The Wolverine Is More *Snore* Than *Snikt!*

Quick, name a list of the greatest X-Men. Who did you come up with? Beast, everyone's favorite blue, furry academic? Gambit, the ragin' Cajun with a penchant for sticky fingers and making things explode? Perhaps even Dazzler for some of you more flamboyant types? Whatever your choice, there is at least one name that should be on the lists of all people who consider themselves true X-Men fans. Here's a hint: he's short, he's Canadian, and he's the best there is at what he does (but what he does isn't very nice). I'm talking, of course, about Wolverine.

Pictured

He is one of Marvel's most ubiquitous faces (right up there with the Hulk and Spider-Man), appearing in almost every form of Marvel media, X-Men or otherwise, in existence since his 1974 introduction. He has long walked the halls of Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, as both student and instructor. And although he is a loner, he has turned up on an awful lot of Marvel's other flagship teams, including Alpha Flight, X-Force, and the Avengers. He's even been carrying his own solo title since 1988, which is not something any other X-Man can say (even Cable needed Deadpool). It made sense, then, that in the wake of their X-Men film trilogy Marvel would give everyone's favorite hard-drinking, murderous Canuck his own movie spin-off; after all, how bad could it be?

Never Forget. Ever.

In the wake of 20th Century Fox's cinematic abortion, their follow-up effort, The Wolverine, didn't have to do much to earn a stamp of approval. In fact, it seemed primed to delight.

In addition to featuring my favorite X-Man, it would be taking place in my favorite foreign country: Japan. The exotic setting was inspired by one of the character's most unique arcs, penned by comic book greats Chris Claremont and Frank Miller. Director James Mangold had drawn previous critical acclaim for writing and directing the Johnny Cash biopic Walk the Line, so depicting Logan's tortured soul should have been familiar territory. It couldn't possibly go wrong! Right?

Well, yes and no. At its best, The Wolverine is a dark, serious, character-driven work that follows a broken man on a journey of healing and self-discovery. At its worst, the sense of gravitas gets lost in ridiculous action sequences, boring, motive-less villains, and over-the-top CGI. The film can't decide which it wants to be, moody character piece or wacky actioner, and ends up slipping through the gaps instead.

And that dance number was completely unnecessary.

The Wolverine picks up after the events of X-Men: the Last Stand, when Logan was forced to kill a Dark Phoenix-possessed Jean Grey. Devastated by the death of the woman he loved, Logan has renounced the name of Wolverine and retreated into the Alaskan wilderness. Having settled at the summit of a nice, lonely mountain overlooking a small town, he passes his days in wary peace with his neighbor: a grizzly bear; he passes his nights in fitful bouts of sleep punctuated by nightmare visions of his murdered love.

After a violent confrontation with a few hunters at the small town bar, Logan is introduced to Yukio, an emissary of one of his old acquaintances from WWII. Yashida, a soldier whose life Logan saved during the bombing of Nagasaki, is now dying, and he wishes to see Logan and express his gratitude before passing. He offers the world-weary wanderer one last gift: to make Logan mortal once again, by taking his healing factor and transferring it to Yashida himself. Unfortunately, Yashida dies before Logan can call his bluff, and his funeral gets crashed by an army of yakuza. Around the same time, Logan's healing factor begins acting wonky, and he finds himself on the run with Yashida's daughter Mariko. It soon becomes apparent that more than one person is after both Logan and Mariko, and he makes it his mission to find out who and why.

All while removing his shirt as much as possible.

As previously mentioned, the film shines when it focuses on the character of Logan and his journey to forgive himself for Jean's death. This is largely due to the presence of Huge Jacked-Abs (aka Hugh Jackman), who shows off the experience that comes from playing Marvel's most popular mutant for over a decade. At this point the role fits him like a glove. He is to Wolverine what Sean Connery is to James Bond.

Hat tip: cracked.com

You really get a sense of Logan's endless grief over Jean's death, as he is repeatedly confronted with her image (played in a cameo role by Famke Janssen). But even at his most downtrodden, he is still Wolverine at heart. There are plenty of scenes, lines and moments that capture Wolverine's trademark bad boy vibe which launched a thousand copycat anti-heroes in the 80's. Whether he's slicing and dicing yakuza, throwing a man out of a window, or simply taking a bath, Hugh Jackman is completely believable as Wolverine.

In Huge Jacked-Abs We Trust

Unfortunately, that's where the praiseworthy aspects of the movie come to an end. In between the pretty moments of somber soul-searching are scattered several clunky, emotionally empty fight scenes that contribute little to the narrative. Even the much-touted bullet train fight sequence feels like a tacked-on gimmick that adds nothing to the story overall. The villain, a mutant named Viper, also feels underdeveloped. There is never much of a reason given as to why she has it out for Logan, and Svetlana Khodchenkova delivers her lines with an unintentionally hilarious wooden awkwardness. Another big bad is revealed in a third act plot twist so stupid it boggles the mind why they didn't stick closer to the plot in Claremont's source material.

