I'd like to apologize once again for the issues with the commenting system over the past week or two. It kind of derailed the last couple of Gankutsuou posts. Hopefully things will run a bit more smoothly now that that's all ironed-out (well, somewhat; I'm still not getting emails, but I'm keeping a close eye on the submitted comments in the backend for now until things can be totally fixed).
I have one "fun fact" to share before we get started. There are a lot of reviewers who have written about the lackluster opening theme this series has. Unfortunately, this is one of those cases where the original anime opening theme couldn't be licensed, because the Japanese artist was asking for too much money. The original opening theme is called "Hikari no Machi" by TOKIO, who are known for being difficult when it comes to foreign licensing of their music. The new theme song, cobbled together from various scenes from the series and a selection from the soundtrack, isn't so bad considering those limitations. If you're by chance watching an old fansubbed version of the show, it most likely has the original intro music.
Remember, this series is available streaming. You can find the first episode here on YouTube (you will have to sign in to view it due to an age restriction), here on Hulu, and here on The Anime Network (which I believe is served by Hulu).
Anyway, let's start the first episode, shall we?
Episode 1: City of the Dancing Mask
It begins with the death of a famous actress in Otomo City. Newspaper reporter Hayato Mikogami senses a scoop, and asks his editor to send him there. He's after more information on a masked vigilante who's been dubbed the "Skull Man" due to the costume he wears. On his way to Otomo city, Hayato manages to pick up a "partner," a girl named Kiriko who aims to become a prize-winning photographer. She offers to partner with Hayato, and while he finds her annoying he eventually invites her to stay with him in his childhood home while his investigation is going on. Late that night, while Hayato is out visiting a vending machine, he hears terrified screams and gets tossed through the air by a man who appears to be running from something. Before falling into unconsciousness, he notices a figure standing atop a crumbling building, wearing a skull-shaped mask.
Discussion: I hope you'll all indulge me for a moment as I take some time to make comparisons between this series and our previous book club selection, Gankutsuou. I think that there is some value in doing so, because the two series are ultimately trying to accomplish very different things, and their styles of storytelling really contrast with one-another.
Gankutsuou is a very well-paced story that asks that its audience be more invested in the thematic elements of the story rather than a lot of small details. I can't say for certain, but I'm guessing that many of you who were watching the show were able to infer a lot of what was going to happen, though not to the extent that it tarnished your viewing experience. The Skull Man is very different in that its story really is focused on a lot of small details, many of which aren't obvious right away. I would classify it more as an action-mystery rather than the straightforward action or horror series it may appear to be at first, something which may put off some viewers if they aren't expecting it.
That said, this episode introduces several elements that, as I recall, turn into important pieces of the story later on. Something that's subtly-introduced but interesting to note is that this story takes place in an alternate-universe or alternate-history version of Japan. The military is very much a presence, which should be obvious from the rather violent scene at the train station early in the episode, and travel between areas of the country is restricted. From what I recall, the country isn't entirely unified in this incarnation (there's a brief reference to military ships crossing the Tsugaru Strait, which separates Hokkaido and Honshu). These restrictions and curfews seem to aid the production by making the relative isolation of Otomo City and the emptiness of its streets at night more plausible than they might otherwise be (especially since late-night trips to the convenience store are often common occurrences in other anime).
Another tidbit of information comes as Hayato snoops in Kiriko's belongings and finds a photograph of her and another man. Though her aims might seem simple at first (she claims to be trying to improve her photographic skills), this suggest a hidden agenda and perhaps a future source of conflict. Though this seems unlikely considering her introduction, her role isn't limited to that of a comic relief character. As a side note, she's involved in the one little bit of mild fanservice this series has to offer; if that sort of content bothers you (as it does me), there should be nothing major left to worry about.
It should be emphasized that Hayato is a former resident of this town (as we learn from his trip to the graveyard to visit his father's grave), and his own motivations for returning to the town may be more complicated than just a desire to uncover information about The Skull Man.
