Adventures through Naruto: I

One of my New Year's resolutions this year is to start Naruto. I know, I know...despite my Japanimation obsession I have not opened the door to the Naruto universe. I've decided to chronicle my adventures through Naruto as I proceed through the series.

Left to Right: Sakura, Naruto and Sasuke

I just finished the first story arc (episodes 1-19), which introduces the main characters, follows them through their training and first mission as ninja. I have to admit I didn't like it much at first, but (damn it!) cheerful underdog Naruto grew on me...fast! I love the modern ninja Japanese-ish fantasy world that Kishimoto-san illustrates so beautifully. I also blame Naruto's intense adorableness.

The story begins in the Hidden Village of Falling Leaves and orphan Naruto Uzumaki is once again in trouble for causing mischief. He's an attention seeker and loves pulling off big pranks to anger the elders of the village; in that way, his elders are forced to acknowledge him and Naruto thriv on the attention, negative or otherwise. As a ward of the village, Naruto attends the Ninja Academy with the intense desire to become the Hokage--the most powerful Ninja in his village. He has a decent chance at his dream; although Naruto doesn't know it, the powerful forest spirit of a nine-tailed fox was sealed inside him upon his birth to protect his village. I don't know how the village elders managed to explain away the tell-tale marks on Naruto's cheeks, but whatever!

Despite this, Naruto remains dead-last in his class and fails the graduation exam, which requires the students to demonstrate how much they have learned by performing the Clone Technique. While Naruto is decently skilled in the basic ninja attacks (jutsu) taught at the academy, for some reason he is never able to made an adequate clone. The only technique he is good at is a technique he came up with on his own: Sexy Jutsu. As the name night imply, Naruto is able to transform into a beautiful (and naked) young woman to distract his teachers.

Determined to prove to his teachers he has what it takes to be a ninja, he steals the Scroll of Seals from the Hokage's house (which is an incredible feat in itself!) and teaches himself the difficult Multiple Shadow Clone technique in a matter of hours.

Naruto is given a late graduation and receives his ninja headband. However, to officially obtain the rank of Genin (lowest-level ninja), graduates must undergo a field evaluation administered by a Jonin (high-level ninja), who would become their Squad Leader should they pass. Naruto is teamed with Sakura Haruno, the girl he's had a crush on forever, and the handsome Sasuke Uchiha.

The three form a comical team. Naruto adores Sakura, but Sakura only has eyes for cool-headed Sasuke, who loathes both Naruto and Sakura. Naruto quickly sees Sasuke as his rival, not only in love, but in his pursuit of becoming Hokage. Sasuke is easily the most intelligent of the group and is able to master new techniques quickly, earning the praise of Sakura. This causes no end of frustration to Naruto, who learns new techniques through the mistakes he makes while trying to achieve them. Once learned though, he masters them completely and is able to perform his techniques at a level even Sasuke cannot.

Their Jonin-Teacher is Kakashi, an eccentric, but extremely powerful ninja. To pass his test, he says, they must take the two silver bells hanging from his belt. Only those with the bells at the end of the day will pass and become an official ninja. Through his testing of the three heroes we see a wide variety of advanced ninja techniques--Shadow Clone Technique, Body Replacement Technique and Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique among others. Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura each try to defeat Kakashi independently, but it's only after they fail that they learn Kakashi's lesson--teamwork and the sacrifice of personal desire is the key to success as a ninja.

...and another failed attempt by Sasuke.

Naruto and Co.'s first mission is to escort a bridge-builder to his island country and protect him from the evil mob-organization bent on destroying his bridge to keep their monopoly on the island kingdom. In the end, Naruto inspires the battered island village to stand up and fight against the evil Gato Corporation and the bridge is completed. Along the way, Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura learn to refine their chakra, or spiritual energy and engage in one of the most violent and emotional anime battles I've ever watched.

The primary henchmen of Gato Corp, despite their antagonist standing, are two of the most empathetic characters I've come across in all the anime I've watched. Their deaths are tragic and the emotion of their backstory and devotion to each other is as strong as Naruto to Sasuke and Sakura. n the end, you can hardly call Zabuza and Haku villains. They simply had different motivations than Naruto and Co., which made them enemies, but only in that respect.

