Messages

If a series started pre-2001, but is still ongoing today, does it still count as old school?

Yes, the conclusion date or span of duration of which a series ran doesn't matter, it just has to begin before 2001.  A good example is Sazae-san, for instance.  The manga began in 1946 and the TV series that began in 1969 is still running to this day.

What series were you thinking of?

[Celebrating An Era - 1990's! Chibi Maruko-chan (1990)]

Good afternoon old schoolers! Fanime is getting REAL close REAL fast, hopefully you're farther ahead of the game than I am currently! FanimeCon Cosplay Gatherings Department has finalized their gatherings list, which can be found on their Facebook page. Be sure to thank CGD staff if you see them at FanimeCon as they do so much to ensure we are able to have these official gatherings.

Rather than OPs today, I though we would mix things up and do a few EDs! That's right, anime endings are sometimes just as impressive or impactful as their openings. Starting off with the series that features an ending theme said to be most popular ending theme of any anime series of the 1990's, returning once again from last week, Chibi Maruko-chan.

Celebrating An Era - 1990's! Chibi Maruko-chan (1990)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W39vRbDuH_4 [ENDING]


I know it was mentioned before when the Bismark OP was posted, but the Bismark ED is an amazing little piece of animation in my opinion. The ending for so much 90's shojo anime seems to mirror it in some way. Still my number one series that I wish was available subtitled!

Celebrating An Era - 1980's! Star Musketeer Bismark (1984)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVKNA13C3yI [ENDING]


One of the more stylistic endings I can think of, once Macross settled in, it would end with this live action sequence of Hikaru flipping through his photo album. This sequence also ties into the ending of the final episode, a really nice touch.

Celebrating An Era - 1980's! The Super Dimension Fortress Macross (1982)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuVCJ84aZT0 [ENDING]


I couldn't post endings without this one, as it is just so spectacular and bittersweet and the perfect way to conclude each episode of Cutey Honey. And yes, I will always spell it that way, because that's how it was spelled for years and years.

Celebrating An Era - 1970's! Cutey Honey (1973)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-XKYCaIq-8 [ENDING]


Ah, I do love Tsukasa Hojo's creations. Always glamorous, detailed, humorous, and with very interesting concepts. They are also some of the best representations of 1980's animation and Japanese popular culture in general.

Celebrating An Era - 1980's! Cat's Eye (1983)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5in0X-Ic_Rw [ENDING]


To finish off Friday and this special selection of anime endings, my favorite ending anime theme, from Sailor Moon R. In the late 1990's into the very early 2000's a MIDI file of this is what used to greet visitors to my Sailor Moon fansite. Ah, those golden days of online fandom!

Celebrating An Era - 1990's! Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon R (1993)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7habakK5OYY [ENDING]


Before today's Saturday OPs, I want to announce that re-licensing hell has officially frozen over and Discotek Media has announced they will be re-releasing Marmalade Boy on DVD. Pretty crazy, all things considered.

Let's kick today off with a series that everyone likes, if even just a little. I remember the first time I saw Urusei Yatsura was on San Jose public access television, and then of course later the amazing second film reaching so many audiences via the Sci-Fi Channel.

Celebrating An Era - 1980's! Urusei Yatsura (1981)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2Jiic05C0M


Next, another series that everyone seems to be at least a little okay with, even if they have only passing interest in the mecha genre. Similar to 0080 War in the Pocket, the 08th MS team has a much more practical and approachable viewpoint than a vast bulk of the Gundam franchise, and really requires no preconceptions from its audience going in. It's kind of like if there was a Gundam series that leaned more toward Armored Trooper VOTOMS.

Celebrating An Era - 1990's! Mobile Suit Gundam The 08th MS Team (1996)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKlR_J2H6YA


Need more Tsukasa Hojo today! Pretty incredible intro with tons of complex film techniques, especially for 1983. This is the type of thing that is lost with the modern digital animation platforms.

Celebrating An Era - 1980's! Cat's Eye (1983)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JULWSLPMA1A

[from before 2001]

As gatherings are closed and there is no official Ghibli gathering for this year, as an alternate for Ghibli cosplayers of properties from before 2001, you are absolutely invited to the Old School Cosplay Gathering on Friday evening at 6PM.

Fanime thread: http://forums.fanime.com/index.php/topic,20867.0.html
Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/517984584992384/

Everything pre-Spirited Away is valid, this includes:

Castle in the Sky
Grave of the Fireflies
My Neighbor Totoro
Kiki's Delivery Service
Only Yesterday
Porco Rosso
Pom Poko
Whisper of the Heart
Princess Mononoke
My Neighbors the Yamadas

[Celebrating An Era - 1990's! Chibi Maruko-chan (1990)]

Good morning old schoolers! We're about ready to flip the calendar over to May, leaving just a little over three full weeks until Fanime is upon us. I hope everyone else isn't as far behind as I am! Pretty crazy since I thought I was quite a bit ahead for a change. It appears that the Cosplay Gatherings Department official gathering list will be set in stone next week and while this shouldn't affect the Old School Gathering any, it will make definitively laying out convention cosplay plans far easier.

