I'm just one page one, but this is gold in so many ways. Read it.

Myths over Miami.

It is... so sad.

Such good Shadowrun material, too. So many ways to interpret it.

But yeah. Sad.
















Where the hell are all those "Won't somebody please think of the children?!" people and the baby-kissin' Politicians?

they're still angry that the Bears lost the superbowl. they'll come out after valentine's day if they don't see thier shadows

They're fighting the real enemy: violent videogames and lite-brites on bridges.

~J

Heheh. I love it when local news becomes national news. Especially when its that stupid.

Then consider this: The article is from 1997. Most of them are probably dead by now.

*Goes off to find that bottle.*

Try reading some Charles Dickens. Sadly, nothing new about any of this.

My Sociology teacher made the case today:

Much as people like to shout "Think of the children! Someone please, think of the children!", they rarely ever practice it, because children are considered inherantly disposable things - we know how to make them and where to get more.


I'd like to think our moden world would be a bit more civilized. Sadly, I doubt it.

Probably not willingly, though—note that she only helps them if they know her True Name and can thus compel her into service.

Gotta start young if you're going to learn to keep slave-spirits properly.

~J

I did think it interesting that they say when a spirit or demon sees your face, they can find and recognize you forever more.

Reminds me of how if an astral entity sees your aura, he can recognize you forever more.

Great article though, very powerful. Thanks for sharing.

Well, again, though—she only helps those with her True Name, and thus the power to force her into service. I'm sure she's karma-farming on the side, but as demonstrated here, she doesn't have to actually help them to do it. Probably why she hasn't just killed them.

~J

...wow...

Definitely inspiration for a campaign there...

And I thought KK's backstory was too rough...

the author has written a few other interesting articles. here's one on Bahamian voodoun.

It's kinda freaky, maybe there really is something supernatural going on in the back streets and alleys....maybe not. I can see an anime being made about this as if their stories were real.

It actually reminds me vaguely of Karasu: The Prophecy.

I added a smiley to my previous post. Happy?

EDIT: And in case I misread/understood you, yes, I'd prefer something other than anime or a movie too. Gratuitous romantic interests, insipid car chases, and excessive explosions don't seem to do this kind of thing justice in my mind.

you'll have to forgive Draug. he's never seen any good anime.

True that. Recommend one to me?

Spirited Away is the one that comes to mind. honestly, though, that's not really my thing. Ghost in the Shell: Standalone Complex, Cowboy Bebop, and Outlaw Star are more my style. Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust is also good (the first one's good, too, but the animation's pretty dated). deep story, great action, complex characters. insipid car chases and excessive explosions are definitely out there, but they're certainly not hallmarks of good anime, y'know?

I'm a big fan of Texhnolyze and Koi Kaze. The first one has some weird clothes, and there's some shouting in both (mostly when people are angry, excited, or trying to get someone's attention at a distance), but no huge eyes or hyperactivity in sight.

~J

FLCL!!!!

Hey, there's a weapon for conversion into Shadowrun.

Guitar
Conceal 2
Reach 1
Damage (Str+1)M Stun
Legality 4P-C
Special: Successfully causing damage with Guitar causes a large welt. Two weeks later, it grows into a robot.

I've actually seen Spirited Away, come to think of it. It was good. So was, to some extent, at least before the raving sky god thingy, Princess Mononoke. Neither is gritty enough, though. Both were ruined by the presence of raving pikachu (or however you spell that) fangirls, though.

Ghost in the Shell? Yeah, that should be good. That, and Akira, I suppose. Seen that too.

I don't like Cowboy Beepop. Ditto Outlaw Star and Vampire Hunter D. Voice acting, style, etc. always puts me off. Never heard of Texhnolyze and Koi Kaze, but the name of the first one immediately bumps it down on my "things to see" list.

So, ok, there are some good animes/mangas out there.

Still, I'd like to see a good script before I see a shitty, whiny cartoon.

Don't watch Koi Kaze if you want gritty. Or if you want action. I think a character slaps another character at some point, but that's all you get for action.

As for your issue with Texhnolyze's name, more's the pity. It's some very solid cyberpunk, though you have to be able to tolerate not knowing what's going on for a little while.

~J

I can tolerate that. You said "weird clothes", though, and that's what scares me.

Well, not really.

There's a semi-cult that wears fox masks.

~J

Not worse? Well, that's perfectly acceptable. Now, all I need is time and a place that sells this kind of stuff...

Yeah, yeah, the intornetz. I'll tell you something: The post and/or customs services steal my packages.

well... see, if you're watching dubbed anime, you've lost the battle already. i don't want to sound like an anime snob (proof that i'm not: Evangelion was balls), but i get a lot more out of subbed anime because english voice actors usually screw up the emotions. they always sound like they're reading their lines.

Evangelion was excellent in historical context. I still enjoy it, but like many works that open up new possibilities, it didn't use them nearly as well as, well, a whole lot of stuff that came after. Still, "serious" series (in contrast with movies) were largely made possible by Evangelion and, before it, Nadia: Secret of Blue Water (which even I can't help but flinch at, though I can sorta enjoy it—not in any hurry to see it again, though).

Hm. I guess I'm an anime snob

~J

I believe I saw Spirited Away up there....yes I did

Hayao Miyazaki is one of my favourite anime directors by far, I grew up with his stuff. I also went to a Japanese school in the middle of Oregon, so anime and japanese culture is sort of my thing.

Good anime to watch includes: GitS: well all of them, although the second movie is a bit out there, Cowboy Bebop (and not just the first episodes, the real grit comes near the end of the series), Trigun (again definitely near the end of the series), Outlaw Star (ditto), Hellsing, Vampire Hunter D, Akira, Gungrave (Oh Gungrave how I love thee so), R.O.D. (the movie not the tv show), Silent Mobius, Serial Experiment Lain (trippy fucking story), RahXephon, Full Metal Panic, FLCL, well....ok I know a lot of anime and I will leave it be here.

Seriously though, I have gotten a lot of inspiration out of anime, as well as other forms of media. Don't get me started on what I got out of my marathon watching of Reservoir Dogs, Usual Suspects, and Boondock Saints tonight...

If we're going to hijack another thread.

For gritty, I'd say Ghost in the Shell, the Aeon Flux (anime, if you want something really fucked up) and akira. (i'm having trouble remembering.

I'm a huge Cowboy Bebop fan (and FWIW, I actually prefer the English dub to the subbed Japanese in this case). I also love Trigun (same) and I've recently discovered Samurai Champloo (which I think is better subbed rather than in English).

I haven't ever gotten around to Vampire Hunter D or Akira, but everyone says they're great.

All in all, I don't watch much anime because I don't seek it out. When I notice and have an opportunity to follow a good one, I like it, but anime isn't really a focus for me.

I must be the only anime fan on earth that actually didn't like Akira.

No you aren't. It was about as bad as the ending of Evangelion.

I agree, it was that good.

(Seriously, though, can you explain what you disliked about Akira?)

~J

Iria, Zeiram the Animation?

Akira was amazing! And the setting? That's just 80's Japan with a few more motorcycle gangs. It was PERFECT.

yeah, that's it. Been forever since I saw it last. Only time I found it on the net the voices were way too out of synch with the animation.

For Akira, like I said, dunno. Just didn't do much for me, maybe I need to see it again.