:anime: Blacks and Head Shots in Anime -Phase Two- Begins

As mentioned earlier this month, "Phase Two" of "Blacks and Head Shots in Anime" has just begun, with topics on the subject launched at Mania/AnimeOnDVD and Anime News Network's respective forums last night, with a poll present in the former.  It is my hope to get a good gauge of the anime community's thoughts on this through two forums with differing personalities, and while it's nothing scientific, I believe this may still yield some interesting results.  I have my predictions, but we'll see where things go from here, though I aim to post about the findings when the topics get enough responses.  I'm pretty anxious to see what people's opinions will be, and hopefully, everything will go smoothly.

--HD

:anime: Blacks and Head Shots in Anime (Part 7 - Final)

<--To Part 6

Over the past six parts, we have explored the pattern of dark-skinned characters dying from head wounds in anime. We have also seen a number of peculiar traits shared among them and tried to place them in proper perspective with the issue, as well as history and culture. Yet, the question prevails as to why they die in such a particular way, beyond just story conventions.

:anime: Of Updates and Lengthy Write-Ups...

It's been quite awhile, but the seventh and final installment of "Blacks and Head Shots in Anime" has finally been completed. Its creation was certainly more arduous than expected, even after having plotted it early on. There was a two week-long "writer's block" of sorts at the beginning, but things afterwards started to flow again and I made up a lot of ground. Even so, the proofreading and revision stage was extensive, with sizable portions removed (and subsequently saved for a later time...), streamlined, moved about, and altered multiple times, with the final fine-tuning stage taking good deal of time itself, featuring a number of twinkings and testings. Mix in a few diversions (including computer matters needing to be addressed), some lethargy on my part from working on this, and the series as a whole, for so long, a few wasted days trying to update an iPod touch (the neverending backups...), as well as some genuinely difficult times writing things out, and you have a final installment nearly three months in the making.

As much care as I like to take in the quality and substance of what I write, even this was ridiculous. But despite everything that happened, Part 7 managed to turn out as well as I hoped it would. At the same time, while I dislike taking this long to write something up, I would much rather take my time in doing so than rush out a subpar piece just to get it done and over with quickly (though that doesn't mean I haven't been trying to write faster over the course of time...). Still, my apologies for the lengthy gap between Six and Seven. And as something a "joke", the latter will go live in a few days on the 18th (Sat.) at 2:02 AM--exactly three months to the day that former was posted. :) It also gives me some time to fit in this month's free anime pick...

Thank you for your patience.

--HD

HardDoor--The Fourth Anniversary

Four years. Hard to believe it has only been four years since starting HardDoor, a little blog about anime and boxing (and bits of randomness). Since June 26, 2006, it's been quite the time and new additions have come along the way, such as Decade's Best and the Free/Low-Cost Anime Directory & Guide (or just "The Directory" for short, and don't forget about the monthly picks!), and special pieces like the current "Blacks and Head Shots in Anime". Every anniversary, I like to reveal a little bit behind HardDoor's background or introduce a new feature, but this year's a little different, since I already revealed it a month early!

HD's Twitter page has been a great complement to the site, celebrating its own one-month anniversary today. It has really filled that void of keeping things up-to-date and providing commentary on things as they happen, even trivial ones, without having to post a bunch of entries each time. It's a simple, yet very neat service that fits the site well, but that's not the only thing going on on HD. The aforementioned special piece "Blacks and Head Shots in Anime" is entering its final stretch with the last part coming up, with the first installment of this year's Decade's Best edition following soon after (I was originally aiming to have it start today, but the former has taken more time than expected). There is also the Directory's much-needed revamping, and then...well, I'll keep that one under wraps... ;)

Here's to four and more!!!! :D

--HD

:anime: Blacks and Head Shots in Anime (Part 6)

<--To Part 5 | Part 7 (Final)-->

(Note: As earlier, because these cases not only involve the death(s) of a particular character(s), but can also delve deep into a show's storyline, naturally spoilers will be involved. Also, most of the titles covered are either for older teen or mature audiences.)

