#Tokusatsu-Shima

[overwatchfanskinarchive]

Predator Ramattra by Tokusatsu-Shima (特攝島)

[haveyouseenthistoku]

[beatnikbedlam]

Nago i take back everything i said, you are the funniest character ever i love you so much

[kosukeiichi]

nine people i'd like to know better !!

tagged by @kirider

last song : Be a flower by Ryokuoushoku Shakai !! i'm a big fan of their work and this song just hits all the right places for me :3

favourite colour : PINK :3 as if that isn't obvious yet . mostly pink and red !! also big fan of greens . wait . this sounds familiar --

last movie / tv show : hey everyone have you heard of bardion have you . it's a new tokusatsu series from indonesia , they have english subtitles available for the episodes now so please check it out !!

sweet / spicy / savoury : big fan of sweet things :3 but this wasn't unexpected

last thing i googled : pickled radish . I'M CRAVING PICKLED RADISHES I JUST CAN'T EVER SEEM TO FIND THEM

current obsession : i've been obsessed with lupat for the past two years and i do not think it is going to stop any time soon , i keep coming up with new things for it . also big fan of this shima enaga bird , i keep collecting merch for it

tag nine people : @heroictoonz @kizuike @failureuncle @sekiumiarashi @sakuraigarashi @maxintime @sunnyeosss @twokairevolution @lumothespadesman ( i tried my best , feel free t ignore this !! )

[sunshinemoonrx]

Dynaman 16-20 is a wild ride because they're like "we now begin a series of episodes filmed in Kyushu!" and set up some recurring locations and new summer outfits and then they do...two episodes there and go home. And then a couple episodes later they remember they promised more and contrive a reason to go back? I dunno what went on there

Anyway the theme of 18 is "fuck this specific set"

You can see pieces flying off the faux machinery, it's great. I've seen plenty of toku heroes come crashing through the walls of evil bases but I think this is the first time I've seen one on a surfboard

(Continued after the cut: Wet man-tits, horribly unsafe stunts and sapphic duels)

Shima's always been the weakest characterised of the team but I've now realised he's here to be the fanservice guy. I mean at least I assume that's the reason he has all these scenes dripping wet in swimsuits of various sizes.

Kinda wish they just leaned harder into making him a swimming obsessive and just made the wetsuit his default outfit because his default summer outfit with the sweater is really boring compared to everyone else's. Oh well!

Well, sir, you're in luck!

Anyway in 19 Dynaman must defeat a bunch of sticks of dynamite, which feels kind of rude because that's their whole thing. 20 is the real shit, though

Ryu dangles off a midair cable-car for a good few minutes, and because this was the era of the combined face actor/insane stunt performer, the show goes to great lengths to show you yes, Junichi Haruta is really doing that

We have fun here

It's a big day for fans of Princess Chimera (me), as we get to see her try a bunch of disguises and getups:

Plus a POV shot of her stepping on you, if that's what you're about, like a sensible person

So then as usual as soon as she sees Rei she goes all TARGET LOCKED and they start to duel again, and uh, a low flamenco track starts playing while they strip each other with their weapons and look really pleased and excited about it?

Like hello? Ladies? What is this? Do you need a room? Because these are some serious bedroom eyes

Finally: I know there's only so many ways to turn a squid into a tokusatsu monster, but like, this is just Ikadevil. Right?

Anyway! Show's good!

[sansan9]

[davidleearts]

Shima.

[quasar1967]

Warning From Space (1956)

Warning from Space (Japanese: 宇宙人東京に現わる, Hepburn: Uchūjin Tokyo ni arawaru, lit. 'Spacemen Appear in Tokyo') is a Japanese tokusatsu science fiction film released in January 1956 by Daiei, and was the first Japanese science fiction film to be produced in color. In the film's plot, starfish-like aliens disguised as humans travel to Earth to warn of the imminent collision of a rogue planet and Earth. As the planet rapidly accelerates toward Earth, a nuclear device is created at the last minute and destroys the approaching world.

The film, directed by Koji Shima, was one of many early Japanese monster films quickly produced after the success of Toho's Godzilla in 1954. After release, the film was met with negative reviews, with critics calling it "bizarre" and accusing it of using science fiction clichés. Warning from Space influenced many other Japanese science fiction films, such as Gorath. The film, along with other 1950s tokusatsu science fiction films, influenced director Stanley Kubrick, who would later direct 2001: A Space Odyssey.

[recentanimenews]

FEATURE: Meet the Stars of Princess Connect Re:Dive

  Going into Princess Connect! Re:Dive, I knew little about it other than the fact that it was an adaptation of a mobile game. That didn’t bode well; my experiences with video game adaptations have been less than positive.

