Tekko 1/2 now has a website!
On this beautiful page, you will discover that Tekko 1/2 also for the first time EVER has guests!! Carrie Savage, who is a great voice actor and a wonderful human being, is going to be attending! (Ms. Savage, I will never forget that you encouraged me in my career choice at autograph signings last Tekko. And I'm very sorry I wasn't able to purchase anything at auction. You were a wonderful auctioneer.) Her bio can be found on the aforementioned website.
Also, they've managed to score a cool-sounding stand-up comedian who specializes in geek stuff, and a CMU band. Of course, there will be a video game room, and a costume contest. As I said before, I'll be cosplaying Jounouchi (season 4, Doom, version) as always. Gotta get some use out of that silly foam duel disk I made, right?
A single panel room will be there, and the schedule is now up.
So, see you from 11:00AM-9:00PM on October 4th at the Best Western in Greentree! Detailed directions to the Western can be found on my previous entry about Tekko 1/2.
Don't forget to look for updates on the Tekkoshocon home page.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Bethel Park Anime #24--CLAMP
Since I've been reviewing a good amount of CLAMP works (and also plan to put up a Tsubasa review) I thought this would be a good time to do an article about them.
CLAMP began as a doujinshi circle. "Doujinshi" in America is mostly thought to mean a comic form of a fanfiction, but many doujinshi are original works. Courtesy of wikipedia:
Unfortunately, many doujinshi can be found at 18+ tables at conventions. I currently own one doujinshi, which I'm very happy to say is entirely explicit content-free (except that Mai pretty much always dresses questionably, but that's another story). Anyway, CLAMP started as a doujinshi circle. Whether they were original or basing their comics on other series, I cannot say.
There were originally 12 circle members, which was then cut to 7, and finally the 4 that currently make up the group: Ageha Ohkawa, Mokona, Tsubaki Nekoi and Satsuki Igarashi.
CLAMP generally errs on the side of shojo over shonen, though they're not quite as blatantly aimed at girls as, say, Yuu Watase. They have a very devoted fanbase, who take being a "CLAMP fan" very seriously. I have a friend that deems I am not worthy yet because I have not read enough titles. (Tsubasa, xxxHolic, Cardcaptor Sakura, Chobits, Clover, Magic Knight Rayearth, X, Wish, and Legal Drug are apparently not enough.) It also might be because I tend to point out all their flaws. For example, artwork. CLAMP can draw gorgeously, but they still haven't mastered the art of drawing CLEARLY. Now, it may just be me being exceptionally picky about that. I'm not a FLCL fan. When I look at a panel, I want to know what's happening NOW. I don't want to have to study it and make out which line is the person fighting, and which lines are just effects or to make it look pretty. I'm of the opinion that things should be very easy to read.
Here's an example from a volume of Tsubasa I was reading recently. (SPOILERS!)
http://www.onemanga.com/Tsubasa_Reservoir_Chronicles/122/12/
http://www.onemanga.com/Tsubasa_Reservoir_Chronicles/123/10/
...maybe not the best example of unclear, but hopefully you get the general idea.
The other telling trait of CLAMP's work is their extreme plot twists. That also means that I can't give an examples without spoiling anything. Not only do they have shocking, confusing, and sometimes illogical endings and reversals, they save revealing things until the absolute last minute. Vague hints are given, but nothing telling enough to remotely guess what's really going on. This can be very frustrating to readers who like to have more than pretty artwork and a vague sense of the story line to get them through a series. Tsubasa, for example, spent 17 volumes trying to retrieve Sakura's feathers. Now... things have changed drastically, to say the least. They're still going for feathers, but not with the same cast of characters.
Tsubasa is unique enough that I'm going to take a moment to talk about it. The exact title is Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle, the reservoir only being revealed (maybe?) in volume 17, and the opening sequence of the manga yet to be revealed at all. (with the new plot twists, more questions and no answers are added to that scene) Anyway, Tsubasa is a series aimed at those aforementioned devoted CLAMP fans. I do not know of any other series that have done this. In Tsubasa, CLAMP takes characters from other series of theirs, and puts them into different universes. It's not crossover with their other series, it's AU with other series characters. The main two protagonists are the well-known Sakura and Syaoran from Cardcaptor Sakura. Sakura's brother and Yukito also exist in their universe of "Clow". Sakura is the princess of a desert kingdom, and Syaoran in an archaeologist. They secretly love each other, and neither has confessed. Then a freak accident puts Sakura into a comatose state, "scattering her memories", and the high priest Yukito sends Syaoran to another world to collect them. Sounds like something out of a bad fanfic, right? Oh, wait... former doujinshi circle...
