With a looming busy academic and traveling schedule—papers, exams, shopping, flying, and all that—let us just horse around a bit and have some light fun tonight.
My recent fascination with centaurs all started with an innocuous question from a friend, 2DT, “Do you prefer your centaur girls to wear skirts over their entire horse rumps, or just at the end of their human waists?” In a follow-up tweet, 2DT identifies the core of the question: whether centaur private parts ought to be treated with the same social decorum as human private parts.
When 2DT asked the question, I had just started reading this adorable manga, Centaur’s Worries. Centaur’s Worries goes into incredible depth of a mythical world populated by a hodgepodge of various “humans” ranging from centaurs to angels. The themes that arise and are discussed within each chapter are surprisingly intelligent, and can often be allegories for issues we face. Sexuality—and how young women deal with it—is one of those.
Below is my response, inspired by Centaur’s Worries, to the curious question of centaur wardrobe. The discourse assumes that the fantastic centaur culture is integrated into a global culture similar to our own.
Centaur fashion should extend toward the entire lower body not only for aesthetic reasons, but for social, ethical reasons as well. At the surface level, our instinctive fashion sense—shaped by centuries of design and culture—dictates that a complete wardrobe often includes skirts, pants, shorts, lingerie, and other items for our lower bodies. Why should centaurs be deprived of those garments? Even a compromise at the waist precludes far too many styles. For example, it would be difficult to imagine a gorgeous ball room gown that halves its own silhouette and cuts off any sense of flow. Or, if we were to look into traditional and cultural attires, we would sorely miss the styles of Victoria, Southern Belles, qipao and kimonos. Gone too are those sexy pencil skirts or that tight-fit little black dress with stockings. These are but a few sacrifices to fashion that come with such limited, close-minded clothing.
Sexuality is jeopardized as well. Fashion enriches sexuality. In the simplest sense, clothing draws our attention to sexuality by clothing the reproductive organs. The garments over a woman’s breasts and buttocks are signs that those parts of her—and sex—are not for everyone nor for any situation. It precisely that sense of mystery—the taboo, the forbidden zones—that titillates.
Moreover, fashion builds context, which in turn influences how fashion shapes sex. Lacey lingerie and bikini have vastly different sensual meanings because of the environments they are worn in and what they do to the atmosphere. More brusquely explained, a bare vagina in a biology textbook and a glimpse of a woman in an erotica are not the same. Thus, without a proper social context—one that covers centaur vagina—we dehumanize centaur sexuality to mere reproductive functions. In fact, in a culture where fashion is so integrally tied with sexuality, when we deny centaur women clothing for their buttocks, we strip them of their sex appeal, and, worse, their sexuality. On the other hand, a fashion sense that gives centaur girls choice in how and when to display their sexuality is empowering.
This distinction between workhorse sex and centaur sensuality is not trivial, nor is the implication of the fashion attached to each. If we consider public attire to be a signature of civilization, then clothing the equine private parts has relevance regarding speciesism. It says that centaur ladies are not mere half-beasts, that they are an equal part of society, and that they are no more or less vulgar than any other species. Although a point can be made about our conception of vulgarity, that is a separate argument. For now, we live in a world that associates refinement, class, and beauty to not flaunting one’s privates. As such, fashion should not be so discriminating as to hold a species to a completely separate, bestial standard. That is, revealing her vagina should be a centaur girl’s personal choice only—as it is for any other girl—and not a centaur-specific wardrobe statement resulting from speciesist pressures. Further, just as it would be degrading to saddle centaurs—voluntary pony play enthusiasts excepted—it is degrading to expect centaurs to bare their genitalia. After all, centaurs are not horses.
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Notes:
I should preempt a few things that might arise in the comments. Yes, I think centaur girls can be adorable. No, I am not attracted to horses or horse buttocks. And, no, I am not into bestiality, although the moral arguments surrounding bestiality is far less cut-and-dry than one might suspect. If a chance to discuss bestiality ever comes, remind me to write about it. Also, remind me to talk about pony play.
I spent the last weekend back in California. This trip was not an easy one to make. I left on Friday morning—following a string midterms before—exhausted, sleepy, and worried about the unfinished paperwork that needed to be done already and that still came ahead. The flight stopped briefly in Hong Kong before completing its fifteen hours in the air. Fortunately, the ride was a comfortable one with both plenty of room and good companionship; it is not often I have conversations with another passenger on one side, or have an empty seat on the other. Customs, however, is as insufferable as ever.
Once I arrived in San Francisco, I was immediately greeted by the cold air and warm company. I spent the next few days snuggled up in sweaters and blankets. It was easy to push away any serious thoughts, and simply relax and bath in the ambience and Spanish, country-inspired decor of my sister’s home.
Saturday morning, I went with my brother to the farmer’s market in downtown Palo Alto, where we picked up some greens and some grapes, and where we stood under the chilly, sunny sky listening to a few quick tunes of a street band—an ensemble of guitar, violin, and accordion. We then sat down with a friend at a local café. We wrote out a menu and picked up a few more grocery items we needed before parting. That night, a delectable vegetarian four-course meal was had, and my family and I delighted in the presence of my brother’s special guest.
I slept through most of Sunday. I really needed that long, long rest. I also did some things and met some people.
