<br />
<br />
This is an amazing track, I don't care who says otherwise. It's definitely the best of the album. It's fun, interesting, and weird. It lives up to the expectations Discovery created for Daft Punk.<br />
<br />
2. The Prime Time of Your Life<br />
<br />
It's cute. Simple. Amateur. Granted, it does have a little cheesy fun factor going on for it. The message of the song is a bit silly, and feels like a forerunner to the silly side that Daft Punk showed in Random Access Memories. I like the part after the lyrics settle down, though.<br />
<br />
3. Robot Rock<br />
<br />
This is the third track in a row that has nice background, but depends heavily on a small number of lyrics. And since those lyrics are only "robot rock", this song is less appealing than the previous two. It also seems like very obvious conceptually for a band composed of machines. Except for the purposes of this review, I never listen to this song. <br />
<br />
4. Steam Machine<br />
<br />
I actually kinda like this one. The beat is nice, but it feels like guys could have done more with it. The heavy, breathy "steeaaaaaam....machiiiiiiiine...." words drag down this song, since the delivery tries to be creepy and there isn't anything particularly scary about a machine that produces steam. This track would have been a lot better if DP had simply taken the background beat and played with that.<br />
<br />
5. Make Love<br />
<br />
I skip tracks with dumb names.<br />
<br />
6. Brainwasher<br />
<br />
I hate the opening, but once that's over, it gets kinda nice. And then repeats ad nauseum. DP could stand to learn how to make a song "travel" -- that is, make it longer without simply repeating the same thing.<br />
<br />
7. On/Off<br />
<br />
Eh, it's one of those few-seconds-long interruptions DP has done from time to time. This one is gibberish. Not interesting.<br />
<br />
8. Television Rules the Nation<br />
<br />
S'alright. It would be better without lyrics. What is it with DP and not letting the music speak for itself? And why is a band going on about television? If this were a song by a pop band, it would at least have lyrics about the over-technilized youth. As is, the message of this song is stapled in, adding nothing to the song. <br />
<br />
A better example of this type of song is People of Tomorrow by Eiffel 65. Granted, it's silly cheese, but there's a time and a place for cheese, so long as it doesn't take itself too seriously.<br />
<br />
9. Technologic<br />
<br />
I don't care for this song. It's obviously a descendant of the Homework song Teachers, given its simple beat supported by spoken lyrics. This is a very commercial song. All the same, I don't mind its existence. It's fine for what it is, and clearly accomplishes what DP wanted it to. It's just not something that bears playing on repeat.<br />
<br />
10. Emotion<br />
<br />
It was cute the first few iterations, but then it just gets repetitive. Really, DP needs to play with their songs more. This is making me think a little better of Random Access Memories, actually. RAM at least had better song progression.<br />
<br />
<br />
Human After All seems, against all logic, to be a return to the Homework-style type of sounds, only with words this time. Yes, it's apparently supposed to be based on new ideas, but those new ideas generally come only in terms of lyrics. Nothing about this album is really scary, and the closest it came was with Steam Machine, which felt a little more like a kid in a bedsheet than a monster. Only the first song really pulls a person in, and the other two notable songs, Robot Rock and Technologic, are more avant guarde than listenable or fun. None of Daft Punk's intentions come through with these songs. Well, except that maybe Tom needs therapy. <br />
<br />
Yeah, apparently these songs are better in live shows, and they are very mixable into other songs to create experiences. However, as a person sitting in a coffeeshop with a laptop, I can't have that experience. There's no dj, stage, or light show here. Judging the album by what it is, I can't praise it. It's just an annoying, stale collection of songs that fails to live up to Daft Punk's potential.<br />
<br />
However, in case I'm starting to sound a bit bitter on the topic, I will follow this up with one final post, where I'll talk about Daft Punk's Discovery and the three remixes that ended up on their Musique album. Let's end this on a positive note, shall we?<br />
<br />
Well, this review series, anyway. For this particular blog, I want to share a quote I found on a review of Homework. It explains an important reason for why people love this album so much.<br />
<br />
Ozzystylez --<br />
"<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">Those tunes are still winding people up to this day. Heather </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">[?] made me turn it off whilst we were driving the other day saying that she found it too stressful. I obliged her, but smiled inside that I can still take this, that I still get it, whilst others don't. It is still very much<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><em class="rymfmt" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">mine</em><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">, just as it was when I discovered it at 16. My parents hated it, so I was bound to love it. My friends didn't get it, so I felt like the cool guy with the "out there" music collection. Now my girlfriend can't stand it, and so I have another little refuge just for me.</span>"</div>
GrimMoodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14711339376401950830noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9152480361909612478.post-53411555257897857342015-08-25T17:35:00.001-07:002015-08-25T17:35:52.165-07:00Quickrant: Is Picard a Weenie?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hey y'all. So people have made the accusation that Captain Picard of Star Trek the Next Generation is a weenie, a wimp, and just nowhere near as brave as Captain Kirk. At first, I wasn't entirely certain what they meant by it, but then I started watching some Trek to figure out if the accusation has any merit.<br />
<br />
My conclusion:<br />
<br />
Picard <i>is </i>a weenie...<br />
<br />
....in terms of women.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>See, in any normal situation, Picard doesn't approach problems in terms of bravery or fear. He approaches them as philosophical questions made very real. Because that's basically what Star Trek is at its core: philosophical questions the characters are forced to answer to succeed. In every episode, Picard thoughtfully confronts all the events in front of him, thinking them through clearly and responding with his intelligence. His emotion is somewhere hidden in the back, only shown through small actions and expressions throughout each happenstance. <br />
<br />
Like in the episode where he was accidentally turned into a child. The very first thing he did when he returned to adulthood was rub his once again bald head. He then stepped down from the transporter and never mentioned it again.<br />
<br />
There's more evidence. The episode after Picard's assimilation into and recovery from the Borg shows that he buries his feelings. While on the surface he seemed fine, he spent his next shore leave on Earth, at his family's vineyards. Only the strong emotions of his irascible brother could force him to confront the pain he was trying so hard to ignore. And then the next episode Picard is back to his normal self, quietly keeping his problems to himself as he solves his next problem with grace.<br />
<br />
You see where I'm going with this, right?<br />
<br />
Everyone knows that love is a realm of emotions, one that is not always rational or easy to explain. In fact, the more rational the personality, the <a href="http://oddlydevelopedtypes.com/content/intps-love">less satisfied they are with relationships</a>. While Picard probably isn't a Myers-Briggs Rational (he seems more like an ST than an NT), he likes to think, and think a lot. This relates to a comment once made by C.S. Lewis, who said that one can either be in love, or be thinking about love. According to Lewis, thinking too hard about the nature of the relationship tends to sabotage it.<br />
<br />
This is exactly where Picard fails. Because he can't philosophize his way through relationships the same way he can philosophize his way out of being abducted by aliens (not to mention that most women are Feeler types rather than Thinkers), Picard clearly doesn't know how to act in front of women who don't have professional relationships with him. Plus, Picard doesn't want to date someone on his ship because he knows at any time he might have to order her on a dangerous away mission. This gives him an excuse to avoid relationships and preserve his emotional equilibrium.<br />
<br />