They are joined by original characters Kurogane and Fai, and old fan-favorite Mokona from Magic Knight Rayearth. If all that weren't enough, Tsubasa also crosses over with xxxHolic (pronounced "Holic", the Xs being a blank space like ___holic or [insert something you can be obsessed with] holic)
CLAMP is a well-loved, quirky group of artists, with a knack for torturing and pleasing fans at the same time. (Legal Drug, anyone?) Their works are celebrated, mocked, read casually, read devotedly, and known by many, many people. Who watched "Cardcaptors"? *raises hand* Any otaku worth their salt knows of CLAMP, and has generally read/watched SOMETHING by them. Cardcaptors/Cardcaptor Sakura is the most well-known, Chobits is the "best", and Tsubasa is the new hit. (FUNimation has a nice dub of Tsubasa out right now, and I would recommend it, along with the manga.) While certainly more shojo-y, CLAMP has something to offer to male and female fans alike. Go check them out!
CLAMP began as a doujinshi circle. "Doujinshi" in America is mostly thought to mean a comic form of a fanfiction, but many doujinshi are original works. Courtesy of wikipedia:
The term dōjinshi is derived from dōjin (同人? dōjin, literally "same person", used to refer to a person or persons with whom one shares a common goal or interest) and shi (誌? , a contraction of zasshi, meaning "magazine")
Unfortunately, many doujinshi can be found at 18+ tables at conventions. I currently own one doujinshi, which I'm very happy to say is entirely explicit content-free (except that Mai pretty much always dresses questionably, but that's another story). Anyway, CLAMP started as a doujinshi circle. Whether they were original or basing their comics on other series, I cannot say.
There were originally 12 circle members, which was then cut to 7, and finally the 4 that currently make up the group: Ageha Ohkawa, Mokona, Tsubaki Nekoi and Satsuki Igarashi.
CLAMP generally errs on the side of shojo over shonen, though they're not quite as blatantly aimed at girls as, say, Yuu Watase. They have a very devoted fanbase, who take being a "CLAMP fan" very seriously. I have a friend that deems I am not worthy yet because I have not read enough titles. (Tsubasa, xxxHolic, Cardcaptor Sakura, Chobits, Clover, Magic Knight Rayearth, X, Wish, and Legal Drug are apparently not enough.) It also might be because I tend to point out all their flaws. For example, artwork. CLAMP can draw gorgeously, but they still haven't mastered the art of drawing CLEARLY. Now, it may just be me being exceptionally picky about that. I'm not a FLCL fan. When I look at a panel, I want to know what's happening NOW. I don't want to have to study it and make out which line is the person fighting, and which lines are just effects or to make it look pretty. I'm of the opinion that things should be very easy to read.
Here's an example from a volume of Tsubasa I was reading recently. (SPOILERS!)
http://www.onemanga.com/Tsubasa_Reservoir_Chronicles/122/12/
http://www.onemanga.com/Tsubasa_Reservoir_Chronicles/123/10/
...maybe not the best example of unclear, but hopefully you get the general idea.
The other telling trait of CLAMP's work is their extreme plot twists. That also means that I can't give an examples without spoiling anything. Not only do they have shocking, confusing, and sometimes illogical endings and reversals, they save revealing things until the absolute last minute. Vague hints are given, but nothing telling enough to remotely guess what's really going on. This can be very frustrating to readers who like to have more than pretty artwork and a vague sense of the story line to get them through a series. Tsubasa, for example, spent 17 volumes trying to retrieve Sakura's feathers. Now... things have changed drastically, to say the least. They're still going for feathers, but not with the same cast of characters.
Tsubasa is unique enough that I'm going to take a moment to talk about it. The exact title is Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle, the reservoir only being revealed (maybe?) in volume 17, and the opening sequence of the manga yet to be revealed at all. (with the new plot twists, more questions and no answers are added to that scene) Anyway, Tsubasa is a series aimed at those aforementioned devoted CLAMP fans. I do not know of any other series that have done this. In Tsubasa, CLAMP takes characters from other series of theirs, and puts them into different universes. It's not crossover with their other series, it's AU with other series characters. The main two protagonists are the well-known Sakura and Syaoran from Cardcaptor Sakura. Sakura's brother and Yukito also exist in their universe of "Clow". Sakura is the princess of a desert kingdom, and Syaoran in an archaeologist. They secretly love each other, and neither has confessed. Then a freak accident puts Sakura into a comatose state, "scattering her memories", and the high priest Yukito sends Syaoran to another world to collect them. Sounds like something out of a bad fanfic, right? Oh, wait... former doujinshi circle...
