Comments on: Afro Samurai (Director’s Cut): Anime DVD Review http://www.basugasubakuhatsu.com/blog/2007/05/30/afro-samurai-directors-cut-anime-dvd-review/ Because Sometimes, Busses Explode... Thu, 20 Nov 2008 18:32:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Jon Turner http://www.basugasubakuhatsu.com/blog/2007/05/30/afro-samurai-directors-cut-anime-dvd-review/#comment-60002 Jon Turner Sat, 09 Jun 2007 01:21:33 +0000 http://www.basugasubakuhatsu.com/blog/2007/05/30/afro-samurai-directors-cut-anime-dvd-review/#comment-60002 > One thing that "Steamboy" and "Laputa" have in common are that both of them feature Anna Paquin in the lead; she was good as Sheeta, but it was a little odd to hear her as a boy. BTW, the VA for Scarlet O'Hara, the American girl, was none other than Kari Wahlgren. She's done other Anime roles, including Raine Sage from [i]Tales of Symphonia[/i]. I thought she was great in that game, although I do have to confess it was surprising to her her as a bratty girl in [i]Steamboy[/i]; she's SUPPOSED to be obnoxious, so I think it's fitting that she SOUNDS obnoxious. In that essence, she did a pretty good job. >

One thing that “Steamboy” and “Laputa” have in common are that both of them feature Anna Paquin in the lead; she was good as Sheeta, but it was a little odd to hear her as a boy. BTW, the VA for Scarlet O’Hara, the American girl, was none other than Kari Wahlgren. She’s done other Anime roles, including Raine Sage from [i]Tales of Symphonia[/i]. I thought she was great in that game, although I do have to confess it was surprising to her her as a bratty girl in [i]Steamboy[/i]; she’s SUPPOSED to be obnoxious, so I think it’s fitting that she SOUNDS obnoxious. In that essence, she did a pretty good job.

]]> By: Zeroblade http://www.basugasubakuhatsu.com/blog/2007/05/30/afro-samurai-directors-cut-anime-dvd-review/#comment-59250 Zeroblade Thu, 31 May 2007 12:46:10 +0000 http://www.basugasubakuhatsu.com/blog/2007/05/30/afro-samurai-directors-cut-anime-dvd-review/#comment-59250 This anime would've been a hundred times more awesome if they had Samuel L. Jackson screaming "I want these motherf*cking snakes off this motherf*cking plane!" This anime would’ve been a hundred times more awesome if they had Samuel L. Jackson screaming “I want these motherf*cking snakes off this motherf*cking plane!”

]]> By: really examine your view http://www.basugasubakuhatsu.com/blog/2007/05/30/afro-samurai-directors-cut-anime-dvd-review/#comment-59204 really examine your view Wed, 30 May 2007 23:41:39 +0000 http://www.basugasubakuhatsu.com/blog/2007/05/30/afro-samurai-directors-cut-anime-dvd-review/#comment-59204 Yeah, I'd have to say I was surprised too, just on the note of Americans doing ANYTHING called anime. But, to tell you the truth, I first saw Afro Samurai on this SWEET black n white flash site with just him and the other characters on it. It hit me clean, and I fell in love--Didn't know where it was from, didn't know Samuel L or Ron Perleman was going to voice it, didn't know it was going to be big-budget. So, I guess the way a person sees or hears something for the first time (especially with American marketing) can definitely affect their view, but I'm glad you could see it for what it really was (good OR bad) afterward. Clear scrutiny is a great skill for reviewers to have--Keep it up:) Oh yeah, and TEEN TITANS does blow chunks. if you're gonna do something anime-style, at least be able to do things on the anime level BEFORE you go for that zany anime comedy stuff--that's like just drinking the foamy head of a beer and not rest, or just like eating the skin off of fried chicken and not the rest. Boy, bad tweening and lazy drawing just isn't going to cut it. Anyways, I like your site so I'm gonna look around in it some more. Yeah, I’d have to say I was surprised too, just on the note of Americans doing ANYTHING called anime. But, to tell you the truth, I first saw Afro Samurai on this SWEET black n white flash site with just him and the other characters on it. It hit me clean, and I fell in love–Didn’t know where it was from, didn’t know Samuel L or Ron Perleman was going to voice it, didn’t know it was going to be big-budget. So, I guess the way a person sees or hears something for the first time (especially with American marketing) can definitely affect their view, but I’m glad you could see it for what it really was (good OR bad) afterward. Clear scrutiny is a great skill for reviewers to have–Keep it up:)

