wMar 28, 2010


Sunday Points of Interest

--Viz editor Pancha Diaz shares thoughts on Ooku, after it won the Tiptree Award.

--A site with neat Sailor Moon fanart! [Yes, I am still on my Sailor Moon kick. Expect a post on Season R in the near future.]

--Legally Blonde and How It is Awesome

--30 Rock Meta! Which explains some of the complicated feelings I also have toward 30 Rock. (The conclusion being....I love Liz Lemon! Most of the time.)

--Dear Manga, You are Broken. I'm not sure if I agree with *everything* here (for example, aren't manga prices in the U.S. similar to those in Japan? There is only so much that a publisher can do, although I agree that prices can be expensive. I am very grateful that the place I live has a pretty healthy used-book market that includes manga.
At any rate, it is a pretty inclusive summary of issues in the world of manga publishing, whether you are an outsider to the fandom or not.


I just made it through the first disc of Spice & Wolf from Netflix, which contains episodes 1-7.
I didn't expect to like this series because I was afraid it would be a bit moe.

However, it is so not. I love it so much!

A merchant and a wolf-god of the harvest travel together in a European-ish world. It is about economics and Autumn and what it means for people to lose faith. Also, apples.

I love the ending sequence. The lyrics are pretty non-sensical, but it makes me want to sing along: I want to dance with the peanut butterflies!



For a more sensible preview, read 's write-up in this post.

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scribbled mystickeeper at 11:08 AM
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wFeb 25, 2010


Sailor Moon, Season 1

I am no stranger to Sailor Moon, although this is the first time I'm attempting to write about the show in any great detail.

I collected the manga in volumes as it was released by MIXX/Tokyopop. Sailor Moon was my first anime, although I didn't grow up watching it on TV when I was a little kid. My best friend showed me the R movie when I was a freshman in high school, and at that time, SuperS was airing on TV after school.
My Sailor Moon history is pretty extensive, but it's also an extensive fandom.
--I have read and reread the entire manga many, many times.
--I have seen S and SuperS (seasons 3 and 4) a fair number of times in English dub, S once in sub.
--I have seen the entire live-action series.

This is the first time I've seen Season 1; my goal is to watch the rest of the series, and then I might try watching fansubbed copies of the Myus (Sailor Moon live-action stage musicals).
When dubbed and edited for American broadcast, DiC made a lot of alterations that changed the tone of the show. I feel that this is best shown (concisely) by the different opening sequences. The Japanese OP focuses a lot on duality (Sailor Moon v. Usagi), and is very flowery and twirly. The American OP focuses on action, speeds up a lot of the animation, and adds gaudy frames and electric guitar. [Note that the Japanese Season 1 gets a new OP after Jupiter and Venus join the team.]

Japanese opening:

American opening:

I really like Serena's voice in the first few episodes of the dub, before they change it. She actually sounds like a 14-year-old girl.

After about 20 episodes, Serena's best friend Molly (before she met the other Sailor Senshi) accidentally falls in love with one of the enemy! Serena tries to tell her not to love Nephlite, but Molly doesn't listen. She knows that deep down inside, he has a good soul. Too bad that in the English dub, Nephlite sounds like a total pedophile, and her trying to save him just ends up being confusing and WTF. "MOLLY, HE'S EVIL," doesn't hold sway with Molly.


After Nephlite bites the dust, Queen Beryl asks Zoisite to attack the Sailor Senshi. Zoisite does so, while fellow Minor Big Bad Malachite watches on.
At times, Zoisite can be a little effeminate - crossing his legs and holding his fingertips to his lips when laughing.

It is soon apparent that Kunzite and Malachite are totally in love. Kunzite dies in Malachite's arms, and later Malachite angsts over a photograph of himself and Kunzite. So of course, in the DiC dub, Kunzite is made female. (This becomes more disturbing in Season S, when the lesbian pair Sailors Uranus and Neptune are referred to as "cousins" in the English dub.)

While I didn't mind Mamoru in the manga, I basically hate Darien in Season 1 of the anime. He's so mean and useless! The dramatic plot is stupid too - he already has amnesia, so then when he's captured, he gets amnesia AGAIN.

I won't spend a lot of time on it because so many other people have elsewhere on the Internet, but Sailor Mars is my favorite sailor senshi (although it is really hard to choose....I love everyone except for Mercury). And in the anime, she's boy-crazy and constantly nagging/arguing with Usagi. In the manga, she's arguably the most mature of the Inner Senshi, and ends up taking a chastity vow for Sailor Moon. She has absolutely no interest in men (and Naoko Takeuchi loves to draw her provocatively with Sailor Venus).

