The Otaku Public Library Strikes Back

So yeah, Otaku Public Library has been silent as a tomb for a few months now.

As you readers may remember (all 3 of you), the last post here was about me nearly getting laid off. I wasn't, thankfully, but it seriously harshed my mellow. In addition to that, I can finally admit that I've been on a pretty serious job hunt that basically eat my brain; it's hard to concentrate on making spurious and ham-fisted Kurosawa references in regards to Durarara! when you have to crank out cover letters and bone up on a random library's mission statement for a phone interview the next day. Somebody call the "wah-mbulence", right?

Thankfully, these are no longer issues - as of October 11th, I will be starting at the Austin Public Library (in beautiful Austin, Texas) as their Youth Services Division Manager. Austin Public Library is the home of the very, very awesome Yomicon and I'm looking forward to working with some total otaku staff and kids.

I'm still in shock that I'm gonna be working such an awesome job in such an awesome town, but once that wears off I plan to bring Otaku Public Library back from the dead. Keep watching this space.....

So, you eagle-eyed readers may have noticed that I really haven’t been too good with the updates for the last 6 months or so now.

To be honest, the latest anime season has pretty much sucked hard and I’m not gonna waste my time reviewing trite moe or softcore porn (i.e. K-ON!, B Gata H Kei, Seikon No Qwaser….eech); and aside from the awesome, awesome Vagabond, I haven’t really read a whole lotta manga that’s been worth more than a cursory flip-through.

Just like seemingly every other aspect of life, the dreary economy seems to be taking it’s toll on anime and manga; folks are less willing to take risks in producing or buying stuff, so I expect we’re gonna be seeing a lot more dull shonen and sugary moe escapism for the next couple of years.

More importantly (for me, at least), the turgid economy has resulted in some pretty severe cuts to this country’s public library service – budgets are being slashed, branches are closing, and lots of librarians are getting laid off.

I’m sorry to say that I’m one of them.

So for the foreseeable future, Otaku Public Library is gonna be on hiatus; I have to focus on trying to save my job (or find another one), and back-burner this whole graphic novel/animation thing. If you’re in the NYC area and value the services that the public library provides, please sign this petition:

http://www.petitiononline.com/nyclibs/petition.html

“If the good Lord’s willin’ and th’ crick don’ rise” (as my Kentucky gran'ma used to say), I’ll be back again posting before too long.

D

A shameless Crunchyroll.com plug and 2 Anime Reviews: Bakemonogateri and Shinguri

Yo yo yo anidorks what’s up? Been a long time since I rapped at ya. I 've been slacking this blog for a while but that doesn’t mean I’ve been slacking on the manga and anime.

A month or two ago, I found myself getting increasing frustrated with fansubbed episodes. Not that the subbing was bad or that I, god forbid, felt guilty about it; it was just that my dang 5 year old slow-ass Dell hunk-of-crap PC was having trouble with VLC Player and Windows Home Cinema. Episodes were either freezing (VLC) or the audio was out of sync with the sub (Windows) and I was starting to get a little batty. So, I ended up going on Crunchyroll.com cause I had heard a lot about it....and lo and behold, I was pretty impressed.

Now, I do think most of the stuff on Crunchyroll is a little more middle of the road than I like (Shugo Chara? Eyeshield 21? Zzzzzzz); still, a website with free streaming episodes that has both brand new episodes of Naruto: Shippuden and Gintama along with minimally invasive advertising is a great step forward for watching anime. It’s quick, it’s easy, it’s affordable, and you’re not stuck in that moral limbo of fan-subs. Also, if you’re one of those total J-culture freaks, there are loads of Korean dramas to view too.

I ended up watching the first 40 or so episodes of Naruto: Shippuden over the course of a month…and naturally burned myself out on N:S (Christ, how long is it gonna take to “rescue” that sullen jackass Sasuke?). That having been said, once I’m done with Bakemonogatari (see below), I’m probably gonna get back on Crunchyroll to check out Linebarrels of Iron and Code Geauss, both of which I’ve heard good things about.

*****
Anyway, once I got sick of Naruto and his orange jumpsuit, I ended up back to fansubs – the simple remedy of downloading the latest Window Home Cinema put everything right. Thus, Bakemonogatari….

Describing Bakemonogatari is a struggle because it’s so unique but so familiar at the same time; it’s a weird and idiosyncratic cross between a ghost-hunt series (good natured ex-vampire Araragi keeps encountering strange, creepy spirits..), a harem series (…spirits that seem to be affecting the lives of a series of his comely female schoolmates and friends), and an artistic exercise that’s both eerie and full of otaku in-jokes.

With the exception of Mononoke, I’m at a loss to think of a series that’s as visually engaging; the inventive use of color, shading, perspective, camera angles, and editing are unlike any current series that I've seen. It turns a number of anime clichés on their head; and despite it being full of creepy occult allusions, the characters treat the supernatural in an insanely casual way – a wandering ghost or a curse is treated in the same annoyed and relaxed way that a case of dandruff would be.

The usual character clichés one finds in your typical anime are also warped into something unique. The character of Senjougahara is a perfect example – despite appearing to be the archetypal tsundere in the first few episodes, she warms to Araragi while still retaining her cool, stately demeanor the whole series. She'll aggressively flirt with Araragi at times....but it's clear she’s in control and a force to be reckoned with, almost like a film noir femme fatale. In a way, the banter between her and Araragi almost reminded me of the pseudo-noir film Brick (i.e. darkly humorous dialog batted around by teens talking like cynical and stylish adults).

Like Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, Bakemonogatari is very, very Japanese – at times, the dialog is so casual and the action and plot so nuanced that some viewers are bound be turned off; I love dialog-heavy series so I was perfectly fine with it, but do be aware there’s very little “action” in the traditional sense. Also, I found elements of the “snail” plot (involving a flirtatious grade school girl) to be in bad taste; I dig harem anime as much as the next dork but I’m getting increasingly tired of these “young girl, get out of my life” characters – and it’s particularly glaring when Bakemonogatari has three excellent and strong female characters (the afore mentioned Senjougahara, the primly charming class president Hanekawa, and the spazzy but likeable Kanbara).

That being said, Bakemonogatari is a unique and boundary-pushing series that deserves a look. Hopefully, some clever company and license it here in the US; it’s got a huge fan base in Japan, so that should work in its favor.


