Was it worth it? In terms of quantity, yes. To satisfy my curiosity, yes. In terms of contributing to my collection, not really. For $55 you get literally hundreds of items, but how many of those items are relevant or significant to you is highly “mileage may vary.”

Japanese second-hand goods retailer Suruga-ya is currently offering “lucky bags” (random lots) of 100+ Japanese doujinshi for about $20, often with free international shipping.

I have no affiliation with Suruga-ya. I just think these grab bag lots are neat.

Question:
With the passage of time and changing circumstances, do you believe certain disliked anime have been vindicated?

Answer:
Less than two generations ago anime was such an unknown and unheard of medium in the United States that fans who were aware of it called it “Japanimation,” as a means of straightforwardly defining what it was. Since the foundation of US Renditions in early 1987 and AnimeEigo in 1988, American viewers have been exposed to a steadily and rapidly increasing amount of Japanese animation, resulting in the perspectives and tastes of American fans evolving and maturing with experience. I don’t think I can say that any anime title has ever undergone a complete reversal of reputation among American otaku. But in a few cases, opinions do seem to have come around.

In 2005 AD Vision was charged with the production of an English-friendly release of Studio Pierrot’s 2000 anime series Gakko no Kaidan, known in English as “Ghost Stories.” According to English dub producer Steven Foster, ADV Films made the “business decision,” “It’s a little show from a studio, kinda didn’t do very well, what if we just give it to Steven and say ‘knock yourself out, just go crazy.’” So, “We made it up as we went along and it was so wonderful; it was great that we got Best Dub of the Year from Anime Insider.” Despite the fact that the 2000 Gakko no Kaiden anime was part of longer and larger franchise of novels, live-action movies, and video games all based on the same traditional Japanese mythology that underpinned anime including High School Mystery Gakuen Nanafushigi, Haunted Junction, and various iterations of Toile no Hanako-san, the anime wasn’t respected enough to be considered deserving of a faithful dub translation. Granted, licensor Fuji TV reportedly gave ADV few restrictions on its translation and allowed the studio to “go wild with it.” However, in January 2024 the liberal English dub of Gakko no Kaiden became one of the primary illustrations (in addition to Kobayashi’s Maid Dragon) in a fan backlash against loose and “Americanized” script translations. Granted, interest in the Gakko no Kaiden anime series among American viewers hasn’t increased, and the perception of the original show hasn’t changed much. But the show, which was once considered so insignificant that it didn’t even merit serious treatment, has become a rallying point for the respectful and diligent treatment of imported art.

If my memory is accurate, at least one of the English voice actors behind AD Vision’s translation of 1998’s Nankai Kio Neoranga stated publicly that the show sucked. Furthermore, reportedly the official subtitle translation is inaccurate and periodically omits lines of the Japanese dialogue. As a result, throughout the early 2000s Neoranga had a poor reputation, primarily among Americans who hadn’t actually watched the show and instead mindlessly parroted the common criticism. However, in more recent years the American fan community has seemingly forgotten its old disregard for the show, resulting in more viewers watching the series with fresh eyes and discovering that the show is flawed yet ambitious and admirable for its rich characterizations, complex mythology, complicated storyline, and tendency to alternate between cheerful, playful comedy and dark, brutal, unpredictable drama. After all, the series was created by Sho Aikawa, the screenwriter behind Nadesico, Rahxephon, Oh! Edo Rocket, Un-Go, and Eureka Seven, among other titles.

For probably twenty years the 1986 OVA Souheiki M.D. Geist was a punching bag for American otaku. And thanks to John O’Donnell affectionately making the titular character the mascot of the Central Park Media licensing company, most of the anime licensed and distributed by CPM gained a reputation as third-rate productions. But in the years following the shuttering of CPM in 2009, absence has seemingly made the heart grow fonder, and the American fan community has re-evaluated M.D. Geist as a sort of “so bad it’s good” treasure.