On Monday, my sister drove my brother and me to get a few gifts for friends and family in Taiwan. After lunch, my brother went back to school, while my sister and I looked for a particular sensual massage oil and strawberry flavored cream. Then, I accompanied my sister to a luxurious salon in downtown Saratoga. The place is beautiful, and my sister’s hair, adorable. When the sunset, we spent the evening at a vibrant, lush shopping mall.
I missed the bay dearly—its European veneer, Bohemian moxie, and gorgeous streets. The weekend getaway was a much desired and subtly-necessary moment to unwind before diving back into the fast-paced lifestyle of Taipei and of a medical student.
Yi: Shance and I are back to chat a bit about another element of anime couture and character designs. In the past, we have discussed Nekomimi and Hime Cut. In this colloquium, we will talk about something just as popular and perhaps with a more relevant tie to real life fashion: glasses.
Shance: Glasses, huh? In my opinion, glasses rely on the same level of fashion sense as someone would for clothes. Couture-wise, we see glasses that cater to a wide range of needs, fashion being one of them. There are glasses that serve their intended purpose, while there are some that achieve this while also looking pretty good.
For example, glasses that have thick lenses and square frames give out a very nerdy look if worn by the youth, but this suddenly changes if an adult wears this as it gives off an aura of professionalism and adult-like finesse. Another example would be the rimless glasses, which give off a very tech-savvy look if worn with professional clothes, but also look pretty good when worn with casual clothing. A subtle change in color on the frames and it can easily denote a person’s personality, favorite color, or even moods. Even the shape of the lenses can be considered a fashion statement.
Yi: In fashion today, glasses are not a mere functional tool. Rather, they can be an important accessory. However, if the accessory role is taken to the extreme, glasses may make an unsavory fashion choice.
Since arriving in Taiwan, I have noticed an unfortunate trend in eyewear. Many young girls, usually in their mid-twenties, are sporting particularly odd frames. The designs of the frames themselves do not raise eyebrows; the oddity comes from the conspicuous lack of lenses in these “glasses.” They are simply a set of frames. As much as I appreciate glasses—and even own a few fake ones—I could not get a taste for this phenomenon.
How grotesque and ironic! This nonsensical look makes her look unsophisticated and unintelligent.
The complete disregard for function in this aesthetic is off-putting. It seems even sillier when we realize that most of these ladies are near-sighted. Underneath their glassless frames, they would wear contacts. While eyewear can become fashion statements, they should still retain their utilitarian roots, or at least make a semblance of it. In this case, either the glasses serve no practical function, or is a statement of pretension and cheapness.
Shance: See, Yi, this is one of the fundamental reasons as to why eyewear couture is popular among a lot of people. Much like clothes, they give out a very personalized look based on the person wearing it, regardless if it satisfies the utility criterion. The idea that one might look good if he or she wears glasses actually defeats the actual purpose of why a person needs to buy or get one. This way of thinking has also crossed over to the glasses’ close sibling, the contact lens, in that there are stylized versions of such lenses with no other function other than simply being for show.
Yi: That is a compelling point. However, my other objection to this illogical trend in Taiwan, while again relates to utility, has to do more with what is fashionable today. In recent seasons, we have begun to see a growing appreciation for minimal, pragmatic designs—a gorgeous mesh of form and function. When one is completely one favored over the other, the overall aesthetics suffer. In fact, rarely in the fashion industry has either form or function been so ignored. I am relieved to find out, however, that this curious glasses couture is a dying fad. Its surge to popularity is simply a rare viral event that happens once in a while, much like those hideous Crocs from years back—a case of function dominating over form.
Shance: Fortunately, we don’t encounter this problem when it comes to Japanese visual media culture. The creators of the characters portrayed in various anime, manga, games and similar material tend to really think about the reason why the characters should wear their respective lenses. However, it is quite notable that such megane-kyara (glasses characters) are created to be very meticulous when it comes to how they look and how they are viewed by other people when they’re wearing them, so the fashion aesthetic isn’t disregarded but rather effectively integrated as part of character development, even making it so that a character is solidly pegged to a certain pair of glasses. And every time someone remembers such a pair, everyone will remember that character because of his or her connection as the one who popularized it.
Yi: The role accessories have in anime to build characters cannot be understated. I am reminded of an elegant scene from FLCL. At the end of episode three, a previously troubled character Ninamori reveals—in a minor, but glamorous action on stage—that her glasses are fake. The use of her glasses here is particularly clever. An anime about maturity and coming-of-age, FLCL dedicates the episode to Ninamori’s growth from a young girl with repressed emotions and forced pretension of adulthood to someone who embraces her childish adolescence. Those glasses—the glassless rims—represent her flawed facade. We see her wearing these early in the episode as a fastidious class president. At the end, however, she pokes her finger through the fake, absent lenses as the Marquis de Carabas, a fake personality of Puss in Boots, does. Only now, she has a better understanding of that role, and like the ingenious cat, will enjoy the rewards of the virtues of youth.
Shance: That’s a good way to put it. If I am to note an example of a mega-kyara, a good one comes to mind: Narusegawa Naru from Love Hina.
She is usually portrayed as someone who doesn’t need glasses, let alone wear them at all times. But when she studies or needs to read something, she pulls out a pair of very nerdy glasses. The lenses are circular, large and thick, while the frame is thick and metallic. This logical precedence of use over looks makes Naru exude a very nerdy look with just the glasses alone, no matter what hairstyle or clothes she wore. As long as she had those glasses on, she would really look nerdy. This fits her personality as an overachiever in both her studies and in life.
