Day #8

Fair warning: This is an anime post. If you don't care about anime, you may disist your reading now. :)


So, recently, I've had an odd urge in my anime viewing tendencies. In an effort to feed these odd desires, I have watched a few random, short shows and OAV's. But, I have certain art standards, and so I almost felt I was running out of the type of anime I was craving. However, on a last resort, I decided to check out a show called "Kyo Kara Maoh" (also spelled Kyou Kara Maou). I watched the first ep in Japanese, but the subsequent eps (up to 35) I watched in English, since the way I had spelled it was the English release spelling and at first, they were all I could find. I now want this show very badly, because I feel like it's a return to my anime roots.

The first three anime I remember watching parts of in college (thanks go to Ernest) were Record of Lodoss War ("I will defend the peas of Lodoss with my life!" ~the courageous pea farmer), Escaflowne, and Fushigi Yuugi. And, to me, Kyo Kara Maoh is like a combination of the three, with bits of El Hazard thrown in for good measure. Take the concept of Fushigi Yuugi and/or Escaflowne (or El Hazard), of relatively normal high school student, somehow whisked away to an alternate world in which they are hailed as the prophecied saviour of a country. Make the world into which they are dropped reminiscent of Record of Lodoss War, and just about any D&D-esque RPG and/or console game you've ever played. Then, flip your persepctive. You are not the "hero" sent to slay the dragon, rescue the princess, and defeat the evil Demon King. You are the Demon King. So far, it has kept a pretty good balance between humor and plot, and has not of yet fallen into the Fushigi Yuugi trap of killing everyone off and bringing them back to be killed again...although, I must admit, I haven't quite finished the first season (of which there are 2...very long seasons).
If I ever find they've packaged the first season in a box set, I may have to buy it. But, they haven't yet...I mean, the first disc of the second season doesn't come out until the end of November, so that means they've only just got all of the first season out. But, for Jenny and Ernest, and probably Ellie and maybe others (since aspects of it also remind me of InuYasha), I wish to someday own it and force it upon others. Cuz, I mean, you gotta love Wolfram! Especially when he's around Yuuri. ;)



I'll leave you with this image. :) Mata ashita!