Iwa ni Hana

The aesthetics of the 'deliberate blank' in anime

By deliberate blank, I mean artistic restraint which may be characterized as:

1) The thing that is deliberately left unsaid

For example, in Gilgamesh when Tatsuya asks Fuuko what she used to do for a living, she whispers something to his ear which the audience cannot hear, though the audience can see Tatsuya's facial expression of shock.

The overall effect of this is not unlike that of Henry James' short story The Turn of the Screw. In Jame' story, it is never spelled out what is the 'bad' and 'corrupting' thing which the ghost of Peter Quint (the male servant) taught Miles (the boy-master), not even when the boy-master seems to have spread that 'bad' and 'corrupting' thing to his classmates at boarding school and got expelled. However, it may be inferred indirectly that the taboo so abhorrent as to be unmentionable (in the Victorian context) is probably homosexuality, or more specfically sodomy.

To come back to Gilgamesh, I believe Fuuko was probably a child prostitute by the same analogy, since I cannot think of anything more abhorrent as to be unmentionable.

I rather like this sort of deliberate silence which engages the audience's imagination and powers of inference. Another example is the ending of Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohahihoheto, where Akizuki asks Kakunojou not to tell him her real and save it for the time they meet again. Such deliberate silence kills two birds with one stone - it makes the audience wonder i) what Kakunojou's real name is and ii) what their reunion would be like.

2) The scene that is deliberately not shown

In  Episode 25 of Samurai Champloo, Fuu is captured by some villain and there is a scene hinting at some sort of prelude to rape. We never see the rape (even though Samurai Champloo is not a series to be coy with 'adult situations'). We never know for sure if the villain was only teasing her or did proceed to rape her, and there is nothing that in the subsequent scenes where Fuu appears which suggests either.

I find the deliberately missing scene to be prevalent in some classic Japanese movies as well. In a number of Ozu Yasujiro's movies about marrying a daughter off such as Equinox Flower (1958) or An Autumn Afternoon (1962), the wedding scene is never shown. One would have thought the wedding ought to be the climax of such a movie, but instead, it is just not there. Such artistic restraint effectively leaves room for the imagination.

3)  The scenario that is within possibility but never happened

Plot-driven series (as opposed to character-driven series) tend to flirt with possibilities and makes the audience wonder what if. For example, The Legend of Galactic Heroes is full of questions of how the whole galaxy's history would have turned out differently if so-and-so had not died.

I think in the protagonists' plan to visit the sea in Honey and Clover II is another example, albeit an example of a different shade. Here the characters could vividly visualize in their heads what it would be like to visit the sea together, so much so that the visualization is burned into their memory. But the trip to the sea never takes place because of various subsequent incidents in their lives, and so all they vividly remember is a trip to the sea that is never realized...

I love these touches of deliberate blanks in anime, and would like to know if there are more examples along those lines. As usual, please do not hesitate to let me know if you can think of any.

Just a rambling post on the latest doings of Wabi Sabi in the realm of anime

... besides being absorbed in Mononoke, which I cannot do enough to pimp recommend.

• Translation of the Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto spin-off novel.

This is still provisional but very likely Ori-dono, a long-standing fan of my now inactive Iroha blog, will be paying me to translate the novel. But this will not happen until September though.

The good news is that I will be translating it into English - so English-speaking fans can.. ask Ori-dono to 'help' them read the novel. The bad news is that I think the story probably lends itself more readily in Chinese translation than English translation. Ori-dono is quite concerned about preserving the poetic /literary quality of the story, and I think Chinese by far does it greater justice. After all, I guess Ori-dono hired me mostly because of my translation of OP's lyrics into faux archaic Chinese and all the faux archaic Japanese poems I wrote. Still, I shall do my best with the English language as it is.

• Dropping a bunch of July shows.

... including Sayonara Zetsubou-sensei, which started off with some promising black humour but soon degenerated into a silly show. Director Shinbo Akiyuki has tons of talent when it comes to visual aesthetics - you see flashes of it in Sayonara Zetsubou-sensei, which makes it all the more painful a reminder as to the splendour he is capable.

