Les Mysterieuses Cites D’or: Les Secrets D’une Saga Mythique- Book Review

I first caught the series on BBC 1 in the early 80s and was beguiled by the mythical adventure story of a young Spanish boy named Esteban who joins a voyage to the New World in search of the lost Cities of Gold and his father. The impressive looking background art, sharply drawn characters, and the beautiful soundtrack kept me entranced throughout the whole series, becoming my favourite programme of all time. It was incredibly formative for me and introduced me to the wonders of the ancient world including the Incas, Aztecs, Atlantis and El Dorado. Even at the age of 37 I still regularly revisit the programme every year and I can attest to the fact that it still holds up as an impressive piece of work.

Over a decade ago, I bought Les Mysterieuses Cites D’or: Les Secrets D’une Saga Mythique (The Mysterious Cities of Gold: Secrets of the Mythic Saga) knowing that it was in French but knowing that sooner or later, there would be technology available to allow me to conveniently translate it. And lo and behold, Google Lens has made my life much easier by allowing me to do just that. It's not an elegant solution mind you, holding up a phone over the page and waiting a few seconds for it to translate and then reading it before moving onto the next paragraph is a lengthy procedure so this book better be worth the hastle! So, has it been worth the wait? Let's see...

The book is split into 3 parts: the first looks at the origins, pre-production and production of the series, the second looks at the parallel between its fiction and reality with a look at the characters and setting, and finally, the third looks at the legacy of the series. Since this book was written in 2013 it only looks at the first season but that is is fine by me as it's the one I most resonated with and the one that holds most nostalgic value.

The first section looks at the legend of El Dorado and the city of gold before moving onto Scott O'Dell's book, The King's Fifth. Attaining the rights to create a television series loosely based on the book, DIC and NHK (alongside MK and RTL) worked together to create a story bible of sorts. Whilst there were disagreements about character designs and music along the way, the process was mostly smooth.
Of particular interest to me in this section was the chapter on the creation of the documentaries. As a youth, I loved seeing these and they opened up my eyes to another world of which I knew very little. Additionally, the sublime music, which was so formative for me gets a full four pages talking about the precise keyboards and processes used to create that signature sound. This was mana for heaven for me.

The second section looks at the character, setting and mech designs. The sketches of the original designs was great to see as you could see the iterations that occured along the way before we end up with the designs we all know and love. There is also a section on the themes and ideas of the show, which is very humanist in it's tone.

The final section was very interesting for me as it looked at the myths and legends that formed part of the 'fantastic realism' of the series. The legend of Atlantis, a lost ancient population  of giants, old world advanced technology and many other alternate history theories have all been part of the bibiliographic milieu for centuries, all the way from Plato to Dan Brown. The MCOG used these ideas as a springboard to create a fantastical world in the genre known as 'esotericism'.

The deep dive into the symbolism of the show was amazing as it offered new insights into a show I thought I knew pretty well. The idea that the location of the 4 cities represents the natural philosophical elements of air, earth, fire and water was honestly a bit of a revelation.

Overall, as a huge fan of the series, this book was everything I could wish for and more. It goes into deep dives about all the areas you would want covered and does so with an insiders insight and  flourish. I love this book and it is a forever one for my collection.

LINK- The Mysterious Cities of Gold: Season 4 Review

LINK- Mysterious Cities of Gold Season 3 (English Dub) -Complete Series Review

LINK- MCOG Series 2 Review

LINK: Japan: My Journey to the East

LINK- Ulysses 31 Retro Soundtrack Review

LINK- MCOG Soundtrack on Vinyl Review

LINK- Twin Peaks: The Return Series Review

LINK- Secret History of Twin Peaks: Book Review

LINK- Twin Peaks: The Final Dossier Book Review

Mysterious Cities of Gold- Complete Season 4 Review (Spoiler Free)

The Mysterious Cities of Gold started in 1982. 38 years, and 117 episodes later, it has finally ended. So after all this time, has the wait been worth it?

MCOG is a very pretty show © DIC, Fabulous Films, Blue Spirit, Movie-Plus Group

MCOG is a very pretty show © DIC, Fabulous Films, Blue Spirit, Movie-Plus Group

I was lucky enough to be able to download the French language episodes and english fan-subs through the hard work and diligence of the members of the Gold List, a MCOG Yahoo Group created in the late 90s that I had been a member of since 1996. I’d like to say many thanks to Silent_G and the amazing guys at the Discord group who worked hard to make sure that english speaking fans could access the show. Whilst it is not my ideal way to watch the show, I am grateful that I have been able to view it and appreciate it alongside other fans in real time. It created a collegiate atmosphere with the community sharing theories and ideas as the series progressed. I can’t wait for more people to watch the show and really get into interesting conversations about what the ending means.