Lastly, I want to mention a great blood n’ guts chanbara series Shiguri (aka Death Frenzy). On the orders of deviant Tokogawa noble, two crippled swordsmen square off for a death match. The action suddenly flashes back to their mutual past as brothers in arms/rivals at the rough and tumble Kogan dojo – both Ikuro and Fujiki are skillful enough to take over the dojo’s leadership, but it’s Ikuro’s charm and extraordinary talent that win him the favor of the dojo’s powerful yet insane master, Iwamoto. The haughty Ikuro begins to lord this over the forthright Fujiki, but when Iwamoto finds out that Ikuro has been dallying with his mistress Iku, he blinds Ikuro and kicks him out of the dojo. Before long, the various students of the dojo begin getting killed by a mysterious swordsman….one that can only be Ikuro, bent on revenge.

Very bloody, very explicit, and very, very dark (both visually and thematically), Shiguri is still a blast to watch – I gladly put up with the spurting blood and entrails despite my low gore tolerance because the story was enthralling and well-paced, and the animation was top-notch and realistic (a bit too realistic at times!). A great choice for fans of Lady Snowblood /Vagabond , or folks (OK, dudes) who like their samurai action on the hardcore, non-Rouroni Kenshin side, this is an ideal DVD to put on when your macho non-otaku friends start claiming that anime is for little girls. Kudos to FUNamation for licensing this in the USA.

Anime Review: Ghost Hunt/Ghost Hound

What up anidorks? It’s a two-for-one day here at OPL: a double barreled blast of Japanese horror, anime-style. First, Ghost Hunt…..

A costly accident forces high school freshman Mai into taking a part-time job…but rather than flip burgers, Mai ends up at working at SPR, a paranormal investigation agency run by Naru, a mysterious young man not much older than Mai. Naturally, the spunky, outspoken Mai and the cold and narcissistic Naru butt heads, but their animosity is tempered by the weird and eerie hauntings they’re hired to investigate.

Ghost Hunt takes a unique turn for Japanese horror, being less interested on atmosphere and more on the actual science and technology of paranormal investigation; it’s closer to a police procedural or detective case than a ghost story. Aside from the storyline involving (spoiler alert!) Mai’s latent psychic abilities, its light on over-arching plot and more focused on episodic investigations, and at times it feels a bit flimsy and formulaic; it may just be the case that the episodic format of manga doesn’t always translate well to the anime medium. Character development is a bit insubstantial as well – Mai and Naru are sorta cardboard, and the supporting cast is a bit cliché (wholesome young catholic priest, sassy Shinto priestess, goofy Buddhist monk, etc). Nevertheless, Ghost Hunt takes the standard ghost story format and injects a welcome scientific/real world element. Dubbing, subtitling, and packaging are up to the usual fine FUNamation standard. Nothing earth-shattering here, but it’s a pleasing series for younger otaku and a pleasant enough diversion for older ones.

Ghost Hound, on the other hand, is a keeper. Haunted by strange, nonsensical memories of his childhood kidnapping and older sister’s death, shy middle schooler Tarou has begun to realize his strange dreams are not dreams at all – they’re out of body experiences. When he finds out two of his schoolmates (cocky rich kid Masayuki and sullen delinquent Makoto) both share similar traumatic pasts and the same out of body experiences, the three begin to explore the strange dimensional rift between the world of the living and world of the dead. It soon becomes clear to the three boys that strange forces are at play in their small town, and that a mysterious old hospital, a clandestine bio-tech corporation, the relationship between Makoto’s parents, and the daughter of a local Shinto priest may all hold the key to Tarou’s bizarre memories - and the explanation for his beloved sister’s death. It’s a puzzle the boys must solve quickly, as the gate to the world of the dead is beginning to open….

Series creator Masamune Shirow is better known for his 1990’s “cyberpunk” epics (i.e. Ghost in the Shell, Appleseed), so I was somewhat surprised to hear that he had come up with what appeared to be a straight horror/paranormal series. Although it’s a deviation from his usual sci-fi fare, it’s still heavy on his usual psychological theorizing: just as Ghost in the Shell examined what conscious and identity really mean, Ghost Hound is a subtle and engrossing look at the thin line between the mysteries of the human mind and the paranormal. Otaku who enjoy “heavier” anime (ala Paranoia Agent, Mushi-shi) will particularly enjoy this atmospheric, eerie, and complex (but never convoluted) series.

Robotech/Yotsuba Vol. 6/Hetalia - Axis Powers

What’s up anidorks? Yes, once again I’ve been sadly remiss in updating you on the latest and greatest in tsundere trivia, harem comedy reviews, and hikikomori references. Sadly, work and personal issues have conspired to eat my frickin’ brain and thus prevent me from usual my usual 60+ hours of anime and manga viewing per week. Why, a family situation even prevented me from attending the New York Anime Fest, thus depriving me of my two greatest joys: inexpensive remaindered manga and fatties doing cosplay. Har har.

Joking aside, I’ve honestly had a lot going on, and when that happens, the first casualty is inevitably this blog. Things have finally slowed down a bit, so I found time to cram in a few simple joys: Harmony Gold’s iconic Robotech, Yen Press’s Yotsuba vol.6, and the confusing yet appealing Hetalia – Axis Powers. So I’m going to do an extra long entry today to make up for my lack of updates since, oh, August.

***

I’m not going to torture you with the plot outline of Robotech, as I’m sure any anime dork worth his figurines knows it already: Mysterious spaceship falls to earth, aliens attack, and your usual-reluctant-but-talented-spiky-haired-guy becomes ace fighter/mech pilot. As I’ve mentioned before on this blog, Robotech was my “starter” anime series - so to purchase the DVD set and sit down to watch it was a highly nostalgic experience; it almost made me wish I could go back to being a chubby ten-year old with a mullet and no friends for the duration of the viewing in order to make even more authentic (actually, it didn’t).

I’m happy to say, in many ways, Robotech still holds up: the storyline, albeit clichéd, is still tightly paced and filler-free, the interpersonal relationships are realistic, the dialog and voice acting is decent, and the numerous action scenes do well to drive the plot…..but sweet baby Jesus, the animation itself is skin-crawlingly HORRIBLE. Faces are misshapen, uniforms and vehicles change colors from scene to scene, and overall the art is sloppy, rushed, and half-assed. If you’re used to the crisp, vibrant style of modern anime, it’s going to be a difficult transition - and the usual bonuses of hand-drawn anime (warm, deep color and expressionistic form) are hard to notice.