It's Wolverine. Versus ninjas. How do you mess that up?!

I really wanted to give The Wolverine the rave review that a movie based on such an iconic character deserves, but instead I must settle for an "it could have been worse." Jackman turns in yet another inspired performance as comics' most famous fictional Canadian, but not even his adamantium claws can sharpen up this weak sauce plot and underwhelming CGI. The Wolverine has its moments, but not enough to warrant today's ticket prices.

Verdict: C-Rank

P.S. Stay after the credits for a special scene hinting at mutantkind's next film: the upcoming X-Men Days of Future Past. It turns out Magneto's powers have returned, Professor X is somehow back from the dead and there are several adverts for Trask Industries (i.e. the people behind the iconic Sentinels) are everywhere.

My Favorite Bits of News From San Diego Comic-Con (Part Two)

There were more big reveals than you could shake a stick at this Saturday, but here are some of my highlights:

Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes dropped in on the folks at MTV Geek to discuss their appearance in Plants Vs Zombies Vs Jay and Silent Bob. It looks like this:

Smith also updated MTV Geek on his latest creative projects. The title he formerly called his last directorial effort, a hockey comedy-drama dubbed "Hit Somebody," will now be produced as a miniseries. Instead, his last movie will be Clerks III, and the script has been submitted to The Weinstein Company for review. He also hinted at an idea for a bizarre horror movie that came up during one of his podcasts in which a man is held captive and turned into a walrus (smh only Kevin Smith).

Meanwhile, IGN was covering a talk by Microsoft Creative Director Ken Lobb on the new Xbox One console. Lobb announced that the next gen black box will allow players to record and share the last 30 seconds of gameplay with a simple voice command, and the camera can tell when players have switched controllers, automatically switching controller settings based on who is holding it.

While discussing his new Hulu series The Awesomes, Seth Meyers revealed that he'd always wanted to do a Blue Beetle/Booster Gold superhero movie (with himself as Blue Beetle). I was instantly reminded of the latest installment from Yale Stewart's fantastic webcomic:

Full size here

Fun side story: Meyers once ran into professional comics penciller Kevin Maguire and asked to be drawn as Ted Kord's Blue Beetle. The resulting drawing is the thumbnail image for Meyers Twitter profile.

Attendees of Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. panel were lucky enough to witness the entire pilot episode (word on the street is it's awesome).

But perhaps the biggest news of the day came from the DC cinematic universe, with the announcement of not one but three new working titles. The first, a follow-up to this year's Man of Steel, will be a Superman/Batman movie - pairing DC's two most recognizable names to take on the sequel to Marvel/Disney's highest-grossing film ever (good luck with that) in 2015. It's probably a safe bet to assume Henry Cavill will return as Supes, but there's no word on who will be buttoning up Bruce Wayne's tailored Armani suit this time around. Next up will be a film adaptation for The Flash in 2016, followed by DC's answer to Marvel's The Avengers, Justice League, in 2017. DC also revealed the logo for the first film in line:

I think the batarang looks a bit chubby.

That's it for Saturday. Check back in Sunday for the last helping of juicy nerd tidbits!

Live Tweeting San Diego Comic-Con: Day Two

The feed will be up and running in a few minutes, and so will I! You can follow along here (and feel free to follow me!): https://twitter.com/BlackOtaku

Come back later for the round-up of my favorite bits of nerd news (here's yesterday's).

My Favorite Bits of News From San Diego Comic-Con

There was plenty of good nerdy news to choose from today, but these particular tidbits hit all the right buttons and stood out to me:


1. According to Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns, DC Comics is wrapping up a crossover Justice League/JLA/Justice League Dark story arc called Trinity War. He also hinted that things will not end well for Earth's greatest heroes, particularly everyone's favorite Big Blue Boy Scout .

2. The good folks at Mondo revealed a line of limited edition posters and vinyl covers inspired by the cinematic works of Studio Ghibli.

Here's a sample...stop drooling.

3. Creators of that underrated critical darling of a show Orphan Black, Graeme Manson and John Fawcett announced that Season 1 DVDs of the series hit shelves this week.

4. And last but not least, Avatar creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko finally ante'd up and gave Legend of Korra fans the information they'd been waiting for - a September 2013 release - and almost 150 seconds of hysteria-inducing new footage. Enjoy:

Live-Tweeting San Diego Comic-Con 2013: Day One

Yep, you read that right. I'm going to be tapped into MTV.com's live stream for the next six hours, getting the skinny on all the latest from the world of nerd-dom. You can follow along with my tweets here (feel free to follow me!).

