QUICK
Getting in the mood to actually write a journal entry is like solving the Maria problem, most famously formulated by the honourable nuns of Nonnburg Abbey and supposedly solved by Captain von Trapp (I enjoy watching the dramatic re-enactment of his proof, documented in 1965).
But now that coffee, access to a proper computer and a decent feeling of decentness have serendipitously come together under the most auspicious and appropriate of planetary alignments, I figure I should update... without word-barfing for hours and then closing the tab in embarrassment of my unabashed verbosity. Funnily enough, I don't even feel particularly articulate today.
It's nearly two years since I've moved to Australia, and two years since I embarked on the obligatory pilgrimage of getting an university education. Needless to say, a lot has changed. I've lived in three different places, two different states, been to two different unis (soon to be a third, in yet another country), met all sorts of people and had to face various things about myself, and about the world. Doesn't sound very exciting, but considering the life I led before that, I think I've come a fair way. There's a lot more I could experience, and I'll do it in my own time. If there's anything about the past two years, it's coming to terms with the massive game that modern society is, what with its endless competition and bills to pay and skills upgrading and social advancement... and having the confidence to decide, for myself, how far I'll play along.
I've kind of lost my attention span right now, but I'm committed to posting something for once. So let's see, where to start... How about the media I've consumed?
Anime-wise, I still actually remember to update MAL every time I watch an anime. And yes, I really have watched only 15 new shows/movies since coming out here. Since it's ONLY 15, I might as well write short impressions on them here. In chronological order of when I watched them:
2009-12 Summer Wars: It was alright. The Hosoda visual tropes were getting a bit overused; it also felt like the interpersonal drama/struggles from TokiKake were missing. Which is alright given the premise of the movie, and I did appreciate something that tried to portray a non-cliched, dynamic family (given anime's proclivity for inexplicably missing parents...) but it felt a bit insufficient. I suppose I did expect more.
2009-12 Animation Runner Kuromi: I can't remember that much about it now; my memory's getting worse each year and the coffee is actually not helping this time, hmmm... Well, it was an entertaining look at animation production anyway, and even with the exaggeration I suppose it was refreshing to imagine a genki production assistant who somehow learns to overcome some of the challenges of coordinating animators. I still daydream of helping out in anime production, but the money I owe my parents frightens me. Also, my lack of ability to handle stress without becoming a passive-aggressive bitch.
2009-12 Ponyo: Yeah, it took me this long to watch it. Yes, I got diabetes, and yes, I enjoyed it. Hard to beat the fuzzies I got out of it. But I do remember getting tired of the climaxes (that's what she didn't say!) and it definitely felt a bit indulgent? "weird"? compared to the older Ghibli kids' movies. Okay, I don't remember why I gave it a 9 now, but I must have really liked it. I haven't rewatched the whole thing in a go, although I've since gotten my brother to give it to my 3-year-old niece living in Brisbane and rewatched parts of it (argh Jonas brothers). By the way, one of my notoriously hard to please 1.5-year-old twin nieces (she is SUCH a hipster) has to total hots for "Soskeh". Go figure.
2010-?? Kuragehime: I dunno why I decided to watch this till the end. It was entertaining enough but had fairly predictable handling of stereotypes. As someone rather nonchalant about the idea of ~dressing up~ to be socially acceptable, I wasn't overly impressed, but I also wasn't expecting that much. I still want to read the manga to see what happens though, for some reason*... but I haven't gotten around to it.
*Shuu
2010-01: Only Yesterday: Meant to watch this for ages, got around to it on a rather stressful plane ride on the way to New, Uncertain Things. Nice acting/animation and a fascinating look into the psyche of Japan from 15-25 years ago. It's definitely something I wouldn't have appreciated as a teenager and will certainly get more meaning out of with age. I should probably have not watched it on a plane.
2010-02: Roujin Z: Pretty silly romp, but you know I watched it for the animation. I think. Really, all I can remember right now (I don't think this mocha's done me much good...) is that it was simply... silly. I need a thesaurus.