Still, if you can forgive its lack of visual perfection, Robotech is easily and deservingly a classic; it’s a shame that Macross (the anime from which Robotech was adapted) was never resolved. And, without sounding like a scold, it’s nice to watch a series that has such a low moe/fanservice element.

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Like most living and breathing otaku, I’ve been anxiously awaiting Yotsuba 6 from Yen Press. As you may know, ADV (publisher of volumes 1 – 5) has pretty much tanked so it was looking like this popular series was a lost cause in print until up-and-coming publisher Yen Press took it over. Yen does a fine job with translation; although I don’t like they way Yen makes Yotsuba refer to herself in the third person, it’s a minor factor (and probably more faithful to Japanese grammar). So what is everyone’s favorite green-haired 5 year old up to these days, dare you ask? Yotsuba gets a bike, drinks milk, and then gets on her bike to bring milk to Fuka at her high school. Yes, it doesn’t seem like much on paper but Azuma has the rare genius for taking mundane situations and evaluating them to high comedy. Highly recommended.

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One of the joys of anime is the fact that it’s willing to take chances, and Hetalia – Axis Powers is one hell of a screwball. A weird comedy/history mutant, it takes all the countries involved in WWII – Japan, England, Germany, the USA, etc – and personifying them in order to play out the epic conflict and other instances in world history as zany slapstick comedy: Italy begs Germany to be his friend, Italy and Germany try to befriend the standoffish Japan, England and America argue about how to help France after he gets beaten up by Germany, and so forth. It’s pretty funny and very politically incorrect (Italy is depicted as a pasta-scarfing wimp, Germany as an uptight jerk, Japan as a stuffy hermit, America as an energetic but deluded know-it-all, etc.) but man, I don’t really know how the animators are gonna spin the Holocaust, the Siege of Leningrad, the Rape of Nanking, Hiroshima, etc, as something to chuckle at.

The adventurous might want to give it a try because it does have some genuinely funny parts – the humor poking fun at the individual countries is pretty dead on – but do be warned it plays it pretty fast and loose with history.

Endless Eight ends/Cyborg 009 and Peacemaker Kurogane anime

What up anidorks? So the dang “Endless Eight” cycle of the Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Season 2 finally came to an end last week. Genius or pure cruelty? As always, the final decision will be made on the anime/manga messageboards. Personally, although I admire the originally and post-modernity of it all, one or two episodes of it would have been enough.

If you’ve already dropped the series and are eager to hear the ending, read on ….or skip ahead to the next paragraph if you have a weak heart. Kyon (of course) breaks the cycle by…..asking the gang to help him with his homework. Yeah, pretty underwhelming. I was personally hoping for Kyon to plant one on Haruhi for a little drama, but oh well. Ah, MoHS: wonderful yet horrible at the same time, just like your first psycho girlfriend/boyfriend from college.

In other news, I sat through the 1st DVDs of Peacemaker Kurogane and the Cyborg 009 series from 2001 this weekend. I was pretty underwhelmed by both, I have to say. I didn’t know that much about Peacemaker Kurogane going in, aside from the fact it was “twilight of the samurai”-style shonen action series. Aside from some decent swordfights, it’s pretty unremarkable and the main character (the standard-issue “scrappy, spiky-haired, overly energetic” shonen protagonist) got on my nerves pretty quickly. Granted, it might be worth watching more episodes…but I’m not going to. Sorry Charlie.

I had more high hopes for Cyborg 009, a 60’s era classic manga in its latest anime incarnation. Like most 60’s ephemera, though, I found it pretty dull. I will grant that it was probably more ground-breaking in its day, with a dark edge uncommon to 1960’s shonen manga – or it just might have been better if I’d have grown up with the series. Otaku with an Astroboy/Kamen Rider/Battle of the Planets moe might dig the throwback vibe, but I’m not one of those dudes…

ANIME REVIEW: Parallel Dual

What up anidorks? Once again, personal and work issues have conspired to keep me paying closer attention to my danged email than to the Groundhog Day parody that’s been passing for the Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, har har. Still, I have found time to catch a half-baked but not half-bad 90’s mech series: Parallel Dual.

Young Kazuki is deeply troubled by the visions of mech warfare that periodically flash in front of his eyes, a habit that makes him the subject of ridicule in his high school. But when Mitsuki - the prettiest girl in school - invites him home, he finds out his visions aren’t as weird as he though - Mitsuki’s eccentric scientist father Sanada is convinced Kazuki is somehow seeing into an alternate reality.

Naturally, the only solution is to send him there to see if it’s true...and Kazuki, the unwilling test subject, now finds himself in an alternate reality where Sanada commands a squadron of mechs, Mitsuki is a mech pilot, and the mech warfare he’s always feared is an actuality, as Sanada, Mitsuki, and their mechs are the last line of defense against the evil Rara Army's plans to take over Japan. Naturally, Kazuki is drawn into the conflict, and finds himself commanding a mech against a series of increasingly dangerous mech foes.

Pretty rote plot, I know…but the appeal of Parallel Dual is less about it’s pedestrian plot and more for the fact it’s note-by-note parody/satire/rip-off of Neon Genesis Evangelion:

• Crybaby boy pilot? Check.
• Pony-tailed tsundere pilot? Check.
• Spacey girl pilot? Check.
• Doting yet sexy commander/teacher/mother figure? Check.
• Eccentric and bespectacled scientist commander? Check.
• Lithe, stylized mechs fighting monstrous foes? Check.
• Heavy Freudian and biblical allegories? Um….

I have to say that I actually started to enjoy PD’s ramshackle tribute to NGE after a while; hell, there are far worse sources to steal from than NGE. Sure, the plot is pedestrian and predictable, but I found that to be almost reassuring; sometimes the formula is a formula for a reason. Artwise, it’s a mish-mash of styles: NGE-style mechs with characters that look like extras from Tenchi Muyo; likewise, I have to give the creators credit for stealing from the best.

All in all, Parallel Dual hardly wins on style or originality… but once you get used to the lightweight parody that it is, I think you’ll agree that the series actually isn’t half bad (although I'm sure hardcore Neon Genesis fans will be horrified by the blasphemy). There are far better series out there, but Parallel Dual is a fine diversion. I’ll give this one a solid C+.

Naruto, Haruhi, and Some Shameless Self-Promotion

What up anidorks? Yes, I’ve been pretty lax with updates as of late. Several work and personal projects have been eating up most of my work and personal time, so the free time to watch all 160+ episodes of Gintama* has been in short supply.

