Firearms and Anime?

[spaceCADETzoom]

Airsoft is very popular in japan which consists of replica firearms.

I understand they speak japanese too...

Geez, does anyone read threads before posting?

 

[spaceCADETzoom]

Sounds like WWII envy to me. There was a movie made in America in the 1980's, I think Charlton Heston was in it. An Aircraft carrier gets sent back in time to December 6th 1941. The question in the film is wether or not to alter history.

hehe, you talk like no one's ever seen Final Countdown. Like...umm...yeah...there's this one movie where there was a killer shark terrorizing a new england town...its name was "jaws". hehe...

charlton heston!? you mean martin sheen, right? or kirk douglas?

 

[Cosmoline]

And that's bad?

The real thing is *ALWAYS* better than airsoft or blowup dolls.

 

[50caliber123]

hehe, you talk like no one's ever seen Final Countdown. Like...umm...yeah...there's this one movie where there was a killer shark terrorizing a new england town...its name was "jaws". hehe...

charlton heston!? you mean martin sheen, right? or kirk douglas?[/QUOTE]



That's it! I couldn't remmeber the name or stars, but I had seen a long time ago. Funny, no one ever mentions it or ever watches it on TV

 

[Working Man]

ghost in the shell had some pretty good gun action too. like that bad guy with the super-uzi

I was waiting for someone to mention Ghost in the Shell. The Stand Alone
complex has a rather good story line and decent gun battles. Ghost in the
Shell is where I first saw the Mateba (and now I own one).

I think the Major uses a Sig, but I'm not sure.

 

[Herself]

Not to get too "H" about it (that's a Nippon reference, look it up if you don't get it*), but the fellows commenting on "fetishism" in anime may want to bear in mind the quite different cultural background of the intended audience. While social norms are similar to the West's in the broadest sense -- some things are quite off limits for table-talk in mixed company, some things "nice" people would never be seen doing or heard discussing -- sex is seen as simply another appetite, which can be indulged in moderation without undue guilt or shame. There's also a slightly clearer distinction between fantasy and reality in Japan than the West's present PCism would tolerate.

The parallels and similarities are more surprising than the differences, in my opinion.

--Herself
_______________________________
*Try searching jbox.com for "H shirt," for instance.

 

[Manedwolf]

Sounds like WWII envy to me. There was a movie made in America in the 1980's, I think Charlton Heston was in it. An Aircraft carrier gets sent back in time to December 6th 1941. The question in the film is wether or not to alter history.

"The Final Countdown". Fun movie, was on USA or something some night. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080736/

 

[spaceCADETzoom]

hm. I just borrowed jin roh from a buddy because of the above discussion. Great thread BTW.

I haven't really started past the initial setup. I have to comment on the premise though. Its slightly irking. It seems to indirectly put the "blame" on WWII to the Germans alone. Its implying the Germans were a much more oppressive, etc. The Germans figuring out the bomb and turning on the Japanese, winning the war, etc, can be plausible. But there's a indirect message that it was the German nationalists that were the bad guys, and the Japanese were just brought along...the evil germans then occupy Japan...and japan has an oppressive government uberpolice force because of the evil german influence. Call me cynical, but hows the wolf brigade really any different than jap swat teams, etc? The difference is in the civilian response...in jin roh theres a fictional resistance. And theres mention of a JSDF and theres organized resistance and protest. Those all seem like American influences...which wouldn't be there (and where would such a resistance get thier guns, anyway? gun prohibition was predated by sword prohibition which was predated by martial arts prohbition in japan--its a long history of keeping peasants unarmed and samurais well fed). I guess it makes sense the japs wouldnt like foreign oppression (nationalism as it was)...but the "oppression" of military is no different than before or during the war...under a home grown Japanese totalitarianism...or further, the centuries long home grown cultural deference for authority...

It just seems to me the Japanese were (and cynically, still are) totalitarian enough without resorting to pointing fingers at the "evil Germans"... the japanese were complicit in all oppression, nationalism, and expansion...perhaps even moreso...ask a Filipino or Chinese or Korean of the right age...they're likely to give you more horrifying stories than a POle, French, etc, counterpart...

I dunno...mountains over anthills, i know... disregard...i'm just rambling...

 

[GunnySkox]

Someone mentioned the remake of Appleseed, and I had to pipe up...

I grew up on Shirow:some of the first manga i ever read was his (starting with Appleseed, and movig on through Ghost... and Dominion/i]). While the aimationin the remake is astounding, thestory is NOT Appleseed. It should havebeen presented as a completely new, unrelated piece. i ended up giving it away after watching it...