However, do remember that this kind of observation is only seen when the focus of the viewer is fixed to the glasses, not the person wearing it. If we shift our attention to the actual person, our opinions can change in a moment’s thought despite having the same end result of finding the glasses and the character’s importance to each other.
For this, let’s take a look at another example of a megane-kyara: Manabe Nodoka from K-ON!
Nodoka is Hirasawa Yui’s childhood friend, the former getting stuck with the latter to balance the latter’s trait of being a klutz. She’s also a good friend to everyone in the Light Music Club, especially to Akiyama Mio. To top it off, she’s also a member of the student council, making it seem that it’s her obligation to look after the rowdy bunch, specifically Yui and Ritsu. These traits undoubtedly cements her position as one of K-ON!’s well-known supporting characters. With these in mind, we can say that nothing else can suits Manabe Nodoka better than a pair of rimless red. Her role as an important supporting character is embodied by the thick and under-rimmed frame, which supports the lenses much like how she supports most of the main characters (as opposed to over-rimmed glasses, which can symbolize how a character “carries” the rest of a series’ cast or plot with sheer personality alone, a trait mainly seen in protagonists). To make her stand out as a member of the student council, a bright red color is used on the frame. And lastly, to make it so that she doesn’t overwhelm other characters with her presence, she goes with the sleek-and-thin, oval-shaped lenses for a minimalistic touch that can balance with the glasses’ overall look. Pretty neat, no?
But let’s veer off a little on the conventional stuff and talk about what really makes glasses work. To do so, we must find out the answer to the question that presents itself for such a topic: Do the glasses make the person or does the person make the glasses? In order to delve further into this, we need to take our meat and dip it in a different sauce. That is, we need to shift our points of view from the realm of the aesthetic to the realm of the playNow, unlike nekomimi, whose appeal for cuteness is the more noticeable compared to other subsequent attributes, glasses make up for a lot more than just the cute, and it doesn’t necessarily even need to go there. You can say that framing is a factor for this, with differing priorities on beauty and eroticism being achieved by simply wearing a pair of lenses, similar to how the frame of a pair can give differing priorities between preference, need, and fashion. Add a mechanic that brings all of these together and you get the setup you can mostly see in ero-manga or ero-doujinshi; a situation in which the story or plot cannot continue without the character or the pair of glasses, regardless if there is an actual need to wear the latter for the sake of its intended use.
In order to realize this, let’s observe a certain scenario: the Ciel route from the Near Side half of the TYPE-MOON eroge Tsukihime. As you progress through the route, you find out that despite acting like she needed them, Ciel never had any problems with her eyes, yet she continues to wear a pair and act like any megane-kyara who needs them. However, this clash of aesthetics is bypassed by the ero-scene near the end of her route. By using the realm of the play (and by extension, the player’s decision), we see that an outside element, such as major events, a character’s opinion, or the general point of view, can influence how a megane-kyara is received by fans, hence her famous meme (“Senpai isn’t Senpai without her glasses.”). This example shows us how powerful the relationship between a pair of glasses and the person wearing it can become; Ciel will never be the same without her glasses, and a pair will never achieve such viral popularity if not worn by someone with sultry charms like Ciel. Besides, why would I need a valid reason such as fashion or function if I can make a person wear any pair just because I want them to, right?
Yi: Fair enough. I appreciate how unabashed and straightforward Tsukihime is in designing characters perfectly accessorized for its fans. If Ciel has more appeal when she wears those glasses, then she should wear those glasses. Admittedly, I do not mind that Ciel’s glasses are fake probably because they still maintain an appearance of function and, more importantly, serve a purpose. Perhaps in time, I will also warm up to Nodoka’s under-rims.
There is much to discuss with glasses. For example, the relationship between them and self esteem merits a look. As well, the change in personality and the masking aspect of eyewear can be fascinating. After all, glasses have become such a major part of fashion accessories and has inspired its own list of fetishes. It is always a pleasure to begin these talks and throw ideas around with you, Shance!
Shance: Likewise, Yi. Likewise. Until next time, folks!
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About the Guest Author:
A good friend and a wonderful writer to bounce ideas off of, Shance is a delight to write with. Our chats and collaborations are always fun and casual with a spruce of sophistication and a taste for anime. Shance blogs at the lovely Rainbowsphere!
Two seasons ago was summer—and seeing as the year just ended and that I am behind on most of my backlogs—it seems appropriate to reminisce a bit on the warmer, easier times now. Last summer marked a year I have been in Taiwan since my recent move. Much has happened, and among them is a significant dwindling of my anime-related activities. In fact, I only viewed two series over the summer. One of them included a small, relatively unknown title: Natsuiro Kiseki.
There was little talk leading up to Natsuiro Kiseki’s release. As another anime that rode the idol train this year, the series is comparably quieter and less glamorous than the other idol-themed anime. Its loose role as a promotion for the popular SPHERE helped little to generate hype. This is surprising, perhaps, but understandable—Natsuiro Kiseki is short, lacks high-quality production values, and sports an unexciting premise: Four young best friends from a beautiful island town strive for their idol dreams before one of them moves to the big city… And miracles happen. It sounded snazzy, but overwrought.
Yet, the execution is stellar!