Check back later tonight, as I'll be posting a round-up of today's juiciest details.

Soapbox: Weighing in on The Zimmerman Verdict, and What It Means For Race in America

I began this blog as a way to honor the fact that I am both black and nerdy. I usually find myself writing about the latter, but every once in a while I am compelled to write about what it means to be black. Tonight is one of those times. Tonight, it was announced that 29-year-old George Zimmerman, the overzealous neighborhood watch captain who shot and killed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, had been found not guilty of second-degree murder and acquitted of manslaughter. A lot of people are not happy about it. I am one of those people.

I am not, however, surprised. The first red flag was raised a few days after the incident was initially reported, when I learned that Zimmerman had suffered injuries to his face and head.

I could tell that those injuries would have far-reaching ramifications. They meant more than just a bloody nose and a few stitches. They meant that Trayvon Martin hadn't just stood there and let Zimmerman shoot him. They meant he hadn't gone without a fight. And ultimately, they meant acquittal for Mr. Zimmerman. You see, black people don't exactly have a great track record when it comes to drumming up national sympathy. There are countless cases to choose from, but here are a couple of the most highly publicized:

1. In 1992, Rodney King (may he R.I.P.) didn't resist arrest before he was beat by five LAPD officers, four of whom were charged and subsequently acquitted of assault with a deadly weapon and excessive use of force.
2. In 1999, Amadou Diallo (may he R.I.P.) did nothing but reach for his wallet before four plainclothes NYPD officers shot and killed him. All four officers were later - surprise! - acquitted of all charges. Wyclef wrote a song about it.

Notice something? Neither of those young black men offered resistance of any kind, and the people who attacked them unprovoked got off scot-free. The defendants in both cases were given the benefit of the doubt because they were authority figures who believed they had probable cause to pull out their billy clubs and guns. Zimmerman did them one better; the evidence of his probable cause was all over the back of his head.

Right about then I began to have a bad feeling about the prosecution's chances. At this point, all Zimmerman's defense team had to do was convince the jury that he acted not because of race, but because he felt threatened. Here is where a lot of black people will call bullshit, but I believe he did feel threatened. By no means am I saying that he should, but I can see why he did and it has a lot to do with race.

For whatever reason, everyone seems to think that black people are tougher, stronger and more violent because of our unique role in America's history. This has been public opinion in Black America for a while, but for the scientific community it's a fascinating new phenomenon. The good people at Slate recently ran an article mentioning a new study where average people and medical personnel were asked to gauge a random subject's pain in a given situation. The results were surprisingly relevant to my current topic:

" In each experiment, the researchers found that white participants, black participants, and nurses and nursing students assumed that blacks felt less pain than whites...It turns out assumptions about what it means to be black—in terms of social status and hardship—may be behind the bias. In additional experiments, the researchers studied participants’ assumptions about adversity and privilege. The more privilege assumed of the target, the more pain the participants perceived. Conversely, the more hardship assumed, the less pain perceived. The researchers concluded that 'The present work finds that people assume that, relative to whites, blacks feel less pain because they have faced more hardship.'"

Here's the real kicker: the article that references this study was published as part of Slate's coverage of the Zimmerman trial. Trayvon Martin's skin told Zimmerman that he was a threat before his mouth ever could. Everyone believes that black people are somehow more resistant to life's various slings and arrows, whether it's trauma of a physical, emotional or mental nature. What's even sadder is that some black people believe it too (but that's a discussion for another time).

So in case you were (rightfully) bewildered as to how a husky Hispanic man, the jury that acquitted him and large swathes of the American public could perceive a 160-lb unarmed teenager as a threat instead of, I don't know, a scared kid fighting for his life with an oddly aggressive stranger...yeah, that's how. And here's how a mess like this can be prevented from happening again.

If You Find Yourself in George Zimmerman's Position

Back off and let the real police do their job. I know there had been a few robberies  and home invasions in the last few weeks and "these assholes always get away," but that's no excuse to ignore a certified emergency dispatcher's orders to stay put. Ideally, they have more training than you do, they're more experienced and, most importantly, they'll have more restraint. When in doubt, defer to the paid professional law enforcers.

If you do decide to ignore certified professionals and be an impulsive cockbag (I believe that's the scientific term for it), approach the individual in question and IDENTIFY YOURSELF so that he or she knows that you aren't a mugger/rapist/killer yourself. If a person runs after you audibly identify yourself as neighborhood watch, feel free to brand them with whatever unflattering label you like, give chase and swing your dick around as impulsive cockbags are wont to do.

If You Find Yourself in Trayvon Martin's Position

Relax, I'm not going to spew some ridiculous shit about not being able to wear hoodies anymore (fuck you, Geraldo Rivera).

