My Hubby, Christopher Wanamaker, bought me "Taro The Dragon Boy" at Katsucon last weekend. I just finished watching it. Honestly, the storyline was good, though the animation quality was a bit archaic! (It was created in 1979). "Taro The Dragon Boy" is the story of Taro, a lazy, selfish boy who loves to eat and sleep and wrestle with the animals. He has little direction or inspiration in his life. That is, until a wizard passing through the forest one day bestows young Taro with a magical potion. Upon drinking the potion, he gains the strength of a hundred men! However, there is a catch: he may only summon this power when he is helping others. Taro soon learns that his long-lost mother was transformed into a dragon as punishment for her greediness. He sets forth with a sense of purpose to locate his mother and free her from the spell. All the while trying to help the peasants of his village, as well as other colorful creatures that inhabit the mountain.
I can't be sure, but I think one of the voice actors for "Taro" also provided the voice of Giuseppi Mayart in "Wicked City!" (At least, it sounded like him!)
More perplexing and probably shocking to prudish Americans is the film's casual and unashamed nudity, from Taro's genitals, which are inadvertently flashed when he stands on his head, to the surprising but completely logical appearance of semi-naked women several times during the story. The film is suitable for all ages, however, and such scenes will probably bother parents much more than their kids. Inspired by an ancient Japanese folklore, "Taro the Dragon Boy" is an enchanting animated masterpiece!
Saturday, February 25, 2012
"Arrietty" Is Amazing!
My Hubby and I had a great day yesterday. We went to see the movie "The Secret World of Arrietty!" I loved it! It takes its story from "The Borrowers," by Mary Norton.
The story takes place in 2010 in Koganei, western Tokyo and as in the novel revolves around a group of "tiny people" who are 10 cm tall and live under the floorboards of a typical human household.
A boy named Shō arrives at the house his mother lived in as a child, to live with his great aunt, Sadako. When Shō leaves the car, he sees a cat trying to attack something in the bushes, but the cat leaves after being attacked by a crow. Shō goes to see what the cat was trying to attack. He then sees a Borrower named Arrietty.
That night Arrietty's father, Pod, takes Arrietty above the floorboards to show her how he gets sugar. Their first stop is the kitchen, then they walk within a wall to reach a dollhouse in Shō's bedroom, to get tissue. Before Arrietty and Pod can leave, Arrietty notices Shō is awake, and accidentally drops the sugar cube they got. Shō tells them not to be afraid of him.
The next day, Shō leaves the dropped sugar cube beside an underground air vent where he first saw Arrietty, but Arrietty's mother Homily warns them not to take it because their existence must be kept secret from humans. Still, Arrietty sneaks out to visit Shō in his bedroom and the two become friends. On her return, Arrietty is intercepted by her father. Pod and Homily realize they have been discovered, and decide the family must move out of the house.
Shō learns from Sadako that some of his ancestors had seen Borrowers in this house, and they had the dollhouse made especially for the Borrowers, with working electric lights and ovens. The Borrowers had not been seen since, however, and the dollhouse stayed in Shō's room.
Pod returns injured from a borrowing mission and is being helped by Spiller, a Borrower boy he met on the way, who also informs them of some places the Borrowers could move to. While Pod is recovering, Shō uncovers the floorboards above the Borrower household, uproots their kitchen, and replaces it with the kitchen from the dollhouse as a display of kindness, in hopes the Borrowers would be more accepting of his knowledge of their existence. Instead, they react quite oppositely from Shō's expectations, the action causing the Borrowers to speed up the moving process.
After Pod recovers, he goes to explore some of the places Spiller suggested to them. Arrietty goes to say goodbye to Shō. During their subsequent conversation Shō theorizes that the Borrowers are becoming extinct, which hurts Arrietty. Apologizing, Shō reveals he has had a heart condition since birth and will have an operation in a few days. The operation does not have a good chance of success.
