Animé – Page 10 – Prattling before the Pratfall

Have GunXSword, Will Travel

The latest Animé series we’re watching with Eric is GunXSword, about a western-style character named Van, seeking revenge against a man named Claw, for the death of his betrothed. There are giant robots involved that look like the Transformers. It’s not as silly as it sounds!

In this 10-minute clip there are no robots. Carmen99, overly endowed and scantily dressed, is visiting her hometown. She finds the townsfolk suspiciously happy.

[flv:http://www.dograt.com/Video/APR07/GunXSword.flv 425 240]© AIC

He Yam What He Yam

At last! The DVD set I have always wanted, even before DVD’s when I wanted it on LD, will soon become a reality. The Complete Popeye The Sailor.

Going waaaay back, to my earliest memories, ages 4-7, there were two things on TV that I absolutely loved watching. Superman and Popeye. It’s a visceral connection that I feel yet to this day — The Adventures of Superman with George Reeves, and the Popeye cartoons done by the Max Fleischer studio in the 1930’s.

I’ve posted a couple of items about Superman, here and here, but for more background on Popeye I recommend a visit to an excellent tribute site. [Link Here] Note: You’ll need Internet Explorer and the Real plug-in to watch the cartoons. A slightly different take on Popeye is here on DogRat.com. But — d’oh! — the YouTube video I linked to has been pulled. Any wonder why I post my own videos?

I’ve consciously avoided all Popeye releases until now, knowing that eventually the legal hassles associated with the property would be settled, clearing the way for a box set video release. This is super-duper news. Mike Dobbs [Link] is only person I can think of who must be looking forward to this more than myself.

Lain And The Wired

[flv:http://www.dograt.com/Video/MAR07/Lain.flv 400 300]

At the recommendation of son Eric, we’re watching Serial Experiments: Lain, a 1998 Animé series. I can see how one might wonder if the concept behind it had some influence on the The Matrix.

The character design for Lain was done by Yoshitoshi ABe, who also came up with the design for the previously-mentioned Niea 7. ABe self-published a manga called Haibane Renmei, which he later animated.

Chiyo-chan’s Dad

[flv:http://www.dograt.com/Video/FEB07/AzumangaDaioh.flv 400 300]

I’ve posted a bunch of video samples from wacky Azumanga Daioh. Here’s another one. Mr. Tadakichi is little Chiyo-chan’s dog, and Miss Sakaki has a totally bizarre fantasy about Chiyo-chan’s father, who she imagines is a freakish creature.

Eric’s Animé Pick

[flv:http://www.dograt.com/Video/JAN07/Niea7.flv 400 300]

We’re currently watching a series called Niea7. Here are the opening and closing credits, followed by one of Dalgit’s Tidbits. Don’t ask for an explanation! I could have included the sub-titles with translation, but it wouldn’t help.

The guy singing the theme song, Sion, makes Bob Dylan sound velvet-voiced! The closing song is a typically happy and sweet female vocal.

Open/Close Exile

[flv:http://www.dograt.com/Video/JAN07/LastExile.flv 425 240]

Way back in this blog’s dark ages of embedded video, I posted a brief clip from an Animé series called Last Exile.

For a long time we’ve been meaning to post the opening and closing to the show. And thanks to Santa having given Eric a Last Exile box set for Christmas, here they are.