DiC edited the series pretty heavily throughout. While the write-ups at this site are irritating to me this site comprehensively describes the changes made to every episode of Sailor Moon. None of the editing was as extensive as the editing done to the last two episodes of Season 1 (at least, not yet).
The ending is much more dramatic in the Japanese version; Sailors Jupiter, Mercury, Venus, and Mars all die, in addition to Tuxedo Mask. After Sailor Jupiter dies and Sailor Moon wants to capitulate to Queen Beryl to end the death, Sailor Mercury actually slaps her. All of this was deleted from the dubbed version.

The sacrifice of each Senshi is so moving! And I love how Usagi is so naive, and how the other girls are all in silent agreement that this is necessary. After Sailor Mercury volunteers to stay behind, Sailor Mars leads the way forward while Sailor Venus literally pushes Sailor Moon away so that they leave Mercury behind, taking advantage of her sacrifice in getting farther away.

Hearing their death screams is also a lot more dramatic than DiC's dub, in which the girls always give quips about the "Negaverse" (apparently "Dark Kingdom" wasn't a badass enough title) being "Negatrash," etc.

I take personal satisfaction in that Sailor Mars' death was the most dramatic - her screams were most nightmare-inducing, and I LOVED her grabbing the tail of the second youma after the youma and Sailor Moon both thought she was dead, and yelling, "I'm not done yet!" and then killing the youma with Fire Soul.

It's also way more dramatic when she faces the mind-controlled Endymion (/Darien/Tuxedo Mask) - he holds her up by the neck while she screams.

It's probably because I just re-watched all of Buffy, but there are a lot of parallels. Buffy as a whole is a better-developed show, and Buffy is not so whiny as Usagi, but it's relatively the same: a blonde chosen one who experiences a lot of growth over the course of the series as she is helped by her friends (oftentimes much more mature than she) to defeat supernatural enemies. When Endymion gets mind-controlled, there are many overtones of Angelus. And I'll probably revisit the parallels when I write about the S Season, specifically between Dawn and Hotaru.

Pioneer used to own the license to distribute Sailor Moon in the U.S., but they have gone out of business. Currently, nobody holds the license. Because the DVDs/etc. are out of print, it is possible to watch them online at YouTube. I highly recommend using Wikipedia to keep track of episodes (Japanese and U.S. numbering are different, as the US cut some episodes).

Reward for making it to the end: a fan-made version of the OP, in which Japanese fanboys make a live-action version. American fans who are unfamiliar with Japanese fandom: YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT HEINOUS IS. [My favorite part is the man in the cat-suit.]

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scribbled mystickeeper at 6:24 PM
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wFeb 7, 2009


Rec: Sailor Moon

Post originally created for Halfamoon



Sailor Moon is a manga series created by Naoko Taekuchi. It ran from 1992 to 1997, and has spawned a 5-season anime series, three movies, a musical, and most recently a live-action retelling of the story.

Many people are familiar with the anime version of Sailor Moon, as it aired on Cartoon Network for a number of years.

What many people don't know is that the original manga version of Sailor Moon, crafted by Naoko Takeuchi, is a fantastic and mature manga series. In the English dub version of the story especially, many things are "dumbed down" from the original source material. For example, the homosexual relationship between Sailors Neptune and Uranus is erased in the English dub. Instead, they are referred to as "cousins."

Usagi Tsukino is a lazy middle school student who loves video games. One day, she finds a talking cat, who tells her that she is actually a champion of justice, Sailor Moon. Usagi is incredulous, but when her best friend is attacked, she does not hesitate to save her. Throughout the course of the series, Usagi finds other girls who are Sailor Senshi just like her. While fighting various incarnations of evil, they also deal with school, entrance exams, families, and boys.

Sailor Moon is one of few manga series to highlight a lesbian relationship without making it into a huge deal. Normally, for a manga or anime series to have a homosexual relationship, the story focuses exclusively on the relationship. In the case of Sailor Moon, the genre is very clearly "magical school girl," but Takeuchi allows her characters to interact naturally without detracting from the main plot.

Also, Takeuchi's art books sometimes contain slash-tastic drawings of her characters. She seems to love paring Sailors Mars and Venus together, with their arms around each other, etc. There are some examples of this in the icons below!

Art styles used by manga-ka (people who write/draw manga) are always evolving, but it is difficult to find consistent quality artwork from the mid-1990s. Takeuchi's artwork is a massive exception, and to this day, I think that this series' artwork is the most beautiful I've seen.
Also, Takeuchi makes adorably cute chibi versions of all her characters.

As for the angle, almost the entire main cast is female, as well as the supporting cast. Girls are everywhere, and they save each other and kick ass.


Icons!














