Shikabane Hime: Aka – Promising, At Least [Episode One]
Well, that’s a relief. Being a GAINAX devotee can be a sadomasochistic occupation at times. Short of a show having Yoshiyuki Sadamoto character designs and the golden touch of Anno and/or Tsurumaki, it’s very difficult for fans to be dead-cert on the ever-capricious studio’s output. Particularly if they’ve only just recently had a phenomenal success (remember all the dross that followed FLCL?). Luckily, under the watchful eye of Hiroyuki Yagama (make another bloody film, you!), Shikabane Hime: Aka turns out to be a solidly entertaining experience. For its first episode, at least.
The visuals are reassuringly comprehensive. GAINAX have gone with their house style character design – that is to say, mild Sadamoto plagiarism – and made it a touch more angular to compliment the eerie atmosphere they’re aiming for. The animation itself doesn’t necessarily dazzle but maintains consistency and has a lot of surprising creativity during the action sequences. What really impressed me about Shikabane’s aesthetics, though, were the gorgeous twilight cityscapes and the use of light in general. I’m massively gay for lighting in animation and Shikabane has a good handle on it – street lights glow in ways that evoke hazy summer evenings, cities are awash with false neon to fend off the night. Good use of lighting can elevate somewhat average animation and make it look special, and this show is an excellent example of such. It’s typical to have such cautious faith at the beginning of a new series, but if this mid-level quality is maintained throughout the run then Shikabane Hime will be a reliable visual experience.
Story-wise, we’re getting a pretty conventional supernatural horror story here, albeit in a very comprehensive, entertaining fashion. Shikabane doesn’t necessarily do anything unexpected with its story or plot, but more importantly it doesn’t strictly abide by the tropes typical of the genre and offer up bland predictability. Fan-service is present, of course, but not jarringly so. The characters are archetypes but likeable and have potential to develop some emotional depth. No particular scene stood out as a ‘wow’ moment yet my attention was absorbed in a way that didn’t feel like I was wasting my time watching. All in all, as with the animation, I’m cautiously optimistic that Shikabane will develop into a solidly entertaining yarn. Part of me is certainly relying on the GAINAX factor to push it above its current mediocre-to-good existence but I can see myself enjoying it even if doesn’t pierce the heavens with its mighty drill-phallus.
Of course, all this reads like the apologies of a fanboy and I actively admit to such concession making. But that’s not to say that Shikabane Hime: Aka isn’t worth keeping an eye on or that GAINAX have shat out another average filler show. Just keep your expectations grounded and you’ll have a good time with it, of this I am sure.
October 11th, 20086:13 pm at
Why’d you gender ‘lighting in animation’?
. . . yeah, I haven’t actually seen the first episode of Shikabane Hime.
[Reply]
October 11th, 20086:34 pm at
@IKnight: Gender it? You mean the ‘I’m gay for it’ comment? That just means I really rather like it.
[Reply]
October 11th, 20088:10 pm at
I got the same impression as you did from this (no surprise, huh? ;P). I’ll give it another ep or so before posting my own thoughts on it though, because it seems to be keeping something important back during those first twenty-five or so minutes.
The thing is, this is very different from what Gainax have done before; not that they do the exact same thing twice anyway, but an apparently straight-up, no-nonsense supernatural thriller is such a departure that I’m reluctant to make my mind up about it yet. My mantra is, I’d rather see something simple done well than something complex handled badly. That is to say, if it stays on the course it’s on I won’t be disappointed – I’d prefer that over trying, say, adding needlessly convoluted character relations or examining the morality of killing the shikabane, and failing in the attempt.
Thinking about it, Gainax have only really let me down with This Ugly Yet Beautiful World (I’ve avoided He Is My Master like the plague) – even Mahoromatic was decent and Abenobashi was good for at least the first half. As long as Shikabane Hime doesn’t get over-ambitious or suffer a budgetry/scheduling disaster it will remain, as you accurately put it, solidly entertaining.
Moving onto the little things the use of light, the Sadamoto-inspired character designs and what I found to be assured direction ensured that I’m enjoying it so far; the energy and sketchy art of the action scenes reminded me of Gurren Lagann too. And the fanservice was quite reined-in. Who’d have thought it?
[Reply]
October 12th, 20084:42 pm at
@Martin: Oh, there’s certainly a load of allusions to Dark Pasts and Mysterious Secrets. I avoided writing about specifics just because we got such little information on the whys and wherefores. All this withholding of information means GAINAX still have an opportunity to make their mark, too.
I agree that Shikabane seems focused on the fundamentals rather than misguided attempts at sophistication. I think that’s what ingratiated it to me thus far. And it’s funny that so many people are saying the action sequences remind them of Gurren Lagann, because many of GL’s action sequences reminded me of FLCL. It’s the GAINAX circle of life, I guess!
[Reply]
October 20th, 20082:48 am at
I’ve watched the first and second eps. So far I like it and am waiting for ep 3 ^_^
Just started Gurren Lagann as well. After Evangelion, the only other anime I watched (completed) by GAINAX was Top wo Nerae 2! (also watching the original now XD).
[Reply]