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"Reviews, news, and comments for the anime collector
by anime collectors."
1/9/1989
This is the 9th in a series of files of comments and reviews of anime
(Japanese animation) items that we have bought. Please direct all
comments to us by E-mail or post us a message in the Forum. We also
welcome any reviews or comments you would like to have included in the
next ANIME STUFF issue. Also please send us any comments about any
incorrect information contained here. A correction will be placed in the
next ANIME STUFF.
The ANIME STUFF Staff??
- Tom Mitchell : Editor, Writer, Graphic Designer, CompuServe Distributor
CompuServe Address : 75156,1067
- Masaki Takai : Writer & BBS System Distributor
CompuServe Address : 75106,3257
- Mike & Janet Naylor : Writers
CompuServe Address : 76074,1631
- Rick Sternbach : Anime Modeler, Writer
CompuServe Address : 74616,526
- Jude George : USENET Distributor, Writer
CompuServe Address: 72307,1752
USENET Address :
[email protected]
Contributing Authors for this Issue:
- James Oney
CompuServe Address : 73367,3302
- Yoshiyuki Karahashi
CompuServe Address : 72047,2730
- Tony Lane
CompuServe Address : 72257,2136
- Patrick Minyard
CompuServe Address : 76407,2342
- Len Lekx
CompuServe Address : 73300,723
////////////////////////////////QUICK NOTE\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
For the best in on-line anime chatter, be sure and check out Takayuki
Karahashi's VALLEY OF THE WIND BBS, the official ANIMAG BBS. It is
certainly one of the best anime BBSs around.
Give it a call at 1-415-341-5986. (It's located in California??)
/////////////////////////////GIF GRAPHICS NOTE\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
This issue we feature some nice GIF graphics from PATLABOR and BLACK
MAGIC M-66. Be sure and download them. They turned out really well, and
will be a great addition to your GIF graphics collection!
Here is a list of the graphics files and what they are off??
ASG901.GIF : This issue's cover! The cast of PATLABOR.
ASG902.GIF : The Patlabor mecha pointing a gun??at you!
ASG903.GIF : From Patlabor??Noah Izumi polishing her Patlabor mecha!
ASG904.GIF : From Patlabor??A new arrival at the base.
ASG905.GIF : From Patlabor??A dangerous little ol' lady!
ASG906.GIF : From Patlabor??Izumi in the cockpit of her mecha.
ASG907.GIF : From Black Magic M-66??Sybel ponders a news leak.
ASG908.GIF : From Black Magic M-66??Sybel's first view of Col. Arthur.
ASG909.GIF : From Black Magic M-66??M-66 cools off in the sewer system.
ASG910.GIF : From Black Magic M-66??Sybel & Ferris make a last stand.
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TWO REVIEWS ON -
BUBBLEGUM CRISIS 4: REVENGE ROAD (AVAILABLE ON TAPE AND LASERDISC)
In a nutshell, this is quite possibly the best Bubblegum Crisis episode
so far. It is a bit longer than BGC 2 or 3 and that may help in terms of
pacing and development of the plot. The story this time breaks off from
the usual KnightSabers vs. the Genom Corporation conflict and tells the
story of a man bent on revenge against the motorcycle gangs that afflict
MegaTokyo, after he and his girlfriend are traumatized by a run-in with
them. Indeed, this episode breaks from the other episodes so far in a
lot of ways. There is no big battle at the end, with the KnightSabers
blasting away at Boomers. There is no "sacrificial lamb" that seemed to
be necessary, up to this point, to get the KnightSabers into action.
Instead, you will find a well-thought out, well-designed story with a lot
of visual imagery. I am glad to see the BGC series break out of the
cliche-ridden outline that it has been following to this point and to
really explore the possibilities in the BGC world. BGC 5 supposedly goes
back to the KnightSabers vs. Genom conflict. I hope that the conflict is
handled better than how it has been handled in the previous episodes??.
- Masaki Takai
Mason is dead. Genom Corporation and the irrepressible Boomer incidents
have temporarily faded into the backdrop of city life.
Seemingly there is nothing left for a Knight Saber to do. And yet,
whenever there is Priss and her motorcycle, trouble will eventually find
them.
Bubblegum Crisis 4: Revenge Road is a very different Bubblegum Crisis.
All the familiar Bubblegum Crisis elements are there: strong action,
fast and slick cyberpunk mecha, motorcycles, midtown chase scenes, and
all backed by a fast moving soundtrack. This time, however, instead of
driving the film, these elements support a tale of obsession and
vengeance.
Revenge Road is a simple story. Man hates motorcycles, Man runs down
Priss, Priss saves Man from himself in the climatic chase scene.
However, this is only a bare frame upon which is developed a full and
exciting tale. In Revenge Road there is no great conspiracy to shatter,
no threat imposed by a megalithic enemy, no series of conflicts and
action sequences which lead this OAV to its conclusion. Instead, the
plot is driven by the feelings and desires of the participants, whose
motivations are more dangerous than any previous Boomer. Partly it is a
tale of dedication, of Gibson for his girlfriend Naomi, who hasn't talked
since the day a motorcycle gang attacked them. Gibson, in his
continuously modified Griffon, feels more than hatred towards the
rampaging motorcycle gangs. He is obsessed with his revenge, to the
point that he pushes himself to the edge, and pushes his car beyond. And
it is the strength of his obsession which drives Revenge Road, about
which all the conflicts revolve. And last, in a simple way, Revenge Road
has a touch of betrayal, as the "mechanic" Raven eventually has to turn
to the Knight Sabers to bring his old friend to justice.
And yet, Gibson the villian is no powermad corporate executive or
inhuman Boomer. He is a simply a man who was the victim of a senseless
act of violence, which has scarred his life ever since. One can almost
sympathize with him, and definitely understand the feelings which
motivate him towards his revenge. One can watch his desire to strike
out, to strike back, grow, step by step by step. It is his feelings for
Naomi which form the foundation of his obsessive revenge, it is her hurt
that is a continual reminder of that one night, that one tragic attack.
And in the end, it is Noami who gets Gibson to stop. But by then his
obsession has gotten out of even his control.
That is what makes Bubblegum Crisis 4 different. Characterization.
Not only does it mold the plot, but finally we are given a look into the
personalities which make up the Knight Sabers. For the first time one
can see them train and play, talk and tease one another around the dining
room table, the little details which make up a well rounded character.
Priss's conniving whiles, when she convinces Mackie to let her ride the
new bike, or her "fondness" for hospitals. Linna's habit of eating when
she loses. It is moments like these which make the difference between a
well developed character, and a cardboard one.
The quality of the animation and artwork more than matches the levels
set by the previous Bubblegum Crises. The film opens with a slow
dramatic introduction to the Griffon, the car which becomes Gibson's
weapon of revenge. Every scene in which the car appears is well drawn,
and captures the strength and power of Gibson's obsession. Its continual
metamorphosis is fascinating. With each modification the car becomes
more and more ominous, until at the end it even shares the visual
characteristics of the inhuman Boomers. The detailing in the animation
is excellent, from jokes to serious issues. Particularly disturbing is a
scene where Gibson empties a gun into his apartment's wall. Every time
he fires, Naomi jerks. One also gets fragmented glimpses of the
lettering on the back Raven's coverall, which becomes a perfect set up
for a simple and effective one line joke. Details. The cybernetic
effects when the Griffon goes into overdrive are well done, and give a
feeling of superior speed, power, and excitement. In general, all the
vehicles are exciting to watch, as both car and motorcycle are pushed to
their limits.
