Archive for the Tokyo Journal Category


Live Action: Love My Life

January 24th, 2007

While I was in Tokyo, I had the chance to see the movie based on the terrific, Yuri manga by Yamaji Ebine, Love My Life. I won’t be going over the characters or plot of the story in detail, because if you haven’t read the manga, there’s just about no way you’d see the movie, so if you’re unfamiliar with this manga, please take a second to read my original review of LML. (For folks coming to this blog from Afterellen.com, most of the next paragraph is relevant to earlier posts about my trip to the world’s largest comic market, Comiket. If you want to know the story of the manga – and movie – read the link above.)

Looking at it now, I realize that we were *incredibly* lucky, because the theater we saw it at, N Theater Shibuya was a very few blocks from Bruce’s hotel. I only today learned that it played at like *two* theaters. What were the chances that one would be in walking distance from where Bruce was staying? Oh, and btw, it was immediately above the Shibuya Animate, which meant that the next day, we knew where we were going for that, too. Did I mention “lucky?”

The movie version of Love My Life was very sweet. There were some number of changes from the manga, which I’ll detail below, but in general, it was a really cute movie with an undoubtedly happy end where the girl got the girl. Totally worth having seen for that alone. I sincerely hope that there’s a US release.

The biggest weakness of the movie was something I have encountered over and over and over in Japanese live-action films: the pacing. This movie was almost 90 minutes long and when I saw the running time,I was skeptical as to how they’d stretch the story…especially as the first few chapters of the manga/movie zip by in rapid succession. So it starts off light and fast and happy, and then, suddenly, stops dead. At just about the time any American movie would start wrapping up, Japanese movies insert 20-30 minutes of absolutely nothing. It kills the energy, sucks the life out of the movie and makes my wife get fidgety. ^_^

In this case, after having established how sad Ichiko is, we are treated to 20 more minutes of her being sad. Sad, sad, sad. She’s so sad. And when the end comes, there’s another pacing issue, but if I complain about that I’m just being a hard ass.

Well, I’m a hard ass. Here goes. Eri has called Ichiko after their long separation and instead of calling back, Ichiko starts running. And running. And running. Eri, waits and waits and waits, while Ichiko appears to run across the freakin’ country. *Just* as Eri begins to turn away unhappily, Ichiko comes running up. Uh…wouldn’t a phone call back saying “I’m coming!” have been a good idea right then?

The actress who plays Ichiko is…well…okay. Where the Ichiko of the manga is pleasant, hard working, smart and cute, this Ichiko is dreamy and over-smiley happy. She plays the role like a baby seal you’re waiting to watch be clubbed.

On the completely other hand, Eri is played perfectly. It’s immediately apparent that she, while not being a gabber, has a deep and rich inner dialogue – and you want to be part of it. I think that she was just about perfect.

And the rest of the cast is pretty great, too. The actor who played Ichiko’s father hit the nail right on the crumpet with his portrayal – and Ichiko’s gay friend Take was immediately likeable and real.

There were a few things changed for the movie. For one thing – the hair. In the manga, Ichiko, and later, her mother’s former lover, have dyke-y short hair. In the movie, both have shortish normal cuts. And the bald skinhead girl who piques Ichiko’s fancy is turned into a mohawk-wearing punk. No clue why.

Another thing that was changed, which I thought really odd, was the soundtrack. The manga has a distinctly classic jazz background. You can’t miss it, as jazz music and musicians are mentioned nearly every chapter. The movie was given a peppy, pop music soundtrack by noodles, that was, nonetheless, exceptionally appealing. The opening theme, particularly, was darn cute.

The final thing that I could not help but notice was that Take merely announced that he had nabbed himself a boyfriend. In the manga we meet Joe, an African-American student. I was sort of sad to see that they didn’t show Joe. I was wondering how they were going to handle that – the fact that that they didn’t bother bugged me a tad.

The story is reasonably close to the manga, until the extra inserted bit at the end, as Ichiko kills her Eri-less time by trying to become a translator like Papa. The beginning, particularly, is very, very good. Their relationship is sweet (I know that I wasn’t the only one in the theater holding my girl’s hand during a few of the lovey-dovier scenes) and quite realistic.

Ratings:

Cinematography – A little precious, 6
Story – 8
Characters – 8
Yuri – 10
Service – 3

If only someone would edit that slow bit, the whole movie would be a real keeper. ^_^





Tokyo Trip 2007: Final day

January 5th, 2007

Last night we saw just about the most unwatchable anime we’d ever seen, Kirarin Revolution. For a kids anime about pop idols, the music was unbelievably bad.