Meanwhile Haru, Sadako's maid, notices the floorboards have been disturbed. Sadako is out and Shō is still in the garden speaking with Arrietty, when Haru unearths the Borrowers' house and puts Homily in a jar in the kitchen. During this time, Arrietty hears the cries of her mother being captured and leaves Shō in the garden so she can go see what is happening to her mother. Saddened by Arrietty's departure, Shō goes back inside the house and into his room, unaware he is being followed by Haru, who subsequently locks him in his room. Haru then calls a pest removal company to smoke out the Borrowers and bring them to her alive.
When Arrietty returns to find Homily missing and their house disturbed, she goes to Shō for help. Arrietty helps Shō break out of his locked room, and Shō then carries Arrietty to the kitchen and distracts Haru while Arrietty rescues Homily. Sadako returns soon after the pest removal company comes, and tells them to leave. Haru tries to prove to Sadako that the Borrowers really exist, but Homily has escaped, and there is nothing below the floorboards: The Borrowers have already set off on their move, and Shō has destroyed the remains.
The Borrowers stop for dinner during their move, and Shō's cat spots Arrietty. The cat brings Shō to Arrietty. He gives her a sugar cube as a parting gift, and tells her the Borrowers' fight for survival has given him hope to live through the operation, which will happen in two days' time. In return, Arrietty gives Shō her "hair" clip. The Borrowers then get into a teapot, which Spiller steers down a river. Spiller gives Arrietty a red berry after joining him on the teapot's top.
It was a terrific film! However, I was not fond of Haru, the maid. She was such a nosy busybody! Ugh! However, as with most projects involving Hayao Miyazaki (as the screenplay writer), even the villain was not so mean as to be completely hated. I can't wait for the DVD to be released! I suspect that it will be here no later than July, right in time for Otakon! Hooray! I'll be one happy "Anime-niac" if I'm right!
The story takes place in 2010 in Koganei, western Tokyo and as in the novel revolves around a group of "tiny people" who are 10 cm tall and live under the floorboards of a typical human household.
A boy named Shō arrives at the house his mother lived in as a child, to live with his great aunt, Sadako. When Shō leaves the car, he sees a cat trying to attack something in the bushes, but the cat leaves after being attacked by a crow. Shō goes to see what the cat was trying to attack. He then sees a Borrower named Arrietty.
That night Arrietty's father, Pod, takes Arrietty above the floorboards to show her how he gets sugar. Their first stop is the kitchen, then they walk within a wall to reach a dollhouse in Shō's bedroom, to get tissue. Before Arrietty and Pod can leave, Arrietty notices Shō is awake, and accidentally drops the sugar cube they got. Shō tells them not to be afraid of him.
The next day, Shō leaves the dropped sugar cube beside an underground air vent where he first saw Arrietty, but Arrietty's mother Homily warns them not to take it because their existence must be kept secret from humans. Still, Arrietty sneaks out to visit Shō in his bedroom and the two become friends. On her return, Arrietty is intercepted by her father. Pod and Homily realize they have been discovered, and decide the family must move out of the house.
Shō learns from Sadako that some of his ancestors had seen Borrowers in this house, and they had the dollhouse made especially for the Borrowers, with working electric lights and ovens. The Borrowers had not been seen since, however, and the dollhouse stayed in Shō's room.
Pod returns injured from a borrowing mission and is being helped by Spiller, a Borrower boy he met on the way, who also informs them of some places the Borrowers could move to. While Pod is recovering, Shō uncovers the floorboards above the Borrower household, uproots their kitchen, and replaces it with the kitchen from the dollhouse as a display of kindness, in hopes the Borrowers would be more accepting of his knowledge of their existence. Instead, they react quite oppositely from Shō's expectations, the action causing the Borrowers to speed up the moving process.
After Pod recovers, he goes to explore some of the places Spiller suggested to them. Arrietty goes to say goodbye to Shō. During their subsequent conversation Shō theorizes that the Borrowers are becoming extinct, which hurts Arrietty. Apologizing, Shō reveals he has had a heart condition since birth and will have an operation in a few days. The operation does not have a good chance of success.