In the U.S., licenses have lapsed on both the anime series and on the manga series. The anime is still relatively easy to find on DVD, but the manga series is becoming increasingly rare. It was published by Mixx (which later became TokyoPop), but I would love to see a re-issuing here, much like they are currently releasing in Japan. Mixx did not do a very good job at binding the pages together. I own all 18 volumes, but many of them are falling apart!

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scribbled mystickeeper at 1:02 PM
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wJan 21, 2007


Winter Break in Review

Things I Read

That's right. Herein lies a list of everything (I think!) I read and watched over winter break. I guess there's not as much as I thought there was. Oh well. I'm in the midst of the novel Snow Crash right now, which is pretty awesome. Also, I'll be reading a crapload this semester for all of my awesome classes. Anyway, here we go:

  • I finished up the Sailor Moon manga series. This was a reread for me, and the series is still good with age, and probably one of the best manga series I've read. It does drama well, it does comedy well, and it does characterization well. It's still fun to read after having read it many times, and it's still good when compared to lots of other manga I've read. Certainly one of the most well-drawn. It does get pretty annoying, though, how every time there is a new revelation, it must be repeated 5 times. "It's the Silver Imperium Crystal!" "The Silver Imperium Crystal!?!?" "The Silver Imperium Crystal!" Oh, well.
  • The Glass Castle, by Jeannette Walls. The author is a gossip columnist I had never heard of (I don't read them, but whatever) for MSNBC.com. This book was amazing, and I seriously could not put it down. It's a memoir of her childhood with 3 siblings, an artistic mother who basically refused to care for her children in any way, and her brilliant, loving, and alcoholic father. She isn't bitter about her unconventional childhood at all, and in fact, the book was really funny at times. I highly recommend this.
  • President Dad manhwa series, first 6 volumes. I found this at the library, and scooped it up. It's basically pure crack. It is a dramatic, romantic shojo manga, but it KNOWS this, and even makes fun of itself for it. The premise is that the main character, Ami, is the daughter of the man elected President of Korea (South Korea, obviously). As her mother is deceased, she is pushed into the position of First Lady by her maternal aunt, while her paternal aunt schemes to humiliate her. It's light-hearted and highly enjoyable, but probably not something I'd want to own or reread.
  • Fushigi Yugi manga, volumes 1-10. This was excellent fun! Well, mostly. The premise is that a girl and her best friend enter a book and become transplanted in another world straight from Chinese mythology. My feelings on this series are pretty mixed. It was impossible for me to put down, so obviously it tells its story well. I liked the main character a lot at first, but after a while I found her and her main love interest to be pretty lame. Really, the "side" characters (who are actually still main characters, but not Miaka and Tamahome) are what I read it for. I love Hotohori and Nuriko, and Yui was fun to watch, too. After a while, the drama stuff gets kind of lame because it's like, "How many more times can people "unexpectedly die?" Or how many times can Miaka and Tamahome almost betray their love for each other? I loved reading the columns by the artist/author, though.
    I wouldn't want to own this series, but I think that I would like to read the rest of it, and also check out the anime (Louise has it).
  • Brilliance of the Moon: Battle for Maruyama by Lian Hearn. This is the first half of the last book in the "Tales of the Otori" trilogy, which is based on 19th century Japanese society, but is actually fantasy. I really enjoyed the author's writing style - it wasn't particularly new or inventive, but it was peaceful and orderly. I really like this series, and would like to reread the whole thing in one go. I only have one half-book to go, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I turned to manga instead. :D
  • NANA manga, volumes 1-4. The manga and the anime differ in the order in which they tell their story in the beginning. Even though I've been keeping up with the anime, the manga series is also great, and the art style is unique. I love this series, and I intend to own it all eventually (currently only 1 volume). The premise of NANA is that two girls, both named Nana, meet on a train to Tokyo. They are the same age and have the same name, but that is basically where the similarities end. One Nana dresses like a punk rocker - because she is one. She plays guitar and sings (awesomely) and has a band, and is moving to Tokyo to make a name for herself. The other Nana has a habit of falling in love at first sight. After working hard for a year saving up money, she is following her boyfriend and 2 best friends to Tokyo, and is eager to make it on her own. One Nana is jaded, and the other is hopelessly naive. Somehow, though, they get along awesomely. This series *should* be silly and typical (and thus boring) shojo, but it does characterization VERY well, and also has great monologues reflecting on the nature of life and relationships. I can't recommend it enough.
  • Loveless manga, volumes 1-2. I should think that this series is creepy and wrong, but I don't. Read the link for an actual synopsis. I think I like this series so much because the main character is severely damaged, and the way he reacts to things and the things he says bring back a lot of memories. The memories are painful, but the association means it's meaningful and well-done.
  • Fullmetal Alchemist manga, volumes 1-9. This was a lot of fun. It made remember the warm colors and superbly paced plot of its anime counterpart. I know that the anime diverged from the manga storyline, so I would like to keep reading this series and see what else happens. Still, I wouldn't want to take the money to own it. Reading this made me want to rewatch the anime series! Sadly, I think it'll be a while before that happens.
  • Priest manhwa, volumes 4-6. I love this series so much. I didn't expect Gena to be so awesome. I keep expecting this series to be stereotypical, but it never is. I should make a warning for gore/horror content, though. If you don't like that stuff, DEFINITELY stay away. The art style is all about straight lines, even when detailing hair and horses, giving it a unique and badass style. Also fairly unique to manga/manhwa - the blank space is black, not white. Ivan Isaacs is a former priest, now possessed by a demon, seeking revenge upon fallen angels who fought on God's side when Lucifer rebelled. The main action takes place in the Wild West (which the author/artist makes fun and accurate, without being annoying), but there are also flashbacks to the Crusades of the Middle Ages and modern times. This is one of my favorite series. The character - heroes, anti-heroes, and villains alike all get good, detailed characterization.
  • Lone Wolf and Cub manga, volume 3. I love the art style and the detail of this series, but I just can't get into it. I think that, to really enjoy this series, I would have to sit down and read them all at once (they read like watching a movie). Unfortunately, the series is over 20 volumes long, so this will probably never happen.
  • The Wallflower manga, volumes 1-2. I'm not sure how I feel about this, but Louise has about 9 volumes, so I'll probably read them all. I don't like the art style very much, and even the story is kind of lacking....but, we'll see.