We also watched “Maguro!” and true to its name, it was a cold fish of a show. I don’t think it could have been more trite or lifeless if it tried.

Also watched the Jets pwn the Raiders, which was nice. Hope they didn’t blow it in the fourth quarter when I turned the TV off.

It’s raining today. We had tentatively planned to get together with Rica, who wanted us to go to one of those “traditional village” set ups, but the weather is really nasty and Pattie’s still feeling bad. We had both wanted to visit the National Museum anyway, so that seems like a good choice for today. I have yet to visit any of Tokyo’s museums, and I’m a huge museum hound. So while we are going to miss Nakano this trip, I’m okay with that. Heaven knows I got enough crap.

***

Well, the other boot dropped. Remember way back in the beginning of the trip I said that something was terribly wrong, because everything was going okay? Well, the wife clearly is down for the count with a stomach virus and, as we all, know, there’s nothing for that, except liquids, rest and a lot of whining.

Yes, I could go off and do stuff without her, but I don’t want to, because it would be no fun without her, and for some other reasons that I’m not going to elaborate on. And the weather’s crappy, anyway, and I have a headache. So, I guess today’s cancelled too. That kind of sucks, but we had 6 great days here, and I had a ton of fun in that week, so I can’t really complain.

In the meantime, I’m still making my way through a pile of anthologies I bought, and I’ll try to meet up with Rica at least for a little while before we leave.





Day 7 has been cancelled

January 5th, 2007

Whether it was the fish last night, or a combination of who knows what, my poor wife woke up today sicker than I’ve seen her in years. (I’m usually the one who ends up flattened and miserable on trips.)

Today we were planning on going to Nakano and wandering around Mandarake, but no go. She can’t leave the room.

This morning I shipped two immense and expensive boxes of stuff, one for me, one for Bruce, then I waited around for a visit from Yuricon contest winner, Anna H. She showed a little late, but it was okay, as today’s plans are basically “hope wifey feels better.” Anna received her prize (a spiffy “I Love Yuri” messenger bag) and we sat around for a while, then the wife threw us out so she could sleep.

Anna and I chatted for a couple of hours in a coffee place downstairs, then she left and I’m here, probably for the duration. I’ll actually get to *look* at some of the stuff I bought, LOL (I started last night with a White Rose family anthology and I have bad news for Adam Jones – the story you wanted to write about Noriko and Shimako? Already written. Luckily for you, it’s in Japanese. But it still sounded like you wrote it. lol)

If I get bored, and frankly, I doubt that, I’m very easily amused, I can always wander over to Daiba and walk around in the middle of the shopping frenzy.

In the meantime, I’m going to start reading the next anthology and eating crunch-berry flavored Biz, “For your lucky time”. See ya later.

***

Oh, and here’s one of Anna’s Comiket stories. Anna showed up here wearing an ecletic outfit that proclaimed her lesbian otakudom loudly, with visuals. As she is a lovely young woman, she could easily get away with the outfit. (It looked a bit to me, like she was a walk-on for Mork and Mindy. I know no one but Sean will get the reference, but that’s what she looked like. That or a gay otaku Strawberry Shortcake.) Anyway, Anna wanted to take pictures up in the Cosplay area, but everywhere she went, they kept directing her to where cosplayers should go. She kept protesting that she wasn’t cosplaying. Once up in the cosplay area, she snapped about two pictures before she was mobbed by people who wanted to take her picture. She’s like, sure, but I’m not cosplaying!! LOL In the end, she only managed to get a few pictures of her own. :-) (I got a pic of her today…I’ll upload it along with the others when I get home and have energy.)





Tokyo Trip 2007, Day 6: 47 Ronin

January 4th, 2007

We started the day by heading off to Sengakuji, where the 47 ronin are buried. It was a lovely shrine, but more importantly, it was really quite moving. You can buy incense bundles and leave a stick at each stone. There were dozens of people doing that, and it had a cumulative effect that was very powerful.

On the way out we found what are quite possibly the most amazing things I’ve ever seen – Hello Kitty phone straps, 47 Ronin version. No kidding. Every one of the ronin are replicated as a small, beribboned cat, with a matching bell and phone cord. It was breathtaking. We bought a handful, because they were simply too…yeah. I’m keeping Oishi kitty for myself.