2010-09: Porco Rosso: This actually took me by surprise-I watched it on a whim, and didn't expect to enjoy it that much, because I'm not all that predisposed to like war-era shows involving showy plane sequences and vintage-style romances. But I think the fantastically human portrayals really did it for me. Again, really sketchy memory right now, but I like how the archetypic strong Ghibli girl didn't come across as overbearingly so, and she really complemented Porco's character. In general it was a lot more tasteful than I expected, and somehow I guess I cherished Miyazaki coming out and indulging his love of planes this one time.
2010-10: Eureka Seven: Pocket full of Rainbows: I must have been particularly masochistic that day.
2010-12: Lupin III: Castle of Cagliostro: I am not sure why I gave Ponyo a 9 and this a 7; my brain isn't giving me answers right now. I guess some bits didn't age as well as I expected them to, and I may not have watched it in a Hell-Yeah-Male-Dominated-Media mood*. But this has to be the most let-go-of-yourself FUN movie the Ghibli staff have made, I think. Some of the action sequences, despite the more limited production, were undeniably full of the character and enthusiasm that makes Ghibli animation stand out among the rest. I kind of wish they'd make another one like this, but I somehow doubt Ghibli will let themselves do it.
*I really don't want to come across as one of those people but I just can't care too much for the franchise, regardless of Japanese cultural memory.
2010-12: Gedo Senki: I've never actually read any LeGuin at all (so sue me, I AM JUST REALLY LAZY), but I feel bad calling it Tales of Earthsea, when in my head I seem to have automatically assigned that title a HeyThisIsSupposedToBePrettyGood label, which I can't possibly attach to Gedo Senki. I've had the DVD since 2007 but never watched it because I lent it, brand new, to my excited art teacher... who returned it after watching with a glum look on his face. Anyone wants a free dvd? Wait, I think it's R2 though...
2011-01: Pom Poko: Jesus, all I've been watching are Ghibli films. Er, can't believe it took me that long to watch this too. Okay, I'll admit, the socio-environmental elements seemed a bit heavy-handed at points, but there's been far worse (let's not talk about Arjuna. Which I still liked, tyvm.) Again, I liked the relatable characters and portrayal of more 'traditional' Japanese communities. It made me really ponder about the concept of community in a modern world; while this is from a bygone era it's still not that hard to make it relevant to continuing conflicts, especially in slower-paced countries like Australia. I most clearly remember the bit where the tanuki had to integrate into society while some stayed on the fringes. It reminded me a lot of diaspora communities.
2011-01: Crayon Shin-chan: Adult Empire: This was also fun, but I think I was on a movie binge and started getting a bit tired around here. I should rewatch this, not just for the wacky animation (the radio tower? scene nearly gave me the goosebumps) but as a movie reflective of certain elements of Japanese nostalgia.
2011-03: Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou: I think I only watched the first OVA. I thought I was going to be bored at points (blasphemy!), but I really needed something to calm me down when I watched this and somehow, just seeing Alpha while a whole day away over a cup of coffee was immensely relaxing. It was an almost ritualistic sort of calmness... Comfort in the simplicity. I just love peaceful post-apocalyptic depictions and really ought to read the manga... but again, I am lazy. Unacceptably lazy.
I think I only watched 10mins of the 2nd OVA, for some reason (by accident? o_O) But I could easily see the resemblance to Mochizuki's Zettai Shounen.
2011-06: Karigurashi no Arrietty: Just watched this the day before yesterday. It was okay. I wouldn't crave for the DVD but I wouldn't mind rewatching it.
The directing was functional. Definitely better than Gedo Senki, but surely they could've made Shou a little more interesting and original? The outburst about species going extinct seemed a bit abrupt too, IMO, both in terms of narrative flow and character personality. Although, I appreciate that it could've highlighted the more melancholy/fatalistic side of Shou's character. I was nearly screaming for it to go further, but it just kind of fizzled off. OTOH, I appreciated that it didn't go the obvious route of pushing in some sort of romantic relationship, but simply a good-hearted interest and shared appreciation of life.
