Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi Volume 1: Sasshi, I Don't Think We're in Osaka Anymore - Animation Insider
- Animation Insider
- Aaron H. Bynum
- 11/26/04
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Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi is one of the oddest, strangest, most far from reality and demented Japanese animated series that I have ever seen... but I love it. There are a good number of anime titles out there that are heavily steeped in Japanese culture (more so than the average anime show), and manage an audience that is only in tune with that particular mode of Japanese culture, whether it be food, sports, costume play, or whatever. Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi is a parody anime, which means that it pulls on the viewers knowledge of certain genres and mediums of certain hobbies for comedic effect. The anime draws upon the world of Japanese animation and comics and graphic novels itself, spoofing and giving twisted homages to series' or genres that its viewers might know of, Abenobashi parodies anything and everything the typical anime fight might know of. ADV took a big risk in licensing this title a few years back. I'm not even going to say that it might have been a risk, I'm just going to say that it was a risk licensing such a title... The reason being that with Abenobashi, every single scene of every single episode is filled with cultural references and Japanese idiosyncrasies that will give any cultural specialist or translator a headache for days. The more Japanese animation that makes its way to the west, the more keen western viewers are of the production process, which in turn means that viewers are more on the backs of the western production companies and distributors if something goes awry. This is very recent however, and it is to every fans advantage that a company such as A.D. Vision, Inc. managed to devote the time and energy to a wholesome translation for such a culturally significant title like Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi.
If only a few years ago, fans were as intelligent and knowledgeable as they are now, there would have been a better publicized uproar over Synch-Point's Furi Kuri translation work, which to say the least is quite ludicrous. As much as I love that direct-to-video work by... heh, Gainax... FLCL sports some vivid dismantling of original content. Fast forwarding a few years we have distribution powerhouse ADV Films and a culture-heavy title by the name of Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi, a parody anime title that takes shots not only at Japanese culture oddities, but also of the animation fandom and comics fandom that the industries have respectively fostered for decades upon decades. So how did ADV do in transferring all of the culture-heavy material? Pretty darn good.
The anime itself follows two pre-teenagers that live in the Osakan shopping arcade. A young boy named Sasshi and a young girl named Arumi are at one point mystically and unknowingly transferred to a series of parallel universes. As to how and why they are tossed around these parallel universes, I haven't a single clue, and feel like I will not have a clue until this series comes to an end in another dozen episodes. Nevertheless Sasshi and Arumi when transported to these universes, end up in different versions of their shopping arcade, but only in different time periods, different social eras, etc. Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi has a relatively simple plot, despite how abstract it sounds right now. Two characters continually revisit one location in Japan through different styles and means, parodying anime and manga. For it is as Arumi notes, ''I'll grant you one wish, anything you want!' my ass! That little goblin screwed up, so we've come to a world that seems the same but is a little different!' The humor and comedy of this anime comes from the interaction of Sasshi and Arumi with these ridiculous and odd universes?oftentimes going off of the fourth wall, as many of us like to say. (I might as well mention it now before the review really gets underway, but if you aren't a fan of parody, then this title isn't for you.)
Part II
Arumi is a childhood friend of Sasshi's, and having lived in the Osaka-area for who knows how long, she and Sasshi understandably have a hard time coming to grips with the fact that Arumi's family is moving. Arumi is supposed to me moving from Abenobashi in Osaka to Lake Akan in Hokkaido, but before that actually happens, the parallel universe tripping begins. Although this could be because a series of 'guardians' that protect the area have all been destroyed (i.e. a porcelain pelican), I like to think of it as another inexplicable piece of comedy for this anime series. This brings me to story organization for Abenobashi. With the exception of the first episode, which serves as plot exposition, the general continuity of the anime is a bit unsystematic and confusing. Granted, we have the: enter new universe-meet people-evoke parody-find way out of universe system apparently at hand, but because this anime is, in fact, a parody title, there is a high level of randomness and spontaneity. And as I'm sure you know, the problem with randomness and spontaneity is that in due time, a good half of such moments are left undefined and unchallenged, therefore confusing the viewer perhaps more than is needed. Abenobashi doesn't suffer from this tremendously, but it is still a moderate factor in enjoying the title.