Indeed, Natusiro Kiseki is fantastically nuanced. It details an important transition stage in these young girls’ lives. The anime wastes little time in setting up just the right atmosphere and tone for its themes. The first episode immediately confronts us with a heavy sense of loss. The tight-knit clique find out that one of them, Saki, is moving away at the end of the summer. The ensuing conflicts deal with a genuine frustration, cynicism, but also eventual acceptance of the impending parting. Natsuiro Kiseki captures these emotions so well with the girls’ interactions however mundane they may seem.
The series can really appreciate the fluidity of clique dynamics of middle school girls. The characters act slightly differently with each member, and with each subset of the group. There is a minor sense of clique within the clique, shifting attitudes, and varying relationships, even with just four people. For example, Saki and Natsumi are the two alpha females of the group, and both often juggle for leadership. Their more dominant personalities also pair them well together. On the other hand, Yuka and Rinko have their own oddball duo routine—the funny one and the mysterious spiritual one. These two are especially well-positioned to contrast the other more serious pair. Individually and within the group, each girl stands out as well. Saki’s future, Natsumi’s worries, Yuka’s antics, and Rinko’s heart are but a few notable elements to what drives this slice-of-life.
And then, there are the miracles. In a story that is so sincere and that deals with such a real, common part of childhoods, the miracles are still seamlessly integrated. There is an impressive, but relaxing ease to the rocky mysticism that threads the girls’ problems and aspirations. Some may be magnificent—flying and time travel—while others are a bit silly—body switch and body glue—but none feels too extravagant. These impossibilities are kept small, untainted by adult ambitions, and the girls deal with the incredible power with earnest naïveté. Likewise, the idol dream of the four girls comes from a warm, innocent place. They just want to make some memories of their summer.
Perhaps their summer memories and Saki’s relocation resonated with something in me. A little over a year ago, I moved to Taiwan. With the vastly different timezone, I have not had much chance to catch the semi-weekly sporadic gatherings of friends for anime, classic films, and fun chats I once enjoyed so much. This past summer I was able to reconnect a bit with old friends through Natsuiro Kiseki and Skype. I watched the earlier episodes with the folks over at The Untold Story of Altair and Vega, and finished the series with Akira and Ayame. My own little summer-colored miracle.
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More anime and manga reviews
I had a busy traveling schedule this past month. A few days after my return from the States, I got on a plane for a twenty-two hour flight for Cairo, stopping in Singapore and Dubai for hours along the way. Officially, I was in Egypt to visit and survey its medical program and healthcare facilities as a medical student—the first medical student exchange program in Egypt with Asia in fact. But, we all know my real motivation for this trip: It is Egypt. And, despite the recent riots and potential dangers of Egypt these days, it is Egypt.
So, many pictures and some stories.
Benha
Benha, where I stayed for the majority of our trip, is about an hour drive from Cairo. The hostel is walking distance from Benha University, the host of this exchange program. The welcoming party was held at a fancy private club overseeing a branch of the Nile River.
Egypt is not a well-developed country, and its streets reflect that. The drive from the airport to Benha presented a stark, bleak, and sandy impression.
This is the roof—or rather top floor—of the hostel. Many buildings are missing their top floors, as if constructions were abandoned midway. The walls are rundown and the city desperately needs better civil engineering. I soon learned that there is no traffic light. Pedestrians, donkeys, horses, goats, and the ubiquitous microbus (the white vans often with their doors open) share the streets in any way they can. This is only one of the many inconveniences of living in Egypt. Plumbing, water, garbage, and other basic elements of a good city are all sorely lacking.
Still, the people of Benha are incredibly kind. I was treated to breakfast one morning by some local strangers while taking a stroll.
Giza
The Pyramids and the Sphinx need no words. My poor photography does them and their visceral presence little justice.
I kind of fell in love with the Sphinx for a little bit.
A word of warning for those who plan on visiting Egypt: Be careful of the merchants and the people, especially around major tourist attractions. At the entrance to the Pyramids, I was circled by a group of men, who shoved a souvenir pyramid replica into my hands. Then they asked for a a tip. When I refused and attempted to return my “gift,” they started yelling and grabbed my bag. They would not allow me to leave. When I gave them five Egyptian pounds, they demanded more: twenty American dollars. Luckily, my university appointed body guard noticed that I had deviated from the group and found me before things turned uglier. And, of course, the Egyptian merchants took back their present.
Cairo
My brief time in downtown Cairo is scarier and more chaotic than even that ordeal at the Pyramids. Merchants in the streets are dangerously aggressive. I remember almost being dragged into a shoddy shop in a narrow alley when I gave a shisha a second look. That night, I did my tourist thing—post cards, souvenirs, cloth, cotton, and bargains (with the help of our Egyptian friends)—and left.
Mosque
The presence of Islam is easily felt, and it is not just from the Hijab and mosques on every other block. As an aside, Cairo is also known as the city of a thousand minarets, which are the spire structures of mosques. Fascinating cultural differences and subtler gender tensions followed my stay in Islamic Egypt.
The architecture of the Mosque of Muhammad Ali in Cairo Citadel is breathtaking. The details and intricacies of all the arabesque designs are radiant, luxurious, but unobstrusive.
I lied down—shoes off—on the gentle rug, and stared at the high ceilings for about an hour.