Technique-wise, it wasn't particularly bad, but it didn't exactly make me go wow either. There wasn't much interesting in terms of character animation, although I remember some brief bits with Hana-san that brought out the concentrated repulsiveness of oba-san types so effectively I found myself making ugly faces.
I did, of course, love the layouts and scenery porn (duh). In particular, I liked the little details like the water drops and especially the ambient noise in the kitchen. Hearing these normally unremarkable noises is what really brought back memories of my own lonesome stays in the strange, old, rustic houses of relatives. The noise of an empty kitchen that you somehow hesitate to open the drawers in; rain-applause that tells you to stay in bed and enjoy a book; the crunchy, sloshy sound of lush tropical creepers that boldly grow where no vine has grown before... that's what really sticks with me.
I really like the concept-I love it when the simple, basic things around us we take for granted are given renewed domestic meaning (Boxcar Children... er, don't mind me). And as a child I had particular fascination with stories of things that lived in nooks and crannies. I suppose I came in with high expectations from a not-so-established director, but that's the third recent Ghibli effort to adapt a Western book to animation... and the third that's failed to be really impressive.
Well, that came out a lot more dull than I hoped, but I suppose I haven't been consuming or thinking enough about media recently to get in the mood to come up with more interesting insights.
While I'm at it, moviedump (because I forget so easily nowadays):
Over the past year or so I've definitely watched a ton more than I normally used to (which wasn't much, obviously). Only watched three in the cinemas, all with other people: Avatar (...), Inception (hey, it was fun!) and Toy Story 3 (fuck it, I teared up at the end). Other 'here, you'd better just watch this already' watches were the 2009 Star Trek film, The Princess Bride (watching it in a particular sort of situation greatly enhances enjoyment, really!), Up (...meh, bit too sentimental for me) and uh... Finding Nemo, which I really wished I watched when it came out. Actually really enjoyed A Few Good Men which strangely helped with my recuperation from a minor surgery. Also had fun watching The Firm right afterwards because... TOM CRUISE LOOKED GOOD IN SUITS, ALRIGHT. Edit: Oh, and of course, Fight Club. The movie with the quotes! And Airplane... also the movie with the quotes, and the inflatable auto-pilot. Rewatched that at least 3 times, once with Japanese subs (so not funny). Speaking of quotable movies, how did I forget Network? That was such a mindbogglingly prescient and enlightening film I'm still in awe. That truly epic speech on the nature of the world really left me stunned. Fantastic film; simultaneously sort of depressing, seeing where we are...
Entirely unquotable, and in fact rather dated and somewhat culturally insensitive, was The Gods Must Be Crazy, which I still had a great laugh over. Considering the context in which it was made, it's surprisingly good-natured... low-budget and entirely silly, but for some reason I guess I enjoyed it in a... I don't know if I can call it memetic fashion, I don't have another word for Ai-yai-yai-yai-yai.
Watched Au revoir, les enfants and wanted so badly to pinch cheeks; then felt very bad about it. Great film. Also really wanted to watch Pather Panchali but couldn't get past 30 mins or so, because the only subs available are rather lacking.
Some Kubrick: Dr Strangelove (For some reason this made me sad), 2001: A Space Odyssey (which was a bit much for me I think), and A Clockwork Orange (which was also a bit much for me in the opposite direction, but I LOVED it. In fact I feel like rewatching it now) Still waiting to get in the mood to watch Full Metal Jacket.
Also watched Terry Gilliam's Brazil (which was pretty intense but way too fucking long), and 12 Monkeys (more conventional but I really am a sucker for this kinda plot twist... I quite liked it).
What else. Oh, some French animation. Persepolis (I liked it. Solid, and I have an interest in the subject matter). Michel Ocelot: Azur et Asmar (...sorry, I thought this was pretty unwatchable), Princes et princesses (whimsically nice) and Kirikou et la sorcière/Kirikou and the Sorceress (which despite some O_o sections storywise, was geuninely delightful-loved the visual designs).
