15.09.2009 · by Patrick W. Galbraith
'20th Century Boys' trilogy complete
I finally got a chance to go see the final chapter of the film series in theaters last night, and it was great. Well, the movies themselves are perhaps not so great, but I couldn't help but enjoy the show. I can't help but feel that the author of the original manga, Urasawa Naoki, is really making a statement on the past century in Japan, specifically the downward slide and disenfranchisement among kids since Expo 70. This is the era when otaku,and also Aum Shinrikyo appeared, and kids committed acts of unspeakable violence. I couldn't help but shudder when Tomodachi said, "I am the 20th Century Boy." He describes the century as that best and worst chapter of human history - right before he talks about destroying all of humanity except for the reconstructed Expo 70 site. Chilling stuff. The ending with Kenji singing was forced, I think, as was his redemption in going back with a machine to apologize to Tomodachi as a kid for setting him up to be bullied and ignored his whole life. It doesn't change anything to apologize in your own memories, ass. But the movies makes it seem like it does - Tomodachi helps Kenji write the song that unites the world and ends the movie by saying he finally made a friend. Very uplifting, but totally nonsensical. How is it that in an alternative version of the past he helped write a song Kenji has already sung? I guess the movie's director wanted to redeem Kenji by allowing for the apology. I did not read the original manga, but someone who did, is this how it ended? I hope the epic tale was not reduced to this in that version, too.
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13.04.2009 · by Patrick W. Galbraith
Who watches 'The Watchmen'? Maybe fujoshi
Went to see "The Watchmen," and despite the blue wang and overly emotional Rorschach (he screams in anger, and also sniffs went he gets capped in the end...), I actually did like it. For one thing, it like the original presents a good view of the possible social and political problems with really having superheroes around. For another, many of the characters match moe elements, especially yaoi. Behold:
Dr. Manhattan / Jon Osterman: Robot, alien, superpowers, tsundere
Ozymandias / Adrian Veidt: Grand king (teiou), intelligent and conciented (gyakugire yuutousei), kichiku (like a BL seme)
Rorschach / Walter Kovacs: Detective, quiet but burning passion, close relationship with Nite Owl II reads like seme/uke
Nite Owl II / Dan Dreiberg: Hetare (loser), glasses, close relationship with Rorschach reads like uke/seme (you know Rorschach punks him)
The Comedian / Edward Blake: Strong man (bara?), rape, secret father
Laurie Jupiter / Silk Spectre II: Bitch (can this be moe? Maybe not...), mated by multiple tentecle-like Dr. Manhattan hands
Those last two characters are suspect, I admit, but the rest stand. Mark my words, their will be yaoi doujinshi based on this film at Comike.