Spacehamster’s Blog

Up til’ about a year ago, my only exposureto anime had been via latenight showings on SBS. I thought Akira was the most pessimistic, dystopian and violent animated film I’d ever seen. And the glut of ultra-violent anime that flooded the Australian market afterwards (not to mention the sociopathic fan mindset that went with it) didn’t help matters any.

Evangelion was a huge improvement. And I liked Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex even better. GITS:SAC was the first anime series that I’d genuinely loved. It wasn’t as violent or dystopian as Akira, and didn’t have the “Darkfic” feel of Evangelion. But like the previous two, it did have some important observations about human existence, modern society and where technology would eventually lead us. But it was still rooted in the “grim and gritty” atmosphere that Western anime distributors thought that the fans would like. It certainly didn’t give me an incentive to explore other anime series - not if they were all as violent as Akira.

About a year ago, a friend of mine introduced me to the genre of anime. I asked him whether any anime had been produced that would appeal to my optimistically eclectic and odd tastes. Much to my shock and surprise, there were an awful lot of them. Here’s a list of what I’ve seen thus far -

• Azumanga Daioh: A slice-of-life High School series, with some charming but bizarre characters. The opening theme has the weirdest lyrics I’ve ever heard (ie. they make no sense at all). Nevertheless, a really enjoyable series.
• Macross Frontier: The far more mature and original Macross was the series on which the Saturday morning cartoon Robotech was based. Macross Frontier is a direct sequel to the original, but doesn’t require any knowledge of its predecessor in order to enjoy it. It started off promisingly enough, but the series is rapidly approaching its end and has still left many questions unresolved. They’ve also gone “a little emo” (as my friend has put it), and started killing off characters. A change in tone which I didn’t enjoy in Evangelion, and I’m not enjoying here either.
• Planetes: A very mature but entertaining series about Space Exploration, with some really charming characters and realistic storylines. Although it’s set in space, everything is based on real physics rather than rocketship fantasy. I’d strongly recommend this one if you enjoyed Apollo 13 or BSG.
• Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu: Hilarious! It’s a direct sequel to a far more serious anime series (Full Metal Panic). The situations are completely insane, but somehow this series manages to pull it off. It also has a very funny and daring ending, with a great closing line. If you want a laugh, this is definitely recommended.
• You’re Under Arrest: If I were to describe this to a Hollywood Studio Producer, it’d be “Cagney and Lacey done in Japan”. The show centres around two female police officers at the fictional Bokuto Police Station. Its greatest strength are its charming and likeable characters, and its slice-of-life perspective on policework. Please note that this is not a grim and gritty cop show like The Wire or The Shield. OTOH it’s got a combination of action and great comedy that charmed me within minutes of seeing it. I hope that ADV eventually releases series 2 eventually - it’s an absolute scandal that they can sit on a series for so long. Definitely my favourite of the ones I’ve watched thus far.
• Suzumiya Haruhi: This is easily the best of the bunch. I love You’re Under Arrest more, but in terms of animation, storyline and characterization it stands heads and shoulders above all of them. It also has a great End Credits dance sequence. As for the tone, it’s slice-of-life High School drama that also sends up a lot of anime cliches. I’m delighted to watch a series that isn’t afraid to poke a little fun at its more serious-minded contemporaries. I loved it so much, I’ve got it on order from Amazon.com!

The Gruen Transfer is one of those shows that I missed on its initial run. And now that it’s in its final week, I wish I hadn’t. Essentially the show is an ABC version of the ‘World’s Greatest Commercials’ specials that they used to run on Nine. Except they have a panel of people from the Advertising industry analysing the many different aspects of Advertising on commercial television.

If you’re a serious-minded student of media, then this program definitely won’t be very satisfying. Thanks to having Wil Anderson as host, there’s plenty of one-liners (whether you think they’re funny depends on what you think of Wil). He gives a far more restrained performance here than he did when he was hosting the Glass House, however.

OTOH, the show does raise some issues that don’t get any airplay on the Tabloid-style current affairs shows. Like focusing on telecommunications advertising, or the beauty industry. One of my favourite segments is ‘The Pitch’, where advertisers try and spruik unpopular causes - like Whale Hunting, or invading New Zealand. It’s a fantastic opportunity for talented Advertising Agencies to show their cheeky and/or sardonic side.

