Word of Warning plus Manga/Anime recs
Word of Warning to all my manga reading friends.
DO NOT use Mangafox. It is bugged.
I went looking for information regarding the series Shigurui, only to have my computer nearly hijacked (Thank you Firewall!!).
That being said:
Shigurui is a beautiful series. In composition and in artistry. What I did get to see of the manga shows that it is as beautifully drawn as it is animated, perhaps even more so in that you can see the nuances of detail in things like the walls and the trees that were absent in the anime.
Although the anime itself cuts off at Ch.32, leaving you hanging where you left off. Told in the form of backstory, you wonder what happened to one of the two main characters, where the manga would pick up from there.
It is about the concerns and development of two samurai leading up to their final battle. As expected of a story that seems to display traditional swordplay during the feudal area, it is very brutal and very gory. Battles are fought as they would be in real life, with careful evaluating followed by lightning strikes and subsequent injury. None of the stylistic slashing swordplay or miraculous healing as shown in a lot of shounen fare. (I have a feeling that what we see in shonen anime developed out of sword dances)
Shigurui is M rated, not for kids. As such there is a decent bit of sexuality in it. I don't know how graphic it is in the manga, but in the anime you don't get to see the sex per se, but nudity, suggestive scenes and some fetish including bondage and pedophila (M/m pairings were common bonding experiences during the era, not filled with the guilt and horror of modern day pedo).
And of course the numerous shots of well muscled, battle ravaged men wearing nothing but fundoshi is real plus ^.^
There is an overwhelming amount of symbolism in the form of insects. I can't remember exactly why, but insects were important figures in samurai armour.
Warning: It is set in feudal area, with men and women displaying "misogynistic" roles. If you are at least a bit squeamish about the idea of a womn being graphically beheaded or generally treated like objects instead of people, who are quiet and submissive, you WILL NOT LIKE this series.
Though the anime doesn't focus on it, there is quite a lot of violence directed to the women in the series, who as submissive as they are, don't fight back, or get the chance to.
Main problem with the anime is that it is dark. I don't mean dark as in gory, but dark period. Some of the scenes could use more light.
Also I meant to show off this little gem a while ago:
Mushi-Shi Everything about this anime is beautiful and sublime. Each episode is a story in itself, though typically centering or in some way about Ginko, a "Mushi" Master. Mushi literally translates to Insect though in this series it refers to creatures who are more energy than being that live amongst the other lifeforms on the planet that only a few people can see.
Also set in ancient Japan, though focusing on common folk more than anything. The backgrounds are incredible!!! The range and types of mushi are unique and varied and each as intriguing as the others, leaving you to wonder what Ginko will see or deal with next. The characters are animated simply, but their simplicity sets off the world and gives enough contrast that allows you take it all in without being overwhelmed by detail (see the manga Vagabond for examples of overwhelming though beautifully drawn detail).
I think what I like best though is the fact that it is an anime that does not rely on violence to capture its audience. Instead it is mainly about understanding and the connection between the people, the mushi and the environment. It leaves a lot to wonder what the spiritual connotations of the creatures and the flow of energy are and where the ideas for their creation come from.
Without saying too much, even horribly dangerous mushi are respected in this anime. Ginko realizes a goal as a Mushi Master that no one before him has.
Good thing is, it is episodic, so it doesn't matter if you only catch a few episodes here and there, although the end doesn't exactly seem climatic.
So there are the recs. I think I have been recommended Shigurui before by a friend of mine since one of the character names really bugged me for a while because I recognized it.
For those simply wondering about computer safety. Check out Malewarebites, Spybot S&D and AdAware. And Install a good Firewall! We use Comodo. These programs should keep your computer worry free. As always if you suspect something suspicious, don't click on it. I'd go into more, but that is a journal for another day.
DO NOT use Mangafox. It is bugged.
I went looking for information regarding the series Shigurui, only to have my computer nearly hijacked (Thank you Firewall!!).
That being said:
Shigurui is a beautiful series. In composition and in artistry. What I did get to see of the manga shows that it is as beautifully drawn as it is animated, perhaps even more so in that you can see the nuances of detail in things like the walls and the trees that were absent in the anime.
Although the anime itself cuts off at Ch.32, leaving you hanging where you left off. Told in the form of backstory, you wonder what happened to one of the two main characters, where the manga would pick up from there.
It is about the concerns and development of two samurai leading up to their final battle. As expected of a story that seems to display traditional swordplay during the feudal area, it is very brutal and very gory. Battles are fought as they would be in real life, with careful evaluating followed by lightning strikes and subsequent injury. None of the stylistic slashing swordplay or miraculous healing as shown in a lot of shounen fare. (I have a feeling that what we see in shonen anime developed out of sword dances)
Shigurui is M rated, not for kids. As such there is a decent bit of sexuality in it. I don't know how graphic it is in the manga, but in the anime you don't get to see the sex per se, but nudity, suggestive scenes and some fetish including bondage and pedophila (M/m pairings were common bonding experiences during the era, not filled with the guilt and horror of modern day pedo).
And of course the numerous shots of well muscled, battle ravaged men wearing nothing but fundoshi is real plus ^.^
There is an overwhelming amount of symbolism in the form of insects. I can't remember exactly why, but insects were important figures in samurai armour.
Warning: It is set in feudal area, with men and women displaying "misogynistic" roles. If you are at least a bit squeamish about the idea of a womn being graphically beheaded or generally treated like objects instead of people, who are quiet and submissive, you WILL NOT LIKE this series.
Though the anime doesn't focus on it, there is quite a lot of violence directed to the women in the series, who as submissive as they are, don't fight back, or get the chance to.
Main problem with the anime is that it is dark. I don't mean dark as in gory, but dark period. Some of the scenes could use more light.
Also I meant to show off this little gem a while ago:
Mushi-Shi Everything about this anime is beautiful and sublime. Each episode is a story in itself, though typically centering or in some way about Ginko, a "Mushi" Master. Mushi literally translates to Insect though in this series it refers to creatures who are more energy than being that live amongst the other lifeforms on the planet that only a few people can see.
Also set in ancient Japan, though focusing on common folk more than anything. The backgrounds are incredible!!! The range and types of mushi are unique and varied and each as intriguing as the others, leaving you to wonder what Ginko will see or deal with next. The characters are animated simply, but their simplicity sets off the world and gives enough contrast that allows you take it all in without being overwhelmed by detail (see the manga Vagabond for examples of overwhelming though beautifully drawn detail).
I think what I like best though is the fact that it is an anime that does not rely on violence to capture its audience. Instead it is mainly about understanding and the connection between the people, the mushi and the environment. It leaves a lot to wonder what the spiritual connotations of the creatures and the flow of energy are and where the ideas for their creation come from.
Without saying too much, even horribly dangerous mushi are respected in this anime. Ginko realizes a goal as a Mushi Master that no one before him has.
Good thing is, it is episodic, so it doesn't matter if you only catch a few episodes here and there, although the end doesn't exactly seem climatic.
So there are the recs. I think I have been recommended Shigurui before by a friend of mine since one of the character names really bugged me for a while because I recognized it.
For those simply wondering about computer safety. Check out Malewarebites, Spybot S&D and AdAware. And Install a good Firewall! We use Comodo. These programs should keep your computer worry free. As always if you suspect something suspicious, don't click on it. I'd go into more, but that is a journal for another day.