Do you know the feeling of anticipation for the next episode of an anime series to arrive? Do you feel the agony knowing that you have to wait for a week in order to get more of a certain anime series? Do you feel the anguish that nobody seems to know how good this series is because everyone is keen to sub Code Geass, Vampire Knight and Special A? I am experiencing these strong feelings because Library War (Toshokan Sensou) is just about one of the most visually appealing shows this season.
Nonetheless, this is a series I will definitely blog even if no one cares about it. I know it deserves to be given WAY more attention than it is getting now. To all fansubbers of Menclave, Strawberry Mint Subs and Ureshii/BSS, PLEASE SUB IT NOW, IF YOU KNOW WHAT’S A GOOD ANIME! Enough whining, it’s time for the review. I also included a link tag for those who do not want to be spoiled with the episode summary. You can click the link below in order to skip to the thoughts section. I hope this new feature will be good for anyone who does not want the summaries and yet want to comment.
[Skipping to the thoughts section]
Episode summary
Kasahara is undergoing mountain hiking exercise with the rest of the Task force. After bumping onto Tezuka, Kasahara is given a cold eye by him. Kasahara and Tezuka are actually nominated by Komaki and Genda to enter the task force. Kasahara also remembers about Asako’s comment that Tezuka is the top cadet officer. However, Kasahara wonders whether he is as good as people described. Genda asks Kasahara what she is thinking, and she asks why they are doing an exercise in the wild. Genda says that he likes it but Dojo adds that it is to prevent an incident like the Hino’s nightmare.
Tezuka is surprised at Kasahara’s ignorance, and explains that the lack of proper organization and regimentation within the Library Task Force (LTF) caused 12 deaths in Hino Library when Media Improvement Brigade Militia (MiB) invaded. the LTF is not able to save the people there in time. Tezuka adds that he wonders why Kasahara is in the Task force, but Dojo defends her. In target shooting, Kasahara only manages to hit half of the targets, while Tezuka easily hits dead center. Kasahara gained praise by Dojo through roping down the helicopter, surprising her as Dojo does not give compliments. Tezuka seems to be somewhat reluctant before getting down.
The last exercise in the wilds is to trek to the top, as the Task force is split into two. Genda warns of a roaming bear. Kasahara goes into panic mode and ignores Dojo’s assurances that there are no bears sighted before. Kasahara is drained from the trek and falls. Dojo tells Tezuka to help her as it is a team effort. Eventually, Kasahara’s team got there first. At night, Kasahara wakes up to see a bear and punches it, only to realize that it is a senior in a bear’s clothing. The next day, Asako laughs about her “bear-killing act”, and cannot imagine about Kasahara’s femininity at all.
Komaki reminds Dojo that Kasahara is really similar to him when Dojo is a trainee (in bear-killing). The two starts quarreling about the bear, with Komaki enjoys the quarrel. Kasahara, due to her lack of studying, is unable to handle the classification of books. Tezuka fully insults her incompetency. She makes an excuse that there is no time between physical and classifying training. Tezuka adds that she should take her initiative to learn since there are two break days, and says that stupid and incompetent people should just shut up.
Dojo tells him that he is taking this too far, and tells Kasahara to work on the remaining tasks. She starts to cry, but regains her composure. She continues to work when Dojo and Komaki leaves. Dojo is worried and asks Asako to take a look at Kasahara who is still working. Kasahara asks Asako to teach her in classification, and Asako warns her to prepare herself. Eventually, she is able to do it with the harsh training of Asako. The two also finds something fishy with the lack of classification for a few books. Dojo tells Tezuka to recognize and trust her more.
Asako says that all the “missing” books are in the conference room as the library merchants are here to examine it. The MiB infiltrates the library, as the LtF is in full alert to protect the basement. Asako realizes that the library merchant is in cahoots with the MiB, and warns Kasahara about it. Kasahara defies orders to rush up, and she faces resistance. Tezuka shoots a MiB member and he drops the bag filled with the books to the ground below. Tezuka is going to call backup, but Kasahara realizes that there’s no time to waste as she asks for cover. She jumps down with the rope as she knows Tezuka has fear of heights.