One of the OAV's strong points is that Revenge Road is told in a very
visual manner. From action to characterization, the storyline can be
interpreted from the graphics alone. The action is strong and well
directed, with each scene unfolding an addition layer of the plot. The
feelings and emotions can be seen within the faces of the characters.
One can read Gibson's torment within his taught and wired expression, and
see the trust in Naomi's eyes.
However, there is a downside to the animation of Bubblegum Crisis 4.
There is a very heavy use of still cells and frozen background scenes
throughout the OAV. And while they are well drawn, stylish, and
detailed, they still do not move at all. This would not normally be a
problem, but there are times when one just simply notices it. But since
the story stands on the characterizations and developing plot, this does
not interfere with the enjoyment of the film.
The background music for Bubblegum Crisis 4 is perhaps the strongest
score since Bubblegum Crisis One. The music does an excellent job of
enhancing the action, and fits the tone and atmosphere of the OAV
excellently. The background music would be an great addition to anyones
music collection.
The police in the Bubblegum Crisis series deserve mention. In many
other films, which center about an extra-legal force, the local police
are often played for fools or comic relief. One of the refreshing
aspects of the OAV series is that, at least in Tokyo, this is not the
case. While they may be undergunned and under-teched, in all cases they
have been portrayed courageously, professionally, and usually
intelligently. In Revenge Road they finally get their reward.
In the end, it is not the Knight Savers that vanquish the rampaging
Griffon, but Leon, Mega Tokyo ADP.
- Mike Naylor.
URUSEI YATSURA "TV TRAILERS" ON LASERDISC (Pony Canyon, #G68X5059, CLV
{72 min.}, Y6,800)
The first disc is the Urusei Yatsura "TV Titles" (that's the not
correct title, but it should give an idea what the LD is about).
There are two soundtracks to this LaserDisc. The first soundtrack
("analog") is used for giving a brief synopsis of each episode (all
218 of them!). On the other soundtrack ("digital"), there is Back
Ground Music from all of the episodes (in stereo). However, the opening
and closing themes are not included here. I recommend this disc for any
"die-hard" Urusei Yatsura fan.
- Patrick Minyard
URUSEI YATSURA "TV TITLES" ON LASERDISC (KITTY VIDEO, 5133-15, CAV,
Y5,800)
As the title of this video implies, this is a collection of all of the
opening title graphics and songs from the UY TV series. 15 of them in
all. This video is filled with giddy pop and rock tunes set to some
clever and entertaining graphics. Turn the picture off and you have a UY
greatest hits album. Turn the picture back on, and you see what might be
going through your head as you listen to the tunes! (Mostly abstract
images of poor Ataru in being harassed as usual??)
Some of the stand-out tunes and opening title graphics include OPEN
INVITATION, which has the cast of UY dancing by in silhouette form. Also,
ROCK THE PLANET, featuring great graphics of the cast surfing on stars!
The quality of the laserdisc is excellent. It's recorded in CAV mode so
you can enjoy rock-still freeze frames of the graphics. And the title
graphics are presented with out any credits to get in the way. The audio
quality is outstanding. If you've only heard these title tunes played on
the TV show in dull mono sound, well they take on a whole new life
with the quality stereo mixes presented here. No digital sound on the
disc, which is a shame. But the analog soundtrack is of the best quality.
Of course this disc is highly recommended for the Urusei Yatsura
collector. But, its also a disc that any one who loves good pop music
will enjoy! This disc is just plain fun!
- Tom Mitchell
COMMENTS ON ROBOTECH - THE SENTINELS EPISODES ON VIDEO
In 1985, Harmony Gold Productions took three separate animated shows
from Japan, did some editing and voice-over work on them, and came up
with what we know as the Robotech Saga. After it was received with great
deal of enthusiasm, they decided to produce an original series to answer
a number of questions that appeared within the framework of Robotech.
Thus Robotech II: The Sentinels emerged.
Originally meant to be a series, the production was sponsored by
MatchBox Toys, Ltd; apparently in an attempt to defray the cost by
producing toys along with the show. However, for whatever reasons, the
series was never finished. Palladium Books later sold a videotape of the
only footage made. This review is about that video.
The story, while interesting, is rather choppy. instead of focusing on
one subject for any length of time, the action jumps from one place to
the next with a very simple narrative. While this can be useful in some
instances, it fails to do anything for the audience in this case.
StoryLine gets a 4.
As for the animation, I do not have a firm basis for comparison.
Having been raised on Bugs Bunny et al, all I feel inclined to say is
that it is better than some shows I have seen, but leaves much to be
desired. The motion is smooth, and the background artwork is excellent,
but the moving characters themselves are simplistic, and sometimes
repetitive. Animation gets a 6.
If this video has any saving grace, it is the soundtrack. The
background music is totally engrossing. Combat sequences are enhanced by
hard-hitting rock, while the lighter moments are accentuated by soft,
easy melodies. SoundTrack gets an 8.
Overall, Robotech II: The Sentinels is not a total disaster. While I
wouldn't go as far as to say that it is a "Must Watch" tape, it is a nice
piece if work. If the producers had put a little more work into keeping
the story straight, and improved the animation just a little, it would be
a worthwhile enterprise.
Overall rating - 6
10 = Dirty Pair - Project EDEN
0 = G.I. Joe.
- Len Lekx
DIRTY PAIR - AFFAIR OF NOLANDIA ON LASERDISC (EMOTION VIDEO BEAL-101)
Although the story here is pretty plain, and the animation quality is
lower than the Pair deserve on their first outing as an Original Anime
Video, this title is still a must have for the die-hard Dirty Pair fan.
The story this time has the Lovely Angels investigating the death and
destruction caused by a young girl with psychic powers. They run into and
foil the operations of a group of scientists who are using the girl and
some newly discovered alien genetics techniques to create a group of
ESPer children and animals for use as a destructive psychic army.
While the story is hardly original or very suspenseful, this OAV is
still interesting in that it presents some interesting new views of the
Dirty Pair. And no, I'm not talking about the nude scenes. (smirk) A new
animation crew has lifted elements from both the TV series and the Dirty
Pair novels and brought them into the OAV. For example, although their
pet "cat" Mugi is the same one from the TV series, he is now colored
black like he is in the novels instead of the bright red he was on TV.
But he is still hardly the deadly "panther" he was in the novels. Also,
the girls have a chance here to show of their own ESP powers here as the
did in the novels. This was an aspect to them that was not featured in the
TV series. And, best of all, Yuri's "Bloody Card" is back. Featured only
in the novels, this was a razor sharp flying smart-card that Yuri would
throw. It would fly around, cutting the throats of any surrounding
enemies! It's used to great effect here!
