Take A Pick:New Year's Edition: Love Live! School Idol Project

           Take A Pick: New Year's Edition: Love Live! School Idol Project

 

Some people have problems with the idol genre for various reasons, what they are I can’t say I haven’t paid much attention to the reasons. Though I will say one thing, there needs to be a respect for every subgenre in anime to understand that different stories come from them and if you know that, then you can prepare yourself for enjoyment. After all imagination grows from many things and of the most potent ways is through enjoyment. That said I don’t have a problem with the genre though I haven’t seen nearly as much as others. Love Live was a choice the way I choose many shows, it looked good and called to me. It’s a rewarding experience that allows you to root for a group of girls that are bound by friendship and their differences only strengthen what they find to become a singular goal.  Music made together.

 

       The beginnings of what it will become is from a humble and hopeful effort to save a school they love. Due to low attending students for the last consecutive years it seems that Otonokiza High school will be endanger of closing soon. Honoka Kosaka and her friends Minami Kotari and Sonada Umi or broken by the news even so Honoka is determined to keep it from being shut down and together they may find the answer in an unexpected place. What Honoka finds is schools with their own pop idols and she realizes something like that to represent the school might bring it enough attention to get more  middle school students to sign up to go there next semester thus saving the school.

 

      However the path to being a pop idol is not easy, though with her mind set and her friends enlisted she uses their skill sets to start composing songs, creating costumes and start the first of the momentum wave with their own school. They begin to practice their hearts out and what  helps it along is Honoka’s excitement and optimism, even with certain obstacles like Elle the school president who seems against the idol group at first. Eventually they choose the name U’s which is pronounced Muse like the nine sirens of Greek myth and yes this is important to the future storyline and the future members that will join. No matter how many members join however, no one can seem to convince Honoka to wear pants or any of them for that matter when in the second season it’s winter. Even when they are fighting a blizzard to get to the concert to perform, I’m wondering why don’t they wear pants over that, isn’t it hard enough to fight a blizzard as it is. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

 

 

      With all the effort they put on their first concert which they perform in an auditorium, something really unexpected happens and you start to see that things won’t be so simple for these good hearted girls, what it does though is trigger notice to other girls who would end up joining u’s all contributing something special to the group. Some were assisting from afar, others were against it, while it revitalizes a dream for some, it weaves an interesting story and the bond that this group has had on their lives as individuals which is something they begin to touch in as they join and dive deeper in the second season. This foreshadows the obstacles of what should really be simplistic but isn’t truly and that isn’t performing.  

 

 

One of the other interesting turns is that the goal to save the school is accomplished halfway through the first season as a group, so the love of what they’re doing and Love Live which is the competition of pop idols throughout the schools becomes the main focus and adds more weight to what they’re trying to accomplish ironically. Even if some of them like Minami Kotari has juice but doesn’t use it, I mean her mom is the princpal of the school but that doesn’t seem to make a difference in their challenges regardless. Like I said they don’t make this music business easy. This means that the seemingly innocent show has some hard knocks in store for them because what they want will be the most challenging thing they’ve ever faced in their life.

       What this leads to are two large storylines, one is what they struggling for and the other a an issues that’s building in the background and among it they understand the leadership in the group, the focus on why they do it, the trust and friendship and the wisdom they can offer each other sometimes. They learn these things the hard way, it at times causes them to question why continue at all and by the end of the first seasons you’re saying, you’re kidding me as well as cheering them on. Especially when you realize the essence of the show, it’s something they have to learn too whether composing the songs are being comfortable in what makes them stand out as individuals, even if that means trading personalities  for a bit or understanding what makes them so special to their fans.

 

 Everyone gets an arc in the story or an episode but that’s not enough as it’s revisited and enforced, why are they here, what does it mean to them and the question no one wants to ask but might be the most obvious? How long can this last? Is being an idol a time stamped thing or is it something deeper. Some had to deal with confidence issues, the fear of failure, memories of being alone or the way people perceived them, they were in many ways separate from each other before U's.  Everything from their personal futures and their grade differences play a factor as they look toward Love Live, A-Rise and the other idols and understand the real meaning in being an idol and what about it makes them happy.