So what the hell else is going on here at Otaku Public Library, dare you ask? Well, I finally gave into peer pressure and began a serious, read-every-volume-I-can effort to familiarize myself with the Manga Series That Ate America, i.e. Naruto…and I’ll be gol-danged if it isn’t nearly as awesome as all the kiddies say. Granted, I still prefer the darker and funnier Bleach as a shonen action series, but I was honestly taken aback by how well-plotted and well-developed Naruto is.

Aside from that, the only other thing I’ve been seriously following has been Season 2 of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. Yes, I did rag on MOHS as being a bit trite and gimmicky when I first saw/reviewed it, but my feelings have softened – and I also can’t deny it’s ruminations on the nature of reality and unreality is probably one of the more thoughtful and ambitious storylines out there. Is it still a little cheesy, forced, and a little too reliant on moe? Well, yes, but the deeper themes still shine through – and isn’t moe what hardcore Haruri-head (Melancholiac?) want anyway?

*****

On a more professional note, I have had the extreme good fortune to be asked to speak at the two New Jersey State Library Graphic Novel Collection Development workshops on August 25th and 28th. Comic publishers, school librarians, and public librarians like myself will be on hand to provide a comprehensive overview on how to select graphic novels for public and school library collections; I’ll be covering “Manga Collection for Complete Newbies”. If you’re a New Jersey-area librarian and want some quality advice on creating a dang awesome graphic novel/manga collection, I do hope you’ll join us.

Oh, and if you are attending America Libraries Association’s Annual Convention in Chicago this weekend, and are really, really dying to hear my views on cooking manga, harem comedy, and the blessed lack of tentacles in modern anime, then please stop by the ALA Open Gaming Night on Friday, 7pm – 10pm, at the Hilton Chicago. I’ll be the one looking like a 1970’s Scottish soccer hooligan (buzzcut, huge black glasses, red beard, permanently dour expression).

Toodles, y’all…


* Seriously, check Gintama out. I don’t know if I could watch all 4 seasons, but it’s still a sly, cynical, and satirical sci-fi/samurai situation comedy that’s a cut above the usual dross.

Manga Review - Oh My Goddess! Colors by Kosuke Fujishima

What up anidorks? Long time no post from the old D-man here. Unfortunately, budget shortfalls at work have forced me to focus less on otaku-dom and more on the public library aspect of the job. Thus, I haven’t really had all that much to read/watch anything new or of enough interest to post about.

That having been said....I did recently come across a copy of Oh My Goddess! Colors, a large-sized retrospective of Kosuke Fujishima’s evergreen “magical girlfriend” manga/anime. Starting off with a lighted-hearted/mildly sarcastic intro (“devoid of any actual developments, it’s a sort of romance that sort of wanders aimlessly through 30 plus volumes, like a derelict.”…I couldn’t have put it better myself), OMG! Colors presents a detailed rundown on nearly every element of the series. Belldandy, Urd, Skuld, and Peorth all get individual character summaries, and each are the focus of a representative chapter that has been re-mastered in gorgeous watercolors. Throw in an exhaustive lexicon of OMG! terminology, ruminations on the origins of the goddesses and the physics of their world, exhaustive chapter summaries, in-jokes and translation notes, and a gallery and tech specs of the numerous vehicles owned by the characters and you’ve got a must-have for any OMG! obsessive.

Personally, I’ve been finding OMG! a little repetitive and dated as of late, but reading this reminded me of it’s huge influence on American Otaku, myself included; in fact, Fred Gallagher, creator of the awesome Megatokyo OEL manga, chimes in the series’ influence on him in a short afterword. OMG! detractors may continue to scratch their heads over this series’ unabated popularity, but OMG! Colors expertly captures all that’s good about it – its alluring character design, lush artwork, silly humor, and its ever-unrequited PG-rated romance.

MANGA REVIEW - How Not to Draw Manga, by Christ Reid and John Katz

As much as we love the big-eyed, small-mouthed citizens of anime/manga-land, it needs to be said that most, if not all, of what otaku like us read and watch is…well, mildly ridiculous. Deny it if you want, but you have to admit that your love for bishonen, mechs, and unlikely harem comedy (guilty as charged!) probably isn’t something you mention freely in mixed company, much less to members of the opposite sex.

This is why I’m delighted to have come across How Not to Draw Manga, an lovingly tongue-in-cheek OEL guide to the myriad cliché’s, stereotypes, and hackneyed plots that we’ve come to know and love. Chris Reid and John Katz come in with guns a’blazin’, taking on nearly every aspect of manga – the fact that there’s basically only 6 characters in manga (try matching your favorite characters to the formula – it’s truer than you know!); the inevitable fanservice, whether it be the moe characters (glasses, cat ears, etc) or just the dozens of ways to include a panty-shot into even the slowest story; and the obligatory “chibi”/adorable mutant animal sidekick. They walk you through all the clichés of character, setting, and genre, picking and choosing among them to create a frighteningly decent samurai/sorcery mini-manga at the end.

If I had a complaint about this work, it’s that it needs to be longer and in more detail – Reid and Katz do a fine job skewering manga, but they barely skim the surface of manga ridiculousness; I’d have loved to see them take on school comedy, gal games, hentai, and the otaku lifestyle itself.

Although the satire is pretty sharp, it’s clear that they absolutely love manga – “panties, robots, and brooding villains” alike - and just want to poke some much-needed fun at the art-form’s tired cliché’s. Highly recommended for aspiring mangaka, newbie otaku, and grizzled old dorks (like yours truly) too.

MANGA REVIEW – Oishinbo A la Carte: Japanese Cuisine and Oishinbo A la Carte: Sake, Story by Kariya Testu/Art by Hanasaki Akira

What up anidorks? Today I’m taking a look at a series that I’ve long desired to read, but haven’t been able due to dearth of Haute Cuisine-oriented manga scanlations on onemanga.com – Oishinbo (aka “The Gourmet” in Japanese).

Although lazy and ill-tempered, journalist Yamaoka Shiro of the Tozai News nonetheless possesses one of the most refined palates in Japan – a trait he inherited from his cold, overbearing father, the noted gourmand and artist Kaiban Yuzan. When Yamaoka’s head editor decides to celebrate the paper’s 100th anniversary by publishing the “Ulitmate Menu” – a selection of the finest dishes Japan has to offer – lackadaisical Yamaoka is reluctantly pressed into creating the menu. When he finds out that his father has teamed up with a rival paper to create their own “Supreme Menu”, Yamaoka and his gal-pal/writing partner Kurita Yuko must go head to head (and taste-bud to taste-bud) with Kaiban to find the finest foods in all of Japan!