They are joined by original characters Kurogane and Fai, and old fan-favorite Mokona from Magic Knight Rayearth. If all that weren't enough, Tsubasa also crosses over with xxxHolic (pronounced "Holic", the Xs being a blank space like ___holic or [insert something you can be obsessed with] holic)
CLAMP is a well-loved, quirky group of artists, with a knack for torturing and pleasing fans at the same time. (Legal Drug, anyone?) Their works are celebrated, mocked, read casually, read devotedly, and known by many, many people. Who watched "Cardcaptors"? *raises hand* Any otaku worth their salt knows of CLAMP, and has generally read/watched SOMETHING by them. Cardcaptors/Cardcaptor Sakura is the most well-known, Chobits is the "best", and Tsubasa is the new hit. (FUNimation has a nice dub of Tsubasa out right now, and I would recommend it, along with the manga.) While certainly more shojo-y, CLAMP has something to offer to male and female fans alike. Go check them out!
Unfinished/current works
Name Volumes Released Current Status Clover 4 Ran in the now cancelled Amie magazine. Kobato
(こばと。?)3 Ran in Monthly Sunday Gene-X for seven chapters. Returned to publication in the November 2006 edition of Newtype magazine. Legend of Chun Hyang
(新・春香伝 Shin Shunkaden?)1 The project was dropped after only a few chapters, though a recent interview has stated that Clamp would like to finish the work in the future. Legal Drug
(合法 ドラッグ Gohō Drug?)3 Not running in any magazine. According to Clamp, it will resume production soon. Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle
(ツバサ−RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE−?)24 Running since 2003 in Weekly Shōnen Magazine. X/1999
(Ｘ Ekkusu?)18 Not running in any magazine since March 2003. Some social problems in Japan prevent Kadokawa from releasing further chapters. New chapters have surfaced on online manga sites. xxxHolic
(×××ホリック Horikku?)13 Running weekly since 2003 in Young Magazine. Completed Works
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clamp_(manga_artists)#Unfinished.2Fcurrent_works
Name Publisher and Series Volumes Released Angelic Layer
(エンジェリック レイヤー Enjerikku Reiyā?)Kadokawa Shoten
Kadokawa Comics Series5 Cardcaptor Sakura
(カードキャプター さくら Kādokyaputā Sakura?)Kodansha
KC Deluxe12 Chobits
(ちょびっツ Chobittsu?)Kodansha
Young Magazine KC Deluxe8 Clamp no Kiseki
(CLAMPノキセキ Clamp no Kiseki?)Kodansha 12 Clamp School Detectives
(CLAMP学園探偵団 Clamp Gakuen Tanteidan?)Kadokawa Shoten
Asuka Comics DX3 Duklyon: Clamp School Defenders
(学園特警デュカリオン Gakuen Tokkei Dyukarion?)Kadokawa Shoten
Newtype 100% Comics2 Magic Knight Rayearth
(魔法騎士レイアース Majikku Naito (Mahō Kishi) Reiāsu?)Kodansha
KC Deluxe6 20 Mensō ni Onegai!!/20 Masks, Please!!
(20面相におねがい!! 20 Mensō ni Onegai!!?)Kadokawa Shoten
Newtype 100% Comics / Kadokawa Comics Series2 Miyuki-chan in Wonderland
(不思議の国の美幸ちゃん Fushigi no Kuni no Miyuki-chan?)Kadokawa Shoten
Newtype 100% Comics Extra / Kadokawa Comics Series1 The One I Love
(わたしのすきなひと Watashi no Suki na Hito?)Kadokawa Shoten
Young Rose Comics DX1 RG Veda
(聖伝 Sei-den?)Shinshokan
Wings Comics10 Shirahime-Syo: Snow Goddess Tales
(白姫抄 Shirahime-Shō?)Kadokawa Shoten
Asuka Comics DX1 Suki Dakara Suki (I like, therefore I like)
(「すき。だからすき」 "Suki; Dakara Suki"?)Kadokawa Shoten
Asuka Comics3 Tokyo Babylon
(東京BABYLON Tōkyō BABYLON?)Shinshokan
Wings Comics / Wings Library7 Wish Kadokawa Shoten
Asuka Comics DX4
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clamp_(manga_artists)#Completed_Works)
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Reviews #4--Chobits
Warning: The following review is about a title rated 16+.
Chobits by CLAMP.