I will, however, admit that there was something Trayvon Martin could have done to prevent his own death: cooperate. If you are a minority who is in trouble with an authority figure, whether it is a mall cop or the goddamn Attorney General (I don't know what you'd do to piss him off), the worst thing you can do is put up a fight. I understand that Martin was being followed by a strange man in a strange neighborhood, but his best bet was still to simply confront Zimmerman and find out what he wanted.

"Oh, you want to mug me? I'm broke, but here's some Skittles and iced tea. Please don't hurt me. I'd like to grow up and go to college."

"Oh, you want to kill me? I'd better run away!"

"Oh, you're an overzealous neighborhood watch captain? Actually I'm staying with my step mother down the street. Here's her address. You should have said so sooner; I thought you going to kill me or something."

And before you jump down my throat, demanding to know if I practice what I preach, rest assured that I do. You will never meet a nicer more cordial Aaron than the one who has just been pulled over. When I was pulled over for speeding outside of Jacksonville (coincidentally enough, I was driving back to school from Sanford, FL, where Trayvon Martin was shot), I was extremely cooperative. I cooperated when he quizzed me on my driver's license information to make sure I was who I really was. I cooperated when he felt inside of my car's wheel wells, looking for drugs and illegal contraband. I laughed good-naturedly as he asked me if I was on drugs.

Was it embarrassing? Yes. Did I want to cuss him out, yell "I'm not a fucking drug dealer!" and snidely ask him whether he took this much care with all of his speeding stops? Yes. Did I use some choice vocabulary when I was back in the privacy of my own vehicle, with two tickets totaling almost $500? You bet your ass I did. But I held my tongue and kept my hands where he could see them, just in case he turned out to be like that one cop from Boyz n the Hood.

It may not be your proudest moment, but it will be your smartest. The whole not dying thing is pretty nice too. Just imagine if Trayvon had confronted Zimmerman with words instead of fists that night. In the worst case scenario, let's say Zimmerman doesn't buy that Trayvon is staying just down the road and collars him until the police arrive, sure, Trayvon gets brought in and might have to spend a night in the bookings until someone can clear his name, but at least he's still alive. Plus he's got Zimmerman by the balls, to use legal terminology, and can sue the pants off of him for causing undue stress or defamation of character. And the court gets to hear something that was sorely missing from the actual Zimmerman trial: Trayvon's side of the story.

I'll admit it shouldn't have to be that way. Hopefully, this deeply unsatisfying verdict has inspired a new generation of future black voters, lawyers and lawmakers to revamp the justice system, and one day we'll get to complain just as loudly as we want when faced with undue hostility from authority figures, self-appointed or otherwise. In the meantime, they expect us to get loud, ignorant and disrespectful when confronted by authority, so let's throw them off by being very polite, reasonable and well-spoken.

And if the unfairness of this verdict (and all those that came before it) gets to be too much, just watch this video before you take to the streets:

Get angry or get smart. The choice is yours.

Summer Premier Season (Part Nine): Gin no Saji

Title: Gin no Saji
Release Date: July 11, 2013
Studio: A-1 Pictures
Genre: School Life, Slice of Life, Comedy
Premise: When Yugo Hachiken fails to get into his intended high school, he enrolls at Oezo Agricultural High School instead, thinking that the easy classes will leave plenty of time to study for college entrance exams. What he doesn't know is that Oezo's curriculum also requires back-breaking amounts of hard labor. Shenanigans ensue.

Verdict: Conventional wisdom would tell you to leave this anime alone. The subject matter, farm life, is quite a departure anime's usual fare. The first episode, although energetically animated, is pretty forgettable. And finally, I can't see any otaku's Top Ten List including an anime about farming. Case closed, right?

Not quite. This particular anime about farm life happens to be based on a manga by Hiromu Arakawa.

Self portrait. JK, she really looks like this

 In case that name doesn't ring a bell, she's the brilliant creative mind behind everyone's favorite anime about alchemy: Fullmetal Alchemist. As it turns out, after wrapping up production on one of the greatest anime/manga series of all time (let's just say it's on a lot of people's Top Ten Lists) in 2010, Arakawa-sensei began work on this puppy in 2011. The story hits a bit closer to home than her previous efforts, as it is inspired by her childhood growing up on a Hokkaido dairy farm.

'Nuff said, you had me at "Hiromu Arakawa." If anyone could pull off an anime about farming, it's her. Production studio A-1 Pictures seems to agree, as they've already greenlit and scheduled a second season which will premier next year. If it takes a few episodes for this one to get going, I completely understand. Based on the author's track record, your patience is sure to be rewarded.