This shows the most with a chick named Vash, and Deanna Troi's mother, Lwaxana. Picard had a relationship with Vash, brief and misguided though it was. He met her on shore leave, but when she appeared on his ship, Picard had the hardest time trying to reconcile Vash to his life on the Enterprise. Picard generally hides his feelings away, but how can he hide Vash? She's not even a T. Thus, he was awkward and uncertain, unable to function with Vash present.<br />
<br />
Likewise, Lwaxana Troi, while not someone he wanted to date, is an extremely high F. She is irrational, super friendly, and without inhibition. Basically the opposite of Picard. She is thus the embodiment of everything he doesn't know how to deal with. Picard can handle angry diplomats, hostile aliens, being a hostage, kidnappings, and even torture with a greater deal of understanding than he can a simple woman. Because he solves problems with logic, he is inherently unable to solve problems that do not require scientific logic.<br />
<br />
Also note that all of his other relationships on the show ended because of a logical reason why the two should not be together -- excluding an alternate universe relationship with Doctor Crusher, as we don't know how that ended. Picard just can't handle feelings. Which is why I was always so sad he was never truly with Dr. Crusher. She was the only woman who truly understood him and could deal with him on the level he was at. <br />
<br />
So the person who first accused Picard of being a weenie (forgive me, I can't remember who said it first), is clearly perceiving on a subconscious level that how one deals with women reflects strongly on how strong a person is in general. Either that, or they just like the swagger of captains like Kirk and Sisko, unable to see that Picard's rationality is a bravery of its own.</div>
GrimMoodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14711339376401950830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9152480361909612478.post-5641214210468753092015-08-21T21:43:00.001-07:002015-08-21T21:43:25.294-07:00Nitpickery: Random Access Memories<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hey y'all. So I went on and on about how Daft Punk compares to Infected Mushroom, and my overall conclusion is that Infected Mushroom has aged well, and Daft Punk hasn't aged so much as completely changed gears. To be fair, some of that is due to the popularity of Daft Punk and subsequent fan expectation. More of it has to do with Daft Punk's general sound; because of IM's classical background, they can do any type of sound and make it their own. Because Daft Punk is a sampling band, they have less flexibility in the types of sounds and influences they have.<br />
<br />
As far as my own background with Daft Punk is, I wasn't a pure fan of theirs back in their heyday. Sure, I liked some of their songs, but I was focused on other things rather than them. At one point I did buy a compilation album of theirs, and that was when I really started to like them -- now I own Discovery and Interstella 5555. In other words, I was kinda late to the Daft Punk party. All the same I did learn to understand why they were such an electronic powerhouse. Their intelligent use of sampling was highly catchy and invigorating. At the same time, part of me is suspicious of their fame, wondering if their masks and popular early albums disguised a couple of guys who weren't ready for their explosion of popularity.<br />
<br />
But at the moment I'm here to complain about Random Access Memories. Because why not? <br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>I found out about Random Access Memories when I was at the store buying Discovery. So I went home and started listening to the samples online, and was pretty disappointed. Like I mentioned in my previous blog about this, it's okay to dislike RAM because it's different. Daft Punk hasn't ever tried to do this kind of work, and it was bound to turn away people. Daft Punk also never established itself as flexible, so this kind of sound was definitely out of nowhere.<br />
<br />
What made it so odd was that DP had none of the natural album progression that all good albums have: a collection of songs with higher and lower tempo, which flow into each other appropriately. All but one of these songs have dragging tempo, making listening to the full album a chore. I'm a little mystified that Daft Punk thought that was a good idea. Maybe it was because the collaborations they worked with made them develop each song individually, not much concerned with the total package. I dunno. You'd think a producer or something would have mentioned that.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix99BpSuWJ80zJBr5GnOsjawJAM0wC_Jep_ZvGHeE5l1d3YmDtdn_QJvCq77pNR9Yk-dKYYVLBYmgLPCsrIrbvsc4RgLEpnhVXcvLuNl_xM7vzouwzhCGvDjJIqnfcDyW0zShISP7xqC4/s1600/ramcover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix99BpSuWJ80zJBr5GnOsjawJAM0wC_Jep_ZvGHeE5l1d3YmDtdn_QJvCq77pNR9Yk-dKYYVLBYmgLPCsrIrbvsc4RgLEpnhVXcvLuNl_xM7vzouwzhCGvDjJIqnfcDyW0zShISP7xqC4/s320/ramcover.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I guess I could comment on the album cover before I review the songs. Let's sum it up in one word: meh. There's no creativity here at all. It's just the extremely common two face mashup (first two books of the Dark Templar trilogy, a My Little Pony novel, Incredible Hulk cover, Breaking Bad poster, etc) and the title written in signature font. This is worse than the cover of Vicious Delicious. While Daft Punk album covers have always been simple, that simplicity was elevated by how each cover was designed. Such as, one cover is "Daft Punk" written in liquid metal and another is their band name stitched on a leather jacket. Very nice. RAM's cover is just a spiffier version of what someone could make on MS Paint after a quick internet image search. Lazy.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkr7cWx1CdfMSRkdlq1NMhYVNTQbOxTnMBnfYTYI43gVoOCpY5Sm4nLaz2_8DCd7W3kYMyt8KubNr39hl7kCZoJ5WCB4jdQ4jWGY0pwPBwpCH5DEXfAuD753hm0eHbdcHy6UZheKbIX9Q/s1600/daftcover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkr7cWx1CdfMSRkdlq1NMhYVNTQbOxTnMBnfYTYI43gVoOCpY5Sm4nLaz2_8DCd7W3kYMyt8KubNr39hl7kCZoJ5WCB4jdQ4jWGY0pwPBwpCH5DEXfAuD753hm0eHbdcHy6UZheKbIX9Q/s320/daftcover.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MS Paint, at your service. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
But let's get into the songs now.<br />
<br />
===== Random Access Memories =====<br />
<br />
1. Give Life back to Music<br />
There's a clear message behind this song. It's a fairly okay track. Nothing spectacular or appropriate for an album opener. While this is a nice, relaxing little diddy, it's fairly generic. It doesn't sound like anything that needs the musical power of Daft Punk to exist. All the same, it's pleasant and inoffensive. A bit like elevator music.<br />
<br />
2. The Game of Love<br />
Everything about this song is a cliche. From the title to the lyrics, the sound to the vocoder use, every single element of this song has been done before. And done better elsewhere. It's not "stab yourself in the ears" bad, but it is extremely sleep-inducing. You'd think that after a subdued album opener, they'd pump things up with a vibrant second song. Not so much. This just sucks the energy out of the album.<br />
<br />
3. Giorgio by Moroder<br />
This song calls to mind an image of very fancy, well dressed socialites sipping martinis and telling each other "Yes, yes, I <i>am </i>into electronica." And then they proceed to talk about everything else under the sun besides electronic music.<br />
<br />
While certainly Giovanni Giorgio is important in the electronic world, his spoken words about ruin the song. He isn't specifically the problem. It's just that the very point of music is to say things without actually saying them, and in particular electronic music strives to do so without words or only a few of them. People can listen to a song ten times in a row, but few will listen to the same story over and over again.<br />
<br />
To be fair, the parts without words were pretty good. I don't mind some nice jazz club sounds. They're pretty nice. Again with the dragging tempo, but for this song by itself, the sounds are nice and uplifting. The words, unfortunately, drag this down into the cheese territory. As do the violin sounds about five minutes in. Would it be asking too much just to have a nice jazz club song? Not that I hate the guitars at the end, though.<br />
<br />
And on top of all that, nothing about the song is experimental or new. Pretty ironic considering the words are about a guy trying to be unique. <br />
<br />
4. Within<br />
Echoes of The Game of Love: cheesy words, sleepy music, dragging tempo. This is the fourth track on the album, and already the whole thing is pretty draining. Emo kid chill. This is Linkin Park on ice.<br />
<br />
5. Instant Crush<br />