 

      Then there are the concerts which an extra helping of 3-D you see them utilized all their practice and sometimes (dieting) in order to put on these shows. It’s funny even from the beginning of the series they could be nervous before they get on and then they’re performing perfectly. Even if sometimes they push themselves too hard. They click as a group certainly and at least in the show, they seem like naturals. I mean A-rise performed their thing but even the first time I saw it I thought, man U’s has got this thing won. There’s always seemed a little more creative, perhaps that’s me being bias though.

 

    You can call it a lot of things but it’s a story of friendship and passion toward something which you can’t knock, these girls are determined and it’s hard not to root for them at some point. They face the problems of being a teenager in school but not in the sense of who are you in love with. There is no strong presence at all in male interest, there really aren’t boys at all except maybe background shots when they’re out in the city. Even Honoko’s father is a cut off face that doesn’t speak though it’s hilarious to catch him in certain scenes.  It helps that they have in their school dedicated friends  that push them along, you see this quite often and it shows how many people and how much hope goes into these things, it isn’t pushing aside future aspirations for something temporary on the contrary it much more than that.

      The anime has done something right. U’s were on the list for 8th highest selling act in Japan this year, even albums with single characters. The movie having been released not all that long ago and one member has claimed the coming concerts aren’t the end of u’s just the end of them touring alone, which means there is no stopping the pop idol act. It’s impressive that with the voice actors being the idol group in real life, it manages to penetrate on all fronts, a massive undertaking for several companies to work on this joint production. I’m sure it’s easy to see it all as one big promotion campaign but it’s also easy to see it simply as a show. Going into it I knew what Love Live! was and had been to Japan seeing it everywhere but hadn’t realized how much was going on with the show, that wasn’t what sold me, it was them, the underdog story which to some might be an old story but at times it’s one of the only sort of stories that endure, we’re always fighting odds for the things that mean the most in our lives. Not a bad message at all

 

 As said before  this genre is another way of telling stories, the idea of the idol has long been implanted in shows even some of an entire other genre such as Macross and spread out in various anime and various genders. This is nothing new, so whether you’re a fan of the sort are want to take a chance, School Idol Project Love Live is the way to go, here’s hoping you get something out of it,  I know that I did.

Want more reasons to boogey, well there aren't as many singing and dancing numbers but there is plenty of chatting about all things Geekdom and Otaku like, as well as movies, videogames and the likes. It's the Rats On A Plague Ship Podcast on Soundcloud. Come aboard for some fun and laughs.
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Yoshitaka Amano:The Man and The Artist

Yoshitaka Amano: Things to Know

 

One of the first  announcements which came  sooner than expected was that Yoshitaka Amano would be one of the guests at next year’s Anime Expo If you don’t know Anime Expo is the largest anime convention in North America. In the recent years it’s grown to exponential levels while being based in Downtown Los Angles. It’s current location has been the best thing for the convention as attendance has sky rocketed, often getting a piece on the news, Anime Expo holds concerts with guest from Japan even sometimes performing with a few surprises.

      A couple of years ago Hatsune Miku performed, last year it was Kiss and Momoiro Clover Z. It’s been visited by politicians and now has even earned a holiday in Los Angeles, people come from all over the world to attend including Japan and has become a four day massive meeting place for old fans and new fans alike. Even so the announcement of Yoshitaka Amano is huge and while many know who the legendary artist is, you might be surprised at some of the things you didn’t know.  Everything you know and some things you might not, for example novelist and actor along with so many other titles, these are but a few you may like to know.

 

Things You Probably Know

 

Final Fantasy: It’s not surprising as the mythical art, a distinctive Japanese style or should I say a distinctive Amano style has become synonymous with the series, always capturing the essence of the characters and the feel of the story that lies underneath. There theme runs through because beyond the title design, Amano has also had his hand in the character design, crushing the usual spiky hair association that the series is often given, with his smooth flowing art format.

 

     So when people complain about some of the designs in the games they’re overlooking some of the promotional art that they use for the series, art that comes from Amano. For everyone else it seems destined that he could capture the large scope of the series adding a heavier fantasy tone while also giving them appearances that in some strange way I feel makes them appear alive. Also his style is always fresh and eye popping, unique, versatile, all things that each Final Fantasy is. One thing Final Fantasy isn’t is repetitive as each number game is its own world and feel, making Square Enix storytellers above all else and seemed destined to have Amano San’s art bonded with the franchise.