René Laloux: La Planète Sauvage/The Fantastic Planet was trippy as fuck and I loved it. Probably the best weird feeling I've had, in a long time, from watching something. Surrealism + a theme I like = yay. I don't even mind people blindly appropriating stuff from this film because dammit, I would if I could. Le Maîtres du Temps was sort of a guilty pleasure. I've rewatched it thrice. Maybe it's the Moebius designs, or the funky music, or the odd atmosphere. It has some obvious flaws and the production was shot to hell, but... I have a soft spot for it; again, I love this sort of time-related twist and I LIKED THE STUPID GOOFY CREATURES, OKAY. Plus I can't get enough of Yula and Jad. Now shut up and leave me around. Anyway, I got the hint and didn't bother with Gandahar...
I watched 30 minutes of Fehérlófia and it was seriously too awesome for me. (And my laptop.) It has to be watched in a proper setting. The closest I can get is one of the iMacs at school... Maybe this weekend. I highly recommend anyone who loves visual media to watch it.
I also read a couple of comics: Watchmen (full respect, this is true classic IMO), Y: The Last Man (really ended up enjoying the ride), this rather meh short one about a crazy Nordic looking dude who gets superpowers, and most recently, Transmetropolitan (I think the Sex Puppets seriously scarred me, I have frightening dreams of them now). Edit: Also V for Vendetta. I think I almost got inspired there... What's up with the wacky lead men and the women sidekicks who get brain-fucked? I kind of like the setup, I have to admit. Maybe I haven't gotten tired of it yet.
I'd write more about why there's just something about Western comics that makes me feel oddly uncomfortable, but maybe when I can actually think coherently. The fuckton of text definitely is part of it, and I'm sure there's countless blog posts explaining this phenomenon. The thing is, I don't know if it indicates something lacking in my understanding, or is just an unavoidable result of being used to what I grew up with.
(Um, I also finally read all of Akira... and I think I'm somewhere in the middle of Vinland Saga.)
OK, and now I need to get out of the library, so maybe I'll briefly mention music in another post. Then again, I've been feeling rather antagonistic about talking about music recently, so I guess I'll just mention that I love somafm. I'm really impressed that it's entirely listener-supported. Also, Tame Impala, I love Tame Impala.
Did I really take 4 hours to write this? What the hell.
But now that coffee, access to a proper computer and a decent feeling of decentness have serendipitously come together under the most auspicious and appropriate of planetary alignments, I figure I should update... without word-barfing for hours and then closing the tab in embarrassment of my unabashed verbosity. Funnily enough, I don't even feel particularly articulate today.
It's nearly two years since I've moved to Australia, and two years since I embarked on the obligatory pilgrimage of getting an university education. Needless to say, a lot has changed. I've lived in three different places, two different states, been to two different unis (soon to be a third, in yet another country), met all sorts of people and had to face various things about myself, and about the world. Doesn't sound very exciting, but considering the life I led before that, I think I've come a fair way. There's a lot more I could experience, and I'll do it in my own time. If there's anything about the past two years, it's coming to terms with the massive game that modern society is, what with its endless competition and bills to pay and skills upgrading and social advancement... and having the confidence to decide, for myself, how far I'll play along.
I've kind of lost my attention span right now, but I'm committed to posting something for once. So let's see, where to start... How about the media I've consumed?
Anime-wise, I still actually remember to update MAL every time I watch an anime. And yes, I really have watched only 15 new shows/movies since coming out here. Since it's ONLY 15, I might as well write short impressions on them here. In chronological order of when I watched them:
2009-12 Summer Wars: It was alright. The Hosoda visual tropes were getting a bit overused; it also felt like the interpersonal drama/struggles from TokiKake were missing. Which is alright given the premise of the movie, and I did appreciate something that tried to portray a non-cliched, dynamic family (given anime's proclivity for inexplicably missing parents...) but it felt a bit insufficient. I suppose I did expect more.
2009-12 Animation Runner Kuromi: I can't remember that much about it now; my memory's getting worse each year and the coffee is actually not helping this time, hmmm... Well, it was an entertaining look at animation production anyway, and even with the exaggeration I suppose it was refreshing to imagine a genki production assistant who somehow learns to overcome some of the challenges of coordinating animators. I still daydream of helping out in anime production, but the money I owe my parents frightens me. Also, my lack of ability to handle stress without becoming a passive-aggressive bitch.