Similarly, despite initially airing on Japanese television in 1974, Knack Production’s sci-fi action series Chargeman Ken went mostly overlooked and forgotten, even in Japan, until being rediscovered by Japanese otaku when the series hit Japanese DVD in 2007. The show was re-aired on Japanese television in 2008 and again in 2011. The ironic fame and infamy of the cheap, flawed, carelessly produced Japanese show became a viral sensation and meme among otaku in Japan, eventually bringing the show to the attention of Americans and leading to an American home video release in 2017. Chargeman Ken can only be called “good” in the sense of “so bad that it’s good,” so saying that the American attitude toward the show has evolved isn’t precisely correct. Rather, the show went from completely unknown and unheard of even among the most hardcore of American anime fans to getting an American DVD then Blu-ray release strictly inspired by the viral popularity of the show as a goofy meme.

While the selection of all of these titles is my own subjectivity, I’ll conclude by escalating my personal sentiment. AN Entertainment licensed, localized, and distributed the 2000 television series Miami Guns because I pushed for the acquisition. No one else at AnimeNation had ever heard of the title. I shared my “raw” VHS copies of the 13 episodes and emphasized the serendipity of being a Florida-based company distributing an anime set in a fictional Miami. While some proponents including Anime News Network (ANN) critic Bamboo Dong and Glass City Con organizer Chris Zasada expressed positivity and praise for the show upon its American release, other critics including ANN’s Mike Toole severely criticized it. Twenty years after the American DVD release, I now feel gratified to see the show earning a respectable 6.9 IMDB score, a reddit thread titled “Miami Guns: The best cop show parody you’ve never heard of!” and viewer reactions including, “I have to defend this anime after a lot of people were telling me how crappy it was… Miami Guns manages to hit far more than it misses.”

Until Wednesday, May 22nd at 6pm Japan time, second-hand retailer Suruga-ya is offering free international shipping. That’s a discount that could save American collectors anywhere from $30 to $300 off shipping fees! I took advantage of the opportunity, and recorded a show-and-tell with the items I purchased for my own collection.

Historical shoujo romantic drama is a relatively common subgenre of manga, and one that’s well-done more often than not. Veteran shoujo manga creator Ken Saito’s Tales of the Tendo Family (Tendou-ke Monogatari) premiered in 2014 and told its story through 14 volumes. Although the first book’s illustration doesn’t set new standards for shoujo art, its strong characterizations and brisk pacing make the tale instantly engrossing and highly enjoyable, for select readers. One Peace Books will begin releasing the official English-language translation of the manga on April 9.

Tales of the Tendo Family revolves around a nameless orphan girl with nothing to live for. But rather than wastefully end her own life, she seeks an opportunity to give up her life for the benefit of another person. The girl believes she’s found a prime opportunity to honorably sacrifice herself by taking the place of a woeful bride-to-be who’s slated to wed into a vicious, ruthless family. But the nameless sacrifice, who assumes the name “Hojo Ran,” finds that her experiences and earthy personality make her an ideal survivor in the harsh Tendo family.

Ken Saito’s graphic art is typical of the modern shoujo aesthetic. The illustration isn’t as literally rose-filled as some shoujo titles, nor is it always quite as detailed or expressive as similar manga art by Miho Obana or Natsuki Takaya. But the illustration is clean and consistently easy to comprehend and follow. Distinguishing characters is easy due to their distinct appearances. Background art is typically minimal except when necessary. While foreground designs are a bit minimal and simplistic, extensive use of screentone gives the art a rich, textural depth. Moreover, the original magazine serialization in Hakusensha’s LaLa DX periodically included sidebar advertisements. In the collected volumes those ads have been replaced by cute “bonus” illustrations.

