***** warning : may contain some spoilers *****
Let me stay awhile,
Soak it in awhile.
If we can hold on we can fix what is wrong,
Buy a little time,
For this head of mine.
Haven for us...
- The Light Before We Land -
I recently finished watching GUNSLINGER GIRL, a 13-episode anime released in 2003 telling the stories of five (actually, six) girls : Henrietta, Angelica, Claes, Triela, Rico and Elsa. Each of them were, somehow, victims of cruelty in the past, but taken in by a secret organization which transformed them into mechanized weapons of assassination. In their system, each girl is paired with a supervisor/trainor to whom they exprss utmost allegiance to, and together they are called fratello (siblings).
I have actually read some negative online reviews regarding this anime: on how it seems to have taken advantage of the innocence of these girls, or how they were exploited to simply become tools of destruction and nothing more, or how they were manipulated into violence by an agency that only pretends to look out for them, or how it depicts men's superiority and the absurdity of the girls' blind devotion for them, etcetera. There is actually some truth in these reasonings. When I watched the first few episodes, I was honestly quite uncomfortable with the concept of young girls who can easily kill without any mercy or hesitation. In fact, I could even say that it was quite disturbing.
But delving deep into the plot, I found out that Gunslinger Girl does not really focus on the violence or the killings, or the superior-male inferior-female relationships. Sure, there may be discriminatory issues here which some may find unacceptable, and there is something insanely distressing (at the same time, appealing) about lolis wielding guns and demonstrating submission, but I think we should look beyond all of those. Gunslinger Girl is actually a deep psychological drama of the complexity of human emotions. It portrays the strengths and weaknesses of each character, and how they use their individual personalities to relate with the people around them, how they deal with and respond to their inner struggles and confusions. It shows us that although they may have grown up in a different system, yet somehow they are no different from any of us. They are simply young girls, who are still experiencing the joys and pains of growing up, and desiring the acceptance and assurance of the persons they love. It is a sad story, and the emotional aspects of it are seemingly real.
Gunslinger Girl is probably not something I will watch again, but it left quite a distinct impression on me. Like tasting something bitter, yet somehow discovering a peculiar sweetness in it. I really like how Madhouse made the animation. The artwork has a realistic feel, but in someway, retains a naivety in it. There is a sequel entitled Gunslinger Girl - Il Teatrino -, released in early 2008, and animated by Artland. Their character designs seem quite different, so I don't know if I want to watch it. But I'll think about it.
I've recently become quite a fan of Neil Gaiman, after being blown away by his clever storytelling and characterizations in Neverwhere. I have also read his other works. But perhaps what I really want to read and appreciate is Mr Gaiman's multi-awarded masterpiece, The Sandman. This set of graphic novels published by Vertigo relates the tale of Lord Morpheus, the personification of Dream, the Shaper who weaves us through the intricacies of our fantasies and nightmares. He is the anthropomorphic representation of our imaginations, the epitome of our passion for stories, the embodiment of our urges to seek for meaning.
Or at least that's what I imagine him to be, since I haven't read The Sandman yet. But I know for sure that he's a "cool" guy (not necessarily a Mr Nice Guy though), so I hope I can get to know more about him, and his siblings. The Endless, as they are called, are the brothers and sisters Destiny, Death, Dream, Destruction, Desire and his twin Despair, and Delirium (formerly Delight). It is such an interesting concept, especially the way Mr Gaiman gives life and character to these human states of consciousness... (I'm not really sure though if I'm using the right words XD).
Anyway, my friend lent me this book, The Sandman: Book of Dreams. It is a collection of short stories written by around 20 of the most gifted authors. Although each story has different characters, settings, and circumstances, but they are all based on the world of The Sandman. Even if I haven't read the graphic novels, I was still able to appreciate and enjoy the book. Some of my most favorites are (in no particular order):
STRONGER THAN DESIRE by Lisa Goldstein- A tale of a young ruler who wanted to prove to Desire that there is something far stronger than her... and perhaps, that something is Love...
THE BIRTH DAY by B. W. Clough
- A simple conversation between a young girl and the Lord Morpheus, a story of beginnings and rediscovery...
SPLATTER by Will Shetterly
- This piece tells of a writer of gory murder novels, who suddenly found himself in a situation quite similar to his fictional creations, only that it's actually real... This was a bit visual and gruesome, but I found it quite an interesting read.
AN EXTRA SMIDGEN OF ETERNITY by Robert Rodi
- This will totally leave you hanging and asking the question, "Who the heck is Cary!?!". But that is actually what makes it so striking, giving you that "extra smidgen of eternity" the author aims to accomplish.
THE MENDER OF BROKEN DREAMS by Nancy A. Collins
- A story of a skilled craftsman's quest in finding the truth of his identity, sprinkled with a pinch of hope and a twist of irony... A very imaginative work.
I also enjoyed most of the other stories, but I won't elaborate more about them anymore because that would seem like I'm retelling the entire novel. A book is by itself a work of art, and one has to read it to truly experience and appreciate the fascination and satisfaction it brings. I had fun, and I guess that's what matters the most in the end.
Several days ago, I had some opportunities to meet up with jaded_yume. We've known each other through our forum, CDOtaku, but we're not really close. Until recently that is. I find her very easy to talk with, and we seem to have quite a lot of things in common.
I think we may even have gone through comparable struggles in the past and possess similar wishes for our future. So it was quite surprising to be able to confide some of my dreams with her. I don't usually open up to people I'm not super close with.
Anyway, our obvious connection was our love for anime and manga (more of anime for me, and more of manga for her). She was very generous to share her collection with me, and I was able to HOARD quite a number of manga scanlations and several anime titles, including...
Full Metal Panic! Second Raid
Ghost Hunt
Gundam 00
Kenko Zenrakei Suieibu Umisho
Mushishi
Ray the Animation
Red Garden
Spice and Wolf
Toki wo Kakeru Shojo
Yamato Nadeshiko Shichihenge
Hooray. Let us live in the destructive ways of hoarding-ness and drown bit by bit in the whirlpool of our backlogs. \(^o^)/
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