She manages to receive the bag and the other members from the LtF arrived in time to save her. Dojo screams at her recklessness, and she realizes that she has genuinely made Dojo worried. She apologizes but Dojo also praises her for her quick thinking in order to save the books. At night, Tezuka walks off with Kazahara, and Kazahara praises Tezuka for his good markmanship and cover. Tezuka stares at her and says he has a proposal for her. He suddenly confesses his love for her.
I really like Dojo now for Kasahara’s future love interest (and her prince?). Instead of being a total pain in the a**, Dojo is actually a very kind and sweet instructor. I mean, he is the type of instructor that all females will want to have. He’s a totally tsundere at that, and I know that our resident community female bunny is thinking of him that way. I really like how he is very harsh at her mistakes, but he is so cool when he protects Kasahara from the evil mouth of Tezuka. I think that it’s pretty obvious now that it is a Dojo x Kasahara pairing. Yay for sweet fierce shoujo love!
Everyone who reads my entries often will know my liking of a strong female lead. Kasahara clearly fits the criteria. I mean, how many girls can dropkick an instructor without any hesitation and punching a “bear” to oblivion? Without counting the magical girls, a normal girl is usually unable to do this. That is why I appreciate the strong-headed Kasahara. I am tired of damsel in distress girls who are made use as stupid fanservice. I do not need that to enjoy my anime. That is why Kasahara is a huge positive in this series.
The action scene at the end of this episode is exciting, and does not use any cheap thrills to fake the action. I like how they attempt to do some realistic flaking and group formations in military operations. I do not remember enough to name them (maybe Crusader can eventually fill me in on them) but it is clear that they are not going on a macho solo action hero style of action. Every single main character is not deus ex machina, and it’s through tactical skills and luck for them to survive in this gun fight. I guess I am not the kind of viewer that enjoys a hero blasting everyone into oblivion easily without a single sweat.
On the episode itself, production I.G really establishes its credibility as a top-notch animation company. It’s hard to find any fault with the fluid graphics for a weekly series. Library Wars have this good infusion style that does not fit in the shoujo or shounen genre. Instead of being lackluster, it works perfectly well as the romance has a strong sense of shoujo (two stubborn males, and a love triangle) with downright cool military action gunfights. I do not see how it is done inappropriately. Can you?
Lastly, on the lighter side of life, who thinks that Tezuka is queer? I mean, just a few days ago, Tezuka cannot wait to rip her apart (not in the dirty way) but suddenly he wants to jump on her. Ok, jumping on her might be an exaggeration, but I cannot even understand how this strange elite is thinking. Perhaps, he is doing it because he is turned on by the bear-killing act and her machoism? What do you think is the most plausible reason? I am in a loss on his motivation.
In addition, before I stop, what do you feel about the premise of information control and books in this series? Do you find it unrealistic, thought-provoking or plain boring?
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[…] in order to get more of a certain anime series? Do you feel the anguish that nobody seems to knowhttp://that.animeblogger.net/2008/04/18/library-war-episode-2-entering-the-task-force/AFX UK Focus 2008-04-22 17:54 GMT: Milan shares close lower on international trends, led by media […]
mib added these pithy words on Apr 24 08 at 9:48 amI enjoyed the summaries for the first two episodes of this series. I do agree, it is indeed, a pity that we have over 3 sub groups wanting to sub the VK, SA and the like.
I really really am hoping someone will eventually pick this series up. There’s quite a few shoujo titles out there - I do not find them appealing as of yet. Blassreiter was picked up fairly quickly - I wonder why this series hasnt been popular. It really seems very interesting a story.
In any case, thank you for blogging this - atleast, I’ll know whats happening 
“Who thinks that Tezuka is queer?”
