CAA: Christian Anime Alliance

...the reviewer, who was obviously quite lost as to the plot but wanted to give the movie a good recommendation anyway, writes something to this effect (going by memory here at the office, but it should be pretty close):

'The thing about anime, is that it isn't about story; it's about whether or not you can feel what the characters are feeling.'

(I take it the reviewer thought the film succeeded at that... {g})


Speaking as someone who personally prefers for story to have primary importance; and as someone who appreciates the stories to a lot of anime... eh. As much as want to disagree with this, I'm not sure I entirely can. Since I've occasionally thought as much myself (usually when I'm in a bad mood, or watching a Godzilla film--which is stylistically similar to the kind of cinematic art anime is. {s})

Anyway, I thought if someone hadn't seen the EW review yet, it might be an interesting discussion. So: discuss! {g} (stepping back to watch for a while {s})

JasonPratt wrote:Anyway, I thought if someone hadn't seen the EW review yet, it might be an interesting discussion. So: discuss! {g} (stepping back to watch for a while {s})

While I have no time to discuss at the moment, I have just realized, Mr. Pratt, that you are a man after my own heart.

He even says it's a spin-off of a hit television show on Cartoon Network, so, hmm, perhaps one SHOULD watch the show first before the movie if you want it to make a lick of sense.

Crazy thought, I know...

Well, the reviewer was correct in saying "feeling what the characters are feeling", but the story is important too... The reviewer is half-correct.

*is lost* is this an article? A show? *confused*

It's true that anime are very character driven stories, but I wouldn't say anime isn't about plot, either.

Part of the problem is you CAN'T understand the movie well without watching the series, from what I know about it. XD *hasn't seen it yet...will soon, at the NDK showing* I mean, most movie adaptions for TV shows...you don't have to watch, say, the Powerpuff Girls show to get the story of the movie (...that movie isn't that great, though, but it's the best example I can think of). I can't imagine reviewing FMA--it'd be like trying to review the last few chapters of a book seperately from the rest of the book. It's tough.

ChristianRonin wrote:*is lost* is this an article? A show? *confused*

Sorry CR. Entertainment Weekly is a... um.... well, a weekly (usually) magazine covering entertainment news. They have reviews of most film (eventually), some DVD, books, music, commentary on television, etc. There was a short review of the Full Metal Alchemist movie; and the reviewer clearly wanted to give the movie a compliment and a good review, but couldn't make heads or tails of the plot.

I certainly wouldn't expect the film to be _necessarily_ accessible to people just walking into it without seeing the series, of course; but it was the generalization the reviewer used (as both an excuse and ground for a compliment), which I was interested in.

It does lead into the topic (probably covered to death already here {g}) of what exactly are defining characteristics of anime (and maybe also of manga. Subtopic: are there any distinctions between those two other than one is a bunch of drawings flipped together to simulate motion? {lopsided g!})


As a (newly) professional author (and publisher), the topic is of some professional interest to me, too. I would love to see my novel (and eventual series) serialized as manga and/or anime. But what are the characteristics of manga/anime per se?

(stepping back again for a while to attend to discussion)

PS: AHH! AHH!! I managed to do some proper formatting!!! (how'd i do that...??? {g}{searching})

Clearly the reviewer was simply asked to review something he knew little if anything about.
It would be interesting to compare this review with say ones in Newtype and
Anime Insider.

Having now read the article, I think the reviewer missed the point slightly-- in my view, the emotions of the characters are the plot of the Hagaren movie.