 

Vampire Hunter D – The story of a vamphir hunter that kills vampires and all matters of demons in a post-apocalyptic world, once in pieces, than held by vampires and now at a sort of stage of rebirth that flirts at times with ancient, future technology, a story that maintains the story of a stranger coming to a village, modern day myths, and a level of grit told quite beautifully driving down real honest human stories and the capacity of ambition and the nature of human hearts that still exist even at this stage of the world is a sort of epic scope all on its own.

      The anime films and the fantastic novels that inspired them are iconic and of course Amano’s art is an integral part to (      )’s novel series. It was perfect for Amano-San who would do so much in the illustration business for fantasy novels and is one of the first things that Amano is associated with in certain parts of the world.  If you’ve never read the novels that inspired the classic anime films or that will be inspiring the new anime in the works than this is the best time to do so.

 

Things You Might Not

 

Neil Gaiman’s Sandman- One of the greatest comic series of all time which has been praised for its contributions to the comic book and storytelling community has a connection to Amano. If you know nothing of Sandman it incorporates characters called the endless that are truly something that intersects with the very human stories told, even to those that do not seem human, philosophical, captivating and deserving of all its praise. Following Dream or Morpheus, it’s unlike anything you’ve read but has done so much for the stories that you will.  Sandman is the comic that opens all your senses to the greatest things you’ll ever read and when you move on, it will leave a thin unseen layer of dust upon it, only to be wiped off and read again.

    So who better to contribute to this than someone who seems to be weaved from the mind of Morpheus, who paints his thoughts or all the thoughts of the fantastic and the dream like, no one I say is better suited to that than Yoshitaka Amano.  In a volume entitled the Dream Hunters, his art goes along a story that is focused more so in the myths of Japan while still having the series main character Morpheus but doing what the series did best, tell stories and by telling stories tell something real, yes in all of it, because you keep it with you and carry with you afterwards.

  American Comics- This wouldn’t be the only contribution Mr. Amano would have to American comics, he would also team up with Greg Rucka on Elektra & Wolverine: The Redeemer which once again his unique Japanese art that flirts with the woodblock techniques hones to its own vivid style works well with two characters that are far more than familiar with Japanese culture (read their comics and see).  It isn’t strange to have seen him doing art for American comics as they had an earlier influence in him along with American artist.

 

       He would continue to later work on various projects working with names or people incorporated in the work, everyone from David Bowie to Quentin Tarantino.  This wouldn’t be very surprising as his involvement with art galleries alongside other people would prove him to be time and time again a renowned international artist.

 

 

Animation: What shouldn’t be surprising is one of the earliest acts in Amano’s career and that is in animation.  Anyone who digs credits can find how some directors of anime get their start or artist of any sort and like any other genre of film, it’s in the many of the key positions in Anime. In Yoshitaka Amano’s case it was on a now classic anime, one that like the ones before it would show North America the first light of animation in Japan. For Speed Racer his first gig, it would be foreshadowing into a series of classic anime, everything from Gatchman to Time Bokon, where his contributions would first be felt greatly.

Often his role was character designer which of course would be essential considering some of the projects he’s been attached to. Even when he began to focus his powers on being a fantasy illustrator, it would be something he would return to. Which now credits him with a long list of projects which of course would lead into his own productions Studio Devoloka.

 

Art : Above it all Yoshitaka Amano is an artist and has released countless art books, full with mind blowing drawing with color that leaps off of every page. It’s hard to turn the page because you’re still staring at the previous one and as solely an artist Amano is well respected. Galleries and exhibitions are no stranger to Amano who travels to several countries to present his work.  So if you are an art enthusiast but have never dabbled in anime, games, comics, Japanese novels than you may still find something that can make you excited with his North American experience next year.  With his wide range of talents and the influence of the works he’s done, it promises to continue the growth of the Anime Expo and has people eagerly anticipating next year’s convention.

