Hige vs. Otaku

It’s funny, so many of my animu blogging brethren (init) are getting exasperated about how much they love Eve no Jikan when, personally, I’m finding it nigh-impossible to express how much I’m enjoying Detroit Metal City. Like, for serious guys. I watch a few episodes and I’m gob-smacked. Completely dumbfounded. The best reaction I can muster is to plan how I’m going to introduce this tour de force of offensiveness to my filthy goth friends (of which I have numerous). The fact that I live in Glasgow makes DMC’s copious use of the c-word just all the more perfect. Although I’ve always sworn like a motherfucker the c-bomb has remained sacred and employed only when necessary. Until I came to Scotland, that is. Now I drop it so frequently in casual conversation that I actively worry about going home in case I let slip in front of my mother. Needless to say, this anime is practically handcrafted for the majority of my friends. Not since Honey & Clover have I ever felt this eager to show my generally anime-phobic chums something of the animated persuasion. Yes, not since Honey & Clover. How bizarre is that?

But there’s obviously more to DMC than the initial shock value of its foul language. I love its laconic exposé on the reality of these obnoxiously stylised acts. It takes the notion of ‘everyone has a mother’ and pushes it to hilariously cutting extremes. I also identify somewhat with the schism Negishi faces between his musical tastes and those he associates with. Most of my friends are the aforementioned goths who would legitimately enjoy DMC’s music. Obviously not so much the lyrics, of which they’d enjoy in the same self-mocking way I do, but the music isn’t too far removed from what I hear before a night out with my nearest and dearest. And yet I’m as indie as you can get without broaching Insufferable Wank territory. Negishi actually mentions Cornelius at one point and I sat there aghast, pointing at the screen in recognition. I’m not saying I’m all about Swedish pop music or anything – I do actually partake in metal diversions when something interesting comes along – but I can’t deny a slight twinge of identification with the boy. The animation style, too, is fantastic. I was initially a little unnerved by the heavy use of borders but Studio 4°C obviously have a vision in mind with the aesthetics and I’ve grown to love it. There’s also a certain superflat element to them that I really appreciate. So yeah, DMC is this year’s Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei. Only with more rape gags. So many more wonderful, wonderful rape gags.

I also managed to find a Michiko to Hatchin release that didn’t rape my computer in a horrible Krauser II-like fashion. I enjoyed the experience but can see the show becoming needlessly overrated by the community. It’s no Cowboy Bebop, that’s for sure. I got none of the sophisticated storytelling jollies from it as I did from Bebop, nor could I ignore how much it pandered to us, the white-ass crackers of the West. It seemed like a fairly tepid attempt to recreate that genre-striding filmic quality of Bebop though ultimately came off too contrived with none of the meaty substance. I agree with Bateszi that the torture suffered by Hana was very difficult to watch, thus successful in one sense, and I felt a bit of satisfaction when she broke free of it, but it could’ve been more acute, more gratifying. The concept of Michiko to Hatchin reminds me a lot of the manga Bambi and her Pink Gun, only with none of its fantastic anarchy. And seeing as it’s aimed at us, the violence-loving, gun-toting arseholes of the world, there seems to be an overt degree of restraint to it. If you’re going to be so obvious in who your target market is at least go completely nuts with it and show no restraint. Michiko to Hatchin is obviously a highly polished anime with a lot of financial weight behind it, so why not follow through with a punch that doesn’t feel so frustratingly pulled?