Hard to believe that it’s already been a full year since Guff and I first set up digs here, our humble abode at www.epicwin.org. It’s been a long and somewhat rocky path, as I’m sure is evidenced by our post count in recent months, but all in all we don’t regret one second of the time we’ve put into this site.

As always, first and foremost I have to thank all of you, our readers, for making our blogging adventure a fun and fulfilling one. I’ve always tried to stress the fact that you guys are what makes this site fun, and that we really appreciate your involvement in our own little nook of the internet here. That goes especially to you guys who are still here reading now despite our inconsistent blogging schedule as of late. Without all of you we would be just another empty blip on the internet radar, a hollow monologue talking for only ourselves to hear. For a writer, the idea that there might be no audience out there to ever read the work that you’ve slaved over and poured yourself into is truly disheartening.

Fortunately, that’s something we’ve never really had to worry about here at Epic Win thanks to you all. I especially want to give a big shout out to all of our blogging sempai who have linked to us, supported us, read and commented on our work, and most importantly continued to encourage and motivate us through their own excellent writing. Through participation in the anime blogging community, I’ve become aware of many great anime series and manga that I would never have watched or read otherwise. Likewise Guff and I feel that we have been able to spread our own excitement for a number of off-the-wall but still very fun series, to create new fans and broaden people’s interests.

And most of all, I’ve gotten to know many many fascinating people from all over the globe. I haven’t often taken the time to step back and really think about it, but the influence of the anime blogging community (I hate the term “blogosphere” so I’m trying very hard to avoid using it here =P) has really helped me broaden my perspective, to open up to and appreciate things I would not have otherwise, to think more critically, and to be more aware of the world around me.

Unfortunately, Guff was unable to tear himself away from his hectic schedule in Japan to add his own thoughts at this time, but I’m sure if he could, he would concur with everything I have said thus far. Hopefully he’ll be able to add a few words in a comment once he gets the time. =D

When Guff and I first started our little venture here at Epic Win, we weren’t quite sure what to expect. We didn’t really know whether we would ever get any readers, or whether anyone would be interested in or entertained by our commentary. Fortunately, the success of the site has been far beyond what we ever imagined it would become.

After one full year, according to Google Analytics this site has racked up a stunning (to us) 500,000 pageviews from over 100,000 unique visitors, who hail from 139 different countries around the globe. At our peak of popularity, December ‘07 and January ‘08, we had upwards of 4,000 pageviews a day on the site.

Our single most popular entry, with over 15,000 views, has proven to be our entry from last October entitled The Good, The Bad, and The Moe: The Fall ‘07 Anime Rankings, in which we numerically ranked every series from the new crop of anime in that season according to our preference. Coming in at a close second, as well as being one of our personal favorite posts, with just shy of 15k views is our infamous 48 Reasons Why Lucky Star is Awesome.

Other popular posts include all of our 2007 Anime Award Show series, which ran for 7 days, our Top Ten Things I Want as Plushies article, and surprisingly our first look at the quirky but fun anime Moyashimon, which each racked up over 10,000 views apiece.

Once again, thanks to everybody who’s taken the time to read our stuff and to add their own thoughts whether through comments or trackbacks or e-mails or IRC conversations. We’ve put countless hours of our time in brainstorming and writing the posts we put up on this site, and to see the appreciation you guys have shown really means a lot to us and gives us the encouragement to keep on writing, even as everyday life gets crazier and business with each passing day.

* 0rion sheds a single tear *

Now if we can just find the time to post more than once a month we’ll be doing great! In all seriousness, though, I still do hope to keep this updated more regularly and to crank out more great content for you guys. I’m just committed to making sure everything we post on Epic Win is truly Epic Win. No filler episodes here!

With all that said, fat wall-o-text that it is, I’ll simply say one more time that you guys have all been awesome and you all deserve a big Konata good job!

When Guff and I awarded Code Geass with the “Trainwreck of the Year” award in our 2007 Anime Awards Show, many people took offense, rushing to defend what they claimed was an excellent show worthy of greater respect. At the time, I tried my best to explain that our labelling the series as a “trainwreck” was not intended as a derogatory term necessarily.

Indeed, I happen to believe Code Geass is one of the best, most fun shows in recent memory. After all, what could be more fun to watch than two huge, thousand ton vehicles hurtling toward each other at breakneck speed? That said, I think the nature of our “trainwreck” designation is becoming increasingly clear as the series begins its spiralling descent into what appears to be its final chaotic story arc.

At the same time, I have a few thoughts regarding where the story appears to be going, and some of the interesting thematic elements that are really starting to present themselves more clearly in these recent episodes. First though, time for the obligatory screencaps and witty comments…

And of course I would be completely remiss if I did not take time to properly point out what is without a doubt one of the great high points of the series for me.

Namely, Kallen beating the shit out Suzaku, complete with the backhand pimp-slap. I mean honestly, this guy has had this coming for a LONG time, and who better to put him in his place than Miss Kouzuki herself. This scene right here will almost certainly be making another appearance at our 2008 Anime Awards show this December; it was far too satisfying to not win some kind of award, that’s for sure.

You see that sort of self-important, smug look he has? Wouldn’t you just want to smack it off of him too? I know I sure would.

Speaking of satisfying, with both Kallen and the Guren Nishiki out of the action for so long, it was great to finally see them reunited and back on the field of battle to kick some serious ass. I don’t know what kind of upgrades Lloyd made to that thing, but it must have been pretty hardcore because this battle sequence was like some kind powered up DBZ hax fight.

And by the way Lloyd and Cecil’s reactions to having “their” mecha stolen were highly entertaining, as well. Honestly I think the two of them are my probably favorite characters from among the minor cast.

Not to be outdone, Toudou wastes no time in reminding us that he is, in fact, one seriously B.A.M.F.

It just wouldn’t be Code Geass without a nice smattering of completely unexpected scenes that make you go “WTF was that?!” and start reaching for the rewind button.

Coming soon, Sunrise makes this into an actual spin-off series where Millay Ashford teaches you how to cook delicious Japanese confectioneries while also saving the world using giant robots.

Come on, it’s Sunrise…it could totally happen.

Not the least of which was Toudou’s reaction to getting his TV make-up on. I’m definitely seeing him starring in his own new show next season - “Queer Eye for the Samurai”.

Hey, this is Sunrise we’re talking about here…it could totally happen.

And let’s not forget Orange-kun. It entertains me to no end to see that he’s now finally come full circle and embraced his citrus-y fresh nickname.

Look to see him appearing soon in a Tang ad coming to televisions near you. Hey, this is Sunrise we’re talking about… you know it could totally happen!

Ok ok, so back to what I was talking about earlier…

During the exchange between Suzaku and Lelouch at Kururugi Temple in episode 17, I began to realize that all of the thematic elements of the plot are finally starting to converge. Towards the end of their heated exchange, Suzaku commented to Zero that he must makes his lies into truth by “living the lie until the bitter end.”

We’ve already seen Lelouch take on this role when he accidentally geassed Euphemia. In order to salvage his ambitions for conquest, he was forced to move forward and capitalize on that turn of events despite his true feelings. Indeed, Lelouch’s very identity as Zero is that of the Deceiver, hiding himself behind a mask and concealing both his true identity and his true self, even from those he is closest to. Now, if he truly intends to carry on his plans and see them through until the very end, he must turn his back on everything, sacrifice everything in order to truly live his ideal.

Just as Suzaku said, Zero has many times claimed to be an “ally of justice”, the protector of the downtrodden, the defender of those who Brittania has no use for. And of course, in a sense this is true, as his deepest motivation is to protect Nunnally and create a world in which she will be free and safe. Now, however, while the chain of events he first set into motion has led him tantalizingly close to realizing his goal, it seems that he has also been forced to sacrifice that which he sought to protect in the first place.

If Lelouch wishes to move forward and accomplish his goal despite this chain of events, perhaps he will need to become in reality the ally of justice he has named himself in word, Like the soldier who sacrifices himself in order that others can live, Lelouch seems to be at a key turning point in his character development. He has two paths set before him. He can either follow Suzaku’s advice and become a hero of justice, making his lies and deception into truth and freeing the persecuted peoples under the thumb of the Brittanian Empire. Or on the other hand, he could self destruct Death Note style, bringing everyone down with him in a fiery crash of epic proportions.

And the beauty of Code Geass being the trainwreck that it is, is that either of those outcomes would be very satisfying to watch, in my opinion. ^_^;

Somehow the series managed to blend sublime storytelling that conveys deep truths about humanity with the most over-the-top cheesy WTF moments, and makes them both work. It’s a rare series that can line up a dozen freight trains, run them into each other at full speed, and still somehow, like some kind of bizarre modern sculpture, have the end product come out a thing of excellence.

Likewise, Suzaku the “Betrayer”, who killed his father and has betrayed his country and friends to pursue his ideals, must follow his own advice and carry his chosen path to the very end. Much like Lelouch’s accidental geassing of Euphie, Suzaku had no choice but to make the most of his “accidental” betrayal at Kururugi Temple and take that opportunity to defeat Zero. His launching of Freya is the final nail in the coffin, showing that like Lelouch he too has had to sacrifice everything to live his ideals, even betraying his final promise to protect Nunnally.

In the end, in order to realize their ideals, both men must throw away everything dear to them. Having set the present course in motion, they have no choice but to be carried by this flow of events that is bringing their respective ideologies to their logical conclusion. And in that process, they will both most likely be forced to sacrifice everything that is important to them. How they will handle that and what it will say about them is anybody’s guess, but regardless I’m sure we’ll all be on the edge of our seats waiting to find out how the final stage for Code Geass will play out.

With a great concert, good food, and lots of events and interesting cosplay, the remainder of AX proved to be an exceptionally fun time, if a bit tiring. Unfortunately, my main Compact Flash card malfunctioned midway through day 2 of the con, so I lost most of the pictures from that day, including photos of the enormous bowl of chashu ramen I grabbed for lunch down in Little Tokyo. ;_;

Fortunately, I do still have lots of photos to share with you guys. I had hoped to do day-by-day coverage of the con, but between the frenetic nature of the events down there combined with the commute into LA and back again every day, it’s taken me until now to get properly rested up again. Yeah, I’m definitely getting too old for this kind of stuff. ^^;

Nevertheless, AX was a ton of fun; I got to meet Shokotan and David Hayter, as well as consume dangerously large quantities of Japanese cuisine. Oh yeah, and I bought the newest Taiko no Tatsujin (a.k.a. Taiko Drum Master) game for DS.

Anyway, so without further ado…random cosplay shots and other pics from the con:

Shinigami Chop!

Dr. Stein

Tsubaki wielding…Tsubaki??

I’m always glad to see cosplay from newer or under-represented series, if only because the cosplay percentages at the average anime con work out to something on the order of:

50% Generic Bleach Captains or Akatsuki members
10% Ichigos in various stages of transformation
8% Narutos and Sakuras
6% Assorted other Naruto cast
6% Luffy
5% Final Fantasy characters
3% Link
2% Fat goth loli girls

10% EVERYTHING ELSE EVER

Thus, I generally ignore all the usual suspects and try to search out people with genuinely unique or creative costumes. And while those folks can be few and far between, thankfully I was not disapppointed, as there were some really awesome costumes this year. Case in point:

TETSUUOOOOO!! KANEEEDAAAA!

Cat accessories and loincloth not included.

This is easily the best Al costume I have ever seen, bar none. Even more impressive was the fact that he could move around and strike all sorts of poses in that thing without pieces of it falling off.

The obligatory line-up of Code Geass ladies. Minus points for no Cheese-kun, though.

Konpachi

Yes, you read that right. Konpachi. What can I say? This man is a genius.

DESU.

Saber can give me sword lessons any day of the week.

Hey, finally a Gurren Lagann cosplayer!

And quite an impressive costume is was. She told me that the gun is hand made from PVC pipe, wood blocks, and pieces from airsoft guns, and that it took her and a friend almost two months to assemble. Quite a piece indeed. If you look closely, you’ll even see that…uh…hey guys? We’re still talking about the gun here, right? Right?? …guys?

And after that, of course we can’t forget the obligatory “Pierce the heavens with your drill” Kamina pose of manliness and huge sunglasses.

ZETSUBOU SHITA!!

Finally, an Itoshiki-sensei appears! There was another one at the con who actually had a rope tied into an actual noose around his neck; talk about dedication to costume accuracy. Sounds a little scary though, if you ask me, walking around an anime con wearing a noose. All it takes is one glomp gone wrong… o_0

Again, I don’t normally photograph Inuyashu cosplayers and the like, but these guys had very well made costumes and seemed to really be enjoying themselves. Besides, any women who can actually carry around Sango’s boomerang all day like that automatically gets my respect.

Speaking of oversized weapons…Zabuza would like you to bring the opponents to his sword. It is, in fact, fully charged.

Not to be outdone, this guy had what I believe was the largest prop weapon at the convention. Even if security would’ve allowed him to bring it into the exhibit hall, I don’t think he could’ve gotten that thing through the door anyway.

Japanese people always have the best cosplay when it comes to traditional outfits, of course. Note the little kitsune mask the guy has on the side of his head.

I just love shooting with backlighting for those little shoji umbrellas, I’m not gonna lie.

Now some other assorted non-anime costumes. Here’s Dark Link and…a Tier 6 feral druid?? Oh my. <.<

One wonders why she’s wielding what looks an awful lot like Braxxis’ Staff of Slumber, though, if she’s full Tier 6…

Now this one I bet took some serious work to put together…as well as to put on! And yes, it is an actual legitimate blonde haired girl inside that suit.

Other non-anime themed cosplay ranged from some that were aborably cute…

…to others that were random and wacky…

…a few that were just silly…

…and a couple that were just downright disturbing. o_0

The location of the convention, the Los Angles Convention Center right in the heart of downtown Los Angeles. As alway, the weather was warm and beautiful.

The L.A. Sparks fans had absolutely no idea what to make of all the congoers, running around with their crazy outfits and dancing the Carmelldansen and whatnot. I saw some pretty funny reactions, I must say. Sadly, I wasn’t able to capture any of them on camera.

Fisheye lenses are fun, by the way. ^^

In keeping with summer traditions, there was a tree set up for Tanabata. As you can see, there are quite a few wishes hung on the tree, including some rather interesting and unusual ones.

“I wish the cake wasn’t a lie!”

“I wish for an actual wish!”

“I wish for more boink!”

There was even one that said “I wish more people could appreciate English dubs.” I was sorely tempted to hang my own card up next to it that said, “I wish English dubs didn’t suck so much!”

The dealers’ hall was suitably huge with lots of random anime and video game themed products available, as always. The only thing I ended up buying was a couple of imported DS games - the aforementioned Taiko no Tatsujin 2 game, and a kanji drill game to help me brush up on my penmanship.

Well, hope you weren’t too terribly bored by all the random cosplay photos. I tend to get a little carried away since there are so many hot chicks interesting photo ops. ^^;

Speaking of which…I was able to take a photo together with Shokotan. I wonder if I should post it up on the site too? Of course, I doubt very much you guys want to see my ugly mug.

In any case, Epic Win now returns you (hopefully!) to your regularly scheduled sarcastic anime blogging program. Until next time!

~0rion

Anime Expo 2008’s Guest of Honor roster can’t touch last year’s amazing guests, but it seems they managed to get together a great guest roster nevertheless.

(click the photos for larger versions)

From the left: Toshihiko Seki, Masahiro Ando, Masamitsu Hidaka, Hiromi Kato, Takada Akemi, Dewa and Manami of Jyukai, Nakagawa Shoko (Shokotan), and finally David Hayter, a.k.a. Solid Snake. I think he got as much of a crowd reaction as all of the other guests combined, especially when he did his Snake voice. =P

I had the opportunity to attend the focus panels for both Toshihiko Seki and Shokotan, and both were highly entertaining, but very down-to-earth individuals. Shokotan in particular, for all her e-fame and top singles and whatnot, was just like another congoer running around taking cosplay photos with people and just generally enjoying herself. It was really a nice change of pace from most of the guests who tend to stay aloof behind their wall of agents, and who don’t interact with their fans at all outside of sanctioned events.

In addition to all that, she was more than happy to demonstrate her crazy kung fu skill for us, as well as doing an impromptu Sorairo Days rendition in order to teach us all the proper motions. Note the Kamina pose, hand upraised. ^^

And yes, she is cosplaying as Rurouni Kenshin. Lots of fun and a very nice change of pace from the more usual celebs like CLAMP two years ago, who were hardly seen the entire show except for select glimpses by a few lucky fans.

Omae no doriru de ten wo tsuke!!

Photography was, as always, prohibited in the AMV Contest so no images from that, but let me just say…man, they REALLY raised the bar this year with the quality of the AMVs that were shown. Almost all the entries were not only well done technically, but were also thematically or humorously creative.

I haven’t had time to look and see whether any of the creators have made their videos available on the ‘net yet, but two in particular to keep an eye out for are a Gurren Lagann AMV starring Kamina singing the “Be A Man” song from Mulan, and a second AMV from Haruhi using the song “Girlfriend” by Avril Lavigne…but sung by Itsuki. Good Lord I nearly laughed up a lung at that one. To all the creators whose videos were shown, cheers! This year’s was definitely the best AMV show I have ever seen.

Now I must be off to catch more of the ridiculous animu action, so I’ll have to leave it at that for the time being. I’ve got tons of great cosplay shots I want to showcase later (including some cool uncommon ones like Itoshiki Nozomu from Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, and a great Shinigami-sama outfit from Soul Eater), as well as broader coverage from the con, but time’s a wastin’ so I must be off.

Again sorry for the sparse details, but the con calls. More coverage coming soon assuming I don’t get run over by by the thundering herds of yaoi paddle wielding crazed fangirls.

~0rion

It was the most epic of times, it was the worst of times. Indeed, despite our greatest aspirations to the contrary the blog has somewhat fallen into disrepair as real life continues to rear its ugly head. At least, that’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.

The truth is, Guff, in his infinite optimism and caffeine driven confidence, ditched me and hopped the nearest plane to Japan. Life and work has been kind of rocking me recently, and without my faithful co-conspirator I’ve been in a bit of bind as to how to carry on the torch, as it were, here at Epic Win.

The good news is that a number of new posts should be forthcoming over the course of the next couple of weeks. The bad news is that it won’t be our usual tongue-in-cheek, trend-bucking anime analysis for the most part. Rather, Guff has been writing up tales of his various and sundry experiences across the pond in Hokkaido, where he currently resides (more details on all that to come!).

In addition, with the upcoming Anime Expo convention a mere stone’s throw away from me here in Los Angeles, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to drop by the convention for my usual routine of relentlessly snacking on deliciously unhealthy Japanese confectionaries, photographing cute cosplayers, and making fun of Zac Bertschy at every possible opportunity.

Anime Expo 2007 was a great time all around ^_^

And let’s not forget the excellent opportunity to see Sorairo Days performed live by Shokotan, a show I certainly have no intentions of missing out on. Considering the overwhelming clamor that the con usually entails, posts might not be quite in real time, but I hope to keep you all updated with lots of photos and tales of adventure. Oh yeah, and somewhere in the middle there I’ll be sure to squeeze in some of the posts Guff is writing up.

Given that the two of us are now on opposite sides of the ocean, I don’t know if we’ll be able to continue our tag-team blogging style. Nevertheless, we will aim to pick up where we left off and bring you as much irreverent and witty commentary as we can possibly muster. I still have lots of things I want to say about some of the new anime airing, so as soon as I can muster the energy I’ll be banging out a few treatises more in line with our traditional fare.

For those of you who still have the feed subscribed, thanks for your encouraging words and e-mails and for continuing to stick around. Hopefully we’ll be able to respond in kind and give you all something worth sticking around for!

~ 0rion

I enjoy a narrative when it doesn’t feel compelled to proclaim itself. I feel sort of molly coddled at best and annoyed at worst when a story lays out the plot like some kind of Lego instructional manual. Just let me put the pieces together on my own, all right? I can make the pirate ship without you holding my hand.

It is for this very reason that I’m particularly excited about Kurenai. Right from the get-go the characters are in motion and the wheels are turning. Other than the fact that main character, Kurenai, is a dispute mediator and works for Juusawa Benika, you don’t know much. You feel almost thrown into the world, yet at the same time the narrative remains cohesive and slowly fills in the details piece by piece.

Like all good stories, the dialogue and characters is what helps to really carry the narrative in Kurenai. The overarching narrative, while definitely present, takes a backseat to character development. In this sense it’s very similar to shows such as Darker than Black, which also focused heavily on thematic ideas and character exposition.

Many fans who expected every little detail of Darker than Black’s quirky sci-fi world to be exposited into a neat and tidy McStory to-go package were upset when the series failed to deliver, choosing instead to focus on issues that were simultaneously more subtle, yet far grander in their scope and implication. It was a show that required the audience to dig a little deeper and to read between the lines, and it never forced a particular message or morality on the viewer. Rather, in many ways it presented a multi-faceted view, leaving the viewer to ponder and draw his or her own conclusions.

I see this same kind of subtle thematic development in Kurenai, and that gives me very high hopes for how this series will progress over the course of the season. Owen of Cruel Angel Theses summed it up very nicely with the following:

“Kurenai’s also a show that assumes that those watching it have the basic intelligence levels required to put two and two together without drowning them in exposition or backstory, a value that I hold in high regard in my anime. I really appreciate the way in which we’re thrown in the thick of things without a voice-over or scene that introduces the viewer to the world; rather, we’re treated to something more commonly found in written fiction than anime, where the setting is slowly pieced together like a stick of yakitori rather than laid out like items on a breakfast plate.”

We’ve said this time and time again, but it bears repeating. I have no interest in ordinary humans stories that read like a paint-by-numbers, methodically leading you through each plot point and blatantly pushing their theme or joke or moral-of-today’s-story to make sure you don’t miss it. In previous posts I’ve likened it to the writers beating the viewer over the head with the script yelling, “Get it?! Get it?! See what we did there?”, and it’s one thing that really turns me off from an anime quickly. I strongly prefer those shows that cater to the discerning viewer who wants to be mentally engaged as much as entertained.

Another aspect of the show I really enjoy is that if you’ve been to Japan, there are many elements that are just so spot on reminiscent of Japanese life and culture that you feel right at home.

For example: you haven’t really experienced the alienation of being in a truly foreign environment until an item as seemingly innocuous as a juice box tears your reality asunder.

Oh Murasaki…I share your pain, I really do. I remember distinctly purchasing some type of little Suntory BOSS latte-like beverage at a small convenience store in Tokyo last year. As I sat down, humming to myself merrily in anticipation, my good humor turned to raw despair. The contraption used to open the drink apparently required substantial knowledge of non-Euclidean geometry and other such devilish sorceries! How do I get this goodness in me!?

After several agonizing minutes spent in vain attempting to open the impenetrable thing, I accepted my defeat. I walked back to the store dejectedly, placed the item back on the counter, and apologized profusely to the clerk that had foolishly entrusted me with such a Gordian knot of a beverage.

“I am truly sorry Miss Cashier; I clearly do not possess the necessary skills to wield such an advanced beverage,” I said in my best Engrish. Her response was lost on me, but I have no doubt that she was at least as bewildered as I was.

Drinks aside, Murasaki’s character is really quite amusing. She has a very precocious attitude while simultaneously being exceedingly formal; it’s a very entertaining mix. Now keep in mind, the specifics of the keigo (formal Japanese speech) are essentially lost on me because my Japanese vocabulary is roughly at the level of a smarter than average toaster oven. Regardless, the interaction between the mild-mannered Shinkorou and the assertive and opinionated Murasaki is priceless.

I definitely agree all around. Kuhoin Murasaki is perhaps the most intriguing character in the series. She’s clearly quite precocious, having come from an upbringing that’s taught her how to behave in adult society, as well as providing her with a humorously extensive vocabulary. Yet at the same time, the strictness of her environment has prevented her from experiencing the world and really just being a kid. Exposed to the outside world for the first time, in many ways she is rediscovering the childhood she has never been able to experience. Thus her behavior is a fascinating dictotomy between surprisingly mature savviness and wide-eyed wonderment and exploration.

In a sense she feels almost like a “reverse” Koiwai Yotsuba, if you will. Both are largely ignorant of the many facets of society and the world around them, both tend to fall into humorous misunderstandings, and both react with over-the-top excitement at new and interesting experiences. However, where Yotsuba is eternally genki and clueless, Murasaki has shown that she has the capacity to learn and grow from her experience. Thus her exposure to the outside is resulting in rapid character development as she constantly assimilates new ideas and adjusts her worldview accordingly.

In addition, her energetic naivety provides for some excellent light-headed comedy that serves as a perfect counterpoint to the show’s more serious overtones.

Another thing I’m really enjoying about this show is that thus far none of the characters feel flat or token; virtually every character that’s been introduced has some intriguing aspect to them. Take Houzuki Yuuno, for example. She appears at first to be the typical sweet, doting, but rather shallow schoolgirl type. However, we later learn that beneath the genki exterior she has a more serious, perhaps even somewhat shady side, as well.

Nothing says “I love you” quite like a miniaturized human skull dangling from your neck.

Tamaki and Yamie provide their own flavor of unique comedy to the show, and although it’s a bit early to say, I’m willing to bet that even they have a bit more to them than first meets the eye. Regardless, their interactions with Murasaki are simultaneously hilarious and horrifying, as they each in turn try to pass on their own bizarre perspectives on life to her.

I love the combat sequences in Kurenai; the fights are portrayed more realistically than in most anime - very brutal, direct, and short. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good highly stylized, over-the-top fight sequence (Gurren Lagann anyone?). But it’s quite refreshing when battle scene pulls off the panache of looking very intense without being cheesy or flamboyant. All in all, the show is just very well composed.

In addition to the fights being very fluid and well animated, I also would be remiss if I did not point out how poignant the quiet piano solo that plays during them is, starkly contrasting the sounds of violence and the brutality of the fight. Combined with Shinkurou’s blank, expressionless face as he beats his opponents to a pulp, it gives them a very melancholy feeling, quite the opposite of the way fights are usually portrayed, full of epic battle music and lots of posing or trash talking.

It says that Shinkurou fights out of necessity; he does not choose to fight, nor does he take any pleasure in it. It is simply his job as a dispute mediator, after all.

Gosh, this series has so many great “that’s so Japanese” moments. Just look at that cell phone accessory! It looks like a rainbow puked on a lava lamp! Just…why? Seriously, I have no idea how these petite Japanese females even pick up their own cell phones; it’s like attaching an anchor to your car keys! I suppose the plus side is that your not likely to misplace your phone, except for the fact that virtually every girl has a similar multitude of no fewer than half a dozen such attachments.

Another very “Japanese” moment that really stood out to me was the scene in which Murasaki confronted the students on the train, followed by Shinkurou’s bowing, obsequious apology. I’ve witnessed similar such incidents during my time in Japan on numerous occasions. In America behavior of that sort would generally be dealt with immediately in a very public, confrontational manner, much in the way that Murasaki herself reacted. In Japan, however, where cultural concepts such as “face” and “the nail that sticks up gets hammered down” are strongly rooted in the group psyche, the normal reaction is to act as though nothing is happening.

This is exactly why problems such as train molesters persist despite the recent crackdowns by law enforcement: most of the witnesses would rather keep their heads down than become involved. Even the Japanese women who are the victims of this kind of crime would often rather keep quiet than make a scene out of it, whereas in the west more often than not the woman would probably Mace the guy, club him with her 50lb purse, and drag his unconscious body to the police station herself.

At any rate, while this season offers up an excellent selection of great anime to choose from, all in all I’d have to say that as of right now Kurenai is my show of choice for Spring ‘08. It has an excellent blend of light-hearted humor and deeper thought provoking drama, an endearing cast, excellent dialogue, good action sequences, good animation, a fascinating soundtrack, and an intriguing setting. And as of episode 5 it certainly shows no signs of slowing down.

Basically the show just hits all the right notes. I mean, I could spend an hour just regaling you about one specific “very Japanese” moment. Narratives that bring a lot of components and cultural aspects to the table are decidedly more delectable than the standard dry toast shounen-hero show. There’s nothing wrong with toast per se, but it’s nice to know that Kurenai goes beyond that and presents you with a veritable buffet. You just have to know where to look.

Essentially, all that to say…it is a good shrubbery.

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Sneak Preview, Jikai no Epic Win: Soul Eater

Breaking news! The sudden disappearance of superstar bloggers 0rion and Guff over two months ago had left the anime blogosphere in a state of shock, and theories abounded regarding the whereabouts of the former tag team blogging duo.

Today we bring you breaking headline news to report on the status of Epic Win with a live interview with none other than the previously MIA, thought deceased writers themselves.

So Orion, needless to say the world is waiting with bated breath to hear about where you and Guff have been over the last few months, and the reason for your unannounced absence. Would you care to fill us in?

Certainly, 0rion.

I can only imagine the sadness that must have filled the intertubes after our sudden departure. Such irony that we ourselves would fall victim to the dread Hiatus Disease so soon after posting about it.

Regardless, we are still alive and have every intention of resuming a relatively normal posting schedule. Reports of our death have been greatly exaggerated. We’re not dead yet! We’re getting better! We can still fight! Etc., etc.

The truth of the matter is that it was not one, nor even two, but in fact a series of unfortunate events that plagued our valiant attempts to blog as usual. In keeping with anime blogger tradition, I am now contractually required to provide ten of them in a reverse-order numerically ranked list with bullet points.

So without further ado I present…

The Top Ten Reasons Behind The Disappearance of Epic Win: Redundant Title of Redundancy Twice

#10. Kidnapped by yakuza and forced to play endless games of restricted Tic-Tac-Toe

I should have known this would happen.

First our attempts to corner the X market backfired, then when our O buyout failed us as well, Orion was forced to bludgeon our captors senseless with his lethal vale tudo techniques. Thankfully, he was in fact, fully clothed at the time.

#9. Hospitalized after overdosing on sunshine pie

After our narrow escape from the Blimp of Hope, or whatever that place was called, we thought it would be safe to relax a bit.

And what better way than to relax than with a slice of sunshine pie? Little did we realize the power of its addictive nature.

At first you think to yourself, “Hey, I’ll just cut myself a slice, you know? Yeah, just one slice should be fine…I can handle it…”

Then your appetite grows more and more insatiable, and soon you’re hooked. The next thing you know, you’re curled in the fetal position on the floor in an empty room (after having sold all your possessions) gnawing at your knuckles anticipating your next fix. It ain’t pretty, that’s for sure.

#8. Ran out of spiral energy AND molepig steaks

After the inevitable pie-induced withdrawal crash, we were left lifeless and torpid, too lethargic to even raise our drills skyward, let alone pierce the heavens with them.

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It’s impossible to pierce the heavens without spiral energy. And without pig-mole steaks, you have no spiral energy. And without spiral energy, well, those heavens are categorically impenetrable. Seriously dude, don’t even try to pierce them. You’re just going to hurt yourself.

#7. Spirited away by Oyashiro-sama

Sheesh, if I had a nickel for every time this happened…

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You’d have a nickel?

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Precisely. But hey, on the bright side, I was considering taking the year dead for tax purposes anyway. I just wish I didn’t have to claw out my own throat, ya know?

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#6. Sent on an arduous journey to fetch fresh water from Mt. Fuji

Well, this is what I get for not checking the fine print in my job description. Next time that wench wants some fresh water I’ll point her to the sink. To think I braved dense forests, massive killer insects, and altitude sickness only to be abruptly repudiated upon my return. It’s an outrage, I say! Why it’s almost enough to make me want to wreak complete havoc upon my coworkers and place of business!

#5. Stuck on the stairway to heaven

Eating bad shitake mushrooms can prove to have quite the unpleasant array of side effects. You walk about in a daze only to find yourself on an endless staircase, and worse yet, there’s that little bastard of a bullfrog to pester you the whole way up. Talk about obnoxious.

You’d think we would have learned our lesson after the sunshine pie incident. >_<

Ah well, such is the life of a bounty hunter.

I mean blogger.

#4. Performed a forbidden transmutation

You know it seemed like a good idea at the time. KyoAni seemed to be stuck on making key-game adaptations and our precious SOS-dan had been pigeon-holed yet again. After stumbling upon some forbidden alchemy texts we learned that it was possible transmute the “The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya” box set, a Tachikoma figure, and a Moyashimon plushie into “The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya.”

Unfortunately, however, as the circle was completed we were swept beyond the gate into a strange forbidden realm, one where our blogging powers no longer worked.

Why, oh why did ever try to play God!?

#3. Chasing the rain, chasing the rainbow

Just when we thought our misadventures were finally over, this chap wanders over and says he’s looking for rainbows. Wants to bring one home with him, he says. Well, I tried pointing him in the general direction of San Francisco, but he explained that he wasn’t looking for that kind of rainbow. Well what the heck, I had always wanted to find that giant bowl of Lucky Charms at the end of the rainbow, so why not?

Moses, that is last time I join some random vagabond on a cross-country rainbow-hunting excursion. I had to lug that huge pot the whole way to boot, and wouldn’t you know it, we finally got there and the rainbow wouldn’t fit. To make matters worse, I now have this insatiable desire to run wild like a lunatic every time it rains. Good thing we live in California, where that kind of thing only happens about once a year.

#2. Forgot to construct additional pylons

Sometimes you think you’ve got everything under control. Your zealots are swift, your templars are psionic, and your carriers are about to arrive. And then it happens…you realize that you do not have enough pylons, that you need to go constructing additional ones. I hate it when that happens.

Honestly, I feel like I should set my alarm clock to just play that Protoss announcement over and over; it would certainly have matched my mood well enough the past few months.

#1. Zetsubou Shita!!

So yeah, basically life has been sucking lately. I went through a nasty bout with the flu not once but TWICE within the last few months, and between that and trying to stay caught up with my deadlines at work there has just not been much time, energy, or creativity left in the locker for blogging. The cupboard, as they say, was bare. And once you fall behind in watching/blogging, it gets harder and harder to get back into the groove and pick up again, so a short hiatus due to illness became a longer hiatus due to stress which in the end nearly proved the death knell of this site.

At any rate, that’s been my life recently. Don’t know what Guff’s excuse is; probably just laziness like always.

Oh, you’d like to think that your last semester would be the easy one, but no. Those textbooks will rape your bank account and mind alike. Every time I go to write a post I get ambushed by Chaucer, Zizek, and Foucault. Let me get this straight: you take all my money, and then you make me work in exchange for the privilege of giving you all my money? Congratulations higher academia, you’re the biggest scam since Avon.

In all sincerity folks, school this semester has been utterly ridiculous. If i wasn’t so close to graduating I’d head to dean’s office, demand my money back and defecate in the campus fountain right now. We really apologize for our unprecedented period of inactivity, but we’re back now and plan to stay that way. Thanks for your patience; we really appreciate it.

To those of you who are still here and reading this: thank you. You guys are the real fans, the ones for whom we happily dedicate our time and energy to write. Thanks for sticking around through the dry times; here’s hoping that the Golden Age of Win shall return, and that it shall be Epic indeed. ;D

So there you have it folks! Today’s report was brought to you live exclusively from Epic Win. We now return you to your regularly scheduled internet. 0rion out!

Porororon poro roro roporon ron!

“This episode is full of kanji and makes me tired.”

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Cha chiri chiririn, docchudocchurin!

“Yes, I agree heartily, good sir.”

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Miri kiriri rururin mirurun mirakuru mikurunrun!

“It also contained many obscure puns that most English speaking viewers won’t understand at all!”

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Sumomomo momomo!

“Not to mention incoherent rambling from every character for the first 12 minutes of the episode!”

“Hi guys, don’t mind me. I’m just looking for some balsamic vinegar.”

The greater the madness on this show, the more I seem to enjoy it. Just looking at the RAWs for this episode had me quite giddy. After watching the episode, fully aware of the fact that most of the puns would be lost on my noobish gaijin mind, I must confess that I still found it quite hilarious.

The whole Commodore Perry sequence had me in stitches. It’s just so inanely random. There was nothing in the series that would anticipate the arrival of a creepy old naval officer. But he shows up and starts opening things and you just run with it.

“He opened all the books!”

Man that used to infuriate me; I’m not an extreme Read or Die caliber bibliophile or anything, but I can’t stand it when people leave books lying open. It’s not just the fact that it ruins the spine, it’s the fact that people only do this after assuring themselves that they’ll “be right back.” But that never happens…and who suffers?

The poor book, that’s who. Such injustice.