I watched the series over the course of a few weeks and these are my reflections on the forth and final season of the MCOG. This is a spoiler free article but I do gently brush over themes covered in the season. For those looking for a more in-depth look at the season and a more detailed retrospective on all the series as a whole, I’d recommend you check out my article here.

Season 4 propels the story forward and picks up from the slight slump of the tail end of the third season, where I felt that the characters started to act out of character and the plot became a little convoluted.

The Golden Condor covers a lot of miles this season © DIC, Fabulous Films, Blue Spirit, Movie-Plus Group

The Golden Condor covers a lot of miles this season © DIC, Fabulous Films, Blue Spirit, Movie-Plus Group

The final series starts with Ambrosius, Gaspard and Laguerra travelling to Africa to find the next city (the fifth of seven), armed with the two gold medallions found from the previous golden city. Building on the legend of the Queen of Sheba, they are seeking the city of Ophir and a treasure that could be a game changer for the possessor, granting them potentially god-like powers. Ambrosius covets it but Esteban and the team are not too far behind him. With Zia's growing ESP abilities, as well as the moxie of the team as a whole, they overcome many of the traps set by Ambrosius to find the Doorway of the Ancients, a Mu-en (Mu-vian? Mu-enite? Mu-tian? ) portal which allows them to teleport across continents in an instant. It is with this development that the series grows in scope.

We get an introduction to Leonardo Di Vinci and the Order of the Hourglass, the organisation set up to find out more about Mu/ Hiva culture. This is a callback to lore that Athanaos (Esteban's father), Ambrosius and Dr. Leguerra were the first 3 members of the Order who set out for the New World to find evidence of the ancient civilisation.

When the fifth city of Ophir is finally discovered, Ambrosius gains the treasure but is betrayed by compatriots. The city retreats in the process of the fight.

Esteben et al. try to find clues to the sixth city, Orunigi, and overcome many challenges to retrieve the Bako, a sacred mask of prophecy which guilds them to its location. It is here that the ‘Grand Heritage’ of the Mu people is revealed and the ‘Great Cataclysm,’ which will destroy the world, must be prevented with the creation of the seventh city.

Phew! Reading that you can see that the show really escalates the stakes and makes it a more global affair but it is still the show we all know and love. It is a tough balancing act to include so many ‘new’ real figures from history and have then fit in with the vast cast of characters from seasons past but I think the show manages it, for the most part. I think you need to see this series almost like a greatest hits- bringing back the classics whilst trying new stuff that fits in to the overall story arc.

The climax of the show is optimistic with disparate peoples across the world joining together to battle against an overwhelming threat that could destroy all life on Earth. Some aspects feel a little undercooked, like the Prince Tyrias plot, but these are small niggles in an otherwise well-crafted story. The denouement is satisfyingly dramatic and also sets up intriguing possibilities about alternate, maybe parallel worlds or realms and possible continuations. As a long-time MCOG fan I couldn’t ask for a better ending.

As with the previous season, there are moments of stunning artistry and beauty and for fans of the series to enjoy. The Golden Condor again is given centre stage and there is pure GC adoration as the machine is lovingly shown from all angles, usually accompanied with a huge swell in dramatic synth music. And that's something to mention too; the quieter contemplative moments have some stunning music that is modern but more than just an homage to the past soundtrack It is its own beast and very worthwhile.

I’d also like to add that, as a former pseudoscientific theories/ conspiracy buff by way of Graham Hancock, Erich Von Daniken et al. and to a much lesser extent Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code, it's great to see how the writers of the series have interwoven so much lore, theories and alternate timelines together to make a cohesive and intriguing mythos. The emphasis on telekinetic and advanced tech of the ancients as a unifier is suggested in Hancock’s book ‘Before America’ and had been suggested even by Elon Musk as regards the building of the pyramids. As a former Assassins Creed fan (at least until Black Flag and before it became iterative busy work), the idea that Da Vinci was part of a secret brotherhood who had tapped into a secret knowledge is intriguing and exciting. The fact that notable figures from history make appearances and team-up including Nostradamus, Charles V and the Kings of France and Zimbabwe is a bonus as pseudo-scientists and historians love this world-wide conspiracy/ organisation stuff. *Disclaimer- pseudoscience is fun as a thought experiment but not to be be taken too seriously btw!