Alright, here we go! This tempo, while not the most intense thing ever, is at least better than all the previous tracks. In fact, I would call this song the best on the album. No really, it's great. But let's all be honest here. This is a Julian Casablancas song. The Strokes could have put this on their album and not one person would have suspected Daft Punk had anything to do with it. Interesting, considering DP is the one who came up with it.<br />
<br />
Still, I love Instant Crush. The lyrics are actually poetic and not easily interpreted. The tune is hypnotic and emotional without being cheese. The singing is great, and I can listen to this song over and over again. It's fun to think of a meaning to the lyrics. My guess is that the singer is in love with a girl, but she's with someone else. So the singer is finally giving up and just being with someone else that he sees as a friend, ready to give that up if the girl he really wants changes her mind. <br />
<br />
The music video, however, is dull. This song makes me think of outer space or being on the road, something high energy. Not mannequins. And then the video is essentially a remake of the children's story The Tin Soldier, one leg and all. Here, let me post a link to the official music video, as well as a video made for the Kinect that I feel is far superior. It's not the whole song, but it has a more fitting a set of imagery.<br />
<br />
Official: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5uQMwRMHcs">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5uQMwRMHcs</a><br />
Kinect: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZk0acgfUTI">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZk0acgfUTI</a><br />
<br />
6. Lose Yourself to Dance<br />
S'alright. Clearly this is dancing music, not listening music. While there's nothing wrong with that, again the dragging tempo brings down the energy of the album. At the same time, when taken alone, this song is pretty good. Nothing phenomenal, but it's the perfect dance floor song when the DJ wants to bring down the energy level but keep people dancing. Every electronic musician needs songs like this for live performances.<br />
<br />
On the downside, this song can be pretty boring to just listen to. If there are no intense visuals or you're not in a club/dance party, then this song is pretty repetitive. On the other hand, when you're dancing, this song does work perfectly. It would just better if it had some sort of complexity that makes it transition to listening better. On the other hand, it's great for fan videos.<br />
<br />
Soul Train: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBXv37PFcAQ">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBXv37PFcAQ</a><br />
<br />
The above link is one of my favorites for this video. It's a bunch of people in weird clothes having fun. It's simple, but at the same time it works great, despite the low video quality. In fact, it's so fitting with this song, that I'm tempted to believe Daft Punk ripped it off for the official video.<br />
<br />
Official video: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NF-kLy44Hls">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NF-kLy44Hls</a><br />
<br />
The only reason I feel like this isn't a true rip-off is that it's, well, lazy. While Nile Rodger's hair and the translucent instruments are visually interesting, little else about this video is. It's just Daft Punk, Pharrell Williams, and Nile Rodgers hanging out on a stage. For the whole song. The extras can't even dance because they're placed on steps instead of a real dance floor. Boring. You've seen fifteen seconds of it, you've seen the whole thing.<br />
<br />
Instead, let's focus on better videos.<br />
<br />
Creepy Doll Version: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fyci_q2TH0">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fyci_q2TH0</a><br />
Spinning Sign Version: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHoEcFjJAX4">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHoEcFjJAX4</a><br />
<br />
The creepy version is a nice example of video editing, and really fun. It reminds me of the creep factor of older Daft Punk videos. However, I have to applaud the spinning sign version as the absolute best. Not only are the guys in this video amazingly talented, but they also put real production into the video, putting in those little moments that really make a video. Like a nice old lady handing a guy his glasses, or bystanders admiring the talent of the sign spinners. <br />
<br />
Both videos, however, prove my point. Lose Yourself to Dance is a background song, one whose value depends on whatever's happening alongside the playing of the music.<br />
<br />
7. Touch<br />
...I don't even know what to say about this song. It's trying so hard, too hard, in so many ways. The opening is "creepy" and weird, the next part is cheese, and it rises into symphonic cheese. And holy crap, those lyrics! "Kiss, suddenly alive, happiness arrive, hunger like a storm, how do I begin?" You begin by making sense, bro. <br />
<br />
I don't get this song at all. It's like a Daft Punk attempt to be Infected Mushroom, in connecting seemingly unrelated sounds to form an interesting whole. Thing is, when IM does it, they do it with sounds that are in the same family, and are at least somewhat subtle. DP's version is like being in a room with a drunk person who is trying to hit on you. He's a friendly drunk, but you don't want to get too close to him all the same. <br />
<br />
8. Get Lucky<br />
No. I always skip this song. If it weren't for the radio, I wouldn't have heard this song at all. And where was it playing? A Dunkin Donuts. A place where kids will likely be. Given that we live in a highly sexualized culture, you'd think someone would start caring that we're exposing young ones to bad decision making so early on. <br />
<br />
What disappoints me about this song is that Daft Punk used to be subtle in the past. For example, Something About Us is a sweet, seductive song without being slutty. And now DP has jumped straight into trash club music. Y'know, the kind about stupid, entitled people going to the club to kill brain cells and sleep around with whatever's in the vicinity (Another example is Justice's "Tthhee Ppaarrttyy"). Everyone who calls Infected Mushroom mainstream should go wash out their mouths with soap -- Get Lucky is the dictionary definition of mainstream.<br />
<br />
But it's not simply about promoting dumb ideas to young people. It's about, well, cleanliness. Some of my friends introduced me to an old fashioned band, one that played simple, 40s style music. They were dedicated to being family friendly, and you know what? The music was actually fun. It felt so good to be listening to something innocent and relaxing. Sure, I'm an adult and I know how adults are, but the fact of the matter is that clean music makes people feel refreshed. <br />
<br />
It's easy to be immature. Too easy. If you're going for immature, at least go for hilariously stupid like You are so F-d, and don't get radio playtime. Skipped.<br />
<br />
9. Beyond<br />
Whaaa? Am I listening to a Disney movie soundtrack from fifty years ago? Huh? Oh, wait, it's just an intro to a Daft Punk song. Well, that's the single most baffling intro I've ever heard. And after the baffling we're subjected to slow-tempo nausea with trivial, faux-poetry lyrics. I wish DP would remember that it takes more than vocoder to make a Daft Punk song.<br />
<br />
Eh, it's at least hypnotic. I've never been drunk, but I can't imagine it feels much different from this song. To some degree, I kid. Beyond the intro the song actually gets kinda nice. Sure, the lyrics are frivolous, but hey, welcome to electronic music. <br />
<br />
10. Motherboard<br />
As one of the two songs that was really and truly electronic and not particularly mainstream, I had high expectations for this song. After a few repeat listens, however, it doesn't really meet those expectations. It's alright, I suppose. It just feels like part of the soundtrack to a nature documentary, with lots of sped up shots of plants growing and animals building nests. And then someone on the net had to ruin the part around four minutes for me with a nasty visual image, and I can't listen to the song without thinking about it. Don't worry, I won't share it with you.<br />
<br />
It's okay, though. Really. It's just trying too hard to be emotional. Ends up neither failing hard nor wowing.<br />
<br />
11. Fragments of Time<br />
I love this song for all the wrong reasons. It's not even slightly Daft Punk, and on first listen I was incredulous that such a song could ever get stamped with their label. At the same time, I'm a 90s kid. This song is perfect for an 80s/90s sitcom show. No, seriously, it's right up there with the Family Matters theme. Can't you just imagine a show with this playing along with the opening credits? I'd imagine that it goes to a comedy show, one where four time cops live in their apartment on the outskirts of the time/space continuum, and all the silly adventures they have. I need to get my friends together so we can create a fake Fragments of Time opening credits sequence.<br />
