とんずらこいて！

So I caught up with one of my friends from high school today.  And by "caught up" I mean that I saw that he had written an interesting note on Facebook, which then led to my Facebook stalking him to answer the age-old question: "whatever became of so-and-so?"  Come to find out my friend who I hadn't talked to in years that graduated with me from a high school in rural(ish) Arkansas is now living somewhere in Northern Africa (Egypt maybe?) doing who knows what, but probably (knowing him) having to do with something religious and missional.

All of this caused me to think of my own life and where I am.  At first, my thought was that my life isn't nearly as exciting as his and that I wish my own life were more exciting.  But upon further reflection, I found that this was not really true.  After all, life is as exciting as you make it and living in Mobile, AL as a vicar is nothing to sneeze at.

My subsequent thought, then, is the one that stuck with me and has caused this post: I'm so terribly American.  The American stench pervades my language, my culture, my worldview, my life.  Individualism is all I know, tolerance is my primary value, and self-centeredness is how I roll.  And perhaps this thought is merely a culmination of the thoughts bubbling forth in my last few posts, but I am truly disgusted with myself in this respect.

I don't want to be American.  I want to be Christian.  (Not American Christian.  This is a merging of American ideals and Christian teachings that is so mismatched and wonky that it really doesn't work.  It's like Christians trying to believe in Evolution.  The two just can't mix coherently.)  I want to have a perspective that is not centered on America, but on Christ.  I want to be able to think like God's child and not like his spoiled brat.  I don't want to be American.

And to achieve this, I must go.  I've got to get out of here and be someplace different.  Someplace where people don't think like me.  Someplace where people are waiting to hear the Gospel proclaimed in their cultural context.  I must go!

But instead, I'm jumping through hoops.  I'm jumping through the hoop of Seminary.  Then I'll have to jump through the LCMS World Mission hoop.  Maybe somewhere in there I'll have to jump through the more graduate school and doctorate hoops.  Even then, I'll have to jump through the which-churches-are-we-friends-with hoop, the funding hoop, and others.  And while I'm jumping through hoops, my friends are already out there, making a difference.  And that frustrates me to no end.

And so I sit here tonight frustrated.  Frustrated that I'm hopelessly American.  Frustrated that I'm not out there.  Frustrated that I can't hardly see the end for the hoops.

So I pray that the Father would give me patience, that he will send me where I can proclaim his Word, that he will make me less American and more like Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit.  In Jesus' name I pray.  Amen.

Fall Anime Revue: Two Schools and an RPG

So ... I don't really intend for this blog to be only about anime.  Really!  I intend to write about a whole RANGE of topics from religion to politics to culture to video games.  However, it's just that time of year, and I do what I must because I can ... or is that someone else ... anyhow, on with the reviews!

Hyakko:

As I first began to watch this one, I was unsure to say the least.  The only thing the opening titles sequence indicated was that it was about four high school girls.  Not usually the sort of thing I'm into, the notable exception being the AMAZINGLY funny Azumanga Daioh.  However, as I continued to watch, I began to feel that Hyakko might make exception number 2.

The premise of the first episode is actually pretty straightforward.  Nonomura Ayumi (voiced by Hirano Aya, voice actress of Suzumiya Haruhi and Lucky Star fame) is living every high-schooler's worst nightmare.  Not only does she not "fit in," but in-between classes she's managed to get lost in the halls of the expansive private school which she is attending.  While trying to find her next class, she encounters and joins up with three other lost souls attempting to locate the classroom for their next class.  Iizuka Tatsuki (the tall, proper and bossy member of the group), Kageyama Torako (the one who, literally, leaps before she looks), and Saotome Suzume (the quiet and intelligent one) join up with Ayumi to find their next class at all costs!

This may not sound promising, but let me assure you, this one has promise.  It features the sort of every-day situations with not-everyday people humor also found in Azumanga.  And already in the first episode, the chemistry (no, not romantic, but comedic) between the characters is spot on.  The traits of each compliment those of the others, making for an interesting group of misfits.  The animation style is refreshing as well, departing from the clean and uber-shiny animation you see in most anime these days to a style which seems at the same time older and stylized.  It's not really like the animation of Revolutionary Girl Utena, but that's the style which is coming to mind.  In any case, it's different, and in a good way.

Thematically, it looks as if the show is shaping up to be a slice-of-life comedy which still will explore some actual issues of identity, group-dynamics, and fitting in.  Obviously I don't expect it to be an essay on the topic, but already in the first episode, such themes have been engaged, and I will be interested to see how they play out.  In many ways, this show gives off the feelings of the live action film "Linda Linda Linda."  Finally, I have to mention the music, and particularly the ending, sung, of course, by Hirano Aya.  I'm a big fan of Hirano Aya's musical outings, and the ending sequence does not disappoint.

Bottom Line: Is it Azumanga reborn?  I don't know about that.  But it IS mighty funny while still reserving the ability to (lightly) engage real Japanese social issues.

Episode Watched: HYAKKO Episode 1, Subbed by Himatsubushi

Kyou no Go no Ni:

Kyou no Go no Ni, or in English, Today's Fifth-grade Class 2, is another interesting slice-of-life school anime.  Of course, not many school anime deal with fifth graders.  Whether it's an awkward study session with a classmate or a powerball contest gone awry or forming a broom guitar band with your classmates, this show will remind you of that special time when life was fun, girls weren't gross anymore, and goofing off was a way of life.

I've not got much to say about this one.  The animation's straightforward.  The topic is fun.  The writing is entertaining.  Really, this is a nostalgic look back at being a kid, before you encountered "teen angst."  It's just a fun show.

From a cultural perspective, this show obviously offers a bit of insight (albeit stylized and humorized) into what being a kid in Japan is like.  Once again, the things put in the show which Japanese people take for granted prove to be the most insightful for a student of Japanese culture.  For this reason, I'll be watching this one.

Bottom Line: It's fun to be a kid.  It's entertaining to remember what it was like.  This show helps you do just that.

Episode Watched: Kyou no Go no Ni Episode 1, Subbed by Chihiro

Tales of the Abyss:

If you didn't guess from the name, this one's based on an video game.  An RPG to be precise.  And if you didn't guess it from the name, you'll sure figure it out by the end of the first episode.  It's got all the hallmarks of the "tutorial section" of your typical RPG.  You wake up as the main character, who happens to be sheltered royalty with a boring royal life and who isn't allowed outside the palace.  You meet your friends, your family, and it's all okay if you don't know them.  After all, you DID loose all memories of your childhood in a traumatic incident several years ago.  You begin to spar with your sword trainer, learning the battle system, when something goes wrong.  An enemy attacks, you jump in, and suddenly some sort of hidden power within you hurls you and your attacker far, far away from the palace.  Now in the wilderness, you are beset with wild magical beasts (read "random battles") which you must fight to get back the life you just lost.

Yeah ... without the battle system and the interaction, it doesn't really do it for me, either.  It doesn't help, I suppose, that I never played the PS2 RPG, but I'm not really interested in this one.  Looking right now like it's going to feature the overused, "crap, the world's going to blow  up unless we set out on a 40-50 hour quest all over the world" storyline, but who knows?  I may catch a few more episodes, but really, this one is not interesting me at all.

Bottom Line: It's an RPG made into an anime.  If you want to play an RPG without interaction, get Xenosaga.  If you're too cheap to buy it, watch this.

Episode Watched: Tales of the Abyss Episode 1, Subbed by Osu!

That's it for this installment.  Hopefully I'll get in a post that's NOT about anime before I do the next set of reviews.