I think that the setting and portrayal of Africa is very well done and the peoples are treated with respect and dignity, something that comics (remember Tintin in the Congo, oof!), and some other mediums (many, many anime and manga series), have often not handled well with broad stereotypes and ethnocentric racism usually depicting the land and people as 'savage' and 'other'. The Princess being infatuated with Pedro, which is played for laughs, could be seen as the problematic 'Jezebel' trope however later in the series we see her being a strong and forthright leader who schools Pedro and Sancho for their arrogance. This shows is very positive about Africa in the 16th century, as it should be. After all, the continent was home to many kingdoms and empires that were independent, prosperous and successful in trade before the onset of European colonialism and empire.

However, the harsh realities of colonialism and the start of the slave trade are not ignored and are a plot point mid-way through the series. They struggle to reconcile with a world where men are sold as commodities and the topic is treated with sympathy and respect. MCOG is a deeply humanist work and over the course of the 4 seasons it has always made each peoples sympathetic and flawed. After all, even the Olmecs were just trying to keep their race alive--even if it was through questionable means. As Pedro says, "There are some things that are worth sacrificing, good deeds make you better people" and for his character that is quite the development from season 1. The end of show documentaries discuss the matter somewhat and, whilst aimed at children, it is enlightening and will hopefully get young people thinking more about the legacy of empire.

It's very much a show that is perfect for now, at a time when the pandemic and ecological collapse threatens the world.It also shows how by working together with mutual understanding and empathy, all the cultures of the world can come together to achieve something collectively wonderful. It's a hopeful sentiment and one much needed in a world which has been struck with something as cataclysmic as the pandemic which has isolated and separated many communities and brought forth the fissures that existed in many of the societies. However, like in the MCOG, these times don't have to be seen as apocalyptic but rather a revelation as the lies of individualism have been laid bare. We are a global community and MCOG shows that by working together we can achieve pretty much anything. This is not a revisionist but rather alternate take on the 16th century where rather than European expansionism, colonialism and empire we see collaboration and respect.

I wasn't expecting it but after all is said and done, MCOG sticks the landing and, in places, nails it. It is a masterclass of storytelling and shows how, even after many years, the sequels can carry the momentum of all that has gone before. Sure, there is a bit of ret-conning but when it adds to a larger and better told tale… why not? There is a quote from Twin Peaks where David Lynch's character Gordon Cole states in no uncertain terms, 'Fix your heart or die,’ and I feel that overall, that is what MCOG is saying and it does so eloquently.

Much like how Twin Peaks: The Return stunned audiences with its audacious and ambitious story and visuals many, many years after the OG series, MCOG season 4 more than does the original series justice.

I will miss the show that has been such a huge part of my life but I can’t complain; they gave it a heck of a send-off!

LINK- Mysterious Cities of Gold Season 3 (English Dub) -Complete Series Review

LINK- MCOG Series 2 Review

LINK: Japan: My Journey to the East

LINK- Ulysses 31 Retro Soundtrack Review

LINK- MCOG Soundtrack on Vinyl Review

LINK- Twin Peaks: The Return Series Review

LINK- Secret History of Twin Peaks: Book Review

LINK- Twin Peaks: The Final Dossier Book Review

LINK- Hilda Comic Series Review 

LINK- Disenchantment- Complete Series 1 Review

LINK- Gravity Falls Complete Series Review

LINK- Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated Complete Series 1 Review

LINK- An English Geek in Saudi Arabia

Mysterious Cities of Gold Season 4 Starts to Air

*The Mysterious Cities of Gold Season 4 has just concluded and you can read my review here*

As a huge Mysterious Cities of Gold fan, I’ve been eagerly awaiting the final season but news of its release had been quiet. There had been rumours on the Les Cités d'Or blog that the series was projected for a mid-2020 release but that Covid had delayed production. However, I can now happily say that the complete series is available in some territories but only in the French language. However, fan-translated English subtitles have been created and I have them available upon request. The srt. subtitle files are not mine and I do not take any credit for the hard work of the fans but know there is a keen demand to access the final series.