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In other words, this song is stupid, but it's stupid fun. <br />
<br />
12. Doin' it Right<br />
Ugh, no. It's appalling that some people think this song is good. It's not danceable, and it's too simple to be listenable. Not to mention that the repetitive, lazy lyrics overwhelm the extremely simple beat. This is what electronic music detractors use to criticize the genre. Boring and annoying. However, there was potential to this song.<br />
<br />
Without Panda Bear: <a href="https://youtu.be/vaygrI2qoy0?t=1m59s">https://youtu.be/vaygrI2qoy0?t=1m59s</a><br />
<br />
Now, this isn't a full instrumental, but if you listen to the point indicated in the link, you'll hear a no vocals clip. That part is actually kind of nice. So if they had stripped away all the lyrics and just played around with the sounds in the background, then this could have been a nice, odd, experimental track. As is, it's not worth listening to.<br />
<br />
Is this album over yet?<br />
<br />
13. Contact<br />
Great, the usage of space recordings. I <i>haven't</i> heard that one before. Nope. How experimental.<br />
<br />
Space Walk, by Lemon Jelly. [<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5VRo5MBUXY">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5VRo5MBUXY</a>]<br />
<br />
Ugh, I don't care anymore. A stale attempt to please older fans with some apparent edge. This song, the last on the album (besides a bonus track I'm going to ignore) is the frail attempt to appeal to older fans. However, since Daft Punk's heyday was more about eclectic samples than long, sustained electronic pieces, this is just outside their capabilities.<br />
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<br />
I'll say it straightforward. Daft Punk can't do a real eight minute breakdown. They're not that talented of an electronic band. Sure, they can put samples together in a pleasing manner (or they could in the past), but they are not primo musicians that can create the lengthy tracks typical of trance, jungle, and techno. I can't believe I'm saying this, but after listening to so much Infected Mushroom, I know exactly how much of a step down Random Access Memories is. People can whine all they like about what IM has become, but let's face it. "Mainstream" Infected Mushroom has ten times the talent of modern Daft Punk.<br />
<br />
Keep in mind what I'm saying, however. I'm not saying that Infected Mushroom is super great, and nothing can compare to it. IM is one of many great electronic artists, and IM just happens to be the one that made me realize how Daft Punk is rather less than. I'm sure there are a substantial number of other electronic artists out there who would have given me the same revelation, had I reviewed them as I have Infected Mushroom. I've just suddenly grown out of Daft Punk, now that I understand how shallow their music and lyrics really are.<br />
<br />
The theme of this Random Access Memories is Giorgio by Moroder; it's the story of trying way too hard, and thus catapulting oneself straight into pretentiousness and cheese. There was some good there, but it got slathered in the overemotional ego of Daft Punk's current fame. It's almost as if Daft Punk is trying hard to fit in with some upper crust of pop culture, and because they're not of high society stuff, they have to make extra effort to be appreciated. And thus end up peculiar outsiders to a culture that ultimately keeps them around for its own amusement, not as equals.<br />
<br />
In other words, Daft Punk has sold out. While I'll always hold onto the songs of their halcyon golden days, I don't have a lot of hope for their future.<br />
<br />
<i>A note from the future:</i><br />
<br />
Okay, so I wrote all that before I finished reviewing all of Daft Punk's albums. It seems a little mean, now that I read it again, but I'm reluctant to edit it now because of how I felt when writing it. Realizing that a favorite, popular band is less than I once thought it was is a very strange feeling, one I wanted to share. You know that popular bands are shallow all the time, but maybe because this was an electronic band, I didn't think it could fall prey to the same mainstream failings as so many others. Naive, no?<br />
<br />
But after coming back from reviewing all their other stuff, I think I have a new appreciation for what Daft Punk is. Despite anything negative I wrote here (or in other blogs), Daft Punk seems to have had a lot more artistic control over what they've been doing than I originally supposed. They are artists, and as much as Infected Mushroom is a representative of Israel's rich musical history, Daft Punk is likewise representative of French artistry, which exists in many forms. Daft Punk's usage of robotic identity, messages in their music, and wonky music videos represents not merely musical expression, but their expression of art in the various ways they know how.<br />
<br />
They're still sell-outs, though. Don't nobody need no Daft Punk Legos.</div>
GrimMoodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14711339376401950830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9152480361909612478.post-9184247109615202352015-08-15T07:27:00.000-07:002015-08-15T07:27:45.694-07:00Infected Mushroom Part 3: the Rock Period<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hey y'all. So at this point, Infected Mushroom started to really hit those rock/metal elements hard. This was not a smooth transition with a two disc feature, but a sudden bang into a violent new sound that prevails to this day. Some met it with great gnashing of teeth, while others came into the fold with the sweet sounds that are a little more palatable to the general public. Emphasis on little. My mainstream sister would still flee in panic as fast as she could from this.<br />
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(I once had a manager who said she'd throw my Paul Oakenfold cd out of the window if it were her daughter's. If Oakenfold scares her, I'd better not say anything about Duvdev and Eisen...)<br />
<br />
The thing about this is that there was a concern over losing a lot of the trippiness that made Infected Mushroom unique. They have gone from the intelligent, thinker's psytrance to more of a thematically metal sound, even when the songs themselves weren't technically metal. It feels like instead of infusing their songs with philosophical dwellings, they infuse them instead with raw, emotional power. Which raw, emotional power works better depends on which album you're talking about.<br />
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<br />
Album #6: Vicious Delicious<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>Oh, let the hate begin. The shocking thing about this is, despite the change in tone, it's actually better than IM the Supervisor in terms of overall hits. There are more songs on this album that I, and probably a fair number of other people, would re-listen to than on Supervisor. <br />
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The one downside to this album is that the emotional tone of the album feels immature. It's very much like those non-electric albums that emerged around 2001-2005, in that it's something that is very appealing to melodramatic teenage males who think life is reminiscent of Grand Theft Auto. Electronic AFI, if you will. While some songs rise above this, all of the songs with lyrics suffer to varying degrees of emo-ism. It's hard to blame any previous fan for being put off by it.<br />
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On the other hand, as a 90s kid, I can tolerate a high level of cheese. That, and some of the tracks use nu metal sounds effectively. A lot of this stuff is enjoyable if you don't take it seriously. Not to mention there's at least a couple of tracks that keep the psytrance kids happy.<br />
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Before I go on, I have to say, this is the single worst album cover IM has ever had.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2XtI7_qt12zapZREekDAzdX_P24oawqJkNcsTOeQrp-Fm6QuWBbcJODQL8-ytNx98JP-sPcs5ziNyUWqLJLG-BjkeQ5aq_sgo19_9lTWJz_EUpoOZ1Rk6NTzbXAA1ucbW73IDldLz9iM/s1600/51kooU-pj4L.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2XtI7_qt12zapZREekDAzdX_P24oawqJkNcsTOeQrp-Fm6QuWBbcJODQL8-ytNx98JP-sPcs5ziNyUWqLJLG-BjkeQ5aq_sgo19_9lTWJz_EUpoOZ1Rk6NTzbXAA1ucbW73IDldLz9iM/s320/51kooU-pj4L.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There's variants to this, but none different enough to matter.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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My main complaint about it is that it's boring. It's cliche. It lacks the broad detail of the majority of IM's album covers. While The Gathering's cover was immature, and BP Empire's was obtuse, they both had loads of visual interest and were packed with detail that only made the eye wander around, trying to figure out what was going on. The only visual interest with this cover is the color scheme, and the proportion of the doll-girl's eyes and nose. There's no depth at all.<br />