The Village and Wedding
One day, an Egyptian friends from Benha University invited me to a little farm out in rural Egypt that he owned. Shisha (water pipe) and rustic delicacies were had. The skies were studded bright with twinkles unlike any sky I have seen. After all, the Village is in the middle of nowhere and far from city lights.
One night, my friends and I crashed a wedding. Egyptian weddings are quite the spectacle. They are open to all visitors, and we were the uninvited star guests from the Far East. There was plenty of dancing and a few knives.
Bibliotheca
Bibliotheca Alexandrina is built on the site of the past wonder, Library of Alexandria. I love the lighting and the modern design. Sitting down at a table and writing post cards there was a highlight of this trip. Few offer a more relaxing time than that.
Dahab
Close to the Mediterranean and a popular city among European tourists, Dahab has a uniquely relaxed, touristy atmosphere compared to Cairo. I spent the last three days by the Blue Hole of the Red Sea in a upscale (relatively) hotel in this quiet, Middle Eastern coastal town.
There are gobs of stray cats in Egypt.
Mount Sinai
“And the Lord came downe upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the Lord called Moses up to the top of the mount, and Moses went up.” – Exodus 19:20, King James Bible
The Bible makes it sound so easy. Moses just went up. What the Bible did not mention was that it was a six hour walk and climb to the top either under the scorching sun during the day or subzero temperatures in the night. And that is today, with the trail already loosely defined (though only barely).
The sunrise made it all worth it.
Canyon and the Oasis
A brief walk and climb in a canyon and a drink and food on the rugs of a hut in an oasis.
Local Flavor
The food tended toward too salty and sweet for my palate, and almost everything is eaten with bare hands. Once I got used to the cuisine and customs—and I did so quickly—the meals were a delicious part of my Egyptian experience. I especially love their cheeses and olives.
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I have much more to say about my fantastic adventures in Egypt, but school and work start again tomorrow. Maybe I will get another chance to talk about shopping in Egypt—aside from those unsavory moments—and the precious gifts for my lovelies. As well, I might talk about their healthcare and medical education, which is the main purpose of our trip. For now though, I retire back into the busy life.
Anime has always been a world filled with visuals of thorough imaginations. There are quite a number of interesting anime looks, like the presence of fangs for one, or animal ears. There is however, one other intriguing thing—the art of “eyes concealment”—through the use of long bangs.
Among an anime characters’ physical features, none is more expressive than the eyes. The range of emotions and information contained in one’s eyes supersedes other non-verbal signals. Particularly, in a medium often limited by and styled through simplification, characteristic distortion, and constrained motions, anime relies heavily on the eyes to convey the subtle details that may otherwise be lost. Disgust, for instance, is a universal expression that presents a very distinguished, but relatively understated look—a wrinkled nose and raised upper lips and cheeks. Yet, anime aesthetics forgo the details that a disgusted face wants. The alternative: a simple distortion of the eyes (and perhaps with some shadows for added effect). If eyes are so important for expression, what then does concealing them do?
At first glance, characters with concealed eyes almost seem like he is nothing but a “blank state”, he has no unique trait or quirk—a pretty ordinary dull person that is easily faded into the background as compared to other more outlandish people. However, that lack of traits creates a mystery sensation that he is perhaps more than he seems. Nobody could easily notice whatever they are hiding, whether or not it be emotions, or a plan. If one is normally calm and collected, coupled with a poker face; a sudden smile under that eyes-less face changes everything from dullness into spookiness. Perhaps he may had broken down from all those piled-up negative emotions; perhaps he is the manipulating type; or perhaps he is thinking of a heinous plan so evil, yet solid that he could turn everything in his favor.
Covering the eyes gives the character an impression of decreased identification. Vague characters such as these create a pretty mysterious appearance. With their eyes concealed, it made it seems like they are hiding something, a painful emotion perhaps, that he does not want everyone to notice he is currently experiencing; he does not want to share the pain with everyone else. Or perhaps, for a character suffering from an extremely heavy mental stress, with his head lowered down, his eyes covered by his hair, eye concealment shows that he is still somehow keeping his mind from breaking down, defending whatever sanity is left.
When a character suddenly has his eyes covered, it also makes it look like he is planning something. He may look like he is doing something outrageous, something reckless and incomprehensible, but surprisingly enough, he has a foolproof plan under that careless facade; one cannot outwit him and let his guard down, because it, of course, wouldn’t end pretty for him. People like them sometimes even fool their own allies, since, per the famous saying: “In order to fool your enemies, you must first fool your allies.” Akiyama Shinichi from Liar Game is a prime example for such a personality; he plays a sort of survivor game that involves deceiving other people and tricking them for their money. His eyes are obviously invisible most of the time, especially when he is in one of the rounds of the game. Not coincidentally, he is also a psychologist so he is well-versed in how humans think and act.
The underlying thread of the above ways of eye concealment and relevant examples is anonymity. The characters hope to maintain a low-profile. Blank-state, broken emotions, calm, trickster, depth, ominous history, tension—whatever those characters without eyes are defined by, they all just want to be left alone, even if it is just for the moment. But they are still be defined. Fringes offer a convenient way to hide the eyes without attracting too much attention. Unlike glasses or other accessories that inherently give additional sources of information, long bangs come naturally to the default look of anime characters.
