Gone fishin'

[icepixie]

Huh. Something came and stole the goldfish in the middle of the night. Mom emptied the pond, and he(/she)'s nowhere to be found. I'm guessing a racoon or possum is the culprit.

As Phileas Fogg, or any number of other Victorian aristocrats, would say, "the damned cheek!" Hmph.

*

So during my last visit to YouTube, I discovered that back in the early '90s, a Japanese animation company made a 40-episode series based on the Von Trapp story, calling it Trapp Ikka Monogatari. The first twelve episodes are on YouTube, and in a more-coherent format here.

Despite the fact that it's anime (I'm not a fan of anime, partially because everyone is so damned cheerful and cute, and also because the creepy eyes on all the characters scare me in the same way Kewpie dolls do) and also the fact that the theme song has highly suspect lyrics such as, "We're all lonely angelic cry-babies inside/flying up the stairs of our dreams two at a time" (for my sanity, I'm assuming something was lost in translation there), it's actually not bad.

It's an odd experience watching it because it's obviously based very closely on the book by the original Maria Trapp*, but at the same time, the teleplay was obviously written by Japanese people. The commotion over bowing as a sign of respect, calling the Reverend Mother the "Director," etc. etc....very odd. And they seem to have added an extensive Upstairs Downstairsesque subplot involving the maids, not to mention various events that are never mentioned in the book, which makes it a bit agonizingly long in places. (It takes Maria three episodes just to get out of the frickin' abbey!) But it's still kind of addictive nonetheless.

Anyway. There's your odd TV of the day. Enjoy.


* Why, yes, I do in fact have a tattered old paperback copy of said memoir, and have probably read it six or seven times since I bought it at around fourteen years old. If you haven't read it, you should; it's really quite good.

Comments

[rowdycamels.livejournal.com]

As Phileas Fogg, or any number of other Victorian aristocrats, would say, "the damned cheek!" Hmph.

Or, as Darwin would say, "Mmmm, goldfish..."

I should've known that the only kind of anime that could tempt you would involve The Sound of Music. You win at YouTube. Or perhaps lose. It's hard to tell.

[sleepingcbw.livejournal.com]

At first, I thought this was a strange post for Kate to make. ARRRRRGH ICONS


partially because everyone is so damned cheerful and cute

Ehhhh? Cowboy Bebop!

My grandmother met Maria von Trapp, and said she's even more impressive in person. (I think. I was nine the last time I talked to my grandmother.)

[icepixie]

Or, as Darwin would say, "Mmmm, goldfish..."

Poor fishie. :(

I should've known that the only kind of anime that could tempt you would involve The Sound of Music.

It would've had to have been either that or Canadians. Or possibly figure skaters.

You win at YouTube. Or perhaps lose. It's hard to tell.

Oh, it's definitely lose. (The entire series is up there, but is dubbed in Italian. I've been watching bits and pieces, trying to puzzle it out using my lapsed Spanish skills. It's taken so verbatim from the book that I'm actually making a surprising amount of progress...)

[icepixie]

At first, I thought this was a strange post for Kate to make. ARRRRRGH ICONS

This is why you read the little letters under the icon... ;)

Ehhhh? Cowboy Bebop!

Possibly that's an exception. I've never seen it. Really, the only other anime I've seen are a few Miyazaki films (Howl's Moving Castle, Kiki's Delivery Service), and the occasional bit of Sailor Moon while flipping through channels. They all sound so freaking enthusiastic. Kind of like they're undergoing mind control.

My grandmother met Maria von Trapp, and said she's even more impressive in person.

Wooooow.

[sleepingcbw.livejournal.com]

This is why you read the little letters under the icon... ;)

It's finals season! I don't have time to read letters! :D


Possibly that's an exception. I've never seen it.

I would say you should see it, except it's really more like, you should have seen it when you were in high school. Everyone's very nonchalant and secretive.

[pezprez.livejournal.com]

the only other anime I've seen are a few Miyazaki films (Howl's Moving Castle, Kiki's Delivery Service), and the occasional bit of Sailor Moon...

That would be why you don't like anime. Those all target pretty young audiences. It would be like judging the entire BBC on Teletubbies.

'Cowboy Bebop' is a space western with great characters and music. 'Paradise Kiss' is another one I enjoyed, about kids doing fashion design. And 'Akira' is definitely worth seeing, an 80s-tastic post-apocalyptic classic.

I can give you two very useful tips when it comes to watching anime:

1) The Japanese love hallucinogenic sequences and bizarre sidenotes. If you don't understand it, just let it go.

2) ALWAYS WATCH THE JAPANESE VERSION with subtitles. I honestly don't know what the English actors do, but the dubbed versions almost always suck.
*Cowboy Bebop is an exception. So is 'Orphen' which is made of 'What's Up Tigerlily' awesomeness.

Aaaand I've revealed myself as the geek I am...

[icepixie]

It would be like judging the entire BBC on Teletubbies.

Eeek. Yeah, they did seem a bit kiddish...

The Japanese love hallucinogenic sequences and bizarre sidenotes. If you don't understand it, just let it go.

Perhaps that's my problem with them...

I honestly don't know what the English actors do, but the dubbed versions almost always suck.

Really? Huh. My issue with this Von Trapp series is actually with the Japanese voices. They're high and chirpy (the adults, not just the kids) in a way that REALLY, REALLY bothers me. The Italian and German dubs don't have that issue. But that's probably the aimed-at-kids thing...