When anime meets litterature

Just so you know, the idea from this post comes from the book Ikebukuro West Gate Park because, as normal it is that the first 2 volumes made me think about Durarara!! (I'm still convinced Narita read it), the last one made me think about Tiger&Bunny, which is a little less normal. Unless there really is an evil organization that tattoos its mark on their members called Ouroboros in Japan but I highly doubt it.

Then I started to be convinced that everyone involved in pop culture in Japan somehow has read IWGP (which actually you should do too) and wondered what other influence I could maybe spot.

Sadly, my knowledge in litterature is primarily focused on European authors, but it doesn't mean you can't find any influence from them. Actually, these have been adapted a lot or at least a lot of Japanese anime have been influenced by those books.
Also, not counting light novels.

#1 The actual adaptations

Actually, there are a lot of those, even more in manga than in anime (Hell, they even made a manga version of Marx's The Capital).
I actually haven't seen a lot of those for which I have seen both the anime and read the original version. The only anime I can think of right now is Genji Monogatari which was a pretty good though really shortenned, adaptation of the book.
There's Howl's Moving Castle too and a lot of Ghibli works. Howl is a pretty good adaptation with Ghibli's defining style added to it.
Some others : Aoi Bungaku (pretty good initiation to Japanese "classical" litterature), The Count of Monte Christo, The Three Musketeers, etc etc

Please by all means add to this list.

#2 The influences

Again, those are everywhere because authors are always somehow influenced by something they have read or seen or whatever.
The one that comes immediately to my mind at this is actually a manga called Tsumi to Batsu that's been loosely based on Fyodor Dostoyevski's Crimes and Punishment, but set in modern times.
Some of those include works like Le Portrait de Petit Cossette (excuse me while I cringe at the French), Kuroshitsuji (no matter how you look at it, it's Faust), RomeoxJuliet (which is self explanatory, though I have actually never seen it so I assume it's only loosely based on Shakespeare's original), the Fate series (because some of the heroes are from books), Code Geass (because to me it looks like the whole thing is, loosely, based on the Bible) and probably a lot of others.

#3 And everything else ...

Actually this shouldn't really exist, I just can't really consider names a legit influence on a story.
But if you think about it, character names are often based on already existing characters.
Like, in Katekyo Hitman Reborn you have a whole team of characters whose names are based on demons, in Ao no Exorcist you have Mephisto which is from Faust.

There must be some more but I forgot.

In the end I guess that post wanted to summarize once again how amazed I am at how fluid Japanese are with categories. I am not saying French don't do it, we too have our "anime" loosely based on the Three Musketeers, but it's such a rare occurence that I can't help but admire how Japanese do it.  

Summer 2011 - The end

And with this come the end of the Summer 2011 season.
With the end of a season come the final impressions post.
Want to know something? It's a disaster.

I tried to come up with a top 3 and this is what I got. All 3 being 24-episodes anime, 2 of which having debuted in Spring already, thus not really belonging there either, but the situation is that dire.

3 - Mawaru Penguindrum

2 - Steins;Gate

1 - Tiger&Bunny

They all got their dedicated posts already and Penguindrum is the first anime I ever felt the need to blog almost weekly. I'll leave it at one more thing before I move on to the other stuff and attempt to rank them, these 3 anime are awesome. Watch them. 

For the rest, well, you're familiar with my Crazy anime watchlist corner, then you know what to expect, the rest of the post will be huge. 

13 - Sacred Seven

First time ever I dropped an anime halfway through the season. Should tell everything. 

12 - Utapri

I expected it to suck and so it did. No big deal. Was watching only for the seiyuu anyway. 

11 - Idolm@ster

I expected it to be exactly what it is, watching this only for mindless entertainment, not very interesting but not boring enough to drop. Yeah, mindless entertainment. 

10 - KamiMemo

On the other hand I had great hopes for that one. I lost all of them during the Hison arc, not only do I hate predictability but I hate it even more when they think the viewers are idiots. 

I would have been ready to forgive them everything, really, if only it didn't have that much of a promising first episode. That's why it's so low, because I felt like they wasted the potential. 

09 - Ikoku Meiro no Croisée 

A cute story about a cute girl trying to get used to a new country. 

There's nothing more to it. 

And, while I was super excited to see my country portrayed in an anime, I think that cringing at all the inaccuracies and misconceptions kinda ruined it a bit for me. And well, I live there, even worse, I've seen the real Galeries du Roi, it's not really exotic or anything. 

