EUREKA SEVEN

AMAZING ANIME. THIS IS WHAT WIKIPEDIA HAS TO SAY ABOUT IT:

The series centers around Renton Thurston, the fourteen-year-old son of Adrock Thurston, a military researcher who died saving the world. He lives what he considers a boring life with his grandfather in a boring town. He loves lifting, a sport similar to surfing but with trapar, a substance abundant throughout the air, as the medium. He dreams of joining the renegade group Gekkostate, led by his idol Holland, a legendary lifter.

An opportunity to do so practically falls into his lap when a large mechanical robot, called the Nirvash typeZERO, and Eureka, its pilot and a member of Gekkostate, crash into Renton's room. Renton's grandfather orders him to deliver a special part to the Nirvash called the "Amita Drive", which releases the immense power dormant within the typeZERO called the "Seven Swell Phenomenon". Afterwards, Renton is invited to join Gekkostate, where he quickly discovers that the behind-the-scenes life of Gekkostate is hardly as glamorous or as interesting as printed in the glossy pages of their magazine, ray=out. Only one thing makes it all worthwhile for him: the presence of Eureka, the mysterious pilot of the Nirvash. Renton, Eureka, and the Gekkostate embark on an adventure that will shape their future as well as the world's.

Eureka Seven works on a wide variety of themes throughout its story. One of the most prevalent themes in the series is racial and religious tolerance and harmony, which is carried through the characters' relationships as well the series' conflicts. Some of the other more global themes that the series covers consist of issues such as allegories of real world conflicts and wars, current political climates from Japan and abroad, depictions of various subcultures and related musical movements that span several generations, and ties to environmental movements. The series also covers other more personal themes such as parenting, and family, along with a very innocent view of puppy love/love at first sight from Renton and Eureka. Identity and protection play a huge role for Renton and Eureka, as both of them say, "I am me" in the series multiple times, and Renton has sworn to protect Eureka. Continuing with themes addressed in previous series, responsibility and guilt manifest most explicitly with repeating the phrase, "You're going to carry that weight." The series works these themes, as well as the theme of growing up and change, into the journey of Renton Thurston.

KIND OF A LONG POST, BUT SERIOUSLY ONE OF THE BEST ANIME SERIES I'VE EVER COME ACROSS.

SKINS

Seriously, without any hyperbole, the single greatest show about young adults that the world has ever seen. Better than Dawson's Creek, Gossip Girl, One Tree Hill, Degrassi (both generations), South Of Nowhere, Pete & Pete, and The Wonder Years (Not that I watch these, *nervous laugh*). Better than My So Called Life. And that is not something you can claim lightly.

The cast of seasons 1 and 2 consists of:
Tony: the ring leader and all around tool
Sid: Tony's best friend, trapped in the endless love/abuse triangle of Tony and Michelle
Michelle: Tony's grilfriend, who's mother marries EVERYONE and who stays with Tony more than Jennifer Lopez in the first act of Enough
Cassie: Seriously eccentric and almost mystical in her insights, Cassie spent the first season at war with food. It just keeps trying to make her eat it.
Anwar: A Pakistani Brit who struggles with his religion versus his love of breasts and pills. And nudity.
Maxxie: Wants to be a dancer. Wants it all, really, but he cant have it.
Jal: Overachiever and musical prodigy, her father is like the British P.Diddy. Or he used to be, before her mom left. Jal always does what she's supposed to, that's soemtimes a good thing, sometimes terrible.
Chris: "No one on the corner has swagger like Chris." He is the crazyest character on the show by far, with a say yes to absolutely anything attitude and a tank full of fish hopped up on speed. Chris is the one your parents dont want you hanging out with, but also one of the greatest, well rounded characters ever on TV.
Posh Kenneth: A kid with both posh (upper class) and east london accents and personalities. He DJ's and raps as MC Toby Welch. Theres no such thing as a party without Kenneth.
Abigail: Bat shit crazy, goes to private school, would do anything to get Tony. And does.
Effy: Tony's younger sister, who doesnt speak a single word until the 8th episode. The only one who could ever outdo Tony. Effy is the only original character that will be in the 3rd season.

Season 3 premieres in early 2009, but everyone should watch seasons 1 and 2 as many times as possible before then.

THE TAKING BY DEAN KOONTZ

I've been a real fan of Dean Koontz for years, but when I read The Taking, I turned on my computer and started going over my own writing, using the digital equivalent of a red pen to dissect my own work into incomprehensible graffiti. Nothing was good enough. No point I made, no insight, no turn of phrase meant a goddamned thing in comparison to this book about an alien invasion. And when I'd finally talked myself down from that ledge, I still wanted to be a writer. Probably even more. Dean Koontz has never, in my memroy at least, wasted a word. Everything is important, much in the way that Battlestar Galactica (awesome) or Skins (too awesome for words) can take seemingly mundane information and turn it into a seizure of revelation when they finally drop the bomb. Just read it.

WHAT I'M READING: SANDMAN

There's a reason that this is the only comic series to win the World Fanstasy Award. It's completely and utterly worth reading and if you don't read it, then its because you're "utterly a banker" (a reference you won't get without reading volume 1).

WHAT I'M READING: SCOTT PILGRIM

Scott pilgrim was one of those things that I managed to avoid for years, just on the virtue of being an "art snob". I have a thing for photorealism in comics, and Brian Lee O'Malley's Scott Pilgrim didn't appeal to that part of me. Then one day I picked up volumes 1 and 2 in the library. This isn't a review. It's a threat. READ SCOTT PILGRIM OR I WILL FIND YOU.

THIS is seriously one of the best things I've ever tasted. Like the black tar heroin of candy bars.

Aaaand these...

Y Mas!

Wisnia got these pics in Paris a week or two ago: