I think it's never too late to pay homage to your childhood stars. With the recent passing of Chuck Norris, I realized I never reviewed any of his films, even though I've seen them all, and some I've seen more than once. Yet, there is something special about Sidekicks, one of the worst rated flicks from his filmography that makes up for a fitting tribute. In a nutshell, Sidekicks is about a young school kid with asthma that daydreams of one day meeting his hero Chuck Norris. This kid has rewatched his films on VHS tape more times than anybody else, and the passion goes as far as daydreaming in school and being nicknamed "Barry the dreamer" by some of his bully classmates.
First of all, the film features a stellar cast of names widely recognized if you grew up in the 80s. Beau Bridges, Danica McKellar, Julia Nickson-Soul, and of course Jonathan Brandis in the lead plus Chuck Norris as himself.
I've got Chuck, you've got nothing.
Barry Gabrewski is a troubled and bullied asthmatic boy who lives with his widowed father, Jerry, in Houston, Texas. A loner, Barry has vivid daydreams about being Chuck Norris'
sidekick, and about battling against Norris' movie enemies. Said foes
are often personified by Barry's everyday nemeses, such as class bully
Randy Cellini; Coach Horn, their loudmouthed and demanding PE
instructor; and apathetic English teacher Mapes. Noreen Chan, Barry's
favorite teacher, often plays the damsel-in-distress in these daydreams, most of which parody assorted Chuck Norris films (notably Missing in Action, The Delta Force, and The Hitman). However, the execution of those dreams make the film seem dated, as one would easily think this kid has developed some sort of autistic/psychological condition that requires treatment, instead of the usual 80s it's-just-a-phase advice. Of course, these dreams serve the purpose of allowing the viewer to see Chuck Norris reprising some of his famous roles while holding no connection to the world in which Barry lives. On the other hand, we could agree these dreams represent the naivety of the teenage protagonist. He's neither a grown man, nor is he looking forward to that. These dreams keep him going, since school isn't the friendliest place to be.
Chuck Norris, a real action hero.
This kid is everyone's kid in the late 80s/ early 90s.
Later, and thanks to the power of cinema magic, his favorite teacher, Miss Noreen Chan, receives the visit from uncle Lee, who's coming to town to manage the restaurant her late parents inherited her. This leads our teacher into thinking she could lend a hand helping Barry achieve his dream of becoming a martial artist. After the typical trials in the style of Karate Kid, Kickboxer and many other 80s films, the kid is ready to be trained in martial arts.
Sidekicks was filmed primarily in Houston, TX. It was the pet project of well-known Houston furniture outlet owner Jim "Mattress Mac" McIngvale,
who (in partnership with Chuck Norris and his "Kick Drugs out of
Schools" campaign) invested 8 million dollars in producing this movie. Chuck Norris, who had appeared in many local television commercials for
McIngvale, suggested the idea of creating this film, and McIngvale
agreed to finance and produce it.
Plotwise, the story doesn't distance itself from hundreds of films following the hero's journey narrative. I've always wondered if all these flicks pushed the bully presence in schools as something that is as American as baring guns.There are no teenage films without them, since they clearly serve a purpose of making the viewer feel unease and disgusted by the presence of these annoying characters who ultimately get what they deserve in the hands of their victims.
Losers never get the girl.
Heroes on the other hand...
The supporting cast is modest. We have Miss Chan, her uncle Mr. Lee, Barry's father and Lauren. The teacher being a key character, as she aids Barry into transforming his dreams into reality. As any good education professional, she believes in change. Mr. Lee serves as a mild comic relief while also being Barry's martial arts master. Lauren, serves as the love interest yet is a character that didn't age well. In a nutshell, she hangs out with Barry because she feels sorry for him. Once things change and Barry kicks the bully's ass in the school's gym, for no reason at all she's surprised he can fight, and so she decides he is a fit candidate for whatever it is you want that when in school. Her role is stereotyped and dated by today's standards.
In a nutshell, Sidekicks, serves both as a homage to Chuck Norris career, and a cautionary tale about bullying that never gets old. Moreover, the mentoring figure theme is also quite strong. Of course, in these days where we have millions of influencers trying to tell you what to do with your life and money, having a mentor may seem irrelevant, but back then having someone to look up to, had a whole different meaning.
"In the year 2029, Niihama City has become a technologically advanced metropolis. Due to great improvements in cybernetics, its citizens are able to replace their limbs with robotic parts. The world is now more interconnected than ever before, and the city's Public Security Section 9 is responsible for combating corruption, terrorism, and other dangerous threats following this shift toward globalization.
The strong-willed Major Motoko Kusanagi of Section 9 spearheads a case involving a mysterious hacker known only as the "Puppet Master," who leaves a trail of victims stripped of their memories. Like many in this futuristic world, the Puppet Master's body is almost entirely robotic, giving them incredible power.