  Imagine my surprise, then, when it turned out to be hilarious. When a pair of ridiculous-looking wolves started dragging off our protagonist, I completely lost it. I found myself constantly laughing at the KONOSUBA-esque humor — it was only much later that I’d learn that Princess Connect and KONOSUBA shared the same director. It was also well-animated and delivered some impressive-looking action scenes and spell effects.

  At the end of the day, however, this is a comedy anime through and through. And comedy anime live and die on the basis of their voice acting. Unsurprising, then, that Princess Connect features an all-star voice cast, with the actors from the mobile game reprising their roles in the anime. Let’s take a look at some of the talented voice actors that bring the characters of Princess Connect, both the game and the anime, to life.

Pecorine (M·A·O)

    Mao Ichimichi, also known as M·A·O, is probably better known for her non-anime roles — she started off her career in tokusatsu (live-action often with heavy special effects), most notably playing Luka Millfy in Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger. She later ventured into anime voice acting. She voices the cheerful and energetic (and perpetually hungry) Pecorine in Princess Connect. She has also voiced Iris in Fire Force, Luluco in Space Patrol Luluco, Hondomachi in ID:Invaded, Vorona in Durarara, Bela in Bem, and Remi Ayasaki in the currently-airing Horimiya.

Kokkoro (Miku Ito)

    This isn’t the first time Miku Ito has played a character named Kokoro, having played the character of the same name in the BanG Dream! franchise. Her most well-known role is probably that of her own namesake: Miku from The Quintessential Quintuplets. Her other roles include Shimamura from Adachi and Shimamura, Ann Akagi from Action Heroine Cheer Fruits (in which she starred alongside fellow Princess Connect actor M·A·O), and Nana Mifune in Gleipnir.

Karyl (Rika Tachibana)

    Rika Tachibana has an extensive voice acting career in video games, featuring in such titles as Granblue Fantasy, Magia Record, The Idolmaster Cinderella Girls, Street Fighter V, and of course Princess Connect, where she plays Karyl. Tachibana’s anime voice acting roles include Sae Kobayakawa from The Idolmaster Cinderella Girls, Reiko from Shomin Sample, Naruse from The Island of Giant Insects — in which she starred alongside ... you guessed it ... M·A·O — and African Wild Dog from Kemono Friends.

Yuuki (Atsushi Abe)

    Our main protagonist Yuuki may not say much, but Atsushi Abe manages to make whatever little he says absolutely hilarious. Abe garnered widespread recognition for his role as Touma Kamijou in A Certain Magical Index and its spinoffs. His other roles include Moritaka Mashiro in Bakuman, Koichi Sakakibara in Another, Takashi in B Gata H Kei, Akiyuki in Xam’d: Lost Memories, Soya in Planet With, Inojin Yamanaka in Boruto, and Sougo in IDOLISH7.

Kaiser Insight (Shouta Aoi)

    It is not uncommon for female voice actors to voice male roles, especially younger characters. But male voice actors voicing female roles? Extremely rare. Shouta Aoi’s unique, “angelic” voice allows him to do so, with him voicing main Princess Connect villain Kaiser Insight. Aoi is better known as a singer, but he made his voice acting breakthrough as Ai Mikaze in Uta no Prince-sama. Since then, he has voiced Hideaki Tojo in Ace of the Diamond, Licht in The Royal Tutor, and will voice Subaru in the upcoming adaptation of Tokyo Babylon.

  Maho (Maaya Uchida)

  Maho is considered by the other Princess Connect characters to be slightly delusional, so of course she is voiced by Maaya Uchida, best-known as the voice of out-of-touch characters like Rikka from Love, Chunibyo, and Other Delusions and Ranko Kanzaki from The Idolmaster Cinderella Girls. Her non-delusional roles include Yoshioka from Blue Spring Ride, Norman from The Promised Neverland, Yuki Yoshino from Food Wars, and Catarina Claes from My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom.

  Miyako (Sora Amamiya)

    I mentioned earlier how Princess Connect feels incredibly KONOSUBA-esque, both in its setting and its sense of humor. Makes perfect sense, then, for it to feature the voice of Sora Amamiya, known for voicing “useless” goddess Aqua from KONOSUBA. Amamiya’s other notable roles include Elizabeth from The Seven Deadly Sins, Touka from Tokyo Ghoul, Akame from Akame ga Kill, Kaori from One Week Friends, Isla from Plastic Memories, and Asseylum from Aldnoah.Zero.

  Hiyori (Nao Toyama)

  Nao Toyama played her first major role as Kanon Nakagawa in The World God Only Knows, which kickstarted her music career. Many people also know her as Yui Yuigahama in My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU, or Chitoge Kirisaki in Nisekoi. However, the role for which I personally recognise her the most is as the quiet Rin Shima in Laid-Back Camp. Other major roles include Karen in KINMOZA!, Ruka in Rent-a-Girlfriend, and Nozomi in Sound! Euphonium.

