Fire Tripper- Cult Manga Review

Manga Mania was an incredibly formative read for me in my early teen years as it published some great manga stories (including the entire run of Akira) whilst also talking about the wider manga and anime scene through informative articles.

The first ever complete manga I ever read was called Fire Tripper by Rumiko Takahashi, at the age of 14, in Manga Mania in 1995. I started at #22 but this was the first part of the 3 part run so it was the first manga I ever read. For that reason, this manga and OAV holds a special place in my heart, even if it isn't even close to being creator Takahashi's best work. It is arguable what is but it's probably a toss up between Urusei Yatsura, Maison Ikkokou, Ranma 1/2 or Inu Yasha but back then I didn't know any of that. What I had was my first isekai, a person taken out of their normal world to a new land, think Alice in Wonderland or the recently poor Mario Bros. Movie.

The story is a time slip tale about teen girl Suzuko who is thrown from modern day Japan back to its feudal past after a massive gas explosion somehow tears a hole through space and time. She is rescued from pervy bandits by a local village warrior called Shukumaru. Together they bond and try to unravel the mystery and tragedy of their connection to each other whilst trying to rescue a small boy who is thrown through time with her.

I loved the art work by legendary manga-ka Takahashi and, whilst the story is not revolutionary, it does have an interesting enough conceit which makes it worthwhile seeing it through to the end of its 48 minute runtime. Sure, she would revisit the theme later and to better effect in Inu Yasha but until then this was her first real stab at the isekai pie.

Many manga and anime from the 80s are problematic and can be hard to recommend as they are likely to offend but this isn't too bad at all. Sure, there are a few pervy bandits, Shukumaru makes a drunken pass at her at night and Suzuko goes for a skinny dip but it's all pretty lowkey for a manga from the time.

This short OAV is a blast from the past for this old man and is a guilty pleasure well worth revisiting.

LINK: Japan: My Journey to the East

LINK- Blood, Sweat and Pixels- Book Review

LINK- The Offworld Collection- Book Review

LINK- Shadow of the Colossus- Book Review

LINK: Manga Exhibition at the British Museum

LINK- The Midnight Library and the Idea That You Can’t Go Home Again

LINK- The Transportive Nature of Objects (And the Power of Mini Consoles)

LINK- My One True Gaming Constant in Life- Nintendo

Lumberjanes Is Becoming Even More Animated!

I'm very excited to announce that the graphic novel series ‘Lumberjanes’ is being turned into an animated series for HBO Max. I have nearly all the graphic novels (18 out of 20 released so far) and have been a big fan of the series from the beginning so cannot wait for this to drop. Noelle Stevenson (Of the newly rebooted and highly successful She-Ra and the Princesses of Power fame) is leading production and that’s great as she co-created the series alongside Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis and Brooklyn A. Allen.

I love the series and have nearly all the graphic novels.

I love the series and have nearly all the graphic novels.

The ongoing comic series follows the misadventures of Jo, April, Mal, Molly and Ripley, five plucky young girls as they attend the Miss Quinzella Thiskwin Penniquiqul Thistle Crumpets camp for hardcore lady types. The girls are trying to earn their pun-ny Lumberjane badges, like the Naval Gazing Badge, Pungeon Master Badge and the Everything Under the Sum Badge… all great stuff, but what sets this series aside from the usual ‘boys’ own adventure’ stuff, apart from the gender (obviously), is the weird supernatural element. The woods surrounding the camp feel like they're just a stones throw from Twin Peaks and just a hop, skip and jump from the island in Lost. In this land a Bear Woman, ancient Greek gods and unicorns rub shoulders with a whole plethora of colourful characters that roam free, bringing this wonderfully eclectic place to life.

The series lends itself well to a Gravity Fall / Over the Garden Wall / Adventure Time -style series where we follow the many (mis)adventures of the girls. Apparently, a 1 hour movie will be released first followed by an ongoing series. The show will be released on HBO Max, which being based in England doesn't mean much but hopefully it will find its way here on one streaming platform or another.

