blodeuedd

When I sent my family a Christmas package, I inluded the anime series Monster for my brothers. So far, B1 has watched it and complained to me that it was addictive. When we were discussing it the other day, he came up with the astute observation, "It's anime, there can't NOT be crossdressing in it at some point!"

When I was done laughing, I tried to think of an anime series that I've seen that doesn't have at least one instance of crossdressing, and came up blank. I mean, even Prince of Tennis has Fuji as a female in the chibi episodes -- and if you say that doesn't count, then I have four words for you: Oishi doing rythmic gymnastics. XD Then I thought about it some more, and figured that Evangelion had no crossdressing (unless I've forgotten something?) and neither did Gundam Wing. Also... I don't know, Serial Experiments Lain? (I'm totally dating myself, aren't I?) I still find it significant that it's far, far easier to rattle off a list of anime series in which at least one character crossdresses, be it seriously or not, than it is to think of series in which there are no such shenanigans.

My reviews are late. Bloh.

Big Love:

I'll admit right away that the subject matter -- polygamy -- raises my hackles, and the first two episodes did not make me very happy. It's fine to have one of the three sister-wives saying to the other, "You have to remember that we chose this," but when the viewer is not given any explanation that could shed light on the reasons behind such a choice, it's very hard to relate to the characters. If I'd been watching this on television, I doubt I'd have bothered to tune in after the first couple of weeks. If you stick with it past that, and can ignore the squickiness inherent in the premise, it does turn out to be an interesting story.

That said, I feel it works far better as a drama than as a comedy, though it tries to do both. The "comedy" of the poor husband needing Viagra to satisfy his wives, or seeing the three sister-wives argue the logistics of who's turn it is tonight and who can use who's car just did not strike me as funny, and though Barb, Nicky and Margie do turn out to be interesting characters in their own right, my sympathy for women who would willingly enter an arrangement that leaves them powerless can only stretch so far, especially when they show resentment for the fact that the world just doesn't accept them. It may not be cool to say so, but my tolerance only extends so far, and depriving women of their rights, no matter the reason, crosses the line.

I suppose it's fair to say that my main beef with the show is not the show itself, but the lifestyle it portrays. Still, I have to wonder a bit about the creators' intentions: the show focuses on practicing polygamists, and the regular LDS Mormons are made out to be the prejudiced witch-hunters, but this is an HBO series -- I'm assuming the target audience is neither Mormons nor polygamists, so are the writers getting a kick out of messing with the audience's heads? "Yeah, we know that Mormons are intolerant bigots, but let's get you to cheer for some people who are wronger!"

Final verdict: 7.5/10 -- not sure if I'll make an effort to watch the second season

The Flight of the Conchords

Oh, how this show made me giggle! It wouldn't do to list all the funny moments, because I'd never finish, but I just want to mention that the only thing better than a really funny throw-away joke ("I killed a monkey, once.") is when it turns out to not be a throw-away joke.

And the Lord of the Rings music video was absolute brilliance, except for the rap bit. The rap bit was absolute awesomely brilliant brilliance with a cherry on top. XDDDD I needed three tissues to wipe away my tears of mirth. Srsly.

If this is typical New Zealand humour, more, plz? :D

Final verdict: 9/10

Prince of Tennis(Konomi Takeshi, vol. 3, 4, 5, English translation):

Ryouma is still a cocky brat! *shock*

This covers up to the end of the match against Fudoumine, in which Ryouma plays with an eyepatch after his cheap racquet shatters and attacks his eyelid. Also, wasabi sushi and Inoue the reporter being a total Samurai Nanjirou fanboy. *rolls eyes*

One thing that struck me while reading these volumes - and I don't know why I never thought of it before, given the quantity of manga and anime I've consumed over the years -- is how much more development of secondary characters you tend to get with anime. Since you can't spend endless frames focusing on one character's face, you inevitably get plenty of commentary by the rest of the cast (especially in a series such as this one, where everyone watches everyone else's matches) or, at the very least, you see them standing around in the background. The result is that if I were reading Prince of Tennis without having seen the anime, I wouldn't know a hell of a lot about many of the characters except for Ryouma, Nanjirou, Sakuno, Tezuka and I guess Momo and Kaidou, or at least not half as much as I did at the same point, story-wise, in the anime, though it does follow fairly closely.

Final verdict: 7.5/10

The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (Mordecai Richler):

Another Canadian author?! Somebody stop me! Or not, because what else am I going to do during a 40-minute train ride every morning?

This story is at once bitter and hopeful, though I did feel the bitter won out on the whole. Interesting in that much of the story is expressed in dialogue, it feels almost like a movie; you hear the characters voices, and it's up to you to figure out what's lying beneath. One thing I found sort of jarring was how the very beginning of the book is told through Mr. MacPhee's eyes, then skips over to Duddy and pretty much remains with him until the end. I understand why (to set up the character of Duddy from another person's perspective), but since Mr. MacPhee is only mentioned once or twice in passing after that, it feels odd to develop him so much at the beginning.

I found myself impatient for the book to get going, as it were, until it started picking up steam after the first third. Then again, it was sad to see Duddy sucking his own soul dry in his relentless pursuit of success, but the feeling that he got what he deserved balanced it out. As a character study, it's both fascinating and wearying.

Since Duddy Kravitz himself is so obsessed with money and making it, all the prices listed in the book are an interesting glimpse into the Montreal (and surrounding areas) of the 1940s and '50s. Imagine, thinking $10 for a night out drinking is a lot of money! Also, the first thought in anyone's mind when confronted with white powder is "heroine" and not, as it would be now, "cocaine". Though one thing that puzzled me is the references to pinball machines being illegal in New York. I imagine they were considered a form of gambling, but how? Were they more like slot machines?

Final verdict: 8/10, but I don't think this is something I would read a second time.

Th-th-th-that's all, folks!