  Suzume (Aoi Yuki)

    Aoi Yuki has been earning plaudits this season for her energetic portrayal of the titular spider in So I’m a Spider, So What? Yuki has had many significant voice roles over the years, including Madoka from Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Tanya in Saga of Tanya the Evil, Froppy in My Hero Academia, Tamaki in Fire Force, Diane in The Seven Deadly Sins, and Mami in Rent-a-Girlfriend.

Rei (Saori Hayami)

  Saori Hayami is one of the most in-demand voice actors of recent times. She is known for portraying Yukino Yukinoshita in My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU, and received considerable praise for her performance as Shoko Nishimiya in A Silent Voice. Her other notable roles include Shirayuki in Snow White with the Red Hair, Shinobu in Demon Slayer, Tsuruko in AnoHana: The Flower We Saw That Day, Yumeko Jabami in Kakegurui, and Himawari in Boruto.

  Jun (Ayako Kawasumi)

    Jun is a classic knight in metal armor. And who better to voice a knight than Ayako Kawasumi, best known as the voice of Saber in various installments of the Fate franchise. Kawasumi is also a talented pianist, which explains her role as Nodame in Nodame Cantabile. Some of her other major roles include Fuu in Samurai Champloo, Erina Pendleton in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Alice in Pandora Hearts, Melfina in Outlaw Star, Natsuki in Initial D, and Lafiel in Crest of the Stars.

Io (Shizuka Ito)

  Shizuka Ito won a “Best Actress in Supporting Roles” award at the 10th Seiyuu Awards for her performances as Meiko Shiraki in Prison School and Sailor Venus in Sailor Moon Crystal. Some of her other major performances are as Himawari in xxxHolic, Ran in Texhnolyze, Kaori Kanzaki in A Certain Magical Index, Boota and Darry in Gurren Lagann, Yayoi in Psycho-Pass, Rei Hasekura in Maria Watches Over Us, and Hinagiku in Hayate the Combat Butler.

Yui (Risa Taneda)

  Risa Taneda is undoubtedly best known for her roles as Erina Nakiri in Food Wars and Kaori Miyazono in Your Lie in April. But to me, she will always be Saki from Shin Sekai Yori, where she delivered an excellent performance spanning many ages, and performed the first ending song too. Taneda’s other significant roles include Rize in Is the Order a Rabbit?, Mirai in Beyond the Boundary, Yukina in Strike the Blood, Ai Mizuno in Zombie Land Saga, Xenovia in High School DxD, and Yukari in YUYUSHIKI.

Labyrista (Miyuki Sawashiro)

    Miyuki Sawashiro is one of the most prolific voice actors of all time. She first came to prominence as the voice of Puchiko in Di Gi Charat; she famously reprised the role in the English dub of Leave it to Piyoko, becoming the first anime voice actor to voice the same character in both sub and dub. A few of Sawashiro’s other major roles include Kurapika in Hunter x Hunter, Celty Sturluson in Durarara, Bishamon in Noragami, Fujiko Mine in recent installments of Lupin the Third, and Kanbaru in the Monogatari series.

Aoi (Kana Hanazawa)

    Kana Hanazawa needs no introduction, being one of the most popular voice actors of our times. She rose to popularity as Nadeko in Bakemonogatari and its sequels, performing the iconic opening song “Renai Circulation.” Some of her other anime roles include Akane from Psycho-Pass, Mayuri from Steins;Gate, Angel from Angel Beats, Kosaki Onodera from Nisekoi, Hinata Kawamoto from March Comes in Like a Lion, Kuroneko from Oreimo, and Ichika from The Quintessential Quintuplets.  

Who is your favorite Princess Connect voice actor? Let us know in the comments!

  By: Manas B. Sharma

[brokehorrorfan]

Warning from Space will be released on Blu-ray on October 13 via Arrow Video. Matt Griffin designed the new cover art for the 1956 science fiction tokusatsu film; the original poster is on the reverse side.

Produced by Daiei Studios (Gamera), it was the first Japanese science fiction film in color. Kôji Shima directs from a script by Hideo Oguni (Seven Samurai). Keizo Kawasaki, Toyomi Karita, and Isao Yamagata star.

The original Japanese cut is presented in high definition with the original uncompressed Japanese mono audio and newly-translated English subtitles. The American cut with a newly-restored English dub is also included.

The first pressing includes a booklet featuring an essay by on artist Taro Okamoto by Japanese art historian Nick West and an essay on the production of the American edit of the film by David Cairns.

Read on for a list of special features.

Special features:

Audio commentary by Monsters Are Attacking Tokyo! author Stuart Galbraith IV

Theatrical trailers

Image galleries

Booklet (first pressing only)

As Japan is rocked by mysterious sightings of UFOs over Tokyo and large one-eyed aliens attempting contact, scientists collaborate to investigate the unexpected rise in extraterrestrial activity. Unbeknownst to them, one of the aliens has already assumed human form and is about to deliver a very important message… that could be humanity’s last hope for survival.