For OPs today let's do a morning batch of a few and then an evening batch of a few more. How about a manga series set in 1974, that began publication in 1986, had its first anime adaptation in 1990, then a second anime series that is running to this day? Although everyone is far more familiar with the first ending theme, Odoru Pompokolin (which had a wonderful English cover by Captain Jack, eventually featured on DDR 5thMIX), the opening for Chibi Maruko-chan is one of my favorites. Additionally it's also currently being fansubbed - finally!

Celebrating An Era - 1990's! Chibi Maruko-chan (1990)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bLyZnwewXo


While Chibi Maruko-chan is an institution in Japan and a fansub finally beginning this late in the game is more due to differing cultural appeal, things are a bit different with this next series. Finding success only in Japan and with a later Italian dub, F is one I'd really love to see subtitled in English one day. I tend to enjoy motorsports anime (especially Cyber Formula and Bari Bari Densetsu - well, the short little movie that the manga spawned) and everything about this series seems like it would be right up my alley. As for the opening, I love the visual design, the music, the animation - everything. This is in my top three for "most desired English subtitled series."

Celebrating An Era - 1980's! F (1988)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iflsELvgrfw


Okay, both of those may be relatively obscure to the mainstream audience in the USA, so here's the other side of the coin. Apparently Atsuko Nakajima, who had a rather large hand in the anime adaptations of Rumiko Takahashi's works, such as Ranma 1/2, was an animation director on F.

Celebrating An Era - 1980's! Ranma 1/2 (1989)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Syd129Vla0Q


Now a few for the evening set. Haven't featured any Go Nagai for awhile, let's change that!

Celebrating An Era - 1970's! Devilman (1972)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTVj-4uiOt4


Another fan favorite that finally had a proper licensed subtitled release just a few years ago.

Celebrating An Era - 1970's! Neo Human Casshern (1973)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozyqVUILNFw


One more for today. There's something about this late 1960's / early 1970's animation style from many studios that I find appealing. Character designs by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, in what I believe to be his first project!

Celebrating An Era - 1970's! Sasurai no Taiyou / Wandering Sun (1971)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_mECfBV2T0


Time for a few Saturday OPs! Going way back for the first.

Celebrating An Era - 1960's! Tetsujin 28 (1963)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2zYuQqzEJQ


A genre-creating tactical RPG / dating sim set in a mashup of fantasy and science fiction, Sakura Wars soon exploded into one of the most popular gaming multimedia franchises of the late 1990's / early 2000's... in Japan. It spawned a ton more main series games and spinoffs (my favorite being Hanagumi Taisen Columns for the Saturn), a bunch of OVAs, a film, stage shows, light novels, a manga series, and in 2000 a television adaptation. This is one of those massive series that is only known very narrowly in the West.

Celebrating An Era - 2000! Sakura Taisen TV (2000)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71L-EEB7yJE


After yesterday I'm trying to work the desire to watch a bunch of motorsports anime out of my system, so let's see if this OP will clear that up. Short as Future GPX Cyber Formula SIN was (only six episodes) it had multiple openings, this one being my favorite of them. Somewhat of a somber send-off to the series, as was SIN as a whole, the emphasis was placed on the redemption of Bleed Kaga. Originally a secondary character in the first series, he becomes more and more predominate in the cast throughout the franchise. While SIN concluded in 2000, Cyber Formula video games would be released until 2012, all generally fitting into the same coherent timeline. I still consider Cyber Formula the most realistic motorsports series as the characters, the teams, the corporations, the technology, all grow and change in a realistic fashion as the different series play out.

Celebrating An Era - 1990's! Future GPX Cyber Formula SIN (1998)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBwncst1NkM

If an Evangelion gathering does not materialize for this year, Evangelion cospeeps are welcome at the Old School Cosplay Gathering on Friday evening - http://forums.fanime.com/index.php/topic,20867.0.html

The OSG is a pre-2001 gathering, so everything pre-Rebuild of Evangelion.  However this still includes nearly every character of prominence I can think of since they almost all show up in the manga, which technically began in 1994, regardless of how long it took to conclude.  Yes, Mari is fine, she's in the very last chapter of the manga so it's fine.  :D

Is G4 still available as a gathering spot? I'm not seeing it on the form.

No, The Hub (Gatherings G4) is not available this year.

[Celebrating An Era - 1980's! Galactic Patrol Lensman (1984)]

Good morning old schoolers!  I have so much convention activity to catch up on after being away for a week.  Also locking down my final FanimeCon cosplay purchases this morning and with just about a month or so of real "work time" ahead, I do hope that everyone's plans are coming together well.  I actually think I'm starting to get a little behind myself - time to fix that!