I assume the "Appleseed" I got at Walmart with the soldier gal and the big robot guy on the cover would be the remake, considering your comments and the quality of the animation in it, and I agree with your microreview of it. Most. Predictable. Anime. Ever.

A friend and I were watching it and we pretty much called every "surprise" and "plot twist" long 'fore it happened. It's ridiculous.

~GnSx

 

[TheArchDuke]

hm. I just borrowed jin roh from a buddy because of the above discussion. Great thread BTW.

I haven't really started past the initial setup. I have to comment on the premise though. Its slightly irking. It seems to indirectly put the "blame" on WWII to the Germans alone. Its implying the Germans were a much more oppressive, etc. The Germans figuring out the bomb and turning on the Japanese, winning the war, etc, can be plausible. But there's a indirect message that it was the German nationalists that were the bad guys, and the Japanese were just brought along...the evil germans then occupy Japan...and japan has an oppressive government uberpolice force because of the evil german influence. Call me cynical, but hows the wolf brigade really any different than jap swat teams, etc? The difference is in the civilian response...in jin roh theres a fictional resistance. And theres mention of a JSDF and theres organized resistance and protest. Those all seem like American influences...which wouldn't be there (and where would such a resistance get thier guns, anyway? gun prohibition was predated by sword prohibition which was predated by martial arts prohbition in japan--its a long history of keeping peasants unarmed and samurais well fed). I guess it makes sense the japs wouldnt like foreign oppression (nationalism as it was)...but the "oppression" of military is no different than before or during the war...under a home grown Japanese totalitarianism...or further, the centuries long home grown cultural deference for authority...

It just seems to me the Japanese were (and cynically, still are) totalitarian enough without resorting to pointing fingers at the "evil Germans"... the japanese were complicit in all oppression, nationalism, and expansion...perhaps even moreso...ask a Filipino or Chinese or Korean of the right age...they're likely to give you more horrifying stories than a POle, French, etc, counterpart...

I dunno...mountains over anthills, i know... disregard...i'm just rambling...

The Japanese government in that movie is shown to be evil and oppressive but the resistance is also evil. Even the heros are evil. That's what's so interesting about Japanese stories (and in general, most stories from the east) there are rarely any good guys and bad guys. It's all just morally abiguous people doing what they do. Sometimes they're good and sometimes they're bad. It usually makes for a really depressing story since we're used to the hero fighting for good against a bad guy.

This is kind of a spoiler but not really because it's the name if the stinkin' movie. But there is a secret underground group fighting against the evil oppressive government called the wolf brigade...but are they fighting for freedom or power? They never really tell you.

 

[trickyasafox]

i started to DL jin roh it was spoken so highly of here. if i like it after i rip it maybe i'll purchase

i liked the remake of appleseed, if only because the animation was so well done.


people have hinted at alucard, but did anyone actually come out and just say alucard?(one of my personal favs)


not very gun related, but Berserk is a great anime too. kinda of a midievil feel to it. sword play and horses and all sorts of coolness

 

[spaceCADETzoom]

I just watched the first 4 episodes of Zipang (again, because of this thread).

It certainly plays some of that ambiguity archduke's talking about. Further, i like how it dealt with some univeral aspects of being a soldier, touched upon it on the first ep. Again, theres a tiny, tiny bit of me scratching my head at some japanese whitewashing (i.e. not mentioning the fact midway was the turning point and the allies were really on terribly losng terms before midway--our victory was very much a miracle with reference to the pacific war until that point--nor completely glossing over japanese aggression), but it still pays a lot of respect to not only the jsdf, but the military of all nations, of all periods...

It''s a lot more responsible than Final COUntdown. DFinal COuntdown seems like a saturday morning cartoon in comparison. again, thats saying a lot from me, since I'm not really fond of japanese animation...

 

[Crimson]

I think the Major uses a Sig, but I'm not sure.

CZ100, from the creators of the CZ75, it's a real world polymer DAO pistol

 

[jpthegeek]

Gunsmith Cats

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000059RZ9/102-5157962-1252162?v=glance&n=130

You can see the detail on all the weapons. Also, spiffy story.

 

[David4516]

I just remembered another one: Read or Die

While it doesn't foucus much on guns, the guns they do show are very detailed and accurate.

While the main character uses "paper" instead of firearms, her two team-mates (Nacy and Drake) are both pretty well armed. The German glider guy with the Luger and the "patato mashers" also comes to mind.

I'm attaching a cool ROD wallpaper I found...

 

[Daniel T]

Ah, anime.

When I was younger, I spent way, way too much money on buying anime. Thousands of dollars on VHS tapes, all relegated to obsolescence now.

