Alone again(Naturally), and loving it
Hard to imagine just how much has changed, and yet emotions remain eternal. Notions of youthful love, the gulf between males and females, and the pain inherent in this world are prerequisite toward becoming adults. Even in my own life, these things had to be experienced in order for me to make decisions that would in effect lead to this current state. And what better place for such emotions to be examined than in the recorded medium?
After having some good talk with my roomie pertaining to love storywriting. And as her interests in such things blossom from her love of asian dramas, it only seemed genetic that I recommended some classic anime/manga for reference in regards to character & development. And of them came personal favorite anime in the form of both Kimagure Orange Road, and more exceptionally, Maison Ikkoku. We went ahead and rewatched both series over the course of the last month and a half. And rewatching these shows not only revealed just how influential they are to me, but as well as how much feelings of my own have changed over time.
The former ended up not being the very best way to start this. With Kimagure, which is a manga and animation that I still hold dear to my heart, it really does suffer as an example of good storytelling. Perhaps what attracted me most to KOR was the cast, and without it, the series is more than a little unstable. With the love triangle established, along with the planted ESPer conceit, KOR really teeters on jumping the shark numerous times. My fandom of Tsuru Hiromi and the character of Madoka notwithstanding, the cracks showed a great deal more this time. The series goes out of its way to glorify her as a counterpoint to the atypical Japanese girl in the late 80s. And the extra mile it goes almost reaches Suzumiya Haruhi proportions, and this time I kept wondering where the scene was where Kyosuke is taken aside to be informed of the true-to-life goddess he has no hopes of ever courting.
Again..as much as I still love the series, the emotional core does has its wobbly moments. But that was not the real reason for my post...
How sweet it all is...
It has been nearly a decade since last watching all of Takahashi's Maison Ikkoku, and this was a great reminder of the importance of continuity, and of just how tough a balancing act this can all be. As a longtime lover of manga and anime, this still has the distinction of being one of the very few long running projects that is an all-time favorite. In a time where Naruto & Bleach are stretching action scenes to levels that take the show to post-200 episode ad-snoozium, here is a show that achieves 96 episodes( as well as a Feature Film & OAVs) without a hint of needless filler. And as in what seems to be a quintessential romantic comedy, this is no mean feat.
To be honest, I was quite nervous in rewatching this after KOR. I was terribly afraid that my personal memories would be spoiled by this. Thankfully, I can clearly say that at 34 years old the show loses no luster, and is probably an even bigger favorite than ever before. It may very well be my third all-time personal favorite series now.
Why?
Running from 1986 - 1988,and set during the very early 80s, MI beautifully captures the era in which it was made. It gives us a great window into what many would now see as a completely different world. With only the local densha lines, pachinko machines, and the ever popular kotatsu at hand, modern Japan is laid bare in such a way that it isn't merely nostalgia, but a loving tribute to just how even a more simpler life offers little comfort in matters of love and life. This is anime at its absolute most iconic, and seinen manga at its most painfully sweet.
Godai's life in Ikkokukan is something that not only resonated with me in my younger years, but still does now. Everything from his terrible neighbors, to his hopeless crush on Manager, Otonashi Kyoko, are elements that encapsulate a lot of not only my life, but the lives of many others. It is everything that I enjoy about manga, and everything I wished anime would do right more often.
Picture this, a young high school grad, out on his own, looking to get himself into a reputable university is tormented by his nosy, brash, and just plain warped neighbors when a new manager moves in. The lovely and mysterious Kyoko Otonashi captures Godai's heart from the word GO. Little does he know that the slightly older Otonashi & her dog Souichiro-san harbor a tragic past, not to mention all the difficulties ahead for everyone in Ikkokukan.
Simple,right?
And yet what lies in between the plot is so exceptional in how it never feels tangential or grafted on. There are some moments that hint at Takahashi's next series at that time, the monstrously popular Ranma 1/2. And while that series definitely had a more random feel. And I figure this happened as a response to just how continuity strict Ikkoku was. So yeah, Rumiko Takahashi decided to throw caution to the wind after MI. The way I see it, she earned it.
Where Dramas and Anime intersect? WELL...
I had known that this live action dorama special had existed for some time. And a part of me wanted to wait until this last month happened so I could see just how well they would pull off the characters in such a startling medium.
::Sigh:: You know? I agree with Stephen Tobolowski when he said that anime/manga is almost iconographic, and when moving into live-action, you are wandering into what could be considered "sucky territory".
But here's the real problem. Whoever directed this( and perhaps the writers as well) has no idea of how to make these characters interesting, nor know how to take Takahashi's universal themes away from a sad otaku context. (a context that never materialized in the original btw) Godai comes off less like a loveable loser, and more of an avatar for inactive, morose & creepy sad sacks. Ok...let's just say it..it's more Love Hina than Maison sans the violence or rampant service. And to add insult to injury, the pacing never works in a way that befits the "Special" format, so TONS of important story information is left out, and only cheapens the final effect. And since it is a manga that does not rely on special effects or absurd situations, this is a title that can EASILY be translated into live without so much problem, but even here, this proves too Herculean a task.
* lastly....the casting...just...hurts....Misaki Itoo,while lovely in her own special way, is just not the proper age, and just not capricious enough to pull Otonashi off, and lets not get started on the neighbors,please.
That said...The manga and anime Maison will remain as a prime measuring stick for me, and I hope more in the future will give it some love. And even as the industry experiences a large regression, I will do my best to remind folks of how this medium covers far more than a few bases & age groups. MI is a special, timeless tale that I'm sure to experience again in years to come. As I get older, this comes off as more true to life than most of its kind. It is not only a funny and endearing story, but a bittersweet look at a minefield we all walk at one time or another.