Since this is the first discussion entry for this series, I'd like to take a moment to talk about aesthetics, because this series is uncommon-looking, especially for the time in which it was made. For those of you who aren't familiar with the creator, artist Shotaro Ishinomori is probably most remembered for his manga series Cyborg 009 (or perhaps the difficult-to-find Legend of Zelda comic which originally appeared in Nintendo Power - I have a copy that I will never, ever lend to anyone), which ran from the mid-1960's until the early 1980's. A quick glance at some illustrations from that series should tell you most of what you need to know about why this series looks the way it does. The animators did a good job of adapting Ishinomori's more stylized, rounded character designs into versions that, while still unique, most modern anime fans ought to find more appealing. I personally like the looks of them, how about you?
Please share your own reactions in the comments. I'm curious to hear what others consider to be important thus far, and whether or not anyone has any expectations or predictions they're willing to offer. Any discussion of Ishinomori and his body of work is welcome too, if that's something you're particularly familiar with. Just to warn you once again, several more factions will be introduced in upcoming episodes, so it pays to pay very close attention to what's going on, even as early as this episode, so vigilance in discussing the details is a must for getting the most out of the show.
I watched this series back when it was new, along with a co-worker at the university who had not seen a lot of anime and definitely had a taste for mature-themed shows over the fan service type (for example, he could not understand why Dai-Guard didn't make millions of dollars...) We both enjoyed it greatly. This might be a good opportunity to go back and watch it again...
I definitely think that it's the type of series worth watching more than once, if only to catch the things that were missed the first time around. I enjoyed the series when I first watched it, but I did feel a little bit overwhelmed when all the different story elements started coming together in the second half.
The version I watched on YouTube was kind of murky, so I may have missed some important details.
I especially noted some themes that put the first episode in the horror/mystery category for me, despite Kiriko's comic relief antics.
1. Isolation. It's noted that Otomo city has "extraterritoriality"; despite sharing its culture with the rest of Japan, it's not fully part of it. Movement in and presumably out of the city is restricted, and there's a curfew in place...likely strongly enforced. Phone calls to outside the city are prohibited for ordinary citizens. Despite Hayato having lived in the city before, he seems to know few of its citizens, and the government seems to be much stricter than when he left.
All this adds up to isolation for our main characters. They can't expect help from the outside or a quick escape if things go sour.
2. Authorities cannot be trusted. Even if the police mean well, the military government could easily pull rank, and it's shown that the army guys don't hesitate to kill rather than capture. A police detective has been assigned to watch Hayato, but since he doesn't know why, he can't be relied on to do the right thing. So going to the cops is out.
3. Secrets. Everyone has them. Hayato doesn't tell his editor that he's already a citizen of Otomo City. Kiriko has a man in her past who looks kind of like Hayato, and is awfully unprepared for someone seeking a career in photography. The old man on the train never gives his name or explains his presence. Hayato's contact hints there's something sinister about the death of Hayato's father. The military are clearly nervous about something, and the police won't tell their own detective what's going on.
The new starlet seems to be hiding something, and of course the secret of who or what the Skull Man is and what he is up to is seemingly central to the plot.
Horror or mystery? We should soon find out.
The anime has done a good job of replicating the feel of the 60s - 70s Japan (it's hard to tell exactly, since eastern countries pick up western fashion usually 10 years after the west). The clothing is very much the muted hues and style of that era, the technology and vehicles are older, and the architecture looks like the later Shouwa period.
I find Kiriko to be a bit annoying, so I'm hoping she'll flesh out and keep her outbursts to a minimum in later episodes. I like Hayato; he's got roguish qualities and a natural curiosity and drive that make him an easy protagonist to follow. I love the mysterious old gentleman who's introduced on the train and knows way too much about Otomo City.
Along with SKJAMM!'s themes, everything points to a theme of Control over a barely contained bubbling chaos. It'll be interesting how this develops.