Anime --> English Style

Japanese animation is well loved all over the world. Most of us, usually think that it is more popular in the country of France than anywhere else in the world. The French are addicted to anime tropes and J-animation and are highly attuned to trends in anime, manga, video games, and otaku culture. 

The truth in style is quite different. The way anime culture is centered around introspective, expression, truth, and openness betrays to another European locale, the United Kingdom. Anime in style and them may actually have their basis on English culture, as in based off of British culture. Everywhere you may find in anime and manga themes, allegories, and allusion to more popular ideas or even loanwords, that are rather British than French.

Gundam 00 and XXXholic 
Both have references to English tea time in the afternoon. Tea time in the United Kingdom, especially Great Britain is followed and well-liked by all British people.

Rurouni Kenshin and Revolutionary Girl Utena
Sword sport fencing is played seriously and competitively in both. Fencing is similar also to jousting, but the former being played while not piloting a horse.

Ouran Host Club 
The main character eventually falls in love with the "prince" of the Ouran Host Club. Though, you would watch the entire short series to figure out what happens in it.

Eden of the East and C: Soul and Possibility Control
 There is an obvious allusion to a paper note that kind of possibly looks like it may have the Queen's silhouette on the face of it. So, that is actually a reference to the UK and not any other country (that one being France) that might heart anime also...

There are more general themes, TV tropes, and archetypes NOT specifically mentioned here. We're just trying to give you some food for thought about why people like anime! Keep an open mind and just feel the emotions that the anime represents. It's not a big deal if the French are more vocal about their anime style but the English love anime too! Thanks for reading!

Anticipated New Anime Corner! "March Comes In Like a Lion"!

What are your top 20 favorite anime?! Would Eden of the East (Higashi no Eden) or Honey and Clover (Hachimitsu to Clover) be in that list? If so, you will be excited to her about this anticipated new anime by the mangaka of the above shows - March Comes in Like a Lion (Sangatsu no Lion)!

Synopsis from TV Tropes :

Rei Kiriyama is a 17-year-old boy who recently started living alone, financed by his salary as a professional Shogi player. Despite his independence, however, he's yet to mature emotionally, and his problems continue to haunt him in his daily life. His relationship with his adoptive family is strained, and he has difficulties interacting with his fellow high school students. Meanwhile, his professional career has entered a slump. Burdened with the heavy expectations placed on him as the fifth to become pro in middle school, his wins and losses are fluctuating as his record and progression into the ranks begin to stagnate.

Acquainted with Rei are the three Kawamoto sisters: Akari, Hinata, and Momo. Unlike Rei, they live happily in their modest home, which they warmly welcome Rei into as if he were one of their own. Despite his reservations about becoming too close to the family, he frequently visits, interacting with them and receiving the kind of care and affection he never quite had while under his foster home.

This is the story of Rei's triumphs and failures, relationships new and old, and his growth as a person.

I don't know about you but I am very excited for this opportunity to see another Umino Chika masterpiece to be animated! The characters seem as charming and relateable as the ones in Honey and Clover. It may not be action-oriented like Eden of the East, but you are sure to have major feels while relating to Rei and his coming-of-age story!

Look forward to this gem coming Fall 2016 season! WKTK!

-chansu

Anime Introspective: ERASED and the American Serial Drama Tropes

 Most people live life on the path we set for them. Too afraid to explore any other. But once in a while people like you come along...

Guess which anime has topped the MyAnimelist charts in just a short few months?

"Boku Dake Ga Inai Machi" - The Town Where Only I Am Missing, or simply "ERASED" as the English adaptation title, is a story about Fujinuma Satoru, a young 20-something manga author who has a mysterious ability called "Revival" - returning a few moments in time before a tragedy in order to prevent its eminent occurrence. Without revealing too much, a major catastrophe causes Satoru to use Revival to the point where he is sent back 18 years in time to prevent a tragedy deeply rooted in his childhood. 

The concept in all honesty is not far from being cliche, at least in the world of anime. It is not the supernatural or over-the-top powers known to many anime which made ERASED an instant fan favorite. It is the nature of each episode, strongly intertwined and the tension / hype tools used to pull the viewer in that have made this show so popular.

Time to take a short departure from reviewing like an Otaku, and putting on my "Westerner" hat. Who here hasn't seen "Breaking Bad", "Lost" or "How to Get Away with Murder" - or any other popular "Serial dramas" that have pervaded American society of late? The premise of these shows is deeply based in reality, but a strong character takes a twist in his normal fate and becomes something more than they are - someone who drives their storyline, a thread in a multi-threaded theatrical puppet show, where everyone else's plots weave into their in a very strategic way to further the main story. 

ERASED functions in much the same way: it is highly character driven but to the point where these characters drive their own plotlines with their actions. One small example we can take is of Katagiri Airi - the part timer who works with Satoru. She is unassuming until they delve into her backstory, and she forces herself into Satoru's life and helps him out. The same goes for Kenya, Hiromi, Jun, and Kayo - they lead organically disparate lives but their plots weave with Satoru's.  

Another success formula that ERASED uses is the heavy plot twists and cliffhangers. You may think "All anime series' have cliff hangers at each episode," but ERASED uses them in a 12 episode series - and in a way which is deliberately used to increase tension instead of just make you happy / excited. Ring any bells? American Serial Dramas use the same tools. Amazingly, your fear of Walter White's last decision in BB is the same as Satoru's desperation in protecting his friends. It's not the same as the 800 episodes of Case Closed that do next to nothing to bring the viewer back into the story for the next episode.

What would the face of anime be like if all new anime focused on episode-by-episode crescendos, story tension used as a cliffhanger-y element, and crime-drama style character development? Would anime mirror Western Netflix binge-able serials or AMC's next big psychological drama?

-chansu