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Topics - Neil Lafrenais
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« on: May 26, 2004, 05:37:25 pm »
I'm currently re-watching the whole of Wanderers on a episode per day basis and I am actually finding it much more enjoyable a second time round. I think the main reason for me enjoying it this time around is because it's become much more apparent to me that the characters are merely their OAV personas driven to the highest possible comedy level. Overall, it's extremely pleasing and a nice alternative to sitting still and switching your brain off for 21 minutes. Anyway, no idea what the actual topic is here... Erm, I suppose it's "did you find Wanderers more enjoyable the second time round?". Yeah, that'll do. --- Amusing Wanderers images:  - I couldn't help but burst out laughing when I saw this. Wanderers Jinnai's tongue has always been humourous to the max, for me. More on this later...  - Jesus FUCKING Christ. Shit, man, this still freaks me out, even after all the exposure that I had to it ages ago. I think the only way to perfectly describe this is as "beautifully ugly". Or "beautiful in a ugly way", either way that is one fucked up Fujisawa.  - Ahhh, sausage tongue. The lore behind sausage tongue is a long and properous one, as Rob will confirm. I only wish I could find that fanart that I drew of sausage tongue. It was the shit.
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« on: May 22, 2004, 05:06:22 pm »
Props to Rob for scanning these. Very nice stuff. A couple of questions:
1) How big are the laser discs? I've always been under the impression that they're the size of huge album sized records, but you have appeared to have scanned them in. Meaning that you either have a huge scanner or... I dunno. The LD is smaller?
and
2) Any more scans to come? ; )
3
« on: June 11, 2003, 03:41:56 am »
Primarily for Sarah, the local Rockman fan of the board, but others can answer if they own the game...
Next month, when I come into some money, I'll probably be buying "Megaman and Bass", so can I ask, how well has this port been done? Have they changed anything from the SNES version? What's the translation of the Japanese dialogue like? etc.
I welcome any answers to these questions.
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« on: June 11, 2003, 03:41:56 am »
Primarily for Sarah, the local Rockman fan of the board, but others can answer if they own the game...
Next month, when I come into some money, I'll probably be buying "Megaman and Bass", so can I ask, how well has this port been done? Have they changed anything from the SNES version? What's the translation of the Japanese dialogue like? etc.
I welcome any answers to these questions.
5
« on: May 17, 2003, 08:29:48 am »
Let us begin:
RETROSPECTIVE
The Wanderers - El-Hazard TV series
Episode 14 - The Legendary Snowfields
by Neil Lafrenais
22 April 2003
Ah, it's 1:30 in the morning and I've been spouting writing. What better way to top it off than watching a Wanderers filler episode and writing some thoughts about it?
The episode dives in with a dream flashback with young Rune and her mother (who shall be now reffered to as "Rune Snr"). Little Rune is delighted when it starts snowing, even though it causes her "mama" to disappear. I expect it was that infamous line - "LOOKIT" - that drove her away, Runey. The music is cued rather nicely when Rune awakes from her dream-gone-nightmare. She looks over to a story book, setting us up for a nice tie up at the end. Insert title ("Booooiing").
Suddenly, we cut to Makoto, Nanami and Fujisawa at Nanami's hastily set up eatery. The whole snow legend idea is introduced, along with Nanami's scheme to profit from it. Makoto even spouts out a rather cheesy line ("Oh, Nanami, what money making scheme have you come up with now?"). You're just expecting the sitcom canned laughter to kick in at any second.
Her latest food product, "Bean Jam Rice Cakes", don't sound very appetizing either. I'm still pondering if it's entirely possible to make jam from beans. I'm sure that beans are not fruit, and are vegetables. Oh well, this is screwball animé. Things are allowed not to make sense.
Oh, here we go. Dr. S seems to have moved away from the revered librian type of the OAV, and decided to become a wacky explorer. This new look is accompanied by a rather ghastly custard overall, and towel hat. Charming. Apparently, he's setting up a committee to find about all this snow legend nonsense, and it goes to his head. Alielle speaks for all of us, when she says "Oh please". Rock on, sister.
Science babble which basically translates to "the snow is a glitch". Dr. S also takes out a rather nice map of El-Hazard at this point. Probably a rougher version of the one seen on the titles.
The camel creatures make a welcome reappearance. Rune crashes the party and decides she's going. For some reason, Dr. S looks like he's going to object to this, but thankfully he doesn't. I'm pretty sure everyone's forgotten she's supposed to be grounded 24/7 this far into the series anyway.
Now, to the Bugrom Hive for more Jinnai and Ifurita antics. It would be at this point I'd start gushing over Marx's performance as Jinnai, but I'll skip it. Be warned though, his talent does hit you full in the face in this episode. Ifurita doesn't get anything good to say at this early stage, but Jinnai decides that the snow legend is weapon related. Pretty predictable.
More sci-babble, which basically translates to, "it snows" again. Some stationary montage as this is being explained for the third time. That Dr. S enjoys showing off, that's for sure. Right, so, after that, they reach "The Forest of Mirage", the destination for the snow. Apt name.
