Appleseed

MMM: Cowboy Bebop

MMM: Sword of the Stranger

MMM: The Little Norse Prince

Manga, Manga on the wall, who is the greatest of them all...?

A-KI-RA!

How could it be anything else, the film and comic standing a giant bloated head and expanding shoulders above everything else – it's practically better than the entire initial 'Manga' rush put together*. There's certainly no denying the late 80s and early 90's VHS boom in Japanese animation is never to be repeated (nor bettered) and, while many of the titles would melt away to a questionable amorphous ooze under today's brutal close (internet) scrutiny – particularly the copious and gratuitous female nudity and a propensity for grotesque monstrous sex often perpetrated by the generic grinning giant, his neck thicker than his head, else a spritely balding old wizened pervert with a sleazy cackle – they all have a ferocious creativity, wacky playfulness and certain charm that cannot be matched (and often makes viewing worthwhile even if the underlying stories are fairly cliched, predictable and stretched). Perhaps it's the slight fuzzyiness to the VHS picture, the saturated colours that are much of the (nostalgic) appeal. If ever a genre truly belonged on VHS it's anime, something I will always associate it with.... And here some thanks are due to Youtube as the often crappy quality transfers from VHS to there help to keep the cheap and fearful vibe both dead and alive....

It's worth noting that Fist of the North Star, a title Agent Rob discounted first time around, is probably among the best of the bunch that trail in AKIRA's sizeable wake, other "notables" including Lensman: Secret of the Lens, Devilman, Ghost in the Shell, Space Adventure Cobra and Dominion Tank Police (the earlier Acts I, II, III and IV). The Wings of the Honneamise, which recently celebrated its 30th anniversary, is perhaps a title Rob ought to get around to as it's viewed as something of a slow burn classic (last seen on VHS and since long forgotten). Maybe next Manga Month....

*Obviously the many decades work of Studio Ghibli really stands apart as a genre all of its own – only Nausicca of the Valley of the Wind and Laputa: Castle in the Sky were ever really caught up in the ultraviolent Manga melee to begin with, appearing edited and dubbed in the early 90s. Certainly just about every single Hayao Miyazaki title is a worthy challenger for AKIRA's hefty crown....

Nowadays the trend seems to be more towards epic ongoing series that run for season after season and as such films, certainly those that are more overtly adult orientated the market otherwise dominated by more gentle Ghibli-esque family/teen oriented ventures, seem to have taken a back seat (unless they're endlessly spinning off one after another from a show). There's no shortage of quality, however, Rob having dipped his toes into the satisfying series waters of titles such as Trigun, Hellsing, Cowboy Be-Bop, Space Dandy, Attack on Titan and Fullmetal Alchemist. Indeed, many of the original Manga video releases were simply OAVs ('Original Animation Video' episodes) stitched together into 45-90 minute romps (depending on whether they fancied manga milking their audience or not – Guyver over 12 VHS anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?)....

http://www.andymangels.com/fantazia.html

Agent Rob can still remember the buzz that began to circle, fuelled by magazines such as Computer+Video Games (likely the first place where the tantalising graphic imagery from the land of the rising sun began to cast it's influential shadow) and Fantazia, 'The Definitive Superhero Magazine', that AKIRA was finally coming to VHS in the UK – he's pretty sure the woman who worked in the local Clyde Video shop must've been sick of him asking after its arrival week upon week....

http://www.videocollector.co.uk/akira/24276

Still, (s)he needn't have bothered as those shelf-stacking wages were duly stacked up, accumulated and splurged on the double pack VHS doorstop edition in Forbidden Planet. This was the subtitled version, of course, Rob evidently being something of a purist from the off. The anime would be viewed many times over the years and then, as priorities moved along and a small Manga collection – was sold off.... only to be mostly bought back from Oxfam Music on Byers Road years later for another shot. (Worth mentioning here that aside from MANGA Video there was also MVM who, if Rob rightly recalls, traded in slightly darker and more eclectic titles via mail order).... 

Indeed Rob sat up late one night and found he was watching a hitherto unseen (better subtitled) version – unlike the Manga print the subtitles were underneath the picture on the black banding and not over it – that also had a much clearer print, Kaneda and Kei's escape from the hospital complex was much more vivid and it was far easier to see just what was going on. (It's likely that this is the 'Laserdisc' version though the only time Rob's seen AKIRA on the big(-ish) screen at Glasgow University it was the very same print.) It wasn't only that the picture was clearer here, and this translation was when the film really clicked into place, the scene where Kei explains AKIRA's origins suddenly slamming home with bike-shattering force! Of course, by the next late screening, which was to be video taped, we were  back to the subtitles over the picture version....

http://starlogged.blogspot.com/2015/12/1991-meltdown-issue-1-marvel-uk.html

Obviously MARVEL/EPIC had a shot at printing (the drably coloured and ill-defined) translation of AKIRA here in the UK in their not very long running Meltdown title (which would have to have lasted about 500 issues given the bitesize chunks they dribbling the story out in!)....