Typical of a first volume, Tales of the Tendo Family volume 1 concentrates on introducing its cast, setting, and scenario. Readers get to know quite a bit about heroine “Hojo Ran.” Supporting characters Masato Tendo and Tachibana don’t get rich characterization, yet they both get more rounded personalities than one would typically expect from a first manga volume. Even the initially minor supporting characters are introduced with a bit more complexity than simplistic one-dimensional antagonists. The story setting at the very end of the Meiji era will likely be familiar to seasoned manga readers. The story scenario is also familiar from titles ranging from My Happy Marriage to Sacrificial Princess and the King of Beasts; however, the intensity of the oppressive, threatening scenario is likely more prominent in this manga than readers may be used to. In similar shoujo manga, the outsider protagonist is usually subject to harassment and mild bullying. The first volume of the Tendo Family manga does escalate to occasional instances of bloody domestic violence.

Furthermore, the protagonist isn’t just figuratively hopeless. Her suicidal tendencies aren’t strenuous, but they are genuine and may be especially troubling for delicate or sensitive readers. The figurative and literal darkness of the story is effectively offset by Hojo Ran’s pragmatic attitude and periodic flashes of cynical and even sinister slapstick comedy. The first manga includes mild nudity in the form of one shot of Ran’s nude behind. The book contains no adult language or sex.

One Peace Books’ official English translation by Matt Schley is fluid and natural. All of the characters speak with a slight formality typical of the time period, but rather uniquely, this manga gives a slightly different dialogue font to members of the elite Tendo family compared to the more practical and plain-spoken commoners. The difference in font subtly helps emphasize the difference in class status between characters regardless of the closeness of their relationships. Occasionally translated dialogue slips out of the bounds of illustrated word balloons. The slips are momentarily distracting but don’t affect the translation or readability. Sound effects are translated in-panel. One translator’s note is included as a footnote. The book contains the story’s first four chapters plus a seven-page-long “chapter 2.5.”

Ultimately, the first volume of creator Ken Saito’s manga Tales of the Tendo Family may be described as a version of Mark Twain’s Prince & the Pauper with Watashi no Shiawase na Kekkon or Taishou Otome Otogibanashi. Despite exhibiting some slightly weak illustration, the first book does a great job of introducing its characters and story. And the first book wraps up as a complete, satisfying introduction that lays groundwork for the story to continue in earnest. The story does deal with and depict some disturbing themes including suicide and domestic violence. These themes may offend or upset some readers. However, the manga is deliberate to never linger on its dark themes, instead concentrating on a hopeful and lightly romantic attitude. In that sense, Tales of the Tendo Family will appeal as much to fans of Fruits Basket as fans of My Happy Wedding.

Question:
In light of the recent losses of influential manga artists such as Kentaro Miura, Kazuki Takahashi, Buichi Terasawa, Takao Saito, Kazuhiko Kato, and Kazuo Koike, which current artists do believe will influence the anime medium in the future? This is prominent as pioneers such as Hayao Miyazaki, Rumiko Takahashi, Goh Nagai, and Yoshiyuki Okumura approach retirement.

Answer:
Given my age, I don’t even know what a “hot take” actually is, but this may be one. Artists and creators had more opportunity to influence the development of the anime industry during the youthful and developmental ages of the industry. I’m not implying that the anime industry has reached a stagnancy; however, the industry now has a maturity that it didn’t yet have fifty or more years ago. Mitsuteru Yokoyama practically invented both the magical girl and robot anime genres because his Mahoutsukai Sally and Tetsujin 28 were among the earliest examples of their genres. Go Nagai revolutionized the industry by creating a magical girl for male viewers. He also practically launched the “super robot” genre. Leiji Matsumoto introduced the space opera to manga and anime. Yoshiyuki Tomino and Ryosuke Takahashi founded the “real robot” sub-genre. Although not as well remembered now, Yoshitake Suzuki introduced the first transforming robot. Rumiko Takahashi introduced the harem romantic comedy sub-genre. Functionally Masami Kurumada and Buronson practically co-established the modern shounen action genre.

In terms of animators, Isao Takahata is respected for depicting anime characters as believable, living people with daily lives and concerns rather than just characters used to advance a plot. Ichiro Itano is beloved as the creator of the “Itano Circus.” Hayao Miyazaki, following the lead of Isao Takahata, has become arguably history’s second most beloved animator following only behind Walter E. Disney. Osamu Dezaki not only gave anime his distinctive dramatic directorial style, he’s also responsible for the first use of computer-generated graphics in anime.