Oh yeah, and TEEN TITANS does blow chunks. if you’re gonna do something anime-style, at least be able to do things on the anime level BEFORE you go for that zany anime comedy stuff–that’s like just drinking the foamy head of a beer and not rest, or just like eating the skin off of fried chicken and not the rest. Boy, bad tweening and lazy drawing just isn’t going to cut it.

Anyways, I like your site so I’m gonna look around in it some more.

]]> By: Hung http://www.basugasubakuhatsu.com/blog/2007/05/30/afro-samurai-directors-cut-anime-dvd-review/#comment-59201 Hung Wed, 30 May 2007 23:05:09 +0000 http://www.basugasubakuhatsu.com/blog/2007/05/30/afro-samurai-directors-cut-anime-dvd-review/#comment-59201 Whoa, that's a really good comment. I originally dismissed it because it really seemed like a manufactured piece of crap from the trailer. Especially since there was no SLJ in the trailer (his voice was added later to that one character). I've been disappointed by American stuff that tries to be anime (like Teen Titans for example) and I figure this was the same. Why should I believe any different, right? After seeing the documentaries on the special edition of the DVD, I found the idea was conceived quite a long time ago. I guess it technically shouldn't matter if the director is Japanese, but to qualify as an anime? It should. Once I actually gave it a chance, I enjoyed it. I guess you could say my initial reluctance was based on the info available at the time. I still think there are certain things in the anime that really clash at times, like how all American films require some kind of sex scene (whereas many anime won't include those types of scenes). It seemed a bit forced and un-anime like. But yeah, it was okay regardless. Whoa, that’s a really good comment. I originally dismissed it because it really seemed like a manufactured piece of crap from the trailer. Especially since there was no SLJ in the trailer (his voice was added later to that one character).

I’ve been disappointed by American stuff that tries to be anime (like Teen Titans for example) and I figure this was the same. Why should I believe any different, right?

After seeing the documentaries on the special edition of the DVD, I found the idea was conceived quite a long time ago. I guess it technically shouldn’t matter if the director is Japanese, but to qualify as an anime? It should.

Once I actually gave it a chance, I enjoyed it. I guess you could say my initial reluctance was based on the info available at the time. I still think there are certain things in the anime that really clash at times, like how all American films require some kind of sex scene (whereas many anime won’t include those types of scenes). It seemed a bit forced and un-anime like.

But yeah, it was okay regardless.

