The Adult Swim Watchalong Thing Part 11: Japanimation and Star Wars

 

Our Blockbuster called it's very small anime section Japanimation. I don't know when this was and I don't care enough to try to find out, but apparently that's what we would call it in the 1980s. in the 1990s anime took over as the main word but damnit Japanimation is cooler. I say we bring back Japanimation. Even though I have the least amount of power of any human being who's ever existed. You yes you reading this can do more to change things in this world and I think while Japanimation is a cool word, there are many many things more things to try to change. I do not know where I am going with this opening so let's pretend I didn't do it. Yeah. Like Bart Simpson in that one episode of the Simpsons. SIT PERFECTLY STILL PORTNOYD ONLY I MAY DANCE.

I know I started off this post talking about Japanimation and anime in that opening paragaph I asked everyone to forget about but I just gotta do Star Wars show that appeared on adult swim. I'mn literally trying to do the most shows from them. Anything that I can find. I do not really consider myself a Star Wars fan. I think George Lucas should have given up after the original three movies in the 1980s. Well make those janky ass games for the NES and SNES (sorry Damien but you know its kinda jank.) I just don't care otherwise. George Lucas also helped create Indiana Jones with Steven Spielberg and Willow. I honestly think it's pretty sad how he just went whole hog with Star Wars, the man could have something just as good as those first three movies in him that we won't see. I don't care about the Extended Universe or whatever it's called. I don't care about the prequels (I haven't even seen Revenge of the Sith and I don't think I ever will). I don't care about the sequels (haven't seen any of them). I just simply don't care. The story ended in 1983 and I'll eat a damn hat if this show makes me want to watch more of it. I have just watched this show and I just found it to be a complete bore. Okay I didn't watch the entire show just the first episode and I just don't care. I'll gladly re-watch the original movies with anyone or by my self but just don't ask me to join in on any other Star Wars related thing. I also really do not like the animation designs for this show. They do not look nice and I do not like looking at them. Anyway instead of Star Wars Extended Universe stuff I will watch REAL entertainment like Perfect Strangers, The Smoggies and Touched by an Angel. You might think I'm joking but I really probably will watch all of those shows episodes before I watch any more Star Wars stuff. 

Now we are going to talk about one of THE most popular things recently. It started in 1997 as a manga and has been still going on 28 years later. This literally must be the longest on-going story told by one person ever. That's pretty amazing. Pirates are weirdly underused in fiction. You had Pirates of Dark Water. Pirates of the Carribean. and this. I'm sure theres more but I cannot think of more right this now. But nerds go fucking ga-ga for this anime and well I can see why with just one episode. I am already hooked and know that I will either watch the anime or read the manga. Or maybe even both. I'm good enough to do both. I already think Monkey D Luffy is hilarious (the D stands for Danger) and it's better paced than the Star Wars thing I watched where Yoda just pisses around on a planet for one of those weird alien monsters from the Phantom Menace.

It's time for me to talk about a man who I used to talk to named calgone. I wish I could talk to him again. He was a fun rascal of a human being. Anyway, If I recall correctly he enjoyed this anime and would talk about it all the time. I never watched it because it wasn't as easy to get stuff back then in like 2003 or whatever. Still I always wanted to check it out and now I finally have the reason to do it. So let's see if I like it or not. And after finally watching it I can say I wish I had watched this sooner becuase holy Hanna-Barbera this is one hell of a way to start a show. It's about a bounty hunter (kinda like Cowboy Bebop. another show I get to rewatch a little bit for this series of blog posts) who gets himself caught up in one hell of an adventure! Seriously. The first episode itself is one hell of an adventure. I don't know where it's going but I am totally checking the rest of this out.

Now here is something I'm surprised I have not talked about before. I think I may have made a mention of it before but I am one big Sailor Moon fan. Sailor Moon is fucking awesome. It's hilarious, exicting, incredibly lovable characters and one pretty epic story all things considered. It's also got Romance. Romance is awesome. Anyway, this is something I was really into at one point in my life. I mean I still love it and am rewatching it I guess concurrently with One Piece (what can I say the show hooked me.) and it still works. Still I can remember coming home from a trip to the old SECOND PAGE BOOKSTORE with some comics and Garfield/Calvin and Hobbes/Bloom County/Charlie Brown books to read. It was a glorious time and to think tons of men my age denied themselves this glory. Thank god for being the weird kid that very few people would want to hang out with. Had anyone in my school known I watched this they would have made fun of me for it. They made fun of me for liking Teen Angel. Hell they just liked making fun of me. I thought I was in on the joke but no it was just vicous cruel mockery that still bothers me to this day. Very cool!  Anyway, don't let gender "rules" get you down and watch this show. Watch girlier shit (if it even exists. This i spretty girly) watch manly shit. Just be a human fuckin being and enjoy the works of other human fuckin beings regardless of whats in their pants. You just might learn some new things and become a more realized human being which no, is not an awful thing. Sailor Moon rules and more men should watch it. Charles Bronson movies rule and more women should watch them. I don't know where I am going with all of this so I will quit while I am ahead.

Well now, I must say adult swim picks some pretty good pieces of Japanese animation to show us all. Japan clearly is the coolest place in Asia. I am now off to watch over 1,000 episodes of anime Pirates doing anime things. I am a cool guy.