Anime World Order Show # 7 – Kazuo Koike, master of "Jigoku Manga"

The Patrick Macias interview rolls on, as we talk about “jigoku manga,” best embodied by the works of Kazuo Koike! Plus Space Battleship Yamato and uh…Anna Miller’s.

Introduction (0:00 – 23:42)

We got a lot of feedback from our previous show when we said that videogame tournaments have no place at an anime convention (that’s an oversimplification, but if you want the rest, check out last week’s episode). Most of it was us getting our butts kicked, but amazingly enough, someone out there agreed with our Ushicon comments!

We have no Let’s News! segment this week since there wasn’t very much news that was worth talking about. Since we have no interest in just reading off news items that have no significant bearing on anything, we thought we’d compile the few news stories from this week into next week.

Promo: Anime Pulse podcast
While we’re trying (and failing) to cover as wide a range of anime as we can, these guys are all about being on the cutting edge of what’s out in Japan right now! If you’re big into Naruto and Bleach, these guys discuss the latest episodes of both every week, so check them out.

Interview — Patrick Macias: The man who knows more about Japan than the Japanese, Part 3(23:43 – 1:14:47)

We delve into the realm of Kazuo Koike as we go in depth on the subject of “jigoku manga” with the amazing Patrick Macias in part three of our interview. To fit with the jumbled mess of logic that is a Kazuo Koike narrative, Daryl decided to leave this section relatively unedited. We haven’t done this before, and chances are you listeners probably wouldn’t like us if we did it again.

Promo: Anime Hell
A blog and soon to be podcast devoted to the anime convention mainstay featuring extremely strange audio-visual detritus that’s not necessarily anime-related, as this trailer for Scream Blackula Scream indicates. DEMAND Anime Hell (or if you live in Florida, the Panel OF DOOM! as hosted by Daryl Surat!) to convention organizers near you!

Closing (1:14:47 – 1:16:34)

We finally decided to shell out the money for the domain, so www.animeworldorder.com will now redirect you to this page. Next time, we’re going to have a hentai-centric episode as the Patrick Macias interview concludes (sort of) with Gerald reviewing the really, really, really awful hentai title known as Gonad the Barbarian. I know, you want to buy it based on the name alone, but we’re going to tell you why that sort of thinking is a huge mistake.

11 Replies to “Anime World Order Show # 7 – Kazuo Koike, master of "Jigoku Manga"”

  1. Some comments…

    -Man that guy really hated Maburaho…do people really hate that show?, I wonder what ADV think of that
    -LOGH…I wonder if people really want it over in the US anyway
    -I don’t buy bootlegs
    -Yes!, talk about Katsuhiro Ôtomo please
    -Am I the only anime fan not into Naruto?
    -UK got to dub a Transformers series?, never knew that
    -No news this week…Is ANN even having a slow news day as well?
    -Quick question, as someone who hopes to be a voice actor for anime dubs, I was wondering do the anime dub studios in the US have their own style when it comes to dubbing?

  2. Maybe I wasn’t clear in the show but I hate Naruto, and that usually goes along with most other Shonen Jump shows, but there are exceptions.

  3. Oh…It’s just Naruto is one of those shows everyone talks about and makes a big deal of

  4. I own the Colonel Sanders and Ronald McDonald doujinshi. Most folks call it finger lickin’ good! Grimmis is in it, too. Grimace? Grimus? No one really seems sure. In the words of Run-D.M.C., it’s McDaniels, not McDonalds/The rhymes are Darryl’s, the burgers are RONALDS!!!

    I think developmentally disabled anime fans often make us uncomfortable, as they suggest truths about anime itself we may find difficult to face.

    The Koike outro cue…that was from UY, wasn’t it?

    “It’s not porn, because he doesn’t draw the dick, Clarissa.”

    —Carl

    P.S. Riki-Oh put me in mind of Eazy-E’s description of himself as “the violent hero.”

  5. I listened to the latest podcast yesterday and it totally got me thinking of your comments about how ‘newer fans’ do not know about any directors or other staff members for their favorite shows. So, on the train to and from school I reflected on my own experiences and observations.

    The main solution I could come up with was a core difference in the way many fans now perceive the show’s production. Anime no longer thought of as a personal creation. The perception is that the director plays second fiddle to The Company (whatever that may be) and is not deserving of merit or praise in most cases. In the American market I always hear ‘OMG Company A does Title A soooo well.” Or “That company really did a crappy job making that show.” The individuals never enter into the conversation unless they are one of the ‘greats’ of fandom such as Miyazaki or Satoshi Kon.

    This is moreso with anime than manga. Manga creators are seen as having a more direct role on the quality of the book, and therefore more importance is placed on the individual than the company. For example, take the recent Ai Yazawa craze. Nana came out in Shoujo Beat around the same time as the ParaKiss anime and her name started flying around some circles…but did you know that the director for ParaKiss TV was the same who did the Battle Angel OAVs, Kimagure Orange Road TV, Tokyo Babalon, Beck, and more? I know I had to look it up.

