Animation

Netflix Series Beastars Season 2: Who Is da BEAST?!

July 26, 2021October 30, 2023HalsdollLeave a comment

Disclaimer: Like “Netflix Series Beastars Review: Is the Rabbit Really A Slut?“, this post is for mature audiences. Not for children. Please watch show before reading. This is just my interpretation.

Well well…this became a bit of an erotic show that deals with a beastly appetite for another living piece of meat. Watching the show made me want to turn into a vegetarian or hide my face whenever I sense a predator staring at me from a distance. You never know if a perverted wolf is on the prowl. Yes, I’m still talking about Beastars here, a show jam-packed with metaphors.

It’s nice to see Legoshi, learning to control his instinct by turning into a Zen monk–well not quite. He can control his appetite to devour her but not the sexual desire he has for her! It seems as if he is confused with food for love or it’s the other way around. In this season, he did what is right, starts using his god-gifted ability to sniff out the culprit who killed the alpaca, Tem. But is it out of love or self-righteousness that he sought to solve the drama club murder mystery? Personally, I think it’s a way for the young lad to go on a journey of self-discovery. In this case, I think he may found his purpose which is to use his strength to protect and not kill. Lastly, marry Haru. No wonder Haru called him selfish when he proposed.

As I was sitting on my couch watching the show, I can speculate why it’s called Beastars. It’s a show about beasts fighting to gain respect within the society or you can think of it as watching the Olympics (let’s see which race is the superior race by demonstrating it through sports events!). But of course, it’s more than that. It tackles teenage issues, insecurities, sexuality, discrimination, and so much more! We got two groups of beasts: herbivores and carnivores who are in a constant power struggle to show the school who is da BEAST! Herbivores suffer from inferiority because of where they stand in the food chain meanwhile the carnivores feel mispresented as monsters. Deep down they are fragile creatures. It turns out the insecure big baby deer Louis and the sexually suppressed wolf Legoshi are both stars in this show and both deeply admire one another. There were some cuddling, heartwarming friendship scenes for those who like to see animals get along. Realistically though, animals don’t like sharing mates. I speak from watching animal documentaries and trying to raise two roosters under the same roof back in my teenage years. That didn’t even last a day. One got killed by the other. Perhaps, the relationship between deer and a wolf is different. As Claudio said in Much Ado About Nothing by Shakespeare:

Friendship is constant in all other things/Save in the office and affairs of love (Act 2: SC 1: P. 173-174)

So that’s why I’m surprise how mellow Legoshi is towards Louis who slept with the girl he loves and who was willing to sacrifice her for the greater good. The natural response would to give Louis a black eye for being such a prick. But, Legoshi, the awkward wolf is better than that. He mastered the art of suppressing his instinct by using the right head, the one upstairs.

So where does Juno, the manipulative wolf fit in the picture? Seems like her intent to steal the show in the first season is purely based on insecurity. Can’t blame her. She didn’t have to work for her respect in society so a part of her always feel inadequate. She was already given that respect simply for being born as a wolf (carnivores are seen as a high society). Although, I have sympathy for her in some ways. Beneath her confidence, she suffers from low self-esteem. Perhaps, she could practice gratitude and self-love? As for the promiscuous rabbit, she could learn humility and put her pride aside. That small thing needs help. She can’t survive on her own in a society that’s always hungry. I don’t want to say that slut saw it coming for hopping around alone in the Garden Club like a piece of meat because no living thing deserves to be looked upon as a tasty meal even if it’s part of the universal law in this made-up belief world, Beastars.

Overall, the message I got from this show is to respect all life. I liked that all the beasts are a star in their own way. They all have their unique strengths and weaknesses and deserve sympathy. It was amusingly fun to watch and I must say a well-crafted story for an anime. Not saying that anime is bad, but rarely do I find one that I actually binged watch, especially ones that involved high school drama.