I'm going to post a bunch of OP's today, as with the last couple weeks, there are a lot of them I want to get through and they motivate me to get working.

I'll kick things off with a series that is FINALLY (and understandably very slowly) being fansubbed.  Based very loosely on E.E. "Doc" Smith's Lensman books - a masterpiece of science fiction that would go on to influence, if not nearly create in a sense, the entire genre itself - the anime film "SF New Century Lensman" was released in 1984.  It would be dubbed into English a couple times, the second dub by Streamline being tremendously better than the earlier rework.  Along with Robot Carnival and Vampire Hunter D it would be one of the first three anime films shown on The Sci-Fi Channel, eventually kicking off their annual anime showcase, which eventually became a weekly anime block.  However in Japan a twenty-five episode expanded alternate retelling of the story was created and released shorty after the film, titled "Galactic Patrol Lensman."  To be very honest, neither the film or series have much to do with E.E. Smith's original story, which is rumored to be the sticking point as to why there never really was much of a home video release of either.  Yeah, it can be really cheesy sometimes and seems to want to be Star Wars a little too much (ironic as Star Wars is very obviously influenced by what was originally the first Lensman book, Galactic Patrol), but damn do I love the art style, think the spacecraft designs are beautiful, find the music outstanding, and just enjoy the film and what I've seen subtitled of the series immensely.

Celebrating An Era - 1980's!  Galactic Patrol Lensman (1984)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgMH_pydMEQ 


An absolutely stunning opening and an outstanding OVA at that. The first Zeiram live action film (which the anime serves as a loose prequel to) is a lot of fun as well, although the sequel live action film isn't that great in my opinion.

Celebrating An Era - 1990's! Iria: Zeiram the Animation (1994)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBZuBUw_F68


1994 was such a great year for anime, let's stay there for awhile. Future GPX Cyber Formula Zero is my personal favorite series out of the franchise, as it's when the story really gets room to breathe, sideline characters come into their own, and everyone starts to begin to grow up. Osamu Sugo also has a much larger and more grounded role at this point, being my favorite character in Cyber Formula.

Celebrating An Era - 1990's! Future GPX Cyber Formula Zero (1994)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HR0L9IfLJQg


1994 was also host to the greatest single season of Sailor Moon ever broadcast!

Celebrating An Era - 1990's! Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon S (1994)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BB7Wuz9tbxE


Another series from 1994, and one that surprisingly seems to have a minuscule fandom compared to what it once generated. Doesn't keep the localized version of the Sega Saturn game from reaching the pricing stratosphere in the resale market however!

Celebrating An Era - 1990's! Magic Knight Rayearth (1994)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtFYF4LtvNQ


Talk about a forgotten series! I can remember a time when it seemed anyone with even a passing interest in anime was at least loosely familiar with Airbats. Two years ago at Fanime I ran into an Arisa Mitaka cosplayer but she was snapping pictures on the lower concourse and moved on before I could complement her. If by some strange chance you happen to be reading this, the guy who was wearing the bullet train that day says, "You are awesome!"

Celebrating An Era - 1990's! 801 T.T.S. Airbats / Aozora Shojotai (1994)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5stkSssFXnI


And we'll finish off today with the Macross series that everyone seems to be completely divided on, with the exception of the opening theme Seventh Moon, which is outstanding.

Celebrating An Era - 1990's! Macross 7 (1994)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ga_aTC1MCY0


Saturday OPs return! Let's go way, way, way back for this one - although it'll get suck in my head now.

Celebrating An Era - 1960's! Tetsuwan Atom (1963)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSbaZuTW1Q0


Just realized we've been Gundamless so far this year, time to fix that!

Celebrating An Era - 1970's! Mobile Suit Gundam (1979)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0FJlQDKVa0


How about a little more Gundam for the time being? Here's the Gundam OVA that people who don't even like the mecha genre seem to enjoy.

Celebrating An Era - 1980's! Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War In The Pocket (1989)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlmknkCxJX4


One more Gundam series for today and my personal favorite, although I do admit that the story itself is very ho-hum compared to some others. However the visual style and over all art design still makes this my favorite Gundam series.

Celebrating An Era - 1990's! Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory (1991)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsw0bP7A3Ko


One I still haven't gotten around to watching in any real capacity, however I'm MUCH more familiar with the awesome puzzle-platformer Super Famicom game based on the earlier manga series.

Celebrating An Era - 1990's! Violinist of Hameln (1996)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4d7wM6A1KtY


Finishing off the day with another one I've only seen a very little of, but I've always really liked the opening theme.