Zabuza and Haku | Naruto | Copyright Masashi Kishimoto

And that's what makes a series classic. When you have heroes and villains you become attached to--heroes and villains you truly care about--that is what makes a series come to life. Everything else is just an added bonus.

Lastly, the music of Naruto is phenomenal! I love the mixture of the traditional Japanese flute, taiko drums, shamisen with Western-style rock music.

So, I must say I'm enjoying Naruto as a whole. Despite the characters being pre-teen, I'm looking forward to watching the main characters grow into themselves and their talents. I'm sure many, many more fascinating characters and heart-pounding adventures await me as I continue my journey through Naruto.

Thanks for reading!

Fan Dub Parody Madness!

One of the best things about being a fan of anime is the plethora of absolutely hilarious fan-made parodies out there. Those who truly love anime are super adept at poking fun at the various devices used again and again in every series.

In good parodies, you don't need to know the original series or characters at all; you learn all you need to know about the story and characters from the parody. For instance take this fan dubbing of Bleach which stars the absolute creepiest mad scientist of all time, Mayuri Kurotsuchi. I have no idea how the creator of this parody [Sehanort] decided to give Mayuri a 1930's Sam Spade-ish accent is beyond me, but it fits him so hilariously that it works! And Ishida's nerdy arrogance and superiority complex is actually...rather accurate!

"Nya-nya-nya-nya-nya!"

There are a lot of parodies/fan-subs out there, but only a few are really good. But occasionally you come across a truly talented amateur voice actor like Sehanort with a great eye for seeing the ridiculousness in the things we love. So, anyway, hope you enjoy!

Anime VS Manga

Here in America we view anime and manga as the same thing; however, they are very different. But don't worry! The difference between the two is simple.

Manga is a term used for print comics. Typically, a series is the work of one artist (manga-ka); the story and artwork are their creation. Reading manga is the purest form of enjoying a manga-ka's vision. Their story is usually serialized by chapter in a monthly publication, like Shonen Jump, and later bound in to volumes called takobon to be sold in bookstores. Each manga-ka has a different style of art and storytelling, which makes manga widely varied and refreshingly different to Western audiences. Yuu Watase, the amazing artist behind the incredibly popular Fushigi Yuugi series, loves her characters immensely; I argue that her adoration transfers subliminally through her art and story to the reader. Because manga are drawn to a different audience and standard than their anime counterparts, you'll find characters more detailed and backgrounds exquisitely rendered. Everything is more lovingly drawn because it is done by the creator's own hand.

MANGA: The Suzaku Seven | Fushigi Yuugi | Copyright Yuu Watase

Popular manga series are made into an animated television or theatrical adaption. Anime is almost always far less detailed than the original manga. What makes anime so fun is enjoying the voices for the wide cast of characters and the movement of it all, especially in series like Bleach, which is known for it's highly stylized and intricate battles.

ANIME: The Suzaku Seven | Fushigi Yuugi | Copyright Yuu Watase

The characters in the above pictures are from the same series. Notice how in the anime version the characters seem less detailed? Also, note the changes in hair color. Here's another side by side comparison of my favorite characters, Nuriko and Tasuki:

ANIME vs MANGA: Nuriko | Fushigi Yuugi | Copyright Yuu Watase

ANIME vs MANGA: Tasuki | Fushigi Yuugi | Copyright Yuu Watase

Notice how much more detailed Nuriko's costume is in the original manga (left); although the anime form of Nuriko is highly simplified, but still carries the "feel" of Nuriko. But as a devoted fan of Nuriko, I must say the original form just looks neater. Notice how Tasuki is grossly overdrawn and characterized. He's still fun to watch in the anime, but he's a very different Tasuki than we see in the manga. Watase's work has a very dreamy, oriental and magical feel--qualities that aren't captured in the anime. It's because of this that I enjoy Fushigi Yuugi in manga form. However, I must give the animators of FS credit. Watase's art would be damned near impossible to recreate. Despite the lost "magical" quality, the FS anime series is still great. The emotional depth and richness in story are still there, which made the series enjoyable to watch.