"Where is My Goddamn Shoe?" Pacific Rim is a Wild, Satisfying Ride

As you may have guessed, I, like most of those who appreciate anime and science fiction, am familiar with giant robots. Anime's very foundation is built on the likes of Astro Boy and Gigantor, and Adult Swim fostered my own appreciation for the likes of Big O and Evangelion. I've read a BattleTech novel or two. And I enjoy the musical stylings of MC Frontalot from time to time. So when Legendary Pictures released this trailer a few months ago:

I rejoiced...or had heart palpitations, I'm not sure (whatever happened it ended with me foaming on the floor). I had avidly followed the development of the project from initial pitch to post-production. The inclusion of the visionary Guillermo del Toro and his glowing track record did much to put me further at ease.  And yet my inner pessimist had convinced me to take it all with a grain of salt. I'd been burned by hype before, and no amount of flowery language was going to sway my heart without seeing it in action. And then two and a half minutes of video took away all worries, reservations and concerns; whether it was a visual triumph or a dud, I was all-in.

So now comes the (200) million-dollar question: does Pacific Rim deliver? Well, it depends on what you're looking for. If you came to see huge metal contraptions the size of skyscrapers punch it out with gargantuan reptilian beasts who come by land, air and sea, then Pacific Rim is sure to delight. If you were looking for a giant robot film that contemplates the complex moral nature of man and raises questions about what it really means to be a hero, then you're a glum individual who should dive back into those philosophy textbooks before attempting to over-analyze Evangelion again.

Pic unrelated.

The story of Pacific Rim is straightforward enough. For those who didn't click on the trailer above, the story takes place 12 years into the war with kaiju, mysterious creatures who emerge from an interdimensional rift in the the Pacific seabed. The common threat forces the nations of the world to put aside their differences and pool their resources to construct giant robots, called jaegers, to combat the beasts. The reluctant hero, Raleigh Becket, is a washed-up jaeger pilot who watched as the kaiju eventually turned the tides against mankind, losing his brother Yancy in the process. As the jaeger program suffers increased losses, the world governments lose faith, pull funding and begin building questionably effective coastal walls. All of this, which could easily have been a movie in itself, is summed up before the first title card. The narrative picks up here, as veteran jaeger commander Stacker Pentecost calls Becket out of retirement to mount one last desperate offensive and close the rift for good.

First the good: everything about the movie, the robots, the monsters, the musical score, the action (oh god, the action), looks and feels big. A film of this scale has rarely been attempted, and the ease with which del Toro executes these truly massive sequences is enough to fool anyone into thinking he's done nothing but make giant robot movies for his entire career. The jaegers really do come to life under his masterful eye, each with its own personality formed by unique weapons and abilities. The first time you see the three-armed Crimson Typhoon fight is a wonder to behold. And as impressive as the jaegers are, the kaiju are equally worthy of praise. Categorized by threat level, like hurricanes, the kaiju inspire a true sense of danger whenever they're on screen, and it is made abundantly clear that jaegers are the only thing capable of stopping the considerable havoc they wreak. This really is a movie that's meant to be seen on a big screen.

Paper beats Rock, huh? We'll see about that...

The bad is mostly a matter of opinion. Many of the negative reviews I read criticize the plot for its simplicity and dismiss the main players as one-dimensional stock characters. They are absolutely right. The story and the characters involved in it only work if they are straightforward and earnest. It's hard to be tortured and conflicted when literally everyone on the planet will die if you don't do your job. What more motivation do you need? That can-do attitude was exactly what del Toro wanted to portray. He, among others, is getting tired of these darker, edgier "heroes."

Pacific Rim is not entirely devoid of character, either. Raleigh and his co-pilot Mako are pretty cut-and-dry, but the supporting cast are able to inject some color into the proceedings. Idris Elba owns every scene he's in as Stacker Pentecost, a picture of undying will. Burn Gorman's Dr. Hermann Gottlieb is an annoyingly-written cane-walking caricature of a scientist - strait-laced, physically infirm and haughtily dismissive of his rival - but his fellow kaiju researcher Newt Geiszler, played amicably by Charlie Day, might just be my spirit animal (smart, tattooed, thinks of himself as a rock star? yes, please). And I'd die happy if I could achieve a tenth of the swag Hannibal Chau (portrayed with scene-stealing aplomb by Ron Perlman) has on display.

Seriously, what the fuck is that suit? The threads are spun from baby angel hair.

At the end of the day, Pacific Rim may not be a perfect film, but it does make for a perfect spectacle. The true characters of the movie, the jaegers and kaiju, are truly a technical achievement that will live on in the annals of pop culture history. Del Toro has given birth to a monster, and it is a big, fierce and beautiful reminder of why we go to the movies.