Rather than publish the whole run (26 years and still going!), Viz has taken the approach of collecting specific chapters from the series dealing with a particular element of Japanese food (i.e. Sake, etc), and creating an “a la Carte” collection of chapters in single volumes. For readers not entirely familiar with the nuances of all-rice sake and the correct way to filet seabream, this offers an easy introduction to Japan’s rich and fascinating food traditions. Casual/lazy reviewers will inevitably compared Oishinbo to Tampopo or Iron Chef, simply because it looks at the unique food culture of Japan in relaxed, easy-to-approach manner. That’s a shame really, because Oishinbo is a work that deserves recognition for its own unique perspective; although there is the occasional plot twist, character development, and cliffhanger endings, it’s less of a narrative-oriented manga and far more of an overview of Japanese cuisine in graphic novel form. Art buffs might find the character design a little rough and dated at times, but it’s obvious that artist Hanasaki is instead focusing on the main element of the series – the food, loving depicted and almost leaping off the page.

It should be said that Oishinbo is probably best for adult readers, but not because of any thematic elements: aside from heated arguments over the best way to serve champagne or the time it takes to learn the techniques of sashimi, the violence and sex is absolutely non-extant. There’s a good chance the series will probably go over the head of most teen manga readers (and to be fair, the numerous adults that think fine dining means Applebee’s), but if you have interest in culinary history or want a unique look at Japanese culture, I can’t recommend Oishinbo enough.

UPDATE: Bleach SOULs/Anime-themed Video Games/The End of Anime Insider

What up anidorks? I’m just checking in today, so no reviews. In all honesty, I haven’t really come across anything worthy of a review lately*, so rather than waste my time and yours enthusing about/savaging some nameless shonen action series, I’m just gonna ruminate on a few topics…

First off, devoted Bleach fans should do themselves a favor and pick up the Bleach SOULs. Official Character Book at their earliest convenience. It’s a great overview of the series present storyline up to Vol 21, as well as containing biographical info for all 80+ characters. Throw in an interview with Tite Kubo, glossary of terms, and a bunch of bonus manga and you’ve pretty much got a “must have” for Bleach heads (along with Kon-patterned underpants).

Secondly, the latest Anime Insider magazine is devoted a whole issue to “Video Games for Otakus”, a subject near and dear to my heart. In fact, they do a fine job of tabulating the “otaku quotient” (i.e. number of anime/Japanese culture – specific titles) for the current console systems. I’ve been struggling to find the system with the most otaku-friendly titles, and I guess it’s no surprise that (spoiler) the Nintendo DS wins out there. I’d suggest hot-footing down to the local newsstand to pick up a copy – not just because of the content, but because Anime Insider will be stopping publication as of this issue, #67. Another one bites the dust, sadly….

And speaking of anime-friendly video games, I’m dying to see a North American version of Sunday X Magazine: Taisen Action, Trigger Heart, a side-scrolling 2D fighter starring the characters from Japanese manga magazines Shonen Sunday and Shonen Magazine. The cast includes characters from Negima (awesome!), Fairy Tale, Air Gear, Cromartie High School, Inu-Yasha, Hayate the Combat Butler, and Kekkashi, as well as several other Japan-only series. If you simply must have a copy, its $60 and in Japanese…but I doubt that’ll stop some of you.

In any event, it’s a lovely spring day outside….and naturally, I plan to spend it indoors watching the original Tenchi Muyo OVA and playing Suikoden III (har har).

* with the notable exception of the awesomely funny (and disturbing gory) “magical girlfriend” parody series Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan, aka “Club-To-Death Angel Dokuro-chan”.

I forgot to mention....

...that Del Ray released Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei V.1: The Power of Negative Thinking on February 24th. You can get it from the usual retailers, and I highly, highly recommend this a purchase for any forward thinking manga or graphic novel fan. Joyce Aurino and Del Ray have done an excellent job of translating and adapting this Japanese Pop-Culture-centric series for western readers; the print version is a definite improvement over the fan-scans I’ve come across. Feel free to check out my gushing review from last June if the mood strikes you....

Manga/Anime Review - Princess Resurrection

What up anidorks? I’ve decided to spare you from the usual comedy series and instead take a look at supernatural action series Princess Resurrection.

In thanks for his attempt to save her from a fatal accident, Hime – daughter of the King of Monsters – has granted middle schooler Hiro the gift of eternal life, but on two conditions: First, Hiro must partake of Hime’s blood every few days lest he dies; and secondly, Hiro must remain her servant/bodyguard for eternity as payment. It’s apparent that Hime needs all the help she can get, as her numerous brothers and sisters are intent on killing her and each other to achieve the royal throne. Hime's cohorts - half-breed werewolf Liza, opportunistic vampire Reiki, and Hime’s robot servant Flandre - all have the power to fight of the rival siblings and vengeful monsters out for Hime’s blood, but what can young Hiro do to help protect the life of his new master?

Supernatural-based anime and manga has seen a renaissance as of late, and PR is a solid offering in this genre. Series creator Yasunori Mitsunaga deviates from the popular “vengeful spirits” theme common in contemporary anime and manga*, and instead draws on the “classic horror” of 1950’s drive-ins (ala vampires, werewolves, zombies, and creatures from the Black Lagoon…can the Blob be far behind?) to power this series. Although I do enjoy the more subtle and elegant vibe of traditional Japanese horror, the blood-and-guts, monster-on-monster action of PR is definitely appealing for those of us who grew up on Boris Karloff and not Lufcadio Hearn. Hiro’s persistent need for Hime’s blood adds a nice bit of nasty (and a subtle erotic undertone) to this relatively straight-forward and action based shonen manga series.

That having been said, those of you who are able to view the anime series via ADV or the Anime Network will notice how the series has been “cleaned up”, for lack of a better word – rather than sup on Hime’s blood, Hiro instead gets the gift of Hime’s “Life Flame” (yeesh). It’s a shame that this integral plot element was modified in such a way, but that’s show biz I guess. Along with the overall lower level of gore, I find that the anime also removes a fair amount of gothic creepiness that Mitsunaga was able to impart via his artwork.

Still, the anime is a pleasant enough diversion (particularly after dark!) and the manga series deserves a read from horror and action-lovers alike.

*xxxHolic and Mushi-shi, for example.