While the story, and the animation quality suffers a bit, there are
some really fun chase scenes here. (The Pair run into another
"Terminator"-style robot??) These scenes are worth the price of the OAV
just for the fun they create.
The quality of the laserdisc puts some of the poor production values of
this OAV in a harsh light. The print used for the OAV is pretty grainy
and although the OAV says it's in stereo, only the scenes with music
really are. The dialogue and sound effects are in mono sound. The disc
is in CAV mode though.
As the end of the video shows, this was the first attempt at an OAV
series for the Dirty Pair. And because the new producers did not give it
the time and quality it deserved, it failed. It's a good thing that the
Dirty Pair movie was so successful and well done. It was the reason for
the creation of the new 10 episode OAV series from VAP video which got
the attention it deserved. If there was not the interest in doing a
Dirty Pair movie that there was, the Dirty Pair may have ended their
film careers with AFFAIR OF NOLANDIA.
- Tom Mitchell
TONARI NO TOTORO {TOTORO NEXT DOOR} (AVAILABLE ON TAPE AND LASERDISC)
Miyazaki strikes again! Indeed, this is a most delightful film, which
will bring smiles to both children and adults alike. The story revolves
around two sisters in Japan, Satsuki and Mei, who have just moved to the
country from the city during the 60s. During Mei's exploration of the
territory, she runs across a strange set of creatures called the Totoro.
A series of encounters happens during which Satsuki meets the Totoro as
well. At the end, Mei gets lost and the entire village turns out to find
her. Satsuki turns to the Totoro to help her find Mei which leads very
naturally to the movie's climax. An unbelievably cheerful and enchanting
film. Run, do not walk, to go see it.
- Masaki Takai
GRAVE OF THE FIREFLY ON LASERDISC (LDC SF050-1508, CLV VERSION)
Quite simply, GRAVE OF THE FIREFLY is the most beautiful and saddest war
film I have ever seen. This story of a boy and his young sister trying
so survive the American firebombings of WWII is an extremely realistic
view of life during war time. An artists painting of the war. But this
painting moves, and follows the lives and deaths of the subjects captured
within it.
Aside from the story, the history presented here provides some extremely
important lessons for the American viewer. As it is a film intended for
Japanese audiences, we get a Japanese perspective on the war. Something
never presented to us here in the U.S. on film before. For instance,
school never taught me about the American firebombings and fighter
attacks on civilian targets. Oh, sure??nobody stays clean for long in
war. But seeing the "good guys" doing an evil thing for their cause
is very disturbing. Particularly when we are not told of it in our own
history.
The film is very depressing??a study of human entropy during war. It
makes a sad film like Windaria look like a Urusei Yatsura episode. (grin)
We witness the death of an era in the faces of the children of this film
, and only their ghosts are left by the end of the film to witness
the new Japan??a glimpse of a modern Japanese city.
It is a hard lesson to watch. But this film is so technically beautiful
that it should not be missed. You can see why the men who worked on
the film are used by famous director Miyazaki as his animation staff.
The irony is that Miyazaki could never do a film like this on his own
as he would probably avoid the subject matter, its realistic
presentation and conclusion.
There are two versions of this film on Laserdisc. I bought the 5500 Yen
CLV version of this film because it was out first but there is a more
expensive CAV version that has just been released. Both are presented
in full "letterboxed" format with digital Dolby Surround audio.
Heheh??I don't know if I would watch this film for the story again.
Perhaps I might after I get over it, but I do skip around to study the
fantastic art. Would a film like this ever be made in America? No,
not without mice.
- Tom Mitchell
PROJECT A-KO 3 - CINDERALLA RHAPSODY ON LASERDISC (Pony Canyon, #G98F0258
, CAV {55 min.}, Y9,800)
Okay, okay, I'm sure someone has already done a review of this movie,
but I just had to get my opinion in! This is good movie, albeit
somewhat short. I liked the animation in it (especially the pool-hall
scene in the beginning, which was awesome!). A-KO finally gets a job
(due to the fact that she can't afford what she wants without an income)
at a fast-food restaurant. At the same time, she falls in love with one
of the customers. Throughout the movie, A-KO is trying to get Kei's
attention (the person she's in love with), but to no avail. Kei is
actually in love with someone else, namely A-KO's best friend: C-KO!
Of course, B-KO is up to her usual tricks (e.g. having her cronies spy
on A-KO). I enjoyed this movie (even the clever little Cream Lemon
scenes - grin), but I do have one complaint. The soundtrack wasn't as
good as the two previous movies (I did like the music for the pool-hall
scene). Pony also did not include a soundtrack on the the alternate
music track on this LaserDisc, much to my disappointment.
- Patrick Minyard
KIMAGURE ORANGE ROAD CDV 2 (TOSHIBA/EMI COMPACT DISC VIDEO CTV24-109)
Once again the folks a Toshiba/EMI create an excellent Compact Disc Video
production for Kimagure Orange road. If you enjoyed the first Orange
Road CDV, then you will definitely enjoy the second volume. This disc is
even somewhat a better value than the first. This time 5 songs are
included on the digital audio portion of the disc. All excellent pop
tunes from the show. The video portion once again presents 4 title
graphics with out the credits to get in the way. The most fascinating
graphic is the beautiful animated sand painting of Madoka.
A highly recommened disc for the collector or the casual fan alike. At
2,400 Yen this disc is a steal. And it's one of the few ways to get the
title graphics with digital stereo audio for the Kimagure Orange Road fan.
- Tom Mitchell
TOP O NERAE!: GUNBUSTER VOL. 1
This is a new OAV series, brought to us by a varied staff that is filled
with talent. Character designer is Haruhiko Mikimoto (HAL), known for
his work on Macross, Orguss, and Megazone 23. The animation studio is
Gainax, who brought us Wings of Honneamise, among other animation works.
As might be expected from such a staff, the first volume is very good.
Mixing humor, SF mecha, and a Rocky (the boxing movie) type plot, it
manages to entertain very well. Each volume is organized into two 30
minute stories, resembling TV shows, complete with one commercial! An
interesting idea is the science forum that is held at the end of each
story, discussing the scientific ideas used in the story. Some of this
is bogus (obviously) but other parts (such as the bit about relativity)
are actually pretty accurate. The animation is smooth, with much
attention to detail (check out the cockpit displays and the jiggling of
various objects! (evil grin)). Definitely worth watching, if just for
HAL's character designs.
- Masaki Takai
HURRICANE LIVE 2032 : THE BEST OF BUBBLEGUM CRISIS MUSIC
(TOSHIBA/EMI LASERDISC L049-5049
Great music, great graphics, cute girls dealing high-tech violence. This
disc is the essence of BUBBLEGUM CRISIS with out the plot. (grin) As the
title implies this is a greatest hits video of music from the Original
Anime Video series. The video presents 6 songs from the show set to
graphics from the series. The big surprise on this disc is the new
animation of the Night Sabers as a rock band! Portions of this animation
reveals some clues as to just how the Knight Sabers first came together.
(This looks like it could make a nice OAV on it's own!) Plus a live
action shot of a life size BGC hardsuit and some models based on the
show are shown at the end.
