And you thought yuri couplings were all you had to worry about...
Most viewers participating in the powerful bishoujo majhong anime, Saki, would conceive the ecstatic visual representations and peculiar abilities of some of the series' characters to be deeply rooted in fiction. That is, they’re completely unrealistic. Admittedly, it appears as much at face value. Being able to effect an opponents hand by manipulating "flow" or reading all the information on the mahjong table with a hetero-chromatic eye aren't exactly traits that like to hold hands with "realism".
However, after observing the overall structure of the series, a few interesting theories presented themselves. I would like to take the time to explore these ideas and assert them as one possible interpretation of the events taking place in the grand network of Saki’s narrative.
I first assert that there exist two dimensions to Saki. The first is as elucidated to in the opening paragraph: the viewer's perspective is thought to be objective. That is, the presence of supernatural story elements such as "flow" and certain characters' unique powers (such as Momo's Stealth) are qualitatively real. Each character exists in a narrative that openly embraces the existence of magic or supernatural occurrences as fact, as taking place inside of their reality. The viewer maintains an objective stance that allows for this to happen as he or she observes it.
If one is to extrapolate this idea of the viewer seeing what appears to be the casts’ reality of supernatural experience in an objective light, a certain dilemma arises. I refer to this anomaly as the "Nodoka Dilemma". To elaborate, just as character-specific supernatural phenomena occurs throughout Saki's narrative, so too does the opposite in the form of Nodoka. Being acclimated to impersonal online play, she shuns the supernatural "feel for the tiles" that the majority of the cast embraces. This is in direct contrast to the aforementioned fictional quality of Saki's first dimension. It could be asserted that because of Nodoka's play style, her willingness to accept such unusual abilities is stunted. However, if this were the case, she would still be able to experience them as others do. Curiously, this is not so. In her matches, Nodoka excels using her rigorous mathematical play style which has consistently proven itself as the antithesis to "flow" or "presence". This utter lack of any experience, comprehension of, or participation in supernatural elements present in what was previously established as an "unrealistic" narrative comprises the Nodoka Dilemma and leads to the second dimension of Saki.
That being, the viewer's perspective is presented in the narrative to be subjective. Instead of maintaining distance from each character, the viewer experiences the inner most operations of single or multiple characters at the same time without the explicit knowledge that this is taking place. Such a dimension is the only way to resolve the Nodoka Dilemma in that those apparently fictional supernatural elements constitute some level of the characters’ embellished perceptions. Perceptions which may or may not "actually" be taking place as the viewer objectively sees or understands them. This can be seen when, in Nodoka's matches, things become calculated and clear cut; as she imagines them, as she perceives them, as the viewer experiences them. For the final match of the regional team qualifiers, the fear of Koromo's "presence" left each player, including Saki, dumbfounded because of their willingness or, perhaps more accurately, fear to accept the existence of such ability as possible. These examples of what seem to be supernatural powers may actually be a snapshot of a character’s mental perception of their opponents or the interpreted progress of the game.
Though its incredibly difficult to move these ideas past conjecture, they nonetheless provide an interesting understanding of one of the best anime of 2009.
23 September, 2009
It's been quite some time since Komugi-chan last made her presence known in the figure world. This throwback brings some heavy doses of nostalgia that only a magical nurse of Mugi's caliber could provide...
Figure Title: Nurse Witch Komugi-chan Magicarte PVC
Character Name: Nakahara Komugi (Komugi-chan)
Original Character Designer: Akio Watanabe
Sculptor:Miki Ousaka (of Cherry Blossom)
Source Material: Nurse Witch Komugi-chan Magicarte OVA
Scale: 1/10
Series: Wave Treasure Figure Collection
Base:
-Color: Pearl White
-Shape: Circular
-Features: Slightly raised platform
Necessary Removable Parts: n/a
Removable Parts/Accessories:
-Ankle Wings (2),
-Scapula Wings (2),
-Magical Syringe Staff (1)
-Mugimaru(1)
Castoffability: n/a
Materials: PVC, ABS
Packaging: Windowed Box, 2 Plastic Interlocking Molds
Extras/Pack-ins: Illustrated Backdrop Insert
Release Date: Late July, 2009
Manufacturing/Production: Wave Corporation
Distribution: Wave Corporation
Approximate Retail Price:≈4,800円
Current Availability: Relatively Available
Related PVCs:Various GKs,CCs, PVCs
Other: Her measurements are B70, W58, H75... fyi
Foreword:
The energetic Komugi-chan hails from Tatsunoko Production's Nurse Witch Komugi (2002), a derivative work that took her out of Tatsunoko's The Soul Taker (2001) and rewarded her with her own series of magical girl parody OVAs. Besides a handful of characters and a nurse motif, Nurse Witch Komugi retains little of The Soul Taker's emotional horror-based action, instead trading a fevered pitch for a basket of otaku Easter eggs. Komugi and crew managed to take magical girl parody to a new height of self reference by staging battles in Akiharaba against a wave of 2channel Giko cats, piloting the Tokyo Big Sight convention center as a giant robot, and posing coquettishly for sweating mass of camera-kozo; all within the first 2 episodes.