Then we took a ride halfway around the city to Ikebukuro, where, as we got off the train I said, “Tadaima.” I love Ikebukuro and once standing in the middle of the hub and bub, I was reminded why. It’s so alive and yet not overwhelming like Shibuya or Shinjuku.

We decided to find lunch, something not easy at lunchtime in the middle of the week, but we ended up at a Denny’s. ^_^ It’s one of my secret vices…I love Denny’s. The wait was long and hot (every single store in Tokyo is overheated to excess, I have no idea why) but we got seated at last and had a really bizarre and eclectic meal that was great – especially the french fries with taromasalata dip. That was soooooo good.

Fed and energized we headed, at last, for our mecca.  Starting at the far end of Otome road, we hit up K-Books comic-kan, where I spent way freakin’ more that I expected to, mostly in anthologies. Then the wife did the BL doujinshi stores, and I watched the steady stream of women pour down from the train station at a regular every three minutes or so, as trains arrived. Bruce and I did a quick stint in the back with the Marimite doujinshi, but I did manage to find an Aria Alicia x Akira book I was really coveting.

Then onto Lashinban and K-Books stuff stores, where some gashapon inexplicably found their way into my bag and, at last, into Animate. Where we spent 2 hours in blistering heat and more money on myself than I usually spend in a year. What can I say…Drama CDs. I look sheepish as I write this, I assure you. I did find the microscopic Marimite section and got a bunch of goods, then ended up with the second volume of Aoi Hana.

There was one small section of one wall that was the “Yuri section” which made me happy. It had all of the Ichijinsha books, Shoujo Sect and a few other related manga that would be instantly recognizable to anyone who reads Okazu. It’s a small section, but hey, it *existed.*

Our bags were so heavy that Bruce asked if we had added some ingots to our anvils from yesterday. :)

Honest to god, I never expected to buy this much…it’s really embarrassing. ^_^;

On the way back to the train we passed an add for coffee “Meister Bland.” So close, yet so far.

We decided, as it’s Bruce’s last night in town, to do something special for dinner. So we went to an Irish pub. ^_^

The whole place was manufactured to look like a smoke-stained Irish pub, with the collected works of George Bernard Shaw on the shelves and Guiness ads everywhere. I had a Strongbow, which made me nostalgic for the UK, and beef and Guiness stew, with enoki and shitake mushrooms, which was delicious. Bruce and the wife had fish and chips. It’s was a little weird, but kind of nice. I wished for a piece of bread, though, to sop up the gravy.

Went back to the room, where were uncovered all our treasures for the day, then Bruce took his leave. Tomorrow, we go to Nakano, where I really, REALLY, don’t plan on buying more. ^_^;

 





Tokyo Trip 2007, Day 6: 212

January 4th, 2007

Had my bagel, with cream cheese and lox. The bagel shop is called 212, adroably enough, and bagel, lox and coffee were all 212-worthy. Thumbs up for whoever managed to get such good egg bagels out here to Tennozu Isle.

Today the plan is to first, ship the gigantic heavy boxes of crap we have, second to visit the Sengaku-ji, and third throw money at stores in Ikebukuro.

The wife asks if I’ve mentioned the remote control drapes in the room. I hadn’t. So I’m mentioning them now. Because you want the convenience of opening and closing the drapes from the comfort of your own bed.

I came packed with mostly disposable clothing. Sweaters and shoes I planned on leaving here, to free space in my luggage for books and the like. Housekeeping is finding this confusing and probably distressing, as every day there are clothes in the garbage. Wait ’til they get the shoes I’m wearing. :-)

So, the Sengagku-ji.

If you look back at our first ever trip to Tokyo in 2003, practically the very first thing we ever saw on TV was the story of Lord Asano’s 47 ronin. (I’m assuming you know it. If you don’t go look it up.) This time, we assumed we’d be nearish their shrine, because I had the wrong hotel in my head. The wife looked them up, did a bit of reading, we watched a famous movie about them, because why not. :-) We were sitting here in the room two nights ago, trying to decide whether to go to their shrine, when we turned on TV and lo and behold! There was /famous actor who always plays samurai roles/ playing Oishi, and the whole 47. When we stopped laughing, we promised to go to their shrine. Bruce says that we keep tuning into the “47 Ronin” station on TV. The wife says “47 24/7” “All 47, all the time.” I can see this being the beginning of a joke that never dies. lol

So, we’re waiting for Bruce to play the “ship great wopping boxes full of crap” game, and then we’re off to pay tribute to the men who symbolize loyalty and devotion beyond all bounds.

See ya later.