Blah blah blah blah

[soc_puppet]

Argh, I need to get off my lazy ass and send out my currently finished Help Haiti thing(s). (One bidder, two things.) And then get to work on my next Help Haiti project, 'cuz I've got the most adorable pink yarn for it, and also found the perfect Burupya amigurumi to shamelessly base it on (Here, not here, after the uh. Birds? After the thing after the Keroro Gunsou team) (Not that the second one isn't admirable in its own way! Just, the first has more the look I want to go for; also, I'm pretty sure I know exactly how to pull off the puff-ball thing from yarn, so; though I may cave and go for the wings from the second one, at least, since they look hella easier than what I'm estimating the first one's wings might be, and still look like my mental picture. Also, it's probably mostly the color-mixing that's putting me off in the second picture).


Started watching Simoun yesterday :3b Am quite enjoying it, though I can definitely see how exploitation of trans*ness is an issue :|a Also, the subs are just... Well, they're a pretty good translation and language adaptation, but it can be difficult to tell who's saying what - and considering that it doesn't -have- a dub track, that... limits things a bit. Still, the music is gorgeous, I love the use of sparsely detailed watercolor background with stark lines and the contrast of the computer-animated and cel-animated characters and machines in the foreground, and I find the story and characters themselves to be deeply compelling.

I'll be watching to see if I can figure out a way they could have done this without the trans*-skeevyness, but so far nothing's coming to me. With thorough awareness of trans* exploitation for storytelling/yuri issues (and I'm ashamed to admit that, prior to a discussion of fantasy yuri sometime last year, I didn't even notice such things), I'm fairly sure I could still recommend this as a really great watch. The manga adaptations really pale in comparison. The trans* exploitation thing is really something I'd warn for, though; it's something of a caveat lector for anyone who's tired of "playing with gender" as a trope, for any number of legitimate reasons; if that describes you, this would be a series to skip.

Comments

[triaelf9.livejournal.com]

I love Simoun! ^_____^ And there is SO much that forces it towards Yuri. When I first heard they had to kiss to make the ships go (and that they have to like their partner, and that there's a top and a bottom and that it's all really one big metaphor for sex) at first I was all "seriously? so cliche??" but then the characters and the plot grew on me and I really loved the series.

[soc_puppet]

I'm totally enjoying it ♥ I only wish I hadn't procrastinated on my help_haiti project(s) so much, since it's difficult to read subtitles while crocheting ^^a I'll probably reward myself with the rest of the series once I'm done.

[triaelf9.livejournal.com]

I know the feeling T_T I can't crosstitch while watching anime I actually care to know every detail on. I can at least draw during Conan, since the subs are usually really bad and it's on the same screen ^_^

[hitode.livejournal.com]

Simoun is an excellent show.

[soc_puppet]

It absolutely is ♥ I'm glad I decided to splurge and get it :)

[mizuno-youko.livejournal.com]

I'm interested in learning more about the trans* exploitation in shows like Simoun. Would you happen to know of a good starting point for that?

[soc_puppet]

I'm not too sure about starting points at the moment, though some digging around Questioning Transphobia might turn up something. I'll try asking at Shakesville, too, though I don't know if anyone there will have any links or want to share insights.

On my own, I'd say that the biggest part of the problem is that the whole 'sex not wholly determined at birth' theme is basically used as a plot device. For trans* folks, I imagine that device can get very frustrating to sit through, especially since it rarely (to the best of my knowledge) reflects on the realities that they face every day.

Two discs in, Simoun has already done a little better than I expected, with Aer's determination to not let anyone else decide her gender for her, Elly's/Elliph's despair at the gender s/he was assigned at the spring, and the opposing soldier's story of being surgically altered in infancy to be male (though that brings intersexed persons to mind more than trans* persons, for me). Still, with Wacky Gender Antics being a recognizable and not entirely unpopular trope in speculative fiction, even an example that handles things well is still pretty rife with privilege.

Hope that helped some, and I guess I'll see tomorrow about (other?) possible starting points.

[mizuno-youko.livejournal.com]

Thanks, you've given me some food for thought! I'll check out the Questioning Transphobia link, too.