And Baccano! - I am putting this show on hold until I hear positive reviews from sources I trust that it is worth the time. The story seems too scattered to draw one in at the moment.

And Shigurui -  this show makes very bold attempts to use symbolic visuals rather than dialogues to advance the story. But the bloodshed and violence are just too heavy-going to be my cup of tea.

And Mushi-uta - I just lost interest within ten minutes of the first episode.

• Being bitter about the lack of any groundbreaking show on the horizon for the October season.

In a few days when the September issue of anime magazines will have come out in Japan, there will be waves of information about the shows to debut in the fall season. Not that we have not been hearing news here and there though. I for one have been waiting for the one big news that will make me panting for the fall season to come - but so far, nada. I know Production I. G. will be selling Ghost Hound hard, but the more I learn about Ghost Hound, the less I am convinced that I will be a converted fan...

[Japanese language] 'Mook (ムック)'

Today I learned a new word in Japanese - it is mook (ムック) which, according to Wikipedia Japan, is a 'Japanese-made English word' (和製英語) derived from the words 'magazine' (for 'm') and 'book' (for 'ook').

I discovered it when I was checking out the official website of Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto for any new DVD covers - and there it is, the Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto mook.

So there goes another word for anime fans to know by heart. Mark it down!

'Stranger - Mukoh Hadan (ストレンヂア 無皇刃譚)' produced by BONES: Plot summary and a note on the projection of China as a source of troubles

So we have more info on this long-awaited animated film from the animation studio BONES. Here is a color spread from the May issue of NewType (courtesy of Maganimation):

The story is set in the Senkoku period. The gist of the plot is that a ronin called Nanashi (meaning 'nameless') saves a young boy Kotarou and his dog Tobimaru at an abandoned temple. Kotarou has no family, is pursued by a mysterious militia organization from China and hires Nanashi as his bodyguard. Nanashi has 'sealed' his sword due to some reason in his past, and sometimes he is disturbed by nightmares. He has abandoned his name along with his past. The man who pursues Kotarou is a man called Rarou. Rarou obeys an old man called Byakuran and is a membr of the Chinese militia. He is very skilled in his sword and it seems from his eye and hair colours that he is not just a Chinese. Unlike his companions in the militia, he has no concept of 'king' and he just wants to fight with the strong.

It seems to me that the expectation among anime fans is that this will feature the best sword fight scenes since... Samurai Champloo. The bit with the mysterious militia organization from China makes me somewhat worried - for some reason, all the trouble-making/bloodthirsty guys/elements seem to originate from/be related to China in period dramas like Samurai Champloo and Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto. Or perhaps this is just a matter of coincidence. I have a feeling that, like Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto, no satisfactory explanation as to the motives of the mysterious Chinese militia organization will be offered. It will just be something you have to accept at face value.

The Best Voice Acting in 2006

... has to be Mizuno Risa 水野理紗, who played Lia de Beaumont in Le Chevalier D'eon. I think the wide emotional range of Lia's character is a showcase for Mizuno to display her voice-acting skills, not to mention her magnificent reciting of the Psalms at the end of the first episode - her voice just burns itself into your memory, especially the 'in the name of truth and faith, I shall take my revenge on you (その真実と忠誠の名において、私はお前に報復する)' bit. Here is an audio clip (try Internet Explorer if you have trouble playing it on Firefox):

Other honorable mentions include:

• Sakurai Takahiro in Bakeneko

The flair with which he said 'A-bu-na-i-de-su-yo (危ないですよ)' was quite something. I also like his lines towards the end of Episode 1. Here is an audio clip:

• Nakata Jouji in Getsumen To Heiki Mina

He plays several roles in the show. As we know, he has a very deep, sexy and magnetic voice. If I am not mistaken, I believe his voice went up several octaves at several places in one episode.

• Inoue Marina in Getsumen To Heiki Mina

You have to give her credit if only for the tongue-twisters she has to pronounce in the show.