My only complaint about the video is that much of the series excellent
instrumental music is overlooked. The technical quality of the disc is
excellent with its stunning digital sound and CAV mode special effects.
The great graphics from the show make this an exciting music video to
watch, although perhaps a bit dull for those of us who have seen all of
this before. If you're looking for a video souvenir from the show this
should do just fine. And of course, BGC collectors will want this for the
new animation of the Knight Sabers. (I love Priss' new concert outfit!!!)
(grin)
- Tom Mitchell
CITY HUNTER Vol. 1 (episodes #1, 2, 3, 8) ON LASERDISC (Hill Crane #HCL-3002
, CLV {98 min.}, Y7,800)
This LaserDisc is from the television series of the same name (right
now, City Hunter 2 is airing in Japan). I'm not too sure what this
series is about (nor do I know the main characters' names) other than
the main character is like a private investigator. The voice actor for
the main character is the same person as that of "Shutaro Mendo" in
Urusei Yatsura. One interesting note about the main character, he's even
more lecherous than Ataru Moroboshi (is that possible?)! The video
has a mixture of seriousness as well as humor, but it may tend to not
hold the attention of some viewers who want pure action. There are
currently 4 volumes out for City Hunter.
- Patrick Minyard
MOBILE POLICE PATLABOR VOL. 1: SECOND PLATOON, MOVE OUT!
The Patlabor OAV series is the first production by the studio Headgear,
which consists of several major anime staff: concept by Masami Yuuki
(Kyuukyoku Choojin R), director Mamoru Oshii (UY2, Angel's Egg),
screenplay by Kazunori Itoh (Maison Ikkoku, Twilight Q), character
designer Akemi Takeda (Orange Road), and mechanical designer Yutaka
Izubuchi (Gundam). As might be expected from such a brilliant staff,
Patlabor seems to be headed for stardom (the Patlabor series has been
pretty consistently high on the video ranking list). Another factor
contributing to this is each volume's trendsetting price of 4800 yen,
almost 1/2 of what the industry usually charges for an OAV of this
quality and length. The first episode starts the series off by
introducing the main characters and showing their introduction to the
patlabor (PATrol LABOR = mobile suits, called labors, used for police
work) force. We have a brief conflict with a rogue construction labor
which is resolved quickly with very little gratuitous violence. More
importantly, the personalities of Noah Izumi (the heroine of the series)
and her partner Asuma Shinohara plus the other members of the patlabor
force are shown and developed. The animation is smooth; the plot is a
bit on the weak side, but the character development in this volume will
be important for the rest of the series. This series is highly
recommended. Besides, for 4800 yen, how can you go wrong? At least, try
out the first volume before judging.
- Masaki Takai
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BLACK MAGIC M-66 ORIGINAL ALBUM ON COMPACT DISC (FUTURELAND LD32-5031)
If you enjoyed the background music to the BLACK MAGIC M-66 Original
Animation Video, then you will not be disappointed by this album. Not only
does it feature all the BGM from the film, but it boasts generous
portions of those compositions. The tracks of music done for the OAV are
much longer, detailed, and carefully composed than one would think just
from the snippets of music that were used in the film.
The sounds on of the 13 tracks on this album represent several musical
styles that come together to convey the frantic, start-stop, metallic
action of the film. Kinetic action tunes, funky rap, military marches and
dark sythesiser passages all contribute to a score that tells the story
of M-66.
The dark, moody, and beautiful score to Vampire Hunter D was able to
describe the tech-gothic horror atmosphere of that film. The Black Magic
M-66 soundtrack is it's cybernetic-action background music counterpart. The
music is military-dark, mecha-clunky, and urban-bad. Exploding at points
with wild flourishings of action guitar and piano pieces.
Perhaps the only disappointment in the album are the songs. They are
really throwaways when compared to the rest of the album. And pretty
poorly recorded. The sound on the songs seem compressed and boxy when
set next to the instrumental tracks. The first song on the album is
FINALLY, the song that plays over the end credits. Taken out of the
context of the ending credit animation, this song sounds a bit out of
place on the album and I find myself skipping it. The second song is
called GEOMETRY a bonus track that was not used in the film.
I highly recommend this album for the BGM collector as it will add a few
new sounds and emotions to your collection presented in a very unique
style. Although it may be a bit dark and frantic for some, this is one of
the important quality BGMs of the past year.
- Tom Mitchell
IMAGE SKETCH OF "AILE DE HONNEAMISE" COMPACT DISC (MIDI INC. MID-1501)
The album contains four tracks. The fourth track is the Royal Space
Force "Military Song" (gunka). All the BGMs were composed and arranged
by Ryuichi Sakamoto. The Lyrics in the Military Song was done by Kenzo
Saeki. The album is approximately 14 minutes long. It is quite short
for a CD, but the quality of the music makes this album very attractive.
All four tracks contain different styled music. But they are easy to the
ear, and very pleasant to listen to. This is one of the best image
albums I have ever listened to.
The first track is PROTOTYPE A, which is approximately 4 minutes long.
The music is similar to the opening (?) music of the film. The music
gives a strange but pleasant mood of the film. An awkward world capable
of jet planes and spacecraft.
The second track is PROTOTYPE B, which is 3 minutes long. This is a
quieter and slower piece. The music gives an impression of a person
wondering what he should do, perhaps a light depression.
The third track is (guess what) PROTOTYPE C, 4.5 minutes long. This one
is a faster paced and uplifting piece, with an impression of a person
reaching out to grasp his goal.
The fourth track is PROTOTYPE D, approximately 2.5 minutes. This is the
Military Song. The music is fast faced and uplifting. The music combined
with the lyrics gives an image of the Space Force's determination in
pursuing it's goal.
The CD, interestingly, does not come in the regular plastic case.
Instead, it comes in a fabric jacket inside a hard paper case (much like
a LP). More interestingly, there is a caution on the side of the case.
It reads "CAUTION: SPECIAL BONUS PRICE." Maybe this has something to do
with the 2000 yen price tag.
- Yoshiyuki Karahashi
MOBILE POLICE PATLABOR: INTERFACE
This is the soundtrack album for the Patlabor OAV series. To be more
specific, this disc contains the BGM from the first three volumes in the
series. There are a total of 15 songs on the disc, 2 of which have
vocals. One of them is the title song, found on every volume of the
series, and the other is an image song, sung by Miina Tominaga (the voice
actress for Noah Izumi). The two vocal songs are excellent. Miina
Tominaga turns in a great performance, considering that singing is not
her main line of work. The remaining BGM ranges in mood from synth-pop
to creepy to traditional orchestral. The variety is excellent and makes
for interesting listening. Digital recording makes the sound quality on
this disc superb. Recommended for fans of the series and for those
interested in trying something with a lot of variety.
- Masaki Takai
MEGAZONE 23 IMAGE ALBUM ON COMPACT DISC (VICTOR VDR-1059 3200 YEN)
Featuring TOKIO 23, the group of studio musicians who did most of the
music for the Megazone 23 OAV series, this image album is highly
recommended. Unlike a lot of image albums, this production does not fall
into the rut of becoming just more variations on a theme. Rather, it
provides all new rock/jazz instrumentals that perfectly capture the
mood and feeling of Megazone 23. (Harmony Gold even butchered this
soundtrack for new music to their dreadful ROBOTECH MOVIE.)
