BayAnime.com

Location: Santa Clara City Library, Redwood Room

Organizer: No-Name Anime

Join fellow fans for an afternoon of subtitled Japanese animation.

For more details visit: http://www.nnanime.com/flyers/2010/fly10_02.html

This post was submitted by EdOfNoName.

Location: Moscone Center South, 747 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA 94103 [Directions]

Website: http://www.comic-con.org

If you’re a fan of director Satoshi Kon’s brilliant anime series Paranoia Agent, but haven’t seen any of his feature films – you might consider seeing possibly his greatest film to date: the dazzling, futuristic Paprika (2006).

Paprika opens with police detective Konakawa Toshimi being counseled by “Paprika,” a lively red-haired young woman. As it turns out, Paprika is actually the alter ego of Dr. Atsuko Chiba, a research psychoanalyst. Using the “DC Mini,” an experimental device that enables the viewing of a person’s dreams, Dr. Chiba enters the dreams of others in the virtual persona of Paprika in order to treat them.

Three DC Minis get stolen from the lab, and evidence points to it being an inside job. One by one, the scientists at the lab and other characters are brought into the dream world, as the real world and dream world begin to collide.

Dr. Chiba avoids dealing with her emotions and focuses instead on science, while Det. Toshimi is haunted by a recurring nightmare that seems important, but which he can’t discern the meaning of. Their stories intertwine throughout the film as each comes to a realization of their own truth and, in Dr. Chiba’s case, a recognition of what is missing from her life as well.

A recurring image of a dream world parade of cultural icons and strange creatures, symbolic of what captivates people and what people dream about, weaves in and out of Paprika, eventually spilling into the real world at the climax of the film.

Of Satoshi Kon’s feature films – Millennium Actress, Tokyo Godfathers and Perfect Blue being the others – Paprika is by far my favorite. The art is full of colorful kinetic imagery, making the film a visual feast; and the music score is top-notch, particularly the solemn yet quirky background music of the dream parade.

Paprika was produced by Madhouse/Rainbow SPA and distributed by Sony Pictures Classics.

Jan Suzukawa works in the manga industry as a freelance editor and English adaptation writer. Website: www.jansuzukawa.com. Blog: jansuzukawa.blogspot.com.

For their third showing, CAA Anime will be presenting To Aru Kagaku no Railgun (aka A Certain Scientific Railgun) at 2040 VLSB this Monday, February 8th, from 7-10 PM.

To Aru Kagaku no Railgun is a sci-fi-esque story revolving around Misaka Mikoto, a middle school girl with an awesome electric power, and her friends.

And as usual, they will be having their weekly raffle with cool goodies. =)

See you there!

Location: UC Berkeley,  2040 VLSB [View Map]

Organizer: Cal Animage Alpha

Website: www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~animage/

For their second showing, CAA Anime will be presenting Kobato  at 2040 VLSB this Monday, February 1st from 7-10 PM.  Kobato is a show about a girl healing others.

See you there!

Location: UC Berkeley,  2040 VLSB [View Map]

Organizer: Cal Animage Alpha

Website: www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~animage/

Welcome back!

CAA Anime will be having their first showing this semester this Monday, 01/25, at 102 Wurster from 7-10 PM.

CAA Anime will be showing Electromagnetic Girlfriend, aka Denpa Teki na Kanojo. This show is about a normal punk in high school named Juuzawa Juu who gets his world turned upside down when he meets Ochibana Ame, an eccentric girl with electrifying powers. It can be classified as horror, so if you get scared easily, you will be shocked at what you see.

Membership for the entire semester is $10 and provides access to a host of activities and perks including the 3 terabyte anime library.

See you there!

Location: UC Berkeley, 102 Giannini [View Map]

Organizer: Cal Animage Alpha

Website: www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~animage/

Night Head Genesis is a dark and atmospheric – and oddly overlooked – anime series based on Night Head, a 1992 Japanese live-action TV series.

Naoto and Naoya Kirihara are two brothers with incredible psychic abilities. Unfortunately for them, this results in their being taken from their parents as young children and imprisoned in a research center located in an isolated mountain wilderness for fifteen years.