With just that, it's no surprise that Nurse Witch Komugi was fairly popular during its run of a few months. Some might even say that it outshined The Soul Taker, a kind of 'student defeating master' premise that warmed many hearts. Regardless, Komugi's favor with the otaku-elite positioned her for prime territory in the garage kit scene which housed most of her official figure incarnations. Clayz and Griffon Enterprises delivered the majority of her mass market resin kits while Yujin supplied a few mid-grade PVCs from their SRDX line in juxtaposition. At the beginning of 2005, Komugi's market saturation slowly dissolved as the final OVA of the series, Magicarte Z, faded into history, taking with it the prospect of any new figure releases besides the Komugi and Koyori recasts that popped up in 2007.
Left devoid of Komugi for so long, its a thing of beauty that Wave Corporation decided to resurrect the magical medic as part of their Treasure Figure Collection (TFC) series of 1/10 scale PVCs. Ideally created to highlight classic or favorite characters through PVC-ification, the TFC line has recently undergone some alterations to its production status quo. Besides more and more new characters being cast (Mari from Evangelion 2.0 being the most recent), the major change is the inclusion of a neck-joint for all PVCs. Reserving the disposition to label this new neck-joint as a blatant gimmick (something that will be detailed further on), it offers the sculpt more photogenic potential and increased display value despite the limited axis by which it functions. And with that heavy foreshadowing, so begins the review:
Sculpt:
Credit for Komugi's sculpt goes to Miki Ohsaka from the circle Cherry Blossom. Claiming a portfolio that goes as far back as 2003, Ohsaka has been delivering detailed, if not safe, sculpts for a plethora of characters since then. And Komugi-chan can be described in much the same way: safe. Not to much is embellished, improved upon, or risked in her sculpt. Anatomically and proportionally, she's on cue; there's not much to say in that department.
Playing it safe isn't to say there's a lack of attention to detail. For a 1/10 scale figure, there's a reasonable amount of idiosyncratic elements to be had. From the wrinkles on her blouse and floppy ears to the spectacular icosahedral like construction of her bunny tail and flowing nature of the ribbon attached thereto, the sculpt maintains a few strengths, even if there's not much else going on in the bigger picture (besides the excellent portrayal of her shimapan [left]; a nice touch). While her pose isn't as dynamic as other Komugi figures, it still presents her saccharine energy fairly well, though in a rather reserved fashion.
As previously mentioned in reference to the new neck-joint, there seems to be an emphasis on customization points, of which Komugi has a few. Four wing snap into holes fitted on both of her ankles and shoulders. They can be tweaked and rotated to provide a slim but nonetheless present route of customization. In addition to the wings, Komugi comes included with her magic syringe staff that's used to cure disease (i.e. eliminate adversaries) in the OVA. Also standard is a small figure of Mugimaru, another link in the long chain of animal familiars present in the mahou shoujo genre, that can be set on or off Komugi's base.
And now to the crux of things: the neck joint. Firstly, why? My guess is Wave might be feeling some heat from Good Smile and Max Factory's Nendoroid and Figma lines, both of which rely almost exclusively on customization. The presence of a single joint is conspicuous to say the least, especially in a series of figures that was up until now completely static. It wouldn't be a bad thing, and I would have been willingly to overlook it, if it weren't for how it compromises the sculpt from certain angles. Viewing Komugi from her left, the back of her jaw just collapses inward, leaving anatomical inaccuracy that just can't be disregarded (seen to left). This is heightened by how, because of the joint, her neck is positioned irregularly and simply juts out of her shoulders. I can see how the neck-joint can add to the figure, but I'd only wish it could do it from all angles. Put in plain terms: its not pretty.
Production:
Like other figures from Wave, production is fairly tight. No noticeable errors or inefficiencies at large. In terms of paint, her ribbon and tail include nice subtle shading techniques that create some depth. Coloration is consistent and concordant with her basic character design though it could have been much more fleshed out. Compared to original illustrations, Wave's paint job comes out a little dull, especially the darker tint of Komugi's hair and blouse. Elements that aren't inaccurate, only those that I think could have been better equipped provided the already colorful nature of Komugi's character.
On a slightly negative note, Komugi's eye's have some very strong albedo (a term which I equip to mean the reflective properties of a figure). A strong light source will create some heavy glare on her eyes, eliciting the image of tears. Something that's a tad annoying but avoidable with the right angles.
