http://bwabes.xanga.com/Latest Xanga weblog from bwabesen-us60http://s.xanga.com/images/xangalogobutton.gifhttp://bwabes.xanga.com/http://bwabes.xanga.com/328612092/item/http://bwabes.xanga.com/328612092/item/Wed, 17 Aug 2005 02:52:42 GMTI'll have to cut down on posts for the next week, since I'm on vacation (more on that later), but for those who aren't watching Gun X Sword, it's starting to get much better, although they tend to beat you over the head with the plot direction. It seems like it'll go out with a bang though, and should be a lot like Trigun, as the similarities are just staggering, but not overwhelming.http://bwabes.xanga.com/328612092/item/#firstcommenthttp://bwabes.xanga.com/321485324/item/http://bwabes.xanga.com/321485324/item/Sun, 07 Aug 2005 03:57:37 GMTThe latest episode of Gun X Sword gave a hint about the potential of this show. It seems to be structured a lot like Trigun, in that it took a lot to get started, but also has shades of Cowboy Bebop in the Helena - Julia fashion, as well as Gungrave in the whole "secret past" sense. While I don't think this show'll get up to the level of Cowboy Bebop and Gungrave, it has the potential to surpass Trigun, which just took so long to get started (I consider episode 12 to be the true starting point of that show).<br /><br />Anyway, the next episode looks great, and hopefully it'll deliver!http://bwabes.xanga.com/321485324/item/#firstcommenthttp://bwabes.xanga.com/312783438/item/http://bwabes.xanga.com/312783438/item/Tue, 26 Jul 2005 00:08:24 GMT<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0382508/?fr=c2l0ZT1kZnxteD0yMHxsbT01MDB8dHQ9MXxmYj11fHBuPTB8cT1JY2hpfGh0bWw9MXxubT0x;fc=10;ft=62;fm=1" target="_new">1-Ichi (2003) (V)</a><br /><br />I just saw this movie, which was supposed to be pretty good. However, since I haven't seen the original, maybe it wasn't as good. Still, it was all violence and no plot. Did anyone actually like this? It wasn't even humerous like Battle Royale.http://bwabes.xanga.com/312783438/item/#firstcommenthttp://bwabes.xanga.com/310526156/item/http://bwabes.xanga.com/310526156/item/Fri, 22 Jul 2005 17:27:45 GMTI'll post some more Gungrave analysis tonight, after I get home from work. Stay tuned...http://bwabes.xanga.com/310526156/item/#firstcommenthttp://bwabes.xanga.com/309437377/item/http://bwabes.xanga.com/309437377/item/Thu, 21 Jul 2005 02:50:58 GMT<a href="http://blogs.indiewire.com/morganspurlock/archives/005082.html" target="_new">Morgan Spurlock: The Big Finale</a><br /><br />Great show. I just hope that it gets picked up for another season...http://bwabes.xanga.com/309437377/item/#firstcommenthttp://bwabes.xanga.com/309354238/item/http://bwabes.xanga.com/309354238/item/Thu, 21 Jul 2005 01:04:06 GMTHi everyone. I've just transfered the stuff below from my website (<a href="http://people.bu.edu/bwabes/" target="_new">http://people.bu.edu/bwabes/</a>). I'll be adding to this as time goes on, but I wanted to let people comment on some of my ideas. I'll be posting in-depth analysis of some particularly important anime (Gungrave, Cowboy Bebop, Texhnolyze, Paranoia Agent, etc.), and I'll occasionally throw in some programming tidbits and computer vision stuff as well (I currently do research in that field). Go to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_vision" target="_new">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_vision</a> to learn more about it.<br /><br />I'm also nearly fluent in Japanese, since I've been studying it for three years and I spent the fall semester in Kyoto with a host family. I'm hoping to move there with my fiancee, so after graduate school hopefully that's where I'll be located. I'll post a lot more tomorrow, but for now, here's my previous anime analysis (complete with intro) from my website:<br /><!-- Jump to <a href="#gungrave" target="_new">Gungrave Analysis</a><br /><a href="#ep1" target="_new">Episode 1</a><br /><a href="#ep2" target="_new">Episode 2 & 3</a><br /><a href="#ep4" target="_new">Episode 4</a><br /><a href="#ep5" target="_new">Episode 5</a> --><br /><center>------------------------------------</center><br />The analyses below presuppose familiarity with the works. These can be purchased from a multitude of online stores, so the uninitiated is directed there before continuing. These works represent the best that the anime art form has to offer. New analyses will be added as time permits.