A Podcast Companion

https://soundcloud.com/rats-on-a-plague-podcast

*Need more otaku time, well for more ideas why not hop on to the newly minted podcast Rats On A Plague Ship. A podcast that speaks on all matters of geekdom with yours truly and my fellow co-host Sal Almaraz. The true cure to when the hours feel like they drag!

 

Holiday Binge Watching Lists Part 2

Holiday Binge Watching Lists Part 2

For this one we're going to recommend shows not only to binge but also because they have holiday episodes in them, of course someone who isn't an anime watcher may not think it but there are quite the amount of shows with episodes you can incorporate in your holiday couch watching. Some of these are New Year holidays as well!





Chrono Crusade - This one is adorable really as everyone experiences there first holiday in some form and some way but how many miss there entire childhood before experiencing one. Well one of the characters in the series Azamaria had, until she was taken in by the order and taught what the holiday means. Which means we get to see her experience Christmas shopping, the exchange, and the time shared with the new family she gained. It's also a chance to see Chrono and Rosette exchange presents, reflecting on the good and the bad just before things take a drastic turn. If that's not enough for you this series has a limited edition cover to it's box set which is Christmas theme. How much more holiday can you get then that?




Toradora- Another pivotal anime for Christmas is Toradora. The show is fantastic and normally will rip your heart out, throw it in a blender and set it to devastate (that's from a cartoon) but this is a bug turning point in the series. The show is about two unlikely outsiders who are in love with each others friends, both feared in school, one through temper, the other by appearance, they become friends and since they are neighbors Ryuji Takasu the male, who almost seems to have OCD, cleans Taiga Aisaka's home, invites her for dinners while they both try to get hooked up with the one they like. However they hold a strong bond and whose connected to who becomes clearer in these set of episodes.

        It starts simple enough with Ryuji trying to invite Taiga's best friend Minori Kushieda to the Christmas party in school, though she seems reluctant and Taiga herself distancing herself from him so he can get this chance. When he realizes this means she'll be all alone he comes to her house dressed as a giant Santa teddy bear. It warms the heart, that's when she urges him to go back to the party after feeling better and everything takes it's big twist, all things are clear and the heart is somehow pulsing on the floor. Just the right show to binge watch and just the right show to watch around this time of year.



Spiral- Some might be scratching their heads with this one, some might not even know what this series is, so first I'll explain the synopsis of the anime. Spiral
follows Ayumu Narumi a prodigy who finds himself wrapped up in the mystery of the Blade Children, mysterious individuals that are claimed to be cursed, it’s also the same mysery that his brother said he was seeking to investigate and had disappeared since. Being framed for attempted murder at school, he solves it as the spiral of destiny begins to unfold, his partner in this mystery is the energetic Hiyono Iwasaki, reporter for the school newspaper who has some surprising talents that could aid the solemn Ayumu.

 

       The teen detective lives with his sister in law who is a detective on the police force who begins to suspect that he’s involved in the same mystery that had swallowed up his brother. When the Blade Children begin to appear his life is soon in danger and somehow he’ll have to fight through the shadow of his brother, someone who was gifted at everything from the piano to mysteries and praised for it in order to understand what exactly these Blade Children are involved in. The holiday comes in when it starts humorous enough, Hiyono is interested in getting a present and drags Ayumu along with her,  he tries to help her get a stuffed animal in a claw game and nearly has it a dozen times but super hyper behavior shows through as she smacks the machine and keeps causing the animal to drop.


       Later it takes a serious but well done turn as Ayumu exchanges gifts with Madoka who is intoxicated, his gift is a CD of classical music done by one of the Blade Children, awkward yes. He leaves to get something at the grocery store and briefly has a stare down with that very same person and returns to hear Madoka in tears from the loneliness and grief of her missing husband/his brothers. The song playing was one of his brother Kiyotaka’s favorite songs. The show is very good and explores above everything hope that lies in the darkness of destiny and fate, it’s important to understand that more so than the Blade Children which incorporate this theme as well. Of course the underated manga gives all these answers and all going well beyond the show but check out the anime first, a perfect moody choice for the holiday.


