I'm still here.... Just busy

I have been really busy with my day job.  I hope to be free over the summer.  I have some cool things to share.  I'll keep you all posted.

SOPA and PIPA Debates in the US.

In the US there is huge debate on Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect ID Act (PIPA).  The main ideas of the SOPA and PIPA bills are to stop online piracy.  As a visual artist I totally support.  But some experts are saying there are other sinister aspects of the bill that don't sit right with me.

I think the folks at Cntrl+Alt+Del created a video on the whole debate that best illustrates the argument.

To all Patriots (US citizens) living at home and abroad, tell your state's Representative to review the SOPA and PIPA more closely.

Happy New Year!!!

Going back to basics

Lately I’ve been trying to follow the newest anime to come from Japan.  To be honest, I’m not that impressed.  The characters designs seem flat, stories non-existent, and music is subpar.  Mind you these are just my personal observations so they shouldn’t be taken literally.

I’ve been in the animation industry for over 10 years and I have seen trends come and go.  To me, the main constant is a good story.  My generation and previous generations were amazed by the work of such talented artists, such as Osamu Tezuka, Hayao Miyazaki, Leiji Matsumoto, Monkey Punch, Masumune Shirow, Range Murata, Rumiko Takahashi, and Kenichi Sonda to name a few.

That being said I have decided to learn from the great masters, such as Osamu Tezuka (comics) and Hayao Miyazaki (Animation).  Young artists can learn a great deal from these great masters.

Tezuka’s story were so complex and interesting that you had to read it more than once to get the full body of the story.  I am currently reading “MW.” The people of Vertical Inc in NYC have translated this brick of a manga with great care.  The story of the manga deals with the politics, religion, and the battle between good and evil.  I won’t give too much away, but is a great manga to read.  I would suggest you read it during the day.  It might give you nightmares.

Hayao Miyazaki has been taken the baton of great animators, such as Max Fleisher and Walt Disney.  His stories, character designs, and backgrounds have been admired from not only Japanese artists, but also artists abroad, such as John Lassiter of Pixar.  I for one am looking forward to watching Miyazaki-san’s newest film, “The Borrowers.”  Thought I suspect the film will not make a stateside release until a year after the initial Japanese release.

Much can be said about the great masters works.  At the end it is the ability of the artists and writers to make what they feel is right and go with it.  Like generations of the past the same adage is always true, hard work pays off in the end.

Akira has opened some old wounds

Recently Mr. George Takei (Sulu of Star Trek fame) has set up a petition in regards to the proposed casting of white actors in Mr. Katsuhiro Otomo's Anime masterpiece, Akira.  Mr. Takei has expressed further concern that the production company, Warner Brothers, is ignoring the pool of talented Asian and Asian-American actors to portray in the film.  Warner Brothers' argument is that they are trying to make the film more accessible to a global audience.  If they want make this film more global, then hire a more variety of actors and actresses.

Warner Brothers has also changed the setting of the story, for example instead of having the movie set in the old remains of Tokyo (as told in the original story), the new film is set in the remnants of New York.  The city change drew some ire from dedicated Anime fans, but the casting of white actors drew the biggest ranting, namely from Mr. Takei and others.

I agree with Mr. Takei and it is hard to argue his pedigree of 50 plus years in the industry.  His sage incite shows that something like this shouldn't be taken lightly.  While it is easy to read off more than 5 well-known white and African-American actors/actresses.  It is harder to know one let alone 5 well-known Asian or Asian-American actors/actresses.  Very few shows in the US have well placed Asian or Asian-American actors.  Only a few shows come to mind, such as Hawaii 5-0, Out-Sourced, Glee, and Big Bang Theory.

While I would hypothesize that this kind of news wouldn't mean much in Europe or Asia, but I could be wrong.  For those of us born in the US (2nd generation Asians), we are still sometimes regarded as second class citizens.  This way of thinking needs to stop. 

The casting of white actors in Akira has struck a raw nerve from those who were bullied in school because you were "different."  Time will tell what Warner Brother's decision will be regarding of Akira. 

I have one last question, I wonder if Mr. Otomo has anything to say about this matter?