Celebrating An Era - 1990's! Hana Yori Dango / Boys Over Flowers (1996)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ul9WDDBBrzM

[Celebrating An Era - 1990's! City Hunter '91 (1991)]

Good morning old schoolers! With a holiday weekend on the horizon I hope you're all doing well and that your cosplay plans are coming along. More and more confirmed details concerning event details for FanimeCon are starting to roll out, so I'm sure many of us are getting a better grasp on our convention plans. I myself have decided which gatherings I'm going to attend and also finally worked out my convention weekend cosplay plans. For the OSG this year (and again on Monday) my cohost and I will be cosplaying as Ryo Saeba and Kaori Makimura from City Hunter.

As I'm going to be away tomorrow, there won't be any Saturday OPs this week so I'm going to go all out this morning and post a whole bunch of them over the next couple hours. I do apologize to the small group who may find the weekly rush of OP posts a nuisance, but man does it get me in the mood for this gathering - and for Fanime in general!

To kick things off, taking into consideration my now set cosplay schedule, I though we'd begin with another of my favorite openings. I love City Hunter, both the anime and the manga, the specials and movies and even the "alternate reality" spin-off Angel Heart. City Hunter '91 was the final TV series send-off of the franchise, featuring thirteen episodes that seem created specifically for fans of the series. Episode 10, "My Love For Tonight Only - Cinderella Story in the City" is one of my favorite stories Tsukasa Hojo ever created, and is extremely heart-wrenching for those who have spent over 120 episodes with the characters up until that point.

The City Hunter '91 opening is a callback to shots and scenes the very first opening from the original series four years earlier. Featuring Ryo and Kaori dancing in their performer outfits, Ryo with a montage of women who were all characters in the previous three series, the main cast either being carried by or riding on crows and dragonflies (the sweatdrops of City Hunter), pan shot of Ryo looking at Kaori over his shoulder - a direct rework of him looking at Saeko in the original OP - showing how he and Kaori have grown together, and the ending shot is a direct re-creation of the same in the original OP except it now features the expanded cast. I can't think of a better "thank you and farewell" OP than this one.

Celebrating An Era - 1990's! City Hunter '91 (1991)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gz69tyXfhMA


Going to go outside anime for this one for a little old school tokusatsu. Ultraseven will be celebrating it's 50th anniversary this October. Easily my favorite tokusatsu series of all time and one of the classic Ultra series that you can get legally on DVD, subtitled in English, for like 35 bucks. Not just an amazing tokusatsu series, not just the perfect Ultra series, not just an incredible sci-fi drama, but an absolute labor of love that would have a profound influence on Japanese popular culture.

Celebrating An Era - 1960's! Ultraseven (1967)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvXlnx-GiIQ


How about a series that has a little bit of Ultraseven influence in it? Yeah, I'm sure some you could guess this one. I recently watched all of Dragon Ball again (and I'm currently slowly working my way through Dragon Ball Z once more) and was reminded of how much I really enjoy it and how visually interesting the entire series is.

Celebrating An Era - 1980's! Dragon Ball (1986)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkCTQ-nwjuo


Here's an amazing series that finally got a DVD re-release just a couple months ago!

Celebrating An Era - 1990's! Key The Metal Idol (1994)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9y7KrcfuxAw (Japanese version)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBP3JMaQj8E (English version)


An OVA that never seems to get old, just as funny now as when I first saw it.

Celebrating An Era - 1980's! Dominion / Dominion Tank Police (1988)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGTZLuuTPi8 (Dub opening because, come on, when you think of the Tank Police this is probably what comes to mind)


A legendary series that continues to have a presence to this day.

Celebrating An Era - 1970's! Space Battleship Yamato (1974)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BkppT5YNjU


And to finish off for this week, and because I'm a total ham and I've been listening to the soundtrack albums all morning, the second original City Hunter OP. Seriously though, if you like 80's anime tunes and especially if you like jazz music, check out the City Hunter soundtracks - especially the four albums that make up the soundtrack from the first two series. Outstanding stuff!

Celebrating An Era - 1980's! City Hunter (1987)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hJ9tHvP55g (second opening)

[Celebrating An Era - 1980's! Mobile Police Patlabor: Early Days (1988)]

Yeah, I'm happy that my panels got approved! I'm doing "Bunnysuit Boot Camp" and "Sewing with Knits" this year, and they're both brand-new panels, so it should be good :D

I won't be able to do the karaoke contest, but thankfully open mic tends to start much later at night on Friday, so that's not an issue. I'll be sure to sing plenty of old school songs (as usual)!

All good to hear, congratulations on your panels being approved!


And now for the Friday update -

Good morning old schoolers! Looking out the window you would think it's mid February here in Fanime's backyard. Doesn't put a damper on my plans as it's all small papier-mache stuff right now anyway. I am curious as to whether a small package shipped from Kawasaki, Japan via SAL will get here before a small package shipped FedEx from Jo-Ann Craft Stores in Ohio. Shipped on the same day, I say it's 50/50 either way. If anyone is waiting on something in the mail for cosplay, I hope it arrives faster than my stuff is getting to me.

I'm going to run through a bunch of OPs today as Fanime is fast approaching and I'm feeling more in the vintage / classic / old school anime spirit than usual.