The story begins when the energy barrier surrounding the research center suddenly dissolves, enabling the brothers to escape. Now young men, Naoto and Naoya reenter the world they’ve been protected from for years – or perhaps, the world that has been protected from them for years.

Naoto, the older brother, has psychokinesis, or the ability to move objects using his mind. He is protective of Naoya, quick to anger, and can hurt others through his psychic abilities when he loses his temper. Naoya is clairvoyant and telepathic, and frequently afflicted by traumatic visions when physically touched by other people. In contrast to the more confident Naoto, Naoya is sensitive and timid, usually hiding behind Naoto figuratively (and sometimes literally). As the brothers had only each other to rely on for so long, they have an extremely close bond.

Naoto and Naoya are soon confronted by mysterious events involving other psychically-gifted people, including a female serial killer, and an unusual girl named Shouko who appears to be connected to the spirit realm.

The brothers learn that a vision predicts they will cause mankind’s extinction in an event known as “the Upheaval.” The Ark Corporation, a shadowy organization alluded to early on, becomes central to the plot in the final third of the series. Naoto and Naoya close in on the secret behind the Ark Corporation, but the time of the Upheaval is rapidly approaching…

Veteran seiyuu Toshiyuki Morikawa and Akira Ishida portray the Kirihara brothers. The attractive character designs are by manga artist You Higuri. The overall mood of the series is somber and often creepy. Due to frequent adult themes, Night Head Genesis isn’t suitable for younger than pre-teenage children.

Night Head Genesis is a 24-episode series, licensed in the U.S. by AnimeWorks and Media Blasters.

Jan Suzukawa works in the manga industry as a freelance editor and English adaptation writer. Website: www.jansuzukawa.com. Blog: jansuzukawa.blogspot.com.

Location: Santa Clara City Library, Cedar Room

Organizer: No-Name Anime

Join fellow fans for an afternoon of subtitled Japanese animation.
For more details visit: http://www.nnanime.com/flyers/2010/fly10_01.html

This post was submitted by EdOfNoName.

Location: Santa Clara City Library, Cedar Room

Organizer: No-Name Anime

For more details visit: http://www.nnanime.com/flyers/2009/fly09_12.html

In addition to the usual afternoon of anime, expect an extra festive anniversary celebration at the break. Cake may even NOT be a lie. Returning attendees are reminded to bring their stamped 2009 frequent viewer cards.

This post was submitted by EdOfNoName.

Since we’re heading into the winter season, I thought it might be fun to review an anime that is set in the wintry locale of Hokkaido.

There doesn’t seem to be much josei anime out there, but one that stands out is Diamond Daydreams, a 13-episode series about six young women in the northern island of Hokkaido in Japan. Originally titled Diamond Dustdrops, the title referred to the ice-crystal phenomenon where the crystals glitter like diamond dust in the winter sky. The folk legend has it that wishes made upon seeing the diamond dust come true.

The six women live in different cities in Hokkaido and come from various backgrounds. Atsuko works in a Hakodate fish shop with her mother. Although she is already committed for a future arranged marriage, she finds herself attracted to an older man, a local jazz musician. Young Karin is an invalid in the hospital whose doctor tries to convince her to have a needed operation; but since her father died while undergoing surgery, she’s afraid to. Kyoko, a trendy filmmaker, is a demanding perfectionist whose controlling nature threatens her relationship with her easygoing boyfriend.

Suomi is a professional ice-skater with a secret from her childhood. Shoko is a radio talk show host in Sapporo who advises listeners on their love life problems – and who is secretly dating a married man herself. And in the final story, Akari struggles to support her widower father, who is ailing after his wife’s death.

Each character’s story is told in two episodes, with the final 13th episode serving as a grand finale in which each woman’s story is brought to a conclusion. The DVD set also features interesting extras on Hokkaido as a travel destination. If you need a break from shonen fight scenes and shojo schoolgirl stories, Diamond Daydreams might be the perfect anime to watch on a cold winter evening.

Diamond Daydreams was produced by Studio Deen and is distributed by ADV Films.

This column will be taking a break for the holidays, and will return in January. Happy holidays, everyone!

Jan Suzukawa works in the manga industry as a freelance editor and English adaptation writer. Website: www.jansuzukawa.com. Blog: jansuzukawa.blogspot.com.