Well, it was inevitable. No one so obsessed with opening could resist the temptation of the fabled hikikomori. But how could he so wantonly defile such a dutiful zashiki warashi? Clearly, this man must be stopped.

“I open the pool!”

Why you loathsome, devious son of a bitch; how dare you! Nobody opens the pool…EVER! Has this man lost his senses? None shall open the pool! Why, it’s beyond distasteful - it’s downright sacrilegious! I think we’re all aware of the fact that the pool is, has been, and shall forever be closed.

Thankfully, Itoshiki-sensei comes to rescue; none can open his isolated gloom-ridden heart! That’s right Commodore Perry, you will no longer plague the land with your…opening. Lemony Snickett has nothing on Itoshiki-’s world of despair and misfortune.

Food goes where?

Ugh…I cannot tell how many times I have been deceived by some lavishly presented garnishing at a restaurant. Oh sure, it looks like a bountiful feast as the waiter brings it over, but then it arrives at your table and you see that’s actually a mere microscopic bit of food just quaking under the might of the ostentatious decorations. It’s just wrong, I tell you.

However, Kafuka’s unassailable peppiness comes to the rescue again and redefines shameless gaudiness as the pinnacle of fashion!

“I made an avatar for sensei!”

Man, I cracked up at this part. Looking at the attire of most non-epic-gear WoW characters will easily prove the accuracy of this scene beyond any doubt.

This was the best moment of the episode, in my opinion. The teacher takes off his shirt to reveal yakuza tattoos all over his back, which Kafuka innocently declares it to be “ostentatious decoration”. The suddenly sinister expression on his face coupled with Itoshiki’s freak out reaction was just hilarious.

I loved this whole bit. I missed most of the kyuu puns but the whole idea of celebrating old-new holidays was just hilarious. I kept thinking of the un-birthdays from the “mad tea party” in Lewis Caroll’s Alice in Wonderland.

Puns and other grammar dependent jokes are far less humorous when they don’t come instantaneously; thankfully the good people at SHAFT seem to have this covered. For the convenience of the illiterate, this section also included soldiers, tanks, and bombers in the background. After all, pointless mayhem is always funny. Always.

And that is what Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei is all about.

Kyuu = ichi nichi

One of the better jokes of the episode, and the punchline which the whole latter section of the episode built up to, this is actually fairly easy to understand. For those who aren’t familiar with kanji, that above character is the primary one that was being discussed in the episode, the character for “old” (kyuu　旧). It happens to be composed of two radicals, one on the left and one on the right. The right-hand side radical by itself is the character for “day” (nichi 日), thus interpreting the radical on the left as a 1 changes it from “old” to “1 day”, thus the pun.

There were a number of other odd kanji or pronunciation jokes, but many of them flew over even my head. And honestly, if you have to explain a punchline you’ve pretty much failed already, so I’m afraid a lot of the humor in this episode just doesn’t translate very well.

To make up for it, I’ll leave you with a fun bilingual pun. Those of you who know some Japanese, see if you get it:

蜘蛛のスパイ だ。 (Kumo no SPY da.)

It’s been a while since our last humorous entry, and we haven’t talked about Japan much since our post about Junky Healthy Taco Rice and other fun Engrish stuff, so we thought a good way to kill two birds with one stone would be to show you guys some of the funny Engrish-style T-shirts those crazy Japanese have cooked up.

Dental hygiene is of extremely great in portance in Japan. Whilst I was perusing the various and sundry clothing shops scattered throughout Harajuku, I came upon this incredible shirt. It’s awfully rare to find a T-shirt that so unilaterally implores others to follow societal mores, really. Come to think of it, I think teeth are often undervalued in our society…well, or maybe that’s just England?

Nevertheless, it serves as a good reminder. Also, check out that bad tooth - do all cavities have such a huge bite taken out of them? Thankfully, they provided three standard teeth to allow for comparison. Gosh, I love this shirt so much.

Ordinary Japanese people of all ages can be seen everywhere with hilarious T-shirts like this - everyone from teenagers to salarymen to middle-aged housewives. I’ve even seen little kids with shirts like these, some of which made some, ahh…rather bold statements. And of course, neither they nor their parents had any idea of the meaning.

In fact, most of the them have absolutely no clue what the shirts they’re wearing say. Take this guy, for example:

Don’t be a Dick, YOU BANANA

Seriously, don’t do it. Actually, I’m not sure whether to be more insulted that he’s calling me a dick or that he’s calling me a banana.

A few more horribly overpriced but funny random shirts spotted while shopping in Harajuku:

Bear hate Ronald! Katakana reads: “Bear Claw”

Well, I honestly never thought I’d find myself cheering on pedobear. Seriously though, it’s about time someone taught that freakish clown some manners. Serves him right for peddling carcinogenic foodstuffs to innocent, unwitting children.

Much like Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, several of these shirts employed somewhat dark, morbid humor to great effect.

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I’d love to wear one of these things to a PETA meeting; I’m thinking it might cause the members to lighten up a bit.

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Yeah…either that or they’d kill you on the spot. And considering the near-rabid nature of most of the PETA members I’ve know, I’m leaning toward the latter, really.

OK, now for a few of the shirts we’ve bought in Japan:

Save a Tree, Eat a Beaver!

Not quite Engrish, per se, but humorous enough that I thought it warranted sharing. I spotted this on the rack at one of the many tiny clothing shops in Harajuku and bought it on the spot. I couldn’t resist; it’s just hilarious on so many different levels.

Rust.

Oxidation of metals is a serious problem. Thankfully, these people are apparently working on not one, nor even two, but in fact several methods to prevent this horrible malady from troubling humankind much longer. Thank God someone was, I’d begun to give up hope.

Click for larger version

It’s as if several newspapers all vomited simultaneously onto one piece of clothing. Despite the disarray of text, some of the phrases are rather encouraging, though. I’ve always enjoyed “watching time go right out the window.” In fact, that’s been a pastime of mine for a great many years now. On the other hand, I would disagree with the statement that “dawn is loved most by everyone.” Dawn has actually been a vicious enemy of my sleep for many years.

Hmm…“trying to hold ON but didn’t even know.” Kind of reminds me of the Darker than Black OP, somehow. I also couldn’t help but laugh at the “Segregate me” line…which is conveniently in bright letters and apart from the rest of the text.