All of these firsts were inevitable advancements. Had not these specific creators contributed, someone else eventually would have. But now that anime has existed for 66 years, the probable majority of “firsts” for the industry have all happened. Moreover, prior to the digital era fewer opportunities and means existed for individuals to share their creations and artistic talent. For a manga to become widely known, it had to be professionally published and distributed. With very rare exceptions, for an anime to reach a large audience, it had to be professionally produced. The digital era has both shattered and changed those limitations. Individual independent creators in the modern era have more opportunity than ever before, by a wide margin, to influence their peers. Moreover, the existence of self-published pop-culture light novels, video games, web blogs, and software programs such as Yamaha’s “Vocaloid” synthesizer that didn’t exist fifty years ago now offer so many more creators more opportunity to influence the anime medium. Historically manga artists have arguably been the biggest influence on the anime industry. Contemporary history seems to confirm the fact that in the digital era manga artists are no longer the most prominent influences in the development of the anime production industry.

Hayao Miyazaki is globally beloved as the world’s greatest living animator. He began animating professionally in 1963 and directed his first feature film in 1979. Video game animator Makoto Shinkai released his first solo-created anime short in 1996. As of this writing, both men are responsible for three of the ten highest grossing in Japan anime movies ever. In less than 30 years, Makoto Shinkai has created and directed a third of the highest grossing anime films of all time, placing his box-office record equal to that of Miyazaki. Put another way, a self-taught independent artist who started out animating in his own apartment with his girlfriend doing voice acting has risen in just 28 years to being one of the two most successful anime creators in history. Even if Makoto Shinkai’s distinctive visual style and heartfelt storytelling isn’t alone influential, his life story should be for future generations of aspiring artists.

Masaaki Yuasa isn’t a newcomer to the anime industry. However, he is arguably the industry’s highest profile eclectic, esoteric, “indie” anime director. Including Nekojiru-sou (2001), Mind Game (2004), Kaiba (2008), Yojouhan Shinwa Taikei (2010), Yoaketsugeru Lu no Uta (2017), Devilman Crybaby (2018), and Inu-Oh (2021) just to name a few, no other professional Japanese animator has been so devoted to developing so many unusual, expressionistic and experimental mainstream anime releases. He’s also directed an episode of the French animated series Wakfu and the American series Adventure Time. Any and every contemporary student of animation has to be aware of Yuasa’s work and likely can’t escape some sort of reaction to and influence from that work. If nothing else, Yuasa’s output demonstrates what sort of creative and artistic flexibility is possible within mainstream commercial animation in Japan and abroad.

Regardless of one’s fondness for his writing, Gen Urobuchi might be called contemporary Japan’s Philip K. Dick or Robert Heinlein despite Urobuchi seemingly taking prominent inspiration from Philip Dick, in particular. His Puella Magi Madoka Magica launched an entire sub-genre of deconstructive, existential magical girl anime. His Godzilla anime movie trilogy introduced a shockingly unique perspective on the aged franchise. His Fate/Zero has arguably overshadowed even Kinoko Nasu’s originating Fate/stay night series. Urobuchi’s Psycho-Pass franchise might not exist without the prior work of Philip K. Dick and Isaac Asimov, but the Psycho-Pass franchise has been undeniably massively successful as well as influential, particularly in blending speculative science fiction with political speculation.

One manga creator whose influence may still become prominent is Eiichiro Oda. The One Piece manga is now 27 years old, the anime series 25 years old, meaning that right now fresh Japanese young adults entering the entry levels of Japanese anime production studios have spent their entire lives growing up alongside One Piece. Some of these new, young professional animators may draw inspiration from the characteristics of One Piece. Others may deliberately try to evolve their styles in opposition to Oda’s.