    Yes, there was a time where I knew many of the directors and whatnot, but not anymore. Part of this could be because of the above coupled with the sheer amount coming at us. It seems like I had more time to obsess over the details before the next show came, but now they scream in one after another. Live action movies are still perceived as a creation of the director, with the producer playing a close second. If a favorite director makes a movie with an iffy company, that director’s fan will follow him, while anime titles now get lumped and condemned by company.

    With L.A. TV shows, I can’t say too much…The only real TV buff I know well is my sister, but it seems they follow fewer shows at one time than anime fans do. She has a small set she obsesses over right now (CSI, 24, Smallville, Alias, and anything Joss I think), but that is it.

    There is more I want to say, but this is already long enough. That segment coupled with some courses I’m in really got me thinking. Actually, I have been talking about the recent lack of fan creations with my friend as well which stemmed from a recent disappointing trip to an anime club…Which ties into a bit more of what you talked about in this show.

    Anywho, enough rambling. Flame away! Hehe

    Bloody great podcast people! Keep them coming.

    BTW. I picked up Offered, it should be here in a week or so, and if you thought the first volume was cheap at two-something, the second can be nabbed for 75 cents plus shipping. I remember Crying Freeman from way-back-when and am taking you all up on your suggestion to re-visit Koike’s works. I’ll let you know how it goes.

  6. Tohoscope – Yep they do still sell that horrible show, in fact, I’ve seen it online for as much as $50! Crazy considering it’s probably not worth even $10.

    Carl (if that is your real name) – So, how much of Daryl’s blood will I have to drain to get a primo scan of romantic moment from that Ronald McDonald/Sanders doujin?

    brian – It’s an interesting idea, but it certainly must come down to something that separates the creator from the work itself that is somehow blurred. I can’t really say this is a recent thing as I have a distinct feeling that this is something that is rather common even among generations since I have the feeling that few old schoolers can distinguish a director of one 70’s giant robot show from another. What I think it ultimately comes down to is some process that dulls a particular director’s unique style or trademark. While I do tend to look out for the work of certain directors (aside from Mamoru Oshii and Miyazaki), I have the feeling that their style may not be as evident in their animated work as, say, the original manga of the work, or say, the character designer. I mean, I do look for the work of Osamu Kobayshi (who I believe was the director you were talking about who did KOR, Beck and such), but heaven forbid if you ask me a stylistic characteristic of his work (I have the feeling there’s something there, but I just don’t see it). On the other hand, Mamoru Oshii works will often have stylistic traits (extended monologues, Basset Hounds, etc…). Really, I’m not sure what the answer is but I think it might be a combination of the young audience, the fact that anime is definitely not “high” art, and the dulling of the individuals’ style in the final work. I held a panel on anime directors at a local convention last year which was rather poorly attended (mainly because it was early in the morning on a Sunday), but it seemed that the people there were geniunly interested in finding out more, many just didn’t really know where to start. I also hear from Daryl that someone at Katsucon actually could name three directors that were not Miyazaki or Oshii (err, I don’t think Oshii was one of them).

  7. I own the Colonel Sanders and Ronald McDonald doujinshi. Most folks call it finger lickin’ good! Grimmis is in it, too. Grimace? Grimus?
    It’s Grimace: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grimace
    (for the AWO-people: I’m requesting an interview with the person who submitted that info to Wikipedia)

    When you talk about that Ronald-doujinshi an half-forgotten moment from my life comes to mind. About four years ago, very early in the morning at an McDonalds in an near-empty mall somewhere in suburbian Stockholm: Me and my friend Tomas (after staying up for more than 24 hours) eating breakfast and talking about that somebody should write slash-fanfiction between Ronald McDonald and those colorful furry-things:
    http://moneycard.com/simages/13544.jpg
    Hopefully I’m old enough to know better nowadays. Of course RonaldxSanders is more suitable in these Brokeback Mountain-times. Or maybe RonaldxThe Burger King.

    Btw, thanks for a good show!

  8. Talking about British Dubs from CPM, “A Wind Named Amnesia”, “Dominion Tank Police”, and “Cyber City” are all top notch dubs. I highly suggest listening to them. They’re better then some dubs coming out now IMO lol (hich is a little sad). I liked the dubs on “Judge” and “Demon City Shinjuku” too, although they didn’t blow me away or anything. All of them were directed by Michael Bakewell btw. He’s a great ADR director.

    “Dog Soldier”…that’s the anime with the epic knife fight right?…lol what a train wreck!

    I’ve seen the “Shootfighter Tekken” anime and that was pretty good.

    “Mad Bull 34” was directed by Satoshi Dezaki…who is Osamu Dezaki’s less talented brother. That being said…that anime is INSANE. “Mad Bull 34” is a monster indeed. it’s so bad it’s good. I love that crazy show.

    Now I want to buy the Offered manga!! God that sounds NUUUUUTTTS. I love these unintentionally funny stuff. I’m ganna have to pick this up…

    Where does the eyeball go? OMG!!

    GREAT GREAT GREAT podcast guys!! And for the record I keep up with the directors/writers and always check out some of the older stuff when I get a chance. ANd I know a few others who pay attention to that stuff. So not ALL fandom has gone to hell 😉 .

Comments are closed.