Mysterious Cities of Gold Season 4 Delayed Due to Coronavirus

*Update- MCOG series 4 has started to stream on RTS (Swiss Channel) in French and the link is here. I have seen the whole of season 4 (English subbed) and here is my review with no spoilers)

As a huge MCOG fan, I’ve been eagerly awaiting the final season but news on its release has been quiet. I know that it was projected for release in late 2020, however a curious forum member from the les cites dor blog emailed the company and got a response:

Here is the email:
Hello,
I already wrote to you to have more information on the development of the Mysterious Cities of Gold season 3.
And with the COVID-19 period, I ask you if the broadcast of season 4 will still be broadcast, as expected at the end of 2020 or later. If unfortunately yes, when? Thank you in advance and I congratulate you for your excellent work compared to the two previous seasons.
Sincerely,
Hugo

Here was the response the email:

Hello,
Thank you for your email and your interest in the Cities of Gold series.
To answer your question, we are well in manufacturing / production of the last season ... but of course the sanitary situation and the confinement do not make production and respecting the schedule easy ... It is therefore still difficult to know if we will be able to deliver all episodes on time for broadcast at the end of the year, even if that remains our goal.
Sincerely,
Blue Spirit

20-22 rue des Bons Enfants 75001 Paris
www.spirit-prod.com

So, it seems that season 4 is in production but its release might be delayed due to the Coronavirus so we may be looking at a 2021 release. Please do remember that this is the internet and so the source of this information may not be correct but I do believe it is true as it seems to be in line with what Blue Spirit had said about the MCOG release timeline

LINK- lescitesdor forum page

LINK- Mysterious Cities of Gold Season 3 Review

LINK- Watch MCOG Season 3 on SBS On Demand Australia

LINK- MCOG Series 2 Review

LINK- MCOG Nostalgia

LINK- MCOG Gold Condor for Sale

LINK- MCOG Retro Soundtrack Review

LINK- MCOG Soundtrack on Vinyl Review

LINK- What Comics Have Taught Me

LINK: Japan: My Journey to the East

LINK- Ulysses 31 Retro Soundtrack Review

LINK- An English Geek in Saudi Arabia

LINK- Video Gaming In Saudi Arabia

Not long to go until we see the golden condor once again in action.

Not long to go until we see the golden condor once again in action.

DIC: Series Of Your Childhood

I am a huge fan of the animated series Mysterious Cities of Gold, it is my favourite programme of ALL time and was a formative part of my childhood; single handedly igniting my interest in anime, manga, South and Central American cultures and synthesizer music (It's why I love Jarre, Vangelis and Oldfield).

In my mancave I have a MCOG medallion, an original cel, a French book discussing the making of (even though I haven't studied French since my GCSE's 20 years ago) and a model of the golden condor. The animation was created by DIC and legendary creators Haim Saban and Jean Chalopin, who in their time created Ulysses 31, Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors, M.A.S.K and Inspector Gadget.

Now, a new documentary is seeking to be crowd-funded to explore their world and find out about the origins and development of the studio. I am SO on board with this as anything that delves behind the making process of some of the finest animation of my childhood deserves further exploration.

In their own words:

We have started with the distribution of leaflets in mailboxes. About 100 people worked full time. One day, we received an order to create a cartoon, Bernard Deyries joined us and we started to work on the animation. We had a company that was based in Tours and then in Paris. One day, we felt like creating series just like big companies. We started by making a creation that was “Ulysses 31”, which he presented to France 3. They accepted the idea and Jean Chalopin said:" there are not enough people to do this in France". He went to Japan and came across a Japanese company looking for a way to get into Europe. One day, Jean Chalopin told me: "I will go to the United States." I said: “You’re crazy! You're not going to beat the Americans on their own turf." Well! I was wrong. In cinema as in television, going to Hollywood is always a dream, which until now and before our company existed, has been unattainable to almost all Europeans. We created a different way of working, which mixes the American and the French systems with Japanese special effects. We imported, for example with “The Littles” or with “Inspector Gadget”, a trait, which was very different; it did not exist in the American market.

I’m going to help fund this documentary, why don’t you?

The Mysterious Cities of Gold Season 3 (English Dub)- Complete Series Review

*Season 4 of The Mysterious Cities of Gold has aired. For the review click here*

The original Mysterious Cities of Gold series was a French- Japanese co-produced animation by DIC Entertainment and Studio Pierrot. The series premiered in Japan on NHK on 29 June 1982 and ran weekly for 39 episodes.
I first caught the series on BBC 1 in the early 80s and was beguiled by the mythical adventure story of a young Spanish boy named Esteban who joins a voyage to the New World in search of the lost Cities of Gold and his father. The impressive looking background art, sharply drawn characters, and the beautiful soundtrack kept me entranced throughout the whole series, becoming my favourite programme of all time. It was incredibly formative for me and introduced me to the wonders of the ancient world including the Incas, Aztecs, Atlantis and El Dorado. Even at the age of 37 I still regularly revisit the programme every year and I can attest to the fact that it still holds up as an impressive piece of work.

