Anime is the Japanese word for animation.
(The background for this page consists of the kanji characters for "anime".) Anime
differs from American cartoons not only in the artistic style but also in the
variety of program subjects, from "Magical Girl" series like "Sailor Moon" to
science fiction ("Bubblegum Crisis") to romance and comedy ("Kimagure Orange Road,"
"Project A-ko").
Here are several of my favorite series:
Oh My Goddess!
This is a sweet romantic comedy about
a Keiichi (right), college student who calls to order a pizza and instead reached
the "Relief Goddess Help Line." The lovely goddess Belldandy (left) appears
and grants him a wish. Keiichi wishes for someone like her to stay with
him forever, and Belldandy announces that his wish is granted, and she will stay.
Only no women are allowed in the dorms, so Keiichi and Belldandy are out on the
streets...and the adventure begins.
Due to variations of translation,
this series is variously known as Oh My goddess, Ah My Goddess and by its Japanese
title, Aa Megami-sama. As a result, you may see this series abbreviated
as OMG, AMG and AMS.
Oh My Goddess links:
The
Relief Goddess Office
The
Anime Gallery's Ah My Goddess Page
Project A-ko
This series is great because it doesn't
take itself too seriously. Instead, it pokes gentle fun at a number of
anime traditions. (Even its name is a takeoff on the Jackie Chan flick
"Project A.") Super-powered A-ko (above) is best friends with cute C-ko,
much to the envy of the brilliant and wealthy schemer B-ko. Every morning
at school, B-ko shows up with a new technological marvel ("Mecha," the infamous
giant robots of anime) to clean A-ko's clock. A-ko dispatches the contraptions
with ridiculous ease until B-ko shows up in a well-armed, heavily-armored yet
very realing battle suit. The following fracas trashes the school
grounds and then most of the city. Meanwhile, the two are oblivious to
an invasion of aliens intent on kidnapping C-ko.
A Project A-ko QuickTime file
(476K)
Project A-ko links:
The Project A-ko Place
Project A-ko Page
Kimagure Orange Road
This series explores the complications
of young love more honestly than almost any other TV show or movie. Kyosuke
and his family have ESP, which forces them to move from city to city when their
powers are discovered. Newly arrived in town, Kyosuke meets Madoka, a tough, independent,
brilliant and beautiful girl. The two are instantly smitten with each other. Between
Madoka's fierce independence and Kyosuke's doubts he's good enough for her, the
two face plenty of obstacles, but looming over even those is Madoka's best friend
Hiraku, who has fallen in love with Kyosuke. Kyosuke doesn't want to break Hikaru's
heart, especially since Madoka would be furious at him for hurting her friend.
The complications of this love triangle lead to episodes at times poignant and
funny.
I've only seen the five OAV, or Original
Animation Video, releases, which include the episode that reveals the resolution
of the triangle.
KOR Links:
A Whimsical Trip on Kimagure Orange Road
Kimagure Orange Road
Kimagure Orange Road
Vampire Princess Miyu
Spooky, supernatural and short series
(4 episodes on 2 tapes). Hiroko (pictured) is a spiritualist who returns
to her native Kyoto to investigate a young girl's mysterious coma. There
she meets Miyu, a yong vampire who, with the aid of her servant Larva, battles
the demon Shinma who have crept onto the earthly plane and are causing all sorts
of mystical woes. As the story progresses a mysterious connection between
Miyu and Hiroko is revealed.
Vampire Princess Miyu links:
Vampire Miyu Home Page
The World of Vampire Princess Miyu
Other Key Anime Links:
The Anime Turnpike
AnimEigo, commercial anime distributor in the US
Serpent Anime Page
Anime Domein
Anime Station Image Gallery
David Gaxiola's Anime Resources
Anime-Magna Net
The St. John's Anime Film Society
Anime Genesis
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Last modified 9/30/98