Photographer Anime.
I'm not entirely certain how often in media that photographers get any fiction written about them. I'm sure there's a giant movie I'm just not thinking of that somebody will point out after I post this, but I can't think of any at the moment.
In Japanese animation, there are a few. I watched two of them over the course of this year. Flag was the first one, and is essentially set in modern times, in a very Iraq-like war setting (the fictional nation of "Uddiyana" fills in for any nation that might be offended). Main character Saeko Shirasu takes an iconic photograph of one of the tribal factions' flag, blowing in the wind as a woman prays behind it. Her outline is visible in the flag, and the photo, as well as the flag itself, become historic. Naturally, rival camps steal the flag, and the UNF (the UN Army, in other words) set up shop to retrieve it. Saeko becomes an embedded journalist for the UNF, and her photographic journey becomes the viewer's.
This anime series is set apart in many ways. The character designs owe less to loud, obnoxious designs that typify the art form (no spiky purple or pink hair and giant eyes), and are a mix of the realistic figure and facial construction, with a bit of decidedly Western cartooning. It's a different look, and one that really works nicely for the show. The storytelling itself is extremely unconventional, in that all of the footage comes from digicams and video recorders, with a bit of plotted narrative sprinkled in to bridge the gaps. It's animation for an older, more patient audience that is receptive to experimental storytelling that isn't overinflated wankery. It's a fantastic-looking and very emotional series.
On the other hand, we have Speed Grapher. This is pretty much the exact opposite of Flag, despite that the main protagonist is also a war photographer. Saiga is a middling-aged guy, sort of a grizzled, down-and-out, chasing-the-buck-but-forgetting-what-it-was-all-about character. Following a story and getting shots, he uncovers a high-society underground sex club. Infiltrating this lair, he exposed to its "goddess", a teenage girl who bestows mutant powers on people by making out with them while in a trance. She kisses Saiga and he develops the power to make anything he photographs explode. She comes out of her trance and it's clear that she's been coerced into mutating people, and Saiga decides on the spot to rescue her. While blowing people up with his camera.
As you can imagine, this is sort of a ridiculous cartoon.
It seemed like a madcap comic-book sort of thing, but honestly just dragged and dragged for 24 episodes. Goofy character designs and blah animation. The "boss fights" were all uninspired, and even the final battle anticlimactic. Usually, with lousier shows, it can be the ending that kills it. Strangely, the very end of the series was more fulfilling than the rest of it. I wanted to like this, but ended up fast-forwarding through the last four episodes to see how it resolved.
Extra credit: Bubblegum Crisis episode 8. Titled "Scoop Chase", this one followed a young newspaper photographer trying to get her first big scoop (hence the title) following the vigilantes called "Knight Sabers" around an '80s cyberpunk future Tokyo. Fun stuff that didn't try to take itself too seriously.
I liked Flag the best.
Next: I have no idea.
In Japanese animation, there are a few. I watched two of them over the course of this year. Flag was the first one, and is essentially set in modern times, in a very Iraq-like war setting (the fictional nation of "Uddiyana" fills in for any nation that might be offended). Main character Saeko Shirasu takes an iconic photograph of one of the tribal factions' flag, blowing in the wind as a woman prays behind it. Her outline is visible in the flag, and the photo, as well as the flag itself, become historic. Naturally, rival camps steal the flag, and the UNF (the UN Army, in other words) set up shop to retrieve it. Saeko becomes an embedded journalist for the UNF, and her photographic journey becomes the viewer's.
This anime series is set apart in many ways. The character designs owe less to loud, obnoxious designs that typify the art form (no spiky purple or pink hair and giant eyes), and are a mix of the realistic figure and facial construction, with a bit of decidedly Western cartooning. It's a different look, and one that really works nicely for the show. The storytelling itself is extremely unconventional, in that all of the footage comes from digicams and video recorders, with a bit of plotted narrative sprinkled in to bridge the gaps. It's animation for an older, more patient audience that is receptive to experimental storytelling that isn't overinflated wankery. It's a fantastic-looking and very emotional series.
On the other hand, we have Speed Grapher. This is pretty much the exact opposite of Flag, despite that the main protagonist is also a war photographer. Saiga is a middling-aged guy, sort of a grizzled, down-and-out, chasing-the-buck-but-forgetting-what-it-was-all-about character. Following a story and getting shots, he uncovers a high-society underground sex club. Infiltrating this lair, he exposed to its "goddess", a teenage girl who bestows mutant powers on people by making out with them while in a trance. She kisses Saiga and he develops the power to make anything he photographs explode. She comes out of her trance and it's clear that she's been coerced into mutating people, and Saiga decides on the spot to rescue her. While blowing people up with his camera.
As you can imagine, this is sort of a ridiculous cartoon.
It seemed like a madcap comic-book sort of thing, but honestly just dragged and dragged for 24 episodes. Goofy character designs and blah animation. The "boss fights" were all uninspired, and even the final battle anticlimactic. Usually, with lousier shows, it can be the ending that kills it. Strangely, the very end of the series was more fulfilling than the rest of it. I wanted to like this, but ended up fast-forwarding through the last four episodes to see how it resolved.
Extra credit: Bubblegum Crisis episode 8. Titled "Scoop Chase", this one followed a young newspaper photographer trying to get her first big scoop (hence the title) following the vigilantes called "Knight Sabers" around an '80s cyberpunk future Tokyo. Fun stuff that didn't try to take itself too seriously.
I liked Flag the best.
Next: I have no idea.