Yup, I've been watching anime since high school and I'm a fanatic. But because of my love for the traditional art, I only get hooked to anime series with stories that touches the human soul and art that exceeds 'cuteness.' More than anything, I love a story that is believable, if not in the 'practical reality', in the emotion at least. There are three...ONLY three creators that touches me very much to the point that I will cry, hover over their work for days, sulk because of the ending, and wonder in amazement. Those three people are, SATOSHI KON, HAYAO MIYAZAKI and SHINICHIRO WATANABE.
Hayao Miyazaki's creations are astounding due to that fact that most of them are still 2D animation. MOST! "How's Moving Castle" was taken from a book written by Diana Wynn Jones <---one of my favorite authors. When I heard about this, I was so...overjoyed. Well...the story is a bit different than what it was in the book. Miyazaki sure did give it a unique touch of his own. Like all the others that he made..."Spirited Away" and "Mononoke Hime"...they're all magnificent. It's rare nowadays to see a 2D animation what with all the technologies, right? But HELL! His creations are...WOOOOOOooooOOOOWWWW! Take the scenery for example...
This one is from SPIRITED AWAY. The Town of Spirits. Look at all the details in this pic. It looks like a normal town like what we have here in Bacolod... A bit tacky...totally screwed up colors. Pffft~ But the way he conveys it through is what matters. It's as if he's saying, "Yes, I know this world exists in yours..." And YES! I can totally understand that. But in another light, he gives it a mysterious air... And not only to children...BUT to adults as well.
I mean, you were once a kid, right??? And anybody must have wished their parents can turn to pigs for all they care. HAHAHHAHA! Yeah.
Not only does he understand the very nature of what a kid see through their eyes, he can also get adults to understand the kids more. Get my Aunt for example...she's a doctor and she is NOT interested in cartoons. I was watching Spirited Away for the nth time in her house because unfortunately, our TV is not as COOL as theirs... T_T And when she saw it, it amazed her. Before I know it, she's already watching with me and eating up my movie grub. HUhuhuuu... And also...my most feared...and probably the only animation of his that I DID NOT WATCH again since I cried a BUCKET O TEARS! "Grave of the Fireflies" *CRIES*
Oops! Now, my entry is all about GOOD MUSIC and GOOD ANIMATION. YEAH! Sorry, was sidetracked by how I adore these animators....
Now the real MACOY here is SHINICHIRO WATANABE. I was watching Cowboy Bebop last night...for the NTH time again... It was released 1998...and we're 2011 now...yet I still prefer to watch it than what they're offering me now. THE STORY IS JUST TOO DAMN GOOD! And don't get me started with the OST!
Yup. Been watching this series last night. And again, this is the only anime series that I DO NOT fast-forward the opening and ending song! Yes, people...I love jazz and the blues. But it's not only that... If you go and listen to this series' soundtrack, you're sure to be hooked. The compositions and the varieties of tunes are so addicting! Most of them are in English, by the way... If you watched this already...remember the scene where Vicious and Spike fought in the broken down Cathedral??? That episode was named, "Ballad of the Fallen Angel" And the OST there is just to die for!!! The scoring is just... *faints*
One of the most idolized composers...YOKO KANNO... T_T I love her.... Sigh~
So, from bountry hunter Cowboys to sexy voluptuous fugitives to rapping samurais... Shinichiro Watanabe has awed me to MAX level. And it's not only because the art , story and the music is good... BUT BECAUSE IT ALL TELLS A STORY TOGETHER AND INDIVIDUALLY! I don't know how I can explain that... But you get what I mean right? Right? I hope you do...
SAMURAI CHAMPLOO <--- A story of Fuu, a girl who wants to find the "Samurai who smells like Sunflowers" saved the lives of two warriors. One is a lecherous pirate named Mugen and the other is a Ronin, Jin. Because they owe the girl a lot, they decided to help her in her journey filled with weird...surreal...experiences that's gonna blow your heads off. The realities that they encounter will definitely tweak your mind as you watch the series...and though the rapping (in English) really sounds baaaahhhddd...It's a FUNNY kind of bad. So, you wouldn't mind it coz you'll be cracking yourself off.
MICHIKO TO HATCHIN <---- is basically a story about love and friendship. From how the criminal Michiko gets her heart broken by playboys to how Hatchin begins to understand how life works... The setting is an alternate world of Mexico and I just love the scenes here...reminds me much of the Philippines. LOL! Squatters everywhere!
All in all... DAMN YOU SHINICHIRO WATANABE for being so GOOOOOHHHHDDDD! I thank God for giving you such brilliance to enlighten us and touch us in a way that we appreciate the world as it is and accept life's difficulties.
Me? I'm just being emotional today... I'm such an otaku! I love delving deeper into the story and understanding what the animator/ creator really want to convey... I hope the younger generations will come to appreciate these little pleasures. Most young people tend to idolize animations because the characters are powerful etc, etc... But ya know...the reality of THE REALITY that no one's perfect? If an animator can pass it on to you, he's not just trying to coax you into worshiping his work... That animator has a deeper cause...and message, a story for you to understand. It's not all FACE VALUE...it's the whole package. Hmmm... Pretty faces never hurts though...so a lil dab of it might do us good too. HAHHAHHAAHA! Makes you wonder why OUR ASWANG never grew as popular as the Japanese' Demons, huh? Take for example...Sesshoumaru? HAHAHHAHAH!
Well, I'm just wrapping this up because I just wanna watch more pioneer animes... HHAHAHAHA! I'm OUTTA HERE!
signing out,
SHIN OE
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