Things I Watched
  • "Heroes" TV series, episodes 1-11. WHEEE! (Also, I totally had Eden pegged all along!) Hiro and Mohinder are still my favorites.
  • "Battlestar Galactica" TV series, most of season 3 (thus far); mini-series
  • A lot of "The Office," season 2, + quality time with my friends
  • Kiki's Delivery Service, animated feature film
  • "Porco Rosso," animated feature film (Loved it, 'though I didn't write about it)
  • My Neighbor Totoro, animated feature film
  • "All Dogs Go to Heaven," animated feature film. I found this at ShopKo for $5, and it was one of my favorite childhood films, so I bought it and watched it with my sister's kids. Amelia kept saying, "This is a good movie!" and Dylan seemed equally absorbed, so I guess that's good!
  • "Brick," feature film, was cemented as one of my favorites
  • James Bond: "Casino Royale," feature film. Badass. Still, slightly annoyed by the way the African storyline was glossed over.
  • "Children of Men," feature film
  • Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, feature film. My sister made me watch this with her, and I absolutely hated it. Thus far, the only film starring Will Ferrell that I've liked was "Elf."
  • Pretear anime series, 13 episodes
  • Haibane Renmei anime series, 13 episodes
  • Rose of Versailles, anime series, episodes ?-36. I think I've got about 4 episodes left. Yay French Revolution!
  • NANA, anime series, episodes 32, 33
  • Princess Tutu, anime series, episodes 1-9
  • Cowboy Bebop, anime series, episodes 17-26. This is one of my favorite series of all time, and I'd never seen these episodes before, aside from 25-26. Some of them were meh, but I liked them a lot from about 20 on. Especially episode 24. SO SAD! Jet and Spike eating the girls' eggs was sad. And Ein going after Ed! And Ed's message! And Faye! The reason I think it took me so long to watch these is because I don't want it to be over. I need to listen to this soundtrack much more often. Most people have seen Bebop, but if you haven't, watch it. I don't think there's anyway that the series could be more perfect.
  • Sailor Moon S, anime series, All (38 episodes). I watched the English dub version in high school when it aired on Cartoon Network. I really don't think the English dub was too terrible, considering the overall caliber of the show. Still, I liked the voice actresses more in the Japanese version. It was interesting watching this immediately after rereading the entire manga series. This time through, I really liked Sailors Uranus & Neptune a lot. I like Uranus's voice actress in particular, and I like both of them when they yell their attacks, "World Shaking" and "Deep Submerge" (which is good, considering it happens about every episode!). I also liked Sailor Chibi Moon a lot more, too. I mean, I always liked her in the dub, too, but she was much cuter with her Japanese voice. Also, how cute was she when she'd attack with Pink Sugar Heart Attack, and it wouldn't work?! The kid has pink hair. What's not to love?
    I do have to say, though, that I'm a bit miffed that Sailor Pluto's skin is white in the anime. In the manga, it's very clearly darker than the rest of the Sailor Senshi. Why change it? I don't know what the reasoning was, but I find it kind of offensive that they did that.
    I recommend the Sailor Moon anime series to younger people, and only to older audiences who are already fans of the show. If you're new to Sailor Moon, then I would recommend reading the manga.

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scribbled mystickeeper at 11:54 PM
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