Let's begin with my favorite anime OP, from the original Mobile Police Patlabor OVA series. Bursting with positivity, looking toward the assumed endless prosperity of ten years into the future from a Japan still well within the bubble economy, we have a pop love song about a police officer and her hardware. As juvenile as Noa Izumi may seem while working on her AV-98 Ingram, which she christens "Alphonse" to follow in the lineage of her childhood pets, once an alert is sounded that all drops away and it's time for work. I've always loved Patlabor as it isn't just about ordinary people in uncommon situations, it exists in a world where those situations that would be uncommon to the viewer, are simply general mundane life to the inhabitants of the world.

I also can't think of many anime franchises that began as an OVA created by a group of people who were allowed to do exactly what they wanted, lead to a feature film (my all time favorite anime film at that), which in turn spawned a TV series that had two extensions and a follow-up OVA series of its own, with a separate manga series running at the same time, a second feature film (often regarded as Mamoru Oshii's master work), a later side-story film, a live action television series and film, and most recently an animated short last year.

Celebrating An Era - 1980's! Mobile Police Patlabor: Early Days (1988)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMpI_bc3LrI


Ah, speaking about the weather again - I had a splitting headache creep up on me earlier so how about a rapid-fire of OPs off of my list for the rest of the day?

Celebrating An Era - 1970's! Space Pirate Captain Harlock (1978)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FphXw7YBqoo


Fifty years and a few days ago, the very first episode of Mach GoGoGo aired in Japan. Tatsuo Yoshida himself created the manga series, combining the automotive gadgets featured in Goldfinger with the rally racing and visual style featured in Viva Las Vegas - along with his experience creating earlier auto racing manga. While the anime version was only moderately successful in Japan, it took on a life of its own when it was redeveloped as Speed Racer for export into the west.

Celebrating An Era - 1960's! Mach GoGoGo (1967)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPR45cBkRq4


Celebrating An Era - 1960's! Tiger Mask (1969)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdJVSFh6008


A favorite equally enjoyable in the original Japanese or the even more absurd English "dub."

Celebrating An Era - 1990's! Kyatto Ninden Teyandee (1990)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gP2ysAzHWAg


Easily the most unexpected series to be broadcast on limited basic cable in my opinion, with TechTV airing the series in the summer of 2003 during its final years on the air.

Celebrating An Era - 2000! Boogiepop Phantom (2000)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvW1w1zftqI


And to close out the evening.

Celebrating An Era - 1980's! The Magic Angel Creamy Mami (1983)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PF7FA60IF5I


Saturday Anime on Sci-Fi Channel may be gone (as is "Sci-Fi" but I digress) but your gathering host is here to overload your senses with Saturday Anime OPs! Yeah, I miss overly dramatic network narration like that. Anyway, here we go...

Let's kick it off with three from 1998.

Celebrating An Era - 1990's! Cowboy Bebop (1998)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aw3fN3OPk3A


Celebrating An Era - 1990's! Trigun (1998)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OxFSy8G5wk


Celebrating An Era - 1990's! Outlaw Star (1998)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQ7ufQugU6w


One of my personal favorites, and one of the greatest "hard science fiction" anime series ever. Also mentioned by Mamoru Oshii as an influence. I love these really brassy theme songs.

Celebrating An Era - 1980's! Armored Trooper VOTOMS (1983)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjJt58geu9U


And my favorite of all the VOTOMS sequels / spinoffs. A beautiful opening all around, visuals and music.

Celebrating An Era - 1980's! Armor Hunter Mellowlink (1988)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySnuPN_3Xts

I sadly won't be able to make the gathering this year because I'm giving a panel at the exact same time. I'll see if I can swing by right after and say hello if there's still people around, though. :D

Awww, well at least your panels got approved!  Hope having them be Friday heavy won't cut too much into your karaoke time as if I'm recalling correctly, you said in the past that's something you usually attend on Fanime Friday.

MUST they make this a social media game? is it unreasonable to ask that they stop playing games like this and just announce who the music group is? I'm not here to make anymore fuss then I have in the past. I just wanna know who it is so I can make final decision plans. Whether going to another convention would be more healthy for me or sticking around for another time and simply accepting how the convention would be better.

Is it going to be a rock band? An idol or boyband group? ANYTHING would be helpful.

Awww, you know they do it just for you!

[Celebrating An Era - 1980's! Project A-ko 3: Cinderella Rhapsody (1988)]

Good morning old schoolers!  The last Friday in March is upon us and I'm still in the embryonic stages of building a prop specifically for Fanime.  Costuming is pretty much done though, some wig work to do and a few dozen pleats to press.  I do hope all your plans are rolling along smoothly and that you enjoy the weekend ahead.