<br /><br /><h2>Cowboy Bebop</h2><br />Analysis of Cowboy Bebop must invariably include Shinichiro Watanabe's (Director) other recently completed work, Samurai Champloo. Particularly interesting is that both of the core characters that comprise these two works are made up of two men and a woman. One of the men is serious and honorable (Jet and Jin, respectively), while the other is a more wild, reckless type (Spike and Mugen, although there are more significant differences here). In the case of the woman (Faye and Fuu), they seem to rely on the men for support. When both try to make it on their own, they invariable end up back in the group. While there are numerous exceptions we will not compartively analyze these two shows here, so exploration of these issues is best left to the reader.<br /><br />Colors are an extremely important function in this piece, particularly with regards to Spike. Amber represents pleasant memories of his past life, while blue the painful memories right before his death. For Jet, the black and white snippets of his past that we see shows that through his eyes the world is very clear cut, which is revealed in his past relationships and his treatment of Spike. There is also, in his case, the hard distinction between good and bad, which emerges when he is faced with his former partner's betrayal and he realizes what must be done. <br /><a name = "#gungrave" id="#gungrave" target="_new"><br /><h1>Gungrave</h1><br />Brandon Heat is undeniably the epitome of a Jesus character. Consider the evidence. He is essentially the son of Big Daddy, who is essentially God, he is betrayed and murdered by his closest friend, he returns from the dead, and the marriage of Maria and Big Daddy make Brandon their "son," which would mean his mother is Maria = Mary.<br /><br />The coincidences here are simply too large to ignore. Beginning in a few weeks, we will begin an episode-by-episode analysis of this personal favorite of mine and arguably one of the best cinematic works of all time.<br /><a name="#ep1" id="#ep1" target="_new"><br /><h2>Episode 1</h2><br />Analysis of this episode should take place later in the context of the show, but it is extremely interesting that the writers chose this particular point in the story to open the show. Indeed, this move definitely cost them viewership as many people I know, and even myself were put off by the first episode. This episode does, however, give us the pleasure of seeing the pieces fall together as the plot progresses.<br /><br />This point is, also, the absolute darkest point in the story. Harry is at the height of his power and completely absorbed by it. Millenion has turned vile and cruel and has shriked the legacy of Big Daddy. Brandon is dead, and Mika and Dr. Tokioka are about to be as well.<br /><br />After this Brandon starts to defeat the Orcmen and turn the tide against Harry, while before this point Mika was at least living happily with Maria and Tokioka. Even after the world had been almost swallowed in darkness, this tiny corner of light existed.<br /><br />I still believe that this might not have been the best decision from a commercial standpoint, but it makes the work as a whole much more interesting.<br /><a name="#ep2" id="#ep2" target="_new"><br /><h2>Episode 2 and 3</h2><br />I have combined the analyses of these episodes since they are inexorably linked. Here we see the pureness of the friendships of Brandon and Harry's old life. Notice that it is always light outside with the sun shining, and it is clear that a deep friendship exists between them.<br /><br />However, naivete comes at a price. Jolice, the first to be killed, was the purest of them all. We see Rad destroying the lives of Brandon and Harry in the present, but laying the groundwork for their future downfall as well. Perhpas in this way he may be considered the greatest villain of all. After all, without him, Millenion does not fall to Harry so quickly, and that one instant where Harry changes from the man Brandon knew into the Harry who kills his most intimate friend.<br /><br />Interestingly, the horror of Jolice's death seems not to phase the group as much as could be expected. When Brandon and Harry watch Kenny and Nathan be coldly slaughtered by Rad, they are in shock. When Brandon sees his first death, that of Jester, we know that a lasting impression has been left. The purity of Jolice seems to be buried in all of this.<br /><br />This is also interesting when we notice that Kenny is constantly wearing a peace symbol necklace while Jolice's apron says "Peace." It seems that the pure "goodness" of those who are killed "degrades" as the plot continues. First Jolice, who only cooks food and never joins the others in their brawls and other illicit activities, then Kenny, who carries around a toy gun and is a very boyish character. Last is Nathan, who is a rather rough around the edges comrade and not so lighthearted as the others.