At a Glance:
☺Komugi-chan revival, fair sculpt, customization
☹ Neck joint blues, dull coloration,fans need only apply
3.5/5
20 September, 2009
Hobby Link Japan, a popular and ever growing purveyor of all things hobby and scale, has partnered with payment proxy giant Pay Pal to bring customers an increased level of security...and free shipping for a week...
Any orders placed and filled between now and September 28 with the Pay Pal option will be upgraded to free express shipping. For those aware of how international shipping from Japan equates to a kind of metaphysical bloodletting ceremony, the news falls on grateful ears. This promotional gesture may be kind but HLJ isn't stupid. Some conditions on the offer are as follows:
* Campaign is valid only for orders placed and paid for between now and 11:59:59pm (JST; GMT+9) on September 28, 2009
* Only items shippable during the campaign period will be eligible for free shipping. Orders placed for backordered or future release items will be shipped (without free shipping) when they become available, as normal.
* All in-stock and shippable items from your order(s) will be automatically shipped immediately after the campaign ends on September 28 in order to insure that you get free shipping.
* Important: Your PayPal billing agreement will initially be charged for the cost of the merchandise AND shipping. The cost of shipping will then be refunded to your account in one or two business days.
* Orders shipped for free under this campaign will be shipped via Federal Express or postal service EMS, at HLJ's sole discretion.
A quick glaze of these stipulations reveals that the designated week for free shipping is a pretty small window, especially considering how hot of a commodity hobby goods (especially figures) can be. If you're looking to ease the yoke of shipping charges, you'll have to find something either currently in stock with HLJ or a pre-order that will come into stock during the predesignated week for free shipping. What amounts to a problematic dichotomy because HLJ doesn't often over-extend their allocations from suppliers, leaving all the popular releases left with that very familiar "out-of-stock" skull and cross bones. Even if a popular figure is sold out, pre-orders may not be a better avenue. Everyone is familiar with how easily figure release dates can be manhandled, delayed, altered or even scrapped. Deciding on pre-ordering a figure for the free shipping promotion to later find out that its release date has been delayed a month and, forgoing a cancellation, shipping costs will be accrued regardless isn't my idea of a good time. All that being said, HLJ still has many great bishoujo figures that are still in stock, one of which being Mushihime-sama's Reco pictured above. So if you'd like to take a gamble, pre-order a September release. Otherwise comb through HLJ's list of new figures available here and hope you don't get bumped off the reservation list.
10 September, 2009
Part one of Good Smile Company's White Album PVC revival has been unleashed and Morikawa Yuki once again takes center stage...
Decoration masters for Yuki and her rival Onee-sama, Ogata Rin, were first revealed a few weeks ago during Wonder Festival 2009 Summer (pictured at left). The inclusion of which was rather unexpected. White Album occupies a very distinct niche separate from the usual suspects of Good Smile's nendoroid line, territory that gave these PVC's a conspicuous presence amongst a super deformed line-up of figures from the latest and greatest anime to hit the otakusphere. Further development of that idea leads to a strange conundrum. One of the biggest movers in the market mass producing a set of figures from a 10 year old Leaf visual novel seems pretty absurd. Or it would if it weren't for the phoenix down Seven Arcs threw White Album last winter with a TV anime adaptation. Though the White Album anime didn't quite constitute a landslide, it was successful enough to spawn a second season slated to air this October 2nd.
All marketing tactics aside, Rin and Yuki comprise a pleasantly neoclassical nod to the mass market garage kit fever of the mid-to-late 90's; incidentally the last time White Album figures were given official release from Kotobukiya and Chibiiz. With all this resurrection going on, its ironic then that Ken Yokota, a relative newcomer under Good Smile, provides the energetic 1/8 scale sculpts for both. Yokota's designs are based off an original illustration(the zettai ryouiki of which is also visible above) utilizing Kou Yoshinari's designs from the anime.
For whatever reason, Good Smile has disregarded Rin and allotted Yuki a pending release this December (quite some time after the second season is scheduled to air). A decision that creates enough space to hamper the otonagai that would usually take place with dual figure releases. I can't condone such a blatant shortcoming but it's understandable; especially if Rin's sculpt is undergoing needed changes or experiencing production setbacks. All things considered, it's commendable that White Album PVC's are even being released; and from Good Smile of all companies. It's good to see venerable series staking claim on the cutting-edge.
06 September, 2009
I purchased Hiroki Azuma's Otaku: Japan's Database Animals today at my local Barnes and Noble. While I'm only about 40 pages in, what I'm finding is significantly revelatory, despite past familiarization with Azuma's post-modernistic theories and criticisms of otaku subculture...