We really are living in a golden time of animation with many amazing animated shows being released Including Hilda, The Hollow, Carmen Sandiego and She-Ra. There are many other series I've still got to catch up on but there's just too much good stuff available but I'm sure I'll get to them eventually, in-between the video games, podcasts, Audible books, actual books and film pile of shame. Anyways, keep an eye out for this one… it’s gonna be amazing!

LINK- Lumberjanes Ongoing Comic Series Review

LINK- Lumberjanes Comic Dub

LINK- Hilda- Complete Series 1 Netflix Review

LINK- Comics in the Classroom

LINK- What Comics Have Taught Me

LINK- Disenchantment- Complete Series 1 Review

LINK- Gravity Falls Complete Series Review

LINK- Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated Complete Series 1 Review

LINK- Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated Series 2 Review

Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors- Retro Soundtrack Release

"Go, Jayce, conqueror from afar, look for your father ..."

And with these words Jayce and the lightning league battled the Monster Minds and Saw Boss for 65 episodes. Produced by the hilariously named (at least I thought at the time) DIC studios and overseen by Jean Chalopin (of Mysterious Cities of Gold, Ulysses 31, Inspector Gadget and tonnes of other formative cartoons from the 80s) the show was grand and cheesy operatic drama and a big part of this was due to the epic music, created by Shuki Levy.

The soundtrack for the series has never been released… until now. Tele 80 has crowdfunded the OST for a September release on CD and Vinyl. In their words, translated by Google translate from the original French:

The collection would allow us to finance the different stages while having control of the design. For this, we pay special attention to:

  • Different covers, such as vinyl which will be highlighted thanks to its selective varnish which will bring out the characters and the title.

  • The model

  • Mastering and mixing, which will be managed by Erwin, an enthusiast, but also a remarkable sound engineer.

  • A 16-page booklet provided on the CD. It will contain, among other things, an exclusive interview with singer Nick Carr!

  • A box which would bring together the CD, the vinyl and a poster (the "Box Collector" option will only be active if we have 100 orders )

  • Mixing until pressing of vinyl and CD.

  • 24 tracks.

I’ve ordered the vinyl and CD combo pack for about 42 GBP (incl. postage and packaging) and look forward to receiving it. Until then, let’s belt out some hair rock!

Moominvalley Released on DVD

November 4th marks the release of the Moominvalley DVD set. I had the opportunity to watch show when it was released over Easter with my two young daughters and wife. They knew the characters from the various items strewn around the house, the children's books and our visit to Moomin World but had never seen the show so this was exciting for them.

They greatly enjoyed the show and so did I. The lush vistas of Moominvalley and the crystal clear rivers and lakes were wonderfully realised in computer animation but I do always feel that there is something lost in translation when a comic undergoes a CGI movie transformation, although the recent Charlie Brown movie did have texture and expressive lines to bring those characters and world alive. Here, it was quite difficult to bring large white hippopotami to life as they had quite a basic shape and tiny mouths at the side of their faces.

Yup, the Moomins are back and this time they’re CGI!

Yup, the Moomins are back and this time they’re CGI!

The voice acting was very strong and Taron Egerton shone as young Moomin troll. Matt Berry voiced Moomin Papa but with his distinct voice and cadence I found it hard to take his character seriously, he does pompous and self-aggrandising well but does subtlety less so. The music was sublime, all slow acoustic sounding stuff with lush vocal from Tom Odell, Mo, First Aid Kit and many more acoustic musicians that suited the mood of the show well.

The highlights for me were episode 5, The Secret of the Hattifatteners and episode 10, Ghost Story. The Secret of the Hattifatteners is quite spooky and sets up an interesting mystery and the finale really does leave you in awe and wonder, while Ghost Story is sweet and the conclusion of that is a bit of a tear-jerker, when the credits rolled I was blinking quickly as it really got to me.

Overall, at the time I felt that the show wasn't going to set the world alight but was a slow, meditative half hour of animation with interesting stories to tell that were heartfelt and gently affecting.

As time has gone by my reflections of Moominvalley are much kinder. It is a slow, meditative half hour of animation that is a tonic in this golden age of media. With the hyper-kinetic energy of other shows often being an assault on the sense, Moominvalley is a slow paced oasis of calm. It is a sweet and wonderful show that can be enjoyed by all the family.

