Saiyuki: Yes, we get it. You like chains. A lot.

[dangermousie]

Watched a few more Saiyuki eps, which continue to be very good (I like it better than GetBackers, though I like GB). The hilarious ep with Lirin trying to take out 'baldy Sanzo' with three henchmen who make 3 stooges seem competent was priceless, and I liked the one with Homura (sp?) as I want to find out about the guys' previous lives (here is a phrase you only hear in anime), and I loved Sanzo denying a god (big surprise). But I liked the previous one the best, as I generally prefer more serious ones, as it satisfies my angst craving, and the artwork gets creative. The episode with Sanzo trapped in the spirit realm by that demon general who is trying to take over his mind by finding weaknesses was quite quite excellent, and not just because we get Sanzo issues, which is something quite rare because he is never ever into showing them. I liked the demonstration that it does bother him, what he does for a living. It's pretty significant the demon hooks up on the whole 'you are a man of god yet your hands are covered in blood' issue as a breaking point for him. The image of his hands covered in blood, and going back to his childhood and his master and failing to save him are definitely the guy's breaking point. No wonder in the flashback he picks that gun because he can always put a bullet through his head. And I do love that bit in the flashback where the master tells child Sanzo that he came and found him and stretched out his hand because he heard his voice, and maybe someday this will happen to Sanzo. Because this of course reminded me of the fact that this is how Sanzo rescued Goku (a priestly pay it forward? Hmmm), but it also this is how Goku rescues Sanzo: it's Goku's hands that pull Sanzo out and it's Goku's voice that brings him back. I find it pretty telling that a lot of things annoy Goku, but only one thing terrifies him: losing Sanzo. I would be all about the slash for those two, except for the father/son vibes which make it severely ick.

And this brings me to a related point. Which is, who was on crack and how much of it, when they designed the credits? Because with ep 27, the opening credits change. And we get what Husband referred to as 'history of pop music' with the boys sauntering around like models in modern clothing (okaaaaay, though weird), interspersed with s&m shots of the guys in various states of disarray all chained up and restrained. Repeatedly. Ummmm. Ummmmm. Ummmmmm. WHY? Not that it isn't pretty or what not, but this show itself it pretty vanilla when it comes to that. Heck, there ISN'T any sex on this show. I also don't think Sanzo halls out his BDSM gear at every rest-stop. It's pretty bizarre. And how about the closing credits, which show the four characters in slashy poses with any possible combo. I am not into slash for this show, mainly because everyone is too screwed up to get it on with ANYONE, but good Lord, I can see why people slash it.

And talking of cute guys who angst, I've been seeing X-Men posters around town. Surely I can't be the only one to prefer Cyclops to Wolverine. Heck, I don't find Wolverine appealing at all. If he cut out his smoking, took a regular shower, got a shave and a haircut, and a bit better manners, maybe. At least Cyclops is angsty AND clean-shaven, proving you can be both at the same time.

Comments

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

Hee! I totally prefer Wolverine. But I must admit that if , for example, Wolverine was not there, I could have been absolutely in love with Cyclops. Cyclops is a touch too young/too needy for my taste. But he is very attractive in his shades, true!

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

See, I knew about the Wolverine fuss, but I couldn't get over the haircut... I am shallow :)

[thelana.livejournal.com]

I love both Wolverine and Cyclops. I'd totally opt for a threesome ;D But yeah, Cyclops is totally the better choice for husband. Wolverine would be totally useless in that department.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Wolverine would be totally useless in that department.

Unless you liked beer cans as decor :P

[crumpeteer.livejournal.com]

The mangaka is well known for doing ambiguously oriented males.

The beginning credits for Reload are great with a heavy metal theme song and everything.

I like Homura, I just am bored by the Homura story line. It's there that the series sort of loses its sense of humor and goes into "woe, angst" mode.

And Sanzo is one of those guys cracking apart at the seams but who is doing everything in his power to keep himself together. Very telling the reason he picks the weapon he does. And his job REALLY bothers him (reminds me of Dean on Supernatural), but he has to keep doing it.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

The beginning credits for Reload are great with a heavy metal theme song and everything

I really like the theme, and the visuals are very pretty, but they do evoke a WTF reaction in me :)

It's there that the series sort of loses its sense of humor and goes into "woe, angst" mode.

But angst is good. Hmmm. But I'll see if I still think so after 20+ eps.

Sanzo is one of those guys cracking apart at the seams but who is doing everything in his power to keep himself together

He is all about control. Nothing bothers him as much as losing it. Because if he lost it a little bit, he'd snap completely and end up in free fall of FUBARness.

his job REALLY bothers him (reminds me of Dean on Supernatural), but he has to keep doing it.

And the interesting thing, he doesn't do it because gods order him, because if there is one person who could tell gods to stuff it, it would be him. So he doesn't even have 'but I was only following orders' mental comfort.

[crumpeteer.livejournal.com]

I think blaming it on a god would be too easy for Sanzo. That's like a cop out for him and it also takes the control away from him, good or bad. Sanzo is smart and very self aware, so he KNOWS he can't just blame it easily on "taking orders". He's doing it because it's something he feels like he needs to do.

And Sanzo has such a tight rein on his emotions that when he sort of loses it, it's a major catastrophe for the group. It's like he always has to be emotionally controlled and on guard. When he flips out in Reload, it ain't pretty, but when he gets it back together, he's actually relatively nice, at least for Sanzo, at least for a while.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

He's doing it because it's something he feels like he needs to do

This must be both necessary to him (he would rather die than give up control, probably because of his antecendents: he must have had very little control as a unnoticed little foundling, and he had no control over events the night of his master's death), but also doesn't give him a safety net. Heck, the rest of them are rather following Sanzo's lead, even.

When he flips out in Reload, it ain't pretty, but when he gets it back together, he's actually relatively nice, at least for Sanzo, at least for a while.

Can't wait!

[sinclair-furie.livejournal.com]

I'd probably go for Cyclops too. Wolverine has a sort of raw appeal, I guess, but come on. Cyclops can blast things out of existence with laser vision, and anyway he's much better looking.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yup. I am so glad I am not the only one. I mean, I like them manly, but not really slobby :P

[fivil.livejournal.com]

Sorry, dude, I'm just one of the Hugh Jackman camp (I even saw Van Helsing, god only knows why I felt compelled to).

Cyclops as a character is cool, though. As for who fucks Jean Grey, well, I don't really care.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

See, I know there is a huge HJ fuss, heck, my bestest friend evah is a huge fan, but he's never done anything for me. I don't think he has the intense intellectual OR pretty boy vibe :) No idea. Just he doesn't really do anything for me :)