Space Dandy is a dandy guy. In space. One of the first anime directors I was introduced to many years ago was ShinichirÅ Watanabe. Folks who know the genre will likely recognize his name as the man behind Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo. He’s worked with legendary anime studio BONES before – this is the… Continue reading 500 Words on Space Dandy
Category: Television
2013: The Surprises
There was a lot that took me by surprise in 2013. Some surprises were good, and others were not so good. Rather than dwell on the negatives, I’d like to look back on some of the things that came along in both an unexpected and pleasant way, at least in the realm of entertainment. In… Continue reading 2013: The Surprises
On The Fringes
When I watch a good television program or film, one with a narrative that builds its characters and takes the plot in ways one might not expect, I feel the dichotomy in me between watcher and writer. In the moment the story is happening, the emotional connections I feel with the characters, if they are… Continue reading On The Fringes
Keeping It Real
I’m a sucker for the fantastical and out-there just as much as any nerd. I grew up adoring the concept of giant fighting robots that disguised themselves as cars. I like faster-than-light travel, I love dragons, superheroes do not seem ridiculous to me, and I believe anything is possible when the human mind is set… Continue reading Keeping It Real
Wordbending: On Korra and the Avatar State
I think I can safely say I was not the only one who went into Avatar: The Legend of Korra with high expectations. Given the rather vehement reaction in the wake of the first season’s conclusion, many people not only shared those expectations but felt the show failed to deliver. Let me be clear about… Continue reading Wordbending: On Korra and the Avatar State
Wordbending: On Zuko and the Fire Nation
One thing that Avatar: The Last Airbender demonstrates along with good character development and a fully-realized world is momentum. After Book 2‘s climax, Aang and his friends find themselves in enemy territory. The Fire Nation is stronger than ever, and poised to bring the war to a victorious end when the comet arrives. Most interesting… Continue reading Wordbending: On Zuko and the Fire Nation
Wordbender: On Toph and the Earth Kingdom
Book 2 of Avatar: the Last Airbender is even more tightly constructed than Book 1. As Team Avatar depart the North Pole to make contact with the vast but troubled Earth Kingdom, each member has individual goals and conflicts as well as the overall “saving the world” thing. Sokka continues to feel overshadowed by the… Continue reading Wordbender: On Toph and the Earth Kingdom
Wordbender: On Aang and the Water Tribe
My wife and I have finally gotten around to watching Avatar: the Last Airbender. I put myself through watching the film adaptation and saw lots of potential for storytelling underneath the surface. I was a bit thrown by the odd juxtaposition of breathtaking martial arts augmented with special effects and some dreadfully bland exposition crammed… Continue reading Wordbender: On Aang and the Water Tribe