As Motoko and her subordinates follow the enigmatic criminal's trail, other parties—including Section 6—start to get involved, forcing her to confront the extremely complicated nature of the case. Pondering about various philosophical questions, such as her own life's meaning, Motoko soon realizes that the one who will provide these answers is none other than the Puppet Master themself."
Motoko Kusanagi ladies & gentlemen.
Impressive visuals.
This blog was opened decades ago, 17 years ago to be exact. Hundreds of films, TV shows and Animation from the most diverse genres have been reviewed. Today, is the day I pay a long overdue debt I had with one of my all time favorites: Ghost In The Shell, by maestro Shirow Masamune. While, this intro may seem useless to the reader, I actually think this review is arriving just in time. Society has evolved enough to have people making friends with AI, and even typing "Please" before every prompt we make. That science fiction distant future, is slowly becoming a reality, and we are now "wired to the network" even as we sleep at night.
Bare with me, and let's try to answer two larger than life philosophical questions: What makes a person, a person? is there a soul? If so, where is it, and where does it come from? Science fiction interest in using philosophy, religion, and mythology as part of what sets its context and drives its characters, has been explored and exploited since the beginning of time.
Ghost In The Shell, GITS from now on, it's a 1995 1 hour and 22 minute OVA based on the first volume of the eponymous manga. The source material was originally published on the Kaizokuban magazine from 1989 to 1990, in 11 publications. Obviously, you can't expect an hour and a half movie to cover the source material in its entirety, so we won't go through the usual "The Manga is better than the OVA because...". The original source material will always remain the best. Even for the Snow White classic tale.
"Cybernetic organism with living tissue".
The outside looks very real.
In case you're still reading, the OVA heavily condenses the original storyline, reducing the original material's comic relief and sexual content in favor of a more serious tone and changing the setting from Japan to a city modelled after Hong Kong. The artwork within the animated film was produced using an innovative mix of cel animation and digital effects that had never been seen before in an animated feature from the genre which perhaps helped in making GITS one of the world's most famous Japanese animated films, being the first to reach #1 on Billboard magazine's video best-seller list, and also served as a major inspiration for the Wachowskis in their creation of the Matrix movies.
Plotwise, Cyborg cops battle an anonymous super-hacker who takes control of people's computerized brains and forces them to do his bidding. It's a wicked sci-fi thriller, yet it's also so much more. Not only is it a refreshingly original take on the standard Coppers vs Robbers plot, but it manages to do it in such an intelligent manner. The philosophical questions above mentioned, are never shoved into our faces every five minutes, yet the producers of the OVA seem to know exactly the type of audience this story is aimed to. Casual sci-fi enthusiasts may feel a bot overwhelmed with the lack of a clear background context for characters and even the city where the story takes place. This isn't a Marvel movie. This is based on a Manga that knows that its niche audience has a brain that works.
Visuals, as above mentioned already, are one of the elements that make GITS essential viewing. The action scenes take it to the next level with Kokomo's invisible suit. Moreover, every scene is full of atmosphere, due to detailed backgrounds, and a clever use of CGI technology that was limited at the time, and yet it delivers a seamless visual experience even today. Yet the most astonishing part of the art is not the quality of the animation, or the artwork. It's the level of thought and polish that went into creating the look and feel of this film. I mean, the Manga artwork is already impressive, but here they found a way to make it even more impressive.
In for a surprise.
The Matrix has you...
Now, going back a bit to the philosophical questions the original manga asked, and this movie also asks, I'd like to focus on three crucial elements that I think the film manages to pull off nicely for an 82 minute animation. One, the question "what makes us human?" Most humans living in Niihama City have chosen to enhanced their bodies with cybernetics. There is one crucial scene, near the climax of GITS where producers cleverly ask "Does pain make you human?". The answer in this futuristic cyberpunk world comes in the shape of "when you're a cybernetic organism, you no longer feel pain, even if your limbs are taken to the extreme".
Second question: Does building memories make us human? Well, the super hacker behind the story is certainly a philosopher himself. When people start falling victim of his tricks, they lose their memories. Moreover, this puppet master implants foreign memories into his victims making them believe they actually lived these experiences in the past. Quite clever if you ask me. A lot of people in the real world are discussing the good ol' days, and nostalgia as if they experienced it first hand. Many youtubers and influencers alike, only talk about what they read on the internet. Especially when they want to discuss retro tech, or cartoons from before they were born. This clearly makes them misunderstand some key information and eventually produce content that has a lot of misinformation in it, yet they strongly believe they know what they're talking about. Also, you can go back to adolescence, and think how hard we try to fit in with our group of friends sometimes forcing ourselves into enjoying things others find cool just to be a part of something.
Yes, big secret mecha.
This man deserved more screen-time.