It depends on what you mean by “queer”. I presume you mean to ask whether he is strange, rather than wondering if he’s homosexual. I think he’s attracted to strong, decisive women, that’s all. And I think that definitely means he’s straight. 
“What do you feel about the premise of information control and books in this series?”
I think it’s a plot device that seems silly on the surface, but when you look deeper, it’s really more about the control of ideas, rather than the books per se. Admittedly though, some viewers are going have a hard time imagining soldiers killing each other over books. I think many of us would rather run away from books rather than fight over them, let alone die for books. ^^;
“I like how they attempt to do some realistic flaking (sic) and group formations in military operations.”
That’s standard Production I.G for you. They’ve been honing their military “expertise” ever since the first Ghost in the Shell movie and their experience shows. That said, I find the way the cadets pack their full packs a bit weird - notice how their water bottles dangle from one side of their packs? Also, I’m not 100% convinced that soldiers carry submachine guns like the Task Force operative do when performing cover-and-movement. Aren’t they supposed to hi-port their weapons instead of shooting from the hip? Marksman or not, you’re not going to hit anything with that posture.
But I’m being too harsh, I think. I’d say though, I find it cute that Iku is a “bobo-shooter”. That’s very much how I imagine her - all action, no finesse. Let’s hope Prince Charming teaches her how to be more lady-like as the series progresses. 
Have fansubs started subbing this ?
Nice Read
Thanks
As I don’t think Omni or Psgels will be continuing blogging Toshokan Sensou, I have to say this:
THANK YOU SO MCUH FOR BLOGGING THIS IMPZ T_T
I know. It is agonizing to see such a potentially amazing show go under the radars of so many. Myself, I got the raw. Again. Only understood a fraction of it, but roughly understood most parts. I thank you for the summary for helping to clear some things up.
I really like Iku as a character myself, it is a very very welcome change from the usual average anime girl who needs to be saved etc. Also, I like how Iku’s skirt is actually pants ^^ And I don’t think Tezuka is weird, he’s probably bad at expressing himself, or very very tsundere, or both. Either way, that developement was a bit fast considering I expected the Iku/Tezuka rivalry to hold tense and steady throughout the series, and probably melt away towards the end, where they become good friends or something. Tezuka’s confession was like o_O.
On the information control premise, it’s both thought-provoking and unrealistic, though more former than latter. One thing I don’t get is how the laws are made. If information control reached such a tense stage that firearms are being used in a public place, how can everyone be living in such a peaceful state? (like the people walking on the streets in ep1). Are there double standards in the law or something? Loopholes? I don’t really get it. :/ But maybe with subs I will.
Also Impz, are your subs Chinese? I need subs in a language I can actually understand….T_T
faye added these pithy words on Apr 18 08 at 1:42 amWhat?! Nani?! Episode one hasn’t even been subbed yet! This sucks for people like me who can’t watch raw …
blissmo added these pithy words on Apr 18 08 at 2:31 amYou are the best Impz.Thanks for blogging this with such detailed summary.Seriously,this series needs more love.
I don’t like the fact that series like Geass is subbed by what,3 to 4 groups?What’s the point of so many groups subbing one series? Can’t they pay more attention to series like Toshokan Sensou or Real Drive? Just because they are not as popular as Geass doesn’t mean this should be pushed aside.
I hope that the reason why the subbed version is slow is because the group that sub it(Menclave, Strawberry Mint Subs, Ureshii&BSS) stress on quality.Well i certainly dont mind waiting if that’s the reason.
rhapsody_blue added these pithy words on Apr 18 08 at 2:49 am@Vsky: Thank you for enjoying the summaries. I am just worried that there might be a few people who are really turned off by episode summaries. Hence, the anchor tag will allow them to fast forward to the thoughts section with 9 screenshots for goodness.
