Clever Turtles

Best scene from STARSHIP TROOPERS anime:

In the assault on the planet Klendathu, episode 6

CHERENKOV: The tree's dying. Are they killing trees? [Frenzied shooting at alien] Get away! Get away from from that tree! Damnit, damnit, damnit!

SMITH: Don't get mad, Cherenkov! We're not an environmental protection group. We're soldiers.

Zim said almost gently, "You've got it all wrong, son. There's no such thing as a dangerous weapon."

"Huh? Sir?"

I just discovered that there was an anime adaptation of Robert Heinlein's STARSHIP TROOPERS, from way back in 1988, released only on Laserdisc. Of course I had to see it. STARSHIP TROOPERS is, among other things, the invention of the Giant Robot epic. How could you not want to see the Japanese take on it?

Heinlein wrote the novel in 1959, and it's heavily influenced by WW2 and Korean War military experience (although not firsthand). Heinlein was a military R+D researcher during the war (and after for a while, I think), and he was a big supporter of nuclear weapons testing.

Toshokan Sensou: What if you crossed FARENHEIT 451 with FULL METAL PANIC? Obviously, awesomeness would result.

All asiaphiles know about Japanese otaku, but people often forget that there are no real limits to the subjects upon which an otaku subculture can attach to. They are often associated with manga, porn, and video games, but there are otaku for pretty much anything than anyone can consider mildly interesting. For example, I once saw a clip on Korean TV where the host went to a Japanese rubber-band gun convention. An entire convention for people who buy, sell, and make guns that shoot rubber bands.

If you're like me, you probably often lament the lack of stories that combine animistic religion with the details of medieval finance and commerce. Well, that's not a problem anymore!

I just finished watching the recent anime "Wolf and Spice", and it has everything! Currency speculation, trade wars, commodity investments, the conflict between pagan rituals and the advent of organized religion . . . In short, everything you always wanted from a fantasy story, but could never get due to the obsession with pedestrian topics like sorcery, demons, swordfights, and so forth.

Hindu animation series are apparently becoming popular in India. Of course, they're drawn by Koreans.

Now if you are looking for an anime to spice up your life look no further. Only but once every couple of years an anime truly worthy comes out from the depths of Japanese artist's creativity. Well my sociopathic little friend, it has happened once again.



To give a brief synopsis on this anime I turned to AnimeNewsNetwork.com's plot summary.

Coolest Suzumiya Haruhi figure!

One of these days I'll post pictures of my collection.