Just as Watase's art is fine and incredibly detailed, other manga-ka styles are already simple before they are made into anime. Take for instance Hiromu Arakawa's FullMetal Alchemist. Her style is simple and straightforward, which I see as a reflection of her main character, Edward Elric, who sees the world in black and white/good and evil. Or rather, Edward Elric is a reflection of her style.

MANGA vs ANIME | Edward Elric | FullMetal Alchemist | Copyright Hiromu Arakawa

Ed looks almost exactly the same in a original manga as he does in the anime; I believe that's because Arakara's art style doesn't leave much to be simplified. FMA is a terrific series; please check out my previous post for more about the adventures of Ed and Alphonse.

So, which do I prefer? It really depends. I like anime for the movement and voice acting. I like manga for the superior artwork and the subtle characterization. I like both!

Ready, Steady, Go!

I've yet to find anyone who's given FullMetal Alchemist a real chance that didn't get just as caught up in the wonderful story and personality and heart of the story like I was.

It's a story about brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric, who grow up in a pre-WWI version of Germany/Austria. It's difficult to pinpoint anything remotely historical because they live in a very different reality -- one in which there is a hybrid of science and alchemy, the "art" of transmutation and equivalent exchange. The entire world of Edward and Alphonse is built on this Principle of Equivalent Exchange: "To gain, something of equal value must be lost."

Edward and Alphonse Elric | FullMetal Alchemist | Copyright Hiromu Arakawa

There are some rules, however; lead cannot be changed into gold and the dead cannot be brought back to life. In the hands of a gifted alchemist, little else is limited. The Military, instead of relying on tanks and machine guns, rely on State Alchemists, a cross between scientists and soldiers, the deadliest of all weapons of the State. The position of State Alchemist carries wealth, power and prestige within the governmental chambers, but outside they are loathed by most and called "dogs of the military."

Edward and Alphonse Elric | FullMetal Alchemist | Copyright Hiromu Arakawa

Ed and his brother are rather hodge-podge-y. You'll see Ed has "automail," a metal arm and leg. His brother is inside an enormous suit of armor. As boys, their alchemist father left and they grew up in the countryside with their mother until she grew ill and died. Ed and Al, who are geniuses of sorts, make the worst choice out of the worst desperation of all--they try something called Human Transmutation. It is the worst crime an alchemist can commit. Their attempt to resurrect their mother goes horribly wrong, as nothing can be equal in value to their mother's soul. In the fallout, Ed loses his arm and leg and Al loses his entire body. It's Ed's sheer cussedness that manages to trap Al's soul in a suit of armor, instead of losing his brother completely through Equivalent Exchange.

Ed is 11. Al is 10.

But that's all ancient history--the actual narrative story of FMA starts later, when Ed is 15. He's taken his natural propensity for alchemy and passed the State Alchemy exam. He's immediately shunted into the service of Colonel Roy Mustang, the Flame Alchemist, known near and far for his flashy and destructive alchemic attacks. He's also a bit devious and dangerously ambitious--he's also got a nasty habit of stealing his subordinate's girlfriends. It was Mustang who came to Ed and Al's country town to recruit them for the military, (with impeccable timing) after the brothers' catastrophic experiment.

Col. Roy Mustang | FullMetal Alchemist | Copyright Hiromu Arakawa

He keeps the secret of Al's body and Ed's automail a secret. Although he "keeps them in line" (i.e. blackmails) by threatening to go to the higher-ups with the information of Ed and Al's Human Transmutation, he looks out for them like no one else and supports their mission: to find the mythical Philosopher's Stone and restore Al's body. Ed's work with the State Military are simply a means to an end; therefore, he makes choices he feels are best for Al and not the highly politicized State. By proxy, his affects his official State missions as well; he has attained unprecedented popularity with the masses as being "for the people."

And of course, the plot always thickens. There are creepy bad guys also after the Philosopher's Stone, the State is corrupt and a religious zealot/vigilant goes on a killing rampage, etc. Oh, the drama! And...then there are lot more shenanigans along the way.