The number of new anime series made for Japanese television broadcast has steadily increased year over year since the dawn of modern television anime sixty years ago. However, 2023 being one of the most prolific years of broadcast anime ever did not make it one of history’s best years of new anime. By my rough count, 2017 and 2018 both produced 249 new television and web anime. 2023 saw the release of 232 new series and specials, by my estimate. Excluding continuing seasons with continuing episode numbering, and excluding re-releases including the episodic television broadcasts of the Kaguya-sama wa Kokurasetai and Kidou Senshi Gundam: Senkou no Hathaway feature films, I was fortunate enough to watch at least one episode of 230 of this year’s new titles. The two I skipped were Shingeki no Kyojin: The Final Season Kanketsu-hen and Bleach: Sennen Kessen-hen -Ketsubetsu-tan-.

For minor technical reference, I considered the Tokyo Revengers: Tenjiku-hen special to be part of the “Seiya Kessen-hen” second season. And according to the official Japanese homepage, Arknights: Reimei Zensou and Arknights: Fuyukomori Kaerimichi are one collective series.

Furthermore, technically every year that has more than five shows has a “top five,” but singling-out shows just because they rank by default isn’t a very useful measure of quality. In my admittedly subjective opinion, only three “new” broadcast anime series that premiered in 2023 rise to the level of noteworthy excellence. Then a number of titles deserve recognition as strong contenders.

In the contemporary era so many of the light novels and manga that receive anime adaptations feel as though they were created as footholds: opportunities for new writers to break into the profession or works to keep professional creators relevant. Stories are rare that feel like they exist because the author was compelled to share a unique vision. Writer Kanehito Yamada’s manga Sousou no Frieren can be called just another sword & sorcery tale, but such disregard ignores the story’s charming uniqueness. Madhouse’s currently ongoing TV adaptation is lovely looking and well animated, but so are many other anime series. “World building” has come into vogue as a primary criteria for literary criticism, but the criteria is frequently mishandled. Apart from biographies and documentaries, all fictional stories world build because all stories need some sort of setting. The Sousou no Frieren anime depicts a world that not only refers to its history but actually feels like it has history. Crumbling ancient ruins are merely set dressing, not world building. The Sousou no Frieren story contains numerous small details and references that evoke the sense of a world that has lived, grown, developed, and changed over a millennium. Its world doesn’t feel like a convenient fantasy setting; it feels like a living world. More importantly, the characters within the world feel dynamic. While especially episodes 8-10 are filled with breathtaking suspenseful action, the show is at heart a character study concentrating on the subtle ways experiences and companionship affect and change the characters’ personalities. Unlike so many contemporary anime series that feel arbitrary and spontaneous, Sousou no Frieren is deliberative and deliberately planned. Every moment, every event serves a purpose. The anime feels like a refreshing breath of fresh air because it feels like a story that wants to be told rather than feeling like a story that exists for the sake of popularizing itself and selling merchandise.

Kusuriya no Hitorigoto is comparable to Sousou no Frieren in several ways. Also an ongoing series as of the end of 2023, the first half of the show alone promises enough integrity to make it worth notice. Set in a fictional ancient China, this royal palace drama occurs within a society of manners, dignity, and formality. The protagonist survives by her wit and intelligence. Likewise, the show itself assumes the audience’s intelligence. The show’s exposition frequently lies in what’s not said aloud. The characters, and by extension the viewing audience, interpret the show’s plot developments by examining the characters’ actions and expressions, by interpreting what they say and what they keep silent. The series has a playful cynicism that doesn’t appear in anime very often, so paying attention to the show, its characterizations, and its relationships makes the viewing experience more rewarding. The show’s editing is periodically a bit jerky, sometimes forcing viewers to fill in narrative gaps themselves, but the little lapses almost seem deliberate, in order to remind viewers to be as astute as the protagonist is.

