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WHITE BASE WIRES
03.20.04
by
Kryssa Kaupke, as introduced by Troy Brownfield
Troy's
note: For a little while now, we've promised the arrival of
a few new writers here at the mighty Shotgun. Astute readers
have already met new wrestling sensei Corey Henson. Another
promised arrival is our latest contributor here in The Bento
Box/White Base Wires. Her name is Kryssa Kaupke, and she was
hand-picked by Matt McConnel, who is currently pursuing higher
education in the frozen tundra of Michigan. Matt will be back
soon, I'm sure, but in the meantime, meet the newest member
of the team!
Pretear
More Information:
ADV Films
Content Rated: 15+
Rating:
 
This series,
from the same director as Sailor Moon, features Himeno Awayuki.
Her writer/artist father has recently married a wealthy business
woman. This woman, Natsue, has two daughters, and none of
them really approve of Himeno (except, of course, her adoring
father, who thinks his daughter is just wonderful). Just as
Himeno is settling into her new life, albeit poorly, things
get worse. Much worse. These strange men appear and tell her
she must breed with them and help save Leafeania!
… yeah.
That's pretty much what I said.
The series
comes with a rating of 15+. It's not particularly adult, but
the transformation of Himeno into the prétear is effected
by "breeding" which involves her joining hands with one of
the seven Leafe Knights, who, for all I can tell, range in
age from 5 to 30. After their hands touch their bodies meld
and they become a part of her. They are inside her. This makes
her the Prétear and gives her some special abilities. It is
also, I think, why it earned the rating it did.
All joking
aside, Prétear was pleasant and enjoyable. Surprisingly so.
The struggle between good and evil is more realistic than
I expected it to be. Himeno, as a heroine, is an odd mix of
valiant and stupid. (Why is it that so many of the good people
are so dumb?) She is likable, though and her faults are forgivable,
as the chief among them seems to be a desire to protect her
family - all of it, right down to the chauffeur of her step
family. The twists were expected, but not predictable.
Other
Notes of Note (from Troy):
If you
get a chance to catch a replay of this past week's South
Park, do so. It's a must for anime fans. The plot involves
the boys buying ninja weapons and occasionally engaging in
full-blown martial battles, rendered in a hilariously over-the-top
form. The best bit has to be the theme song, which detonates
J-pop conventions. Interspresing English, we get genius snatches
of lyrics like "protect my balls" and "let's
fighting love". The wailing of Butters is top-flight
voice acting, and the eventual punchline of the whole episode
is drop-dead hysterical. I eagerly await the promised "The
Passion of the Easter Bunny".
Also,
fans of international cinema in general should be aware that
some versions of Battle Royale II are now available
on DVD. Some won't play on U.S. players, and the U.K. version
hasn't been released yet, but it's worth keeping an eye out.
The first one is brilliant; I expect good things from this
one.
Last thing:
Bandai
has relisted several worthy titles, many at lower prices.
Check that out, and tune in to Gundam Seed, debuting
on Cartoon Network in April.
This is Kryssa's first time. Be gentle. Email her here.
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