Shut up and watch Xam’d [Linall's inaugural post]
August 21st, 2008 by Hey, it is that Linall guy
Hey guys, Linall here. I’m pretty psyched to have been selected to write for AniAri. Even though I do a bunch of writing in my spare time, being an English major, I never really tried to write anything more serious than a long winded forum post about anime. So it’s probably going to take a few articles for me to hit a stride I’m comfortable with. Still, I’m always trying to improve my writing so if you happen to have any comments about my posts please don’t hesitate to email about them. Just use a subject line like, “Your writing leaves me as cold as the box you will live in leaves you.”My friends often say that I hate everything. I’d prefer to think of it as having high standards. Still, whatever label you choose to place on it, I do tend towards expecting a lot out of a series. So look forward to me criticizing every element of a show, even the ones I am enjoying.Shirukii and I have very different tastes in anime, so hopefully this will result in a wider verity of shows for readers to comment on. The next article I post will probably be a catch-up on Xam’d (Episode two to five) and then I’ll continue on with that until something new catches my eye. Lates.e: The above was a dirty lie. I will not be writing about Xam’d for a while, just to make sure it is never going to get a TV release. Anyway, check comment #12 for the full story.
What’s that? You haven’t been watching Xam’d? Well, I suppose it’s understandable, seeing as how it’s being released online as a downloadable rental for the PS3 or the PSP. I’m not sure why either. Anyway, it’s a pretty sweet show about giant robots, giant biorobots, and other giant things. Ready to learn all about the wonders of the world of Xam’d?
This is awkward. I don’t know why studio BONES decided the first scene in the anime needed to be some albino swallowing a seed that was stored in a condom. If it makes you feel any better, this scene makes sense fairly early on in the series. Yeah, I don’t feel any better either. Hold me.
Our protagonist for this particular show happens to be some high school student named Takehara Akiyuki. He lives on the bafflingly small island on Sentan, which apparently only has the one town on it.
Surprisingly enough, Akiyuki’s character design successfully clears many of the pits the majority of anime protagonists do their best to fall into at every opportunity. Case in point, not only are both of his parents alive, but he has a normal relationship with both of them. The two are having marital problems, but the show hasn’t featured any “hilarious” domestic abuse yet. I guess this could be a fault for some anime viewers, but screw them anyway.
Now where would a high school student be without friends? Aside from being a head taller than anyone else in the show, Furichi (on the left) is one of those people who try to apply the rules of one thing to a completely unrelated situation. In this case it is the mantra of the unspecified martial art he practices. You’ll see what I mean when you start watching the show.Haru (the one in the middle) practices that unspecified martial art alongside Furichi. Working in accordance with the very fundamental laws of anime, she is far better at it than him.
So anyway, Akiyuki and the others head off for another exciting day at school when Akiyuki notices someone interesting.
It’s that albino girl from the ultra creepy intro. I wonder what she is doing on the bus to Akiyuki’s school? Oh! Maybe she is a transfer student and love will blossom between her and Akiyuki. That could lead to a spicy love triangle involving Haru. I can’t wait for them to get to school.
Here we are at school. What wacky adventures will Akiyuki and the gang get into today?
That is a nice cell phone charm you have there albino girl. You should probably show it to Akiyuki; I’ll bet that he would love it.
Hey, what are you doing…? Oh poop.
- – -
So then, just in case the above was too long, here are three simple reasons why you should be watching Xam’d:1. Not only is the opening theme song called “Shut Up and Explode” but it is fucking awesome.2. It’s BONES so the show is very pretty. Especially well done this time around are the backgrounds.
3. Apparently Xam’ds are created through suicide bombings.
Shirukii’s take:Linall is hilarious, although his sample post is short in length compared to Vadigor and Jay’s, I found myself chuckling constantly while reading it. Linall seems less inclined towards episodic posts and more towards reviews and editorials, which is a breath of fresh air for AniAri, which has seen exclusively the former. From reading his post and my limited correspondence with him thus far, I get the impression that we’ll see a lot of dark humor/satire posts from Linall. Good times await.
15 Responses to “Shut up and watch Xam’d [Linall's inaugural post]”
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*attempted html eats comment*
Anyway, this certainly is some obscure stuff, TT is failing me but I managed to get the first episode off it so I’ll see what it’s all about. Looking at a screencap of the Xam’d creature in question, the first that came to mind was giant pokemon rather than biorobot, but I’ll give it a try nonetheless. ^^
Fun post! Good use of screenshots and discussion to point out the more subtle parts of Xam’d (which can be kinda confusing at times… as in all the time).
@Vadigor: Wait ’till you see how it transforms. If pokeymans evolved like that, I shudder to think what kind of horrible melting fetishes would have consumed the internet.
@Kabitzin: Thanks bud. Whoa, what is this Birdy the Mighty I see on your blog. How did I miss this? I’m pretty sure I have a VHS copy of the OVA sitting on my shelf.
Also, what kind of crazy word filter turned my f-bomb into “Canadian”?
I like your style! :3 A fun read.
Ah that Canadian part was filtered? ^^
Now let’s see what this is all about. *starts watching*
I’m even more confused than before now. I don’t have a clue what’s going on here, but it certainly seems like an interesting show. Too bad it won’t start airing normally until september. >_>
>>”That could lead to a spicy love triangle involving Haru. I can’t wait for them to get to school.”
YES!!!
>>”That is a nice cell phone charm you have there albino girl. You should probably show it to Akiyuki; I’ll bet that he would love it.”
It is getting started :D can’t wait.
>>”Hey, what are you doing…? Oh poop.”
Uh…?
>>”- – -”
And that is what I got T_T
It’s great to hear that you’re writing posts now!
I enjoy your writing style as well. ^ ^
tldr.
Kiddings aside, I’m a sucker for cynical posts, and I especially like how you explained how this show inverts a typical high-school drama. Though at this point of the show, I’m getting tired of the whole “special training” sessions.
I see I no longer have a home here.
Good bye, cruel world.
It’s great to see new writers anywhere, and I heartily welcome people who have bitter, bitter thoughts on the entirety of anime (or the world in general O.O). I really need to find a way of using such a style in my own posts…
Its always great to see bloggers covering the best show of the season, which will never air on television it seems (what kind of retard came up with the idea to only plave the anime on the PSN? Do they think that will lead to a credible boost in the sales of a console failing in its market?)
Anyway, good night and good luck. MOCK WITH ALL YOUR MIGHT!
D’awww, thanks for all the kind words guys. Slight change of plans for my next couple of articles though. Seeing as how Xam’d is going to make it to Japan in September (Still not a TV airing, but meh) I’m going to hold off on posting anything more about the show for now.
My next article will probably be another post along the lines of this one, aka look at this new-ish series that you may have over looked because it is weird.
Eh… Detroit Metal City?
Oh yeah, and I would also like to see the writing samples of the loooosers who didn’t make it, if that’s possible.
This was a fun read. Nice job Linall.
I liked this funny bit
“Case in point, not only are both of his parents alive, but he has a normal relationship with both of them.”
And yes the opening is great. I’ve been listening to the opening….. RUN AWAY RUN AWAY….you get the idea.