Anime Review: Toradora

The “psycho eyes” that high school sophomore Ryuuji inherited from his dead gangster dad have terrified his classmates into believing he’s a violent juvenile delinquent – although in actuality he’s just a kind, mild-mannered, and somewhat lonely young fellow. When he finds out that his crush Minorin, the friendly yet airheaded captain of the girl’s softball team, will be in the same class as him, Ryuuji is overjoyed; that is, until he runs afoul of Minorin’s best friend – Aisaka Taiga (aka the “Palmtop Tiger”), whose small size and delicate, doll-like appearance belie her foul temper and capacity for ultra-violence. Barely surviving the encounter, Ryuuji finds a love letter in his bookbag. It’s addressed not to him but Kitamura, Ryuuji’s studious best friend - and it’s from none other than Taiga herself, who seems to have placed it in Ryuuji’s bag by accident.

Bemused by the situation, Ryuuji returns home, only to be awoken at swordpoint by a crazed Taiga, who’s determined to kill Ryuuji for finding out her secret crush. In order to dissuade the pint-sized psychopath from her intended act of murder, Ryuuji vows to help Taiga win Kitamura’s affections; and in thanks, Taiga half-heartedly vows to help Ryuji win Minorin’s love. Their alliance now sealed, Ryuuji and Taiga are soon secretly meeting up during school to plan their “twin-love attack”, but their frequent planning sessions are misconstrued by their classmates as lover’s trysts. Naturally, this rumor makes its way to both Kitamura and Minorin, who become increasingly reluctant to return Ryuuji and Taiga’s ham-fisted flirtations. The arrival of big-city girl Ami, Kitamura’s childhood friend, adds another stumbling block: Ami’s prissy attitude embarrasses Kitamura and infuriates Taiga – but it becomes slowly apparent that Taiga’s rage may less to do with Ami’s big-city airs and more to do with her teasing flirtation with a clearly uncomfortable Ryuuji.

Before long, Taiga has become increasingly reliant on Ryuuji to look after her welfare, a situation that Ryuuji originally views with annoyance, but does little to reverse; she is a truly a “poor little rich girl”, funded by wealthy parents that don’t particularly seem to care for her. Ryuuji, on the other hand, lives in somewhat depressed circumstances – i.e., a rundown apartment shared with his deformed pet canary and boozy bar hostess of a mother who immediately takes a shine to both Taiga’s brassy attitude and increasingly frequent appearances at dinnertime.

Circumstances seem to be drawing Ryuuji and Taiga closer and closer together…but can they allow themselves fall in love with one another?

***

Toradora has it’s origins as a series of light novels*, and it retains a level of literary complexity that one doesn’t often find in “high school hijinks/love comedy” manga and anime. This, of course, work greatly to its credit; yet – as fine as this series is – I have to admit that I often struggle to understand the interactions between Ryuuji and Taiga. Their mutual affection is certainly implied, but there seems to be so little proof; their behavior toward one another is either so combative or hesitant that’s unclear what their real feelings are. During the episodes, I catch myself wondering aloud “Is he really in love with her? Is she in love with him? I don’t get it.” Perhaps the very real Japanese/American cultural gulf is to blame for my confusion, or maybe it’s just my masculine lack of emotional acumen. Still, the fact that Toradora’s emotional nuances are difficult to figure out absolutely wins Toradora my favor; I wish more series would demand even a mild level of challenging interaction from their viewers/readers.

Longtime readers of otakupubliclibrary know that I enjoy/willingly suffer through many a “love comedy”, and it’s my humble opinion that Toradora is probably one of the best and most honest depiction of teen romance currently playing on otaku computer screens – it depicts the frailty of first love without being weepy or wimpy in slightest. Furthermore, this series wins my plaudits because of the fact it’s easy for readers/viewers to visualize both a happy and an unhappy ending to this series; as much as I can see Ryuuji and Taiga together in the end, part of me realizes (and at times, genuinely prefers the fact) that it’s more realistic to see Ryuuji and Taiga both ending up lonely and heartbroken at the series’ conclusion.

I’m aware that a lot of YA librarians wrestle with the problem of using manga as teen literature; Toradora would probably please the “teen issues/problems” crowd that seems to dominate the dialog over teen lit….were it actually being published in the USA. Currently, there are no plans by any North American/European company to release English-Language versions of the original novel, manga, anime, or “visual novel” that have been proved so popular in Japan…shameful, If you ask me.

That having been said, if you simply must flout international copyright law, one can find fan-subbed Toradora episodes available for downloads on several questionable websites; likewise, the clever otaku may find links to a fan-translated version of the light novels through Toradora’s Wikipedia entry. You didn’t hear it from me, kids….

*a uniquely Japanese term for teen-oriented novels with manga-style illustrations; basically, not too different from the stuff you’d see in the Young Adult section in your local Public Library, except with themes more common to anime and manga and/or to the lives of Japanese teens.

NY Comic Con 2009

Yes indeed, it’s that time of year again - New York Comic Con '09.

My buddy Christian from the QBPL invited me to present the “Otaku Collection Development: Taking Your Collection to the Next Level” panel with him on Professional Day, Friday Feb 6th. Christian covered vintage works: darker Tezuka (MW, Ode to Kirihito), J-Horror (Drifting Classroom), and hack-and-slash Samurai stuff (Lone Wolf and Cub, Lady Snowblood). I covered accessible but under-the-radar modern manga (ala Yakitate Japan, xxxHolic, and The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya), as well as modern fringe stuff (ala Welcome to the NHK and Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei).

Personally, I thought we did dang good, although a blogger flamed us as being sexist because we didn’t talk about shojo. Ouch. In our defense, we were sandwiched between two shojo-centered panels, and we felt like more shojo on our part would have been overkill (although some people obviously don’t agree). Besides, you have to admit that something about two burly 30-something guys with huge red beards talking about comics geared to 14 year old Japanese girls comes off a little....well, creepy. Eh, whatever.

In any event, the Con itself was ok, but way more crowded than I remembered from last year; I suppose folks are in need of escapist entertainment more than even. I ran into an old manga-loving coworker, which was awesome; she had been “relived” of her job rather unfairly (at least in my opinion), so I was happy to hear that she was doing well at her new gig. Unsurprisingly, I went bat-poop crazy in the retailer section and picked up about 20 manga; the volumes were only about $4 each because I bought in bulk, so I grabbed a random selection of stuff I’d been either meaning to read, or just looked appealing…

-Comic Party #1 and #3 (Doujinshi artist-themed slapstick comedy; way weirder than the anime it spawned.)