• Satou Rina in Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto

She has a beautiful voice to begin with. I have played and replayed many times her recitation of lines in the grandiose manner of speech of the kabuki, which is extremely difficult to master, mind you. Here is an audio clip:

• Suwabe Junichi in Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto

He plays opposite Satou Rina in the kabuki plays within the show. Likewise, he has done a wonderful job in speaking in that elaborate manner of speech. Here is an audio clip:

This above is just my personal opinion though. I would love to hear which seiyuu you think did the best voice-acting in 2006.

Kabuki play 'Musume Doujouji' in Samurai Champloo

It just occurred to me that the kabuki play from Episode 6 of Samurai Champloo must be Kyou Ganoko Musume Doujouji 京鹿子娘道成寺 (also known as Musume Doujouji 娘道成寺 for short). In the play, the monks of Doujouji asks Kiyohime (disguising as a girl called Hanako) to dance for them in exchange for letting her pay her respects to the bell of Doujouji. Having mesmerized the monks with her dance, Kiyohime blasts the monks with her magic powers, throws herself into the bell and then a giant white snake appears on the top of the bell.

On a somewhat related note, if you are interested in the play, you can check out this 2004 movie called Musume Doujouji ~ Jyaen no Koi 娘道成寺～蛇炎の恋. The trailer from the official website does not, by any stretch of the imagination, look promising in terms of art direction and acting, but the extravagant stage costumes are definitely something for kabuki lovers to check out.

(May I just add that I really like the make-up of the woman in the poster of Musume Doujouji on the right? Kakunojou from Bakumatsu Kikanketsu Irohanihoheto in her stage get-up may look just like that if someone were to cosplay her.)

Anime to watch out for in the April line-up: 'Seirei no Moribito,' 'Toward the Terra,' 'Darker than Black - Kuro no Keiyakusha,' 'Romeo x Juliet,' 'Heroic Age,' 'Devil May Cry' and 'Coil a Circle of Children'

Seirei no Moribito / 精霊の守り人
Official Website: ttp://www.moribito.com/

I have fairly high hopes for this anime series, which seems to be aimed at a more mature audience. It is the latest work of Kamiyama Kenji 神山健治, the director of Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex. Production I.G., which I began to notice after Le Chevalier D'Eon シュヴァリエ, is the responsible studio. The gist of the plot is that a 30-year-old female bodyguard is charged with the task of protecting the second prince of a kingdom, who happens to be the bearer of the water fay's egg which appears once every one thousand years. There is something about court intrigues and the story is based on an award-winning work of fiction. And being the fangirl that I am, special attention will be paid to that silver-haired bishounen who is said to be bloody clever. If I have to choose one series to blog about after Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto 幕末機関説 いろはにほへとfinishes, this is the most likely candidate. You can find more useful information about this show here (and thanks for translating all that info, W-dono).

 

Toward the Terra / 地球へ…
Official Website: ttp://terra-e.com/

I have not read the original manga by Takemiya Keiko 竹宮惠子 which is said to be a classic, but then I would probably enjoy the anime series more without spoilers and comparisons with the manga in the back of my mind. My translation of the plot summary from the official website:

The stage is set in the distant future. Humankind has moved to a colony planet in order to revive planet Earth, which is in the process of being destroyed because of environmental pollution. There humankind lives by the orderly management of computers. Meanwhile, there are outcasts called Myou who possess special powers. They escape from the tyrannic eye of the government and as they lay low, they ponder on the meaning of their existence and dream of returning to the Earth. The leader of Myou, Soldier Blue, chooses a young man named Jomy who lives in Atarakeshia to be his successor, and counts on Jomy to make his dream come true. To return to their homeland, the Earth - because of this burning wish, they begin their battle to return to their home planet. 