Meanwhile Haru, Sadako's maid, notices the floorboards have been disturbed. Sadako is out and Shō is still in the garden speaking with Arrietty, when Haru unearths the Borrowers' house and puts Homily in a jar in the kitchen. During this time, Arrietty hears the cries of her mother being captured and leaves Shō in the garden so she can go see what is happening to her mother. Saddened by Arrietty's departure, Shō goes back inside the house and into his room, unaware he is being followed by Haru, who subsequently locks him in his room. Haru then calls a pest removal company to smoke out the Borrowers and bring them to her alive.
When Arrietty returns to find Homily missing and their house disturbed, she goes to Shō for help. Arrietty helps Shō break out of his locked room, and Shō then carries Arrietty to the kitchen and distracts Haru while Arrietty rescues Homily. Sadako returns soon after the pest removal company comes, and tells them to leave. Haru tries to prove to Sadako that the Borrowers really exist, but Homily has escaped, and there is nothing below the floorboards: The Borrowers have already set off on their move, and Shō has destroyed the remains.
The Borrowers stop for dinner during their move, and Shō's cat spots Arrietty. The cat brings Shō to Arrietty. He gives her a sugar cube as a parting gift, and tells her the Borrowers' fight for survival has given him hope to live through the operation, which will happen in two days' time. In return, Arrietty gives Shō her "hair" clip. The Borrowers then get into a teapot, which Spiller steers down a river. Spiller gives Arrietty a red berry after joining him on the teapot's top.
It was a terrific film! However, I was not fond of Haru, the maid. She was such a nosy busybody! Ugh! However, as with most projects involving Hayao Miyazaki (as the screenplay writer), even the villain was not so mean as to be completely hated. I can't wait for the DVD to be released! I suspect that it will be here no later than July, right in time for Otakon! Hooray! I'll be one happy "Anime-niac" if I'm right!
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Katsucon 2012: Exhiler-18-g!
I spent President's Day Weekend 2012 as I have since 2003--at Katsucon with Hubby Christopher Wanamaker! (and the rest of the Otaku!) Friday (2/17/2012), Chris and I cosplayed as Jem & Rio. Saturday, our alter-egos were Mario & Toad (Super Mario Brothers), and on Sunday, Chris was Ben 10 and I was Rei Ayanami (Neon Genesis Evangelion)! Of course, the Dealer's Room had me feeling like a kid in a candy store! LOL! Chris bought me most of the items on my Wish List. 2 discs of "Fairy Tail," "Taro The Dragon Boy," part on the the TV series "Squid Girl," the complete collection of "Witch Hunter Robin," and "Princess 69: Lesson 1" (a hentai!). I bought a few DVDs for my cousin Lonnie and my friend Amber. (Don't make me have to beat you down like Stewie Griffin beat Brian....I want my money!) I also found a stuffed "Ponyo!" (I've been wanting one since I bought the DVD when it first came out!) Sadly, I could not find "Princess Mononoke" for my niece, Anaiya! I guess I will make a trip to Best Buy to see if they have it! Or wait until Otakon this summer! Aside from the Dealer's Room, I also enjoyed attending the Funimation panel. It was there that I learned that the second season of "Black Butler" will be released on DVD in April! Of course, I'm going to check it out!!!!!!!!!! I blogged about the first season of "Black Butler" in 2011. (see the post "Black Butler: One "Hell" Of An Anime About "One Hell Of A Butler!") Not surprisingly, I managed to get some great photos! There were cosplayers dressed as characters from "Fairy Tail," "Black Butler," and several people cosplayed as characters form the "My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic" series. I think my favorite cosplayer was the woman who was dressed as Satsuki and carried a doll of Mei (from "My Neighbor Totoro)! There was also a guy dressed up as Totoro himself! Needless to say, I had a great time, and can't wait to attend Otakon this summer!!!!! In the meantime, I have plenty of anime to keep me busy writing this blog!!!!!!!!!!!!! I know what I'll be doing on Saturday!!!!!!!!!! Watching anime (hopefully) uninterrupted!!!!!!!!!!!! Woe unto those who dare disturb this "Anime-niac!" LOL!!!!!!!!!!!
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