The scenery is stunning in MCOG.

The scenery is stunning in MCOG.

There had been talk of a second series for years and preliminary plans were laid but never materialised. However with the re-release of the series on DVD in 2008 and increased interest in the next part of the journey, the new series were finally put into production. Debuting on the Kix Channel in December 2014 the second series landed to mixed reviews.

At the end of the original series the children had only found one of the seven lost cities of gold, yet the conclusion was oddly satisfying in an open-ended way. Well, the second series was a continuation rather than a reboot and so the series picked up from the end of series one; The three children, Mendoza, Pedro and Sancho headed to China in search of the next lost city of gold and the truth about Esteban’s father.

On the whole I really did enjoy the second series but felt that it lacked the atmosphere and awe that was present in the original series. The voice actors were passable, however I did feel that Mendoza sounded angry or annoyed a lot of the time, a shift from his can-do attitude from the first series. Also the synth music from the discovery parts and key events made each new discovery super special. The music that dropped when the adventurers find the Solaris and Golden Condor still sends shivers down my spine. I felt that in the second series moments of emotive music and silence from the characters would have carried greater gravitas than the exposition from the characters. The second series took a while to get going, but after the first 10 or so episodes it did pick up and from episode 16 onwards it had those moment of awe and wonder, much like many moments from the original series.

And so, we get to series 3. I watched the complete 26 episode run in English dub and I have to say that it really continues the momentum from the second series forward, for the most part. The children travel to Japan to find the next city of gold and rescue Esteban's father, Antonios, from Zares/ Ambrosius. Along the way they make many new discoveries, including 2 more cities of gold (in Japan and Arabia), and grow as characters, but more on that later.
The episodes all move at a cracking pace overall, with the first lost city found after just 8 episodes, but the city of gold is spectacular, truly awe-inspiring and magical. The second city is again majestic and sent shivers down my spine but the series, whilst certainly better than series 2 is not as good as series 1 but it is pretty close in my opinion.

The main group of characters are more like the first series in that they are more consistent and less annoyed or cross, like Tao and Mendoza were often presented in series 2. The voice acting is better but it is somewhat strange to hear Mendoza say 'Blimey' at least 5 times throughout the whole series.


I also think the development of Zia as a strong female lead is good but do think they may have overpowered her, what with her ability to speak to animals, having foresight of key events and tragedies and telekinesis... That's quite an arc for any character let alone within 20 episodes! Her personality totally changes and at times it didn't feel like Zia at all. I understand about having strong female leads but when a new character, Laguerra (daughter of Dr Laguerra from series 1), is introduced she is the epitome of strong female lead, so what was the need to Girl Boss Zia, the usually quiet, thoughtful type? It feels very jarring.

It is after this that I feel it starts to unravel a little with the group breaking up for a really silly reason and there is a tacked on love story for Mendoza. However that doesn't detract from the rest of the series being phenomenal and awe inspiring in all the right places.

The discovery of the 3rd city is majestic and sent goosebumps all over me and the landscape artistry on show was painterly and masterful, complemented by a new score that pays homage to the original but does its own, more modern, thing. There are moments of peace and quiet where you can just appreciate the animation and music without the constant kinetic pacing of series 2 ruining certain reflective moments. For fans of the Golden Condor there are stunning scenes which often felt like Condor porn, as we see the beautiful machine flying against stunningly rendered backdrops.

Overall, series 3 of MCOG is a brilliant continuation of the epic animation. It reaches highs that rival even the original series but also lows (the group breaking up in Arabia) that make parts some of the worst in the shows history. It is a show that is well worth a watch and for fans of the original, you will not be (too) disappointed.

Mysterious Cities of Gold Season 3 Premieres in English!

Finally, after what seems like an infinite amount of time (about 2 years in actual fact) the Mysterious Cities of Gold season 3 has an english dub. The only problem is… it’s only showing on SBS On Demand in Australia. However, if you have a way to hide your VPN then you can watch it for free! I’m currently downloading the entire series and will provide a series review once I’ve watched it!

In the meantime, why not check out the new introduction and follow some of the other MCOG related links below!

Developing Healthy Discussion in the Time of Social Media

I blame the Mysterious Cities of Gold, this charming Japanese-French co-produced animation which charted the adventures of a band of ragtag children and adults in the new world, the Americas in the early 16th century, made me think differently about past civilisations. Was there such a place as Mu? Did the Olmecs, Mayans, Incas and Aztecs have a profound knowledge of the world which was beyond our comprehension?