Further, they still maintain a base level of characterization—suits, hair color, height, weight, gender—thereby avoids relegating to shadowy figures of true nameless anonymity.
Indeed, long bangs are such a perfect, exact, yet easily applicable way to achieve a wanted effect that the look has become universal in anime. Somewhat ironically, for a look that intends to obscure and hide telling information and emotions—and it does so for the character on screen—we the audience have come to know exactly what lengthy fringes, shadows, and concealed eyes imply. As well, the variations and counter-examples that arise from this look all come with their own contextual meanings. This certainly highlights the dynamic understanding between anime style and audience interpretation.
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About the Guest Author:
Over at deluscar, Kai writes on interesting topics and often hosts anime projects for the anime blogging community. When he contacted me about a collaborative project, I happily took the opportunity. The result is this cute piece from us on eyes and hair, two favorite and lovely features of anime. Be sure to visit his blog for more wonderful writing!
March has been kind to me, although it has been a chaotically busy time. School is now in full swing, and, with work in the morning and a vibrant social life, my time these days are productive, exhausting and slightly—very—frantic. Weekdays, I wake up at eight and am usually home at eleven at night, at which point I fall asleep fairly quickly. Saturdays are my unwinding days. I get to wake up a little later, and spend the day like a lump of lame mud splattered across my bed all afternoon. Well, the exception are those Saturdays when I have to catch up on work or study, which—come to think of it—is a bit too often. (Medicine is not for the lazy.) Sundays are much of the same, albeit with the looming Monday ahead. But I love having a rhythm to this new pace of life wildly different from that of, say, California, or even just last year around this time.
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A little over a week ago was my birthday. A true Aries, it fell on the first day of the first sign, ruled by Mars, marked by the ram and by a sincere, naïve passion. The celebration is nothing less than that.
Some presents and a very heartfelt, personal card. I consume a lot of books nowadays with this new schedule in the downtime between classes and work, in lectures, and on the metro. Five minutes here, half-hour there, reading is a nice way to pass the time. I love this thoughtful set!
A feast of Mexican food. Good, hearty Mexican cuisine in Taiwan is a rare treat.
Cake from a home-styled pâtisserie. Mr. Bruno lives in his apartment on the fifth floor with his kitchen modified into a bakery. To get to our cake, we found our way inside the building, greeted his wife and cat, and sat in his home for a while.
Last night, I had a chance to visit the National Theater in Taipei to see Tanztheatre Wuppertal Pina Bausch’s brilliant works: Café Müller and Le Sacre du Printemps. We had gotten the best seats in the VIP lounge to see this world-class performance. The experience was so intensely, overwhelmingly emotional. The movements, the story, and the jarring display of femininity and power left a stark imprint.
This was perfect!
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It really has been too long.
I promise you this though: I am still around, and I will be updating, however sparsely that may be. I have something spicy lined up, but it will have to wait until after the string of midterms in April.
A cult classic mangaka among shoujo manga enthusiasts, Kaori Yuki has published several notable works in the genre, including Angel Sanctuary—my personal favorite. Her manga all have a markedly distinct flavor: gothic horror. This post is a celebration of that literary style and, more importantly, of Kaori Yuki.
The influence of gothic literature has accompanied Kaori Yuki’s career. Her early signature work, the Cain Saga (Count Cain and Godchild), that began her rise to Shoujo fame is a classic gothic horror. Set in Victorian England, Earl Cain solves various eerie mysteries, each often with an absurd macabre twist. Each mystery also unravels pieces to Cain’s own gruesome past. Of course, the air of romance pervades throughout each tale. The Gothic architecture, Victorian attitudes, and repressed but brooding sexual tension pay tribute to the romantic period and to the early days of the genre. Moreover, some chapters of Cain Saga bring to mind Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily” (albeit not set in the American South) in its tone, social awareness, the mystery embedded in the narrative, and an unhealthy, undying love (for the flesh beauty) that carries over to the cadaver.
Furthermore, Kaori Yuki emphasizes defining gothic sensibilities: the grotesque. At its core, gothic literature is about the grotesque—those that induce both empathy and disgust. The characters of Cain Saga are just that. Some are They are often beautifully sculpted, charming, but carry some socially unsavory obsessions, such as extreme sadism, incest, and the undead. References to notable grotesques in other fiction (not limited to gothic horror) are found throughout the chapters as well: Oedipus, Kafka’s Metamorphosis, Alice in Wonderland, Sherlock Holmes, and Brothers Grimm fairy tales. Even Riff, a central character in Cain Saga, takes his name from the servant Riff Raff of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, which draws motifs from the grotesque, pulp, and American Gothic.
Indeed, many of Kaori Yuki’s defining works can be read as reinventions. Of course, reinventions, particularly those of fairy tales and Disney favorites, are not a novel concept. Popular culture has a strange fascination with maturing, interpreting, and even corrupting our childhoods. In fact, the source stories may never have been that child-friendly to begin with, which easily lends them to revisions; the adult version is perhaps a rediscovery.
