A-Music Week 6

Dear Followers,

Today. I uploaded my new anime schedule for Fall/Winter 2011. Fall 2011 was kind of a let down for anime, but Winter 2011/2012 looks to be providing some really interesting shows such as Kyousogiga which looks to be a FLCL/Studio Ghibli/Summer Wars/Natsume Yuujinchou hybrid and of course a new season of Bakemonogatari, now labeled Nisemonogatari, and serving as what I understand to be a prequel to the main series. The PV for Kyousogiga rocks by the way and can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=In4YoCWTKiM.

This weekend I marathoned Kanagatari, a 12-episode show, hard. Each episode is 50 minutes long, and I felt like a real hikikomori as I spent my Saturday in my room with the lights off, covered in blankets, watching Kanagatari and even refusing to answer the door when the doorbell rang. The art in Kanagatari is nothing short of amazing. One look at the opening sequences is a giveaway. The story, while heavily episodic, felt nicely paced especially given the 50-minute episode length and while I'm a sucker for samurai adventure narratives, Kanagatari was especially captivating.

The main character in Kanagatari, Shichika Yasuri reminds me a lot of Goku from Dragon Ball Z because of his upbringing outside of society, general cluelessness, and ability to never really sustain any serious injury. However, Goku is sadly more complex and enjoyable. Shichika remains, as he so often says, a sword or inanimate object throughout the series. He really only develops as a character against the backdrop of his flamboyant opponents, from the animal-themed Maniwa Corps to the eccentric owners of the Shikizaki blades. Honestly, how can you be in hot spring with a woman so casually?

While the fight sequences have a somewhat shounen-flair, action is definitely not a core part of Kanagatari. Don't let the cute character designs fool you as well. Kanagatari abhors violence as much as it vindicates it, with characters dying in bloody, brutal ways. One of the best qualities of Katanagari is how the show keeps you guessing. There is really no direct divide between good and evil in any sense in this show which is probably one of its most powerful points. Even the relationship between Togame and Shichika is never made clear, even by the end of the series. Either way, Kanagatari is definitely a show worth your while. Check it out for Thanksgiving Break.

Now for some A-Music!

1. San Francisco - Midicronica

Samurai Champloo ED26 Version

2. Tonight, Tonight, Tonight - Beat Crusaders

Bleach OP Version

3. Sea-Through Communication - School Food Punishment

4. Pride - SCANDAL

5. Tsukiakari no Michishirube - Stereopony

Darker Than Black: Ryuusei no Gemini OP Version

6. Tip Taps Tip - HALCALI

Eureka seveN ED Version

7. Loner - Outsider

8. Shinkokyuu - Super Beaver

Naruto Shippuden ED Version

9. Crazy Sunshine - The Pillows

10. じぶんROCK - ONEOKROCK

By That Time, You'll Already Be Torn To Pieces,
Noel