Third and final question, where does our soul go after we die? Thinking about the OVA title, our "ghost" inhabits a body (shell) for a limited period of time, so can machines host souls in their mechanical skeletons too? Motoko certainly experiences this long before her dying body is rescued and replaced by a newer, younger version of herself. When she encounters the puppet master, a special connection happens between the two, despite having different motivations and responsibilities they ultimately blend.
I'm simply amazed at how philosophical Animé can be. There's so much content underneath the science fiction cover, that I think that's what makes us come back for another watch. Moreover, some of the greatest celluloid franchises come packed with philosophical questions that can only be seen after a few rewatches. Star Trek, Star Wars, Terminator, Matrix, are amongst some of the films that have used science fiction as a facade to push people into the "more than meets the eye" motto a certain transforming robots cartoon preached long ago.
Still here? waste no more time and go watch Ghost in the Shell!
Continuing with our post apocalyptic reviews, we'll give some rest to the 80s, and talk about the 90s. As a matter of fact, today's OVA will celebrate its 23rd anniversary in a few days.
A Wind Named Amnesia, is yet another story that is part of a great list of animated films focused in the aftermath of a giant cataclysmic event that leaves mankind at its weakest and most vulnerable. The cold war was still a theme when the 90s began, and it influenced a variety of art genres and formats. Philosophical questions like "What do we do now?", "How can we go on?", "Will it ever happen again?" inspired novels, films, albums, video games, and of course, the animation industry.
Death & technology.
it's always a good time for a cup o' joe.
The OVA was produced by Madhouse
studios in 1990, and directed by Kazuo Yamazaki, famous among connoisseurs for his work on Urusei Yatsura and Maison Ikkoku, two classic titles no worthy Otaku can miss. The movie is an adaptaion from
Hideyuki Kikuchi's風の名はアムネジア(The Wind of Amnesia). Other Kikuchi's works include Vampire
Hunter D, Demon City Shinjuku, & Wicked City.The screenplay was written by
Yoshiaki Kawajiri, known for directing titles like Ninja
Scroll, Biohunter, & Cyber City Oedo 808. But don't be fooled! "A Wind Named Amnesia" is the exact opposite of those titles. There is neither gore, nor ultra violence of any kind, which is a credit to the people involved in the production of it. They demonstrated they could get out of their comfort zone to deliver quite an unexpected story.
Plot wise, In the year 1999, the world has been reduced to an apocalyptic wasteland due to an inexplicable gust of wind that wiped even the most basic memories, such as speech and civility, from the minds of the world's populace. Wataru (our protagonist) befriends a young man named Johnny who, prior to the incident,
was part of a government experiment designed to expand the memory capacity of the human mind and, therefore, was able to retain his memories.
Johnny helps Wataru regain his speech and teaches him other basic
functions. However, as a result of the physical toll his body endured
due to the government experiments, Johnny dies after encouraging Wataru
to travel the world.
Wataru encounters a strange woman named Sophia after she helps
him escape from an encounter with an unmanned Police Mech Unit and
agrees to take Sophia to New York City. Together the two travel to Los
Angeles where they try to help as many people as they can until they reach their final destination.
Wataru wants to unravel the mystery.
Action is needed sometimes.
Amnesia wouldn't be released in home formats overseas until 1996, where Central Park Media, now defunct, released it on VHS tape. Other releases by CPM, include M.D. Geist, Urotsukidoji, Record of Loddos War, the complete Project A-Ko series of OVAs. Moreover, their most celebrated achievement in North America, is they were the first to publish Hentai titles.
Without a doubt, A Wind Named Amnesia takes its time to tell the story. People have criticized it for this . However, the plot moves in and out from different stories as Water & Sophia meet new people on their way to New York. For an OVA directed and produced by artists that are largely associated with ultra violent content, you'd expect a lot of action and blood to be spilled on screen, yet the story focuses more on characters and their personal struggles. There is a major plot twist near the end of the story, and the revelation won't go unnoticed, yet the world seems to be beyond saving, leaving a taste of cynical reaction from our main characters.
Boobs are part of the end of the world.
Did I say boobs?
One funny thing Amnesia has, is the odd setting. While everyone speaks Japanese, to story is actually set in the USA. This is how it feels when Hollywood makes movies set in different countries and eras, and yet characters speak perfect English!
Animation wise, backgrounds are highly detailed, and look like beautiful watercolor paintings. From the Rocky Mountains, to some valleys, and lakes and streams all of it looks amazing. Character designs ditto. Soundtrack wise, it feels generic.
Ultimately, Amnesia is a hard to swallow pill. The story is slow paced, and some of the revelations and interactions Wataru goes though, make him remain unchanged despite the implications these have as major plot points, and this is a big flaw, because he is supposed to be the only human who has his memory restored. How come people dying, and Aliens deciding our fate randomly don't have any effect on him? Moreover, the final sex scene, which is perhaps the most unnecessary sex scene ever filmed in the animation industry, makes no sense at all. Would you have sex with one of the people responsible for the catastrophe that doomed your planet? Moreover, when Wataru asks Sophia why they did it, and if they're planning to undo the results, all she answers is "I don't know".