So I’d definitely recommend it. It doesn’t have any truly serious in-depth analysis, but it is an entertaining half-hour.

I was quite shocked and surprised that Chris Carter and co. would even consider making another X-Files movie, after the indifferent response to the previous one. I’m of the opinion that unless you have a film director that understands the original premise, adapting TV series to the screen is a very bad idea. This review from Latauro does not bode well.

After the events of 9/11, it seemed like the popularity of The X-Files waned considerably after that point. I suspect it was due to the fact that reality was so much more horrifying than fantasy. How can Alien Colonization compete with the traumatic impact of real-world terrorism?

And so we arrive at the X-Files film. A great many people are looking forward to it - I’m not one of them, even before Latauro’s negative review. Firstly, I think the X-Files was a great series, but it’s no longer relevant in a post-9/11 world. Secondly, the new film doesn’t follow-up on the cliffhanger ending to the series, with our heroes on the run from the law. I can’t understand the reasoning behind such a decision, but I think it’s one that the filmmakers will come to regret.

I think the X-Files was a great TV series, one that I’m more than happy to watch again. But it’s themes of alien conspiracies are laughably naive compared to the real-world threats we know face. A 24 big-budget motion picture? Yes. An X-Files movie? No.

I first heard about Neil Gaiman about 5 or 6 years ago. The first book of his I ever bought and read was Death: The High Cost of Living. After that I plowed through the entire Sandman collection. To this day, it is still my favourite comic. Heck, the scope is so epic I’m not sure if it even qualifies as a comic anymore!

So imagine my surprise when I heard that Neil Gaiman - the writer of huge movies like Mirrormask, Stardust and Beowulf - was coming to Tasmania. Unfortunately, it appears that many other people were just as surprised as I was and the tickets sold out within a few short days. One day before the actual event, I received a clandestine offer from the organisers to attend the event - naturally I accepted.

And here is Neil’s recap of hsi trip! And I have no idea why the car would be called Darlene either. Just a few more things to add to Neil’s recap:

Neil said that it’s the first time he’s ever read these works in public before. But what the heck, it’s Tasmania! If it doesn’t work, who’s going to know? He’d never read the Bad Fairy Godmother poem before, apparently because it contains the word “Unmannerliness”. Several times, as I vaguely recall. And from Neil’s blog, here’s the background for the poem “Before You Read”:

I’m slowly catching up with things I’ve promised people, one thing at a time. Todd Klein asked if I would do the signed Todd-lettered print after the Alan Moore one, and there was no way I could say no. Then I kept him waiting on tenterhooks until I had an idea, and then I made him tenterhook longer while I worked on it, but eventually I finished something called Before You Read This, which begins

Before you read this familiarize yourself
with the text. Note the position of the escape hatches,
the candles that will light in the event of a forced landing
to show you the way out.

Neil told us how he came up with the idea for the Graveyard Book: Many years ago, he used to live in a Spindly house with many stairs . As he couldn’t take his son (in the pram) around the house, he took him to the graveyard instead. Because he feels his talent isn’t going to get any better than it is right now, he decided to write it. If Chapter 4 is any indication, this book could be fantastic.

He also took some questions from the audience:
Why do you write so much about death?
He had been told there were only two great themes to write about: love and death. Since he was terrible at writing about love, he writes an awful lot about death.

Does his children like his books?
Sometimes. Maddy loves Coraline. Thought Anasi Boys was “weird”. Mike is 24 and works for Google in California, and has read all of them. Which is ironic because when he was 13 he thought daddy wasn’t cool for not writing Spiderman. Neil said “Wait until you’re 15, then I’ll be cool.”.

How did you feel about the success of Stardust.
Publicists lectured them about The Princess bride publicity strategy - and then proceeded to copy that strategy precisely. Told Matthew he thought this was a film that people would pull from the shelf (on video) and show their children in fifteen years(sic?), rather than a film that was important for its opening weekend.

What’s it like to collaborate with people?
Neil used to be nocturnal (which he rather liked and missed sometimes). Terry Pratchett would wake him up on his answering machine with “Wake up you lazy bastard! I’ve written another good bit!”. That’s what Good Omens was - just the two of them trying to make each other laugh. Crowley threatening pot plants might’ve been his idea but was written by Terry (sic?). When he was at the Publisher’s basement reading the “trial run”? He thought a line was funny. Terry said “I didn’t write it.”. Both of them privately thought the book might’ve been quietly writing itself.