[kabutoraiger]

“Shima played superhero Red Falcon and his human persona, Yusuke Amamiya, in the tokusatsu sci-fi action drama ‘Choju Sentai Liveman’”

“and his human persona” is such a funny way of phrasing it and really captures how the livemans are bigtime furries

[franco-ikari]

Uchuu Senkan Yamato: uma das maiores obras-primas da animação japonesa,uma ópera espacial emocionante e humana

“O que a Terra precisa é de amor.Pois ele é capaz de reconstruir tudo”

O Encouraçado Espacial Yamato não é apenas um anime,e sim um evento em sí.Desde os primeiros acordes da impressionante e marcante música de abertura com o imponente encouraçado surgido de baixo da Terra e alcançando o espaço já sabemos que não estamos diante de um anime comum.Sua bela trilha sonora já começa a marcar bem como a premissa dessa obra que surpreende por ser tão intensa numa época onde a animação japonesa ainda estava em sua infância e seus contos eram relativamente simples.Em 1974 os gêneros que dominavam o anime eram os Super Robots e os Super-Heróis da Tatsunoko,geralmente combatendo algum império do mal sozinhos ou em grupo com as forças de defesa da Terra e algum grande cientista e com o único e poderoso robô gigante no caso dos animes de mecha.Em Yamato temos uma premissa similar porém de cara percebemos suas diferenças.Desde aquela época animes são obras comerciais que visam o lucro acima da arte,apesar do elemento humano e da paixão e sensibilidade dos artistas deixar alguma marca mais artística em determinadas obras e Yamato é um anime com esse algo mais que o torna marcante e especial,ficando na memória de quem assistiu.Existe um império alienígena no ano de 2199 que deseja exterminar os humanos e conquistar a Terra,porém a abordagem da história é muito mais dramática do que essa premissa faz parecer pois a Terra é bombardeada com mísseis que causam radiação exterminando o meio ambiente e as cidades,tornando a Terra um imenso deserto obrigando os humanos a se refugiar em fortalezas subterrâneas,o problema é que esse refúgio não irá durar pra sempre pois logo a radiação penetrará o solo exterminando a humanidade dentro de um ano.É algo triste e desesperador e logo de cara somos surpreendidos com esse fator.Mas a Terra ainda tem uma esperança.Uma nave perseguida pelos Gamillas cai em Marte e é encontrada por Kodai e Shima,dois cadetes em treinamento e nela existe uma mensagem de uma mulher chamada Starsha do planeta Scandar localizado 148 mil anos luz da Terra.Nela dizia que ela possui um descontaminador capaz de recuperar a Terra.Junto vem um plano pra montar um Motor de Ondas capaz de superar a velocidade da luz já que a tecnologia da Terra não era capaz de fazer ainda viagens espacias longas.Isso é necessário pois eles precisam construir uma nave com esse motor e ir até Scandar dentro desse período de 1 ano.Sem escolha a Terra aceita e decide transformar um navio da segunda guerra afundado até então pra servir como nave.É um navio que existiu mesmo sendo afundado por 300 aviões norte-americanos,e a série mostra em detalhes como ocorreu,o que é bem interessante.O Yamato ressurge dessa vez como o transporte que representa a esperança da Terra.Esse curto período cria uma sensação de urgência absurda,se você já assistiu a série de Tokusatsu Flashman viu que nos últimos episódios os heróis não conseguiam ficar na Terra e entrava todo final de episódio um contador do tempo restante deles,e aqui em Yamato ocorre o mesmo,mas desde o início.E pra piorar a situação os Gamillas não vão deixar o Yamato cumprir sua missão,sob ordens do Imperador Desler,uma cara meio vaidoso daqueles que coloca seu nome em qualquer arma letal de seu exército e demonstra até admiração por oponentes fortes.