Ghost in the Shell (1995)Review: The Future of Humanity Is A Stream of Conscience

January 24, 2021October 20, 2023Halsdoll1 Comment

Street Fighter II The Animated Movie (1994) Review: A Great Work Out for the Eyes

December 7, 2020October 30, 2023Halsdoll3 Comments

Do you like fighting games? I love fighting games even though I never did beat my brother in a match. It’s the only video game genre that will make me lose my temper. Let’s just say my brother enjoyed watching me get angry when I lose to him. Not so fun if you keep losing. However, I could sit for hours watching him play. It’s fun to watch. He still tries to encourage me to play it more often online. Unfortunately, I’m not the type who enjoys playing against a real-life opponent. The fighting games community can be a bit aggressive for my liking.

This weekend I had a blast watching Street Fighter II The Animated Movie. Great fighting scenes mixed with ominous rock music made the viewing experience enjoyable. Even though the hero, Ryu is intended to be the highlight of this series (he stands for everything right and powerful), I actually am more intrigued with M. Bison. Why? His origin is mysterious and he has crazy psychotic power. And I confess, there is a little bit of an evil side to me. Like M. Bison, I like to feel powerful! Who wouldn’t want to be the best of the best in terms of strength? I felt so macho watching this animation that it became comical to me. Ryu doing his rocking climbing and all. So intense.

All of the characters, Cammy, Chun-Li, Vega, Fei Long, Sagat, E. Honda, and Guile just to name a few made their entrance in this animation. So it was fun to watch your favorite characters in action. Although, I must say the highlight of this animation was Chun-Li versus the flamboyant Boy, Vega. I can tell they put a lot of energy into this fighting scene. I guess who wouldn’t want to see a beautiful woman kick some boy’s butt in her underwear? There’s no time to be shy and modest. Some guy just clawed her face. Go Chun- Li! Show that bad boy some manners!

I watched this on Amazon Prime Video. It’s currently free for streaming. And no, I am not advertising Amazon. The lockdown brought me to the site as I depend on it for groceries. It’s kind of like being distracted at the supermarket. Got to find something good to watch with my meal!

Well, that’s it for now. Until next time, bye-bye.

Ninja Scroll (1993) Review: A Love Story for Humanity

November 23, 2020October 30, 2023HalsdollLeave a comment

Don’t underestimate the power of good illustration. Like prey, people like me always get trapped by its web. That’s what happened to me with Ninja Scroll. I jumped into this film without knowing anything about it. I just saw the cover and I thought it looked cool. And I was not wrong. The illustration is stunningly beautiful despite the gore, sex, and violence which enhanced the overall viewing experience. I was in awe or perhaps, after seeing so many subpar animations, it’s nice to finally see the real deal. Then again, I like the films directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri, which I later found out after watching this film that the same director did Demon City Shinjuku (1988). I noticed his style. It’s alluring. Ninja Scroll is how I would define a romance story. The relationship between the poison taster Kagero (female lead) and the wandering ninja Kibagami Jubei (male lead), illustrates a romantic union for human survival.

Right off the bat, the film starts cool when Jubei, a very skilled swordsman, is attacked by thieves. It’s later, we learn that Jubei has been hired by a clan for 20 ryo to get a highly treasured sword back for a poor clan. How many people do you know would accept modest compensation for a big task? Only a big-heart hero like Jubei would. Instantly, I was wooed.

On the other hand, Kagero’s entrance came on strong as well. In fact, highly admirable. The way how the scene introduces her barging into a room of ninjas, instantly won me over. She refuses to stay behind and watch all of the clan members get wiped out by the Shogun of the Dark clan. Hot-headed and as fearless as she is, makes her an entertaining character to watch alongside the more relaxed, hobo-ish ninja, Jubei.