What’s his philosophy on life?
He rather likes it! He liked music, and dancing, and food and sushi. He then wondered why he listed food and sushi as separate things)?

What’s the craziest thing you’ve been asked to autograph by a fan?
Mentioned when Jason wanted Neil to sign Maya’s book “Neil says Jason would like you to marry him.”. It might’ve been a disaster because what if there was more than one Maya in the line? “I’ve never heard of this Jason before.”. When Neil autographed Maya’s book she stammered “Thank you so much!” and was about to close the book and walk away. Neil said (playfully) “Just fucking read it!”. Maya read it. Maya looked at Jason. Jason looked at Maya. And 200 people pulled out their cameras and videos to probably put the whole thing up on youtube.

I was only allowed 3 books to sign, due to Neil having jet lag.
The autograph line doubled back on itself through the entire room. I was lucky enough to be among the first 20-30 people in the line, and got there within half-an-hour. One of the girls told another (who was shepherding the line) that Neil prefers to autograph the books directly rather than copy the post-it-notes.

Neil: This is for David?
Me: Yes, thank you. This is my first autograph signing.
Neil: And this as well?
Me: Yes thank you. (Points to Death: High Cost of Living). That was the first book of yours that I ever bought. Thank you for writing it.
Neil: You’re very welcome.

And then I walked out of the hotel, floating on cloud nine. I think there are writers, and authors, and there are people I call storytellers who have the ability to weave worlds from prose. Alan Moore has done it. I think Terry Pratchett can do it. And for one glorious evening, I was privileged and honored to hear a Master of his craft do just that. I will never forget it.

By all rights I shouldn’t love this show as much as I do. Unlike the three hosts, I’m Left-wing and I believe in Climate Change. But I resent being patronised and lectured on what I should believe, which is what most political commentators on the Left and Right do quite often nowadays. So I enjoy seeing these three hoon about in cars. Watching it is a sheer act of joyous rebellion against the thin-lipped humourless political commentators that dominate both sides of politics.

I also learned quite a bit about what makes a good car. Until I watched Top Gear I didn’t even know what Torque Steer was. Or that the Bugatti Veyron and the Aero TT were the world’s fastest cars (250mph). It’s a public service, don’t y’know.

And it’s also unashamedly fun. Over the past few years they’ve performed stunts like building amphibious cars across the English Channel, been chased by racist rednecks in Alabama, driven across the African desert, and raced by car and dogsled to the North Pole. And that was only in the last 12 months. My only complaint is that the BBC hasn’t released a Complete Boxset for each season. The current DVD’s are only badly edited compilations, and they just don’t compare to the full episodes.

This show isn’t for everyone. If you’re an environmentalist that thinks the Car is the enemy of humanity, then avoid this show like the plague. But oddly enough, I love it.

Ironically, just about all of my favourite TV shows are overseas imports that I bought (or borrowed) as DVD boxsets. They’re not necessarily high-quality, but they entertain me, and occasionally make me think.
I’ve sampled several new shows this year. Kyle XY (too WB-teenagey for me), Chuck (not as clever as it thinks it is), and Bionic Woman (too generic, but Katee Sackhoff and the lead are great).

Pushing Daisies:Of those, Pushing Daisies is definitely my favourite. It’s a story about Ned, a Piemaker who can revive the dead by touching them. The only caveat? If he revives them for more than 60 seconds, something else will die. It could’ve been grim and gritty, but is delivered with great whimsy and charm. The constant nararation can be grating , and the cutesy delivery might drive some potential viewers up the wall. But the script and performance save this show for me. If you’re sick and tired of “grim and gritty”, this romantic show’ll be a breath of fresh air. I’d watch it for Kristin Chenowith alone.

The West Wing: Yes, several months later and I’m still watching this show. I miss Aaron Sorkin on TV. Why did the networks have to drive this man off the air?

Stargate: The spiritual successor to Star Wars. Fun and entertaining, but isn’t afraid to poke fun at itself. The cast of the original show is exceptionally strong. The spin-off (Atlantis) doesn’t really takeoff until the 2nd Season. The 4th Season of Atlantis is thus far panning out to be the best yet.