LINK- The Moomins- Retro Soundtrack Review

LINK- Adventure in Moominland Exhibition at the Southbank Centre

LINK- The Wonder of Moomin World

LINK- Disenchantment- Complete Series 1 Review

LINK- Gravity Falls Complete Series Review

LINK- Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated Complete Series 1 Review

She-Ra Season 4 Airing On 5th November!

The new trailer for season 4 of She-Ra just dropped and I’m soooo excited. I’ve loved the first 3 seasons and after the cliffhanger can’t wait to catch up with the characters. I’m especially excited to see Catra’s super dark heel turn and see what happens to EntrapDak! Come November 5th, it’ll be time to light some fireworks!

Costume Quest Season 1 Part 2 Released

Costume Quest is the animated show based on the popular indie games from 2010 and 2014. It has taken many years to get the animated treatment but boy is it a treat.

The story concerns four children; Wren, the strong headed girl, Reynold, her nervous and scared-cat twin, Everett, the confident young boy, and Lucy, the shy, quiet girl, who battle against the dark forces of the nougat eating monsters that lurk in their sleepy village of Auburn Pines. To help them in their quest they use a variety of magical costumes that have transformative powers.

When I reviewed the show way back in June I said that it well worth a watch. Now Part 2 of Season 1 has been released and I’m working my way through it. I’ll have a review up as soon as I’m finished but check out the first part if you haven’t yet.

Costume Quest Season 1 Part 1 Animated Show: Series Review

Costume Quest is the animated show based on the popular indie games from 2010 and 2014. It has taken many years to get the animated treatment but boy is it a treat.

The story concerns four children; Wren, the strong headed girl, Reynold, her nervous and scared-cat twin, Everett, the confident young boy, and Lucy, the shy, quiet girl, who battle against the dark forces of the nougat eating monsters that lurk in their sleepy village of Auburn Pines. To help them in their quest they use a variety of magical costumes that have transformative powers.

This set up is quite neat and each episode revolves around the group using different costumes to overcome obstacles and develop as friends.

Even though it seems to be set in modern times with mobile phones, the Internet and meme references, the whole show is bathed in the glow of 80s nostalgia. The humour is gentle and sweet and the purposely 'Charlie Brown'-esque voice work lend it that lovable naiveté that endears those jankily voiced animated short to our hearts, and so it is with this. The young voice cast is strong and deliver their lines with suitable characterisation and emotion.

The art style remains true to the game and the colour pallete is all browns, orange, dark reds and dusky colours, which gives the show a feeling of warmth which is strangely comforting.

The music is slow jazz and quite folksy sounding, which kind of reminds me of Over The Garden Wall, which is not a bad thing at all!

So far, only 7 episodes have been released and with each being about 25 minutes long, with more promised at Halloween. Whilst it is a short, breezy watch don't think of it as a silly kids show, as although it is primarily aimed at children at 4-11 years of age, the story does develop and there are moments where characters go through personal growth.

The whole show is a wonderful throwback to some of the cartoons of my youth and whilst not exceptional, the show is definitely worth a watch!

Crow: The Legend- PSVR Animation

As teachers and educators we like to immerse our children in topics to interest and excite them. With certain topics this is easy as we have to facilities and resources nearby to engage them, however with certain topics like History this can be difficult as the places we are discussing are often not within reach.

Whilst carrying out research about native North America I came across a free PSVR animation called Crow: The Legend, a story about the origin of seasons. In the words of the animation creators, Boabab Studios:

The carefree forest animals imagine spring will last forever. However, winter comes and the animals soon realize that their lives are in danger. What they need is a hero; what they need is Crow: The Legend.

The 20 minute or so animation is a beautiful VR experience and stars John Legend, Oprah Winfrey and many other famous actors. It is a brilliant stimulus for writing and I hope to use it when we do our North America topic next term.

The Skeleton Dance- Spooky Kids TV Appreciation Month (Spooktober)

The Skeleton Dance is the first of Disney’s Silly Symphony shorts, an animated cartoon series where music is integral to the whole piece. In this classic animation, as the clock strikes midnight four skeletons rise from their graves and proceed to have merry fun.