2009-12 Ponyo: Yeah, it took me this long to watch it. Yes, I got diabetes, and yes, I enjoyed it. Hard to beat the fuzzies I got out of it. But I do remember getting tired of the climaxes (that's what she didn't say!) and it definitely felt a bit indulgent? "weird"? compared to the older Ghibli kids' movies. Okay, I don't remember why I gave it a 9 now, but I must have really liked it. I haven't rewatched the whole thing in a go, although I've since gotten my brother to give it to my 3-year-old niece living in Brisbane and rewatched parts of it (argh Jonas brothers). By the way, one of my notoriously hard to please 1.5-year-old twin nieces (she is SUCH a hipster) has to total hots for "Soskeh". Go figure.
2010-?? Kuragehime: I dunno why I decided to watch this till the end. It was entertaining enough but had fairly predictable handling of stereotypes. As someone rather nonchalant about the idea of ~dressing up~ to be socially acceptable, I wasn't overly impressed, but I also wasn't expecting that much. I still want to read the manga to see what happens though, for some reason*... but I haven't gotten around to it.
*Shuu
2010-01: Only Yesterday: Meant to watch this for ages, got around to it on a rather stressful plane ride on the way to New, Uncertain Things. Nice acting/animation and a fascinating look into the psyche of Japan from 15-25 years ago. It's definitely something I wouldn't have appreciated as a teenager and will certainly get more meaning out of with age. I should probably have not watched it on a plane.
2010-02: Roujin Z: Pretty silly romp, but you know I watched it for the animation. I think. Really, all I can remember right now (I don't think this mocha's done me much good...) is that it was simply... silly. I need a thesaurus.
2010-09: Porco Rosso: This actually took me by surprise-I watched it on a whim, and didn't expect to enjoy it that much, because I'm not all that predisposed to like war-era shows involving showy plane sequences and vintage-style romances. But I think the fantastically human portrayals really did it for me. Again, really sketchy memory right now, but I like how the archetypic strong Ghibli girl didn't come across as overbearingly so, and she really complemented Porco's character. In general it was a lot more tasteful than I expected, and somehow I guess I cherished Miyazaki coming out and indulging his love of planes this one time.
2010-10: Eureka Seven: Pocket full of Rainbows: I must have been particularly masochistic that day.
2010-12: Lupin III: Castle of Cagliostro: I am not sure why I gave Ponyo a 9 and this a 7; my brain isn't giving me answers right now. I guess some bits didn't age as well as I expected them to, and I may not have watched it in a Hell-Yeah-Male-Dominated-Media mood*. But this has to be the most let-go-of-yourself FUN movie the Ghibli staff have made, I think. Some of the action sequences, despite the more limited production, were undeniably full of the character and enthusiasm that makes Ghibli animation stand out among the rest. I kind of wish they'd make another one like this, but I somehow doubt Ghibli will let themselves do it.
*I really don't want to come across as one of those people but I just can't care too much for the franchise, regardless of Japanese cultural memory.
2010-12: Gedo Senki: I've never actually read any LeGuin at all (so sue me, I AM JUST REALLY LAZY), but I feel bad calling it Tales of Earthsea, when in my head I seem to have automatically assigned that title a HeyThisIsSupposedToBePrettyGood label, which I can't possibly attach to Gedo Senki. I've had the DVD since 2007 but never watched it because I lent it, brand new, to my excited art teacher... who returned it after watching with a glum look on his face. Anyone wants a free dvd? Wait, I think it's R2 though...
2011-01: Pom Poko: Jesus, all I've been watching are Ghibli films. Er, can't believe it took me that long to watch this too. Okay, I'll admit, the socio-environmental elements seemed a bit heavy-handed at points, but there's been far worse (let's not talk about Arjuna. Which I still liked, tyvm.) Again, I liked the relatable characters and portrayal of more 'traditional' Japanese communities. It made me really ponder about the concept of community in a modern world; while this is from a bygone era it's still not that hard to make it relevant to continuing conflicts, especially in slower-paced countries like Australia. I most clearly remember the bit where the tanuki had to integrate into society while some stayed on the fringes. It reminded me a lot of diaspora communities.