Searching in the Ancient Civilisation sections of my local book repository, Barking library, I found the works of Erich Von Daniken, author of bestsellers like Chariots of the Gods. In his bestselling books from the 70s he postulates that aliens brought advanced technology and knowledge to the humans. Were aliens really the reason that these ancient civilisations had such profound and deep knowledge of the cosmos and achieved feats of technological marvels that we would have trouble recreating in this modern age? I blame Von Daniken!

Or do I blame the glut of quasi-science/alternative history offered by authors like Graham Hancock, Maurice Cotterell, Robert Bauval at al. In the 90s and early 00's they sold many millions of books and offered 'evidence' and 'scientific proof' of the origins and age of the pyramids at Giza, how they lined up to Orion's belt and how the different shafts within the pyramids pointed at specific constellations in the sky. The technological know-how and mathematics involved would be way more advanced than scientists and archaeologists would ever have suspected of such an ancient civilisation. The fact that the Mayans had developed a calendar and 2012 was potentially the end of the world or at least the deadline of a seismic change shook me, and millions of people who came up with doomsday scenarios. As for Atlantis, did it exist but due to the shift in global temperatures it sunk without a trace under the oceans and due to the shifting continental plates might now be under the ice in Antarctica? I blame Graham Hancock and the quasi-scientists of the 90s and 00s.

Then David Icke told me it was a massive government conspiracy by an elite few shape shifting blood drinking aliens from another dimension who want to keep the world silenced and take our resources for themselves. I blame David Icke.

Then I read The Da Vinci Code, the international bestselling fiction book which took the premise of the bestselling book by Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh, two of the three authors of The Holy Blood And The Holy Grail, which provided 'evidence' that Jesus had a child with Mary Magdalene and the bloodline continued in France. Was there a secret society protecting the lineage whilst another group, maybe the Illuminati, Bilderberger or Freemasons were seeking to control this ancient bloodline for their own nefarious means? Well I blame Dan Brown!

... And then I realised, there was a pattern emerging here.

We started off with the whimsical (MCOG) moved onto the fantastical (God was an alien), moved onto the 'analytical' (pseudo-science), then the dreadfully macabre (bloodsucking shape-shifters) and then the more sinister (secret societies controlling the world) and now we're moving to the neo-technological (post truth). This is an era where we have more information than ever at our fingertips but also live in a world with the knowledge that we are monitored, watched and scrutinised more than ever before. In this era I blame no-one but me, or us, the individuals. We have the wherewithal to research and look at facts carefully and concisely and with this information we can say or share something that can have a profound effect on individuals or the world- be it positive or not, yet many of us pursue the path of 'truthiness', a knowledge that certain views and opinions may not be actually based on fact but as they feel comfortable and truthful we hold on to them e.g. Trumps rhetoric of 'Make America Great Again?' To which the logical question would be, when was America great and how do you quantify this? Was America great for everyone in this period? Do African-Americans and other people of colour agree?

I've also noticed that with social media we have created a stage for constant artificial high dramas. To quote Jon Ronson:

Every day a new person emerges as a magnificent hero or a sickening villain. It's all very sweeping, and not the way we actually are as people. What rush overpowers us at times like these (to judge and shame people)? What are we getting out of it? .... Nobody wants to ruin it by looking at the cost...

Where's the cognitive dissonance? The price for the lives ruined and broken in the court of social media? With fake news and conspiracy theorists being given free reign we live in a time where the Nazis are back, Science is seen as an opinion rather than empirical fact and those escaping persecution and death are seen as a 'swarm.' We live in a pretty apathetic age, yet we are surrounded by a huge amount of information about other people. If you felt like it you could gather that information yet we still hardly seem to know anything about people.

The former Facebook executive Chamath Palihapitiya, who joined in 2007, and became its vice president for user growth, recently said that he felt  “tremendous guilt” about the impact his former employer has had on the world; “I think we have created tools that are ripping apart the social fabric of how society works... The short-term, dopamine-driven feedback loops (like thumbs-up or hearts) we’ve created are destroying how society works...No civil discourse, no cooperation; misinformation, mistruth. And it’s not an American problem — this is not about Russians ads. This is a global problem.”