Similarly EPIC's US colour collected reprints ran out one volume shy of completing the story and Boxtree's colour UK printed edition was limited to a single, chunky Part 1....

https://blog.alltheanime.com/manga-mania-1993-2000/

Thankfully somebody at Dark Horse publishing was on hand several years later and it appeared in the (frankly amazing) UK newsstand title Manga Mania. Unfortunately (again) it just didn't seem (to Rob) to last long enough to print the full story* ....either that or the sudden shelving shift in the local John Menzies up next to the pornographic magazines finally killed their ordering of it. Still, hats off to Manga Mania for being a brilliant, stupendous value for money title while it lasted, reprinting as it did such excellent comics as Dominion, Ghost in the Shell , Silent Mobius and Appleseed – definitely not a VHS to be judged by its cover, the bang up to date Masamune Shirow artwork betraying the decidedly clunky and plainly archaic anime within....

*According to the link under the picture above it did, only really running out of steam once AKIRA had completely lazered his load....

The manga of AKIRA itself could quite possibly claim to be the best comic book ever made too. There's something preferable to the Japanese tendency for a singular creator to see his or her own creation through from start to finish (as opposed to the American and British default whereby the creators tackle a character for a while, giving their spin on him/her, before moving on to pastures new.... if not actually all that new, like a photocopy of a photocopy of an etc). Again, the other enemy that kills the bulk of American comic enjoyment stone dead is the dreaded C-word - 'continuity'. There's no denying the very best of the American 'big two' comics (and otherwise) are anything that may use familiar characters but that stands (more or less) apart from the years of tangled backstory crossover crap that no one cares about (and that doesn't even make much sense anyway as everything has to be semi-frozen in time to make it all work in the first instance)....

AKIRA grabs you right from the start, the first beefy volume pitching you straight into the action and flowing along, the story gently building and building as the inhabitants of Neo-Tokyo expand outwards, the pieces of this epic tale slowly teasing themselves together – as a result it's as much of an equally satisfying quick read as it is if you take the time to really study Katsuhiro Otomo's wonderful artwork, the hyper detail and almost (but thankfully not quite) more grown-up approach to rendering figure-work and environments leaving just about every trace of the Japanese trend for cartoonishness behind. With it's broad cast of fascinating and diverse characters - that still stand up well under today's (supposedly) more enlightened scrutiny - and epic scope the comic's simply in a league all of its own. You can bet the ragged animators were overjoyed that, as the projects ran somewhat in tandem, they didn't have to translate the comic's Neo-Toyko trashing tank chase for the big screen....  

https://kodanshacomics.com/2019/01/09/10-years-kodansha-comics-akira/

Whilst the huge Kodansha b/w softback editions kicked around Hope Street Studios for years, on (and off and on) constant loan from Frank Quitely's cult comic library, it wasn't until they announced the 35th anniversary box, complete with 'unflipped' artwork, Otomo's original hand-drawn FX and a new translation, that Rob pricked up his ears whilst preparing to immediately hand over his wallet.... 

Otomo's work since has been something of a mixed bunch, Roujin-Z being a good enough story that deserved a much better animation whereas Steamboy boiled in the bag like a limp remake of Miyazaki's Laputa – it 'has its moments' as Agent Johnny'd say, but in spite of all the suggestion of action and drama it's curiously flat as it plods towards its (anti-)climax. Osamu Tezuka's Metropolis is far better, the immersive environments, vintage character designs and parping jazzy soundtrack making for a truly heady experience....

Of course, feel free to correct any glaring mistakes or omissions - Rob's only inhuman after all - and to comment and advise on which is the definitive (UK edition) Blu-Ray of AKIRA (given there's been that many versions and releases it's hard to pinpoint exactly which is the very best)....

Roujin-Z

AKIRA 6

KANEDA

AKIRA 5

KEI II

Osamu Tezuka's Metropolis

AKIRA 4

KEI

AKIRA 3

AKIRA - II

Venus Wars

AKIRA 2

AKIRA - I

Space Adventure Cobra

AKIRA 1

TETSUO

Manga Month of March

"What's happening?!"

MMM: "By The Great Solar Wind!" - Ulysses 37

Alright! The controls are set for the heart of the, er, fun, as we cascade through the final four episodes of Ulysses 31, soaring towards the epic(-ish) grande finale. (Again, bear in kind the 'restored' episodes are numbered in a different order to the UK broadcast/DVD release)....

