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Friday, December 30, 2005
spirited away
I rewatched spirited away, for the 7th/8th (lost count) time! Somehow I feel myself deeper into the emotional developments of the characters than ever.
Miyazaki was planning to retire from his director job but after meeting a daughter of his friend, supposedly a naive and rather spoilt young girl(the early version of Chihiro), he decided to make a come back and there you have Spirited Away. Warnings to Japan's future hopes (maybe not Japan alone): In this world in order to survive, you have to pay off with your own labour.
It is heart warming and encouraging to see Chihiro grow up from a timid, lazy girl to an assertive, sympathetic and courageous heroine. There're also current problems addressed: pollution(as portrayed by the dirty and stinking guest who turns out to be a river god) and infinite greediness of the grownups as opposed to an innocent child such as Chihiro who wants nothing more to rescue her friend.
Everytime I see the shimmering sea under moonlight, I just can't help feeling an unreachable and undescribable remoteness of longing buried deep within a dream. That's also partially affected by Joe Hisaishi's perfect scores. You hear the undulating high notes mimicking the restlessness of the sea and an underlying steady flow of low keys whispering an unfathomable sureness that's embedded within the vastness and magnitude of the space in front of you. As the train slides gracefully past the lonely sunlit island, I fixed my eyes on the house, the low hanging tangerine clouds, and for the first time ever I was sadly conscious of the idealness and impossibility. It has almost become a sanctury to me, somewhere I seek refuge, somewhere I breathe in the colours, soak in blissful solitude and be able to think of nothing but the precious tranquility. And I know it's there in my dream. That time I saw ice sculpted sunflowers floating in the sky. A feeling that left me utterly stunned and beside myself.
Miyazaki was planning to retire from his director job but after meeting a daughter of his friend, supposedly a naive and rather spoilt young girl(the early version of Chihiro), he decided to make a come back and there you have Spirited Away. Warnings to Japan's future hopes (maybe not Japan alone): In this world in order to survive, you have to pay off with your own labour.
It is heart warming and encouraging to see Chihiro grow up from a timid, lazy girl to an assertive, sympathetic and courageous heroine. There're also current problems addressed: pollution(as portrayed by the dirty and stinking guest who turns out to be a river god) and infinite greediness of the grownups as opposed to an innocent child such as Chihiro who wants nothing more to rescue her friend.
Everytime I see the shimmering sea under moonlight, I just can't help feeling an unreachable and undescribable remoteness of longing buried deep within a dream. That's also partially affected by Joe Hisaishi's perfect scores. You hear the undulating high notes mimicking the restlessness of the sea and an underlying steady flow of low keys whispering an unfathomable sureness that's embedded within the vastness and magnitude of the space in front of you. As the train slides gracefully past the lonely sunlit island, I fixed my eyes on the house, the low hanging tangerine clouds, and for the first time ever I was sadly conscious of the idealness and impossibility. It has almost become a sanctury to me, somewhere I seek refuge, somewhere I breathe in the colours, soak in blissful solitude and be able to think of nothing but the precious tranquility. And I know it's there in my dream. That time I saw ice sculpted sunflowers floating in the sky. A feeling that left me utterly stunned and beside myself.
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
asahi.com：J-pop, anime to buff image - ENGLISH
original article
Although I'm an anime fan myself, I'm disturbed by this article. Although anime and Jpop is insanely popular in China, just don't confuse it with politics and 'polishing up postwar image'. This's another strategy to divert attention and the most worrying thing is, it's aimed at the young generation. The nature of 'bridging international friendship' is in itself good to start with but through entertainment and popular culture? And I bet their priority isn't to 'polish their tarnished image' or else they could've spent more money on correcting their textbooks. This's another money-grossing business that opens up the market under a flowery title.
Another thing about (some) anime is the hidden propoganda of their particular cultural element - bushido, samurai spirit, whatever you call it. It's not totally negative but they're sometimes portrayed in such extremes you start worrying about the mentality of the characters and the effects they have on the kids. I don't have any evidence to support this but just like any other culture, big Mac, R&B hiphop, this's part of the external influences that subtly or massively cause a cultural desert phenomenon eventually. Their new plan's not the cause but the catalyst. Anime is already popular and the new money just speeds up the process.
Bottom line is, they do whatever they want with anime. Just don't relate the whole money-grossing business with political issues.
And what about home grown animation business... probably another 50 years but there's still hope.
Although I'm an anime fan myself, I'm disturbed by this article. Although anime and Jpop is insanely popular in China, just don't confuse it with politics and 'polishing up postwar image'. This's another strategy to divert attention and the most worrying thing is, it's aimed at the young generation. The nature of 'bridging international friendship' is in itself good to start with but through entertainment and popular culture? And I bet their priority isn't to 'polish their tarnished image' or else they could've spent more money on correcting their textbooks. This's another money-grossing business that opens up the market under a flowery title.
Another thing about (some) anime is the hidden propoganda of their particular cultural element - bushido, samurai spirit, whatever you call it. It's not totally negative but they're sometimes portrayed in such extremes you start worrying about the mentality of the characters and the effects they have on the kids. I don't have any evidence to support this but just like any other culture, big Mac, R&B hiphop, this's part of the external influences that subtly or massively cause a cultural desert phenomenon eventually. Their new plan's not the cause but the catalyst. Anime is already popular and the new money just speeds up the process.
Bottom line is, they do whatever they want with anime. Just don't relate the whole money-grossing business with political issues.
And what about home grown animation business... probably another 50 years but there's still hope.
Thursday, December 22, 2005
Howl nominated for 3 Annie Awards
Howl's Moving Castle has been nominated in three award categories for the annual "Annie Awards" given out by ASIFA-Hollywood this coming February 4th. The three nominations are 1) Best Animated Feature (other nominees: Chicken Little, Corpse Bride, Madagascar, and Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit); 2) Best Directing in an Animated Feature: Miyazaki (other nominees: Mike Johnson and Tim Burton for Corpse Bride and Nick Park and Steve Box for Wallace and Gromit); and 3) Best Writing in an Animated Feature Production: Miyazaki, Don and Cindy Hewitt (other nominees: Steve Box, Nick Park, Bob Baker, and Mark Burton for Wallace and Gromit, Tony Leondis, Michael LaBash, and Tom Rogers for Kronk’s New Groove). A full list of the categories and nominees can be found here. In 2003 Spirited Away won all four Annie Awards it was nominated for: Best Feature, Best Director, Best Writing, and Best Music in an Animated Feature (Joe Hisaishi).
source from animenewsnetwork
source from animenewsnetwork
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