I think the rise of online harassment, social shaming and constant sense of outrage is due to the powerlessness people feel about the world around them, who do we blame for the economic crisis in 2008, Wall Street and the City sure, but who individually is to blame? It's much easier to be a SJW (Social Justice Warrior) when you see an individual as doing the wrong thing... Maybe we are aiming our ire with impunity at the wrong places and at a disproportionate level.

We live in the most amazing of times, we have the possibilities to change the work profoundly through our inter-connectedness ... But are we utilising it in the best way? I don't know but as a teacher I want my pupils to know the profound impact they could have on the world, either through their direct action or in the virtual space. I want them to be a force for good and look at things critically and evaluate the evidence presented rather than being in a constant state of outrage. There has to be a better way and we need to educate our pupils to be that better way.

Japan: My Journey to the East

Yesterday my life changed forever as after years of believing it wasn't possible, due to various circumstances, my wife and I finally had a child. The introduction of my daughter is obviously a life altering event and late the next day has me becoming more reflective over my past. It is 4:04am on the Saturday as I write this, a piece about my dreams and aspirations as a child.

A couple of years ago I finally fulfilled a dream I've had ever since I was a child of 8, I went to Japan! Japan has held me in awe for so long due to a variety of factors. I was (and still am) a huge Mysterious Cities of Gold (MCOG) fan, which I found out was a specific style of animation called anime. For me the series had it all; relatable characters, amazing adventures and a thrilling story line. I found out much later that the series was only 39 episodes long but back then it seemed to stretch on forever, like Dogtanian, Ulysses 31 and Willie Fogg; all large sequential series that showed on BBC 1 and ITV weekly and then in large chunks in the morning during those looong summers.

Whilst wondering through our local WHSmiths, (a newsagents here in England) I saw Manga Mania on the top shelf, next to the more salacious magazines. The art seemed reminiscent of MCOG so after seeing it a few times over the next few days I finally picked it up and fell down the rabbit hole. I vividly remember going over the next few months with my friend to WHSmiths and reading Fire Tripper, a lesser Rumiko Takahshi work but for me at the time I didn't know any better and it was perfect! My uncle, who was only slightly older than me, saw that I had an interest in manga and gave me Devilman and Akira to borrow on VHS- not bad for a 13 year old kid enthralled by this new genre. At the time Akira blew my mind, I didn't understand it then and don't even pretend to now but I knew that I was watching something special.

This was the cover of the first Manga Mania I bought, in the letters section it had a comment about the 'Mysterious Cities of Gold' and I remember being excited to see my favourite show mentioned.

There was a local comic shop in our town called 'Rodneys Books and Games' which sold games, VHS films and books too. Every Saturday, my best friend and I would go to browse and occasionally purchase something. Even though I knew they sold anime and manga it wasn't until I'd been given the films by my uncle that it clicked, these were the same genre and style that I'd liked- for all those years I hadn't noticed them but now I was all about them. The first series I worked through and completed was The Guyver. Getting only a couple of pounds a week, it took me a couple of years to complete the entire 12 part collection. Even now I have the series, unwilling to part with it even though I do not have a video recorder to play it on. My interest in manga peaked at the same time of the Marvel and comic boom in the early to mid 90's and I soon forged a group of friends who became Japanophiles and comic buddies, recording and swapping recordings off the Sci-fi channel and Channel 4 late on Saturday nights.

I loved the Guyver series, although it ended only a third into the manga.

For my friends and I, Japan was a fantasy place where everything came out first and it was all amazing. This reached its zenith with Evangelion and Cowboy Bebop, two of the greatest series of all time. The late 90s were a difficult time in Japan with its economic bubble bursting. High unemployment and soaring suicide rates were featured prominently on the news and this soaked into the media coming out at the time. Being a teen with all the difficulties that entails I enjoyed the nihilistic and over the top mayhem of films like Battle Royale, which showed the anger and desperation of youth and a society trying to figure itself out. However, GTO (Great Teacher Onizuka) showed another side, it made me laugh. I remember getting the last trade paperback and reading it on the train home. I stifled laughter and an Asian passenger who sat opposite me looked at me quizzically until I showed the cover, he then smiled as if he understood. Yup, there was no doubt about it... Japan was a huge deal for me.

Evangelion is still everywhere in Japan, the cottage industry that grew out of the series is unbelievable. Even in England the amount of Eva related stuff you could buy was mental!

