April Fool's Surprise! FLCL: Alternative, Episode One Impressions

Toonami, never a network to shy away from bold gestures on April Fool's may have outdone themselves last night as the regularly scheduled block was interrupted. Interrupted by the splashy colors, and familiar sounds of small city Japan, punctuated by a favorite pink haired rogue with a bass guitar. Production I.G.'s proposed to be released sequel series to the late 1990s OVA classic, FLCL, graced screens nationwide, and in subbed form!

Now it is important to note here that the episode in question, is the premiere to the THIRD season, which is slated for full unveiling in September. Which means we have no context for a lot of what is happening here. The second season, FLCL: Progressive, is set to air in June. So what we have here is a taster for the tone, pace, and feel of these new episodes as largely funded by America's own Ghost House Pro. So this, as suggested is something that should be wholly taken with a grain of salt. There really was nothing left to be said at the end of the OVA, so these new stories should be something that both resembles a bit of the past, but wholly their own animals.

And as such, the episode that aired is something a little closer in tone to the first two original video installments. Both equally grounded, punctuated by moments of unabashed weird. Introducing 17 year old high school student, Kana. An ordinary girl with her own brand of boredom about her hometown, as humanity seems to be more primed than before for space travel. This, naturally only bolsters her sense of disaffectedness as the endeavor seems wholly relegated to the rich and powerful. Space is indeed no place for ordinary dreamers like Kana, and her friends. But instead of wallowing, DIY defiance is in order as the quartet opt to create their own homemade bottle rocket complete with sequins, and gaudy adornments. Of course, this finds itself undone when a certain Raharu comes to town, seemingly back in town seeking a new N.O. channel, possibly within Kana's own noggin! 

Gone, is a lot of the snowballing references. Miles away, is the niggling creepiness of the original series' gaze. Taking a stand from a more feminine POV, is something that renders the whole episode a little more sweet and sentimental than the Enokido-penned original, and it sports an ideal mix of personalities in Kana's friends together with a sense of the driven which is in many ways the spiritual opposite of the perpetually trapped nature of Naota and friends last time around. 

And speaking of Naota..

Has he become the new Amarao-san? It certainly looks it.

In short, the episode is charming enough. And it is incredibly hard to even think we could ever recapture the literal spirit of a time when the internet was quite young, indie analog press was a thing, and a more isolated view of the world was more palpable. Raharu (aka Haruko Haruhara, seems to be the only real element that hasn't changed. She's both as wise, and as self-serving as she has always been.), appears not only to save the day, but to urge Kana and friends on as they seem to be on a pretty good track without her. It's an interesting contrast to a vision of post-Evangelion desperation to define onesself with a girlfriend or mother figure. Now, Kana does seem to carry something of a latent crush, but it doesn't factor specifically in this one. I'm guessing we have a basketball-centric episode in the wings. At any rate, what disarmed me most about this return noone asked for, was Kana, her buddy Pets, imposing, yet handy, Mossan, and teen gyaru mag idol wannabe, Hijiri. Their moments of bonding and creating, offer up a hopeful retort to the often trapped in ennui amber of Naota and crew. And while that could very well be seen as a negative, I'm willing to venture that there are new challenges to arise from this alternate setup. 

Yeah, I was undoubtedly worried. The original OVA, remains one of the last of its kind to truly move me back between 2000-2001. Tsurumaki and company helped fashion an appropriate closer to anime in the twentieth century with a crazy story about the value of nonsense in a world of often overwhelming sense. Again, one episode here isn't really enough to formulate a concrete opinion. But I will say here that Toonami's play was a bold, welcome one.

And hey, any new animation featuring The Pillows, is welcome to me.

Reawakened Whispers: Ghost In The Shell PSX (1997)

Newport City is rocked by a large explosion that has torn through the Megatech Body Corporation's main building. Numerous injuries have been reported. An outfit calling itself the Human Liberation Front, has claimed responsibility. Investigation is under way. And you, rookie, are at the center of intense fire as Public Security Section 9 closes in on the perps, uncover the conspiracy, and bring the guilty parties to justice without destroying the city. Released in 1997, by way of Exact studios, and Production IG, one of my fondest memories of being a fan of both the manga and film was this third person shooter which fulfilled many personal desires for an atmospheric, and fun cyberpunk action game.   