舞台は、今よりも遥か遠い未来。人類は環境破壊により滅び行く地球を再生させるため、植民惑星へ移住した。コンピュータ管理により整然と生きる人類。その一方で疎まれる、特殊な能力を持つ「ミュウ」という存在。彼らは過酷な弾圧の中で政府の目から逃がれ、息を潜めながらも自分たちの存在意義を考え、そして地球への帰還を夢みていた―。ミュウのリーダー、ソルジャー・ブルーは、アタラクシアに住む少年ジョミーを自分の後継者として選び、夢を託す。故郷・地球へ還る―――その強い想いから、彼らの地球を目指す戦いが始まる。 

Darker than Black - Kuro no Keiyakusha / Darker than BLACK -黒の契約者
Official Website: ttp://www.d-black.net/

Many big names that appeared in Wolf's Rain also appear in Darker than Black. For one thing, Kanno Youko 菅野よう子 is in charge of the music, and the background music that appears in the trailer certainly reminds one of Cowboy Bebop. The plot summary seems to indicate an interesting story packed with symbolism. Below is my translation:

Because of the appearance of 'Hell's Gate', an unknown and supernatural territory, Tokyo has lost its real 'emptiness'*. Also appearing as though they are related are people who are endowed with special powers. The price for their special powers is that they gradually lose their human feelings. They are called 'Keiyakusha', who kill human beings with great calm and are therefore feared by all. Tokyo seems unchanged on the surface. However, because the the mystery of 'Hell's Gate', the spy agencies of many countries are using 'Keiyakusha' and the intelligence warfare is escalating to new heights. The protagonist, Hei, is disguised in Tokyo as Chinese student named Li Shun Sheng. Actually, he is someone endowed with special powers who is involved in the secret battles. He is a fearsome first-class agent who has come to be known as 'The Dark God of Death' on account of his appearance when he executes his inhuman missions. He delivers intelligence to spy agencies, and fights with other Keiyakusha whose powers are beyond his prediction. He meets many a woman with a tragic past, and leaves them behind.** He becomes involved with Section 4 of the police which is charged with investigating incidents caused by 'Keiyakusha'. In the mean time, battles surrounding 'Hell's Gate' intensify.

解析不可能な異常領域「地獄門（ヘルズ・ゲート）」の出現により、本当の“ 空” を失った東京。それと呼応するように現れたのは、特別な能力を身につけた者たちだった。
能力を得る代償として、人間らしい感情が希薄になり、人を殺めることさえ冷徹に行う彼らを、人々は畏怖を込め、「契約者」と呼んだ。

一見いつもと変わらない東京の風景。しかしその裏では、ゲートに秘められた謎をめぐり、各国の諜報機関は「契約者」を利用して熾烈な諜報戦を繰り広げている。

主人公・黒(ヘイ)は、中国人留学生李舜生(リ・シェンシュン)として東京の街にひっそりと溶け込んでいるが、 裏の顔は、暗部の闘いに身を投じる能力者の一人で、その苛烈な任務遂行の姿から、BK201「黒の死神」と呼ばれ畏怖されている、組織の一級エージェントである。

各国諜報機関が送る、予測不可能な能力を持った敵の契約者たちとの闘い。悲しき過去を持つ女達との出会い、そして別れ。 「契約者」による事件を追う公安部外事四課なども絡みあい、「ゲート」を巡る争いは激しさを増してゆく。 

* I am not sure what 空 may refer to. It could mean 'sky' or 'emptiness' or 'space'. It seems to be a special terminology that we will find out in due course in the show itself.

** There doesn't seem to be hints of romantic involvement in the Japanese original per se, but somehow the way we say the same things in English seem to misleadingly suggest so.

Romeo x Juliet / ロミオ×ジュリエット
Official Website: ttp://www.romejuli.jp/

A production of Gonzo based on Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet, but it seems that they have modified the plot substantially to comply with certain conventions in anime. Special attention will be paid to a character by the name of Francisco, a skilled archer, learned scholar and general fanservice character. In the anime, Romeo's family has destroyed Juliet's family many years ago and has since then set up a tyranny, which a certain mysterious crusader of justice by the name of 'Red Whirlwind' (赤い旋風) seeks to subvert...