Verdict: SSS-Rank

Names You Should Know: Hiroyuki Imaishi

This is part of a new series I've wanted to do about some of the less-well known names in anime. I'm not sure how it is in other countries, but there isn't much familiarity with the anime industry in America. Sure, any self-respecting convention-goer may be able to rattle off a whole string of names, but the average American would be hard-pressed to name one...and that one name would probably be Hayao Miyazaki (thanks, Disney). Fortunately, just as there is more than one great director running around Hollywood, there are plenty more great anime directors in the Land of the Rising Sun. Here's one:

Hiroyuki Imaishi. This name probably means nothing to you now, but you've definitely heard of him. He got his start doing key animation on projects like Diebuster, Kare Kano, and FLCL (he directed the manga scenes), but his big break came when he made his debut as series director for one of the greatest mecha of all time: Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann. The show went on to win the Excellence Prize at the Japan Media Arts Festival (think Anime Oscars) and developed a devoted fan base.

Perhaps too devoted.

But before he was the man behind TTGL, Imaishi directed a short feature-length film about a man with a TV for a head and a woman with a panda-esque mark on her eye who are sent to a maximum-security prison on the moon (seriously. I'm not making this up). The film only gets weirder from there and it's absolutely wonderful, a bizarre, action-packed fever dream of drill penises, cyborg wardens, Uzi-touting babies, and copious amounts of explosions. It may lack the polish of TTGL, but Dead Leaves is a perfect display of Imaishi's vintage style. The heady blend of energetic, exaggerated animation, over-the-top action and unbridled, almost recklessly creative art design have since come to define his unique work.

The influences behind Imaishi's rise to prominence are as colorful and varied as the work itself. Imaishi started off at Gainax, working on the projects I mentioned above under the great Hideaki Anno, who is himself a protege of Miyazki. He also cites his main influence as the late Yoshinori Kanada, a frequent Miyazaki collaborator whose animation style has inspired an entire generation of animators.

You will never be as cool as this picture.

In spite of, or perhaps because of, his star-studded past, things don't appear to be slowing down for Imaishi any time soon. Following his success with the epic TTGL and the epically silly Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt, he has left Gainax to form his own studio, Trigger. They've hit the ground running, premiering a ridiculously, hilariously low-budget ONA called Inferno Cop (think Japanese Newgrounds cartoon in terms of quality), and following it up with the more traditionally animated Little Witch Academia. The former tickled reviewers' funny bones and the latter spawned a follow-up Kickstarter which reached its goal in just three hours. And it seems Imaishi-san and co. aren't stopping there, as work on his newest series, Kill La Kill, has already gotten underway.

With so many links to the past, it should be no surprise that Hiroyuki Imaishi is anime's future.

Summer Premier Season (Part Eight): Watamote

Title: Watashi ga Motenai no wa do Kangaetemo Omaera ga Warui!
Release Date: July 8, 2013
Studio: Silver Link
Genre: Comedy, Slice of Life
Premise: Tomoko Kuroki, an accomplished shut-in, mistakes her copious amounts of experience with dating sim games for actual social skills. Her lackluster social life upon reaching high school prompts her to try talking to real people, with hilariously dysfunctional results.

Verdict: One of the core elements of comedy is how relatable the material is. As a recovering socially inept person (along with most of anime fandom), there is plenty to relate to here. Kuroki is the little misfit inside of us all. The silent panic attacks she has as her more outgoing classmates remain cheerfully ignorant of her existence, her overzealous celebrations when she manages to croak out a response to the occasional teacher/convenience store clerk/other normal person who actually speaks to her, the sinking feeling she gets when these small victories are interrupted by encounters with people who are actually socially functioning and romantically involved. All of these episodes recall the social outcasts that we once were (or once knew) in college and/or grade school.

And it is all familiarly, painfully funny. Kuroki's inner narrative tirades against her oblivious peers are sure to raise some eyebrows (she even sics the murderous short aliens from Gantz on them at one point), and another gag where she practices her conversation skills on an eroge had me in stitches. Studio Silver Link and director Shin Onuma were previously teamed up for the popular Baka and Test, and they seem to be up to similar comedic hijinks here. Whether you've put your social ineptitude behind you or you're still figuring it out, this show is sure to elicit a few "I've been there" chuckles.

Summer Premier Season (Part Seven): Blood Lad

Title: Blood Lad
Release Date: July 7, 2013
Studio: Brain's Base
Genre: Supernatural, Comedy, Action/Adventure
Premise: An otaku vampire promises to return a human girl to life after she wanders into the demon world and dies during a skirmish over his territory.

Verdict: Ah, yes, another anime adaptation of a popular manga. This is the bread and butter of the anime industry, along with visual novel and video game adaptations, and the success of such work usually depends on the quality of the resources and staff being thrown at the project.