Johnny brought Wataru back to the world.
Violence.
All in all, A Wind Named Amnesia is a one time watch experience. While there is value in the people involved in the production of the OVA, the final product leaves much to be desired in a variety of aspects. Maybe watch it when you're drunk, or playing beer pong or something.
Hello fellow few people who still read reviews. It's been a busy semester for this professor, hence the lack of reviews during the year. However, this isn't a post about my sorry real life struggles, it's a post about another 1990s Animé that is worth revisiting today, almost 30 years after its original release date.
D・N・A², is a 12 episode Japanese animation based upon the same manga written & illustrated by Masakazu Katsura, who also created Video Girl AI which we reviewed previously. Romance, comedy and Sci-Fi blend to tell the story of Momonari Junta, a high school student who has terrible luck with women, and also an axiety disorder that makes it nearly impossible to establish any kind of physical contact with them. Kurimoto Ami is his childhood friend and classmate. Nothing out of the ordinary for a standard animé, right? Fast forward to the future, and the world is awfully overpopulated. A mysterious man nicknamed the "Mega-Playboy" is to blame, and the only way to stop him from getting hundreds and hundreds of women, is to travel back in time, and find him before he becomes the sexual beast women can't resist. Enter, Aoi Karen, a DNA Operator from the future. Her mission: shoot down the Mega-Playboy with a special DCM (DNA Control Medicine) bullet that will obviously, as you've probably guessed by the Anime title, modify his genetic structure and keep him a normal man forever. While the concept of genetics is not developed to the point of being a biology class, the word DNA is mentioned several times by a variety of characters implying it's impossible for them to change their nature. Discussions of nature versus nurture, have taken place for centuries in science, novels, philosophy and family discussions. Can you turn the tide, and decide for yourself? Well, that's one of the questions this little Anime will try to answer in 12 episodes.
Junta and his women.
Ass from the future.
Although D・N・A² tells a story that has been told hundreds of times in both Manga and Anime, the kid who never finds a girl because he's too troubled to dare, is presented here in a hopeful manner despite all the unexpected changes about to unravel when past and future meet for a common goal: The needs of the many, outweigh the needs of the few. Junta is a kid who means no harm. He's never been popular with girls, and his friends are part of the same stereotyped group. As above mentioned, he probably has an anxiety disorder by current standards in medicine: He throws up whenever he gets aroused. Although this happens rarely on his life, he's decided to maintain distance with women to avoid the humiliation. Kurimoto Ami, his best friend is the submissive stereotyped friend who secretly loves him but is too shy to reveal her true feelings to him. If you can pass the stereotypes that have been ruining the romantic lives of millions of people who grew up watching either Anime or soap operas, then this Animé could be for you.
Once the inevitable future meets the past happens, Junta falls in love with Karen, who will eventually feel the same way. Comedy is all over in the first 6 or 7 episodes. Junta's condition, along with the fact Karen will shoot the wrong bullet, turns Junta into a mega playboy. However, this condition will basically be temporary until he makes love with one of his many admirers. Enter Saeki Tomoko, and Takanashi Kotomi. The first one is of the most popular and beautiful girls in Junta's school, and the
ex-girlfriend of Ryuji (the antagonist). She falls in love with Junta because of his
Mega-Playboy powers. The second one, is a friend and classmate of Ami's who has an embarrassing problem similar
to Junta's allergy: she farts whenever she gets nervous. Kotomi develops
a crush on Junta due to his Mega-Playboy DNA. She and Junta spend some
time together trying to help cure each other of their problems.
So, now that the bullet has been shot, it will be up to Aoi Karen to stop Junta from making love with one of his female admirers. If she fails, his transformation will be complete, and the future will remain the same with its overpopulation problem.
Junta's condition.
The power of the mega playboy.
Fan service wise, D・N・A² the scenes are mild, neither nudity, nor sex. These scenes serve the purpose of displaying Junta's problem whenever he's about to move to the next level. This serves as a sub-plot when Kotomi and Junta decide to solve their problem by training at the high school gym. Kotomi is perhaps the girl that gets closer to fully transforming Junta in the mega playboy. On the other hand, Tomoko also attempts to take Junta to her bed, which introduces the antagonist: Ryuji, a spoiled rich kid who's irresistible to women, and the one we could say is the mega playboy Karen is trying to stop.However, he's just an annoying character meant to get into an eventual final fight with Junta just because "her girl" had a thing for him. A sexist son of a bitch from the 90s.
