And There Goes Tokyo(pop)
Famed manga translator and publisher company, Tokyopop, is closing down its US branch. Apparently they’ll be keeping their European doors open and, as far as I can tell, will still be shipping out manga. Comics blog The Beat has the story. I won’t be just cross-posting, though. I’d like to say a few things.
I don’t know what to think or how to feel, really.
I was introduced to a lot of series and new things, especially when I was really young, due to Tokyopop. They had been my favourite translator-publisher when it came to manga, since it seemed they kept the comics’ integrity and foreign appeal (like much less americanisation of terms, none of that page-flipping bullshit). Although, I do realise that in the end, money is what it comes (came?) down to, and that they aren’t the same company that they used to be.
I was never really big on their OEL Comics/Manga (Aside from stuff by Christy Lijewski or good ole’ Brandon Graham), and it sounds like dealing with them was a hugely convoluted process. I used to dream of entering their “Rising Stars of Manga” competition, working to hone my skills thinking I could hit it big entering. I guess along the way I lost the bit of Japanophile edge I must have had, and learned more about indie comics, kind of broadening horizons, expanding my mind, and what-not.
Oh well. farewell Tokyopop. I just hope I can snatch some of your backlog still! I never got to finish my collection of “BLAME!”!
-K
Thoughts On… “Bakemonogatari”
“Bakemonogatari” is an anime adaptation of the light novel series of the same name. The name is a Japanese play on words: bakemono meaning ghost or monster, and monogatari meaning adventure or story much like an epic poem.
The story centres around a high school senior named Koyomi Araragi. He has recently become human again, after having been a vampire for a brief time, but still has some of his abilities from before (ability to sense supernatural entities and events, quick regeneration/near-immortality). Walking through his school, he sees a fellow classmate Hitagi Senjōgahara, infamous for being completely anti-social, has fallen down the stairs. He catches her in mid-air, and realises that she weighs next to nothing. After some conflict, he agrees to help her, knowing that this is relating to something darker, and takes her to meet a man named Meme Oshino, who lives in an abandoned building and is an expert in the supernatural.
From this point on, the pair begin to encounter many other paranormal cases, and the show breaks into short arcs, each revolving around a girl in some sort of strange situation, and Araragi’s attempt to help them.
I’m fairly conflicted when it comes to “Bakemonogatari”.
I am certain that the novels wouldn’t appeal to me, just the anime. The reason is the delivery. The show is developed by the animation studio, SHAFT, who is also responsible for hit series, “Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei” (Goodbye Mr. Despair). The techniques they use are fairly experimental and the animators really like to play with different ways to transition and portray scenes. Their whole approach gives this very artsy, atmospheric feel, which really can draw you in, no matter what is going on.
Some aspects of the story are pretty intriguing too (I really want to know more about the main character, his stint as a vampire, and how he met Meme and another vampire who makes appearances).
Every once in a while, I get a bit turned off, though.
The show has it’s points where It runs through the typical faux-romantic, sort-of-comedy, anime cliches.
Although, it makes me wonder about the content of the book more.
I also begin to wonder about the attitude of the show’s directors.
Thinking of it as it’s own entity, it almost seems like the show could be a commentary on anime and what it has now become. But then, knowing this is just an adaptation, my hopes are sort of dashed.
Should I just accept it for what it is, and enjoy what I get from it?
Or should I stay critical and analytical?
If you’re not too into anime, I’m not sure how well it’ll go for you, since it contains some cliches which can be annoying to some, as I mentioned earlier. Although, the animation is so well thought out, I feel there could be some aspects that others could appreciate.
Regardless, this is definitely a show to check out.
-K
Video games.
I don’t think there was a point when I really discovered them. It seems like they’ve always existed.
I’ve had exposure to games since I was born. My parents were not really big on games, but they grew up with Pac-Man and Space Invaders. As a baby, they would hold me up to arcade cabinets and try to get me to play.
I remember some family reunion thing when I was four. It was at my cousin’s house. He was a little bit younger than me. I was probably four or five when it took place. He had a NES and SNES, and I spent almost the whole event chasing pet chickens and trying out all of the different games he had.
When I was five, I had to have my tonsils taken out. When I woke up after the operation, I saw my mother and my father, holding a box that read, “SEGA Genesis” with “6-Pak game cartridge included”.
I was too excited. I wanted out of that place THAT SECOND.
I wound up having to stay longer due to complications. My father ended up busting it out at home, playing it, and coming back to tell me about how awesome it was.
I digress.
Anyways. Influential video games.