Recognizing the Kimetsu no Yaiba: Katanakaji no Sato-hen season while excluding the comparable second season of Jujutsu Kaisen may seem peculiar, but the Demon Slayer official site recognizes the “Swordsmith Village arc” as a self-contained series while the Jujutsu Kaisen homepage identifies the TV anime as one continuing series. Moreover, narratively Kimetsu no Yaiba: Katanakaji no Sato-hen is a stronger narrative package than the second season of Jujutsu Kaisen is. Granted, both series during 2023 introduced plot developments that feel artificial and manipulated in order to preface further drama in the stories. But “Swordsmith Village arc” delivers a more sincere, more emotional, less manipulative action-packed story than Jujutsu Kaisen season two, which feels like it exists solely for the purposes of shock value and laying the groundwork for future story arcs. When one wants to demonstrate the peaks of contemporary shounen fantasy anime, the Demon Slayer: Swordsmith Village mini-series is an ideal example.

I think that a handful of additional 2023 anime deserve some recognition and admiration.

The first season of Hikari no Ou, co-adapted by Mamoru Oshii, directed by veteran animator Junji Nishimura, with character design by Blood: The Last Vampire animation director Kazuchika Kise, and score composed by Kenji Kawai, has a luminous production staff. Moreover, despite being animated by relatively mainstream studio Signal.MD, arguably no other new broadcast anime this year looks and feels more esoteric and independent, including even Ikimono-san. However, despite a great pedigree and promise, the first season of Hikari no Ou is foremost nearly incomprehensible. The story reveals itself slowly. Moreover, the exposition is so heavily steeped in the show’s own mythology and lore that frequently it’s difficult to fully understand what characters are talking about. The show is noteworthy for being so unique, but that esoteric uniqueness is also just as much a weakness.

Dead Mount Death Play is likewise near unbelievably complicated. However, to its great credit, mostly the show actually manages to keep its juggling plot threads coherent. The show’s bizarre mysteries and large cast of even more bizarre characters keep the show unpredictable and exciting. However, inevitably with a story this complicated, several of the lesser plot threads go unexplained.

Oshi no Ko begins as one story. Then it reaches a shocking climax that promises a compelling mystery. Then the subsequent ten episodes struggle to fulfill that initial promise. Episode 6 gained some notoriety for its ruthless cynicism, but the episode is merely a variation of the earlier motion picture Perfect Blue, and despite the strength of the episode, it’s tangential to the primary storyline. Oshi no Ko throughout is vibrant looking. And it periodically remembers to develop its central conceit, but regrettably the show mostly fails to live up to its potential.

Similarly, Watashi no Shiawase na Kekkon is absolutely lovely looking, and the show has a very immersive atmosphere. But regrettably the characterizations and especially the story development in the show’s second half are so stilted and artificial that the series never feels convincing or satisfying.

The short Uma Musume: Road to the Top web mini-series and the TV series third season are both very satisfying, but following on the heels of the stellar and heartbreaking second season, virtually anything would have trouble measuring up.

I hope I may be forgiven for lumping together a final few titles. Lv1 Maou to One Room Yuusha is a very fun sly satire that pays homage to the tone of anime from twenty or more years ago. Jigokuraku is practically the runner-up version of Kimetsu no Yaiba: Katanakaji no Sato-hen. The show is visually inventive. It’s also gratuitously violent; however, it ends up feeling rather unfulfilling. Skip to Loafer rivals many of the past’s better shoujo anime but by design doesn’t try to surpass them in emotional resonance or story depth. The ongoing Shangri-la Frontier is energetic and fun, but it also feels like it frequently just revs in place, not progressing the story when it could and should.

I placed a new order with Amazon Japan and also another order with Mandarake because Mandarake offered an exceptionally scarce manga key issue that I couldn’t resist purchasing.

I’m back again to share another selection of unique and novel anime items delivered from Japan. Highlights in this batch including the cameo first appearance of Piccolo and the first full appearance of Super Saiyajin Son Goku, both from Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball manga.

Apologies for me looking a bit trashy. I’m a lazy, aging hermit. It’s the anime stuff that ought to be the focus of the video rather than me, however.