(Those of you who know this series and just threw something at the computer screen ad yelled, "Cop Out!" I implore you: YOU THINK OF A WAY TO SUMMARIZE ALL THAT SHIT. BECAUSE I SWEAR TO GOD.)

I re-itterate! It's rare I like the main character of a series, anime or otherwise. Very rare. But, I do LOVE Edward Elric. I like his straightforward approach to life--he takes things on and isn't afraid to put himself out here. He's a bit of a wanderer and isn't content staying place in one place for too long. Plus, his maniacal focus is something I can relate with! He's one of those all around good natured "wild boys" with a strong sense of justice. Plus, he can literally transmute his metal arm and leg into weapons. How cool is that?! And it really is nice to have a SHORT hero for once! Really.

Edward Elric | FullMetal Alchemist | Copyright Hiromu Arakawa

And who could forget sweet and wonderful Alphonse? If you watch the anime, you will hear the cutest voice ever coming out of an enormous suit of armor and your heart will fall apart in an effort to keep him happy and pure and wonderful.

My Loves!

So, it seems I've been devoting a lot of time to Bleach lately. I tend to fall in love quickly with things, but I'm know to fall out of love quickly too. While Bleach has a great cast, I found myself not really liking any of them; or rather, the characters I really liked were so minor that I'd see them maybe once every 10 episodes. It's a little hard to describe my criteria for picking a favorite character. I love the characters I have emotional responses to. And while I may like watching the stories and battles of Byakuya Kuchiki and the others, I have no emotional response or attachment to them. So, against the other series I've read and watched, Bleach is relatively low on the impact level; HOWEVER, Bleach does have the most kick ass battles of any series I've watched!

Renji Abarai and Ichigo Kurosaki | Bleach | Copyright Tite Kubo

But to bibliophiles like me, that emotional attachment is vitally important to liking/loving/obsessing over a book. Emotional attachments easily change a mainstream fan of a genre into a fanatic. Often die-hard fans describe feeling like they "know" a character and in a way it's true. In series like Fruits Basket, for instance, you follow the characters so intimately for years that you almost feel integral to the series yourself. It's very hard to remain detached from a series that takes hold of you like that.

Of course, I have other "favorites" in the more traditional sense, i.e. characters I like to follow, but may not have a connection to. Those include Sesshoumaru from Inuyasha and Edward "Shrimp" Elric from FullMetal Alchemist, among others I am failing to recall. (There are a lot.)

So, here's a brief run-down of the two characters who have permanently lodged themselves in my heart.

Hatori Sohma | Fruits Basket | Copyright Natsuki Takaya

My first real emotional attachment to a fictional character was Hatori Sohma from Fruits Basket. Hatori is a variation of the character epitomized by Jane Austen's Fitzwilliam Darcy. At the beginning of Fruits Basket, Hatori comes across much like Mr. Darcy did in Pride and Prejudice--disagreeable, arrogant and bitter. However, it becomes apparent that his true nature is that of a warm, gentle man driven by a deep undercurrent of passion who is still healing from the tragic loss of his lover. I also "played" Hatori as part of a serious Fruits Basket writer's circle for nearly two years, which allowed me to breathe a bit of myself into him. In many ways, I fell in love with him through that experience. I felt in many ways that I was Hatori (or that I became him); he soon became an extension of me (oddly, it didn't view myself as being crazy until just now!). But, I discovered a lot about myself as a creative writer through the process, and because of that, dear Hatori remains my favorite.

Nuriko | Fushigi Yuugi | Copyright Yuu Watase

The series that took me on the most drastic emotional roller coaster was Fushigi Yuugi (The Mysterious Play). Oh my God...I knew going in that the series would play on my emotions and use cheap tactics to pull at my heartstrings...and they did. Nuriko became my favorite character the moment he "entered" the adventure. I BAWLED when Nuriko was killed. Yes, there I was, alone in my room at 3:00am, hunkered over my laptop, sobbing as Nuriko collapsed onto the harsh, frozen ground of the northern Chinese mountains. The drama! I didn't even realize how attached to Nuriko I'd become. The combination of character history, growth and development and amazing voice acting compounded the ultimate emotional deluge. There was real grief there. Real, I tell you! Yes, Nuriko remains one of my favorite characters of all time.