EPISODE 23

"May he be crushed like the crystal sand."

The Odyssey declares an emergency, detecting a "distress signal on D92" as they are approaching a Crystal Planet that is under attack from Tridents. Despite Yumi sensing that it is a trap Ulysses takes a shuttle and fights off the attacking spaceships, rescuing Calypso (who it has to be said has the galaxy's funkiest crystal hairdo)....

It seems Ulysses is too late as the crystal sun is fractured and the planet will soon be destroyed. With Zeus pressuring her to obey, Calypso tricks Ulysses into repairing the crystal sun using the route back to Earth as bait. Calypso soon has a change of heart as she realises she is deeply in love with Ulysses - again her funky 'fro does its thang! - and she can only bring herself to imprison him....

Again the Gods pressure Calypso and this time, as she attempts to kill Ulysses, she confesses all. With her tears of anguish reviving the Crystal Planet the Gods attack, raining down lightening, sending Tridents and conjuring up great crystal birds. Shirka sends down a shuttle to assist in the battle. Will Ulysses and Calypso - who might just have one more trick up her hairstyle - survive the onslaught....

EPISODE 24

"A curious kind of beggar."

Having landed on a planet the Odyssey is drilling for precious minerals, Shirka warning our heroes that the drilling area has "a high proportion of energy catalyst". The children, who are enjoying playing in the planet's low gravity, accidentally fall down one of the holes. As such Telemachus arrives at "The Place Of Time" and is sent 5,000 years into the distant past by the Gods....

Ulysses arrives and is told that to save him he must also go back in time and seek out the first Ulysses and help him protect the right to his throne - both the first Ulysses and first Telemachus are absent, Penelope fending off the interests of many greedy suitors. Ulysses 31 is captured and Penelope, taken with his cause, sets a challenge for the suitors, a trial of strength - if one can successfully string the bow of Ulysses 01 and fire an arrow then she will marry him. Telemachus 01 returns and attempts to rescue Telmachus 31, only they are captured by the dastardly Antilles(?)....

Fortunately they are saved by a mysterious man dressed as a beggar. Who could this be, and could his teaming up with Ulysses 31 foil the cunning plans of the 100 suitors....

EPISODE 25

"Lotus seeds will make you dreamy if you eat them."

Shirka reports the Odyssey will "soon be moving past the last planet recorded in this system" and that she detects a "trace of intelligent life" as well as imminent "meteoric activity". With the "meteoric density now rising sharply" Trident meteors begin to bombard the Odyssey, damaging the Iris. Ulysses utilises the emergency systems to make repairs, but quickly realises their only hope is to make use of the emerald supplies on the nearby Emerald Planet....

Ulysses and Nono take 2 shuttles down to the surface and proceed to begin their operation. Here they are approached by the planet's inhabitants who lead him to the emerald mines, showing him where to dig, and offering him a Lotus Seed to eat. With a warning of "volcanic activity imminent" Ulysses ignores Nono's protest, dreamily wandering off and wanting to stay....

The children speed to the planet surface, concerned that Ulysses will not answer their communications. There they meet Lota, who warns them of the debilitating effects of the Lotus Seeds - if you eat too many you will disappear! The race is on to find Ulysses and give him Lota's antidote before the volcanic eruption. With Ulysses back to normal the race is on to counter the effects of the plants, saving the young and old and to somehow stop the eruption once and for all....

EPISODE 26

"Full speed to the final point!"

The final episode! The Odyssey comes in sight of the oft-mentioned Galactic Glaciers and our heroes begin to hope that The Kingdom Of Hades (and home) is within their reach. Shirka warns that they are "entering a semi-luminous zone" and they encounter a giant butterfly swarm that threatens to envelop the Odyssey and drain all their energy....

Their escape brings the Odyssey to rest on the Galactic Glaciers where they meet a morose Orpheus who wishes to cross The River Styx into the Kingdom Of Death, and there join his beloved Eurydice. Can Ulysses defy the god of death, save his companions from their potential fate as citizens of Hades, and discover the route back to Earth (and Penelope) in time....

"...to the city, the styx, the darkness perhaps."

I had always assumed Ulysses and company never completed their mission, the (outcome of the) final episode never registering with my childhood self coupled with a perpetuating rumour that an intended second series was never made. Indeed there's no denying it's a genuine "kitchen sink" of a conclusion as they cram their usual mix of space adventure and gloomy lamentation together while racing towards a brisker than brisk finale to this truly excellent series....

Before blasting off one last time a final props to TheAdamAnt - a playlist of his loving and painstaking-ly restored episodes can be found here >> Ulysses 31....