Preparando inúmeras armadilhas,a tripulação da Yamato passa por situações tensas em quase todo episódio,aumentando a sensação de perigo e a angústia de saber como a Yamato vai fazer pra sair de situações quase impossíveis de escapar,e aí brilha a mente brilhante e experiente do capitão Okita o meu personagem favorito da série.As situações da Yamato vão desde um canhão de raios que são desviados por satélites até um gás negro vivo devorador de matéria onde Yamato precisa ir ao sol próximo pra jogar a criatura nele e não ser pulverizado junto.E cada episódio é uma situaçõ diferente exigindo táticas distintas pra cada situação e é simplesmente incrível como a série não perde em emoção ou tensão em cada uma delas.E tudo isso é culminado por uma estrutura de episódios bem diferente da época,existe um fio condutor da narrativa,embora tenha episódios fechados,algo comum na época que usa um formato chamado OMNIBUS,onde cada episódio era uma estrutura fechada em sí mesma,em Yamato muitas vezes tínhamos cliffhangers pros episódios seguintes e um senso de continuidade mas evidente que outras séries.O que você assiste hoje,com grandes sagas surgiu aqui em primeiro lugar.O fator humano também é muito importante em Yamato,nessa época havia um sentimento mais lúdico com personagens heróicos,algo mais incomum hoje onde se tenta criar personagens mais similares com pessoas reais repleta de defeitos.Em Yamato havia esse lado heróico mas também humano,os personagens eram menos bidimensionais pois tinham seus próprios conflitos e sentimentos.O Capitão Okita,um veterano de guerra,demonstra uma hombridade invejável e admirável,mesmo velho,tendo perdido sua família nos conflitos e seus subordinados,e com o corpo debilitado,não pensou duas vezes em se aventurar para salvar a Terra,muitos personagens possuem esse tipo de situação mais dramática,nos aproximando deles.Kodai é meio rebelde e isso porque ele perdeu seus pais e seu irmão.Sanada perdeu a irmã e seu melhor amigo e se culpa por não ter feito o que deveria.Um evento que é muito marcante é quando  todos se despedem da Terra recebendo chamada em vídeo da família,cada um tem sua história e um outro evento é quando os Gamillas colocam um satélite permitindo a Yamato se comunicar com a Terra.O objetivo é desestabilizar com a saudade a tripulação e isso dá certo com um deles que tem um pai enfermo,e a tristeza é tão grande que ele fica louco e tenta ir a Terrra sozinho sem nave alguma pra rever seus pais.Isso torna a viagem da Yamato muito mais especial,você realmente se emociona com cada triunfo deles principalmente quando chegam a Scandar.E a coisa fica ainda mais marcante quando descobrimos que os Gamillas não são apenas aquele império do mal que víamos em inúmeros animes da época.O planeta deles assim como a Terra estava fadada ao fim e queriam fazer da Terra seu novo lar,assim como Scandar.Porém enquanto Starsha aceitou o destino,Desller decidiu conquistar outros povos na galáxia lhes tomando tudo.Na batalha final a Yamato e a base Gamillas acaba resultando na aniquilação total do povo e Kodai se indaga se aquela vitória era mesmo justa,e se foi certo toda aquela luta te fazendo refletir até sobre os inimigos,algo também surpreendente pra época.

Por fim ao chegar em Scandar descobrimos que Starsha é sua única sobrevivente e que lá o Kodai Mamoru,irmão de Kodai Sussumu estava vivo e que Starsha se apaixonou por ele apesar de que queria que ele regressasse a Terra.Com ajuda da Yuki Mori Starsha acaba se declarando fazendo Mamoru ficar junto a ela no planeta se tornando os novos adão e eva de Scandar,algo realmente emocionante.na volta pra casa descobrimos que Desler não morreu e tenta com gás venenoso invadir a Yamato.Yuki testa o descontaminador e cai aparentemente morta salvando a todos obrigando Desler a desistir de vez.Ao chegar a Terra Okita que estava debilitado devido a radiação espacial aguentou até ver a Terra pela última vez e numa emocionate ele morre olhando a foto de sua família perdida.Com Yamato triunfando a Terra volta a ser como era,muitos valentes homens deram suas vidas pra esse fim tornando tudo ainda mais marcante.

O filme de 1977

Yamato não tinha de inicio feito sucesso,por isso trouxeram pro cinema a série reeditada e o resultado foi incrível,ultrapassando o primeiro Star Wars na bilheteria,a partir daí Yamato se tornaria um ícone da animação japonesa.O filme é uma reedição resumida da série e como resume demais,ele perde toda tensão e emoção da série,os eventos como o passado de alguns personagens é cortada,bem como as lutas.O comandante Gamel só trava a luta final contra Yamato,naquele ponto na série ele tinha recebido uma última chance antes de ser executado.O final é diferente onde não ocorre o ataque de Desler a nave e tem cenas e diálogos extras mas o filme não compensa muito,a menos que se interesse em ver as pequenas diferenças,mas não compensa de verdade.

O Remake

Em 2012 surgiu Yamto 2199,um remake do original contendo a mesma história e maioria dos eventos mas tudo atualizado.É uma versão melhorada do original que não o ofusca,ele possui vários novos personagens e tem uma grande diferença de eventos a partir da metade,o melhor mesmo é a humanização e exploração melhor do planeta Gamillon com sua população sendo mostrada,na série vimos apenas a parte militar.Desler é mais humanizado nessa série e o final é bem diferente do original,mas preservando certos acontecimentos como a morte do Okita que é idêntica ao original.É um boa porta de entrada pra novos fãs que se incomodam com animação antiga pois a atmosfera da série foi preservada com perfeição.Sobre esta série com mais detalhes talvez em post futuro.

Legado

Yamato entrou pra história e mostrou toda a genialidade de Leiji Matsumoto,o mangaka que criou todo o conceito e que nos brindaria com inúmeras obras como Galaxy Express 999 e Captain Harlock.Porém a saga de Yamato só está começando e na parte 2 o filme e a série sobre a segunda saga.