"Folks line up just to see him flex! Mmmm...my man!"

Otaku: The Passionate Obsessive

“The otaku, the passionate obsessive, the information age's embodiment of the connoisseur, more concerned with the accumulation of data than of objects, seems a natural crossover figure in today's interface of British and Japanese cultures. I see it in the eyes of the Portobello dealers, and in the eyes of the Japanese collectors: a perfectly calm train-spotter frenzy, murderous and sublime. Understanding otaku-hood, I think, is one of the keys to understanding the culture of the web. There is something profoundly post-national about it, extra-geographic. We are all curators, in the post-modern world, whether we want to be or not.”

--Spook Country, April 2001 edition of The Observer

Powers, Anime Powers.

As the only one in my family who likes/understands Japanese anime and manga, I often find myself gently needled about the common Western conceptions about anime. As my dad teasingly asked today at lunch, "Don't they all have weird magical powers?"

Yes, and no. It really depends on the series you read. Just like American literature, which has many, many genres, so does anime and manga. You wouldn't expect Tom Sawyer to bust out a mystical power, would you? Here in America we have limited access to the full range of manga (in particular) and usually only have access to the popular (i.e. sellable) series; these series are more pop culture and fall into the "fantasy" genre than anything and most lack true literary genius. Similarly, the Japanese aren't able to walk into their bookstores and have all the titles available we do in our local Barnes & Noble. They are also limited in their range of Western literature and are stuck with our pop culture equivalents: Harry Potter, Twilight, etc.

But, I digress. Despite this, most anime and manga characters do have a special power of some sort. There are varying kinds of powers, though, and I'll try and break down two of the most common ones.

The Prodigy:

In FullMetal Alchemist (FMA), it may seem like the characters are using magic; they are, in fact, using science. The world of FMA is a quasi-European world in the early 20th century that developed alchemy instead of science. In a nutshell, alchemy is the practice of taking one element, breaking it down and reconfiguring it into another element, i.e. turning lead into gold. Alchemists are the equivalent of our scientists, and their experiments and inventions are the center of the story. Anyone can be an alchemist (just like anyone can be a scientist), but it's those with a natural ability, desire to learn and propensity towards experimentation and discovery who become the most successful.

Ed Elric's arm after an alchemic transmutation.

The series hero, Edward Elric, is a alchemic child prodigy. He becomes the youngest person to become a State Alchemist -- a special agent for the military. Does Ed have "magical" powers? A similar question might be: did MacGyver have magical powers? Not exactly. His quick thinking and honed, latent abilities make him an average guy who uses what he's got at hand. It's the same with Edward Elric.

The Warrior's Edge:

Most characters don't have their own powers, they simply wield a weapon that is magical. This can be said of the Shinigami (Grim Reapers) of Bleach. Take a look at the battle scene between Hitsugaya and Gin in my previous post for an example of this. As spiritual beings/warriors, their only "power" is their spiritual pressure, or aptitude. This can give them a boost when it comes to hand-to-hand fighting, or when they deploy spells. It's rather unimpressive. However, when their spiritual pressure is combined with a magical weapon, it's another story.

Each Shinigami has their own personalized weapon, a katana called a Zanpakuto. When at rest, the weapon has the appearance of an ordinary katana. When drawn and infused with the wielders' spiritual energy, it changes its shape and becomes a fearsome weapon with "magical powers." Each Zanpakuto is different and its powers manifest in a form reflecting the wielder.

The physical manifestation of Renji's Zanpakuto named Zabimaru, a baboon and serpent.

Yes, that whole thing is his sword.

There are also various levels of "release" of the Zanpakuto's power, based on how refined the wielder is. The only thing Shinigami naturally have is their spiritual energy. It's their weapons that give them "powers." Without it, they are simply warriors.

Another series that uses magical weapons is InuYasha. As half-youkai (forest spirit), InuYasha has more stamina than the average human, meaning he can endure a lot more injuries and survive. He also has the ability to jump and leap long distance and he has claws. I wouldn't go so far as to call those "powers" though. What makes InuYasha powerful is his sword, Tetsusaiga. Very similar to the Zanpakuto of the Shinigami in Bleach, Tetsusaiga has various forms, each with a different power.