First, I'm going to start by stating that I am by no means a game reviewer. I'm not even much of a game fan save for the occasional diversion. For me, GiTS PSX is one of the more successful expansions of an already established universe. While Oshii's film took on a life largely all the director's own, the game hews much closer in tone and comedic edge to the original Masamune Shirow work. In the game, the player is the Rookie, a faceless new recruit to Section 9 as they handle what could be their most challenging mission to date. As the Rookie, we are at the helm of what animated GiTS had up until this point not properly introduced; the inimitable Fuchikoma. Intelligent, yet childlike one-person tanks capable of walking up and down walls, and rappelling surprise amounts of distance due to the ability to launch grappling wires. These cute, four-legged machines are solely used by Section 9 to tackle some of the more grueling field action work, but are often chastised for being almost bottomless in their curiosity. As the Rookie, you are tasked with piloting your Fuchikoma, navigating through twelve missions of running, leaping, rappelling, and shooting until the case is closed. This includes Explosive Ordinates Disposal and even a boat chase! Sure, it is a rudimentary run and shoot experience with a mostly low difficulty level, but it also evokes the very best, and more inherently playable anime to game conversions ever achieved.

The official art book created in conjunction with the game. Two guidebooks were also published.

This is made all the more evocative and charming by way of animated briefings directed by one of the 1990s great minds in animated comedy, Hiroyuki Kitakubo (Black Magic M-66, Golden Boy, Roujin-Z, and Blood). As you are informed on what's new in the investigation, your higher ups in Chief Aramaki, Major Motoko Kusanagi, Batou, and even Togusa, and Ishikawa, grant us expanding plot details. All the more refreshing, the designs for the game are by Shirow himself, with the help of none other than Toshihiro Kawamoto, of Cowboy Bebop fame. Utilizing a then wholly advanced 2D/3D computer and cel animation melange, the game is granted a more vibrant, airbrush heavy vision of the Ghost universe. Despite the expected use of tech jargon, and political intrigue, the feel of these scenes is a throwback to the more lackadaisical, fun-loving, yet hard working state servants of the original manga. Kusanagi, remains a tough but even presence. Togusa, ever cautious. Batou, bellyaches about training troubles and lack of sleep. The chief (AKA- Ol' Apeface) is far more stressed and pointed than ever. There are even moments of incredulity on the part of the Fuchikomas regarding the goings on at HQ. Needless to say further that this GiTS, isn't afraid to just roll with the original premise, just delivering on the kind of action that the comic often only hinted at with it's occasionally tricky framing.

But for me, the real legacy of the Ghost In The Shell Playstation game, was the incredible soundtrack produced by the legendary Takkyu Ishino. Under the title, Megatech Body, this collection was both a perfect snapshot of where electronic dance music had been going over the course of the decade, but a (for me) pitch perfect window into the world of Shirow's Newport City. featuring Mijk Van Dijk, Hardfloor, and Dave Angel. Each track immersive in their grooves as well as their feel for the dystopian. There is a desolation to the sound that implies hidden cultures between the lines of civil and underground life. An outright feel for the streets, abandoned facilities, rain washed harbors, not to mention the digital surrealism of cyberspace itself. Two discs of music, and something my at the time already electronic dance music drowned mind found refreshing and exhilarating. It became impossible to think of the entire phenomenon of Ghost In The Shell without it.

So yes, gone are the introspection and utterly eerie chill of the cinematic rendition, and here to stay is the neon hazed pop action video games of the time were capable of presenting. This voyage into a cyberized future Japan, wasn't quite so willing to pierce the surface, and was more than ready to provide the expected pyrotechnics. But it in itself possesses a charm and sense of breezy fun that many of the best arcade games (Wow..this has been a while!) were still shelling out. For my money, Ghost In The Shell, is at its most exciting when its exploring the world, and finding both the humor and wisdom from what some might consider to be a fearful political and technological environment. It's pretty much why I don't mind diverging approaches with a franchise like this. Although, I can wholly admit that I wouldn't at all balk at a full anime series, OVA or television of this incarnation of the cast. An increasingly blurred, politically muddy landscape seems to beg for explorations like these.  

If you can find copies of this sucker, it's a simple, yet welcome alternate peek into a comic universe that seems to show no signs of fading.