[supersentaichangemam]

Vilãs que amamos odiar!🖤😈🤩🙋🏻‍♀️

Shima, Never Stop Changeman!!!🌐🌎

LEGIÃO TOKUSATSU 👊💥👊!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/427500237828350/?ref=share

Adm _Felipe Prado. #FP

[jonjmurakami]

#Tokutember2019 091419 Day 14 prompt: Magic • Ya, I’m super late- I was hoping to catch up, but drawing a lot of series I’m not too familiar with. Akumaizer 3: Zabitan, Evil, & Gabura! 3 mutant superhero refugees from the Akuna Clan below the center of the Earth and turned to good to aid the humans from the other evil Akuma creatures. It was a rather bizarre show and I remember they did some kind of magic to transform themselves into other things (that’s when the show started to get really wacky...) Zabitan turned into a human friend, Ippei Shima, and was only distinguished by wearing gold earrings. Evil had little power and could only turn into inanimate objects like buckets, fans, etc... Gabura could only turn into an ostrich-like bird, Gaburacho and it played music causing others to dance... • I can go on about how strange this series was, but as a kid, I remembered being fascinated watching it on TV and drawing really crude pictures of them when I was in the 2nd grade. (Anyone rose remember this series?) #jonjmurakami #copic #copicmarkers @copic_official_us #tokutember #tokutember2019 www.tokutember.com #tokusatsu #akumaizer3 #zabitan #evil #gabura #henshin #hula #transform https://www.instagram.com/p/B3NOiv-jFFP/?igshid=i08zsdsw9ds9

[rieshon]

Best of 2018

Holy shit was this a hard year to write this. There were a few standouts that were always going to be at the top of this list, but that second tier of "really good" shows was really dense this year, and some series I absolutely loved weren't able to make the cut. Here are the ones that did.

10: Mitsuboshi Colors ∥ Silver Link. ∥ Dir. Kawamura Tomoyuki: Even as someone who watches children's anime, I have to say Mitsuboshi Colors was the purest celebration of childhood this year. Not only does this series let you see some of the most adorable girls this side of Ichigo Mashimaro, it really invites you to see their world through their eyes, creating a nostalgic and genuinely wholesome experience not common for anime series featuring little girls. Of course, there is still plenty on offer for the lolicons in the audience: Yui is too pure angel, and Sacchan is one of the best bokes of the year. Just remember: in the end, we're all poop.

9: Zombie Land Saga ∥ MAPPA ∥ Dir. Sakai Munehisa: If you told me a year ago one of the best shows of the year would be about moe zombies, even an anime veteran like myself would have been surprised. Yet here we are, where a show about moe zombie idols is not only one of the best shows of the year, but one of the best idol anime I can remember seeing. For what seems like it is going to be a one trick pony of a gag anime, the character development in Zombie Land Saga is shockingly good, from Junko's discovery of her own aidoru-do to Lily's whole thing with being transgender... This show really throws its weight behind its characters and that's what makes the completely-in-earnest idol anime aspects of it work so well. Moe zombies made me cry real tears, and I love anime.

8: Darling in the Franxx ∥ A-1 Pictures & Trigger ∥ Dir. Nishigori Atsushi: This is probably the biggest 'event anime' of the year on this list and it certainly was an adventure. Darling in the Franxx is an epic robot anime very much in the vein of its great predecessors: genuine sci-fi, attempts to be deep, and of course the always relevant themes of "parents just don't understand" and "puberty is hard." The heroines are wonderful, of course, and the characters' rather significant growth over the course of the series is compelling. It's the kind of show you'd expect from someone who had their hands deep in Gurren Lagann. It also features some great hand-drawn(!) robot action--visually, it's overall one of the best shows of the year. But sorry 57th prime minister of Japan Shinzo Abe, this will not increase Japan's birth rate.

7: SSSS.GRIDMAN ∥ Trigger ∥ Dir. Amemiya Akira: I'm honestly not sure which of the Trigger robot shows I enjoyed more; Gridman might just be higher because it's more recent, but it's probably fair to say it's the more "fun" show, what with it being an Ultra series spinoff and everything. Even though it gets pretty dark and deep towards the end, the series is definitely imbued with the playful spirit of tokusatsu. Hiding behind that, though, is a thematically solid series boasting a couple of fantastic female leads in Akane and Rikka. You're never going to be able to get me to stop shipping it.