Speaking of themes that haven't aged well, we can't overlook the fact that each character has some degree of obsessive compulsive behavior when it comes to getting what they want regardless of consequences. Moreover, by today standards, these characters would probably spend some time on therapy. On the other hand, I know this is fictional story telling, and each of these exaggerated character traits serve a comedic purpose, while others are simply not acceptable. Two examples I can think of:
Ami's submissive behavior towards Junta, and the all the crap he brings to her, looks like someone with no self-esteem. Love has never been about giving up your personality, and needs in favor of someone else, that simply isn't love, and it's annoying all these mangakas keep on perpetuating this wrong concept even today. No wonder why some kids have serious difficulties letting their feelings out. In addition, whenever Junta is late for school or skips classes, Ami's ready to bring her class notes to him whenever necessary. In the final episodes, this trait reaches critical mass when she tells him she'll love him regardless what happens when he becomes this mega playboy. Seriously? Will she stay home with dinner ready until he gets sick of fucking random women until he comes home? That cliché crap was already worn to death in the 90s.
Aoi Karen.
a woman with a mission.
Second example: Ryuji. While his misconduct is somewhat justified by the random DCM bullet he gets shot with, this guy is a potential rapist, an egotistical maniac, and someone with no ethics and morals whatsoever. I get they want you to loathe him because he is supposed to be the bad guy, sure, I get it! This guy is every sexist stereotype feminist movements can't stand today.
Plotwise, the story is quite weak, unless you apply suspension of disbelief. The whole mega-playboy problem could have been solved with a more competent DNA operator, and a vasectomy. No need for special bullets. Once the story reaches its climax, viewers are no longer interested. The comedy is gone, and the Dragon Ball-like fight between Ryuji & Junta makes no sense at all. Two episodes before we had no idea these bullets would give them superhuman strength, and a black belt in martial arts. The rushed finale led to a 3 OVA grand finale, or dare I say the actual ending of the story?
Taking showers is essential.
Gymnastics has its advantages.
Overall, D・N・A² starts off great. The first 7 episodes are the best, comedy and entertainment wise. From episode 8 on, the story is rushed and all the sci-fi added elements don't add up in the end. If you want to see how the story ends, you have to watch the 3 OVAs because, that's where the actual ending is. The problem many viewers found while watching DNA, is the fact that it seems the producers didn't know where to go after episode 7. The rushed final episodes, and all the elements they tried to cover, worked for the worst. The premise wasn't bad, yet the development and ending are perhaps the weakest. Animation wise, the art is beautiful, you can't deny that, and last but not least, the best part of this little anime is its main theme song:
"Video Girl AI" stands as a quintessential representation of the romantic drama genre within the vast landscape of anime. Originally penned by Masakazu Katsura, this classic series has not only withstood the test of time but has also etched itself into the hearts of viewers with its compelling narrative, intricate character development, and evocative themes. In this comprehensive review, we will delve into the layers of this emotionally charged anime, exploring its narrative depth, character dynamics, thematic underpinnings, and the artistic prowess that brings the story to life.
Disclaimer:
Before you continue reading, if you are too young to understand what a VCR is, here's a quick definition:
A videocassette recorder (VCR) or video recorder is an electromechanical device that records analog audio and analog video from broadcast television or other AV sources and can play back the recording after rewinding. The use of a VCR to record a television program to play back at a more convenient time is commonly referred to as time shifting.
VCRs can also play back prerecorded tapes, which were widely available
for purchase and rental starting in the 80s and 90s. Blank tapes were
sold to make recordings.
VCRs declined in popularity during the early 21st century and in
July 2016, Funai Electric, the last manufacturer of them, ceased
production.
a VCR, ladies and gentlemen.
Plot and Narrative Complexity:
At its core, "Video Girl AI" presents a seemingly straightforward premise: a lonely young man, Yota Moteuchi, acquires a video cassette that, when played, brings the titular character, Ai Amano, to life. However, beneath this seemingly simple plot lies a narrative labyrinth that expertly weaves together elements of romance, science fiction, and existential contemplation.
The narrative arc unfolds with an engaging balance of suspense and emotion, as Yota grapples with the complexities of his feelings for his unattainable crush, Moemi Hayakawa. The introduction of Ai Amano as a manifestation of Yota's unrequited love adds a layer of surrealism to the storyline, challenging conventional perceptions of reality and fantasy.
As the plot progresses, the anime deftly navigates the emotional rollercoaster of love, rejection, and self-discovery. The characters are confronted with moral dilemmas and existential questions that resonate with the audience on a profound level. The narrative pacing is deliberate, allowing for the exploration of nuanced emotions and the gradual unraveling of the characters' internal conflicts.
Original Japanese DVD cover.
Volume 2 DVD.
Character Dynamics and Development:
One of the standout aspects of "Video Girl AI" is the nuanced portrayal of its characters. Yota Moteuchi, the protagonist, undergoes a compelling transformation from a lovelorn teenager to a more mature individual grappling with the complexities of relationships. His character arc is a poignant exploration of the nature of love and the sacrifices it often demands.