I think there are enough fansubs who might be interested in dealing with this. However, with the many technical details in this series, it is very hard. For e.g. at the start of the series, they talk about the Hino’s incident. They mention it is a case of the lack of organization and regimentation, but I do not understand how being in the wild will facilitate that at all. Perhaps it is my inability to understand but there are some details that are lost.
@TinyRedLeaf: I think that the premise of information control is hard to understand from the perspective of the modern teenager’s view. To us, the commodity of information is just something that we can do without. However, I can list examples that might change your view. In Nepal, when the king tried to stop all forms of mobile and internet communication in the country in 2006 or 2007, there is a complete blackout of information for a few days.
People are disorientated, lost and do not know what to do. During that dark era of a few months, the people who have the power are those who own special wireless phones that uses satellite to communicate (since the government probably does not have the capability to ban such communication).
If you think of it in a scenario where freedom of speech and the proliferation of undesirable material due to the Internet is rampant, it is likely that a group such as the MiB might eventually happen with a corrupted government who wants to seize control. It has been believed long ago that whoever controls the mass media, controls the media flow (which can be seriously argued from a critical approach, but that’s for another time). Hitler during WWII made full use of the television media to put Germany’s troops into a frenzy.
Back to Iku, she’s cute in that way. If she’s so good a military woman, it will lose some of the charm, the funny part about this series. It’s because she is not perfect, which is why she can have her prince charming to save her 
@Ryuu: not yet. =3
@Faye: Well, I generally try to blog something that is peaceful and less loved by the public, but is obviously good. Library War looks like the anime for this season, and I will be blogging it as quick as I can every week. ^^ So expect god’s speed on the entry each week!
I think Tezuka is quite weird to be honest because you cannot ask someone for a confession just like that. However, considering that he seems to be the type that is clueless when it comes to girls, I should not find it so strange.
The following is my guesswork from a sociology point of view (sort of, anyway). I think the thing is that the government has desensitized the public so much that the general person on the streets no longer has any urge to find information. In other words, it is likely that the country is prosperous *clearly from the streets*, which is why the general public has no issue with the lack of freedom in this state.
People only go on a huge strike whenever it has something to do with economic resentment across a vocal minority. Any dissenter who attempts to do anything with a prosperous state will be hitting a brick wall. Moreover, if I remember right, there is no firearms that is allowed in public places. In other words, public places are considered to be safe havens for the public.
The only places that are allowed for true military fire (and the more prized treasures) are in the library where the Library Force is protecting. Hence, the public is generally kept away from the violence caused by increased militarization. I hope that explains a little. Yes, they are chinese, but I do not discuss where to get them here. ^^
@Blissmo: ya. it’s so sad that there are no subs for this wonderful show. Nonetheless, I hope that the extensive summary coupled with the raw can guide you through decently for the show.
@rhapsody_blue: Well, if anything, fansubbers are like websites or bloggers. They want to blog the most popular stuff. I mean, maybe some people do not care about popularity, but I am sure that many do. If so, it does not make sense to blog something like Toshokan Sensou when there are huge shows such as Code Gease R2.
That’s just normal. I don’t deny to suffer from this, but I always want to blog something that not many will be too interested ^^
Impz added these pithy words on Apr 18 08 at 2:51 amI think we should cool down and cut fansubbers some slack? Fansubbing is not a full-time job with a salary attached, you know. People do it because they enjoy whatever they are subbing (for free). We can’t help it if more people are interested in, say, Code Geass than Toshokan Sensou. For an I.G production, Toshokan Sensou is relatively simple actually, but I realise I’m speaking from the point of view of someone who has passed JLPT3, so I have the luxury of understanding roughly 30% to 40% of the raw video. For the parts I don’t understand, there is this blog.
“The only places that are allowed for true military fire (and the more prized treasures) are in the library where the Library Force is protecting. Hence, the public is generally kept away from the violence caused by increased militarization.” -Impz
Except that members of the public were present at the library that the Task Force was defending. So, I have to agree with Faye. It’s strange how life seems to go on normally for ordinary citizens when they are in fact living in the midst of a “hot” civil war. I didn’t notice that anomaly until she brought it up. Good catch!