...and, being only 40 pages in, I'll discuss my ideas and responses to Azuma's innumerous claims when I complete it's roughly 200 pages. Expect an update with the next week or so, maybe longer if I decided to fully digest my response. Until then, if you have not already read the book, I'll provide a shallow, if not slightly misleading synopsis:
Hiroki Azuma’s Otaku offers a critical, philosophical, and historical inquiry into the characteristics and consequences of this consumer subculture. For Azuma, one of Japan’s leading public intellectuals, otaku culture mirrors the transformations of postwar Japanese society and the nature of human behavior in the postmodern era. He traces otaku’s ascendancy to the distorted conditions created in Japan by the country’s phenomenal postwar modernization, its inability to come to terms with its defeat in the Second World War, and America’s subsequent cultural invasion. More broadly, Azuma argues that the consumption behavior of otaku is representative of the postmodern consumption of culture in general, which sacrifices the search for greater significance to almost animalistic instant gratification. In this context, culture becomes simply a database of plots and characters and its consumers mere “database animals.”
04 September, 2009
You know a movie has been delayed too long when its tie-in figures are announced 6 months in advance...
Regardless of how long fans have been waiting for the aptly titled Nanoha The Movie 1st feature film, Alter evidently couldn't wait to spring this release on the public; reminding everyone that there's still proverbial light at the end of what has been an almost limitless tunnel. A kind but double-edged gesture granted the time frame for when we can expect to get our hands on Alter's mahou shoujo catalyst. The 1/7 scale Nanoha -Stand By Ready- PVC (hereon -SBR-) is set to be released in tandem with the theatrical debut of the movie, which has claimed January 23rd 2010 as it's D-day. A six month stint for a figure based on a movie Nanoha fans have been patiently anticipating for almost 2 years. Thanks for the tease. Forgoing any delays (the figure, not the movie [people would be dying in the streets if they push the movie back again), we can expect -SBR- at the end of the month, very soon after, if not slightly before, the silver screen redux.
First exhibited a few months ago at Wonder Festival Summer, the decoration master of -SBR- is painfully impressive if not only for the dynamic sculpt by Hiroyuki Tsumeduka, a veteran sculptor whose work dips as deep as Kotobukiya-released garage kits in the late nineties. Working during the 20th century GK boom, Hiroyuki brings a mix of flavors to -SBR-. The overall design of the figure captures the creativity of GKs by having Nanoha mounted on two metal pylons. An element giving her that distinctive airborne battle pose as a result. At the same time, -SBR- provides a route for the heavy customization that is ever so popular among today's light users (I'm looking at you figma). Well, heavy customization might not be the most accurate description of -SBR-'s 2 different poses and Raising Heart iterations (seen above) but there are still more options than a standard PVC release. All these features don't come cheap however. -SBR- retails for a lofty but manageable 9,800 yen (around $105 USD, given the current [shitty] exchange rates). Nanoha is quickly making her way around international online retailers so preorder fast and often if you want to reserve a piece. You'll thank yourself because at that point it just becomes another waiting game; albeit a 6 month one.
03 September, 2009
In a fair portion of Saimoe matches, most entrants race hip to hip until a brutal finish. And in others, well, the weak are trimmed and weeded until it becomes evident that they never had a fleeting chance to begin with...
This lesson in Painful Truth 101 has become demonstrable over the course of the past few matches. Saki characters are still bruising the competition with a series of utterly crushing victories from Saki, Nodoka and Mihoko (whose progress and resultant victory is charted above). Exhibiting such an unyielding position since the first round, fans and voters alike are now facing the realization that the final battles may turn inwardly cannibalistic; fate pitting the mahjong elite in a duel against each other. A definite possibility, yes, but more so a thought better saved until the semi-finals, when its dangers become less unavoidable.
Declaring total victory for any Saki character at this point, however, might be premature. K-ON! has somewhat resurrected over the past few matches, Nodoka and Azusa even winning in the same bracket. Eccentrically moe drummer for Afternoon Tea Time, Ritsu Tainaka, also took down the opposition, though by a tight margin. These wins show that while K-ON! might be down after the Mio Incident of 2009, it is far from out and certainly nowhere near a TKO.
Despite the potent popularity of Saki and K-ON!, both hailing from the Spring 2009 season of television anime, a few more inveterate contestants have made severe headway; headway enough for their potential to be forcibly acknowledged.
Yoshika Miyafuji, the beloved heroine of Gonzo and Shimada Fumikane's Strike Witches series, is one such character whose aptitude has been made well-known. An absolutely stunning 659 to 172 victory and a graphical incline to match.
Displaying a similar level of competency, Nagi from Hayate no Gotoku took down her competitors, which including Sheryl of Macross Frontier, with relative ease. Nagi may not be a sleeper cell but, along with Yoshika and other bracket winners, is looking to be formidable.
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