Ai Amano, as the eponymous video girl, transcends the stereotype of a mere romantic foil. Her evolution from a programmed companion to a self-aware entity imbues the narrative with a sense of existential curiosity. The dynamic between Yota and Ai is a delicate dance of emotions, traversing the realms of friendship, love, and the inevitable pain that accompanies the ephemeral nature of their connection.
Supporting characters, such as Moemi Hayakawa and Takashi Niimai, contribute to the narrative richness by serving as mirrors reflecting the intricacies of human relationships. Each character grapples with their own desires, fears, and insecurities, creating a tapestry of interconnected lives that adds depth to the overall storytelling.
AI at the service of mankind. Sci-Fi indeed.
From VCR to real life.
Themes and Philosophical Underpinnings:
"Video Girl AI" transcends its romantic drama label by delving into profound thematic explorations. The anime grapples with existential questions about the nature of consciousness, the boundaries between reality and fiction, and the consequences of tampering with the natural course of human emotions.
The concept of a video girl as an artificial construct designed to fulfill emotional needs raises ethical questions about the implications of creating beings solely for the purpose of companionship. The anime invites viewers to ponder the ethical ramifications of playing with the fabric of human emotions and the potential consequences of blurring the lines between the artificial and the authentic.
Love, in its myriad forms, is a central theme explored with depth and sensitivity. The series contemplates the sacrifices individuals make for the sake of love, the pain of unrequited affection, and the transformative power of genuine connections. Through the lens of fantastical elements, "Video Girl AI" serves as a mirror reflecting the complexities of human relationships and the emotional landscapes that accompany them.
Can AI be more human than humans?
Nature, always stunning.
Artistic Prowess and Aesthetic Choices:
The visual and auditory components of "Video Girl AI" contribute significantly to its immersive storytelling. The animation, while adhering to the aesthetic conventions of its time, remains visually captivating. The character designs by Masakazu Katsura, who also authored the original manga, are distinctive and emotive, effectively conveying the characters' inner struggles and emotions.
The soundtrack, composed by Yoichiro Yoshikawa, complements the emotional tone of the series. The use of melodic motifs and evocative instrumentals enhances the viewer's emotional engagement, underscoring key moments and accentuating the overall impact of the narrative.
The animation studio, I.G Tatsunoko, deserves commendation for translating the visual charm of the manga into an animated format. The careful attention to detail in facial expressions, body language, and environmental settings contributes to the overall immersive experience, allowing viewers to connect with the characters on a visceral level.
A man that has never had any luck with women.
AI shy?
Conclusion:
"Video Girl AI" stands as a timeless testament to the enduring power of anime to explore the depths of human emotion and existential inquiry. Through its intricate narrative, well-developed characters, and thematic richness, the series transcends the boundaries of its romantic drama genre, offering a profound and thought-provoking viewing experience.
As a classic within the anime canon, "Video Girl AI" continues to captivate audiences with its exploration of love, consciousness, and the fragile nature of human connections. Its enduring relevance lies in its ability to resonate with viewers on a personal level, inviting introspection into the complexities of the human heart and the profound impact of relationships on the journey of self-discovery. In the tapestry of anime storytelling, "Video Girl AI" remains a luminous thread, weaving together the timeless themes of love, loss, and the eternal quest for meaning.
Devil Hunter Yohko (魔物ハンター妖子) is a Japanese OVA series created by Madhouse, produced by Toho, and released in North America by ADV Films
as their first release. The series was first released on December 1,
1990 and ended on July 1, 1995. It is about a sixteen-year-old girl
named Yohko Mano, voiced by Aya Hisakawa, who banishes demons from the
Earth.
Yes, before you continue reading, this blog is far from being dead, I've just been busy "adulting", hence the lack of updates, but I can assure you I have plenty of Retro Animé series and OVAs waiting for a review, so bare with me.
Dress for the job you want.
Get quality clothes for your battles.
For today's grand return to posting, I'll take you back to the early 90s, a time where bootleg Animé heavily circulated around the world on VHS tape format.
Enter the world of the Mano family, they have been hunting demons for centuries. Yohko's grandma, Madoka was the 107th hunter in the family, until her daughter, Sayoko took her place as the 108th hunter. However, there's one catch. To have the skills and powers of a hunter you have to be a virgin. Unfortunately, Sayoko never took the job because she got knocked up before her mother passed the torch, so the responsibility went straight to her daughter Yohko.
Yohko is a blooming teenage who's found the boy of her dreams Hideki and intends to let her hormones lose. The demons on the other hand, are aware that she is next in line to become the new hunter, so they decide to use all the tricks they can to make her lose her virginity and not become the hero she's meant to be. Will she be the hero her family needs? or will she succumb to the pleasures of sex?
Cutey Honey started the trend, while Yohko preserves the legacy.
Nude transformations and magic.
Lasting only 6 episodes, Devil Hunter Yohko was the first ever Anime to be released in home video by ADV in the USA. It was also probably the first Ecchii animé ever to see American release. This was in the year 1990.