Ah well, we don’t have to take Toshokan Sensou’s premise too seriously. As long as the series doesn’t “break” its own rules, I have no problems suspending disbelief. If you think about it, many of the concepts introduced in “1984″ or “Brave New World” were quite far-fetched, but they made sense within the dystopian reality that Orwell and Huxley respectively created. In the end, I still believe that the control of books is actually more about censorship and the control of information in this fictionalised version of Japan.
“To us, the commodity of information is just something that we can do without. However, I can list examples that might change your view.” -Impz
You’re preaching to the converted, lol. I very well appreciate how information can be blocked and controlled, and I can well imagine the potential impact of implementing such controls. It’s not just governments who would want to manipulate mass media for propaganda purposes. Anyone who wants to promote an agenda will want to use mass media to serve their interests, from Rupert Murdoch to Greenpeace. Everyone is guilty of promoting propaganda to some extent.
The key is to learn how to cherry-pick from the best, but even then, we are victims of our own personal biases. More often than not, we only see what we want to see. That’s an aspect of media theory I would love to study at postgrad level some day. But a career will have to come first, because frankly speaking, a Masters in Mass Communication is not going to teach me how to get a paying job in journalism or publishing.
TinyRedLeaf added these pithy words on Apr 18 08 at 3:37 am@TinyRedLeaf: NEVER, I WILL NEVER CUT THEM ANY SLACK COS …COS…I am evil! Honestly though, I do deal with fansubbing in general (I am an editor at Orange-subs) and I know that it can be done without rushing too much in a week or so. I am just disappointed, that’s all. Thanks for the calming words for anyone who is ready to flame the oil.
Actually, most of the public who are in the library probably knows enough to be more careful. If I hear rightly, all the important books (aka the library) is found at the basement where it’s tightly controlled and protected. I got a feeling that it feels something like a “black market”, where you get information at your own risk. hehe.
I do not really see that many members of the public actually, to be honest. However, it might just be that the anime didn’t treat it that seriously. Still, I wonder how it is like to have a feeling of death whenever you visit a library. Lol, it will be really doomsday.
Well, if you are keen to understand a bit about manipulation of the mass media with an Asian (and probably more realistic portroyal) perspective, go read Kishore Mahbubani. He is one of Foreign Policy magazine’s top 100 public intellectuals. He writes in his book “The New Asian Hemisphere: The Irresistible Shift of Global Power to the East” how it is not only the government that the fourth estate (the newspaper) should be wary of, but giant corporations that control our news view.
Isn’t it ironic that the western press, who prides itself in western democracy, is being controlled by a different force? I digress. Nonetheless, Library Wars give a rather light hearted approach toward more disturbing aspects of social engineering.
Impz added these pithy words on Apr 18 08 at 3:52 amThis series got the right amount of action and shoujo, I’m thinking this might just be my favorite anime of all time. I like all of the characters, even Tezuka! The preview for next week hinted at more of this action stuff ~ I’m 100% excited.
kai_y added these pithy words on Apr 18 08 at 6:30 am“Do you feel the agony knowing that you have to wait for a week in order to get more of a certain anime series? Do you feel the anguish that nobody seems to know how good this series is because everyone is keen to sub Code Geass, Vampire Knight and Special A?”
Oh no, a week? A WHOLE WEEK? If you replace “a week” with “several months / years,” then I know EXACTLY how you feel. Even now, in this era of digital fansubbing and manga scanlations on top of all the stuff that gets licensed, nearly all of the things I want to watch / read are either ignored or quickly dropped due to a combination of translation difficulty and lack of fan interest. Case in point: Golgo 13. I have to wait DECADES for anime adaptations of that to be made, let alone translated. My sympathy therefore for those who can’t stand to wait a mere seven days is minimal.