With the pattern of dark-skinned characters in anime being shot in the head, the focus has primarily been on five cases, as well as any common traits found among them, such as being "traitors" and having monstrous transformations. However, there have been a few instances where they have been involved in scenes that may have involved elements of head-related deaths or injuries, but not as overt as the cases given. While these are not as major, they are rather interesting in their own right and worth a mention.

:anime: Blacks and Head Shots in Anime (Part 5)

<--To Part 4 | Part 6-->

(Note: As always, because these cases not only involve the death(s) of a particular character(s), but can also delve deep into a show's storyline, naturally spoilers will be involved. Also, most of the titles covered are either for older teen or mature audiences.)

Case #5

Title: A Wind Named Amnesia

Character: No name given.



Format: Film

Description: Robot operator/apparent priest of the city's "god." Balding afro cut; wears a garish attire with tights, a fur cape, long black nails, two (apparently) bone-adorned necklaces (and an additional jewel-laced one closest to his neck), and large beads grapevined around his arms. Semi-realistic features (i.e. facial structure, average-sized lips, and complexion). Looks like a normal man in an outfit crossed between a wrestler and a witch doctor (though much more of the latter).

Background: One day, circa 1997, a wind blew across the earth that caused everyone to lose all of their memories and anything they had learned. With humanity reduced to nothing more than wild animals, the world quickly devolved into a chaotic state. A young man, roaming feral like everyone else, comes across a large building where a boy in a wheelchair is being attacked by a large, hulking man with physic powers and wires coming out of his body. Instinctively, the young man tries to help the boy by tossing rocks at the crazed figure, but he is slammed into a tree by a psychic wave. As he goes to finish him off, the boy shoots the man in the head from behind and kills him. Johnny, as he is called, befriends the young man and takes him to the research facility that was housed in the building.

And Now, For Your Reading Pleasure...THE OMNIUPDATE!!!!

Everything you could ever ask for in a post on HardDoor: anime, boxing, free anime, special features, beatdowns, and excessive fanservice! Let's get it on!!

:anime: Blacks and Head Shots in Anime (Part 4)

<--To Part 3 | Part 5-->

(Note: As before, because these cases not only involve the death(s) of a particular character(s), but can also delve deep into a show's storyline, naturally spoilers will be involved. Also, most of the titles covered are either for older teen or mature audiences.)

Case #4

Title: 3-D Magical Play
[Official Site - Japanese]

Character: Coffee/Cofy (Spelt as "Cofy" in the credits, but as "Coffee" in the subtitles. Because of the connection between names and food items in Magical Play, I will be sticking with "Coffee" for this piece.)



Episode: 1 (single-episode OVA)

Description: Mayor of Dance Valley and self-proclaimed "master of magic and dance." Heavy-set; wears tight, form-fitting green spandex, small white high-heels; wears a large round pendant around her neck and other forms of golden jewelry. Small, thin lips with silvery gloss. Tall, white box-cut hair with a purple-highlighted top. Overall appearance looks to be fashioned in an Afro-Caribbean flavor (introduction shimmying included) with an '80s-'90s flare. Likes to do a lot of dance moves and singing and combine magical attacks with them. Additionally, her musical cues bare resemblance to late '80s, early '90s dance and hip-hop beats. Has three stick figure-like attendants who dance along with her and act as her personal chair together.

Background: Padudu is a young girl looking to make a name for herself as a "Magical Girl" and win a tournament that will allow her to go to Earth and make it big there. She soon finds herself in jail, however, after being suspected of carrying magical weapons, which are illegal in the town she floated through (Magical Girls included). In Dance Valley's jail, she meets an older female Magical Warrior named Nonononn, who tries to discourage her from the path she's following, and is approached by the mayor, Coffee, who makes a flashy entrance and berates the two. After Nonononn insults the land's Queen (with whom she has shares a sordid history with), an angered Coffee decides to up her execution date to that night and invites the whole town to it. At the "party," she issues a challenge that if her "sister" could be defeated, she would be let free. The catch? The green Padudu would be fighting in place of the veteran, with both of their fates on the line.