My roomy loved it, and I still can't recommend it enough.
After having some good talk with my roomie pertaining to love storywriting. And as her interests in such things blossom from her love of asian dramas, it only seemed genetic that I recommended some classic anime/manga for reference in regards to character & development. And of them came personal favorite anime in the form of both Kimagure Orange Road, and more exceptionally, Maison Ikkoku. We went ahead and rewatched both series over the course of the last month and a half. And rewatching these shows not only revealed just how influential they are to me, but as well as how much feelings of my own have changed over time.
The former ended up not being the very best way to start this. With Kimagure, which is a manga and animation that I still hold dear to my heart, it really does suffer as an example of good storytelling. Perhaps what attracted me most to KOR was the cast, and without it, the series is more than a little unstable. With the love triangle established, along with the planted ESPer conceit, KOR really teeters on jumping the shark numerous times. My fandom of Tsuru Hiromi and the character of Madoka notwithstanding, the cracks showed a great deal more this time. The series goes out of its way to glorify her as a counterpoint to the atypical Japanese girl in the late 80s. And the extra mile it goes almost reaches Suzumiya Haruhi proportions, and this time I kept wondering where the scene was where Kyosuke is taken aside to be informed of the true-to-life goddess he has no hopes of ever courting.
Again..as much as I still love the series, the emotional core does has its wobbly moments. But that was not the real reason for my post...
How sweet it all is...
It has been nearly a decade since last watching all of Takahashi's Maison Ikkoku, and this was a great reminder of the importance of continuity, and of just how tough a balancing act this can all be. As a longtime lover of manga and anime, this still has the distinction of being one of the very few long running projects that is an all-time favorite. In a time where Naruto & Bleach are stretching action scenes to levels that take the show to post-200 episode ad-snoozium, here is a show that achieves 96 episodes( as well as a Feature Film & OAVs) without a hint of needless filler. And as in what seems to be a quintessential romantic comedy, this is no mean feat.
To be honest, I was quite nervous in rewatching this after KOR. I was terribly afraid that my personal memories would be spoiled by this. Thankfully, I can clearly say that at 34 years old the show loses no luster, and is probably an even bigger favorite than ever before. It may very well be my third all-time personal favorite series now.
Why?
Running from 1986 - 1988,and set during the very early 80s, MI beautifully captures the era in which it was made. It gives us a great window into what many would now see as a completely different world. With only the local densha lines, pachinko machines, and the ever popular kotatsu at hand, modern Japan is laid bare in such a way that it isn't merely nostalgia, but a loving tribute to just how even a more simpler life offers little comfort in matters of love and life. This is anime at its absolute most iconic, and seinen manga at its most painfully sweet.
Godai's life in Ikkokukan is something that not only resonated with me in my younger years, but still does now. Everything from his terrible neighbors, to his hopeless crush on Manager, Otonashi Kyoko, are elements that encapsulate a lot of not only my life, but the lives of many others. It is everything that I enjoy about manga, and everything I wished anime would do right more often.
Picture this, a young high school grad, out on his own, looking to get himself into a reputable university is tormented by his nosy, brash, and just plain warped neighbors when a new manager moves in. The lovely and mysterious Kyoko Otonashi captures Godai's heart from the word GO. Little does he know that the slightly older Otonashi & her dog Souichiro-san harbor a tragic past, not to mention all the difficulties ahead for everyone in Ikkokukan.
Simple,right?
And yet what lies in between the plot is so exceptional in how it never feels tangential or grafted on. There are some moments that hint at Takahashi's next series at that time, the monstrously popular Ranma 1/2. And while that series definitely had a more random feel. And I figure this happened as a response to just how continuity strict Ikkoku was. So yeah, Rumiko Takahashi decided to throw caution to the wind after MI. The way I see it, she earned it.
Where Dramas and Anime intersect? WELL...
I had known that this live action dorama special had existed for some time. And a part of me wanted to wait until this last month happened so I could see just how well they would pull off the characters in such a startling medium.
::Sigh:: You know? I agree with Stephen Tobolowski when he said that anime/manga is almost iconographic, and when moving into live-action, you are wandering into what could be considered "sucky territory".
But here's the real problem. Whoever directed this( and perhaps the writers as well) has no idea of how to make these characters interesting, nor know how to take Takahashi's universal themes away from a sad otaku context. (a context that never materialized in the original btw) Godai comes off less like a loveable loser, and more of an avatar for inactive, morose & creepy sad sacks. Ok...let's just say it..it's more Love Hina than Maison sans the violence or rampant service. And to add insult to injury, the pacing never works in a way that befits the "Special" format, so TONS of important story information is left out, and only cheapens the final effect. And since it is a manga that does not rely on special effects or absurd situations, this is a title that can EASILY be translated into live without so much problem, but even here, this proves too Herculean a task.
* lastly....the casting...just...hurts....Misaki Itoo,while lovely in her own special way, is just not the proper age, and just not capricious enough to pull Otonashi off, and lets not get started on the neighbors,please.
That said...The manga and anime Maison will remain as a prime measuring stick for me, and I hope more in the future will give it some love. And even as the industry experiences a large regression, I will do my best to remind folks of how this medium covers far more than a few bases & age groups. MI is a special, timeless tale that I'm sure to experience again in years to come. As I get older, this comes off as more true to life than most of its kind. It is not only a funny and endearing story, but a bittersweet look at a minefield we all walk at one time or another.
My roomy loved it, and I still can't recommend it enough.