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.

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

last client by takashima kazusa (again)

2005. 11.25





Great story, wonderful wonderuful wonderful art. But c'mon where's takashima kazusa??! I searched through the internet and was confirmed she stopped right before the grandly advertised ending. Says there on the magazine 'Don't miss the next issue! Last chapter of the last client. 70 pages with 3 full coloured spread outs.' And great, that became an unfulfilled prophecy. Damn it...

Whatever happens to Takashima. She carried on with a short series called 'Dragon Boy' afterwards and worked a little bit more into 'Harlem Beat' but no news ever came of the Last Client. I don't understand how she could desert the project half way, not to mention it's a project she obviously put so much heart into if only you take a look at the story boards, the character designs and such. They're meticulously beautiful and neat. It's as if you're watching a movie complete with the hooks, the foreshadowing and the atmosphere... Unforgivable... If I were a manga artist, I'd never desert something I worked so hard for half way lying in the desert to dry up and wiped away by the wind... Very unprofessional and disappointing to the fans.

Oh Takashima... she's got the most spontaneous and intelligent lines I've ever seen. Magical talent, sorceress' hands! She's born to draw. Just where the hell are you??!I'm sad...

anyway, some more pics from the last client.

1 2 3

Naoyuki Onda

Onda! My new idol! All his animation character design rocks!! His styles simply depart from traditional japanese manga/anime where you see sharp turning lines and rather pointed chins. He's greatly influenced by western drawing style(rather obvious), where the characters look more fleshy and the concept of 3D more punctuated.

Get to know him after watching Ai no kusabi, one of his most well known works. Although a BL anime back in 1992, the production is of rare quality and the character design looks bizarrely out of the general context of the 90s. Too good to be true is what I felt.

Incomplete Filmography
(as charater designers, not in chronological order)
->Detective Story in Animatrix


->Ai no Kusabi(Wedge of Interval)


->Gantz TV


->Sol Bianca


->Parasite Dolls



Links
Info @Animenewsnetwork

Here's an English site which has a short paragraph of introduction on Onda san ->Profile & Filmography @ AIC anime