Back to random choice for today's OPs, although we're going to do something a little different with this first one.  I would assume that pretty much all of us attending this gathering have at least a passing familiarity with Project A-ko.  My favorite film in the entire series is Project A-ko 3, as it's just a short little self-contained story that I feel shows how the films would have worked as a TV series.  It also has a unique intro.  I can't remember if it has ever officially been credited to Yasuomi Umetsu (who you may know from the Presence short in Robot Carnival, Megazone 23 Part II, Lily C.A.T., Kite, Mezzo DSA, and lots more) but if it isn't him then it's the most perfect recreation of his style possible.  No one designs hands or eyes for animation like Umetsu, especially fingers.  Wow, that's an odd thing to say - but it's true!  I so wish this stylized alternate dream take of the Project A-ko universe would have spun off into something more.

Celebrating An Era - 1980's!  Project A-ko 3: Cinderella Rhapsody (1988)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F73M_DyZGW8

How about something that's kinda just really stupid and over the top for the sake of being such? While it can kind of drag on (which is strange for a seven episode OVA), I've always liked Aika for how little it cares to be any more than what it is. The opening here is actually the second opening (episodes 4 - 7, and specifically episode 4 in this case) which aired in 1998 because I like the song more than "Silent City" from the earlier opening.

Celebrating An Era - 1990's! Aika / Agent Aika (1997)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcbUPOkovrg


How about a couple more OPs today?

While not my favorite slice of life romance series, Kare Kano / His and Her Circumstances was certainly a popular one - especially at the peak of the western anime boom. I still haven't read much the long manga series but the anime adaptation is really like two takes on the same material. It was a case of Hideaki Anno, who was serving as director originally, wanting to steer the ship his own way - while Masami Tsuda, the original manga creator, wanted to better reflect the source material. This results in the series having kind of a weird break in the middle that ultimately lead to it not having the most satisfying ending. My apologies for all the release group garbage atop the beginning of this one!

Celebrating An Era - 1990's! His and Her Circumstances (1998)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X00MpQERaPA


Followed up by my favorite slice of life romance series!  Marmalade Boy also had a really nice DVD release by Tokyopop as four box sets but unfortunately it hit retail right as the old guard of media stores was breathing its last breath.  This means that volumes three and four are generally fairly scarce, tend to have their barcodes defaced, and sometimes command insane money in the secondary market.  However if you keep an eye out it can be found for a fair price, the last good deal I saw on a set was $177.55 shipped - amazingly with no RTV damage to the volume 3/4 boxes, which really isn't that bad for a 76 episode series - essentially fairly close to retail.  One of those rare series to meet the trifecta of being currently unlicensed, relatively scarce, and reasonably in demand.

Celebrating An Era - 1990's!  Marmalade Boy (1994)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVgsNYfAdO8


And one more to round out the evening.  For whatever reason videos featuring the OP to Blue Seed are next to impossible to find and are pulled down quickly.  It can't be the theme song that is the problem, because it can be found in its entirety fairly easily.  So the included video is the best compromise I can post - but I REALLY wanted to include this one last year and decided not to due to the availability problem - so here it is finally.  I do believe this one is out of print but it had a couple of releases (one including the OVA sequel) and at last check it wasn't too expensive and pretty easy to find.  It blows my mind to think how little this series is talked about these days when I can remember in late 1990's it being one of those "staple series" that everyone had seen and had a high regard for.  To that end this seemingly popular series has become a nearly forgotten piece of 1990's anime - which is a terrible shame - as it is well worth seeking out.

Celebrating An Era - 1990's!  Blue Seed (1994)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UV4rRlyFmgQ


And now some Saturday OPs - beginning with what I consider to be Hideaki Anno's master work, GunBuster. Always awesome to see that this series is still remembered by many.

Celebrating An Era - 1980's! Aim for the Top! / GunBuster (1988)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WE5c7_5mLvI


How about an absolute institution in Japan, probably best known in the west as the basis for the early NES game Ninja Kid.

Celebrating An Era - 1960's! Gegege no Kitaro (1968)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWAtSxvoe4g

[Celebrating An Era - 1960's! Eight Man (1963)]

Well, I finished Evangelion. Haven't bothered with End of Evangelion yet (I suddenly got myself into The Jojos and have been bingeing a little), so I'm not sure how much it'll change my opinion on the show, though considering that it replaces the last two episodes, it might improve my opinion a bit.

I have thoughts. And they aren't good ones.

I honestly think that this show is generally good, and that it's important (if it resonates with someone or as a historical artifact), but I don't think it held up, and I think that it's WAY overrated. The fandom side of things and how much it's been held up in the anime community over the years as an example of ~weird deep philosophical anime~ really doesn't seem to mesh with the show itself for me, and without that, I may have enjoyed it more. Though, the last two episodes and how it feels the need to explain itself to me really rubs me the wrong way, fandom or no. Still has one of the best OPs of all time, though. I'll give it that. I've always loved that song.

Wow, I can't believe I'm on internet forums talking about '90s anime with people. This brings me back!

