Gephyrophillia | Watch This Space #117

Originally Posted on 06/07/2004 by Jeff Harris

I don't tend to talk about live-action around The X Bridge. It's live action; I'm all about action-animation. But there's something I've noticed as of late. The worlds of anime and tokusatsu are colliding more and more every day in the land of the rising sun.

What is tokusatsu? Well, you've ever seen Power Rangers, Masked Rider, Beetleborgs, Ultraman, or other similarly themed live-action shows? They are the most familiar versions of tokusatsu that this side of the Pacific knows about. Americans only get a small taste of tokusatsu, which is more often tasting like sentai. Sentai's good and all, don't get me wrong, but like anime and action-animation, you shouldn't just think that sentai's all that tokusatsu is all about. You have the basics like super heroes, fantasy, and, of course, science-fiction. Think of all of your action animated favorites done in live-action.

That's what tokusatsu is all about, and in a lot of ways, the worlds of anime and tokusatsu are being bridged closer and closer in Japan in recent years.

Remember Kikaider? Great show that aired on Adult Swim last year about a cyborg trying to find a place in the world, not unlike Toonami vets Cyborg 009 and Astro Boy (which is currently seen at 8 PM EST on the block). What you may not know is that three decades before it was animated, Kikaider was a live-action series with pretty much the same characters and same visual design. Not surprisingly, the guys behind fan-favorite Kamen Rider were also behind this series.

Remember Sailor Moon? Sure you do! For three seasons (1998-2000), it was the headlining show of the Toonami afternoon lineup. The adventures of an awkwardly klutzy young girl who discovers that she is Sailor Moon, one of the many protectors of the universe from the dark forces of the Negaverse. Call it silly, but it definitely brought in the masses early on. In 2003, just when fandom in this country was dwindling, Sailor Moon made a return to the Japanese airwaves in a whole new way. Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon reintroduces all the characters seen in both the manga and animated series for older audiences and introducing them to a new generation. It's been praised throughout the fandom in recent months, but it'll probably never see the light of day in America.

Or will it?

The Japanese implosion is just getting started in this country. Major studios like Sony and Dreamworks have launched units to distribute anime films in both English and the original Japanese languages (btw, if you haven't seen Tokyo Godfathers, shame on you; this film is beautiful and a great story; definitely not the typical animated film by any stretch of the imagination). American films with a Japanese touch like Kill Bill and The Last Samurai are getting critical and box-office praise. Later this month, ADV will launch The Anime Network as a 24/7/365 network. Their publication of Newtype USA is widely circulated in many of this nation's fine bookshops as is Viz's publication of Shonen Jump. Manga has taken over entire walls in many bookstores, led by TOKYOPOP and followed by the likes of Viz, ADV, and Dark Horse. Mainstream publishers like Del Rey and DC Comics are launching manga publishing wings. Anime headlines many established programming blocks on both cable and broadcast television. Advertisers are craving these audiences and actively creating ad campaigns around this "Japanese pop culture" market. Have you seen Coca-Cola's current campaign for Fanta sodas, a beverage to my knowledge has never been advertised on television? So, you'd think that somebody would realize that there's a small audience for tokusatsu in this country and build the industry here in the states, right?

Well, a couple of companies, most notably Media Blasters, are interested in bringing these "live-action animes" to the US. Unfortunately, many believe that there isn't an audience for tokusatsu in America. Some believe that nobody would want to see subtitled live-action shows on DVD the way they'd want to see animated shows. Let people know that there is a market for tokusatsu and there is an audience to bring these shows over to the US. Remember those "chop-socky" Shaw Brothers productions and martial arts-influenced shows of the 70s and early 80s? The same spirit that those shows brought to the generation before us is the same feeling that tokusatsu brings to our generation. If anime and live-action films in subtitled form can be accepted in this country, why not give Japanese live-action series the same treatment? There is a wealth of talent that has been ignored in the western world, and that's a real shame. I say bring them on. I'd like to see some of these shows the way they were meant to be seen, or in many cases, seen for the first time.

Speaking of spreading the word, give those interested in bringing tokusatsu Stateside a clear message by watching (or at least TiVoing or taping it) the Power Ranger "Made in Tokyo" Marathon this Sunday starting at 7 AM EST on ABC Family. Tell everybody to watch "Lost and Found in Translation" at 10:30 AM EST that day, the first ever crossover episode between an American series (Power Rangers Dino Thunder) and a Japanese tokusatsu (Aburanger). Give the industry a wakeup call by giving this special high numbers.

*end transmission*

Jeff Harris,
The X Bridge Webmaster/EiC/Lead Writer
June 7, 2004