6: Shoujo Kageki Revue Starlight ∥ Kinema Citrus ∥ Dir. Furukawa Tomohiro: If I was rating series on style alone, Revue Starlight would probably be my anime of the year on the basis of the digital stage lighting effects alone. This show is both a sharp-edged satire of the cut-throat world of Japanese womens' theater and a love letter to the spectacle of the stage. It seems fitting that it would be a protege of Ikuhara Kunihiko's who would take on this project; the show's style is certainly evocative of Ikuhara, and that sort of ostentatious presentation is also perfectly evocative of theater, which is itself an inherently larger-than-life endeavor. Yeah, it's pretentious as hell, but that just makes me like it more. Style aside, there is also a good yuri anime lurking in the background (Japanese womens' theater is gay as fuck so there had to be) and Hikari definitely earns the right to be called "this show's Homura." Lots of good lesbians in this show.

5: Hanebado! ∥ Lidenfilms ∥ Dir. Ezaki Shinpei: Sports anime are not really my thing--I have no interest in watching Slam Dunk, Tennis no Oujisama, or 'the basketball which Kuroko plays,' but even so, is Hanebado! one of the best sports anime ever made? It's hard for me to imagine a better-executed tale of self-discovery through athletic competition. This is certainly the only sports anime I've seen where the audience is made to root against the protagonist in the sport because we're rooting for her outside of it. It also features stellar animation for the badminton parts that really sells the idea of badminton being 'the world's fastest racquet sport." Erena was the best girl though, and she doesn't even play badminton.

4: Sora Yori mo Tooi Basho ∥ Madhouse ∥ Dir. Ishizuka Atsuko: When the end credits finally rolled on Yorimoi, the first words that came to mind were "what a journey." I don't know if I've watched another show that made me feel so much like I had truly gone 'there and back again' with the heroes. The treasure really is the friends we found along the way, and you accompany these friends from the very beginning to the very end of their journey to and from Antarctica, watching them mature and learn things about each other and themselves... The result is a series that is immensely satisfying in a way few others are. Hanada Jukki's usual brand of sentimental melodrama is pitch perfect for a show like this, and I'd be lying if I said this show didn't make me cry on like four or five completely seperate occasions. Please let Ishizuka Atsuko direct more anime.

3: Yagate Kimi ni Naru ∥ Troyca ∥ Dir. Katou Makoto: I went into detail about what makes Yagakimi so great just a couple months ago, but suffice it to say this show is my favorite yuri anime of all time. The characters' relationships are just so genuinely fascinating, especially in a genre where 'will they or won't they' is often as far as the dramatic tension goes. It is really a show about two girls discovering themselves through each other, and it's just so beautifully done, especially when accompanied by Ooshima Michiru's soundtrack. I liked this story so much that I downloaded the manga to read through, and I don't even read manga.

2: Violet Evergarden ∥ Kyoto Animation ∥ Dir. Ishidate Taichi: Figures that a show I was so certain would suck would end up here. Violet is the only show this year that made me cry even more than Yorimoi, and although it's a little hamfisted about it at times, I love the earnestness with which it pursues its themes about loss and love. Violet is not just the interloper who allows us to experience the various stories happening around this world, but also a fascinating character to watch in her own right as she tries to learn what exactly it means to love someone. It's sappy and sentimental as hell, which is why I love it. It also has probably my favorite soundtrack of the year, courtesy of Evan Call, which I've probably listened to over a dozen times.

1: Yurucamp ∥ C-Station ∥ Dir. Kyougoku Yoshiaki: Cute girls taking it easy? Hell yeah. There's nothing on this Earth more comfy than watching these girls go camping in the gorgeous Japanese countryside and just being the best of friends. Shimarin is the best loner who absolutely knows how to live life, and all I want is to ride scooters and eat instant noodles with her. It's a cute girl anime of the utmost quality, and the only reason I still have a will to live is because a second season has already been confirmed.

1. Yurucamp 2. Violet Evergarden 3. Yagate Kimi ni Naru 4. Sora Yori mo Tooi Basho 5. Hanebado! 6. Shoujo Kageki Revue Starlight 7. SSSS.GRIDMAN 8. Darling in the Franxx 9. Zombie Land Saga 10. Mitsuboshi Colors

Honorable mentions... Hinamatsuri is probably the show I feel worst about not including, given its hilarity and its surprisingly well-done themes on poverty and homelessness, but someone had to be 11th. Asobi Asobase was another comedy I wanted to include, another one which was riotously hilarious at times and also included one of the cutest girls of the year, Olivia. As far as joji anime this year go, Aikatsu Friends exceeded all my expectations to finally be the Aikatsu series I stuck with, and Aine and Mio are the ultimate lesbian idols. I also have to give a shoutout to the Seishun Butayarou show, which is exactly the kind of 'snappy dialogue and adolescence problems' show that makes me love series like Oregairu and ef.

The awards go to...

Best Actress: Ueda Reina as Shinjou Akane, SSSS.GRIDMAN. I've been a big fan of Ueshama's since she turned up as the ridiculous Ajimi-sensei in Pripara. She can do some vocal gymnastics and has a great comedic delivery, but it was fantastic to hear her dramatic chops really leveraged to their full potential in Gridman. I think Ueda has one of the sexiest voices going in the business today, and some of the segments in Gridman where her character tries to seduce the male lead were truly yabai... And of course the more emotional segments with Rikka were also immensely impactful. (Credit to Miyamoto Yume for also doing some great work as Rikka in that series.)