2011-01: Crayon Shin-chan: Adult Empire: This was also fun, but I think I was on a movie binge and started getting a bit tired around here. I should rewatch this, not just for the wacky animation (the radio tower? scene nearly gave me the goosebumps) but as a movie reflective of certain elements of Japanese nostalgia.
2011-03: Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou: I think I only watched the first OVA. I thought I was going to be bored at points (blasphemy!), but I really needed something to calm me down when I watched this and somehow, just seeing Alpha while a whole day away over a cup of coffee was immensely relaxing. It was an almost ritualistic sort of calmness... Comfort in the simplicity. I just love peaceful post-apocalyptic depictions and really ought to read the manga... but again, I am lazy. Unacceptably lazy.
I think I only watched 10mins of the 2nd OVA, for some reason (by accident? o_O) But I could easily see the resemblance to Mochizuki's Zettai Shounen.
2011-06: Karigurashi no Arrietty: Just watched this the day before yesterday. It was okay. I wouldn't crave for the DVD but I wouldn't mind rewatching it.
The directing was functional. Definitely better than Gedo Senki, but surely they could've made Shou a little more interesting and original? The outburst about species going extinct seemed a bit abrupt too, IMO, both in terms of narrative flow and character personality. Although, I appreciate that it could've highlighted the more melancholy/fatalistic side of Shou's character. I was nearly screaming for it to go further, but it just kind of fizzled off. OTOH, I appreciated that it didn't go the obvious route of pushing in some sort of romantic relationship, but simply a good-hearted interest and shared appreciation of life.
Technique-wise, it wasn't particularly bad, but it didn't exactly make me go wow either. There wasn't much interesting in terms of character animation, although I remember some brief bits with Hana-san that brought out the concentrated repulsiveness of oba-san types so effectively I found myself making ugly faces.
I did, of course, love the layouts and scenery porn (duh). In particular, I liked the little details like the water drops and especially the ambient noise in the kitchen. Hearing these normally unremarkable noises is what really brought back memories of my own lonesome stays in the strange, old, rustic houses of relatives. The noise of an empty kitchen that you somehow hesitate to open the drawers in; rain-applause that tells you to stay in bed and enjoy a book; the crunchy, sloshy sound of lush tropical creepers that boldly grow where no vine has grown before... that's what really sticks with me.
I really like the concept-I love it when the simple, basic things around us we take for granted are given renewed domestic meaning (Boxcar Children... er, don't mind me). And as a child I had particular fascination with stories of things that lived in nooks and crannies. I suppose I came in with high expectations from a not-so-established director, but that's the third recent Ghibli effort to adapt a Western book to animation... and the third that's failed to be really impressive.
Well, that came out a lot more dull than I hoped, but I suppose I haven't been consuming or thinking enough about media recently to get in the mood to come up with more interesting insights.
While I'm at it, moviedump (because I forget so easily nowadays):
Over the past year or so I've definitely watched a ton more than I normally used to (which wasn't much, obviously). Only watched three in the cinemas, all with other people: Avatar (...), Inception (hey, it was fun!) and Toy Story 3 (fuck it, I teared up at the end). Other 'here, you'd better just watch this already' watches were the 2009 Star Trek film, The Princess Bride (watching it in a particular sort of situation greatly enhances enjoyment, really!), Up (...meh, bit too sentimental for me) and uh... Finding Nemo, which I really wished I watched when it came out. Actually really enjoyed A Few Good Men which strangely helped with my recuperation from a minor surgery. Also had fun watching The Firm right afterwards because... TOM CRUISE LOOKED GOOD IN SUITS, ALRIGHT. Edit: Oh, and of course, Fight Club. The movie with the quotes! And Airplane... also the movie with the quotes, and the inflatable auto-pilot. Rewatched that at least 3 times, once with Japanese subs (so not funny). Speaking of quotable movies, how did I forget Network? That was such a mindbogglingly prescient and enlightening film I'm still in awe. That truly epic speech on the nature of the world really left me stunned. Fantastic film; simultaneously sort of depressing, seeing where we are...