:anime: Blacks and Head Shots in Anime (Part 3)

<--To Part 2 | To Part 4-->

(Note: As mentioned before, because these cases not only involve the death(s) of a particular character(s), but can also delve deep into a show's storyline, naturally spoilers will be involved. Also, most of the titles covered are either for older teen or mature audiences.)

Case #3

Title: Gungrave
[Official Site - English]

Character: Bear Walken



Episode: 23

Description: One of the top executives in the mafia group known as Millennion. An enforcer and absolutely loyal to its leader, Big Daddy, "The Family", and the "Code of Iron". Tall, solemn, imposing figure respected by everyone in the organization. Average black skin tone; Gray beard, black, short, swept-back hair. Always wears a pair of shades and a suit, except at home, where he is normally seen wearing a kimono in his Japanese-styled abode (follows a strict samurai-esque edict). Dotes heavily on his only daughter, who he raised alone after her mother (presumably of Japanese descent) died when she was younger.

Background: Brandon and Harry, the two central figures in the series, are street punks and childhood friends that find themselves in deep water after Harry crosses paths with the wrong people, including a rival gang and its leader's dangerous hitman brother. With three of their friends already dead, along with the uncle of a female friend of Brandon's, Maria, the two come close to losing their own lives until Bear appears to avenge the life of Maria's slain relative, who was an old friend of his boss, Big Daddy, that he had recently visited on his behalf. After the incident, Brandon and Harry go on an angry tear through the city and become one of its most feared forces. Harry, however, begins to feel restricted by its confines and wishes to expand elsewhere, leaving Brandon to take care of Maria.

:anime: Blacks and Head Shots in Anime (Part 2)

<--To Part 1 | To Part 3-->

(Note: As noted in the first post, because these cases not only involve the death(s) of a particular character(s), but can also delve deep into a show's storyline, naturally spoilers will be involved. Also, most of the titles covered are either for older teen or mature audiences.)

Case #2

Title: Blood+
[Official Site - Japanese, English; Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Crackle, YouTube]

Character: James



Episode: 47

Description: One of Diva's Chevaliers, apparently her favorite. Rather generic-looking "black person" design: low-cut black hair, basic facial features and build. Noticeable, large pink lips.

Background: The heroine of the story, Saya, has reluctantly taken on the task of aiding the secret organization Red Shield in dispatching the world of Chiropterans--beastly, vampiric creatures that prey on humans. Part-Chiropteran herself, Saya is also in search of the twin sister, Diva, that she never knew. However, she is at the center of the atrocities and has loyal servants named "Chevaliers" to protect her. These individuals were once human, but after being given some of her blood, now possess the abilities of a Chiropteran: from super-strength and -speed and immortality, to the ability of turning into super-powerful versions of the creatures themselves (similarly, Saya's blood contains the same properties, as she has her own Chevalier, named Hagi). Among Diva's five protectors is the stoic, by-the-books James, a U.S. military officer who is fiercely devoted to the one they call "Mother", who she seems to care for him the most.

:anime: Blacks and Head Shots in Anime (Part 1)

This was originally slated to be posted in mid- to late-February for Black History Month, but the past Winter Olympics and fine-tuning pushed its start to March. Parts 2 and beyond will be published every other day.

I have been an avid fan of anime for nearly fifteen years and have watched some 370+ works along the way. As much as I have enjoyed it and so much of its stories and artistry all this time, I could not help but notice a very strange, if not disturbing, trend concerning the deaths of black (or at the very least, "dark-skinned") characters.