8 of the 9 tracks on this album are new material done pretty much in the
style of the music of the first OAV (part 1). Track 9 features all the
major themes from Megazone 23 Part 1 performed as a long medley. Great!
Tokio 23's small band/combo sound really brings an intimate feeling to
the music. I can just see these guys in playing in the studio. That is
when my mind is not imagining new MZ23 scenes to fit these tunes.
A must have for the fan craving more MZ23-style music. It might just
tide you over until Megazone 23 Part 3 comes out. (grin)
- Tom Mitchell
BUBBLEGUM CRISIS 4 - REVENGE ROAD SOUNDTRACK ON COMPACT DISC (FUTURLAND
LD32-5076)
The great action in BCG 4 deserves some hard-hitting action music and
gets it in this new soundtrack. What can I really say? I mean, all of the
music for the Bubblegum Crisis OAV series has been excellent so far. A
new vocalist adds a better voice to the songs here and a more guitar is
prominent in the action tunes.
This is some of the hottest, carefully composed action music of the
series yet. The dark emotions of the mad Gibson and his evil looking
car are perfectly captured. And the music conveys the fast and frantic
feeling of the scenes of motorcycle death on the highways of Mega-Tokyo.
My favorite tracks are the lively SURVIVAL, the music from the girls
Survival Shot paint gun game. Some tight, bouncy bass guitar here. And,
thanks in part to the new vocalist, the song CRISIS becomes the best
rock song of the series, perfectly summing up the attitude of this
episode with the chorus phrasing of "Burning Highway??"
It all ends with the emotional and haunting ballad TWILIGHT. And I think
this album gets my vote for best BGC BGM CD cover: a portrait of Priss
hugging the Highway Star motorbike. Her reflection in its glossy finish.
(sigh??) Well, on to BGC 5??
- Tom Mitchell
MAISON IKKOKU MUSIC COCKTAIL
Don't get me wrong. I'm a great fan of Maison Ikkoku and I love the
great majority of Rumiko Takahashi's work. With these predispositions in
mind, I listened to the Maison Ikkoku Music Cocktail disc ?? and came
away disappointed. To start off with, the first opening theme from the
series ("Kanashimi yo Konnichiwa") is not incorporated on this disc. The
two closing songs by Picasso (the group, not the artist) are on here
("Fantasy" and "Ci-ne-ma") and almost save the disc ?? but don't quite
make it. The remaining songs are basically BGM, except for three more
songs (a total of 26 (!) songs on this disc), one of which is sung by a
male and the other two sung by Sumi Shimamoto (voice actress for Kyoko
Otonashi ?? and for Nausicaa). Sumi Shimamoto turns in an OK
performance but definitely not outstanding in any way. And, as for the
BGM, the best that I can say for it is that it's weak. Most of the BGM
has the same sort of feel to it, which leads to boredom after listening
to the disc for a while. I guess I'll keep to listening to the BGM while
watching the show itself. (sigh) And I *wanted* to like this disc so
much??
- Masaki Takai
MEGAZONE 23 BGM MANIAC COLLECTION (VICTOR RECORDS JBX-7001)
The music to Megazone 23 Parts 1 & 2 is considered among the best of any
Original Anime Video series to date. The music from this series brought
about a new wave of quality Rock and Jazz music to the OAV world. If you
loved Megazone 23, you can't help not loving the music. It is greatly
responsible for the atmosphere and emotion felt in the series. It helps
set up the contemporary environment in which the characters live. Heck,
even the citizens of Megazone 23 are controlled by the songs in the
OAVs! And of course, if you're like me you have the excellent
soundtrack albums to Part's 1 & 2. And you've probably noticed
something??Not all of the music from the series is on these albums. Oh
sure, most all of the major BGMs are there. But what about the little
ones? Where's the music to Yui's dance routine in Part 1? Or how about
some of the dog-fight music or all the music from the end to Part 2,
among others.
Well for those of use who enjoyed those BackGround Music bits, Victor
records has issued a Megazone 23 disc as part of their BGM MANIAC
LIBRARY. This series of 12 inch 45 RPM vinyl singles features rare bits
of BGM from various popular TV series. The Megazone 23 disc features
themes cut from Parts 1 and 2 compiled into 4 tracks. All of them are
played by the fantastic studio combo band TOKIO 23. Track 1 is titled
INTRODUCTION and features the dog-fight and city themes from Megazone 23
Parts 1 & 2. Track 2 is DANCER, Yui's dance routine theme from Part 1.
Tracks 3 and 4 are titled EVE and ADAM and feature all of the music from
many of the ending scenes of Part 2. These include themes from Shogo and
Eve's first meeting, Yui's "death", and the final scenes on Earth. A
really fantastic selection of themes. I have no idea why they would cut
these from the soundtrack albums.
I have only two complaints about this disc. First, with the death of the
vinyl disc in Japan in favor of CD's (happening much quicker there than
in the US??), I only hope that this disc is put in a more permanent
form on a CD single. (Drrrroooool!) Oh well, just call me a BGM maniac.
(grin)
- Tom Mitchell
////////////////////////////BOOKS AND MAGAZINES\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
COMICOMI SUPER SPECIAL - SPECIAL GRAPHIX: DOMINION
This is a great book for fans of the anime Dominion. And even more so,
it is a great book for fans of the manga Dominion. This 106 page book
has a lot to offer to fans. To start off with, there are two color fold-
out posters in the front. Then comes 30 color pages of a film story,
relating the story found in Act I and Act II. To delight manga fans,
Masamune Shirow has drawn a special supplement to the manga Dominion
called "Phantom of Audience" that is 31 B&W pages. And of course, after
that are various other things like character design sheets, mechanical
and background design sheets, a section dealing with radio control racing
with a RC version of Bonaparte (Leona's tank), and a novelized story (in
Japanese) from the Dominion world. It may be a trifle boring to non-fans
but I recommend it to fans of Dominion (both anime and manga) as being an
essential part of your collection. It lists for 980 yen.
- Masaki Takai
PROTOCULTURE ADDICTS MAGAZINE
This Canadian publication is by far the best publication ever created for
fans of the TV series Robotech. It's so good, it could almost make me a
fan again! (grin) Crammed with information, stories, graphics, and even
and original Comic, this magazine is a amazing fan achievement. They are
also branching into more general anime coverage too!
If your addicted to Robotech, write these folks for an issue or
subscription. You can write them at??
PROTOCULTURE ADDICTS
C.P. 35, SUCC. AHUNTSIC
MONTREAL, QC. CANADA H3L 3N5
-Tom Mitchell
AC/PICTURE BOOK: GUNDAM ILLUSTRATIONS
You say you hate looking at all that Japanese that you can't read in
anime books? You say you dislike using money on something you can't read
anyway? Well, here it is ?? a book with *no* text in it whatsoever
(besides captions). It's 34 pages, 8 1/2 by 11 3/4, of pure cell-type
color illustrations from the TV series Mobile Suit Z-Gundam and ZZ-
Gundam. A lot of this material has been printed before as posters, so if
you're an avid Gundam poster collector, you may have seen some of this
material before, but there's also something to be said in having it
available in a letter-size format. Many of the pictures are just
beautiful, in showing off the beauty of the Gundam world and its many
facets. The mecha are posed in various interesting forms and the
characters pop up in their usual costumes and others that are not so
familiar. This book is highly recommended to the Gundam fan and any fan
that is interested in having a collection of some great cell-type
Japanese animation art. It lists for 1200 yen.