08 - Nurarihyon no Mago

I have a yokai bias. And I can't help it, it has a lot of great seiyuu and the fights aren't as boring as they could be. It's enjoyable but there's really nothing more to it. 

07 - Ao no Exorcist

Loved the manga. Very much and, while some parts of the anime were a bit shitty (even when you do forget the fact these were an original storyline) it was still entertaining? Not the wonderful anime it could have been and definitely not a faithful adaptation but it has so little material to work on that it was a given from the start.

Could have been better. And the extra Mameshiba helped greatly my enjoyment of the last episode.  

06 - Kami-sama Dolls 

If you forget the last episode and the lack of answers we got it was an interesting anime and a fun ride. 

Just lacked something I still haven't pinpointed to be really awesome (like, say, ... answers)

05 - Hanasaku Iroha

Despite being quite weak in terms of plot and character develpement, along with me being quite adverse to slice of life anime most of the time, I still found myself enjoying this. Not the best thing ever but still quite nice if you have time to spend. 

04 - No6

It was a nice 10 episodes serie! 

Would have been better with more answers and less useless scenes, which, considering it had only 10 episodes would have been a nice idea. It's quite sad because if it would have gone a "realistic" way with less emphasis on the characters and more on the city it could have been great. 

What, you're saying there was a 11th episode? Where the hell did you get this from? ... 

03 - Dantalian no Shoka

Despite the fact I'm still wondering what the hell was the point to this anime, if I take the episodes as separate 20min mini-movies it's actually quite nice. 

Once again, not the very best out there, but still has enough entertainment value to spend time on. 

02 - Usagi Drop

It was very, very, very good before I read the manga. 

So if you're going to watch, don't read the manga beforehand, it spoils the fun. 

01 - Natsume Yuujinchou San 

Natsume is always adorable and awesome and it has yokai and there's going to be a fourth season guys. A FOURTH. 

You should watch it. (But don't read the manga or it spoils the fun a little too)

So my general impression? Disappointed. Either I become too hard to please or this season was really weak. 

Kuuki's crazy anime watchlist corner desuu~ #17

I talked a lot today. Then again, a lot of things are ending, and since I'm too lazy to make a whole post for each of them ...
It's hard watching so many anime at the same time isn't it?

Kuuki's crazy anime watchlist corner desuu~ #15

So many things are finishing, yet, nothing really started so far and I miss Steins;Gate.
In the meantime you can still check my tentative crazy watchlist for Fall.

Kuuki's crazy anime watchlist corner desuuu~ #13

If I keep this up, there will come a day where I'll be lost in my numbers.
Also, I hate Sunrise. So. Fucking. Much.

Kuuki's crazy anime watchlist corner desuu~ #11

And I come once again bearing a new edition of my bi-weekly crazy watchlist. One day I swear I'll be able to control myself and not watch as many things as I do now.
Or not.

Kuuki's crazy anime watchlist desuu~ #9

Hey! I have the pleasure to announce two things. First, I failed my job interview, was very close to get the job but didn't get it, which isn't bad because the pay was low and I would have started today and would have had to move out in less than one day.
And second, much better, I've joined Organization ASG as an anime reviewer. Everything related to the current season stays here, the rest goes over there, please check it out

Now, as usual, beware of spoilers!

Kuuki's crazy anime watchlist corner desuuu~ #7

I think I'm a bit disappointed by this batch of anime. Don't really know why. On the other hand, it's still hot as hell and my laptop is so old it cannot handle more than one anime episode at a time. Must be why I'm so pissed off.

- Nurarihyon no Mago : Aaw FukuJun you're so good!
Rikuo you're making me laugh so much.
And Yukionna's gonna get pissed.

- Hanasaku Iroha : Aaw finally Okami-san makes her move!
But that was beautiful, her talk about not letting the other be alone was so beautiful.
Too bad that this is only something you can do when both party agrees to it. And I'm still not convinced by their couple ^^

- Ao no Exorcist : Despite being useless that was one of the most interesting episode in a while.
And the reference to Working! was really cute.
And Rin got the bunny plushie!

- Gintama : Please. No more Jugem.

- IkoMei : I can't decide if Camille is really mean or not.
But it would seem that I was right, she's in love with Claude.