The only anime I own on DVD are all of the Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli titles. Even the ones not released by Miramax in the US I have via Hong Kong grey market subs that are done well.

These newer titles are tempting me back into blowing cash on anime yet again.

 

[hksw]

Someone mentioned the remake of Appleseed, and I had to pipe up...

I grew up on Shirow:some of the first manga i ever read was his (starting with Appleseed, and movig on through Ghost... and Dominion/i]). While the aimationin the remake is astounding, thestory is NOT Appleseed. It should havebeen presented as a completely new, unrelated piece. i ended up giving it away after watching it...

Unfortunately, THAT IS WHAT THE NEWER MOVIE IS CALLED. And, IMO, the graphics are the best I've seen yet for an anime. Certainly it does not follow the original storyline but, again IMO, quite in line of Shirow's ideas and style (more thinking, less gratuitous panty shots).

 

[dleong]

Woohoo! Yet another CZ 75 sighting in an animé/manga, this time from an illustration by Hiyoko Kobayashi from her "Dispatch" series.

 

[WarMachine]

I just bought a new gun, and this damned thread is making me want to go out and buy a CZ-75B :banghead:

 

[dleong]

I just bought a new gun, and this damned thread is making me want to go out and buy a CZ-75B :banghead:

Don't get the CZ 75B just because it's the sidearm of choice amongst gun-toting anibabes; get it because it's accurate, reliable and reasonably priced.

DL

 

[Kevlarman]

Glasses, muffs, finger off trigger. Perfect!

 

[CypherNinja]

Don't get the CZ 75B just because it's the sidearm of choice amongst gun-toting anibabes; get it because it's accurate, reliable and reasonably priced.

DL

Holy crap!!! I totally missed the presence of a CZ in Vandread.


Now I have to go punish myself......

 

[Strings]

>Unfortunately, THAT IS WHAT THE NEWER MOVIE IS CALLED.<

right...

Gun control laws are called "common sense". Does that make them so?

The remake was an excellent movie, by itself. But it shouldn't be called Appleseed, 'cause it ain't...

 

[Kamicosmos]

I am also an anime fan, especially of the girls with guns variety. I actually have some of the Gunsmith Cats mangas direct from Japan before Dark Horse imported and translated them. I wanted to see them so bad, I couldn't wait for the translations. (No, I can't read kanji. So, they were very expensive picture books!)

Jin Ro is a great movie. (I too have avoided the sequels and live actions so as not to ruin the original in my mind) I just want to comment on the the alternate history aspect of it. Many, many Japanese anime, novels, and movies are based on a very similar mind set. Example Battle Royal, both the novel and live action movie. (I haven't read the mangas, so I don't know about them). Again, they go with a Facist gov't after WWII alternate history. I think they do it more as a 'See, things could be MUCH worse than they were/are. The Germans/Russians could have occupied us instead of the Americans.' (Jin Ro specifically makes this obvious) I think the Japanese realize their mistakes of being on the Axis side of WWII, and you have to remember: They Got Nuked for it. That does something to your national psyche! Look at a lot of their 'giant robot' type shows. They are usually extensions of the 'Godzilla' movies (which deals with the fallout and worries of, well, being nuked.) They are fighting against impossible odds. They did it before (US in WWII) and lost pretty much everything. So, they turn to Hot Girls with Guns and Giant Robots to fight the wars. And even then, usually everyone dies, and even the good guys turn out to be pretty shady guys afterall. It can be quite depressing sometimes.


But, that's why they make shows like Burn Up W and Burst Angel! Tons of Fan Service! (ie big-breasted girls in school girl outfits, swimsuits, panty shots, lots of sexual innuendo, etc.) Light hearted fun! Although, even they get serious on occasion and touch on these same themes.

edited to add one last comment: Also, alot of anime seems a bit cheesy or lame for two reasons: 1)A lot of older anime was HORRIBLY mis-translated. It's hard to translate Japanese to English. Plus, the Western World is much different than the East in philosophies, morals, history, etc. So the early stuff was altered alot to try and 'fit' into our sense of what 'cartoons' should be. 2) Most anime is 'coming of age' stories. So, that is why the hero's are always 14 years old and have to save the world. It's all about growing up and taking responsibilty about stuff, especially when you don't want to. Even if it means driving a giant robot into certain death.

 

[zahc]

Yeah, it's really terrible how badly dubbed some of it is. I usually have to tell people 'you know how the dialog and acting really, really suck...yeah, just ignore that'.

Going with the subtitles is usually a much better bet. Of course it would be cool to learn spoken japanese.