Ura gets a pretty flower in her hair. Fair enough for the Wanderers viewers, but for those who remember the infamous 2 frames in Night 4 of the OAV? Oh nonono. I won't go there.
Apparently walking was too common for the wanderers, so they decide to go by canoe. An unexpecting comedy moment comes in the form of Dr. S having his face sucked off by a rather odd Emu hybrid. This did make me laugh out loud on my initial watching. Visual humour is always a gurantee for laughs.
After more Rune-Makoto-Nanami love triangle scenes, the whole segment becomes a white water raft ride. Fujisawa acting cocky during this is amusing, to say the least ("I'm sorry, what did you say about my head?"). Fujisawa makes short work of the rocks by using his SUPER STRENGTH (I actually forgot he had that in this series. That's cuh-ray-zee Wanderers for you, I suppose). Nice one liner from Alielle, claiming Fujisawa's humour to be "sick". Nice background music here, as well.
Eventually they all fall down a waterfall, and survive Looney Tunes style. Dr. S seems pretty choked up about arriving, for some reason or another. Rune, of course, whines about seeing the snow, just to make sure we don't even think of forgetting the entire premise of the episode. Thanks, Runey. But, what's this? A Bugrom is watching nearby? Shock! Disaster! This could only spell danger for our crew!
Suddenly, it's night (for reasons best known to AIC). Dr. S is getting ready to see the snow, using all sorts of extravagant equipment that fails to interest me in the slightest. It is at this point that Dr. S gets the most perverted look on his face that I've ever seen. That grin is not one of anticipation of snow, I can tell you that much. The pervy way that he says he's "longed to see the snow with [his] own eyes" is also made exretremely creepy thanks to the leer.
I thanked the Lord God Jinnai for the commercial bumpers.
(TO BE CONTINUED)
6
« on: January 10, 2003, 01:00:45 pm »
Well, as a big El-Hazard fan, I felt it only right to submit my own 200 word review of the original series to IMDB. It hasn't been submitted to the page ( http://us.imdb.com/Title?0112940) yet, but I'll present the review here, so you guys can tell me if you think I was harsh enough on my most favourite series ever. ;) -- Possibly my favourite series of all time, El-Hazard: The Magnificent World combines fantasy, sci-fi elements, and comedy into one neat story-driven package.
The basic plot is that 4 people from Earth (3 students and teacher from a Japanese high school) are warped to a strange and fantastic world, known as El-Hazard. Throw in a bit of "Prince and the Pauper" style cross dressing, Marx Brothers references and some "old skool" anime elements, such as magical powers and beautiful girls, and you're in for a great animated ride.
There's a lot to like about this series, but a few of my favourites include the maniac character, Katsuhiko Jinnai, the on-going action and adventure scenarios, and the dramatic Eye of God storyline.
I couldn't really see any down sides to the series, to be honest, but being at my most critical, I'd say some people would be annoyed by Fatora's character ("some" meaning "most") and others would probably be a bit uncomfortable with the risque situations that give the series an excellent sense of humour.
To point out some more obvious things; the series is rated at PG-13, so it's really suited for teen/young adult viewers. Also, the excellent English dubbed version of the series knocks the original Japanese into dull inferiority.
The ending (and many other scenes in the series) should not be spoiled for anyone, prior to watching, as it was a genuine pleasure to watch.
Absolutely classic. A must see for anyone. 10 out of 10.
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« on: October 17, 2002, 06:55:20 pm »
I got the first volume of Alternative World today. I'll post my thoughts tomorrow, once I can get a spare minute without any homework.
Anyone else apart from me and Rob watched any of this? If so, what do you think of it?
9
« on: October 16, 2002, 11:47:16 am »
Ms. Campbel asked for, and I'm obliged to give it to her.
Which do you think is better? Do you feel dizzy everytime Ryutaro Okiayu (the Japanese Jinnai voice) finishes a sentence? Or do you prefer the pyschotic laughter of Bob Marx (the English Jinnai voice)? Tell us. I'm genuinely interested (especially if you prefer the subtitled version ;D).
For me, and I'm sure for Rob as well, it's the dubbed version all the way. It stays faithful to Tsukimura's (screenplay writer) original script, but also adds screamingly funny additions. Notable to these are Fujisawa's infamous line, "Shit! Someone else is out of alcohol!" and Alielle's many hidden lesbian jokes, such as:
[After Fatora has blown up the engine to the hoverboat]
Makoto: "Alielle, can't you keep her steady?!"
Alielle: [struggling with the controls] If Fatora didn't fool around so much, I'd BE her steady!
Obviously, the sub is acceptable. But, it just seems so "dull" and straight to the point. I don't know. Perhaps the El-Hazard dub plays more on a more Western sense of humour.
It's not only the writing that makes me prefer the dub over the sub, it's also the acting! Oh, the voice actors in El-Hazard are absolutely flawless! Each characters sounds more or less (or even better) than their Japanese counterpart. Recommended characters for the dub are Jinnai and Fujisawa. Not only do they get some killer lines, but Marx and Mike Sorich (Fujisawa's English Voice) do a great job of delivering the lines as well.
What does everyone else think?
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