- Natsume : Aaaw the shota fox is back!
And these episodes are always so adorable!

- Kami-sama Dolls : For once, I like Hibino. We don't understand exactly the same thing.
I miss Kuuko. I could have said the same thing about "the darkness in Kyohei's mind". Except I was convinced he took part in the slaughter in the beginning.
You know what? Thinking back, I would have liked it better if I was right.

- Steins;Gate : Fuck, this one was the most painful and sad so far.
Now, the great question is : will Makise betray them and go to CERN?

Kuuki's crazy anime watchlist corner desuuu~ #5

Whether or not you noticed I'd like to point out I added a link to my Google+ account at your right, feel free to add me! (and admire the subtelty with which I choose my icons!)

Under the cut are spoilers for Ao no Exorcist, Hanasaku Iroha, Ikoku Meiro no Croisée, Kami-sama Dolls and Steins;Gate. The rest should be free of them

Kuuki's crazy anime watchlist corner desuuu~ #3

- Nurarihyon no Mago : That Itaku guy looks like Jake Sparrow -____- (which reminds me, I still need to find that movie with Davy Jones in Japanese.)
And I just wanted to throw to the world that I can do chores much better than Nura, chopping included.

- Hanasaku Iroha : Damn Minko and her lack of empathy.
I really liked Jiromaru trying to find titles for his novel by asking the girls. I actually like Jiromaru and his pevertness.
I miss the mean Tohru of the beginning though.
And I still wonder how anyone could like Yuina.

- Ao no Exorcist : It became worse than I thought it would be.
I really did like the beginning, turning Mephisto into someone even more twisted is always a good thing.
But, you see, last week I was complaining about the characters being so open about Rin's being the son of Satan and such, well, I grew used to it.
So, why is everyone helping him, then 5min later suddenly give him the cold shoulder? Why?
I honestly wouldn't mind the change that much if at least everything was coherent.

- Gintama : I think I have only one thing to say : how did this manage to get on TV at such an hour?

- Croisée : Did I understood things right? Is Camille really in love with Claude?
I feel sorry for her in any case though.

- Natsume Yuujinchou : Back to the manga!
Matoba's entrance and Natori's first reapperance of the season.
I couldn't be happier!

- Steins;Gate : Oh my heart, my heart.
Moeka surprised me though, I never thought she'd be like this, though I do understand where it comes from, I definitely thought she at least knew FB outside of text messages.
And I didn't think she'd believe Okabe either.
(As a bonus impression : I'm so cheering for Okabe and Kurisu to finally and properly confess instead of throwing hints here and there that Kurisu doesn't remember and Okabe is too fixated on Mayuri's death to care about. It pains me.)

-Kamisama Dolls : I'm not too sure what to think about this episode. Sure it was fun but as I thought there wasn't much point to them going there, they could have done all of this in Tokyo.
There must be something else.

Kuuki's crazy anime watchlist corner desuuu~ #1

I was told elsewhere that my daily (or nearly daily) quick reviews were helpful, if only for reminding people to watch a show or another.

To be honest, I've been trying for more or less one year to come up with a way of sharing episodes impressions without the need to do a full post complete with screencaps. These take time. I'm lazy. 

So I think, considering the awful amount of things I watch, I'll do at least a bi-weekly review. Maybe even once every two days if I have the time, so things don't get too long. Because let's admit it, everyone's afraid of walls of text. 

- Ao no Exorcist : What have they done with the manga I love? There was much more blood in the manga, and Amaimon was effectively sent back to the Gehenna and they definitely didn't react even close to this at the news either. 

Oh well, next week goes back to the original storyline. Kinda. 

- Hanasaku Iroha : Finally a focus on Nako. She's adorable. 

I still don't understand how they manage to get along so well with Yuina though.
Still, I can't get over this.

- Ikoku Meiro no Croisée : Once again, Yune is adorable.
Every week, as a French, I feel like I should explain one thing or two, but, to me everything is normal, aside from the mistakes, so I never know what others might think strange.

- Nurarihyon : I loved this flashback arc very much, I'm sad it won't continue for much longer because the Supreme Commander was awesome! And very sexy ^^ Sorry but I do have some sort of girl side buried somewhere


- Gintama : Nothing much, your usual Gintama episode with a character commenting everything he finds strange in said episode. But it had Zura. And the Shinsengumi, sadly without Matsudaira.
And since they finished early they started next week episode, which looks like something I won't totally enjoy.