Reinvention, though, still happens in the form of thematic and genre shifts. In Hollywood, the recent trend in the adult-oriented dark fantasy is making them action adventures: Snow White and the Huntsman, Jack the Giant Slayer, and Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunter. Kaori Yuki’s darker retelling, however, is more sincerely dark. Her recent major work, Ludwig Kakumei, is a grim take on classic fairy tales that casts a corpse collector as the prince in search of his fair live princess. The manga comfortably introduces elements of Gothic fiction to well-known innocent (at least on the surface) children’s stories. Prince charming is a necrophiliac, but a charismatic, lovable one. Further, the violence and cruelty displayed approaches those found in Schauerroman, but the sadism is always curbed slightly by black humor. In this way, Ludwig Kakumei romanticizes to a distorted extreme a simple concept: finding love. Yet, beneath all the depravity, a hint of earnest sweetness lingers. Horror and romance—the pleasant terror is the defining characteristic of gothic fiction.
A discussion of Kaori Yuki necessitates some thoughts on Angel Sanctuary, her signature and best work. Once again, aspects of gothic horror are readily seen. Much as in Cain Saga and Ludwig Kakumei, Kaori Yuki introduces grotesque characters as the central figures. The androgynous angels and demons are incredibly gorgeous creatures, but often mired in social taboos and sexual deviancy. Many hold distorted loves and admiration in such an extreme form that both fascinate and repulse the audience. In fact, the central plot follows the incestuous love between a brother and a sister, which transcends from forbidden love to a loud defiance of God. As grotesque as the characters may be, it is in that grotesqueness that we find romance, beauty, and love.
Moreover, aesthetics play an especially significant role in Angel Sanctuary, more so than they do in her other works. For example, Kaori Yuki plays with physical deformities for her grotesques. Corruption of the form is represented visually by science—large jars growing abominable angels or cyberpunk-esque electronic hardware, tubes, and wires that take on an organic feel. God takes on an almost robotic appearance reminiscent of Pakal (the Mayan astronaut). In her particular emphasis of the apparent freak, she blends ideas and notions from other genres and themes—notably cyberpunk and Judeo-Christian religion (among other mythologies)—into her gothic horror to not only offer her reinvention of those genres, but allow her her own take of gothic.
Thus, more than her excellent Gothic Lolita fashion or her inspired portrayal of goth subculture aesthetics—both of which are only tangentially (if it is even so) related to gothic horror—Kaori Yuki’s claim to the title, Queen of Gothic Manga, derives from an inherent understanding of gothic literature. She elegantly embeds such sensibilities into her manga to carve out her own niche in the shoujo manga world
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Notes:
Kaori Yuki has been one of my favorite mangaka ever since I first came upon her delicately gorgeous artbook. Knowing this, FoxyLadyAyame of the beautiful world invited me to write a post for a Manga Moveable Feast she hosted on Kaori Yuki.
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My thoughts from years ago on some of Kaori Yuki’s manga:
Prom was in a month, and all the high school seniors were scrambling to find dates, lest someone ends up a loner in this momentous dance of our lives—well, for those without partner, girlfriend, boyfriend, or implicit best friend at least. Conversations and gossips all revolved around who was going to prom with whom, who got rejected by whom, and most importantly, who were still available. As usual, I was chatting with my friends in our free period after lunch. This particular day, we had a junior girl with us. We were hoping to set her up with this desperate kid in our group. As we prodded and sugarcoated and romanticized and gauged her interest, I asked her what she finds hot.
“Passion”
“Passion?”
“Yea, I like it when someone’s really into something and take hella time to work at it.
“Like what?”
“Like water polo or wrestling or something.” (My school had a killer water polo and wrestling team.)
“Or like Magic Cards?”
“Uh… Yea… I guess?”
Although the prom date did not quite pan out—I guess my friend needed to be a little better at Magic—the conversation struck me. Indeed, there is something very attractive about passion.
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Perhaps that explains my adoration for Tari Tari. Konatsu, driven by her passion for singing, strives to perform at the year-end school culture festival. After she gets kicked out of choir because of a stage fright episode, she recruits a group of similarly passionate people (albeit passionate about different activities) to create her own club: Choir and Sometimes Badminton Club. Together, they hope to take the stage against all odds: the choir teacher who is bent on obstructing Konatsu’s efforts, choir students who look down on the newfound club’s amateurity, and event city plans to tear down the school. At stake is not only a meaningful final high school project, but a maturation of their cultivated interests over the years.
Along the way, Tari Tari presents several differing approaches to passion, among them the dichotomy between the Choir Club and the Choir and Somtimes Badminton Club. The former has aspirations of being professional musicians, while the latter takes a more casual tone. Thus, the two clubs clash often, especially because the Choir Club constantly dismisses and looks down upon the lead cast.[1] Besides this stark contrast, subtler differences in attitudes toward interests exist among the members of Choir and Badminton Club as well. Of the five main characters, Tanaka’s goals resemble those of the Choir Club the most, but he faces them, perhaps, with even more determination. At a school with little badminton support, Tanaka still aims to be a professional player. On the other far-flung hand, we have Wien (Maeda), whose passion is much more fanciful. Wien has an obsession with a super sentai show. Their stories show two extreme aspects of passion—profession and hobby. Whereas Tanaka is actively working towards a specific goal, Wien has a more passive pastime, a matured fandom generated through various means. The common thread, however, is that their interests still flourish despite their being the lone participants (at least until Konatsu recruits them to her club). Tanaka does not mind playing against the wall in an empty gym, and Wien is content with his figures, costumes, and posters. Furthermore, when the chance to fully engage in the sentai experience when they are invited to the Choir and Sometimes Badminton Club—and particularly for Wien, when the club is asked to be the small town super sentai heroes—they take the opportunity to fully enjoy the experience with little hesitation or embarrassment. It is with the club that they both solidify their determination and maturity in their passions.