So far, so good. Studio Brain's Base has been responsible for some pretty stellar shows over the past few years. The seiyuu for main character Staz, Ryota Osaka, is also having a breakout year so far with lead roles in two other anime I've enjoyed: The Devil is a Part-Timer and Valvrave the Liberator. The series is currently listed as scheduled for 12 episodes, so I doubt they'll be able to adapt all nine volumes of the source material, but judging from the animation quality this is a going to be a solid piece of work.

Vampires have undergone a sort of renaissance over the past decade. Once dismissed as soulless monsters, they have been recast as everything from reluctant allies to (most popularly) love interests. This has been pulled off with varying degrees of success, both good (thank you Joss Whedon) and very, very bad. Staz and co. seem poised to end up in the first group, but if not, it'll still be better than at least one story about vampires...

Summer Premier Season (Part Six): Uchouten Kazoku

Title: Uchouten Kazoku
Release Date: July 7, 2013
Studio: P.A. Works
Genre: Supernatural, Comedy, Drama, Slice of Life
Premise: In the city of Kyoto, humans, tanuki (raccon dog spirits) and tengu live among one another without intermingling. Except for Yasaburo Shimogamo, a tanuki who is fascinated by the world of humans and tengu, using his shape-shifting ability to move between societies.

Verdict: This seems like a slow burn, but a slow burn worth watching nonetheless. Aside from Yasaburo's opening narration, which basically reiterates the premise, there isn't much exposition; it's a welcome change from most anime that waste airtime by having characters or a narrator explain how the world works. Instead, the audience is dropped into the story and follows Yasaburo around town, learning the dynamics of Kyoto as he goes about his day. There's plenty to learn in spite of this hands-off narrative approach.

It's apparent Yasaburo doesn't hold much clout in his family due to his habits. He runs into two of his brothers, one older, one younger, and both view his shape-shifting with disapproval or confusion. He also pays frequent visits to his "Master" an old tengu who has lost his ability to fly, and, consequently, his sense of pride. Most importantly, he seems to be acting as a go-between for his Master and the mysterious Benten - a tengu with a sultry femme fatale vibe who might have a romantic history with Yasaburo, his Master, or both.

So far the show is playing its cards pretty close to its chest, but there's definitely hints of a bigger story waiting to be told. I have every confidence that said story will deliver because 1) P.A. Works has yet to disappoint me (seriously, go watch Angel Beats! if you haven't already) and 2) it's based on a novel by Tomihiko Morimi, whose other novel The Tatami Galaxy has already been adapted into one of my all-time favorite anime. With credentials like that, I have no problem waiting until next week to get the whole story.

Summer Premier Season (Part Five): Genei wo Kakeru Taiyou

Title: Genei wo Kakeru Taiyou
Release Date: July 6, 2013
Studio: AIC/Aniplex
Genre: Supernatural, Magical Girl, Action/Adventure, Drama
Premise: Akira Taiyou, the daughter of a deceased Tarot card reader, doesn't see it coming when she suddenly awakens magical powers on the anniversary of her mother's death.

Verdict: And just like that, Symphogear has some company as the series to watch this season. I almost didn't give this one a chance because of its cutesy art style and character designs, but look past the super-deformed exterior and you'll find a much more mature story waiting underneath.

Things start out simply enough for Akari, who has adjusted surprisingly well in the year following her mother's death, taking over her mother's Tarot card reading business and moving in with her aunt, uncle and cousin. Her skills garner much attention from her classmates, and she has many friends among the townsfolk (so far, so boring - I mean, good). But alas, there is something amiss: accidents follow her wherever she goes, her cousin has begun acting funny and her most recent reading foretells a grave challenge that will change everything. Sure enough, things go South pretty quickly from there, and it becomes very clear that no one is safe (or alive, for that matter) by episode's end.

It's all done in a very satisfying, well-paced way, and the end credits left me ready for more. Looking at AIC's track record, it's easy to see why (GunxSword remains one of my favorite space westerns of all time, right under Trigun). Original projects are pretty hit-or-miss when it comes to anime, but so far this is reminding me of Puella Magi Madoka Magica in all the right ways. Let the Dark Magical Girl Revolution continue!

Summer Premier Season (Part Four): Senki Zessho Symphogear G

Name: Senki Zessho Symphogear G
Release Date: July 4, 2013
Studio: Encourage Films/Satellite
Genre: Action/Adventure, Sci-Fi, Drama, Magical Girl
Premise: The second season of Senki Zessho Symphogear continues the adventures of Hibiki Tachibana, Tsubasa Kazanari and Yukine Chris, users of the Symphogear - a special armor driven by the power of song that is the only effective weapon against monsters known as Noise.

Verdict: Instant must-watch. I usually don't bother writing about sequels, but the first season, which premiered last year, holds a special place in my heart. If you tl;dr 'ed at that link, the basic gist of my mountain of text was this: Symphogear was the first magical girl anime since Puella Magi Madoka Magica to really "go there." Although PMMM remains the magical girl to beat (it is definitely in any Top 10 List I make, anime or otherwise), Symphogear displayed a similar willingness to get real. It didn't pull punches when it came to showing death or raising the stakes, and it built to a satisfying conclusion in spite of its admittedly silly premise.