The US had received gory
anime like Akira and Vampire Hunter D. There had also been a very
limited release of hentai like the infamous "Urotsukidoji: Legend of the Overfiend"
found in the adult section of "selected" video stores. There was no internet at this
time, so the only people that had ever seen a hentai were those with
enough personality to walk straight into the adult section and rent a poorly dubbed bootleg while having to cope with the store clerk's look at your face.The Echii genre for those that don't know is a lowbrow
genre that has lots of tits and ass, but isn't actual hentai. It is
essentially softcore and includes shows like Ikki Tousen, Seikon, Desert
Punk, and Highschool of the Dead. This is the grandfather of all those
shows. The trunk of the sleazy Echii tree! It featured copious blood and
nudity without having to buy it in a porn store. This made it a
somewhat popular title back in the early 90s.
This devil hunting collection of OVAs is perfect for
fans of panty flashes, girls with weapons, and 90's anime art style. I first watched this decades ago while I was entering high school, and discovering then obscure Japanese animation with a bunch of good friends. I used to rent it from a
local video place that had lots of anime featuring a decent amount of Ecchi and Hentai stuff. The store clerks didn't give a fuck about kids watching this stuff because they thought these movies were essentially cartoons.
How can you resist love?
How can you resist panties?
If you're into the 魔法少女 (Magic girl genre), you probably have watched it before. If you haven't, go for it! Like most Anime in the genre, the story is very easy to follow. Probably Devil Hunter Yohko, owes it all to Cutie Honey, the one that started it all, and the one we have covered in detail in the past from original Anime to every remake to date.
Plot wise, if you're looking for original ideas, you won't find much here. Nevertheless, don't fix something that's not broken! We all know that the Japanese animation & manga industry have spent decades telling stories about teenagers discovering sex, teenagers dealing with duty over pleasure, and most importantly, teenagers saving the day while fanservicing the viewer. However, Devil Hunter Yohko does come with a valuable lesson as crazy as it may seem. Sayoko discovers that a hunter will not lose her powers as long as she uses protection while having sex. So, the trick is not getting pregnant instead of full celibacy. Believe it or not, Sayoko hands out condoms to her daughter, while encouraging her to have as much sex as she can. While this seems like a cheap plot hole, who could have thought condoms would be the ultimate MacGuffin that enable our hero to save the day and have a good fuck at the same time?
"Don't worry, I have protection"
"Better rub all this cum off"
Quick Episode Guide.
1.Devil Hunter Yohko: Yohko Mano is introduced. Yohko goes
about her daily life; day dreaming about a cute guy named Hideki. Yohko
learns that her family has a long history of being devil hunters. But
this time the demons decide to take out the next devil hunter before she
can fight back. After a failed attempt to take Yohko's virginity
(so that she can't become a devil hunter), the demons decide to use
Hideki as bait. Yohko must become the 108th devil hunter and rescue the
man of her dreams. This first episode is the one that features the most Ecchi themes and scenes. From then on, the adult themes are toned down and reduced to accidental nudity.
2.Devil Hunter Yohko 2: Yohko trains to become a good devil
hunter. Nearby a local construction site destroys a forest in which
sleeping spirits lie. The spirits are disturbed by this and start
harassing the construction workers. Azusa Kanzaki, a Devil Hunter in
training, is introduced. Azusa came to become an apprentice to Yohko.
The two team up to fight against the spirits that are harassing the
workers. From this episode on, there's a comedic twist that I guess, could have worked for a full season.
3.Devil Hunter Yohko 3: Yohko has a dream about a man named
Master Biryu. Yohko is transported to another dimension and learns that
Biryu has been imprisoned. Yohko learns that she must save Master Biryu
(although she develops a crush on him). Meanwhile, Azusa saw Yohko
disappear and attempts to get Yohko back with Yohko's friend, Chi. They
manage to get to where Yohko is, but fail and manage to get themselves
back where they started. She must fight the demon holding Master Biryu
captive in order to free him.
Coitus interruptus by motorbike.
Some demons have powers to get you naked.
4.Devil Hunter Yohko 4-Ever: A tribute to Devil Hunter Yohko,
with a collection of music videos. These videos feature songs from the
series (including three new songs), put to scenes from the anime,
colored manga picture, an original animated video featuring chibified
versions of Yohko and Azusa, and two live videos. A lot of people don't consider this episode as such due to being mostly a cut and paste from the previous episodes.
5.Devil Hunter 5: Hell on Earth: Madoka, Yohko's grandmother,
senses the return of Tokima: the demon who from the time of the first
devil hunter has been the enemy of the Mano family, is approaching.