School Idol Project Love Live - This one kind of wraps in New Years more than anything. Soon to be one of our focuses on Take A Pick Tuesday it's an idol show about a group of students that form a school idol group to at first save their school and then to compete in the Love Live competition while deepening their bonds as friends and becoming understood, some for the first time. For this holiday episode which is towards the end of the second season, they all gather after some sad realized twists preparing their selves for their upcoming performance. Making their wishes at the temple all nine meet in separate groups of each other, seemingly fated to be together no matter what which is an important underling factor.

      While making their wishes though you come to find that many of the people that went to the temple had wished for their success at Love Live, it adds to what they're supposed to mean as a group and as friends. All these moments and more make Love Live something you can keep watching even beyond Christmas into the New Year.



My Love Story- In a lot of ways this anime details the important occasions that would come for a couple in a relationship, though of course it's really what it could mean for two people to date. The anime distances itself from others by it's main protagonist being a big muscular man who most woman would seem afraid of and his small caring girlfriend. Takao has a very caring nature however and is also very honorable so the two have difficulties in taking any sort of steps that may be in a relationship without outside help.

      In the Christmas episode the focus steers away from them for a while and focuses on another possible couple they're hoping to match make. It's also the first time the series shows that not every two individuals are meant to be together and not every relationship works out the same as another. The two being their friends. Especially with his friends' thoughtless remarks and actions making her friend uncertain and even angry, in the midst of karaoke with the rest of their friends. What it culminates to I'll leave to your imagination but of course there's the rest of the aspects of Christmas that may make the series just as important. Especially when it climaxes to Takao's friend trying to reach the top of the Christmas Tree. That's all I'm gonna say, go watch it!


Fruits Basket - The major shojo giant Fruits Basket is a familiar title for many who watch anime. It also has a fantastic New Years holiday tribute which of course in the show would allow character introductions in the future and repercussions for the main characters in the series. Fruit Basket follows Tohru Honda who is found by the Prince of the school Yuki Sohma, apparently unknown to her closest friends she'd been living in the forest. This is following the death of her mother and seeing the ordeals she's been going through she's invite to stay with him and his Uncle Shigure.

      It's then that she stumbles upon the the Sohma secret, a curse where when hug by the opposite sex some of the members of the family turn into the 12 animals of the zodiac including the cat. The cat being Kyo, a temper filled boy determined to defeat his rival Yuki, soon he too stays in the house.  Promising to keep their secret, her kindness and understanding begins to change their life, as does their understanding of her pain and the weight she places on her shoulders begins to change hers. For the New Year's episode it is required that all of the Sohma family gather at the estate, a special banquet is held for the zodiac animals, which would mean leaving Tohru alone for the evening. Already reluctant Yuki and Kyo realize that Tohru would be forced to spend the first New Years without her mother alone. Running back to the house they spend it with her on the roof knowing that the only thing they really wanted to do for New Year's Eve was spend it with her.



School Rumble- Another episode where it actually plays into the series is School Rumble. This show takes the wacky Love Triangle and turns it into A Love Octagon. The show has delinquent outsider but truly misunderstood Harima who is in love with air headed energetic Tenma, whose actually in love with Karasuma who seems to only be in loved with curry but who can really tell what's going on in his head. It features a growing cast of who likes who and all the ways they clash though not necessarily in fighting, it's sort of there but really in all manners of hijinks that have honest moments with the characters as well.

     Poor Harima can't seem to catch a break and while I won't give away what led to this episode, I will say that Harima had turned to manga for reasons involving Tenma, in this episode he's struggling to finish the final chapter of his manga manuscript. This involves confliction to show it to Tenma or give it to a publisher, the use of a giant curry dish that was meant to be a present and a whole lot og grief for Harima all while he's dressed as Santa Claus. It's really funny but heartbreaking in a way. The series is fantastic, so why not give it a try.

I know I know what about Sword Art Online and Love Hina which has an entire Christmas special. Yes there are plenty of series with memorable episodes, which would be great to watch just as it is the rest of the shows, many will be incorporated when we cover more New Years episodes so stay tuned.

A Podcast Companion

https://soundcloud.com/rats-on-a-plague-podcast

*Need more otaku time, well for more ideas why not hop on to the newly minted podcast Rats On A Plague Ship. A podcast that speaks on all matters of geekdom with yours truly and my fellow co-host Sal Almaraz. The true cure to when the hours feel like they drag!