(Honorable mention: Touyama Nao as Shima Rin in Yurucamp. Naobou has been one of my favorites for a long time now but her work as Rin is probably my top role of her's. Her aloof delivery is just so perfect for the character and her voice makes the show even more comfy than it already was. It's like a voice you want to hug.)

Best Actor: Miyano Mamoru as the manager from the moe zombie show I guess. I give up on doing the men every year. Kono baka zombi.

Newcomer Seiyuu of the Year: Shiraishi Haruka. Behind pure acting ability, versatility must be the most desirous trait in a voice actor, and it really feels like Shiraishi can do it all. She's had a couple major roles before this year: Motoba Kirie in the Umaru series, and Ruri in Anhapi, but her three main roles this past year really highlight the breadth of her abilities. She was the cool and collected Asirpa in Golden Kamuy, the impudent loli Misha in Uchi no Meido ga Uzasugiru, and the sexy tsundere Kana in Animayell... Yeah, that's some diversity in performances. It seems like I'm seeing this girl's name pop up everywhere recently and it's easy to see why: she seems to be able to excel in almost any role. She has two more major parts lined up for later this year, and I'm excited to see what she can do yet.

(Honorable mention: Hondo Kaede. Man, it felt like this girl was everywhere this year. Wikipedia counts her as having had no less than eight major roles, and that's following on from a 2017 where she had three leading roles. She certainly has a flair for the dramatic: probably my favorite role of hers was as Kanami in Toji no Miko; in a show where the animation didn't often keep up with the demands of the story, strong voice acting from Hondo and her leading partner Oonishi Saori really helped carry the show. I also really enjoyed her as Kohaku in Irozuku Sekai no Ashita Kara... She doesn't get the award, though, because most of her major roles so far have tended to sound the same. I'd really like to hear her branch out beyond her standard voice.)

[tokutribute]

Review: Changeman

Impossível passar a limpo a história da televisão brasileira sem falarmos de Jaspion e Changeman, as duas séries mais consagradas do gênero tokusatsu do país são também parte de um marco histórico de toda um legado e uma geração que cresceu e cultua esses heróis até os dias atuais, e já se vão aí 3 décadas desde suas origens o que só reforça a grandeza das obras.

Esse próprio fato em si consuma Changeman como o sentai de maior sucesso exibido aqui, mesmo tendo maior particularidade e apreço por Flashman, Changeman com certeza é um sentai muito querido por esse que aqui resenha, mas vamos a análise.

Uma das grandes atrações deste super sentai são os cinco personagens centrais obviamente, além do fato de termos figuras como o líder Tsurugi, sempre sereno e centrado na história, também simpatizamos muito com os hilários Hayata e Ozora e talvez uma das duplas femininas de maior personalidade no quesito super sentai, além da figura de grande importância e grande elemento surpresa na história, o Sargento Ibuki.

Quando transformados então, é aí que com certeza temos as melhores lembranças desta peça, o que hoje sob olhar mais critico com certeza afeta um pouco mais o critério estético dos uniformes [o colete curto, os tons dourados e o desproporcional botton] ainda assim o efeito quando surgiam em cena era arrebatador. Os elementos mitológicos que cada um carrega são uma das temáticas mais interessantes até hoje, poderia ter sido mais aproveitado no contexto geral.

Outro ponto alto são os inimigos, o grande vilão Sr. Bazoo �� com certeza uma das figuras de feição mais repugnante, sua forma de aparição sempre agigantada garantiam a tensão esperada [ponto pra dublagem]. A trupe ainda trazia pra cada um dos seres uma profundidade que não acompanhei em nenhuma outra série, como não lembrar da morte de Buba, a transformação de Shima e a evolução dos super vilões Giluke e Ahames, até mesmo Gyodai garantiu um episódio interativo.

Com as personagens coadjuvantes [Nana, vilões..] provindas de outras regiões do universo, a trama de Changeman centra-se muitas vezes em elementos que remontam o clima característico da ficção cientifica, rever a peça, no entanto, ficam algumas brechas pouco esclarecidas como o próprio final, bem marcante sim, mas analisando hoje, Sr. Bazoo poderia ter tomado um contorno mais criativo dado a sua excentricidade. 

O lance é que Changeman cai perfeitamente como uma ilustração perfeita da época que muitos de nós guardamos com muito apreço. Tem uma produção repleta de artifícios ruins até mesmo para época [a família de Gara só pra citar um], exacerbações tipicas de uma telenovela, mas pra nós fãs será sempre o Esquadrão Relâmpago Changeman, um clássico absoluto pra todo o sempre.