Yet despite your intense dislike of Golgo 13, I nonetheless admire your resolve to keep talking about something because it’s something YOU enjoy even though you know that general fan interest is minimal. Take solace in the fact that even if nobody gets behind Library War, there’ll still be several anime titles made that are awfully similar to it. I cannot say the same for Golgo 13.
Daryl Surat added these pithy words on Apr 18 08 at 7:37 am@Kai_Y: Arr, of course it is. I do want more rabu rabu too!
@daryl: Daryl, are you confusing me with someone perhaps O_O? I didn’t even watch Golgo 13 because I am generally not someone who likes shounen shows. Moreover, I have heard from Extrange that it is a very Gar show. I am not interested in the premise, but I have never hated it because I do not have a right to. I didn’t even watch it. X_X.
That said, I think that it is really important for bloggers to give some exposure to less stated anime. If you wish to get some solace in that situation, I think that the manga is somewhat translated of sorts. I might be wrong though. I can understand your anger, since everything is decided by popularity. The less popular.
Thanks for visiting, daryl surat. Appreciate it ^^
Impz added these pithy words on Apr 18 08 at 7:53 amActually, Golgo 13 is not shonen. It’s “seinen.” The use and prevalance of the word “gar” is unnecessary, since seinen embodies the whole “super-manly” concept just perfectly. However, since seinen isn’t traditionally adapted into anime form, and scanlations are sparse due to the fact that there is no unified seinen fandom among English-speaking anime/manga fans the way there is for shonen, shojo, yaoi, moe, etc. folks started using this arbitrary term to describe things that are seinen or seinen-influenced.
In any case, I’m not super upset over the lack of attention Golgo 13 is getting. I don’t foresee the fansubbers sticking with it all the way through (is it 12 episodes like a few places say or 50? I heard it was 50.), but at least someone’s doing it. By contrast, NOBODY is bothering to fansub Kaiba, so I’ll probably start trying to champion the cause of that. Then again, I’m the only person I know who watched Mind Game. And Kemonozume, for that matter. People often say they want to see something different, but then when something truly different comes along, they say “oh…that’s a little TOO different.”
This comment had nothing to do with Library War though! Um…well, then…I would like it in future Library War posts if you expanded further on the ideas put forth here regarding the need for having both the cutesy stuff (facial expressions, love story, that sort of thing) as well as the military element. The impression I’m getting (without having seen the show, I’ve only heard of it for the first time in this post and I’m at work still) is that if this series just had the one or just had the other, it wouldn’t be captivating.
Daryl Surat added these pithy words on Apr 18 08 at 9:19 am@Daryl: no problem about going off topic. ^^ we always do. I usually talk about something like cute Kasahara, and then will go on a whole digression about information control. It’s the norm here in THAT anime blog. By the way, from Owen, he informs me that Ureshii is subbing it.
By the way, I must admit that I am one of those superficial people that dislikes mind game because it was just way too, for the lack of a better word, mind blowing for me. Nonetheless, I do not think that I want something that different. I do not need that many moe girls, but it probably needs to have some form of conventional graphics for me to appreciate it.
People often say they want to see something different, but then when something truly different comes along, they say “oh…that’s a little TOO different.”
Kaiba (i watched the first 2 episodes btw) is straight in your face controversial, but I think that it has some promise. I am usually the type of guy who will try to at least watch 3 episode of a series before saying I like it or hate it. I never go about dissing a series like golgo 13 for e.g. since I will not watch it. It’s just a show I know that I cannot appreciate. If so, I should not try to impose any view on it. It’s not fair to readers who wants a proper decent review.
Actually, Golgo 13 is not shonen. It’s “seinen.” The use and prevalance of the word “gar” is unnecessary, since seinen embodies the whole “super-manly” concept just perfectly.