I've always felt Hideaki Anno and company really hit their peak with Aim for the Top! / GunBuster which I still love to this day.  Yeah it may not be as grand as Evangelion in scope but its tighter length makes for a better narrative and I've always found the whole thing much more interesting.  I know I'm in the extreme minority with that opinion, however.

Update to my schedule: I have a panel from 3 - 4 on Friday, though I'm not sure if they've set all of the panels times yet (last year my two acceptances were staggered by about a week), but at least so far, I'll still be able to attend the gathering. Yay! It's looking more likely that I'll be doing Mink from Dragon Half, since I started making her sword and I'm not sure if I want to risk overheating in Juri again, but we'll see.

Yay!  I'm thinking of dropping out of the Sunday evening Jump gathering and doing Motoki Furuhata and Makoto Kino on that day instead and attending the Sailor Moon gathering Sunday morning, since I plan on rotating those out after this year.  That would mean Ryo Saeba and Kaori Makimura from City Hunter (30th anniversary of the anime this year) for the old school gathering.  It also means I won't be tempted to try to get into speed dating completely in character, and as my wife says, probably get my badge pulled.  :P


And the Friday update for this week!

Good afternoon old schoolers!  We've got about two months to go at this point, I hope your convention plans are starting to fall into place and the craft stores aren't out of stock of whatever it is you need but forgot.

Today I present a pair of OPs from two series that I really wish had some form of an English subtitled release.  As massively iconic and influential as the first is, there seems to be very little interest in it these days, which is a terrible shame.  That series features anime's first crime-fighting cyborg superhero and is, of course, Eight Man.  Grab your energy cigarettes!

Celebrating An Era - 1960's! Eight Man (1963)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CE6V_PLn2IU


And second for today, a series that was reworked with a few very significant changes to become Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs.  To be very honest Saber Rider is an interesting example of how to redevelop an anime series with a relatively small cast to make a secondary character into the main character.  Of course they cheated just a little and hand a handful of new episodes animated to better force the narrative change, but Saber Rider is still fondly remembered by many to this day.  That all said, it is far past time for the original to get a proper subtitled release.  Also contains one of my all time favorite endings, which I've included as well.  Isn't that like the total prototype for a Sailor Moon ending?!

Celebrating An Era - 1980's!  Star Musketeer Bismark (1984)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WA8OYMwqkM8 - OP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVKNA13C3yI - ED


For Saturday OPs this week, let's do two that feature a pair of professional heavily armed ladies, beginning with a classic of the genre.

Celebrating An Era - 1980's! Dirty Pair (1985)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZ4qMgIz6x0


And follow it up with another ten years later!

Celebrating An Era - 1990's! Gunsmith Cats (1995)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7HPyUcy37I

I will be doing Rurouni Kenshin and Yuyuhakusho, and I have a friend who might do Shenmue or something else old school. I'd like to join!

Outstanding.  As I posted in your Rurouni Kenshin gathering thread you're well within our pre-2001 gathering charter of sorts.  Same with Shenmue, 1999 in Japan and 2000 abroad.

I'm super looking foreard to this gathering! I'm cosplaying Ichigo one of my favorite Magical girls from Tokyo Mew Mew. I don't know if she qualifies as "Old School" (2000) but it'll always be the nostalgic first anime I got into. 2 more months everyone

Yup, Tokyo Mew Mew is just within the gathering's pre-2001 limit (with the manga beginning in late 2000) so you are more than welcome!


Still haven't locked down my personal cosplay plans for Fanime but they're better coming together.  Of course my biggest goal for FanimeCon 2017 is not to have the allergy attack from hell knock me out the Wednesday night before con.  Seriously... on the third to last stitch of a small cosplay alteration on that Wednesday night I felt my throat get a little scratchy - and that was it.  I was fine during the gathering but blew my energy out after that.  Spent Saturday sitting around and standing in autograph lines - then went home.  Went home at like 1pm on Sunday after the Sailor Moon gathering but came back that evening to poke around the halls.  With the exception of Friday, it frankly sucked because I was so out of it. haha

If you are ultimately unable to pull a gathering together, Rurouni Kenshin is a series well within the outline of the Old School Cosplay Gathering I host on Friday evening and you are absolutely welcome to attend!

http://forums.fanime.com/index.php/topic,20867.0.html
https://www.facebook.com/events/517984584992384/

*Salamander / Life Force announcer voice* RIPPLE LASER!

Rolling with my redirection...

Vic Viper or Lord British?

[Celebrating An Era - 1970's! Mazinger Z (1972)]

Good morning old schoolers!  Welcome to all those newly interested in attending the gathering.  Everything is rolling right along, however I am going to be doubling down (x2 on top of that) on the amount of OPs I post as I have a ton of them that I want to get through!  If I could nail down a specific aspect of anime I enjoy most, it would have to be the openings and endings.  They're like the titles to a Bond movie, so important to set up what lies ahead and get you in the mood for what you're about to watch.