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This cover is most comparable to Converting Vegetarians', in that both covers are based around one concept with one specific message, rather than a world of some sort. The reason why Converting Vegetarians' cover works better is because its message was so odd it was fascinating: it's a combination of the hilarity of tempting a vegetarian with a brain, and creepy with its inherent violence. It's a concept that would not have been thought of by most people because it's so out there. That, and the color scheme is relaxing to the eye.<br />
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Yet Vicious Delicious' cover is firmly rooted in the cliche. Sure, it's got inherent violence, but that's all it's got. A girl eating her own heart out? That's just violence for violence's sake. There's no odd conceptual background that would make it interesting. This could go on any metal album and not make a difference. Not to mention that it isn't scary at all. It's like looking at a CGI werewolf. You know you're supposed to be creeped out, but you're not. This is the exact kind of cover I would walk past without a second look, if I saw it in a store. <br />
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Songwards!<br />
<br />
1. Becoming Insane.<br />
Like I said before this is one of the first two songs I've ever heard for Infected Mushroom. I really like it. That is, I like the beginning and the part that starts halfway through. The annoying thing about a lot of "extended" or "album mixes" for electronic songs is that they don't add anything truly interesting to the song, but just have some mediocre breakdown before or after the truly interesting parts of the song. That's the case here, from 26 seconds in until the 3:20 point. It's not awful, just dull. It probably works well in dance clubs, though.<br />
<br />
As for the rest of the song, it's a fun mix of spanish and english, about someone going insane. Lots of implied violence, craziness, and extreme vocals. The <i>voy perdiendo </i>part is perfect for screaming at the top of your lungs.<br />
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As an aside, the music video to this song is conceptually boring. It's supposed to be exciting that we're watching two people beating themselves up, but it's too simple an idea. Plus, Fight Club did it better.<br />
<br />
2. Artillery<br />
This song makes me laugh so hard. It's supposed to be all hard and edgy, but it's really not. The song itself is okay, but the lyrics are so silly. "I'm the Lone Ranger, looking for Pocahontas"? Um, the Lone Ranger is a fictitious character, as opposed to the real Pocahontas. Not to mention that Pocahontas was dead by the time the Lone Ranger show was set. <br />
<br />
What shocked me about this song is that Swollen Members did the rap. I'm not too into their stuff, but I was awed by their song Deep End, the chorus of which was pure poetry. Artillery was rather less than. Maybe Swollen Members is too grim for the generally fun/deep sound of Infected Mushroom. I don't know who wrote the lyrics here, but they needed a rewrite before anyone could take them seriously.<br />
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This isn't even close to psytrance, and the cheese here is mighty powerful. That being said, this is kind of a guilty pleasure for me. I love the cheese, particularly at the part where Amit goes "WITH ARTILLERY, WITH ARTILLERY, WITH A-RATATATATA!" It makes me laugh, which is probably not even close to what IM intended.<br />
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3. Vicious Delicious<br />
Ah, actually recognisable, genuine electronic music. This song is great and full of life. Surprisingly enough, it's more of a callback to BP Empire and Classical Mushroom than one would expect. Sure, the sound is different, but it effectively uses song progression in the same way the older albums would, incorporating different samples at different parts in the form of a story. This is instead of the songs having the simpler use of sampling present in IM the Supervisor. The variety and oddity create a perfect blend of what it truly means to be IM. <br />
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4. Heavyweight<br />
Hey, psytrance! Cool. There's some gorgeous sound in here. Like the title song, it also employs a wide variety of samples and emotion. The difference is that while Vicious Delicious is more dancey, Heavyweight is more of a thinking song. They're both of the same high quality, though. A bit of this song sounds a bit like the Starcraft 2 soundtrack. <br />
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5. Suliman<br />
Compared to the other two, it's not quite as complex. That's okay, as after two complex songs, it's okay to take a break. Can't eat too much chocolate. Some sampling near the beginning adds an element of humor, but overall the song is fairly serious in tone. This song seems to follow the trends of a metal song a little more closely than the two previous. Not that I had anything but a good time listening to this one.<br />
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6. Forgive Me<br />
Easily the worst song on the album. While this was a fine place on the album for a tone break, the opening beat on this song is immediately in the realm of high cheese. And then the lyrics come in. Both their content and the way the voice is modulated are super, super no. This is pure 80s cheese. Seriously, get out your leg warmers and neon pink headbands. You could not possibly cheese this cheese. I like the background music at about the 2:37 mark, where the electronic guitars kick in, but it doesn't make up for the silliness of the rest of the song. On the upside, it's not so bad you'll want to stab your own ears out. <br />
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7. Special Place<br />
It starts from a moderately typical electronic place, but the sound is nice enough. It definitely lacks the complexity of other songs on the album. On the other hand, it's not bad, and at the four minute mark things really start to get going. The lyrics are somewhat silly, but not to any degree unexpected of the electronic genre. I'm not so fond of the build up 5:22-5:50. Overall, it's good, but not one of IM's standouts.<br />
<br />
8. In Front of Me<br />
Let's be clear. This isn't trance, techno, or house. It's a slow metal song with electronic elements. The sound and emotional tone of this song are completely outside the electronic family. Good thing I love it. Slow metal is one of my favorite things. Despite the depressing lyrics, something about them and the way they're sung makes me feel happy. Happy like sitting in the rain, listening to the raindrops hit the roof of the car. <br />
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9. Eat it Raw<br />
Clearly for the more "spiked collar" crowd. The metal sounds (<i>literal</i> metal, like hitting metal tent pegs or train rails) are designed to appeal to people who see the title "Eat it Raw" and expect grim satisfaction. Though I very much love the trumpet sounds at about two and a half minutes. The way it ends is nice. It does its job as an emo song, and I'm sure there are plenty of people out there who like it a lot. For me, it's just kind of there.<br />
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10. Change the Formality<br />
This feels like their most technically experimental track on the disc. There are lots of great sounds added in, blended into an odd concoction. I love how it gets all creepy, before the semi-calming chimes start to signify upcoming lyrics. Lyrics which I love, by the way. They're great for scaring away people too hooked on pop songs. I am now suddenly filled with the urge to sing these lyrics in some kind of song competition where everybody else is blasting out love ballads. <br />
<br />
A nice thing about this track is that the lyrics are used only as another sample, and they don't overwhelm the song. The downside is that this song can quickly become an earworm at work, and the short lyrics on loop in your head for an hour are sure to get annoying.<br />
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11. Before<br />
While I don't particularly care for the beginning, it goes on a trip after about two and a half minutes in. This is perhaps the only song on the album that makes me genuinely feel entranced. The more it goes along, the better it gets. Wow.<br />