This anime does more than adjust its storytelling approach though in order to convey a unique sense of parody. For instance, there is rarely a moving camera within this anime, and with a limited or nonexistent usage of the tracking or the panning shot, it forces the characters to [physically] move the attention of the viewership (and subsequently, would appear to be a testament to just how skeletal the screenwriting really is for this type of show). The director, Hiroyuki Yamaga, seems to have had this in mind as the show was being designed and produced, the notion that characters must move the story (as a vehicle) for the devices as invented and invoked by parody (the source of invention), it makes for a very good piece of work if done correctly. Character movement is also used to help the parody genre come alive in Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi. It is through surprisingly real character arm flailing and of character postures, which not only give this anime a bit of comedy, but it is also the meshing of the suspended disbelief in parallel universes and the life imitating art appeal as well.
There are really only two main characters for this anime, Sasshi and Arumi. There are other, supplementary characters that aid in advancing the story, but the focus is always on these two kids. I do think that for most animation fans this can become a two-dimensional story because of the lack of a diverse cast, including myself, but here's to hoping that the story in itself will be more rewarding than excess in cast. Arumi Asahina is for the most part a serious young girl; she is a well-grounded person, and solid thinker. Granted, she usually spends her time making sure to keep Sasshi in check from time to time with her paper fan. Arumi is a clever gal, but underneath her aspiring exterior lays the disposition of one still with girlish dreams, which makes for her to be a great personality. She often becomes jealous of Sasshi's easy-to-please attitude for instance, and when she finds something of interest to her, she conceals it from others. Arumi's pal is Satoshi Imamiya, Sasshi for short. Sasshi is an out of the ordinary twelve-year-old, wherein his life is entirely driven by popular culture and nothing else. From giant robot anime series' to video games to comic books, he spends most of his time analyzing how to compare the real world to that which he fantasizes about. When you hear the phrase 'simple pleasures for simple minds' you're thinking of a kid like Sasshi. The complimentary nature of these kids is defined by one moment in particular that ends with Sasshi's 'Oh, this is amazin'!' To which Arumi notes, 'This is retarded.'
These two characters fight and squabble like siblings, but at the same time, they appreciate one another's company like the best friends that they are. Other characters in Abenobashi include Mune-Mune, a bevy young woman whose ultimate purpose in the show is relatively unknown... Her vagueness drives the plot however, as the two kids not only try to get back home, but also try to discover just what it the hell is going on when you see the same person appear in front of you in multiple parallel universes; and by the way, mune means 'breast' in Japanese, which is no accidental pun. There's also a cross-dressing neighbor person known as [Ms.] Aki, but I don't really think you want to hear too much about him/her.
This anime was designed by Gainax Studios and was further produced by Studio Madhouse, two awesome areas of anime development and production that are really outstanding in all aspects now, as they have now been for some years. Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi's animation quality is high, but such a distinction is difficult to recognize because the animation-type varies every once in a while depending on what the title is parodying. To use another Gainax title as an example, Furi Kuri revolves around three or four styles of animation over the course of one episode, but still manages to be executed with the utmost efficiency. Because Abenobashi is a parody title above all else, it has to make strides at mimicry and invention at the same time, which is very difficult. There's one scene in which there is an ongoing parody of old-school RPGs?cheap villains, cheesy BGM, poor graphics, and all?and Abenobashi takes advantage of this atmosphere by adapting the visual look and feel of the anime to the parody. This also comes as a reference to Dragon Quest 1 (yes, 8-bit monotone?may god bless it), and the animation literally turns into a classic video game... and even as it sounds a bit strange, it's very funny.
The character designs do remain constant, no matter what type of animation the parody calls for. Whether in the thralls of a classic RPG title, battling space pirates reminiscent of Leiji Matsumoto work, set in the world of 2001: A Space Odyssey or of
Gundam or of Macross, the character designs for Arumi and Sasshi for the most part remain the same. Unless their characters are deformed in some hilarious fashion (as can happen when you switch from 'normal' to Kenshiro, Bruce Lee or Goku in the midst of a fight), the designs are relatively the same throughout.
The only complaint that I have with the animation for Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi would be regarding the shading, because I find that it is used rather carelessly. It does not seem to be an aspect of animation-type of any sort (as would accompany a certain parody or genre), but is only perhaps an undeveloped aspect of production that takes a backseat to others. I am led to this conjecture seeing as the shading is inconsistent, despite having random moments of clarity.
Part III
Moving on, the music for Abenobashi is a mixed bag of sorts. While I love the anime, because it throws convention out of the window with its style and humor, the music ranges from the overly grand, to that of elevator music, to of course, parody music (you'll recognized some Evangelion and Star Wars-esque tunes in their at some point). The music often plays extremely contradictory to the mood; for example, a goblin manages to have stolen Arumi's panties (which, is a very tragic thing to have happened) while we hear blissful and naïve elevator music. It's an aspect of the anime that I, for one, cannot chalk up to the parody genre. The music is generally fun, but doesn't seem to have the pizzazz that I was expecting for an anime that intentionally tries to grab the viewers attention in all other aspects of production.