- Natsume : I never have anything to say about that show, it's never surprising but in a good way, the peaceful and heartwarming kind of way.
Even though this week was kinda gore, especially to Natsume's standards.

- Kamisama Dolls : This development is a bit unexpected. I don't understand why it's happening, I'm not exactly against it, if it means I can learn more, but I still don't understand. Guess I'll just have to wait until next week.

- Steins;Gate : I don't like Rukako's character. Does it tell you anything about my enjoyment of this episode?
Okabe was, once again, very awesome though.

See you hopefully on Sunday for the next installment! 

Summer 2011 : wrap up post.

We've finally come to this dreaded moment (at least for me) in which there's not going to be new shows before a few months. It's a bit sad, I really like looking forward new things to watch, don't misunderstand I really like looking forward to new episodes of the things I watch but it's just not the same feeling.

Top 3 favorites : 

- Natsume Yuujinchou : that was expected, I love this, I really, REALLY love this, it's just as adorable as it was before, though not doing a good job at following the manga but since they manage to keep the feeling intact with fillers I'm not going to complain.

- Kami-sama no Memochou : Yakuza! Yakuza everywhere! I'm in heaven.
Ok, there's that, not only that but the storyline interests me and the main boy is actually getting better. It kinda remains me of Durarara, just in a lighter tone and about someone who tries to solve problems instead of creating them. I like that.

- Usagi Drop : There's no word to express how cute this is. For a slice of life, they're doing an incredibly good job too, haven't been bored even once. And they're relationship is just handled perfectly.

Cuteness overload (if that's your thing) :

- Natsume Yuujinchou : It IS cute. Natsume is moe, you can't deny it.

- Ikoku Meiro no Croisée : Yune is adorable. Their relationship is adorable. There's not enough French and the inacuracies are too numerous to count but I only bother because I am French.

- Nyanpire : This is both creepy and cute. And it really may be my favorite BL anime ever, I figured that one male cat falling in love with another male cat who happened to lick him could be considered to be BL.

- Usagi Drop

Not my fave but still enjoyable enough : 

- Mawaru Penguindrum : It is starting to make a bit more sense, and it is entertaining, especially that stalker girl, so yeah liked it.

- Nurarihyon no Mago 2 : I like yokai stories, I can't help it. I still do hope this season will be better than the previous one.

- Kami-sama Dolls : Still creepy, still interesting but still somehow lacking something to be really awesome.

- No.6 : The main character is annoying me, very much so I can't like it as much as I would have if I didn't want to hit him. But I do like the story line a lot.

- Dantalian no Shoka : Nothing special, but pretty and interesting enough.

I don't even know why I'm watching (read : it kinda sucks but I'm a masochist) :

- UtaPri : Otome game adaptation. Boredom overload. But they sound good, it's not my fault.

- The Idolm@aster : Same. But at least the girls are cute.

- Sacred Seven : I don't understand that thing at all.

Mercilessly dropped : 

- R-15 : I don't care about fanservice, I expected it anyway, but I hate censorship. And it was pretty ugly to look at too.

- Nekogami Yaoyorozu : I tried to find that cute, I really did, but it grows boring very fast.

And the still on-going series : Ao no Exorcist, Tiger&Bunny, Hanasaku Iroha, Steins;Gate, Beelzebub, Gintama and Hyougemono.

All in all 20. Can I just die?

Top5 Anime music of Spring 2011

Character songs excluded obviously, because I have a few things sitting around I've been in love with and while waiting for the first show of the Summer Season to make their way to the internet (I should have watched Sacred Seven, it airs just after Tiger&Bunny, why, just why did mother decide to bother me at this moment? *sobs*)

As usual, I'm picky, very picky, so please bear with me?
I really wonder why I bother making a "top something" considering these are the only ones I liked.

Pandemic!! - Yondemasuyo Azazel-san (Aaaw so sad I couldn't find the full version on Youtube, instead, have some Miku!)

Kagerou - Sengoku Otome

Core Pride - Ao no Exorcist

Unity - Gosick

Fade - Deadman Wonderland 

And TWO bonus.
First, a cover of Tiger&Bunny's OP because the bassist is hilarious (and the vocalist pretty good)

And a violin cover of Magia (yeah I know it's from last season but it's too beautiful, even the vocals are good)