So moving forward I'll be posting two anime OPs every Friday and two anime OPs every Saturday.  The Fanime Forums weekly post will simply be edited so I'm not spamming the boards with the gathering thread.

With that in mind, let's kick off Friday with a little old and new, starting with a little Go Nagai.

Celebrating An Era - 1970's!  Mazinger Z (1972)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eR2JlePDgpg


And then about twenty-three years later, a genre-breaking modern equivalent.

Celebrating An Era - 1990's!  Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-QSmNReDyI


And for Saturday OPs I went a little overboard.  Let's do battle teams of legend today.

Celebrating An Era - 1960's! Cyborg 009 (1968)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U97ZXoqdopg


Then another classic staple a few years later.

Celebrating An Era - 1970's! Science Ninja Team Gatchaman (1972)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sxKcF4VE9s


Ah, let's get crazy and run down the decades. Ever played the Sega Master System games Zillion or Tri-Formation? Ever own a Zillion laser tag set? Ever see a Sega Light Phaser? Well here you go then -

Celebrating An Era - 1980's! Akai Kodan Zillion (1987)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=la-lgb-BPhI


One of these days I'm going to say to heck with vertical door clearances and cosplay as an agent of Big Fire. I do simply adore the first dub of Giant Robo.

Celebrating An Era - 1990's! Giant Robo (1992)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBxC7Gm8UDM

Hey there! I've seen this msg thanks! I've been out due to stomach flu on top of all the computer/internet issues and stuff. Thanks for your patience!

No problem at all, I hope you are feeling better!

I got to I think episode 22 of NGE, and I'm pretty sure it gave me a migraine, so I need to lay off the old school anime for a bit haha (too many flashing lights.) It seems to pick up around episode 20 or so, but still seems like it's overrated and still is not at all what I expected. I would have taken the pretentious, convoluted, obscure anime that all the detractors say it is over what I've actually watched so far. It's not bad at all, but it's still not the masterpiece it's been built up to be. Well, I suppose I'll reserve judgment until after my migraine gets better and I can finish out the series. (I was hoping to hold off on replying until I finished, but who knows when that will be now.)

I can see why someone would like Kaji. Honestly, Misato, Kaji, and Ritsuko are the only characters I actually like in this show. I can understand the motivations for characters like Shinji, Rei, and Asuka, but I don't really feel any connection to them, and certainly don't feel anything resembling moe for them (especially the girls). We'll see once I finish. Still tempted by Misato cosplay, but probably not for Fanime. I think I'd also make a good Ritsuko, though.


Speaking of cosplaying characters voiced by Kotono Mitsuishi, whether I can attend this gathering depends on panels scheduling first and foremost, since I put down the timeslot that includes 6PM on Friday as one of my available times. My plans are up in the air, but my current plan (depending on things like weather and if I can rustle up other Utena cosplayers) is to wear either Juri Arisugawa from Utena (if it isn't too hot out) or Mink from Dragon Half (if it is too hot out).

Yeah, I wasn't in any hurry to re-watch Evangelion right after finishing up but I did go back and watch it a few more times and I can sorta see where the genius in it lies.  The way it settled in my mind in the end, is that all the main characters - all the protagonists, are really the "bad" guys.  They're who are trying to upset the natural progression of things for their own selfish ends.  I see Kaji as what I refer to as a "Yamucha character" - completely out of place among their company, eventually the odd man out, deep connections to critical characters, however due to circumstance an outsider.  I also sorta love how it trolls just a bit on toy merchandising with "mecha" designs that are anti-mecha and pretty much says "Even if we pack this full of crazy visuals, not much has really changed since this genre began with Mazinger Z."

My cosplay plans are pretty scrambled right now as well as Saturday / Sunday depend on when the Jump gathering falls as my wife and I are doing Ryo Saeba and Kaori Makimura from City Hunter this Fanime.  There aren't a lot of Jump published characters we'd be interested in doing so I want to make sure that works out this year.  Although we are planning on doing very early Dragon Ball Z era Yamucha and Bulma down the line, so I guess that would work too.  I'm hoping not to have the allergy attack from hell like last year as I spent most of Fanime sitting around, which wasn't all that great.

Current plans are to do Cyber Formula on Thursday, Sailor Moon on Friday, Patlabor on Saturday (because I freaking love it and with the Reboot short that was released in October it's kinda relevant again), City Hunter on Sunday, and then dust off the shinkansen suit for Densha de Go! on Monday.  Don't like missing the Sailor Moon gathering (especially since I felt like the walking dead at it last year) but I don't want to double-duty on Saturday or Sunday.  That said, after City Hunter is finished up the next plan is to do either Rival Schools or another Sailor Moon cosplay so there's always another time.

Bumping for organizer attention - please formally submit this gathering!

http://forums.fanime.com/index.php/topic,21023.0.html