-Masaki Takai
/////////////////////////////ANIME MODEL KITS\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
1/6 SCALE DIRTY PAIR - KEI & YURI FIGURES MODEL KIT BY KAIYODA
Before one can begin the process of assembling these figures, one
should become intimately acquainted with the girls who posed for them.
As was well put by Douglas Adams, this is, of course, impossible. And so
we must settle for the next best thing, which is watching every
television episode of The Dirty Pair, studying every frame of the Affair
of Nolandia, committing to memory each line and paint stroke from Project
Eden, and perhaps burning into the retinas a number of Dirty Pair film
comics and picture books.
Clearly, one cannot get too much of Kei and Yuri. They are, of course,
more than simply an adolescent fantasy, since their antics are a great
deal of fun, their feline and robotic companions an absolute riot, and
their very distinct personalities something to study during the good and
not-so-good times.
Through the kind efforts of Tomoko Saito in Tokyo I have been able to
secure one each of the 1/6 scale figures I first saw in HOBBY JAPAN.
Unlike the Lum figure I reviewed earlier, which was molded in a vinyl
compound, these two are cast in a hard off-white resin/filler material.
This is my idea of a workable material. The surface sands easily, the
X-Acto knife scrapes off bits of flashing, and a Dremel hobby drill
widget with grinding bits can eliminate large chunks left over from the
casting process. As with the vinyl kit, these parts will go together
nicely with cyanoacrylate cement and joints can be smoothed with model
filler putty.
The poses for both are quite expressive, with weight balanced a bit to
one side or the other. The facial features both exhibit open smiles, and
each looks like the right character, mainly due to the eye shape and hair
style. My only two quibbles are with Kei. First, she has way too much
hair for the size of her head, and most of it is shifted to the right
side and looks strange. This can be ground down with the Dremel and some
patience, along with frequent glances at existing pictures to get it down
to something plausible. Second, her neck and uniform collar seem a bit
skinny, but a little .010 sheet styrene and some putty with fill it out
properly.
The costume details are very sharp, especially in the tops; there is a
believable bit of fabric thickness off the body. These two figures seem
to have been modeled from the Dirty Pair Movie (Project Eden), which is
distinguished by the closed collars, the spiral armbands, lack of the
square holster buckle. One could also make a case for the uniforms seen
in the OAV series, since they are similar. In the movie, Kei's is a
silvery blue-white with black trim, Yuri's a canary yellow with black.
In the OAVs, both are silvery-white with black trim. In the course of
staring at all the photos I discovered that Kei was drawn with her
holster (and consequently her gloved gun hand) on either the left or
right sides; the model has her right-handed. Actually, Yuri's been drawn
gloved right and left also; I guess they practice at the firing range a
lot. Yuri's boots in the movie are all yellow; in some drawings (mostly
back in the TV series), the tops were red to go with the red uniform
trim. Kei's movie boots are silver with black trim. Her headband has
been a few colors, but was a blue-green in the movie.
I haven't actually built these two yet; most of my kits are like that,
packed away in boxes until I get more free time. I can say, however,
that I know I'll enjoy the work when I do, and I can recommend these
figures to anyone who can find them. These cost me about $38.00 apiece
before shipping costs. Even if you have to have them sent over, or have
to pay a bit extra in a hobby shop here in the U.S., they're worth it.
Now I'm going to try to find a new set of *one-quarter* scale Kei and
Yuri figures I saw in Newtype??!
- Rick Sternbach
//////////////////////////OTHER ANIME MERCHANDISE\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
PATRICK MINYARD'S CUSTOM AIR BRUSHED SHIRTS:
Okay, so it's not every day that you see someone writing a review of a
shirt. But this particular shirt *is* anime-related, so the Kind Editor
decided to include it anyway.
Now although I'll be talking about a particular shirt that I myself
have bought, it's just one example of the work that is done by the artist,
Patrick Minyard. Patrick not only does shirts, but posters as well??and
he will do just about anything for any anime character you wish (if you can
describe it, he'll draw it for you). For the record, this shirt was a
creation of Patrick's, not a special item done for me.
The shirt that I bought is devoted to Priss, one of the main characters
of the OAV series "Bubble Gum Crisis". It's laid out very much like a
shirt you can get at any rock concert (Priss is a singer in the anime, you
see). The back of the shirt proclaims "PRISS AND THE REPLICANTS WORLD TOUR
'88" with the letters in computer-style font, and in silver; the "'88" is
in the same font but in red, and is nicely noticeable. Also on the back,
beneath the text, is a blue silhouette of a girl blowing a bubble (Priss is
from "Bubble Gum Crisis", remember? <grin>). The back of this shirt is
nice in and of itself, but the front??
The front of this shirt, to be frank, blew me away when I first laid
eyes on it. The quality and resolution of the drawing on the front makes
some of the regular posters I've bought and hung on my wall look sick by
comparison. Patrick does all his work with an airbrush and this only
improves his work. The front of the shirt has three different drawings on
it??a situation that could have very easily been cluttered up, but each
of the drawings are clear and the total effect of the three is very nice.
The first "picture" is at the upper left side of the shirt and shows Priss
in profile, singing into a microphone. This picture is "boxed-in" with a
black border which helps to make it stand out. You can see Priss'
multi-colored wig (which she wears while performing)??and all the
different colors are present. This picture is on a blue "background" which
starts as black at the top and blends through dark blues into the lighter
blues at the bottom. It's nearly impossible to tell where one color blends
into the next. The shading on the microphone which Priss is holding also
shows the proper blending of one gray into the next shade of gray. I've
seen entire shirts with less quality and colors than went into this one
*part* of this shirt!
The main picture on the shirt overlaps with the above picture slightly,
but in no way obscures either one. This one shows Priss from head to toe,
bursting free from a suit of armour, and holding a knife in one hand and a
gun in the other. This is the section that the most time was (obviously!)
spent on, because the details of the bursting armour are all there: the
small fractures in the parts that are just beginning to break, small pieces
that are flying away, the internal electronic "guts" of the armour that are
exposed?? all these are right there and very clear. I attempted to count
all the different shades and colors used in just this part of the shirt,
but gave up; there's just too many. The armour has that metallic look it's
supposed to have, and the flesh tones are done perfectly. The shading is
done correctly, so it doesn't have that "flat" look some artwork has.
The last picture is in the lower right side, but not so low that if you
tuck the shirt into your pants you can't see the picture. This one shows
Priss just putting on her wig to go out and perform, with her hands up at
the sides of her head. Shown is the top of her head, down to about
mid-chest level. This particular pose is such that it would have been very
easy to make it look contrived, but it appears as natural as could be. I
counted five different shades used for the skin tones alone, and I may have
missed some.