Yep, thanks for a bit of clarification. I admit to be a novice in terms of jargons relating to the anime industry in general. Nonetheless, specifics are not my priority, but I am sure you know what I am trying to say.
Yes, the thing about Library Wars that is quite special from the norm is that it does not allow itself to stick to one style. It sometimes goes with the chibi, but sometimes goes with a very serious facial expression. For me, I do not think that anime should be restricted to just a style (shounen, shoujo) but should be allowed to expand as long as it fits. I have to say that Library War will fail if it did not have the light hearted facial expressions and the romance factor.
Its topic is somewhat unbelievable for the uninitiated (which I have tried to explain a few times in the posts about its possible realism and the theories of information control). If it tries to go all serious, it is likely to fall flat. Hence, it is a good mixture of a personal touch, and uses the information theme more as a background knowledge. Hence, its possible weakness is covered, and we have a polished shoujo romance show without losing its roots which is action.
Impz added these pithy words on Apr 18 08 at 9:34 am“In addition, before I stop, what do you feel about the premise of information control and books in this series? Do you find it unrealistic, thought-provoking or plain boring?”
it intrigues me actually… the acts of the MiB mirrors some governments who censor things that are not beneficial to them and this censorship in turn leaves the citizens easier to manipulate…
and though i don’t really read books teh thought of fighting over books is kinda romantic in a way… there’s something about books that can’t can’t be reproduced via electronic means…
there are already 2 good groups subber CG in a very timely manner yet there’s still no subs for this… i’m glad i can barely raw this… and also glad that you’re summarizing this to supplement my poor rawing abilities…
kaz3phyrous added these pithy words on Apr 18 08 at 9:54 am@Daryl:
If it’s any consolation, I’m following Kaiba and I’m enjoying it. It’s my first exposure to Masaaki Yuasa’s work, so naturally I haven’t seen his earlier shows. From what I can tell, he is using an entirely different style in Kaiba, so familiarity with his earlier work doesn’t seem to be very important. Kaiba is highly original. I like.
As for Golgo 13, I’ve watched the first episode without prior background, and my honest opinion is that its concept has not aged well. Action/machismo shows have moved very far along and it’s no longer enough for me to believe that a hero is superhuman simply by creating a highly exaggerated scenario, and then have said hero casually resolve everything with a single bullet. Action-heroes bleed nowadays, I’m afraid, ala James Bond in Casino Royale. It doesn’t make them weak. It actually makes them sexier. Plus, I’m a bit leery about how Duke Tolgo is automatically supposed to be terrific in bed, simply because he’s assumed to be super manly. James Bond, chauvinistic prick though he is, does his trophies the courtesy of at least some foreplay.
Er…that’s just my opinion of course. Obviously, Golgo 13 isn’t my kind of entertainment. Sorry for the off-topic critique. ^^;
TinyRedLeaf added these pithy words on Apr 18 08 at 10:10 amAhhh you and the scrumptious anime blog make the series sound so good…I know there wasn’t as much buzz about the show as VK etc., but I was actually really surprised when I found out no one was subbing it!! yet. hopefully soon? Oh well just one more fan sighing and hoping subbers notice the fans the show would have…
Susie Q added these pithy words on Apr 18 08 at 2:36 pmWow, nobody’s actually subbing this series? How surprising! I thought it should be at least somewhat popular since it sounded great…Anyways, I’ve been interested in this series since I heard the title (I wanted to be a librarian once upon a time), so thank you very much for covering it in such detail! Keep up the great work
I think the premise of information and control in this show seems like a pretty realistic topic (interesting too!), but apparently some do write it off as odd, which is unfortunate. I also like how this war provides the background for both the action and the romance in the show! Very unique and relevant to my interests, since I like both genres if not done excessively.
Kibou added these pithy words on Apr 18 08 at 4:35 pm@Kaz3phyrous: Blogs are not only used to voice out the author’s opinions but they are also a more detailed source of information on a specific genre or topic that is usually neglected by major sources of news. Hence, it is good that I have the chance to provide the source of translating gibberish details into proper information that can be comprehended even though you do not understand japanese.