Unlike Tanaka and Wien, whose passions are defined by unwavering attitudes in of an unsympathetic environment, Wakana needs to rediscover her love for music despite her natural talent. When Wakana’s musically-gifted mother died, Wakana associated her death with singing, and sealed away her own passion. When Wakana is finally able to face the death of her mother and come to terms with the unfairness of the world, she does so with the help of her mother’s love and music. In a marvelously poignant moment, the completion of her mother’s song offered Wakana a powerful catharsis. Thus, the maturation of her passion is intimately related to her own growth.
Sawa’s story is my personal favorite, and is also one I found exceedingly relevant. A central theme of Tari Tari is about the possibility of turning a passion into a profession. We saw earlier how driven the Choir Club members and Tanaka are about their ambitions. Sawa is similarly motivated, but her passion takes a different direction: she must redefine what equestrian is to her when being a professional jockey is no longer feasible. Reconciling with an impossibility is a terrifically painful and reflective experience, and one that many can identify with. I imagine that most with an earnest drive have thought about turning their genuine passions into a career. After all, doing something you love from eight to five—working hard at it and getting paid for it—sounds more rewarding than a typical uninspired (at least from one perspective) day job. Yet, is the end goal of our passions really always only about making money?
A good friend, Emily of Atelier Emily, writes of her transition from an artist hoping for a career in art to simply an artist, who is not any less good. and she enjoys the role art plays in her life now[1]. Likewise, Sawa, a fascinating girl with an adorable fashion sense and a knack for excellence, is going through a shift in her approach to horseback riding. When she goes over the weight limit for acceptance into equestrian schools, she must assess whether her passion is defined singly by a professional career. At the end of her story arc, Sawa realizes that she loves horseback riding too much to limit it to a mere career endeavor. That realization is particularly relevant for many at that age; those high school years are significant because it is when we often began shaping our future goals, career trajectories, interests, and lives. In addition, the side commentary on the delicate, and just as pertinent, issue of body image is neatly done. I found watching Sawa go through that early quarter-life crisis and resolve it incredibly satisfying.
Finally, we have Konatsu, who ties all their stories together with her unrelenting passion. She brings an overwhelming but welcomed abundance of energy, and it is brilliant. Indeed, we see Konatsu’s effect on others; we see how such passion can inspire change, strengthen resolve, and touch hearts. For these young adults, that final act for the culture festival is not some mere performance, but the culmination of their developing and maturing passions over the years. Thus, through Konatsu’s efforts and excitement fervor and sincere emotions, Tari Tari delivers a warm, resonant—and maybe even a little bit sexy[2]—story about growing up and about a love of life.
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More anime and manga reviews
The last semester has been a busy, stressful blur. Now that I am finally on winter break, I can take the time to think back fondly to that satisfying, warm summer. This is part one of two photo posts about my summer, 2013.
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Jiufen (九份) is a small town on a mountainside just an hour north of Taipei. With its gorgeous winding streets, stone pavement, delicacies, and local cultural snippets, it is one of the most popular tourist destinations. I was ecstatic about the chance for a quick weekend elopement to Jiufen.
Our check-in is at three, so we spent the morning and the early afternoon strolling around in the nearby once mining town.
After we dropped off our luggage at the guest house, we surveyed the town and sampled all its delicacies, architecture, history, cultural goods, and hospitality.
Taro balls are a famous Taiwanese dessert, and Jiufen taro balls are especially delectable.
The town is characterized by a labyrinth of narrow alleys, Escher stairs, and retro-styled shops and kiosks of sorts. I loved the atmosphere and the look of it all.
Apparently, so did Hayao Miyazaki, who drew inspirations from the tea house for his spa house in Spirited Away. We would return again at night time.
Having explored the town, stuffed our stomachs, and climbed all the stairs through the day, we returned to our lovely, Japanese styled room. It is a very simple, roomy space with a particularly fancy bath, thick futons, and soft tatami. I love tatami.
After a bath and short nap, we took another walk around Jiufen—this time focusing on the edges and outskirts. It was sunset by then.
We came back around to A Mei Tea House, and what a stunning sight it was. The luxurious red lanterns and brown wood contrasted with the stark night, the scenery is breathtaking.
Unfortunately, the tea is a bit bland and far overpriced, but the scenery and the atmosphere is worth it.
After a late night stroll, we returned to our place in Jiufen. This is a view of the kitchen from the lobby of our guest house. Our room is on the second floor overlooking the bay.
Breakfast was served at nine: fish, rice, miso soup, lychee, tofu, and tamagoyaki. The owner of the guest house was a Japanese chef, who had ran a noodle shop back in the days.
One of the reasons we chose this particular guest house was that it housed a collection of kimono, and the lady of the house will help dress you. Of course, before we left, we had to play a little dress up!
The final stop on our short weekend trip was to the nearby small town, Pinxi, which is just a few short train stops away. This small place has an even more quaint feel to it, and much quieter.
Pinxi is known for its sky lanterns. On the sky lanterns people write their wishes, and set them to the skies. This is our sky lantern. We would later go on the train tracks, set a fire under it, and watch it fly into the night sky.
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May we all have a lovely, safe new year!