Of course, it is probably not intended to be a romance story, or perhaps it’s a subtle romance story about humanity striving to survive the corrupted world filled with demons (I am thinking abstractly here). Your experience with the film may differ from mine. But I think we can agree that the animation in this film is top-notch. Some of the scenes, however, involving women, can be gruesomely graphic (rape scenes). It may make some uncomfortable, but it didn’t offend me because it serves a purpose by illustrating how politically corrupted the world is in that time era. And honestly, I kind of like that over-the-top exaggerated storytelling. It’s art. To be fair, both men and women in this film are both sexualized and both are just as equally strong while having their unique vulnerabilities. It is nice to see the masculine and feminine energy at play, metaphorically speaking.

In conclusion, I have never experienced love to know what romance is until I watched this film. I protect you; you protect me. Isn’t that how romance should be? Kagero and Jubei make a great team. This film is my definition of what makes a romantic love story.

Mushi-Shi Review: A Fine Cup of Medicine for the Mind

August 30, 2020October 30, 2023HalsdollLeave a comment

Do you know what Forest Bathing is? When you are stuck in a city like me, you naturally want to reconnect with all things green because greenery is life. That’s why many people like to go to the woods where I am from. Unfortunately, since I am a loner, it’s not safe for a woman as petite as me to go out in the woods alone. So what is the solution? I watched Mushi-shi and perfected avocado smoothie during my staycation! I feel mentally recharged and happy.

By now, I don’t know how many times I have watched Mushi-shi which was initially aired in Japan in 2005. It’s my to-go anime when I want to clear my mind. It has a calming effect like tea. The animation is stunningly beautiful. I always feel as if I am hiking my way towards the mountains and then into the lush green forest with Ginko, the protagonist. But it’s not just the scenery that I like so much, it’s how well each episode tells its story surrounding the mysterious supernatural-like creatures called Mushi. There are 26 episodes and each episode is 24 minutes long. I like how short each episode is compared to some T.V shows that have 50-minute long episodes. Let’s just say I like to take frequent breaks.

If you are not familiar with the series by now, I am happy to tell you what it’s all about. Mushi is the closes thing to life itself. They come in different shapes and forms. Some are visible and some are not. Their existence is the cause of many humans ailment. Not everyone can see Mushi. Only certain people can. Ginko is one of them. Because of exposure to a particular type of Mushi, a fish-like creature with one eye missing, Ginko can’t stay in one place for long without attracting supernatural-like creatures. As a result, he is fated for a lone nomadic life, visiting different villages to help educate people on the nature of the Mushi and its effect on the mysterious sickness that one has inflicted by the supernatural creature. He is like a researcher/scientist, but more like a medical doctor as he finds successful solutions to protect both humans and Mushi without destroying either one so that one can live. In fact, this is a recurring theme throughout the series.

One thing that I really like about this anime is the message it wants to convey to the audience: When you understand your “enemy” you become less afraid of them. It is better to accept their mere existence as part of the ecosystem. They are neither good nor bad. One episode titled Cotton Changeling proves that Mushi just wants to live just as much as humans when it was given the ability to speak. It is an eerie episode in fact.

All of the episodes are resolved by Ginko’s ethical, scientific approach whereas other like him take on a more brutal approach towards the Mushi by killing them all, which ironically killed human life. As I mentioned earlier, Mushi is the closes thing to life itself. Ginko’s way of handling Mushi is very human and modern. When I say humanly, I mean he uses his God-given intelligence to solve problems rather than react out of primitive fear. This explains why he is dressed in western attire rather than traditional Japanese clothes. To dress like a foreigner gives him the impression of an outsider. His outsider perspective helps him make scientific decisions rather than rely on archaic customs. His western approach to Mushi is a sign of forwarding thinking.

What I learned from this anime is that ignorance is not bliss. Knowledge is a powerful tool to harmonize the universe. Seek to understand the world around us because it can kill unnecessary superstition that does more harm than good. More importantly, it can save lives. Ginko saved lives like a true doctor. His compassion for all living things is admirable. I think that is why I like this show so much. Every time I watch it, it’s like having a fine cup of tea. Try it for yourself, you might enjoy the solitude walk in the forest.