Entirely unquotable, and in fact rather dated and somewhat culturally insensitive, was The Gods Must Be Crazy, which I still had a great laugh over. Considering the context in which it was made, it's surprisingly good-natured... low-budget and entirely silly, but for some reason I guess I enjoyed it in a... I don't know if I can call it memetic fashion, I don't have another word for Ai-yai-yai-yai-yai.
Watched Au revoir, les enfants and wanted so badly to pinch cheeks; then felt very bad about it. Great film. Also really wanted to watch Pather Panchali but couldn't get past 30 mins or so, because the only subs available are rather lacking.
Some Kubrick: Dr Strangelove (For some reason this made me sad), 2001: A Space Odyssey (which was a bit much for me I think), and A Clockwork Orange (which was also a bit much for me in the opposite direction, but I LOVED it. In fact I feel like rewatching it now) Still waiting to get in the mood to watch Full Metal Jacket.
Also watched Terry Gilliam's Brazil (which was pretty intense but way too fucking long), and 12 Monkeys (more conventional but I really am a sucker for this kinda plot twist... I quite liked it).
What else. Oh, some French animation. Persepolis (I liked it. Solid, and I have an interest in the subject matter). Michel Ocelot: Azur et Asmar (...sorry, I thought this was pretty unwatchable), Princes et princesses (whimsically nice) and Kirikou et la sorcière/Kirikou and the Sorceress (which despite some O_o sections storywise, was geuninely delightful-loved the visual designs).
René Laloux: La Planète Sauvage/The Fantastic Planet was trippy as fuck and I loved it. Probably the best weird feeling I've had, in a long time, from watching something. Surrealism + a theme I like = yay. I don't even mind people blindly appropriating stuff from this film because dammit, I would if I could. Le Maîtres du Temps was sort of a guilty pleasure. I've rewatched it thrice. Maybe it's the Moebius designs, or the funky music, or the odd atmosphere. It has some obvious flaws and the production was shot to hell, but... I have a soft spot for it; again, I love this sort of time-related twist and I LIKED THE STUPID GOOFY CREATURES, OKAY. Plus I can't get enough of Yula and Jad. Now shut up and leave me around. Anyway, I got the hint and didn't bother with Gandahar...
I watched 30 minutes of Fehérlófia and it was seriously too awesome for me. (And my laptop.) It has to be watched in a proper setting. The closest I can get is one of the iMacs at school... Maybe this weekend. I highly recommend anyone who loves visual media to watch it.
I also read a couple of comics: Watchmen (full respect, this is true classic IMO), Y: The Last Man (really ended up enjoying the ride), this rather meh short one about a crazy Nordic looking dude who gets superpowers, and most recently, Transmetropolitan (I think the Sex Puppets seriously scarred me, I have frightening dreams of them now). Edit: Also V for Vendetta. I think I almost got inspired there... What's up with the wacky lead men and the women sidekicks who get brain-fucked? I kind of like the setup, I have to admit. Maybe I haven't gotten tired of it yet.
I'd write more about why there's just something about Western comics that makes me feel oddly uncomfortable, but maybe when I can actually think coherently. The fuckton of text definitely is part of it, and I'm sure there's countless blog posts explaining this phenomenon. The thing is, I don't know if it indicates something lacking in my understanding, or is just an unavoidable result of being used to what I grew up with.
(Um, I also finally read all of Akira... and I think I'm somewhere in the middle of Vinland Saga.)
OK, and now I need to get out of the library, so maybe I'll briefly mention music in another post. Then again, I've been feeling rather antagonistic about talking about music recently, so I guess I'll just mention that I love somafm. I'm really impressed that it's entirely listener-supported. Also, Tame Impala, I love Tame Impala.
Did I really take 4 hours to write this? What the hell.