In keeping with the CLAMP theme, I'll be looking at one of their more well-known titles, Chobits. Our main character, Hideki, is a rural guy from Hokkaido who moves to Tokyo for cram school since he didn't get into college. He lives in a futuristic world where computers are shaped like people and called "persocoms". Hideki, barely having enough money for an apartment, has no hopes of getting one of these fabulous computers. Then he finds a very cute female one in the trash, takes it home, and just like that, he's got a persocom named Chi. Chi isn't a normal perscom, though. She has no operating system, no serial number, and no manufacturer. She's also super-powerful, but can't say anything but "chi". It's up to Hideki to teach her.
CLAMP's famous title for the most part lives up to its fame. Only 8 volumes long, it's short, but that's a nice change for CLAMP. It says everything it wants to, and nothing more is really necessary. It's one of CLAMP's best paced works--hinting at the ending before we actually get there, who'd have thunk it? It's still CLAMP, though, so it still holds out as much as it can until the end. It's quite obviously trying to make a statement about love, and I would assume such issues as same-sex marriage/couples. It just swaps gender for persocoms. (we've seen that CLAMP is not averse to shonen-ai with Cardcaptor Sakura) I do like the ending. I'm even okay with the various things that get it that 16+ rating--mostly Hideki's girly magazines, a couple of odd situations Chi gets herself into, and the whole ending. It all helped develop the plot and wasn't just pointless fanservice (though there was a bit of that with Minoru's persocoms) Overall, I really like this title, and would recommend it to any otaku mature enough to not giggle every time Hideki says "porn". ::rolls eyes::
Rating: A-
Good story, well-paced, good artwork
Occasionally unclear artwork (this IS Clamp) and fanservice
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Reviews #3--Magic Knight Rayearth
Magic Knight Rayearth by CLAMP.
Oh, ha, the Mashin are the same as the guys' kudans in Tsubasa.
I'm now halfway through volume 3, and I have to say this is not one of my favorite CLAMP titles. I really don't like early CLAMP artwork in general because it's too confusing. Some of it is gorgeous to look at, but I have no idea what's going on. Overall, it's not that bad, but I'm an impatient manga reader--I want to be able to tell what's going on as soon as I look at the panel. No FLCL for me.
Besides the occasionally cluttered artwork, the story leaves something to be desired. Three girls are transported from Tokyo to another world, and discover they are the destined saviors of said world. All right. That has potential. But three girls constantly reaffirming that they have strong hearts and their new, amazingly strong friendship will overcome all odds--that gets tiring. That's coming from a girl who watched the entire Yugioh series--dubbed. That guy, I'm going to call him Fiyero because I don't remember his name, he was interesting. He added a bit of contrast to the high-school-girls-saving-the-world-with-super-special-awesome-friendship-powers. Not much contrast, since every high-school-girls-saving-the-world series has at least one of those guys (Tuxedo Mask; Aoyama, Ryou, and Keiichiro) but it's something.
Volume 1 was the girls landing in Cephiro and being trained by Clef. Volume 2 was mostly the quest to get that stuff to make them better warriors. Volume 3 so far has been reawakening the Mashin.
It seems straightforward so far. But, judging by CLAMP's reputation of not explaining things, and the summary I just read on wikipedia, it's not ending how you'd think. Maybe a little, since I've been suspecting something between Zagato and Emurade, but mostly not.
It's interesting, the designs are wonderful to look at, if a bit confusing, and the characters are developed. Whether or not you actually like those characters... (oh, please, bring back Fiyero! I can't stand Hikaru or Fuu preaching about friendship any more. Umi is slightly less annoying, but still...)
So far, a C. We'll see if the ending can bring that up.
EDIT: Well, I've finished volume 3 now, and I'd have to say at least a C+ or a B-. I really liked the ending, (and there was something about the second-to-last panel that really stuck with me) and I hope that the second half of the series is as good. I also hope that they'll tell us what's going on BEFORE the last 20 pages.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Bethel Park Anime #23--Tekko 1/2 2008
Tekko 1/2 has been officially announced!
From the tekkoshocon home page:
Here's the Best Western website, and the google map page. I'll be there after I get done with my SATs.
See you at the Western!
From the tekkoshocon home page:
You asked for it you got it..
Tekko 1/2 returns, bigger and better than before!
October 4 2008 10:00AM - 10PM!!!
Best Western Parkway Center Inn
875 Greentree Road,
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15220
This year promises to be bigger than ever.
Admission is $10 at the door.
If you pre-register for Tekkoshocon VII at 1/2 you get $5 off of your pre-registration!
Check back for more information as we ready Tekko 1/2's new web site
Here's the Best Western website, and the google map page. I'll be there after I get done with my SATs.
See you at the Western!
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