Shiny New Anime Notes
As previously mentioned, here are my notes from the Shiny New Anime panel at Detour this year.
Nodame Cantabile:
Story - Chiaki is a piano student with aspirations of becoming a famous conductor, but can't leave Japan due to a traumatic childhood experience on a plane. Noda is also a piano student at a music college in Japan and coincidentally Chiaki's neighbor. And kind of a slob. And an airhead. And has fallen madly in love with Chiaki. Not that he wants her to.
Appeals to - The shoujo crowd mostly, but it isn't the kind of show that would alienate a male viewership either. Has kind of a Fruits Basket feel of comedy and drama.
My hook - THE MUSIC! It actually shows characters playing instruments. Also Noda, who is easy to love because she's so far from perfect. Great character development on this show.
Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto:
Story - Ronin Akizuki Yojiro is searching for a supernatural force called the Lord's Head which brings violence and destruction wherever it goes. While searching it out he runs across a kabuki theater troupe who is looking for revenge.
Appeals to - The shounen crowd or anyone who might enjoy historical action shows with more realism (i.e. the Kenshin OVAs). Not alienating for women either though. Appeals to a wide audience.
My hook - It's gorgeous to look at. Also the kabuki theater troupe's performances are fun. The action is high quality. The plot is twisty turny and lends itself well to a second viewing.
Ghost Hunt:
Story - Mai Taniyama is your average high school girl who, while investigating a haunted building in her school, is roped into becoming the assistant of Kazuya Shibuya of the Shibuya Psychic Research Center.
Appeals to - Pretty much anyone.
My hook - Although its characters and art style are a little typical, the storylines are very solid and actually succeed in freaking me out a bit. The only other time an anime has succeeded in that was with Requiem From the Darkness. I don't scare easily. Also, it's compelling because it runs in three episode arcs that make you keep watching more.
Welcome to the NHK:
Story - Tatsuhiro Satou is a shut in (hikkikomori) who rarely leaves his apartment, has dropped out of school, is terrified of getting a job, has been listening to anime pop music about a character named Pururrin bleeding through his neighbor's wall for a month straight and has devised that the NHK (Japanese PBS) has created an elaborate conspiracy plot to make him a shut in.
Appeals to - People who know a thing or two about Japanese culture. People who like drama/comedy without any supernatural elements.
My hook - SO META. Also the animation is gorgeous (GONZO).
Bartender:
Story - In a small bar called Eden Hall, people tell their stories and discuss the history of various drinks and cocktails.
Appeals to - People who like real life drama without it becoming soap opera-esque. People who want to learn a little history in a fun way.
My hook - This is a great "before bed" show or just on the occasion where you want to chill out and take something in.
Ouran High School Host Club:
Story - Title is somewhat self descriptive. There's an obscenely rich high school. With a host club. Because hey, why not. Commoner Haruhi accidentally breaks a vase and becomes the "dog" of the host club due to lack of funds.
Appeals to - The shoujo crowd. Fans of reverse harem anime. BUT its comedic aspects really make it accessible to a larger crowd as any MAS member in the room will tell you. The main character Haruhi is an unwilling protagonist and due to her pragmatic nature often doesn't understand the over the top actions of her fellow host club members.
My hook - TEH FUNNEH. I resisted this one for a long time, but as soon as I saw episode one I was hooked by the comedy and the fact that the anime direction seems to have taken a page out of Utena's book. It is my fluffy guilty pleasure.
OTHER NOTABLE MENTIONS:
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya - Coming soon to a DVD store near you. HUGE in Japan. Also gorgeous to look at. Haruhi is not your average high school student and is obsessed with the supernatural.
Nana - Slice of life in Tokyo. Two girls named Nana with very different personalities meet and wind up sharing an apartment. Primarily shoujo. From the creator of Paradise Kiss.
Red Garden - A group of high school girls in New York are unwittingly kidnapped one night. They find out the next day that they've "died" and now have some kind of superpower. Animation is atypical and may not appeal to everyone.
D.Gray-man - Allen Walker is an Exorcist who fights with an organization against the Millenium Earl. The animation is very pretty and the show appeals to a wide range of fans interested in action/drama shows similar to FMA.