Imagine if this is taken away from you. What will you feel? Imagine a more drastic scenario where all books that promotes a lifestyle (even your “Little Miss Neat” books) that is against a collective mindset are all banned. Will books become an important commodity to transmit ideas now? Rather than saying it is books, I believe Library War is communicating more about information. It can be physical, electronic or anything that has latent or explicit information.
@Susie Q: That’s our “job”, isn’t it? If we review something and it turns you off so badly, I will feel miserable and quit immediately (perhaps not quit, lol!). The truth is that I am just trying to spread the love of series that might not seem that interesting at first glance.
@Kibou: The whole thing about war, romance and action is weaved together beautifully. It’s not awkward or out of place. It’s almost like it should be this way. That shows how Library War manages to make a seemingly complex situation more palpable for us to digest.
Impz added these pithy words on Apr 18 08 at 8:47 pmI don’t understand why some bloggers don’t blog “eccentric” or out-of-the-norm anime. Thank god that some intelligent figure on Earth understands the magnificence of this series. Keep blogging. Or I will hunt you down. Just kiddin’
asdf added these pithy words on Apr 19 08 at 12:16 am@Asdf: Cos every blogger wants to be the cool guy who blogs the popular series. WAHAHAHAHAHAAH! Hunt me down? NO, I WILL HUNT YOU DOWN if you stop commenting.
not kidding.
ho ho ho.
Impz added these pithy words on Apr 19 08 at 12:30 amMy complaint with Toshokan Sensou now is that the anime is moving wayy too fasttt!! (especially in this ep) x__x Hence, details which could help clarify things more are omitted, and we get to see less of the snob/arrogant Tezuka, more deredere Doujou, etc etc. I am soo itching to make my deep frying to tell the world of the missing juicy bits of the novel! \o/ I really hope I can spare time to do this, so you can go read about it too Impz. *crosses fingers*
usagijen added these pithy words on Apr 20 08 at 4:20 pmProd.I.G. masterful, how many series are they doing this season? dunno.
On information control and books. I think the setup is interesting, but I do view it as a delivery for underlying complexities, be it the shoujo, slice-of-life, or whatever other enjoyable things may come. Interesting as well, and I’ll just throw it out there because I feel this is related… Fahrenheit 451 in anime/manga form.
As for the episode, I love the setup and direction. Solid/enjoyable characters, comedy, building romance, and very strong showing!
Late on the commenting, final exam week a coming, short time to view the airings. ^^ I like the energy Impz
Ryan A added these pithy words on Apr 21 08 at 8:19 amI’m not complaining… Two sub groups have already picked this up and I’m sooooooooooooooo happy about it XD By the way, is it ok to actually watch this anime for the sake of KasaDojo rather than for the actual war… I cannot understand the war…
biankita added these pithy words on Apr 28 08 at 5:12 am@Bian: You are not the only one. It’s all about love!
Impz added these pithy words on Apr 28 08 at 6:13 amRegarding the premise of information control and control of literature:
I think it’s a great premise, as it’s something that governments around the world practice and which we should be wary of. Once the spread of ideas is censored, we can only act on the information that does trickle through and by controlling this governments in a way are controlling the very ways we think. However I don’t feel it’s handled especially well within the show. The books the MIB seems intent on collecting appear to be manga and children’s books, and I can’t see those being seditious in any way. Nor do I understand why they focus on commercial bookstores or allow the books to reach stores and then remove them; wouldn’t it be more likely they’d stop seditious literature at the publisher itself?
Nobiai added these pithy words on May 12 08 at 11:51 amThis anime series highlights the need to preserve books and artifacts, which is important. It just makes that world seem more exciting and important because of the military aspect involved.
hazelnutmegan added these pithy words on May 15 08 at 1:22 pm