So, with only a few months to go before we were going to leave Cambodia where we had been teaching for two years, Japan was booked. Even though we only had a little bit of cash it was now or never; my wife and I agreed that this was the time to do this as we would probably never be closer to the country geographically! Excitedly, I told my oldest friend, the one I used to go to WHSmiths with regularly and share manga comics and films. In a weird case of serendipity he had booked to go near the same time as we had booked. There would be a couple of days overlap where we would be able to meet up. Considering he had emigrated to Australia and we would be moving back to England this was unbelievably lucky, almost like destiny. Neither of us had been to Japan and now after 32 years we had booked to go to Japan and there would be overlap. Weird!

When we reached Japan, I can honestly say that it was every bit as amazing as I thought it would be. We stayed in Shinjuku and walked around the red light district Kabukichō, in the heady days of the economic boom unbelievable amounts of money passed through here. Now it was slowly recovering, highlighted by the fact that there was a robot fighting show opening that week, all at a reasonable price of £50 for admission- bargain!

A great book for a great megalopolis!

On the first day, we explored Shibuya and Harajuku. Harajuku I knew through various quirky fashion magazines and Fruits books which I'd bought in Forbidden Planet in London. My wife and I explored the area for the day and loved it, the uniqueness and individuality of the products on sale were beguiling. Living in London, where chain stores rule and very few independent stores existed or survived, it was refreshing to come across a country that appreciated individual shops as well as the big chains. For lunch, we had a quick MacDonald lunch and saw that people were there with their ipads, macbooks and tablets but when they needed the toilet they just left it at their table and off they went. The crazy thing was that when they returned their property would still be there, pretty much unthinkable in London yet here it was happening in a city of 20 million plus!
Working our way through Harajuku my wife bought a lot of makeup and trinkets and I bought a few skate stickers which I knew I'd put on my recently bought macbook pro.

Yoyogi Park was nearby so we headed down there, I was keen to see the cosplayers out in force as it was a Sunday. We saw a few but what really stood out for me was the peace and quiet I felt whilst in this small park within a huge megalopolis. The temples were beautiful and I loved getting pictures around the Dori gates- now I felt like I was in Japan! We travelled to Shibuya and I went into Mandrake, a well known anime and manga shop, whilst my wife went mall shopping.

The highlight of the journey for me was visiting Akihabara, the gaming and manga mecca. My friends and I had heard about this hallowed place in the 90s but being there alone seemed a pity for me. My wife is not a gamer and so had little interest in going with me, so I  deposited her in a nice French style cafe (after trying to persuade her to wait for me at the Gundam Cafe- which she didn't like). Walking around Aki with a pupils borrowed copy of the 'Guide to Japan for Geeks' book I popped into various computing and manga shops in thrall to just ALL the stuff that was there. Much I recognised from my childhood but a lot I hadn't seen before. I bought a few games and an original Gameboy but wish I had more money to buy a lot more. I went to Namco Museum Arcades and Sega Gaming Parlours and played a few games, including the Persona beat em up, but it being a school day and just past midday there were very few people there. I loved the experience but just wished I had someone to share the experience with. I went into a pachinko parlour and left very quickly due to the amount of noise, even for an old gamer like me, someone who is used to arcades, the noise was deafening.  Akihabara held its allure for me but I know that if I had gone to Japan at the peak of my interest in anime and manga, then it would have been a much bigger deal.

We had booked tickets to go to Kyoto and I was very excited as I wanted to go on the Bullet train. However the cost was wayyyy to much for a return so we decided to go by bus and arrive back in Tokyo by Bullet train. The bus was extremely comfortable and cheap so that was a bonus and once we arrived we travelled to the Kyoto temples, the largest number of buildings under UNESCO in the world. The temples really didn't disappoint, the most spectacular being the gold temple and the famous Kiyomizu Temple.

The journey back by Bullet was a real pleasure but, to be honest, having travelled by Eurostar it didn't have a wow factor that I thought it would. However it was great to see the Japanese countryside drift by at speed.

The last day in Japan we spent walking around Tokyo some more and caught up with my best friend for our overlap day. We walked around Shinjuku and chatted away and it was the first time that they had a chance to meet my wife. All in all Japan was amazing but make sure you take someone who likes hustle and bustle and the city as it is a very fast paced city with courteous and friendly people.

So why did the birth of my daughter lead to to think about this Japan trip from a couple of years ago? Well, I think it’s due to a couple of things. Firstly, even though I had visited Japan I hadn't written about the trip until now... a bit of unfinished business I suppose. But also I guess I was just ruminating about what my life was and how now it is going to be very different from now on. It's now no longer about just me and my dreams but about my whole family- life is never going to be the same but that's okay... I am really for the next exciting part of my life.

Gods in his Heaven

And all is right with the world.