There are many aspects to a SIGGRAPH convention, but one of my favorites has always been the Computer Animation Festival, and the SIGGRAPH Asia 2014 con coming up next month looks to have a good collection. The gathering takes place in Shenzhen, China, from December 3rd to the 6th, and as always will feature the cutting edge in what is being created in the world of computer graphics.
The final Miazaki masterpiece The Wind Rises hits the shelves this week, in a combo BD+DVD pack. Unusually for an anime, it tells the true story of one of Japan’s top aircraft designers, or at least as true as any movie ever gets. It follows his life from that of a young man almost to the end, with all the style and compassion Miazaki is known for. With a totally different attitude we also get Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, another twisted story from Frank Miller told from the pages of his graphic novel, with an excellent cast. Automata goes in still another direction, with Antonio Banderas as the robot hunting enforcer in a world where the machines are more human, and humane, than the people. Even though several versions are already on the shelves, I had to mention that the Frozen Sing Along Edition is being released this week as well; follow the bouncing snowflake!
The only genre TV show I found a reference to being released this week is Wolfblood: Season 2, and for a 13 episode series to go for $10 on its day of release says something about the level of quality you can expect from this one, I suspect. Although it is a BBC (or CBBC, more accurately) show, and airing on Disney in the US, so that says some good things.
In Anime, besides the previously mentioned The Wind Rises, two other Miyazaki animation classics are being released on Blue Ray for the first time; Kiki’s Delivery Service, and Princess Mononoke. I am thinking I will have to upgrade my copies from DVD.
New this week is the very amusing I Couldn’t Become a Hero, So I Reluctantly Decided To Get a Job, about a man who graduated Hero School, then had to get a job in retail when the war against the Demons ended unexpectedly, also ending his paycheck. But his culture shock is nothing compared to his new co-worker, the daughter of the now-deceased Demon King! We also have One Piece Season 6 Part 2, bringing us up to episodes 349 through 360 on disc, while streaming just showed episode 670 this past week.
A Certain Magical Index: Complete Season 1 brings the entire first season together in a single box set for the first time, which means you can pick it up for a bit under half as much as you would have paid by buying the previously released Season 1 Part 1 and Part 2 individually. This story is a heady mix of science and sorcery in the same universe as the genetically modified parapsychics of A Certain Scientific Railgun. Likewise, Death Note: The Complete Series includes all 37 episodes of the TV show for a decent price, but none of the movies, either live action or animated.
This weekend they held the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Governors Awards, and as part of that they gave the Lifetime Achievement Oscar to Hayao Miyazaki. I have ranted often enough about what an amazing craftsman, director, animator, writer, and on and on he is. I think this time I will let the presenter and the recipient speak for themselves.
I have been waiting for this week! This Wednesday we get Interstellar in a limited number of theaters around the country (check here to see if there is one near you). In my part of the country it will be at the Lockheed Martin IMAX, National Air & Space Museum in 70MM, but on Friday it opens everywhere. Also beginning Friday, Big Hero 6, from the creators of Frozen and based on the comic book of the same name from Marvel. And if you are in the mood for a bit of reality, the docudrama The Theory of Everything, about the life and love of Steven Hawking.
The best movie coming out this week is definitely Maleficent, which includes the best performance I have ever seen Angelina Jolie deliver. The special effects were also quite good, and it really put Sleeping Beauty into perspective as quite a different story than the one Disney told in 1959. Also this week is Hercules as played by Dwayne Johnson, and the family-friendly Planes: Fire and Rescue.
I didn’t see any genre TV coming out this week, but we do have White Collar: The Complete Fifth Season, which is always a fun show. Season 6 begins Thursday, and will be their final season.
Anime gets a couple of choices. Nyaruko: Crawling with Love!: Season 2 continues the rather strange and amusing tale of the guy being protected by three of the Old Ones of C’Thulhu, who shape shift into cute girls to blend in. Yes, it is a romantic comedy. Ben-To is also a comedy, about the food fights that take place when Bento boxes are marked down to half price.
I did not find any genre programs in movies or TV this week, but their are a few in Anime. Fairy Tail – Part 13 brings more magical chaos and collateral damage in episodes 143 through 153. Hellsing Ultimate: Set 3 has the renegade vampire taking on more of his evil counterparts across Europe during WWII. Finally One Piece: Collection 10 has episodes 230-252 for those who enjoy friendly pirates.