One of Tetsusaiga's attack variations: The Dragon Scale.

Most magical weapons "defy the law of conservation of mass." When drawn, they change shape and grow to an almost comical, un-wieldable size. But, as the sword is one with its master, it's all good. Plus, it makes some entertaining fight scenes!

Lady Otaku

The Dichotomy of Shojo and Shonen

In a nutshell, the two main genres of manga are called shonen and shojo.

SHOJO ("for girls") manga is, as you might guess, "girly," usually revolving around complex social issues, boyfriends, family and friends. The artwork for the genre is typically light and airy with thin lines and highly ornate, detailed, iridescent backgrounds. The characters are drawn delicately and the whole work has a romantic and soft feel. Men are portrayed as unrealistically handsome and often are effeminate. There are exceptions, of course.

Common Misconceptions: Vapid, no substance, sexist, unrealistic, no plot

Copyright Bisco Hatori | Ouran High School Host Club

SHONEN ("for boys") manga is, as you might guess, more "guy" centered, usually revolving around a warrior's coming of age, battles, growing in strength and protecting friends. In contrast to shojo manga, shonen series' artwork is typically bolder and confident in the strength of the lines. Background scenes are not as richly detailed as in shojo manga, but the often bleak art is contrasted by a compelling conflict. Women are usually beautiful, well-edowed and shapely.

Common Misconceptions: No character development, sexist, pointless, endless fighting

Copyright Tite Kubo | Bleach

As a general rule, the majority of shojo manga is repulsive to guys, and girls wouldn't go near the majority of shonen manga. However, it seems the most popular series in recent history have been hybrids with the perfect balance of humor and relationships from shojo and strong characters and story from shonen. Series like Bleach, FullMetal Alchemist, Naruto and InuYasha, which officially shonen manga, appeal to both guys and girls and their popularity seems to grow exponentially.

Somewhere around Episode 130 of Bleach it struck much how much I'd come to love Ikkaku Madarame. As a minor supporting character, I'd followed his story indirectly for several seasons and didn't think much of it. He loves fighting, has a brash personality and is the run-of-the-mill violence loving warrior. I didn't like him much at first, and I assumed it was because as a female viewer I found him too harsh. I preferred watched "softer" male characters.

But, as characters tend to do, Ikkaku grew on me. Then it dawned on me; I was liking Ikkaku more because he was becoming less of the "man's man" warrior and becoming more "soft," or likable/lovable. Ikkaku epitomizes one of the reasons Bleach is as popular as it is. Here's a character who's both likable by guys and girls for completely different reasons:

He's a kick-ass bad-ass....

...and a sexy love interest.

Oh, the dichotomy! Ikkaku is both a shojo and shonen lead (did you notice the contrasting background between the two Ikkaku pictures?). I find it amusingly charming when characters are suddenly portrayed in a different light. It keeps the energy of the series fresh! Despite my love for Ikkaku, he is not my favorite Bleach character, but more on that later. :)

Lady Otaku

Thanks for Reading!

Welcome to my little digital paradise where I can scribble-type my thoughts about my obsession--Japanese anime and manga. You never know what might pop up here, as my adventures take me new places every day. I am not Japanese; I'm just a girl who has fallen madly in love with Japan.

I'm currently reading and watching Tite Kubo's Bleach for the first time. Magnificent! And soon I'll tell you why as I continue my journey through the endless epic.

Other favorites include Rumiko Takahashi's InuYasha, because he makes me smile; Yu Watase's Fushigi Yuugi, because of the tears of joy and anguish; Hiromu Arakawa's FullMetal Alchemist, because of the characters I've come to cherish; Natsuki Takaya's Fruits Basket, because of the warm fuzzies; and Bisco Hatori's Ouran High School Host Club, because of the laughter, growth and friendship.

I love sharing my discoveries from the Wide World of Otakudom, so check back frequently for new funnies or treasures I've stumbled across. Please feel free to stay awhile and enjoy!

Lady Otaku