Eureka: This show didn’t click with me until midway through the 2nd season. Now that I’m onboard with the characters and the humor, I’m really enjoying this show.

The Sarah Jane Adventures: Most Children’s TV is written down to kids. This one definitely isn’t. In addition to having above-average special effects for a “Kids” TV show, it also has some strong characters from Elisabeth Sladen and her young co-stars. If you want to keep your kids happy for an afternoon, this is recommended.

While watching an episode of ‘The West Wing’, I heard they mention Guacamole. “They make the guacamole right in front of you.” quipped President Bartlet. I normally go to the Carlton Cafe to buy my breakfast if I’m running late in the morning. This time I went to Subways and ordered a muffin. Much to my surprise, they also cook the egg right in front of you when you go to Subways for breakfast. Not as glamorous as guacamole, but I’m a simple man who takes pleasures from the small things in life. Not to mention you get fresh bacon and egg.

I stopped watching The West Wing after Aaron Sorkin left the show at the end of its Fourth year. I recently borrowed the boxsets from my local video library, and fell in love with this show all over again. There have been plenty of words written about what makes this show great. For me, it’s the sparkling witty dialogue, an awesome ensemble cast. But above and beyond that, it’s the premise that we can and should do better. That although even the President may be fallible, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t stop reaching for the stars.

The next 3 seasons go in a completely different direction. Characters make odd choices. Would Sorkin’s Toby ever betray the President? Would Sorkin’s CJ become Chief of Staff? Or Will Bailey defect to the Vice President? There’s a sparkle, spontaneity and fun that’s missing from seasons 5-7. Even though I still like watching the show, I don’t love it anymore.

Nevertheless, the first four seasons are genuinely classic television. I strongly recommend the first four seasons to anyone looking for intelligently written television.

This afternoon I had another floater show up in my right eye after a particularly vigorous walk to the car. Fortunately the worst of it cleared up after a two-hour nap. I must admit I really miss having clear vision. I realise that the laser photocoagulation treatment is very important in treating retinopathy. That’s a medically proven fact. I’m just wondering whether the side effects make it worth the expense.

As I can’t play computer games for lengthy amounts of time anymore, I find myself watching DVD’s and reading more often nowadays. It’s easier on the eyes. I was watching Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - what a magnificent series! Thought provoking and action-packed in equal measure. It did raise one question - if I had the chance to replace my eyes with bionic implants, would I take it? If you’d asked me this question six months ago, I would’ve laughed. Now, I’m not so sure.

Imagine - no more retinopathy! Perfect 20/20 vision! But the downsides are the constant maintenance needed to keep them in working condition, and their running costs. But you could argue that even a normal human eyeball has to be checked by an opthamologist once every 2 years. Wouldn’t it be easier to remove the eyeball from it’s socket and plug it into a USB port instead?

Right now, I’d certainly be tempted to say yes.

The first episode of the 2nd season of Doctor Who has just been shown on UK TV. What’s been fascinating about the new series is watching Doctor Who fandom’s reaction to the new series - which has, mildly, been quite tepid. Go ahead and read the postings in the Outpost Gallifrey forum if you don’t believe me. It’s amazing that a series that is so popular with a mainstream audience is so incredibly unpopular with fans. The first series received a hostile negative reception. There were accusations that Russell T. Davies was inserting “a gay agenda” in the series, in an effort to corrupt children. There were criticisms of Murray Gold’s music. And then there was the violent reaction of fans to the news that Christopher Eccleston was leaving. A reaction so violent that the forums were shutdown for several days.

In summary, hardcore “true” fans of Doctor Who hate the new series.

Why? Because this series isn’t as gritty or dark as the audio adventures and books they’ve been reading. It doesn’t contain any “traditional” elements that the fans can latch onto. This is Doctor Who revamped and made to entertain a 21st Century mainstream audience. It’s not meant to be watched by hardcore fans that want “The Champion of Time” and adult themes like sex and violence.

As someone who thoroughly enjoyed the new series (warts and all), I’m going to do my best to avoid the New series forums in the interim. I have no problem with criticism - everyone’s going to have gripes with certain aspects of the series. But it does tend to take the personal enjoyment out of things, when the only thing the “true fans” do is criticise and tear things apart.