]]> By: really examine your view http://www.basugasubakuhatsu.com/blog/2007/05/30/afro-samurai-directors-cut-anime-dvd-review/#comment-59199 really examine your view Wed, 30 May 2007 22:46:07 +0000 http://www.basugasubakuhatsu.com/blog/2007/05/30/afro-samurai-directors-cut-anime-dvd-review/#comment-59199 You should really examine how you look at things. what made you think this was going to be rubbish, initially? now, I haven't read many of your posts before (I caught this off of a google homepage rss plugin), but it seemed pretty negative at first, even though it became pretty positive later, though still a bit begrudged. Was it because it this is an American project? Was it because of the gritty, urban looks and style of the characters? Did you feel like they were pushing a 1-dimensional idea of a new black hip-hop version of the traditional samurai. Or, based on what you heard about it, did you think it was some blinged-out rapper's super-expensive pet project? What made it a "lame ripoff" at first? I'm just asking about your initial views. Everyone can cast their own opinion, especially you since you're the one blogging and such, but what I'm after, and what I would like you to question yourself about, is what made you scrunch your face up when you caught wind of this anime? Does having a Japanese conceiver or director give it real credence? Does it HAVE to? You know, there are a lot of none-Japanese creatives that have a lot of success in the Japanese market. Why? Well if you saw relatively the same thing over and over, no matter how good it was, you'd eventually want to see something else. (I myself am a bit Ghibli-ed out) So the graffiti-styled designs, abstract over-emphasized character designs in American comics, or Ralph Bakshi-esque animations we tend to either look past or not respect in the states get eaten WHOLE in Japan. Also, I've seen a couple of the episodes. Animation=SPECTACULAR, Voice acting all around was actually sub par to me, also bit forced. I only say that because if you look at films like Laputa, or Princess Mononoke, voiceovers from actors like Billy Crudup or Mark Hamill usually hinged between exactly fitting and incredible--even that guy from Dawson's Creek did a good job in Laputa. Also, please KILL the actress who voiced the young American girl in Steam Boy. She interrupted my peaceful, bored-to-tears, 8-dollar movie theater nap with her hot, shrill amatuerishness and poor volume control. But enough run-on sentences... What's your opinion? You should really examine how you look at things. what made you think this was going to be rubbish, initially? now, I haven’t read many of your posts before (I caught this off of a google homepage rss plugin), but it seemed pretty negative at first, even though it became pretty positive later, though still a bit begrudged. Was it because it this is an American project? Was it because of the gritty, urban looks and style of the characters? Did you feel like they were pushing a 1-dimensional idea of a new black hip-hop version of the traditional samurai. Or, based on what you heard about it, did you think it was some blinged-out rapper’s super-expensive pet project? What made it a “lame ripoff” at first? I’m just asking about your initial views. Everyone can cast their own opinion, especially you since you’re the one blogging and such, but what I’m after, and what I would like you to question yourself about, is what made you scrunch your face up when you caught wind of this anime? Does having a Japanese conceiver or director give it real credence? Does it HAVE to? You know, there are a lot of none-Japanese creatives that have a lot of success in the Japanese market. Why? Well if you saw relatively the same thing over and over, no matter how good it was, you’d eventually want to see something else. (I myself am a bit Ghibli-ed out) So the graffiti-styled designs, abstract over-emphasized character designs in American comics, or Ralph Bakshi-esque animations we tend to either look past or not respect in the states get eaten WHOLE in Japan.

Also, I’ve seen a couple of the episodes. Animation=SPECTACULAR, Voice acting all around was actually sub par to me, also bit forced. I only say that because if you look at films like Laputa, or Princess Mononoke, voiceovers from actors like Billy Crudup or Mark Hamill usually hinged between exactly fitting and incredible–even that guy from Dawson’s Creek did a good job in Laputa. Also, please KILL the actress who voiced the young American girl in Steam Boy. She interrupted my peaceful, bored-to-tears, 8-dollar movie theater nap with her hot, shrill amatuerishness and poor volume control.

But enough run-on sentences… What’s your opinion?

]]> By: Hazel http://www.basugasubakuhatsu.com/blog/2007/05/30/afro-samurai-directors-cut-anime-dvd-review/#comment-59188 Hazel Wed, 30 May 2007 21:05:14 +0000 http://www.basugasubakuhatsu.com/blog/2007/05/30/afro-samurai-directors-cut-anime-dvd-review/#comment-59188 I can't help but wander exactly what they spent $1,000,000 per episode on...because it certainly wasn't plot depth or attractive women (ooooh shiny). I'm looking forward to the screening/talk at my university with a special kind of dread, especially if academic types turn up to reaffirm their idea that all anime is mindless violent or pukecute. Bah. :( I can’t help but wander exactly what they spent $1,000,000 per episode on…because it certainly wasn’t plot depth or attractive women (ooooh shiny). I’m looking forward to the screening/talk at my university with a special kind of dread, especially if academic types turn up to reaffirm their idea that all anime is mindless violent or pukecute. Bah. :(

]]> By: Totali http://www.basugasubakuhatsu.com/blog/2007/05/30/afro-samurai-directors-cut-anime-dvd-review/#comment-59172 Totali Wed, 30 May 2007 18:51:35 +0000 http://www.basugasubakuhatsu.com/blog/2007/05/30/afro-samurai-directors-cut-anime-dvd-review/#comment-59172 I've never really been interested in American "anime", but this is the first time I've heard that Samuel L. voices the main role in this series. That's...interesting. xD I’ve never really been interested in American “anime”, but this is the first time I’ve heard that Samuel L. voices the main role in this series. That’s…interesting. xD

]]>