-Neon Genesis Evangelion: Angelic Days #1 (NGE re-imagined as a school comedy/drama…an interesting idea, that’s for sure.)

-Ai Yori Aoishi #2, 6, and 8 (cloyingly sweet Love/Harem comedy. What can I say? I just can’t keep my hands off this crap.)

-Lupin III #9 (Classic seinen heist high jinks)

-Martian Successor Nadesico #1 – 4 (lighthearted space opera; the dated art and “flipped” format make it hard to get into, but I dig the series.)

-Cyborg 009 #8 (old school action/intrigue stuff with big Tezuka visual influence.)

-Samurai Executioner #3 (1970’s hack and slash Samurai action)

-Onegai Twins (dopey Harem comedy that, of course, I can’t resist)

-Iron Wok Jan #12, 14, and 23 (Chinese cooking showdown; way more dark and intense than you would imagine a cooking showdown series to be…)

-Those Who Hunt Elves #7 (action/comedy/fantasy/adventure about a man, two women, and a tank trapped in the land of elves. Raunchy plot elements but far more goofy than echi)

I also picked up ADV’s Martian Successor Nadesico box set; dated as it is in terms of it’s sci-fi theme and animation, I liked the bit that I was able to get through Netflix so I didn’t mind coughing up for copies of my own.

All in all, a dang good time – and not nearly as stinky/creepy as the NY Anime Fest!

***

Otherwise, things are pretty chill here at the biblioteca publica dé Otaku. Aside from watching the excellent Toradora and the offbeat Akikan (teen boy’s soda can transforms into a beautiful girl who must battle other soda-can/girls for “can supremacy”), I’m taking a real shine to Paranoia Agent, a supremely creepy psychological/crime thriller about the manhunt for a baseball bat-wielding boy on rollerblades; expect a review of one of these series (or Comic Party) before long.

Anime Feature Revies: Dagger of Kamui

Generally I don’t review older anime in this blog, although not from any particular dislike of the older art form; it’s just that most of the older material (Akira, Ghost in the Shell, Yu Yu Hakusho, what have you) has had so much written about it by western writers (fans and otherwise) that I don’t feel my voice can really add much to the conversation. That having been said, I’m going to deviate a little today and take a look at Dagger of Kamui, a full-length feature from 1985.

Wrongly accused of the heinous murders of his adoptive sister and mother, Jiro flees from angry villagers with only an ornate dagger in his possession. As he makes his escape, he crosses paths with Tenkai, a Buddhist priest (and secret agent of the Shogun) who convinces Jiro to enact revenge on his family’s killer. Trapped by Tenkai’s confederates, the sword-wielding man is quickly slain by Jiro, who is then taken under Tenkai’s wing and trained in the ways of ninjitsu. Once his training is complete, Tenkai sends the boy on a mission to recover a lost treasure…but after encountering his biological mother deep in the northern province of Ezo (modern day Hokkaido), Jiro finds out that he’s nothing but a pawn in Tenkai’s master plan to take over Japan – and that the man he had slain in revenge was none other than his own father. When he realizes that his bejeweled dagger is the key to the treasure’s location, Jiro sets off to recover the prize before Tenkai and his henchmen can.

I have to admit that nostalgia plays a part in it’s selection…like Ah My Goddess, Dagger of Kamui is somewhat of a favorite from my early, college years explorations in anime and manga. For someone just getting into the art form, the film’s complex and foreboding storyline, stylized fight sequences, and occasional flashes of hallucinogenic art gave me a taste of what anime (and animation in general) was able to achieve when it strayed from clichés.

So how does it still hold up after all these years? Like most older anime, yes and no. Although there are some creatively rendered villains, the character designs are fairly typical for the mid-80s (i.e. prominent eyebrows and sideburns) and admittedly date the film somewhat. Also, the picture quality is pretty murky – the animation would do well to be cleaned up, but a lesser-known work like this will probably never get it. That having been said, the druggy interludes and stylish fight scenes I remember are still hold up (in terms of visual impact) even after all this time; in this age of rapid-fire, fraction-of-a-second shots, the somber and languorous animation is a pleasant surprise.

Much like the animation, the plot is pretty hit-and-miss itself; the first half of the film (set in the wilderness of Northern Japan) succeeds in being superbly dark and intriguing, but
the action’s shift to 1860s “Old West” America came across as somewhat half-baked. Although I have to give the filmmakers credit for their attempt to blend Japanese and American history, the depiction of the American West is dull and clichéd. The action picks up again in the last half hour (when Jiro returns to Japan), but the momentum of the film is irrevocably lost, and the story’s complexity just becomes convoluted.

Still, there is much to recommend in Dagger of Kamui; the plot’s references to Ainu lore, ninja legends, western colonialism, and the collapse of the Japanese feudal system are intriguing and not the usual stuff of anime (ninja legends excluded, of course). Despite it’s occasional murkyness, the animation itself is a fine example of what pre-digital anime was capable of – many current anime features would do well to have as much imagination.

Flawed as it is at times, Dagger of Kamai deserves a larger audience.

Anime Review: Moyashimon

As a Christmas present to my readers (all three of them), I’m reviewing and recommending my end-of-year favorite anime, Moyashimon: Tales of Agriculture….





College freshman Tadayasu Sawaki has a secret: ever since he was a child, he has been able to see microbes (tiny microorganisms like bacteria, algae, protozoa, and fungi) without the use of a microscope. Furthermore, they appear to him not as weird single-cell organisms, but as cartoonish little creatures the size of a pencil eraser. When he arrives at a large agricultural university on the outskirts of Tokyo along with his buddy Kei, Sawaki’s unique abilities quickly amaze two of the university’s staff: kindly old microbiologist Dr. Istuki, a friend with Sawaki’s grandfather who’s been looking forward to meeting the exceptional young man for years, and the brash grad student Ms Hasagawa, who in her amazement forces the reluctant Sawaki to identify tray after tray of microbes for her. When Istuki and Hasagawa ask Sawaki to be their research assistant, Sawaki is soon dealing with a whole bunch of bacteria-related incidents and predicaments – from illegal sake-brewing to aphrodisiacs to (ugh) fermented seal carcasses.