Cue Season 2. The story picks up three months after the action-packed Season 1 finale of (literally) cosmic proportions. Hibiki and Chris have taken over the duties of fighting the antagonistic Noise while Tsubasa is on tour with a recently discovered vocalist, Maria Cadenzavna Eve. It doesn't take long for all hell to break loose as Hibiki and Chris begin to encounter strangely intelligent Noise, suggesting that something (or someone) is controlling them. There appears to be a whole host of new characters and revelations waiting to debut, and sure enough the first bombshell drops right before the credits roll. This is shaping up to be the first must-watch of the Summer, and I recommend you give it a spin (or go back and view the original if you haven't already)!

Summer Premier Season (Part Three): Kitakubu Katsudou Kiroku

Name: Kitakubu Katsudou Kiroku
Release Date: July 4, 2013
Studio: Nomad
Genre: Comedy, Slice of Life, School Life
Premise: First-year high school student Natsuki Ando jokingly declares that she wants to join the "Go Home Club" when prompted by her friend. To her surprise, the Go Home Club actually exists, consisting of a trio of eccentric second-year girls. Along with fellow first-year Karin Touno, Natsuki finds herself drawn into their weird world.

Verdict: I was ready to throw in the towel on this one (ugh, another vapid depiction of moe girls' school life?) until I saw that Nomad was responsible for Dokuro-chan. That same comedic ability is on display in this series as well. KKK (ironic, no?)'s appeal lies in how self-aware it is, often breaking the fourth wall and launching into separate sketches parodying other genres. This is where the show is at its best, including a brilliant gag where a wealthy character uses up the episode's animation budget. If Nomad can keep the laughs coming, this show will join the ranks of other sharp satires like Lucky Star and Yuru Yuri.

Summer Premier Season (Part Two): ServantxService

Name: ServantxService
Release Date: July 4, 2013
Studio: A-1 Pictures
Genre: Comedy, Slice of Life
Premise: Based on a popular manga, this workplace comedy focuses on the everyday lives of civil servants Yamagami (pictured), Yutaka Hasebe and Saya Miyoshi - the three newest editions to the Welfare Department in a city government building.

Verdict: This series is worth its salt as far as office satires go. The main characters' personalities make for some lively interactions, such as Yamagami's straitlaced sensibilities clashing with Hasebe's slacker attitude, Miyoshi's submissiveness, or their supervisor's complete ineptitude. There is also a healthy amount of humor provided by the main cast and a revolving door of colorful customers.

I've been to the DMV one too many times to fall completely head-over-heels for an anime about the lives of civil workers, but the show does a good job of humanizing the people behind the paperwork and stamps. Due to the straightforward nature of the story, I highly doubt there'll be any earth-shattering revelations in the works here, but it should be an entertaining weekly watch.

Summer Premier Season (Part One): Stella Jogakuin Koutou-ka C3-bu

The Summer anime season has finally gotten underway with a slew of new series premiering this month. To save time I will be switching up my approach this season and only posting reviews of shows that I feel are noteworthy. Going into an anime cold turkey is fun, but writing about the lackluster first episode of a series you don't plan to watch is tedious at best and downright painful at its worst. This will allow me to highlight only the good without wasting page space on the bad. First up is:

Name: Stella Jogakuin Koutou-ka C3-bu
Release Date: July 4th, 2013
Studio: Gainax
Genre: Comedy, Slice of Life, Girls with Guns
Premise: Timid Yura Yamato has just begun her brand new high school life at Stella Girls' Academy, and is unsure of where she'll fit in. She gets more than she bargained for when she meets her senior roommate's fellow club members: a ragtag group of gun enthusiast misfits who stage mock battles with airsoft weapons!

The Verdict: Not bad, Gainax. I hadn't heard of this one (or the manga upon which it is based) going into the first episode so I wasn't expecting much. Gainax usually does best when they stick to their bread and butter of mecha, a la Gunbuster, Neon Genesis Evangelion and Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, so this series is a bit off topic for them. I also wasn't thrilled with the episode's abundance of diabetically-sweet moe moments which are all too common in today's school life anime.

Nevertheless, things got rolling once the actual shooting started. The mock battles themselves are smoothly animated and could provide several great action set-pieces down the road. I may hate moe, but I'm a sucker for the girls-with-guns trope that pops up in most anime. Hopefully  they choose to rely on the latter as the 12-episode season continues. Grating, cutesy-wutesy personalities aside, C3 still has potential as a harmless popcorn anime to help take your mind off anime that deals with heavier issues.