Other suggestions:
Thanks to everyone who came to the panel, it was a lot of fun and will more than likely be repeated next year. :)
Nodame Cantabile:
Story - Chiaki is a piano student with aspirations of becoming a famous conductor, but can't leave Japan due to a traumatic childhood experience on a plane. Noda is also a piano student at a music college in Japan and coincidentally Chiaki's neighbor. And kind of a slob. And an airhead. And has fallen madly in love with Chiaki. Not that he wants her to.
Appeals to - The shoujo crowd mostly, but it isn't the kind of show that would alienate a male viewership either. Has kind of a Fruits Basket feel of comedy and drama.
My hook - THE MUSIC! It actually shows characters playing instruments. Also Noda, who is easy to love because she's so far from perfect. Great character development on this show.
Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto:
Story - Ronin Akizuki Yojiro is searching for a supernatural force called the Lord's Head which brings violence and destruction wherever it goes. While searching it out he runs across a kabuki theater troupe who is looking for revenge.
Appeals to - The shounen crowd or anyone who might enjoy historical action shows with more realism (i.e. the Kenshin OVAs). Not alienating for women either though. Appeals to a wide audience.
My hook - It's gorgeous to look at. Also the kabuki theater troupe's performances are fun. The action is high quality. The plot is twisty turny and lends itself well to a second viewing.
Ghost Hunt:
Story - Mai Taniyama is your average high school girl who, while investigating a haunted building in her school, is roped into becoming the assistant of Kazuya Shibuya of the Shibuya Psychic Research Center.
Appeals to - Pretty much anyone.
My hook - Although its characters and art style are a little typical, the storylines are very solid and actually succeed in freaking me out a bit. The only other time an anime has succeeded in that was with Requiem From the Darkness. I don't scare easily. Also, it's compelling because it runs in three episode arcs that make you keep watching more.
Welcome to the NHK:
Story - Tatsuhiro Satou is a shut in (hikkikomori) who rarely leaves his apartment, has dropped out of school, is terrified of getting a job, has been listening to anime pop music about a character named Pururrin bleeding through his neighbor's wall for a month straight and has devised that the NHK (Japanese PBS) has created an elaborate conspiracy plot to make him a shut in.
Appeals to - People who know a thing or two about Japanese culture. People who like drama/comedy without any supernatural elements.
My hook - SO META. Also the animation is gorgeous (GONZO).
Bartender:
Story - In a small bar called Eden Hall, people tell their stories and discuss the history of various drinks and cocktails.
Appeals to - People who like real life drama without it becoming soap opera-esque. People who want to learn a little history in a fun way.
My hook - This is a great "before bed" show or just on the occasion where you want to chill out and take something in.
Ouran High School Host Club:
Story - Title is somewhat self descriptive. There's an obscenely rich high school. With a host club. Because hey, why not. Commoner Haruhi accidentally breaks a vase and becomes the "dog" of the host club due to lack of funds.
Appeals to - The shoujo crowd. Fans of reverse harem anime. BUT its comedic aspects really make it accessible to a larger crowd as any MAS member in the room will tell you. The main character Haruhi is an unwilling protagonist and due to her pragmatic nature often doesn't understand the over the top actions of her fellow host club members.
My hook - TEH FUNNEH. I resisted this one for a long time, but as soon as I saw episode one I was hooked by the comedy and the fact that the anime direction seems to have taken a page out of Utena's book. It is my fluffy guilty pleasure.
OTHER NOTABLE MENTIONS:
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya - Coming soon to a DVD store near you. HUGE in Japan. Also gorgeous to look at. Haruhi is not your average high school student and is obsessed with the supernatural.
Nana - Slice of life in Tokyo. Two girls named Nana with very different personalities meet and wind up sharing an apartment. Primarily shoujo. From the creator of Paradise Kiss.
Red Garden - A group of high school girls in New York are unwittingly kidnapped one night. They find out the next day that they've "died" and now have some kind of superpower. Animation is atypical and may not appeal to everyone.
D.Gray-man - Allen Walker is an Exorcist who fights with an organization against the Millenium Earl. The animation is very pretty and the show appeals to a wide range of fans interested in action/drama shows similar to FMA.
Other suggestions:
- Freedom
- Makoto Shinkai OVA
- Five Centimeters per Second
- Moonlight Mile
- Le Chevalier D'Eon
Thanks to everyone who came to the panel, it was a lot of fun and will more than likely be repeated next year. :)