ALL THE PEOPLE DESIRE PEACEFUL
STANDARDBEARER

I’ve been referred to as a master by some, a master of lethargy and caffeine addiction, but a master nonetheless. Sometimes I feel it is important to let others know of my mastery, and the fame contained therein. Also, peaceful is a strong desire for…well, everyone apparently. But wait, how can one be a famousmaster and a standard bearer at the same time? It boggles the mind.

Or maybe that’s the lesson - we’re all famous…in a standard kind of way.

There is a Difference

Don’t you hate it when people group various and sundry wrenches together as though they were identical, even though they clearly are not? Man, that really pisses me off! Morons confusing monkey wrenches with socket wrenches, or socket wrenches with ring spanners; that’s just unacceptable as far as I’m concerned. Thankfully, the good people at Uniqlo share in our collective frustration. Now everyone will know that categorically “there is a difference.” There is no excuse now, you keep those damn wrenches in order, you hear me?

Oh man, good ol’ Uniqlo! I don’t know where I’d be without it. For those of you who aren’t familiar with Uniqlo, it’s kind of the Anchor Blue of Japan - good discount clothing chain with lots of variety. I pretty much bought all my threads there while I was in Japan, and to this day those are some of the most comfortable clothes I own.

Finally, I would be remiss if I did not mention this shirt, spotted on a clothing rack in Shibuya. Sorry about the image quality; I was in a hurry at the time and snapped the photo while on the run…

Crime Pays In Mad Ways

Luxury taxes can be expensive. In fact, they can be so obtrusive that they may very well prevent you from obtaining your bling. Why let those governmental charlatans misappropriate your hard earned kane? Theft is far more cost effective. Remember kids, nothing is quite as cheap as “free.”

Crime evidently does in fact pay, and not only does it pay, but it does so in a maddening fashion. Well played, indeed.

OK, time to nitpick. Having read the first of the Ookami to Koushinryou novels, as well as read a bit of the manga, it is now my contractual obligation to tell you how the anime sucks and is nothing like the original, which is of course a paragon of excellence, prosaic and beautiful in ways this adaptation can never be!

Just kidding, of course. The Spice and Wolf anime has thus far been excellent, and I continue to look forward to each new episode. That said, I feel it has several distinct shortcomings.

My primary complaint is in the development of the characters. One of the greatest strengths of the novels is the realism of the characters. Both Horo and Lawrence are very well rounded individuals with complex, multi-faceted personalities that go far beyond the usual tropes and character molds that you tend to see in these kinds of stories. And while the anime has remained very true their personalities, for the most part, it seems to have left out several key aspects of what made the characters so interesting and believable.

In the novel, the initial factor that drives Lawrence and Horo together is simply loneliness. Lawrence, traveling alone and usually far from friends and family, initially agreed to let Horo travel with him because he needed some company. As for Horo, while she has lived for hundreds of year is incredibly wise, she’s just as susceptible to loneliness as anyone else. Part of what makes the two of them such a great team is the way they’re able encourage one another and complement each others’ weaknesses.

The need for interaction and relationships with other people is one of the most fundamental aspects of human nature, and one that the novels explore in very interesting ways. Leaving this out might seen like a fairly minor detail, but it actually changes the story quite a bit, not to mention removing one of the more interesting aspects of the interaction between Lawrence and Horo. The way they come to rely on and support each other is one thing that helps make the original story so compelling.

Another thing that I was disappointed to see was not included is the cool little graphs the manga adaptation uses to illustrate the business deals and economic stuff. Those really helped to quickly explain what was going on, and did it in an entertaining way. Of course, we’re still only two episodes into the anime, so perhaps they’ll make use of that later on. The manga also makes good occasional use of the chibi look for Horo, which I always find humorous, and so far they haven’t really taken advantage of that in the anime either.

Lupus over at THAT Animeblog points out several other differences, including the way Lawrence’s reaction to seeing Horo’s true form was changed in the anime, and while I agree, I think most of the other changes are only superficial and don’t really affect our understanding of the characters too much.

All right, enough with the rant. Having said all that, I think this anime is a great adaption so far. Certainly it’s much better than what’s happened with Shakugan no Shana and Zero no Tsukaima light novel adaptations, both of which have been far less than stellar.

And for a relatively second-class studio, I must say, Imagin has done surprisingly well making this series look good. The scenery in particular is beautiful, and makes the world so much more vivid and immersive.

In this episode we do start to see glimpses of Lawrence and Horo’s personalities, as well as the interplay between them. I really love the fact that you can’t put the characters in this series in a box with simple labels like “tsundere” or “generic badass tough guy”. There haven’t been too many shows recently in which the characters really have that kind of depth, where they feel like real people. Most characters are entirely predictable and straightfoward, where Horo and Lawrence continually surprise you with new facets of their personality.

In particular, one of the highlights of this episode was when Horo looked back at Lawrence and blushed, apologizing for not living up to her image as “Horo the Wise”.

“Hi, I’m not suspicious at all! Haha!”

Gosh, this guy’s face just makes me want to hit him. Whenever he’s on screen I want to punch that crooked grin right off of it.

“Dammit why doesn’t this place have any coin-op dryers?”

Once again Horo takes the record for most time nekkid onscreen in an anime episode.

“Well well, what have we here?”

“I like it a lot bigger, like a wolf.”

“…”

“Quiet, woman! Get back in the kitchen!”

Neko Mimi Mode!

A few other random thoughts…

- One other interesting difference between the anime and the manga is that in the manga adaptation Horo is a lot bustier, and Lawrence looks a lot more ripped.

- In the first episode, it sounded as though Fukuyama Jun was having a bit of trouble figuring out how to handle his role as Lawrence. It seemed like he kept drifting back towards his Lelouch voice from time to time. Fortunately, he seemed to have nailed the voice much more solidly in episode two, managing to make Lawrence sound young while also portraying him as savvy and experienced.

- Also, Horo is <3. Just thought I should mention that. I loved the scene where, after Lawrence was unsettled by all her talk of wolves, she sat and looked at him silently for a while, and then her ears drooped. Such a great moment in conveying her personality without needing any dialogue, as well as very cute. ^^