Anime isn`t just all about robots and fighting girls you know.

Some people forget that anime is quite funny too. I regularlly watch anime for my comedy fix. My current favorite for this is Maria + Holic which is about a boy was is pretending to be a girl and a lesbian who is allergic to boys who attend an all girl boarding school. Its full of chibi greatness that never fails to make me laugh and an enduring sweetness within its characters too.
Maria + Holic-Episode 1

Another amazingly funny and often gripping anime is Soul Eater, that Shinigami never fails to crack me up and don`t even get me started on the Ledgend. This anime has results in me calling everyone a ばか (Baka) which basically means an idiot.

However the story line and plot can get rather rediculous and I often think that this anime is difficult to watch if your not really into anime already.
Soul Eater-Episode 1


And who could go past one of the biggest, if not THE biggest anime at the moment in Japan, One Piece? One Piece is EVERYWHERE in Japan at the moment, it has several movies released in the cinema, you can get t-shirts, clocks, collectors cards, toys, there is just so much One Piece mech. avalible.
One Piece-Episode 1


Enjoy!

Kamikaze Girls.

Kamikaze Girls or Shimotsuma Monogatari in Japanese tells the story of the unlikely friendship of Momoko, a devoted lolita and Ichiko, a yuki girl.

There are a few points that I like about this film, one of which is the way that they portray their lifestyles. Momoko lives in a land partly of fantasy, where she doesn`t need friends, being a lolita isn`t just a fashion statment it is her life. (Which is what its like for a lot of Lolitas) This is evident also when we see Momoko at school eatting lunch, she tells us `I only eat sweet things`. On the otherside of the scale we have Ichikio with her problems in the motorcycle gang.

Kamikaze girls in rural Japan, which is important to the development of the characters. Not all of Japan is like what you see on television or read in books, a large portion of it is still very tradional. Even though they have acess to Lolita magazines, animes and mangas, its not very common. This movie reminded me inparticular of a girl in my town who works in a fruit shop wearing full Sweet Lolita dress.

The movie also is a great example of the crazy Japanese humor that people rarely experience outside of animes, mangas and maybe the odd horror film.

You can watch the film below via you tube.

アンド Eccentic Agent ギャング

During the glorious V-Rock festival, this particular band caught my partner and I`s eye. They`re awesome costumes, far more awesome music and the amount of girls para-para dancing to them. アンド Eccentric Agent (And to those who don`t read Kana) are similar to the Gazette in music style, however they are far less mainstream.

Candy Punk

I have always been slightly alternative but I have never felt edgy or somber enough to be leather, fishnet gloves and long black skirts. It just never was my style. I felt that the whole burlesque look was too easy-just find a rockabily dress and slick on some red lipstick and your ready to go (why you don`t even really need to like rockabily, know anything about traditional burlesque or old times).

I am too hyper and child like, not like you *cool* kids to be about to pull anything like it off.

I think that this candy punk style is perfect for me, layers of tutus, pink dr martins, pastel coloured hoodies, GIANT bows. Why I don`t even have to do anything at all! Atleast you`ll be able to find me next time at that black metal gig!

you know when you`ve lived in Japan for a while

when songs like this start to appeal to you:

SuG- Vi-Vi-Vi
I have no idea why I keep listening to this song, well I do;
1)Takeru, the lead singer is hell cute.
2)It reminds me of why I love Japan, instant happiness! Bliss comes in the forms on small anime toys for 100 yen, candy coloured lolita dresses,manga, giant bows and cute-ness, if I am down a stroll through the supermarket/toy store/book store for everything to be a-okay again.
3)It`s just so darn happy!

An Education

A few weeks ago now I watched the film `An Education`, its an amazing film that has been well written, well directed and the performances are excellent. What strikes me most about this movie is the every girl feeling that it pr evokes. Any teenage girl would do the same thing, the protagonist is not particularly special, her parents hope for what most parents probably hoped for in that time period and she doesn`t do anything special.

The film appeals to art house film lovers and teenage girls alike, something which often isn`t said about film very often. Its a film that is subtle and not over dramatic.

Its worth the watch.

The Western

Last week I spent a lot of my time finishing a Screen History essay which I ineffectively compared 2 Western Films, part of my problem was within the given frame work I was unable to effectively communicate everything that I wanted to say about the genre. I wasn`t able to express anything about the amazing camera angles, dialogues, the violence, the terrain and the brutality that exists in this far away near fantasy land. I think that it somewhat is a response to my love of the sci-fi, violent film noir that so often captures my attention.

At least I gained a new found love a respect for a genre that seems dead. Even Science Fiction has been given away to romantic-coloursofthewind-healtheworld-notions that I hate so much. (really I could talk about this for-ev-er)

Even for the `cultured film buff` or whatever, its worth picking one up just to notice how much other films take from them. The best examples can be found if you compare Quinntin Tarintino`s films to Leone`s Spaghetti Westerns. Not to mention the awesome soundtracks.

My favourites of the 20 of so that I view where 3:10 to Yuma (both versions), My Darling Clementine, Once Upon A Time in the West, A Fistful of Dollars, Unforgiven and Johnny Guitar.

Unforgiven Trailer


A Fistful of Dollars Trailer

The Lobotomist

Yesterday I watched this thought provoking documentry about Dr. Walter Freeman the man who essientally pioneered the Lobotamy. It was thought to be a cure for every metal illness from disobdience in children to more sevre personality disorders.

A crude procedure, with untold results dramaticlly effected the pateints personality and mental well being for better or worse.

This documentry all highlights the struggles of the mentally ill in yester-years and how in a desparate situation people are willing to try anything if its a means to helping someone escape.

Visit documentary-log.com for free online documentaries!