Shore Leave

 

I've been in a minor holding pattern of late.

 

A much needed one and only summer vacation had to happen and actually trying to squeeze something like that in with two busy kids is never easy.  We did finally make it happen and I've shared a few spontaneous and picturesque shots here with you captured on the fly from the trusty iPhone. I enjoyed letting go as you can see judging by my captures of the sky while laying in the sand.  Really - shy shots?  I know.  I remember looking up and thinking - cool.  I enjoy getting caught and lost in the simple things.  Lana Del Rey may have been playing.  It can get very dreamy and relaxed listening to Lana.

 

I'm glad I did let go for a little while. It is healthy.  I'm really not the biggest beach person either but it was fun.  Drunks studs chased their beer cans into the ocean.  A seagull passed by and I captured him in the blink of an eye.  It was so bright I didn't even know how well the shot came out until much later.  We had a lost Corgi hang with us at the beach.  Jellyfish.  Seals.  Sandwiches.  Keebler cookies.  William Shatner's Memories and Back To Frank Black: A Return To Chris Carter's Millennium.  Yep, life was pretty good.

 

Getting kick started on the writing front after going limp on the beach is another matter. I always want to put something of quality together for you and that sometimes takes longer than I would like especially when I need to get my pulse back.

 

I actually did write up two reviews over the course of this little vacation and those will be headed your way soon. I watched two films with my niece and nephews (triplets) so they probably aren't quite what you'd expect, but they will hopefully be fun reads.

 

To compound a busy week of getting to a point of relaxation I had work done on my house and that actually took a great deal of effort to prep before and after vacation, which slowed me down further.  Still, I'm getting there.

 

I'm very sad to see the summer coming to an end - a massive summer that included great moments playing baseball with my son, watching my daughter make me laugh and visits to the theatre to see films like the wonderful Pacific Rim (2013) twice.  I'm hoping to see Elysium soon, but free time is running out again.

 

I really loved this summer though. As Lana Del Rey sings on her first album, Summertime Sadness. And did you know I really loved Pacific Rim?

 

Anime Insider: 50 Best Anime Series

As I slowly get myself back on track I thought I'd deliver one more anime post for those looking to educate themselves on some of the best options out there within the genre.

Unfortunately, this is yet another odd, random list from Anime Insider #18 (2005).  I'm not exactly sure what the operating variables were in their selection process for the 50 Best Anime Series. For me personally a series denotes something with continuity or more than one. So, why would some full-length feature films make their list and not others?   It's a completely bizarre assembly of the best and certainly defies logic, but I thought I would give that list to you in the event you were looking for a starting point on films or series despite the Anime Insider's complete disregard for the English language while I strategize on more robust future posts. I've edited the list to try and note this Sci-Fi Fanatic's highlights.  This is a small complement to the previous Anime Insider Best Anime Ever post here.













46. Saikano
43. Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack
39. The Animatrix
34. Ghost In The Shell
32. Witch Hunter Robin
30. Macross Plus





29. Trigun
28. Interstella 5555 (music by Daft Punk)
27. Hellsing
26. Urusei Yatsura: Beautiful Dreamer
25. The Castle Of Cagliostro
24. Wolf's Rain
23. Perfect Blue
20. Ninja Scroll







19. Castle In The Sky
18. Rahxephon
17. Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust
16. Escaflowne
15. The End Of Evangelion
14. Mobile Suit Gundam Seed
13. Grave Of The Fireflies
11. Cowboy Bebop







10. Fruit Basket
9. Read Or Die
8. Robotech: Macross Saga
7. FLCL
6. Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex
5. His And Her Circumstances
4. Akira
3. Rurouni Kenshin: Legends Of Kyoto
2. Spirited Away/ Neon Genesis Evangelion.







Gatchaman (Battle Of The Planets), Starblazers (Space Battleship Yamato) and other classics just never get the love.  And will they ever release ISao Takahata's Only Yesterday on DVD or Blu-Ray? What is the hold up? 







It's sad to think the anime industry has really taken some major hits in the states as far as economic viability. As an industry it has become increasingly fragile with many of the free streaming sights and bootlegging options harming companies and even forcing some to close their doors entirely.  I've always been a firm believer and advocate of purchasing officially licensed and produced product to support the industry.  With the downturn in the economy over the last many years anime has struggled and any opportunity to support the industry is the way to go.



Having said that, there has not been a great deal of new anime product that has captured my attention.  I am looking forward to Ghost In The Shell: Arise and maybe Last Exile: Fam, The Silver Wing (both slated for release in 2013 in the states).  Still, I often look to the classics and many of the titles from the heyday of anime.  It would be nice to see anime have a strong resurgence in the market.  Still, there are plenty of wonderful ideas and concepts being generated from anime and the art form deserves better.

Michael Ansara (1922-2013)

"There is a storm coming, a black and terrible storm. We would not have our knowledge lost or used to ill purpose. From this place we will launch ourselves into the stars.”

 

-Michael Ansara as Elric from the writing of J. Michael Straczynski in Babylon 5, The Geometry Of Shadows-

This is a little delayed.  I simply could not get to a computer the day of his passing.  It's never too late to pay tribute to talent.

The man who would be Elric of the Technomages and essentially warned the Babylon 5 universe of the coming of Shadows and led his people beyond the rim of the galaxy in the wonderful entry The Geometry of Shadows (Babylon 5, Season Two, Episode 3) has passed.



Syrian born Michael Ansara (1922-2013) was an important player in science fiction delivering a host of wonderful, colorful characters throughout science fiction.  He embodied memorable roles in Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea (1964) (Killers Of The Deep), The Outer Limits (Soldier written by Harlan Ellison) (1964), as The Ruler in Lost In Space (1966) (Season One, Episode 22, The Challenge; played The Ruler opposite a young Kurt Russell as his son Quano), The Time Tunnel (two episodes) The Mod Squad (1971), as Killer Kane in Buck Rogers In The 25th Century (1979-1981) and Elric in Babylon 5 (1994).



Ansara was a prominent character voice within the Star Trek mythology.  He is one of a small cadre of people to retain the same role across the Star Trek universe.  As Kang he appeared in Star Trek: The Original Series (1966-1969) (Season Three Episode 7, Day Of The Dove), Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1994-1996) (Season Two, Episode 19, Blood Oath) and Star Trek: Voyager (1996) (Season Three, Episode 2, Flashback).  Ansara also appeared as Jeyal, husband of Lwaxana Troi, in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (Season Four, Episode 21, The Muse).



Speaking of muses, Ansara was married to the gorgeous Barbara Eden (I Dream Of Jeannie) for many years and had one son.  His hometown was Lowell, MA.  He was a 91 when he passed.