<br /><br />Particularly important is the entrance of Bear Walken to save Brandon and Harry. The light of his car is blinding, like the light of heaven. But rather than an angel, a man draped in black emerges. Thus the dual nature of Millenion, the angel and the demon, the black (in many senses) of Bear and the whiteness of Harry. The specific play on black/white continues throughout the series. Another item that comes to mind is Bear's kimono, half black and half white, revealed to us when he is killed by Brandon, although earlier his kimono was pure black.<br /><br />Notice also that the gun that he uses to disarm Rad (and the gun that Harry later uses to shoot Deed) is very similar, and perhaps the same, and the gun that Harry uses to kill Brandon. Thus we again see how Rad has led Harry onto a path of unescapable collision. Brandon is terrified when he sees Harry kill Deed, but says nothing. While Brandon remains in grief, Harry turns his grief to rage.<br /><br />Brandon never succumbs to this. That is one aspect of his greatness. But of course even he is not free from stain.<br /><a name="#ep4" id="#ep4" target="_new"><br /><h2>Episode 4</h2><br />We see a fundamental shift in the story in this episode. Harry has become more violent, and shadows of his future self reveal themselves. Notice that when he says that he plans to leave the city, a cloud passes over him and Brandon. It is lifted once Brandon decides to go with him. This same shadow comes into play when Harry is hiding behind a grave while Descartes's men have Brandon. He is in the shadow while he contemplates running, but then he emerges into the light.<br /><br />What is very interesting in this episode is when Brandon says: "Nanika machigau. Daga, sore ga nanika marude wakaranai." (Something's wrong. But, it's can't quite understand what.) I take this as a turning point in Brandon and Harry's relationship. This is the first point where things really change between them. I believe that he refers to Harry's callousness, his portrayal of the deaths of their friends and Jester. One could also make a point that he is talking about the mere absence of those people, however why would Brandon not be able to understand that? In any case, Harry has become much more independent. While before he risked his life and went to Miranda's to save Kenny without so much as a thought, it took him some time to risk his life for Brandon in this episode, and he even went so far as wanting to leave him. This is the dual nature of Brandon and Harry: the steady and the changing, the foolish and the clever, the good and the evil.<br /><br />Also interesting here is the deferring nature of Maria. She really doesn't stand up for herself in any regard until much later in the series. I will have to do some research, but I am curious if this is one of the traits of the biblical Maria.<br /><a name="#ep5" id="#ep5" target="_new"><br /><h2>Episode 5</h2><br />In this episode it is important to note the thin Bob Poundmax, who gradually increases in girth as the story progresses. I take this as a measure of the corruption of Harry. We see a glimpse of Harry's plan, and his voice lowers as it always does when he talks about such things, but as Harry gains and gains in power, Bob grows larger. Perhaps this is also a commentary on power in general: that we cannot help but grow fat from it.<br /><br />Brandon is also exposed to the true nature of the syndicate, and we see the beginings of his sacrifices for Harry. He does not want to continue. He would be happy just living his life as it is, but Harry pulls him, drags him along. Brandon doesn't understand this desire of Harry's yet, he's just willing to do whatever his friend wants.<br /><br />The ability of Brandon to create a family for himself also seems evident. His new coworkers become accustomed to his personality and enjoy his company, while Harry just seeks to move on, forgetting what he left behind.<br /><br />Again, the dual nature of what is good and evil is explored in this episode. Brandon's boss, Widge, spends his days beating and killing men for the syndicate, but he comes home to his sick mother, caring tenderly for her. One cannot simply label Widge as good or evil. Indeed, many of his actions are terrible and cruel, while his other half is gentle.<br /><br />There are no innocents here, although in Gungrave most women seem to be without taint. Perhaps it is the desires of men that are the truly evil parts of this world, but the women who provide the light. After all, Widge shows his good side to his mother, and Brandon senses the purity of Maria, who he cannot even approach after he feels stained with her Uncle's death. Sherry too, while perhaps too oblivious to the facts, seems to be a genuinely good force that managed to keep a part of Harry in the light even when he had completely turned himself over to evil. And, of course, we have Mika, the true child of god, purest of the pure.http://bwabes.xanga.com/309354238/item/#firstcomment