|
|
alicia (![[info]](http://www.journalfen.net/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} aloysius) wrote,@ 2004-07-31 20:43:00 |
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
Tokyo Babylon Photographs, Magma Taishi 1-3
Drabbling while waiting for PGSM 42 ...
CLAMP: Tokyo Babylon Photographs
Possibly the only CLAMP artbook I've ever wanted, though I do own a few more that I'm not sure what to do with. Oh, wait, that's a lie -- I really want the new Soryuden artbook, too. But I swear that's it! This is the (almost) last time I pour money into CLAMP, inc.!
One thing I find fascinating about CLAMP in a good way (they sure are fascinating, but usually in a TWS-y way for me) is their ability to invent one style for each title they do and stick to it. They've become relatively tame with it these days, especially with their color work (the color pages of Tsubasa are so ordinary, they're dull; xxxHolic is a bit better), but when they started out there was no mistaking it: TB was slick, smooth, and with lots of bright, primal colors, while RG Veda was, well, Gigerian. Although Mokona's art is far from polished in TB, it's still my favorite of all the styles CLAMP has taken on.
I mean, it's so bright and camp and cool! The shoulder pads! The capes! The hats! The crosses! The skirts! OMG I luv!
I have heard people complain that not all of the fold-out color pages of the tankobon are included here, and I do think that's a bit of a shame. Like china!Sei-chan. Although I own the tankobon so I can just go look there. To make up for it there were actually a few pictures here I had never seen before, which I didn't think there would be because the amount of TB art online is huge, so that was lovely. I understand why people wouldn't scan and upload, say, that extreme close-up of Subaru with only one eye showing, but it's lovely. The sexay red hot Hokuto-chan is lovely, too. Everything's lovely!
Well, except the bananas. What's up with those bananas?
One thing this book reminded me of is that I adored the grown-up!Subaru design from the end of TB and volume 8 of X. He's so almost!seme and rather Japanese looking, it's a pleasure. I'm still upset with Mokona that X!Subaru keeps turning younger and younger and more frail!bishonen for every volume. What's up with that? Screw it! I want Asian!Subaru.
Tezuka Osamu: Magma Taishi vol. 1
I love Tezuka Osamu, but I'm into the more adulty bulk of his work (Phoenix, Black Jack), so this early title very clearly aimed at young children wasn't my thing.
Earth is invaded by the alien Goa, who intends to replace all the humans with copies and thus take over power. A boy and three robots made by an old man called Earth (this name is slightly more subtle in Japanese) fight back. The boy's mother is replaced and he goes to her rescue, etc. It's pretty typical stuff.
Tezuka Osamu: Magma Taishi vol. 2
The boy's father has formed a resistance with a few remaining humans, and they figure out that the copies (a type of alien with strong mimicry abilities) have a weakness against a certain fungus. Humans defeating seemingly superior aliens by exploiting an unexpected weakness is pretty standard SF, but this might be one of the more interesting takes on it.
Tezuka Osamu: Magma Taishi vol. 3
Goa was defeated by the fungus in volume 2, but comes back with another plan: he has captured Garon, a weird space entity of some kind that goes around doing good deeds, and taken out its "brain" -- a living organist resembling a human child. When the "brain" is taken out of Garon, he becomes a destructive monster. Goa proposes that Earth lets one of his robots fight Garon, and whoever wins will take Earth.
The outcome of this isn't particularly interesting, but I found Garon fascinating. Something resembling a huge Transformers-like robot, operating with a human child inside! What a strange creature; I'd love to read more about how he works. I understand perfectly well why Kitô Mohiroplagiarized it was inspired by it when writing NaruTaru.
On a side-note, the cover of this volume is really gay. In a Transformers slash way, but still ...
Drabbling while waiting for PGSM 42 ...
CLAMP: Tokyo Babylon PhotographsPossibly the only CLAMP artbook I've ever wanted, though I do own a few more that I'm not sure what to do with. Oh, wait, that's a lie -- I really want the new Soryuden artbook, too. But I swear that's it! This is the (almost) last time I pour money into CLAMP, inc.!
One thing I find fascinating about CLAMP in a good way (they sure are fascinating, but usually in a TWS-y way for me) is their ability to invent one style for each title they do and stick to it. They've become relatively tame with it these days, especially with their color work (the color pages of Tsubasa are so ordinary, they're dull; xxxHolic is a bit better), but when they started out there was no mistaking it: TB was slick, smooth, and with lots of bright, primal colors, while RG Veda was, well, Gigerian. Although Mokona's art is far from polished in TB, it's still my favorite of all the styles CLAMP has taken on.
I mean, it's so bright and camp and cool! The shoulder pads! The capes! The hats! The crosses! The skirts! OMG I luv!
I have heard people complain that not all of the fold-out color pages of the tankobon are included here, and I do think that's a bit of a shame. Like china!Sei-chan. Although I own the tankobon so I can just go look there. To make up for it there were actually a few pictures here I had never seen before, which I didn't think there would be because the amount of TB art online is huge, so that was lovely. I understand why people wouldn't scan and upload, say, that extreme close-up of Subaru with only one eye showing, but it's lovely. The sexay red hot Hokuto-chan is lovely, too. Everything's lovely!
Well, except the bananas. What's up with those bananas?
One thing this book reminded me of is that I adored the grown-up!Subaru design from the end of TB and volume 8 of X. He's so almost!seme and rather Japanese looking, it's a pleasure. I'm still upset with Mokona that X!Subaru keeps turning younger and younger and more frail!bishonen for every volume. What's up with that? Screw it! I want Asian!Subaru.
Tezuka Osamu: Magma Taishi vol. 1I love Tezuka Osamu, but I'm into the more adulty bulk of his work (Phoenix, Black Jack), so this early title very clearly aimed at young children wasn't my thing.
Earth is invaded by the alien Goa, who intends to replace all the humans with copies and thus take over power. A boy and three robots made by an old man called Earth (this name is slightly more subtle in Japanese) fight back. The boy's mother is replaced and he goes to her rescue, etc. It's pretty typical stuff.
Tezuka Osamu: Magma Taishi vol. 2The boy's father has formed a resistance with a few remaining humans, and they figure out that the copies (a type of alien with strong mimicry abilities) have a weakness against a certain fungus. Humans defeating seemingly superior aliens by exploiting an unexpected weakness is pretty standard SF, but this might be one of the more interesting takes on it.
Tezuka Osamu: Magma Taishi vol. 3Goa was defeated by the fungus in volume 2, but comes back with another plan: he has captured Garon, a weird space entity of some kind that goes around doing good deeds, and taken out its "brain" -- a living organist resembling a human child. When the "brain" is taken out of Garon, he becomes a destructive monster. Goa proposes that Earth lets one of his robots fight Garon, and whoever wins will take Earth.
The outcome of this isn't particularly interesting, but I found Garon fascinating. Something resembling a huge Transformers-like robot, operating with a human child inside! What a strange creature; I'd love to read more about how he works. I understand perfectly well why Kitô Mohiro
On a side-note, the cover of this volume is really gay. In a Transformers slash way, but still ...