The English language dub cast includes Jessica Boone as little Arumi and Luci Christian as Sasshi. Boone and Christian are wonderful actresses and hit the nail on the head with these two roles. Because the characters are from Osaka, it has become a custom of ADV Films to cast individuals who can not only voice whichever character as is for the anime, but a custom of ADV to also cast individuals that are capable of churning out a southern accent as well. Because Osaka (in relation to the rest of Japan), is a unique culture point wherein there are an abundance of societal differences, including language, the voice director(s) decided to transfer this aspect of the production of Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi to the west as well. So, in this anime as well as others (Azumanga Daioh is another example), characters from the Osaka area speak with a 'southern accent' to compensate for the language difference as originally depicted in the anime's Japanese dub version.
This note of how culturally saturated Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi happens to be brings me to discuss an 'extra' on the ADV Films DVD release of the anime. This first DVD volume (as well as its subsequent releases I would assume) possesses so-called 'AD Vid-Notes.' These notes are VERY helpful. They are interpretations the cultural insinuations and notes as mentioned throughout the television series. You can place them on the screen as if to be supplementary to subtitles, voice commentary (from Ms. Boone and Ms. Christian), and whatnot, but these AD Vid-Notes are probably the best thing the distribution company had come up with, aside form striving to maintain a high-quality translation in the script, that is.
Helping quell some of the randomness and confusion caused by a parody anime as swiftly paced as Abenobashi, these notes are great. How else would I know that Hakushon Daimaou, or 'Great Evil Lord Achoo' was a series about a bumbling genie who is summoned by a sneeze? Or why there's the proverb toukute chikaki wa danjo no naka which roughly means 'the distance between a man and a woman is so close yet so far...' I'll tell you why, it's because there are almost two streams of story, two working elements: the cultural reference and the actual nature of the anime (kind of like how comic strips are supposed to work as R.C. Harvey once told me: the intellectual integration of text and image), the theory that one element is relatively incomprehensible without the other. In any case, the before mentioned note regarding the roles of men and women in society reminds me of a hilarious argument between Sasshi and Arumi (which arises out of who is, or is not, going to do the dirty work): Sasshi states, 'Equality means you have to do the hard work too,' whereas the girl, Arumi states, 'Equality means I do what I want, and you do what you're good at.'
In any case, Abenobashi makes reference to actual superstitions that people have, makes reference to actual existing shrines and why people visit them, and much more. Wait, can Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi actually have some significance other than the fact that it's a funny anime show? Can it possibly tackle some issues of animation and society at the same time? Of course, that is what the 'parody' is, am I right? When there's a giant robot parody in the third episode we have this huge, horrible and ugly, massive thing dubbed the 'Abenobashi Shoppinkaiser,' which understandably takes a shot at just how stupid the concept of having a giant robot can be at times. While such a genre may have its good points, there is very little that distinguishes program from program of said genre once they all have a giant hunk of steel with a unique and frivolous name... that is, if the anime isn't already heavily steeped in sentai roots. The fourth episode though, has my absolute favorite parody so far, which is that of the fighting genre. With a parody of Fist of the North Star, Ranma 1/2, Dragonball, and Street Fighter to name a few, the episode finds Sasshi in a fighting tournament for no real reason in particular... which I find to be a great jab to the ribs of fighting titles everywhere, which often result in some idiotic organized tournament of some boring sort. At one point, Sasshi 'powers up' (yellow, spiked-up hair and all) and begins to copy the notorious 'Ka Me Ha Me Ha' energy wave...
but the result is a 'Ka Me Ha Me Hot?hot?hot?hot...' forcing him to drop the fireball... 'I'll try it again,' Sasshi concludes.
This anime is jam-packed with parody, and would serve as a great bit of interest for anime fans not only looking for a comedy title far out of the ordinary, but also as a great DVD for those fans looking to expand their knowledge of the subculture of anime and manga in Japan. There isn't much to dislike in a parody anime if the parodies are done in a tasteful and humorous manner, which is the case for Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi, but there is still a risk of the story running around in circles. Originality is a shallow pool for this genre, but for now it looks to hold enough for a program such as this, whether there's a scene with characters arguing over store prices with an abacus or a scene in which a gopher?out of nowhere?begins to talk to you.
Posted on Friday, November 26, 2004 (Archive on Sunday, December 26, 2004)