Tokima appears and possesses Ryuichi Asakura, a man whom Yohko has a
crush on. Tokima tricks Yohko and gets near the clock that keeps his
power sealed, but is repelled by special talismans. The next day, Madoka
ends up with her past youthful body! Tokima possesses Azusa, who takes
the clock. Yohko fights Azusa to try to stop her from destroying the
clock. Yohko is tricked and "killed". The clock is destroyed and the
demon's power released. Yohko is taken to the time of the very first
Devil Hunter, Haruka Mano. The two go back into the present and fight
against Tokima.
6.Devil Hunter Yohko 6: Double Jeopardy: Ayako Mano, who is
nearly identical in appearance to Yohko, is introduced; she has spent
her life training and honing her abilities so that one day she may
defeat Yohko and become the devil hunter of the Mano family, and now she
is ready for the final confrontation. Yohko continues to live her life
and is unaware of Ayako until she starts stealing away every guy that on
whom Yohko has a crush. Then one night while taking a bath, Yohko hears
something outside and gives chase. She then meets up with an Azusa
look-alike. She and Ayako attack the unsuspecting Yohko with crushing
attacks, while Yohko parries the onslaught. The fight stops, but Ayako
vows to finish it. Madoka reveals a certain part of her past that
relates to the encounter. Yohko's teacher, whom she has a crush on, is
used as bait to lure Yohko. Ayako and Yohko meet face-to-face for the
showdown. The fight awakens a demon who sleeps deep within the Earth and
the two must learn to fight together to fend off this powerful
creature.
Ready for the fight.
Another demon hunter?
Devil Hunter Yohko, of course, was a response to the “magical girl” craze popularized by Sailor Moon (though the trope existed long before). While that series, as with most, was aimed at girls and young women, Devil Hunter Yohko
was plainly aimed towards older boys and men, being a darker anime with
substantially more violence and nudity. The heroine is an everyday
girl, who maintains her family’s professions as a demon slayer, and
fights them in a stylish red Chinese dress. Obviously, this meant some developers would take a shot and make a 16 bit videogame port of the OVAs.
Devil Hunter Yohko: The 7 Warning Bells, A Valis-esque action game for the Mega Drive (Sega Genesis here) from obscure
developer Klon, it’s a tie-in to the 90s anime, one which might seem
slapped together at first but reveals more character underneath. Despite its disinterest in telling a story, the game certainly looks like Valis,
or any other Telenet/Wolf Team-developer titles, right down to the
featureless face of the heroine. And like many of their titles, it
doesn’t feel right either, with slightly awkward controls and monotonous
levels that don’t really develop so much as meander (though there are
some branching paths). For example, the first stage is filled with
winding vines, but it’s not entirely clear what parts you can walk on
until you try them out. Neither the enemies nor Yohko react much to
damage – in fact, taking hits is a little bizarre, because there is no
invincibility period, but if you manage to avoid another attack for a
second or so, Yohko will regain a slight amount of health. It’s not
much, though, and you can still find yourself dying in three or so
hits. Two other Devil Hunter Yohko games were made for the PC Engine console as well.
16 bit Yohko.
Fights only, no sex here.
But is this Animé based upon a manga?
Devil Hunter Yohko, like several popular Animé started in animated form before they made the jump to the respected Manga format. Gaku Miyao adapted the OVAs to the format in 1995 in one volume that focused on expanding the story of Yohko's past while facing new demons. Six to be exact.
The manga.
Gaku Miyao's talent.
While a lot of people consider Devil Hunter Yohko a cheap Sailor Moon rip-off that relies on all the Animé tropes and fan service clichés, I can say it's worth a shot.
Mind you, this is chock-full of almost everything that gives anime a
"bad name". You've got the gratuitous nudity and fan service sequences,
the violence, the sexual innuendoes, all focused on a cute little
high-schooler. There's even tentacles on some of those demons she has to
fight- but, no, this show, despite the borderline ecchi first episode,
doesn't go there.
What Devil Hunter Yohko does do is entertain. The
characters are likable and funny, with Aya Hisakawa at the top of her
form as Yohko herself. Konami Yoshida as her sidekick Azusa is also
super-cute. The action sequences are topnotch (I'm apparently not the
only one who thought the swordfight at the end of the first episode was
really cool) and at times, the plot can actually venture into the realm
of genuine cleverness, especially in the fifth OVA.
The animation in the first few episodes has suffered quite a bit
with time, as the first OAV was made in 1991. However, the plotlines and writing remain more than adequate, and
the music for the whole series, mostly J-Pop, is quite good if you're
into that style. (The ending song to the second OAV, "Not So Fast Sexy
Girl", has to be one of the funniest anime songs ever written.) It was
certainly popular enough to merit an entire episode of music videos (OAV
4), which I don't count at all as being part of the storyline (and
neither should any other sentient being, for that matter).
Heroes take showers.
That legendary sideboob scene.
Overall, Devil Hunter Yohko is another early 90s Anime that deserves its place in history, despite the flaws some see in it. Until next time, stay fresh cheesebags!
Now let's finish today's work with our classic video section:
