Bits and Pieces

[felis_ultharus]

I have almost reached the end of that tedium called Krazy Kat: A Novel. And for the third time this schoolyear, I've had to ask myself, "How can a novel with so much sex and violence be so boring?" I mean, this one has terrorists, anthropomorphized talking animals, nuclear bombs, completely explicit BDSM sex, evil Hollywood producers, an ever-shifting Dali-esque landscape, Freudian psychology, and the Hindu goddess Kali -- and yet almost every page is a struggle to read because it's all so incredibly dull.

The only redeeming feature of this novel is that it introduced me to the strip that it massacres. I had Krazy Kat described to me as a dull milking gag about a mouse who throws bricks at a cat. Actually, it's more like an ancient forerunner of Calvin and Hobbes -- frequently quite intelligent.

One of the more interesting elements of the story -- totally ignored by the awful novel -- is that Krazy Kat's gender and sexuality are constantly in question, and seem to change from strip to strip or even panel to panel. Either way, he/she is in love with Ignatz Mouse. Surprising what they could get away with the 1920s that they couldn't get away with in the 1950s:



Also, we've started watching our first animé in ages here (not that either of us have time for it). It's called Kyou Kara Maou, and it seems to be a queer take-off on a very homophobic animé called Fushigi Yuugi. It's the story of a teenage boy pulled into a swords-and-sorcery fantasy world, who discovers he's next-in-line for the throne of sorcerer-emperor.

He also winds up engaged to another boy his age -- a beautiful but foul-tempered and jealous fire-mage named Wolfram.

Thanks, jenjoou :)

Comments

[seal7.livejournal.com]

Well sounds like Kat is bi and has a wife and a husband :P

But about Kyou Kara Maou, I'm just finishing that one up. .... And. Um. Yeah, I really liked it at first (a lot of that was due to Wolfram I suppose), and I also found all the theories about where the creators took the names from interesting... but beware, as it WILL be getting dull.
In fact, it is a major contribution to me getting sick with all of those pseudo-shonen-ai shows that really just pull Will&Grace on you.
....
>_>
Just saying. Here here, I've seen it too.

[felis-ultharus.livejournal.com]

"Well sounds like Kat is bi and has a wife and a husband :P"

You're quite right for that second one, but in the first one and in other strips, it just keeps changing.

And I know what you mean about pseudo-shounen ai, but this one is already better than a few I could name (looks in the direction of Gensomaden Saiyuki -- which drips with homoeroticism but would never go so far as having fiancés in the story).

[seal7.livejournal.com]

It's just that I feel the whole show becomes kind of pointless after a while. They make up new plots and stuff but nothing ever changes, you know? The characters least of all.
It picks up a little quality towards the end again, but ugh. >_> If asked for the better shows I've seen, this wouldn't be one of them.
Judge for yourself though. >.>

[felis-ultharus.livejournal.com]

I trust your judgment for these things. We don't always see eye to eye, but we do most of the time. And I can see how it could become repetitive.

Still, if it gets better towards the end of the first season, and they're still making them, that may mean that it just took them awhile to figure things out...?

*crosses fingers*

[jenjoou.livejournal.com]

It's inevitable that a show this long get dull and repetitive at some point (or maybe my expectations have been lowered). I'll admit that there's a point where the episodes seem meaningless and silly (need I say bee bears... you'll understand ) but it picks up again so I'll forgive the slip. :)

[seal7.livejournal.com]

There's even longer shows who hardly ever get that dull...
I think the show just stirs very little emotion, that's why I'd discard it from the staple of 'good anime' any time... It was interesting and captivating in the beginning, till you grasped the concept and had the characters and their quirks all introduced. After that, I find it barely ever makes you laugh again, or cringe, or ... anything really. Not even when it picks up again, it just doesn't manage to make you care.
But maybe that's just me.

[jenjoou.livejournal.com]

You're welcome :)

I just love how the show plays on all the "girl thrown into an alternate world" stories. I've read/seen so many incarnations of it so it's fun to see what's being spoofed where. :)

Plus shounen-ai with pretty boys like Wolfram are always a good thing :D

I'm 2 episodes into the second season now (that's ep 41... ), I wonder how long they're planning to kep the series going...

[felis-ultharus.livejournal.com]

I am liking it. I might be begging you for later episodes, as well :)

[jenjoou.livejournal.com]

And I shall provide :)