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Artillery is the theme of this album. While there's lots of good sound here, Infected Mushroom clearly needed to cheer up. They aren't edgy goths, emo kids, street thugs, or anything like that. They're a couple of nice Israeli boys that like to make music, not nearly as edgy as they think they are. This release was a fun experiment, but they don't need to try to be something they're not. I'm fine with it as it is, though. Just so long as they never go quite this emo ever again.<br />
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According to my research, however, IM's popularity went through the roof with this album. They managed to score high on DJ Mag's top 100 DJs about this time, and even some mainstream people I know can recall hearing about Infected Mushroom at this time. They obviously did something people really liked to attract all this attention, older fans aside.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
#7: Legend of the Black Shawarma<br />
Apparently this started off as an album dedicated to all the places Infected Mushroom liked to eat, even to the point of naming certain songs after their favorite restaurants. Uh...well, Weird Al had a food album too. I'll go with it. <br />
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To me, this album feels the most like a story, like all the songs go together for a specific message. This is emphasized by the similar sounds of the first, second, and second last tracks. They are very metal, very soundtrack-y, and do the most to tie the album into its cover art.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv806ZLnNL3hiyDEEQnu6-hCu4HU0l0upEOsKgFGM-L7h_iY_FOst_US0xqAW9M09bz14xgYdXvdmNiNIv0ixjAu8dtwBA_sbNPtv5lV1NYBIz57QZwKWbSOFKrBovGeib2MLXMpuivuk/s1600/1251578074_cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv806ZLnNL3hiyDEEQnu6-hCu4HU0l0upEOsKgFGM-L7h_iY_FOst_US0xqAW9M09bz14xgYdXvdmNiNIv0ixjAu8dtwBA_sbNPtv5lV1NYBIz57QZwKWbSOFKrBovGeib2MLXMpuivuk/s400/1251578074_cover.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />
This is a lovely album cover, and certainly not boring. I love the idea of grim fairy tale creatures all in the forest, enjoying some nice shawarma in the cold forest. It's disturbing without necessarily being evil or violent. Plus, there's a lot to look at. I particularly like the giant on the left side. This is all in all a really good album cover. It doesn't scream psytrance, but it matches the songs pretty well.<br />
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One thing that surprised me as I've been listening to each track in detail is that while Vicious Delicious' sound was a shock to all previous fans, it was closer to psytrance than this album. This album, while having a far less emo feel, goes even further away from IM's origins.<br />
<br />
1. Poquito Mas<br />
This is a great sounding track, but clearly and precisely edited into an intro. Very rock-heavy, and the build up into the ending illustrates what this track was meant to be. It's a great song, but it doesn't have the meditative depth of much of IM's work. Not that I don't like it for what it is.<br />
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2. Saeed<br />
I have listened to this song a bajillion times. I love it. The lyrics are exactly perfect for an electronic song, and it's very fun electro rock. The psytrance purists might turn up their nose at this offering, but anyone with real appreciation for music will like this track. To me, it's another adventure track from IM, only using more lyrics to blend with the music.<br />
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3. End of the Road<br />
Pretty cool beginning, but clearly more rock than trance. The trance builds up as the song goes on. Great for a filler song at first, but the ending is where the jam session really gets going. Not the best, not the worst.<br />
<br />
4. Smashing the Opponent<br />
Once again, we have to call into question whether or not this is a proper electronic song. I'm more on the "no" side. This song fits just nicely into a rock concert. It doesn't help that they have a singer from Korn on the vocals. Sheesh, first Swollen Members, now Korn. IM has all the connections. <br />
<br />
While I normally shy away from celebrity-ism in all its forms, Jonathan Davis' performance adds to this song rather than taking from it. Initially, I was reluctant to get into this song, having started off by watching the music video (Paul Oakenfold?? ...DJ Von Douche? Really?). My thanks to Candie Estrada for posting a lyric video, because when you strip away the big names and the frenetic music video, what do we have left? A genius song. <br />
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Despite the violence inherent in this type of sound, the lyrics themselves are more about someone admitting that they did wrong, and accepting that they deserve consequences for it. That concept alone makes me love this song to pieces. Singers are all the time going on about how great they are and how much money they have. How wonderful is it that there's a song out there about regret and accepting responsibility? Such a good one, to boot?<br />
<br />
5. Can't Stop<br />
Ah, here we go. Okay, so this one is more familiar territory for IM. Oh wait, that's just the intro. I wish this part lasted a bit longer, but the rock part that starts three or so minutes in isn't bad. The lyrics seem too depressing for the fun song this is, but they don't hurt the song. It gets techno-ish five minutes in, and from there brings the energy. Not bad. <br />
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6. Herbert the Pervert.<br />
I always skip this song. Like my last skippable song, Horus the Chorus, I'm sure that IM chose the title only because it sounded "cool" or something. It's even the same rhyming structure. However, I can't bring myself to listen to a song called "Herbert the Pervert." It's just too stupid. Next!<br />
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7. Killing Time<br />
The beginning lyrics are pretty emo, but when the chorus hits, the melody starts really working. This feels somewhat in the vein of Converting Vegetarian's second disc, only more rock-ish. For what it is, I enjoy it. For some reason, it feels like the band DC Talk is singing it. Perry Farrell, eh? Nice voice, bro. Again, not really psytrance, and the cheese/emo factor is bound to scare a lot of people off. It feels like a part 2 to last album's In Front of Me, but it lacks the cool drama the first song had.<br />
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8. Project 100<br />
This is the single most glorious intro an IM song has ever had. After that it mellows somewhat, ending up sounding remarkably like the soundtrack to a new Mortal Kombat movie. No really, imagine Liu Kang and Sub Zero squaring off while this is in the background. One of the more complicated tracks on this cd, and I genuinely love the part about five minutes in. Glorious adventure rockstep right here. One of the best tracks on the album, particularly for true trance fans.<br />
<br />
9. Franks<br />
Huh, I guess they wanted to save their least rock-like songs for later, because this feels closer to true trance/techno. It's good. It feels like the part of the movie where the good guys are in their spaceships, trying to infiltrate an enemy space armada. It gets better as it goes on. I were an animator, I'd totally get on that space battle scene. Let's see, that's the part where the enemy alarms go off, and the agents are now running back to their fighters, then the mothership comes into view...here comes the fleet! ATTACK!<br />
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10. Slowly<br />
The more you listen to it, the more fun it is. Very peppy, nice experiment with songs. For some reason it reminds me of the Rocky soundtrack, at parts. Like Franks, this is a song that gets better over time. It's not as good as Franks, though. <br />
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11. The Legend of the Black Shawarma<br />
Here's where it's at. A great song. Particularly for a trailer. It's a somewhat traditional song -- it's a warning against bad decisions and not taking advantage of the time to get away from some great, unspoken monster. As much as I like this song, it's hard not to listen when people complain that this is too mainstream. Granted, it's in the good part of demi-mainstream, not all the way in, and not the crappy kind. After a rockstep first few minutes, the lyrics kick in, demanding the listener examine himself and realize what he's done wrong. <br />
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I can call it mainstream, but I can't make myself hate it. I love this to pieces.<br />
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12. Riders on the Storm [Infected Mushroom Remix]<br />
I don't think I can ever forgive this song for growing on me. The lyrics are in the realm of high cheese, sounding exactly like they were lifted from a country/western. Turns out they come from the jazz pop hit of the same name by the Doors. It's strange how the same words can feel...well, not entirely un-cheesy, but at least not nearly so country/western in the original. It worked in the Doors version because the music there compensated for the cheese factor. I don't hate non-modern c/w, but it sure as mess doesn't match electronic music. <br />
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However, once you take away the words, this is a nice song. Country/western doesn't match this album, but removing the lyrics solves that problem. So now all I have to do is convince the studio to release an instrumental. I wonder how I can do that.<br />
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I'm of two minds about this album. While I've discovered IM only recently and therefore have no bias toward previous music, I like this album a lot. It's a very cinematic collection of songs, one that could easily be the soundtrack to a film. I've listened to this album a lot, and I will again in the future.<br />
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On the other hand, this doesn't have the oddity and uniqueness I've come to expect from the band. In fact, after my research, I've come to the conclusion that his album is what burst their popularity bubble. They wasted the first impression Vicious Delicious gave them by making so many of their songs rock and metal. Only Project 100, Franks, and Slowly are reminiscent of the kind of works IM usually does (Herbert the Pervert aside). So while Vicious had only four songs that were questionably non-electronic, Black Shawarma has three (four?) that are really electronic. The listener is not rewarded for listening closely to most of the songs.<br />
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While I respect this album and IM's desire to go into different sounds, it would have been wiser on their part to back away on the rock elements for at least one more album, so that they could build up more of an audience. It's super weird for IM to be #9 on DJ Mag's list one year, and then suddenly fall back to the 30-50 area, remaining there to this day.<br />
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My guess is that IM isn't really sure what makes them popular. They think one thing, but their audience thinks another. Oh well, if you get bogged down on what other people think of you, you'll never get anything done. <br />
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To be fair, this is the most mainstream album IM has ever done. It's also the point when they decided to ease up on the rock/metal, and come closer back to the electronic side. Or they just got bored of it and wanted to try something different. Whichever.<br />
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#8: Army of Mushrooms<br />
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This particular album got a lot of people whining. If they didn't get it with the past two albums, old fans are forced to accept that Infected Mushroom has changed. To be honest, after having listened to all of the albums in a row, I can really feel their progression and maturity. Granted, as this album proves, they haven't matured entirely. It's more like they went from fourteen year olds trying to impress their edgy friends (The Gathering) to nineteen year old college freshmen: kids learning to see things from a broader perspective, but still all about partying and staying young at heart (Army of Mushrooms).<br />
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Army of Mushrooms feels the least cohesive of all their releases. All the other albums felt based on a certain musical concept, and this one just feels like a collection of songs IM felt like doing. The only cohesiveness is the selection of dubstep sounds that span most of the songs on the disc. That alone doesn't make the whole thing stick together. Some songs seem like they'd feel almost at home on other albums -- Wanted To on Converting Vegetarians disc 2, and The Pretender on Black Shawarma, for example.<br />
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I say almost because this album is way more relaxed than every single previous release. It's not trying too hard to be psytrance art, a meaningful genre-blend experiment, or a rockstep edge fest. It's just IM doing what they want to do, hoping everybody else appreciates it. Granted, the dubstep elements scare people off, but IM is IM, not Skrillex. They aren't using dubstep to appear to be cool, they're just using it because it's a sound that's around these days, and IM has never been shy of trying sounds and samples they haven't done before. In most of the songs here, they bring their passion and sense of fun into the dubstep, so only the people who run screaming at the sound of a single "wub wub" will have a problem with it. It's not like it's overwhelming, anyway.<br />
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The album cover is my single favorite they've ever done. I won't say it's the best (subjectivity is more often in the best things than in the worst), but it's a gorgeous, storytelling piece with lots of visual interest. The viewer can imagine the world being slowly overcome by fungi, and the only one who can save us all is a brave knight with fire shooting out of his head. Though I have no idea how he intends to fight a mushroom several times his mass with a spear that's a toothpick by comparison.<br />
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Doesn't at all match the album, though. The songs here are more on the calmer side, while that cover is straight out of the land of metal. Not that I'm complaining. I sure like looking at it.<br />
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Let's talk about zee music now.<br />
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1. Nevermind<br />
I don't get the title, but the song is a great album opener. This is what dubstep should be: something party, anthem, and mixed up with humor. It's not the dubstep sound that makes a song good, but creative use of it. This song is absolutely not serious. It's like cartoon astronauts flying into space, only to discover aliens having a disco party. Not particularly complex, but a lot of fun.<br />
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2. Nothing to Say<br />
This title seems to match and not match at the same time. The song is comparatively relaxed and happy, a lot like Elation Station on CV disc 2. Only this is more electrified. Perhaps the person has nothing to say because he's so happy. That's how I translate it, anyway. There's something really happy about this song, and listening to it makes me feel good.<br />
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3. Send Me an Angel <br />
I love this song more than anyone should ever love a song. This is magnificent, beautiful, aagh! I play it over and over again. The trance purists might not like the song being based so heavily on vocals, but to me the gorgeousness of the song makes up for it. Surprisingly, despite being from Israel, this is the first hebrew song they've ever done (though they did a hebrew sample in End of the Road). It's actually a cover of the band Mashina, which kinda disappoints me because I was hoping they'd write something in hebrew themselves. I hope this means they write it more, because hebrew is one of the world's most beautiful languages.<br />
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The lyrics are about asking, presumably God, for an angel, someone to love and support them in a difficult life as manic as a circus. (they lyrics actually say "zoo", but apparently the connotation is the same). "And sometimes everything looks the same, and sometimes, suddenly, there's a happy moment." This song is a perfect illustration of surviving horrible situations with optimism and hope for the future. Some criticize the breakdown in the later half of the song as not really matching, but I personally feel it works great. <br />
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I just can't get over this song. Excuse me while I listen to it ten times over.<br />
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4. You are so F-d.<br />
So when I first listened to this album, this was the skippable track. I ended up giving it a listen, though, and it's, well, bad. Very bad. Granted, it is kinda funny, in an immature, 15 year old guy way. I admit I giggled at it. Trouble is, there's no inherent value in it. It's just immaturity for immaturity's sake, and once you get over the initial joke, there's nothing left to listen to. Even without the lyrics, this is too dumb for IM. It's a really out of place song to put behind Send Me an Angel, too. It's like they were too afraid of people thinking their songs have meaning, so they had to back it up with this mess.<br />
