Les Miserables: Shoujo Cosette

Episode 1: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.
Episode 2: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.

I've only watched the first episode, but it's fascinating. It's a very pretty anime, well-drawn-- apparently it's by the same studio that did the Heidi version I saw dubbed in German in Switzerland (Oh, the Swiss and their Heidi . . . any outlet is totally taken! Lol . . . ).

The best part is that I totally understand it; I don't even need the subtitles. True, it does help that I know the context, but it's not difficult Japanese at all-- or I've really gotten better at Japanese, perhaps? Heh, you'd never know it from my grade sheet . . .

Of course, it's not perfect, by any means-- but it does a better job than, say, the Harry Potter movies :-P It's definitely "beefing it up"-- adding details to small moments in the story, even sort of adding in plotlines (who the hell is Alain? He's like a pre-Gavroche/Petit Gervais/random plot device there to reveal Jean Valjean's past in tiny little gulps until we see the full-out flashback episode, lol . . . ). Of course you ask, "WHY THE FUCK WOULD YOU EVER NEED TO *BEEF UP* AN 1000-PAGE NOVEL???" but I guess since they're only working with about the first 1/5th of it (and nobody wants to see Animated Bishop's Ledgers or The Political History of The Revolution As Of Yet According To Anime, lol . . . ), they've got to spread out the action. It also moves rather slowly and sappily, but that's of course so that they've got the footage needed for poignant, slow-moving flashbacks (surrounded by the effusive flowers, of course) later :-P

Plus, it's totally attempting to convert the characters into sort of "anime archetypes," which may be successful in some cases but pretty freaking hilarious in others. I look forward to seeing it.

Ahh, it's like watching two of my greatest obsessions collide . . . make a Harry Potter reference and throw in a Romeo and Juliet sideplot and I'll cream myself.

("And, boys and girls, in case you're not familiar with 1950s terminology, when a girl 'creams,' it means that she's very excited." -Actual quote from my Psychology of Adolescence professor as we watched the "Greased Lightning" scene of Grease, lol . . . ).

Speaking of Romeo and Juliet, Danny needs to detail me on all of his traveling-to-Verona goodness. He took a day trip.

Les Miserables: Shoujo Cosette

Episode 1: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.
Episode 2: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.

I've only watched the first episode, but it's fascinating. It's a very pretty anime, well-drawn-- apparently it's by the same studio that did the Heidi version I saw dubbed in German in Switzerland (Oh, the Swiss and their Heidi . . . any outlet is totally taken! Lol . . . ).

The best part is that I totally understand it; I don't even need the subtitles. True, it does help that I know the context, but it's not difficult Japanese at all-- or I've really gotten better at Japanese, perhaps? Heh, you'd never know it from my grade sheet . . .

Of course, it's not perfect, by any means-- but it does a better job than, say, the Harry Potter movies :-P It's definitely "beefing it up"-- adding details to small moments in the story, even sort of adding in plotlines (who the hell is Alain? He's like a pre-Gavroche/Petit Gervais/random plot device there to reveal Jean Valjean's past in tiny little gulps until we see the full-out flashback episode, lol . . . ). Of course you ask, "WHY THE FUCK WOULD YOU EVER NEED TO *BEEF UP* AN 1000-PAGE NOVEL???" but I guess since they're only working with about the first 1/5th of it (and nobody wants to see Animated Bishop's Ledgers or The Political History of The Revolution As Of Yet According To Anime, lol . . . ), they've got to spread out the action. It also moves rather slowly and sappily, but that's of course so that they've got the footage needed for poignant, slow-moving flashbacks (surrounded by the effusive flowers, of course) later :-P

Plus, it's totally attempting to convert the characters into sort of "anime archetypes," which may be successful in some cases but pretty freaking hilarious in others. I look forward to seeing it.

Ahh, it's like watching two of my greatest obsessions collide . . . make a Harry Potter reference and throw in a Romeo and Juliet sideplot and I'll cream myself.

("And, boys and girls, in case you're not familiar with 1950s terminology, when a girl 'creams,' it means that she's very excited." -Actual quote from my Psychology of Adolescence professor as we watched the "Greased Lightning" scene of Grease, lol . . . ).

Speaking of Romeo and Juliet, Danny needs to detail me on all of his traveling-to-Verona goodness. He took a day trip.