All I had was a Genesis, Gameboy Colour, and PC, up until my brother got a PS2 for some birthday, a few years into it’s cycle.
The game I probably played the most of was Sonic 3 & Knuckles.
I really loved the art and all of the different landscapes and environments to explore. That was my big draw: the feelings it gave me when I would see the lush foliage, or harsh metal architecture.
I also played quite a bit of Ecco 2. Although I mostly used level select and explored all of the environments. This game creeped, no, horrified me quite a bit as a little kid. To this day, I still have nightmares about it. It’s pretty interesting. The environments are beautiful, and sometimes, twisted. The music, eerie. The story, very deep and somewhat frightening in itself, at times. I don’t care what anyone says!
Although, there are three games that influenced me more, and I played almost as much as Sonic 3.
Atomic Robo-Kid left the biggest impression on me. It’s a little spooky too. Some of the art is very bio-mechanical, and I’m sure Giger had some sort of influence. It’s pretty-much just a twitch shooter with more interesting level set-ups and structures. More like shooter with some platformer inspiration.
This game scarred me or something. It’s really bored itself into my brain.
The art and feel from Tsutomu Nihei’s work with manga/comics (“BLAME!”, “NOiSE”, “The Knight of Cydonia”) reminds me of Atomic Robo-Kid a lot, sometimes.
My favourite level in the game. I love the near-infinite feel of the background.
This is actually a shot from the Turbografx-16 port. I haven’t actually seen this level in the Genesis version I love so much (although I’ve never even beat it, or have gotten too far into it, either). I’m sure it’s in it, though.
Whip Rush is probably my second favourite. As a little kid, I would spend hours trying to beat it (to no avail, haha), then run outside, hop on my bicycle, and pretend I was in the game.
It’s a very fun Gradius-style shooter, but it probably has the most beautiful pixel art I’ve ever seen in-game. Really amazing music too!
Viewpoint is great too. The graphics are a little strange. Not just in a surreal way, but because it’s got this isometric look to it. This game was probably one of the earlier examples of something like the modern “bullet-hell” stuff.
The music is absolutely fantastic. Please give it a listen. It was done by a couple of jazz composer, and consists mostly of strange samples and phrases of FM work. Good stuff.
There is also a PSOne port of the game, and there was a canceled Nintendo 64 sequel, which I cry over every time I remember it…
I’ve been into indie games and indie game development probably as long as I’ve had access to a computer. I would spend hours surfing the internet, reading about fan games, and all sorts of little things like that.
I eventually got into emulation too, and wound up playing all sorts of hardcore, JP-only games for the SNES, Genesis, and NEC PC-Engine.
I think the first indies games I really got into were Ben “Yahtzee” Croshaw’s Chzo Mythos games. I played “5 Days a Stranger” shortly after it’s sequel “7 Days a Skeptic” came out, and I went to town on both.
I was never really into point-and-click games before that. I’m still not, really, but I try and give them a shot now.
The first indie game to really blow me away was, of course, Cave Story.
It was probably the first indie game to make me realise that they can be just as good as published ones. It’s all up to those who make them.
It really took me back to the days when I would browse BRE Software and so many other little mom’n'pop game stores in town, looking for interesting Genesis games.
I’ve also been very-much in love with All Of Our Friends Are Dead and Au Sable. They’ve really given me a similar feel that Cave Story has, but a little different. More like if David Lynch had actually followed through, and gotten into more game design. I’m TOTALLY in love with the sound design on them, too!
My favourite game is Yume Nikki (next would be the No More Heroes games, followed by Contact for the DS, and Mother 3 for GBA. Though they will probably get their own posts too, someday~).
I just really love everything about it. When I’m in a creepy mood, or want to relax, I like to play it. I really love how much there is to explore. Explorations, environments, and depth. I think those are the most important things for video games.
Before finding Cave Story, though, I messed around and tried making some games of my own.
I received my first PC when I turned nine, and was really into this sprite and sprite comics craze (thankfully, I saw the errors of my ways, and fell out of it all).
I looked into this really weird, game maker-esque engine, and spent sleepless, terrible nights fiddling with it. I messed around with RPGMaker 2000 a lot too. In middle school, I grabbed some earlier version of Multimedia Fusion, and tried making a vertical scrolling shooter. Terrible stuff, though.
After finding Cave Story, my fire was rekindled, and I’ve been more and more interested in make my own games. Well, wait. Since I was little, I’ve wanted very badly to grow up and break into the game industry. This never left me, but my indie game fire was rekindled.
-K