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That, and the music video is really stupid.<br />
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5. The Rat<br />
I like this song a lot. It's very pulsing and exciting. It also pulls ideas from both IM's older and newer sounds, forming a perfect blend. A good, strong piece. Like all the previous songs, it has a happier sound. Something nice must have happened to IM before they worked on this release. Either that, or they were just tired from the emo, epic driven sounds of Vicious Delicious and Black Shawarma.<br />
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6. Nation of Wusses<br />
Bit more of a serious track. A bit more. It takes a while for it to get going, but when it does, it's nice. Bit too anthem, but it's alright.<br />
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7. Wanted To<br />
This song gets some hate from critics, but I actually really like it. The lyrics feel like something BT would go with. Actually, the whole thing sounds like a BT song done up Infected style. Surprisingly relaxing for a high energy song. <br />
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8. Serve My Thirst<br />
Bit of a darker track, just like the title suggests. The opening minutes are particularly fun, something nice and rockstep. It takes a few minutes for the lyrics to kick in, and that's when some darker elements come in. It's another one of those songs that sounds happier than the lyrics make it out to be. It works better here, because there's a humor in it.<br />
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9. I Shine<br />
Not something I find particularly transcendental, but it's nice and fun. A casual song for a sunshiney day.<br />
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10. Drum N Baasa<br />
Pretty good. I especially like the part around four minutes in, where the pulsing background loop comes in. I'm not entirely sure this is really drum 'n bass, but my concern is sounding good, not that IM conforms to my genre expectations. This track, unlike the three or so before, feels more like an experiment. <br />
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11. The Pretender<br />
As much as this really is a nice sounding song, I don't really like the idea of IM (or any band, really) doing lots of covers. It was one thing with Send Me an Angel, as Sh'lach Li Mal'ach was a fairly obscure song, at least to a non-Israeli. It was also very distant in style from what IM does normally, so a remix isn't out of place. <br />
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The Pretender, on the other hand, is a song that is not only highly recognisable (even by people who don't listen to Foo Fighters), but a song that is more rock -- a style that IM has been into more and more in later albums. It really does feel like IM is capitalizing on other people's popularity. Granted, that happens a lot in music, but still. Also, when a song is really good in its original form, that makes different versions very hard to competently pull off, particularly when they're covers and not remixes.<br />
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Of course, it's not like this song sucks or anything. It's actually really good, and I like listening to it. My feelings on covers aside, the only real downfall of this song is that it could be too well structured, erasing the raw passion of the original. All the same, I'd really rather IM just came up with their own song and made it as good as The Pretender. <br />
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12. The Messenger<br />
Lovely beginning. It starts off slow for a couple of minutes, but then really pumps up around six minutes in. I'm definitely having a good time listening to this. Love the piano work.<br />
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13. Swingish<br />
It's alright. A nice, fun track to listen to, with minimal seriousness. It's considered a bonus track, which makes sense. The Messenger is a better album ender, but this track isn't without its quality. It does feel sort of out of place, though. Kinda wish it was in the middle of the album rather than here.<br />
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After listening to all that, I can see where the critics are coming from, especially having listened to all the other albums as I wrote this review. The songs here are generally less complex, odd, and experimental than stuff on their earlier work. If you're a psytrance person, the more simplistic way to go isn't going to be as appealing. This album had a lot of "yeah, I got it" tracks, where you could easily listen to a thirty second sample of any song and have a general idea of what the rest of it is like (tracks 1, 2, and 10 aside). It didn't reward listening as much as older albums did (though it did do this more than Black Shawarma). <br />
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On the other hand. I feel like I need to point out this statement by a guy on youtube called Blan Blazbo: "The songs are structured like actual songs rather than the ultra repetitive stuff like EDM." Clearly Mr. Blazbo isn't really an electronic listener, but there's obviously an appeal to the kind of music this is. It's not bad, it's just different. We've got to rescue the pop crowd from their pop music ways, don't we? This is as good a way as any to pull them in.<br />
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And given that IM hasn't ever put out two albums that sound the same, it's entirely possible that this is just an album they decided to go a somewhat simpler route on, just this once. Not to mention that IM's brand of simplicity doesn't come even close to the simplicity of any given track you hear on the radio. It's not actually "simple," it's just simpler in comparison to their past stuff.<br />
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I like Army of Mushrooms well enough. It's a nice cd when you just want to relax and study. It doesn't need to be anything else, though it's certainly understandible if fans wanted something to get excited over. <br />
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Now to this period overall. I like it, but I can see what people mean when they say it's not like the old stuff. Vicious Delicious was a nu metal pull, Schawarma was from rock/metal trends, and Army of Mushrooms, while the least referential of the three, did pull from dubstep -- though I genuinely do feel that IM improved on dubstep as a genre. These guys are artists, and the lessons they learned from their older albums give life to the younger. <br />
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Actually, now that I think about it, that's the theme of Infected Mushroom: take a thing that exists and make it your own. IM has, at all points, done what it wanted. Sure, the band members have grown up over time, but they've always been about the fun and emotion of music, not necessarily what's the most artistic or genre-consistent. I think that's a major deal about why they've worked for so long. Really and truly, I don't get why people are so hateful on Infected Mushroom just because they changed. All bands change, and IM was just smarter about it than most.<br />
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On the other hand, I did learn to appreciate BP Empire a lot more from doing this review. Classical Mushroom I knew was grand, and The Gathering...even despite the mushroom boobs, I do like the album art. I would love if IM retreated more to the weirdo sounds of this era, as well as the nigh on nonsensical cover art. I like things that don't make sense. <br />
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Man, this was an educational experience. Not only do I feel like I know more about IM, but electronic music in general. Knowledge gained! Well, that's all Infected Mushroom's albums. Besides their Friends on Mushrooms albums, but I don't feel like reviewing those. Compilation albums tend to be a bit fragmented in feel, and not always represent the artist that well.<br />
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Up next, I'll talk about Daft Punk's albums! Not in order, however, because I turned this into a series in the last minute (I'm writing this now after having already written my reviews for Daft Punk), and for some reason I felt the need to talk about Random Access Memories first. It makes sense, now that I think about it, because everyone seems to want to review RAM by either comparing it to their past albums, loving it only through general band hype, or completely forgetting that the previous albums existed. By tackling it first, I made lots of statements that required rethinking in light of listening to their older stuff. Rethink it for yourself, why not?</div>
GrimMoodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14711339376401950830noreply@blogger.com0