Considering that this was released in 1929 the macabre matter is somewhat surprising, however the animation is top notch and incredibly fluid. Check it out!

Ulysses 31: Vengeance of the Gods- Spooky Kids TV Appreciation Month (Spooktober)

The 80's were an amazing time for cartoons and one of the finest is Ulysses 31. It tells a story similar to Homer's The Odyssey but set in the 31st century, hence the 31. The 26 part episode series is all great but the pilot episode is pretty scary, what with child kidnapping, child sacrifice and a freakin’ robotic cyclops! The music complements all this beautifully and I have spoken at length about the soundtrack before.

For those who only remember the series from the past check it out now on YouTube… it still holds up well!

Trap Door- Spooky Kids TV Appreciation Month (Spooktober)

I was about 6 when I first saw Trap Door on ITV, the great intro music and opening credits had me hooked and the funny but kinda weird dark undercurrent of the show appealed to the stranger/ offbeat part of me.

The claymation art style appealed to me as a 6 year old kid.

The claymation art style appealed to me as a 6 year old kid.

The claymation art style was all herky-jerky and I think that lent to its otherworldly perculiarness that I fondly recall. I watched an episode today with my 3 1/2 year old daughter and she loved it so it just goes to show, classics will always remain classics!

Now recite after me….

Somewhere in the dark and nasty regions, where nobody goes, stands an ancient castle. Deep within this dank and uninviting place, lives Berk ("Allo!"), overworked servant of "the thing upstairs" ('Berk! Feed Me!') But that's nothing compared to the horrors that lurk beneath the trap door, for there is always something down there, in the dark, waiting to come out....

The following lines of the theme song would then sing out:

Don't you open that trapdoor, You're a fool if you dare!... Stay away from that trapdoor, 'Cos there's something down there...

Fatal Frame 2 Fun Animation

Fatal Frame, known here in England as Project Zero, is a scary game in which the player controls the protagonist Mio Amakura as she searches the Lost Village for (and sometimes, with) her twin sister, Mayu. Exploring the seemingly deserted village the player finds various objects with which to solves puzzles in order to advance. Ghosts pop up and attack or assist Mio, who hasthe 'Camera Obscura', an antique camera that has the ability to harm the spirits and reveals hidden things.

The game is a very popular series in Japan and I love the series, having played and completed the first one on the original Xbox. Since then there have been 4 more games released in the series and I have played and completed most of them, except for game 4 as it never saw a release in the West on the Wii.

Well Markiplier with the help of GrittySugar! have made a hilarious animation based on the tropes of the series.

Kiki's Delivery Service Show at Southwark Playhouse

Southwark Playhouse is performing an adaptation of Kiki’s Delivery Service. The play is adapted from the book by Eiko Kadono but many people will recognise the title from the amazing animated film by Studio Ghibli.

The story follows the adventures of Kiki, a 13 year old witch. Tradition dictates that at this age young witches must leave their home and make a new life for themselves in the real world. With her feline companion Jiji, Kiki sets out to find a place in the world and find her role in it.

The tale is a magical one all about growing up and being yourself in the world. I love the animation and it is one of my favourite Ghibli films, having a daughter has made me even more sentimental and so I am looking forward to seeing this show. As always I will feedback my opinions of it here!

The Return of Teddy Ruxpin

The 80's were a heady time for toys and animation and one of the highlights of the decade for many was Teddy Ruxpin, a show that had 65 episode and one of the most iconic toys of the time. The Teddy Ruxpin talking toy came with a cassette deck, children would slot in a tape and the mouth of the toy would move and recount a story. Teddy Ruxpin was launched in 1985 and was a massive hit but various financial crises affected the company and it closed.

However there has been a resurrection of the toy and there is s new version coming up. The latest version of the toy will come with a 4GB hard drive which will be able to store 40 stories. Also the toy will be able to be paired with an iPad app so children can read along to the stories as the toy move its mouth and speaks. I have a daughter now and so may purchase the toy for her. I never had the toy as a kid but I do like the idea of it.