The three pictures are balanced nicely by the word "PRISS" on the left
side of the front, in pink and using a cursive style font.
As far as taking care of the shirt itself, Patrick recommended turning
it inside out before washing, and using cold water and a low heat setting
on the dryer. I went further, and went out and bought some Woolite (cold
water wash) and used that, then let it air dry (as per the Woolite
instructions).
I've attempted to try to get across just how detailed this t-shirt is,
but only your own eyes would do it justice. Let me put it to you this way:
I'm not planning on buying another shirt from Patrick, because shirts have
to be washed and I cringe at the thought of washing such beautiful artwork.
So from now on it's posters only for me, since I don't have to put posters
in water and I can hang it up on the wall (where I can show it off!)
Hmmm?? anybody out there know where I can get a t-shirt sized frame?
- James Oney
* Editors Note: Due to an error in ANIME STUFF 8, we have a new address
where you can contact Patrick for information on his shirts. The other
address what wrong. Here is the new address:
PATRICK MINYARD
6113 SARD STREET
ALTA LOMA, CALIFORNIA 91701
CompuServe Address : 76407,2342
Patrick himself also has some news??
I am now able to airbrush on colored shirts! In order to do this, I have
to undergo a few extra steps, but these extra steps may prolong the life
of the artwork as well as allowing me to airbrush on colored shirts
(including black!). Also, I'm now able to airbrush on satin, so I'm
currently working on having jackets made up (I'm in a bind right now
since I can't find the jacket pattern that I want). I'm not sure what
prices will start at, but I think they may start at around $70 and be no
more expensive than $90. I'll keep you posted on this as things progress.
- Patrick Minyard
//////////////////////////////MAIL ORDER INFO\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
The following is a list of businesses where the ANIME STUFF staff members
shop for our anime stuff. They are highly recommended sources for anime
and provide excellent service. All of them provide mail order so you
can write to them for catalogs.
WOK TALK INC. DBA
SIGHT & SOUND
1275 MAIN STREET
WALTHAM, MA 02154
NIKAKU ANIMART
615 North 6th. St.
SAN JOSE, California 95112
LASER PERCEPTIONS
3300 JUDAH STREET
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA 94122
WOK TALK/SIGHT & SOUND and LASER PERCEPTIONS specialize in domestic and
imported laser video discs. And Nikaku sells magazines, books, compact
discs, and other anime goods. Tell 'em ANIME STUFF sent ya!
/////////////////////////////ANIME NEWS FLASH\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
ANIME VIDEOS - PRICES COMING DOWN
Japan has the largest video rental system in the world. Recently
several Japanese video companies got together and decided that they want
to stimulate more video cassette and laser disc sales which would help
take a bite out of the large video piracy problem in Japan. How do they
plan to do it? By drastic (for them) lowering of the retail prices on
video tape and disc. Companies such as JVC/Victor and Sony have noted
that we will soon see the price of domestic Japanese video priced at
American retail price levels. Up until now, videos have been priced as
much as twice as much as their American counterparts to stimulate the now
mature video rental market in Japan.
Japanese anime fans have played an important part in all this too.
Several video companies have recently been releasing original anime
video series and features at discounted prices as an experiment to
gauge market demand. Well, such discount priced titles as PATLABOR
, CREAM LEMON CLIMAX SERIES, VAMPIRE PRINCES MIYU and other have sold
so well at the new price levels that Japanese companies will be lowering
prices from now on. In fact this has already begun with the release
of GRAVE OF THE FIREFLY at 5,500 Yen, and the new AKIRA film at 7,000
Yen on laserdisc. These titles probably would have gone for 7,800 and
128,000 Yen without the new sell-through pricing. And of course, all
this works out very well for us Yen-battered U.S. anime fans!
- Tom Mitchell
TIME RUNS OUT FOR AAJA
On a sad note, February marks the end of one of the best anime fan
organizations in the U.S., the American Alliance for Japanese Animation.
Founding members are shutting down the group, sighting the intrusion of
school, jobs, and family demands. They feel that in no way would they
have the time to continue the amount of work that went into maintaining
the quality of the club. Saturday, January 14, 1989 marks this groups
final meeting. Formerly C/FO Gardena, the group was influencial as one
of the first major C/FO groups to leave the crumbling beurocratic
national fan group, the Cartoon/Fantasy Organization.
- Tom Mitchell
//////////////////////////////SPECIAL FEATURE\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
SCRIPT CONVENTIONS BY TONY LANE
In Hollywood motion picture shooting scripts are written in a very
rigid format. Though this might seem restrictive to many people there are
very good reasons for it. The main reason is that once a technician or
actor has learned to read a script format they can go onto any show and
know exactly what is going on.
In the anime community this could be useful to people doing translations.
A standardized format could then be easily understood by anyone later
reading the translation. Also, when adding subtitles, this format makes
timing a lot easier.
For these reasons, if anyone doing a translation wishes to, they have
my permission to include all or part of this piece.
*****
Shooting scripts are printed on one side of the paper and single
spaced except just before and just after dialogue. When dialogue is
indicated the name of the character is centered above the dialogue block.
Centered below the name is any indication of how the line is to be
delivered??yells,whispers,sotto etc??this is in brackets. There is always
a blank line before the name on a dialogue block and a blank line after a
dialogue block. The block is indented eleven spaces on both the left and
right.
A standard block of dialogue will always look something like this;
KEI
(Screams)
Mughi! We're in trouble again. Get over here and
pick us up!
The spaces left by the indentation give the actors and director room
for notes and changes. It also makes it very obvious where dialogue is.
If a speech is carried from one page to another the word (MORE) is
placed in brackets at the lower right hand corner of the page, or the far
right of the last line on that page.
The first time an character is seen in a script their entire character
name is written in capitals.
The SCENE LINE is known by many different names but it is one of the
most important bits of notation in a script. A possible scene line would
look something like this;
40 INT. WWWA HEADQUARTERS - DAY 40
In this line `40' is the scene number. `INT' is an abbreviation for
`interior'. `WWWA HEADQUARTERS'is the location where the action is taking
place. There are other things that can be placed on the scene line. These
are; INT??Interior EXT??Exterior WIDE??A wide angle shot. CLOSE??A
close-up. LATER??To show a passage of time.
There are others but they have to do with each individual script. Some
of these could be;
41 CLOSE - YURI OVER GUN 41
56 EXT - WIDE - TOKYO - DAY 56
I will give more examples of the scene line later.
The exposition of a scene usually comes right after the scene line.
There is always a blank line after the scene line before the exposition
begins. In this area the writer indicates what physical action is
happening in the scene. Here is an example;
82 INT - LOVELY ANGEL COCKPIT - DAY 82
MUGHI, a large and lazy red catlike creature peeks between
Kei and Yuri's flight seats. He observes the action through
the viewports, yawns and returns to his nap.
These are the basics of script format. The following is a fictitious
scene from a DIRTY PAIR episode that should put the whole system in, a
more clear light for you;
(Note??Scene numbers are only needed where a new scene
would begin. This would be when the story shifts to
a new geographic location or other characters.)