There are many ways this series could go wrong, and Gonzo is known for producing amazing first episodes and let everything slide downhill afterwards. Even if Romeo x Juliet is the spirital successor of Gonzo's masterpiece Gankutsuou 岩窟王, it would seem best not to set the bar too high lest the disappointment should be too great.

Heroic Age / ヒロイック・エイジ
Official Website: ttp://www.starchild.co.jp/special/heroicage/

This is usually not my cup of tea from what I made of the plot summary. But Ubukata Tou 冲方丁 (of Le Chevalier D'Eon シュヴァリエ fame) is the creator of the story. Below is my translation of the plot summary from the official website:

At the call of the 'Golden Race,' many races ventured into space. The human race, which was the last race to venture into space, is called the 'Iron Race'. After many ages the human race, threatened by the stronger 'Silver Race,' is facing extinction. The princess Dianeira, determined to save the human race, sets out to travel to distant space on account of a prophecy from the 'Golden Race' which has been passed down for many generations within the royal family. She meets a young man. The name of the young man is Eiji*. The encounter between the princess and the young man is about to bring about a tremendous change to the universe...

「黄金の種族」の呼びかけに各種族は応え、宇宙への進出を果たした。最後に進出を果たした人類は「鉄の種族」と呼ばれた。その後、遥かな時が流れた時代、人類はより強大な種族である「銀の種族」らの脅威にさらされ、存亡の危機を迎えた。王女ディアネイラは人類存続をかけ、王家に代々伝わる「黄金の種族」からの予言をもとに、遥かなる銀河へ旅立つ。そして、一人の少年と出会った。少年の名はエイジ。王女と少年の出会いが宇宙に大きな運命の変転をもたらしてゆく・・・

* It seems there is a pun in Eiji ('Age'). The title can be read as 'Heroic Age' or 'Heroic Eiji'.

Devil May Cry / デビル　メイ　クライ
Official Website: ttp://dmc-tv.com/

Nothing much is out on this anime series yet, but going by Wikipedia Japan, the original novels and Playstation 2 games seem to have the usual stuff about magic, revenge, demons and so forth. Apparently, 'Devil May Cry' is the name of a convenience store. Judging by the artwork, I am hoping that this isn't a 'me too' anime along the lines of Trinity Blood and Hellsing.  But let's give them the benefit of doubt.

Coil a Circle of Children / 電脳コイル
Official Website: ttp://www.tokuma.jp/coil/

Let's just say that I received a very, very long email about this series from someone whose taste and knowledge in anime production staff I highly respect (you know who you are). The email sets out all the reasons why this anime may be a pleasant surprise, mostly on account of the creative staff involved (Iso Mitsuo 磯光雄 for one). That's how Coil a Circle of Children has made it to my watch-out list.   

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Finally, a note on new anime series to listen for (not watch out for, mind you). By all means, production value is probably so-so for the following shows, but the cast of stellar voice actors should make these shows a pleasure to listen to while one multitasks in other things:

Koutetsu Sangokushi / 鋼鉄三国志
Official Website: ttp://www.koutetsu-sangokushi.jp/file/jsp/index.html

In spite of being based on the Chinese literary masterpiece of war, I have a feeling that this show probably caters to BL fangirls. But the voice actors involved! Koyasu Takehito 子安武人, Ishida Akira 石田彰, Miki Shinichirou 三木眞一郎 and Inoue Kazuhito 井上和彦 - to name but a few.

Saint Beast ~ Kouin Jojishi Tenshi Dan / セイント・ビースト～光陰叙事詩天使譚～
Official Website: ttp://www.saintbeast.com/

The show is most likely crap, but my dear Sakurai Takahiro 櫻井孝弘 is to play a bookish blue-haired bishounen. 

Wellber no Monogatari ~ Sisters of Wellber /ウェルベールの物語～Sisters of Wellber
Official website: ttp://www.avexmovie.jp/lineup/wellber/

This show may or may not turn out to be rubbish, but Namikawa Daisuke 浪川大輔 is to play a blond bishounen bodyguard. So there you go.

Overdrive

Okiayu Ryuutarou 置鮎龍太郎, my favorite seiyuu, is to appear there.