It goes without saying that this is probably one of the oddest premises for a series I’ve come across in a long time; it was originally described to me as “college student can see microbes without a microscope, hijinks ensue”, and that matched my first impression of the series. But as I watched, I became impressed with Mayoshimon’s scope and its sheer cleverness; it’s less about adorable little microbes and much more about science, giving viewers both laughs and an easy-to-swallow lesson in basic biology. That’s not to say that Mayoshimon is something you’re gonna want to show in 8th Science class – there’s a few flashes of adult humor, and the genuine offbeat subject matter is hardly gonna attract Naruto or Kare Kano fans. Still, unlike other idiosyncratic series (ala Welcome to the NHK or Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei), there’s little dark humor to be found; Mayoshimon instead relies on relaxed humor, realistic interactions between characters, and a convivial slice-of-life feel to temper it’s outlandishness.

For those who can get around its unlikely premise, Mayoshimon is a real pleasure; Random House publishing imprint Del Ray agrees, because they’ll be releasing the manga for North American audiences in 2009.

11 Mini Anime Reviews

What up anidorks? Unfortunately, real life continues to get in the way of me being able to post on a regular basis. I was able to post more often when I had downtime at work, but lately my job has been crazy (more work, less staff) so I don’t really have time write 500+ words about butler anime. Likewise, when I’m at home I’m usually interacting with real, non-animated people that don’t speak Japanese (i.e. my girlfriend).

That having been said, I still find time to watch a fair amount of comedy anime – particularly now that I’ve figured out how to burn my downloaded episodes onto DVD (thanks to Laura S. and her recommendation of Roxio). And what’s on ‘em, dare you ask?

• Shuffle (Took a long time to download….and not as good as I remembered. Rout faux-sensitive harem comedy even a devoted harem comedy dork can miss.)
  
• School Days (Keen love triangle/comedy/slice-of-life/horror series ruined by its preposterous amount of panty shots; sweet baby Jesus, enough with the upskirts! From what I gather, the sensitive treatment of first love and heartbreak soon turns to slasher horror, so I’m interested to see this series progress.)
  
• They Are My Noble Masters (Slightly raunchy butler comedy. It was originally an eroge game, so you can guess how it goes. Once you can get past its inherent hentai elements it turns out to be an amusing series.)


• Hayate the Combat Butler (Wholesome butler comedy. I didn’t really care for it, but it’s clear that the series is geared to a younger crowd; because of that, I may try to show this in my Anime Club.)
  
• Zebu Sayonara Zebutsuo Sensei (Alternate version of Sayonara Zebutsuo Sensei…it’s, well, ok. Not perceivably different than the regular series, but maybe I need to watch more.)
  
• Rosario Vampire (Average horror comedy: normal guy gets stuck at a high school for monsters – some fearsome, some sexy. I had considered reviewing this series at one point, but it proved to be rather formulaic after a few viewings)
  
• Master Magician Negi (Another Ken Akumatsu harem comedy. I may do a review of this in the future, if only to review all of his series. This one ups the harem quotient by having one guy and 30 women, so the obvious outlandishness of the formula has got me intrigued.)


• Mahoraba Heartfelt Days (pleasantly innocent “wacky apartment building”-style comedy series along the lines of Maison Ikkokou. Nothing amazing, but it’s sweet, low-stress vibe is appealing. Like Negi, I may review this in the future when I’ve completed the series.)
  
• Tonagara (zany and ecchi comedy…teenage girl finds out her childhood crush is now a gross oversexed dork, i.e. your typical teenage boy. The “will they or won’t they?” tone is funny at first but the humor doesn’t hold up.)


• Moyashimon (Bizarre microbe science comedy, and remarkably good. I plan to review this one soon.)
  
• Toradora (My current favorite, this newer series – still being shown in Japan – is based on a series of light novels I’ve started reading as well. 2 high school classmates discover they have crushes on each other’s best friends, but their vow to help each other out has unintended consequences. Like Moyashimon, this one is going to be reviewed before long)

One of the joys I’ve found with watching a variety of individual episodes of different series at once is that I can avoid the burnout that I get watching the same series from beginning to end. Likewise, many series are better in small, occasional doses as opposed to heaping helpings. The one downside is that instead of having 1 or 2 awful J-Pop themes songs stuck in your heard, you have 4 or 5. Lord.



Anyway, I just put in an order for Persona 4, a new PS2 JRPG with an anime/dating-sim twist. I’ve been hoping to include reviews of anime-themed games here at Otaku Public Library, so perhaps this will be the first one. We’ll see. A few weeks back, I tried playing Samurai Champloo: Sidetracked but the gameplay was poor and the plot was incomprehensible….so no review of that. I’m actually debating the purchase of either an Xbox 360 or a PS3, a decision which is hinging on the number of anime-themed games available for the specific systems: the Xbox 360 has Naruto: Rise of a Ninja, whereas the PS3 has the appealing Valkyria Chronicles, and both have Dynasty Warriors: Gundam. Still, with so few games available for either system, it’s looking like I’m just going to wait for them to either come down in price or release more anime-themed games; in the meantime, I think I’m just gonna grab a $150 Nintendo DS so I can play Bleach: Blade of Fate…

Random Anime/Manga Term #239: Hikikomori

Hey y'all. I'm overdue for an update, so I'm posting the text and picture from a handout I've created for my Anime/Manga club describing the ever-popular hikikomori. It's pretty basic and probably familiar territory for some readers, so for that I apologize....

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Random Anime/Manga Term #239: Hikikomori

Meaning “to pull away” or “to be confined”, a hikikomori is someone that has decided to isolate themselves away from others and refuse all social interaction. The cause of the condition is unknown, but it seems that the intense social pressures of Japanese society - a very rigorous but boring school system, rigid rules of public behavior, and the typical challenges young people face when they’re transitioning into adulthood – can often prove so overwhelming to some that isolation is preferable.

Most hikikomori are in their teens and early twenties, and almost all seem to be men. A stereotypical hikikomori never leaves their apartment (or if they live with their parents, their bedroom), aside from going on late-night runs to the convenience store for food. They spend their time sleeping, watching TV, reading, or on the computer (Hey, that doesn’t sound half-bad! D) and survive on handouts from their family.

One of the most notable hikikomori in anima/manga is the title character of The Wallflower, Sunako. Those of you who dig the Peach-Pit body of work may be familiar with Rozen Maiden and Jun, it’s hikikomori protagonist; Welcome to the NHK also has a hikikomori protagonist, Sato.

You probably won’t see a hikikomori nearly as much as you’ll see a tsundere character (remember her?) in the manga you read and the anime you watch, but keep an eye open for him….they’re controversial folks in Japan, so manga artists and anime creators have definitely included them in their work.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hikikomori