*********************
72 EXT-PLANET MITROS NEAR CRASHED SHIP-DAY 72
Kei and Yuri are checking the damage to the Heavenly Angel.
The damage looks pretty bad. Mughi climbs in to one of the
gaping holes in the ship's side and begins throwing out
debris.
KEI
(Mad)
Well, we wont be flying for while!
YURI-CLOSE
She smiles, trying to make the best of a bad situation.
YURI
Maybe we can fix it.
EXT-NEAR SHIP-DAY
Kei kicks a rock.
KEI
And maybe Mughi can turn into a bird!
CLOSE-MUGHI IN HOLE
He turns and looks back at the girls. He makes a noise to
show that he doubts he'll suddenly sprout feathers then
returns to hammering and tossing bits of metal.
EXT-SHIP-DAY
We DOLLY with the girls as they walk toward the nose of the
ship. In the background Mughi continues working, gradually
crawling out of sight into the interior of the ship.
KEI
We just have to face it, Rodson is
going to beat us back to the Nildada
System.
YURI
Not if we can fix the Heavenly Angel
in time. We still have a chance.
KEI
(Starting to burn)
What are you blind? The ship is a write
off! Nothing could get it up!
In the background Mughi appears in the cockpit waving and
yelling. The girls can't see him, their backs are turned.
He does something at the control panel. Slowly the Heavenly
Angel rises up into the air.
YURI
There's always??.
KEI
I told you! No way!
A fight is brewing. As the two girls begin screaming at each
other Mughi puts the ship through some moves behind them. He
continues to wave and yell but they can't hear him over
their fight. Finally, he gives up on getting their
attention, lands and settles down to watch the fight.
****************************
Directions like DOLLY (where the camera moves along with the actors or
action on a wheeled platform) and PAN (where the camera turns to follow
what is happening) are noted in the exposition in capital letters. Also
noted in the exposition and in caps are sounds like rings or gun shots.
Well, there you have it! A crash course on script notation. Animation
scripts are done in a slightly different format with story boards and
timing sheets. But, for our purposes this should serve as a guideline.
Many translations only have the dialogue in them. This is a real
problem for people who don't speak the language and are trying to follow
the script as the movie runs. With exposition added things become much
clearer.
If you have any questions please contact me here on Compuserve. My
e-mail address is 72257,2136. I would be interested in hearing your
views.
- TONY (BoomerGerbil) LANE
MASAKI & TOM PICK PERSONAL ANIME SURVIVAL FAVORITES
Ship sinking, an island within reach, audio/video equipment and solar
panels already hauled up to the beach. Now they must go back and rescue
their sinking anime collections. They only have room in their life raft
for a few laser discs and compact discs each! What will they save in
order to survive?!
Here is what they picked, and why??
Masaki's Anime Survival Kit:
VIDEO:
> Wings of Honneamise - simply stunning animation and detail
> Nausicaa - the classic. Need I say more?
> Totoro - such a cheerful film ?? makes you feel good about the world.
> Macross Movie - great science fiction. Again, a classic.
> Urusei Yatsura 2 - good example of UY's zaniness.
> Iczer-1 Special Edition - great science fiction, a classic.
> Bubblegum Crisis #4 - you can't watch classics all the time?? (grin)
> Gall Force #1 - beautiful char designs, entertaining plot (borrowed)
> Project A-ko - funny parodies, nice animation, great soundtrack
> Dirty Pair Movie - you had to bring along *some* DP?? :-)
AUDIO:
> Laputa OST - Beautiful music. Hisaishi doesn't get much better than
this.
> Macross: Iijima Mari Song Memory - collection of vocal Macross songs.
Great!
> MZ23 Song Collection - again, same sort of thing as the Macross disc.
> Bubblegum Crisis #3 - haunting melodies, and of course, "Wasurenaide"
> Gundam Singles Collection - collection of Gundam songs. Historically
interesting.
Tom's Anime Survival Kit:
VIDEO:
> Area 88 OAV series - My favorite war film. One featuring the real
emotions and consequences of war and greed. Great
story!
> Megazone 23 OAV series - A strange little compact world. Good mecha
action and music too. One for study.
> Nausicaa - A classic. Always good to have a spare copy on the island.
> Iczer-1 - A campy and stylish SF classic. Great fun!
> Arion - Thick plot, complex and beautiful to look at. And ancient
Greeks with solar cannons. Need I say more?
> Macross Movie - My first love. The first real Japanese anime I ever
saw.
> Lupin the 3rd: Cagliostro Castle - Great action/comedy. Miyazaki's
first big masterpiece as a film
director.
> Harmagedon - The ultimate psychic battle movie. Earth's best espers
recruited to fight the ultimate evil. Great animation!
> Cream Lemon Part 4: Pop*Chaser - I'm sorry, I think this is great.
Plus I would not want to be stuck on
an island without a great porn
action comedy. (grin)
> Vampire Hunter D - THE classic anime horror film.
AUDIO:
> Macross BGM Collection - The CD is 72 minutes of one of the first
truely high quality TV/Film BGMs.
> Vampire Hunter D ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK - Moody, brooding, haunting, and
very beautiful. TM Network
should do more film BGM.
> Southern Cross Best Collection CD - My favorite TV BGM. Snappy jazz
pop, and rock themes.
> Area 88 Original Soundtrack - The music tells the story of the film.
Alternates between bold war themes and
pop/rock songs with each track. My vote
for best anime soundtrack album.
> Megazone 23 Part 2 Soundtrack - Kick-ass action rock music and great
pop/rock songs.
Next time we bring a bigger boat??
/////////////////////////////////END NOTE\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
Well, this was the biggest issue yet. And there is still a lot to say!
Thanks to all the folks who sent in work this time. It was nice to hear
opinions other than those of the staff for a change.
Well, all of the staff members have new anime stuff to look at. But
we'll have to hold our opinions till next time. Among the new stuff I've
seen this week that I recommend are DOMINION, and TWILIGHT OF THE
COCKROACHES on laserdisc. Both are funny, and worth a look!
Ahhh??nothing like getting some new anime when you're stuck inside
during the winter!
- Tom Mitchell
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Date of original publication : 1/9/1989
ANIME STUFF Copyright (C) 1989 Tom Mitchell & MIDORI COMMUNICATIONS
All rights reserved.
This publication originally appears on CompuServe Information Service's
Comic Book & Animation Forum.
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USENET Address :
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Original Copyrights to the material reviewed, articles written and
graphics presented are reserved by their respective owners. The contents
of Anime Stuff may be reproduced in any form of media so long as the names
of the authors are preserved, articles remain intact, and ANIME STUFF is
mentioned as the source.
Articles & computer artwork in Anime Stuff may be re-published in
newsletters so long as a copy of the publication in which the articles
appear are sent to:
MIDORI COMMUNICATIONS
c/o Tom Mitchell
474 Chowning Circle
Dayton, OHIO 45429
"GIF" and "GRAPHICS INTERCHANGE FORMAT"
are COPYRIGHTED (C) 1987, 1988 CompuServe Information Service
an H&R BLOCK company.
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